A GODLY & FRUITFUL EXPOSITION Upon all the FIRST EPISTLE OF PETER.  
BY That Pious and Eminent Preacher of the WORD of GOD, JOHN ROGERS of Dedham in ESSEX.  JOHN 5. 39 Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me. 2 PETER 1. 20, 21. 
Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation.  
For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the holy Ghost.  
LONDON: Printed by JOHN FIELD; and are to be sold by Peter Cole, at the Sign of the Printing-Press in Cornhill, near the Royal Exchange. 1650.   

To the Reader.  
THe Name alone of the Author of this Exposition and Commentary, doth put a great price and value on it, yea command thy reading and study of it. It is the work of John Rogers, Minister of Dedham in Essex, written by his own hand. Being dead, he yet speaketh 
* 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Heb. 11. 4. in some Copies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Oecumen. ad loc. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophylact. ; that is, his Name is as a sweet savour poured forth, and his praise amongst the Saints in all the Churches of Christ; wheresoever he is spoken of, this may be said of him, That he was a burning and a shining light, having a heart inflamed with love to Christ, Truth, and the Souls of men; his words were as sparks of fire. As his light directed his zeal, so his zeal wrought with his light, and made it powerful: Animum non faciunt, qui animum non habent. Some Books are like a frosty day, clear, but dry and cold, and leave the Reader in the same temper. As in preaching, so in writing also, the stirring of the heart and affections should be endeavoured, as well as Information; and such words be used, and so set, as may rather make a Sermon then a Tract, and beget rather a love to the Matter (as this Author endeavoreth) than an opinion, or an esteem of the Writers abilities. He was a Scribe indeed, taught of God, instructed and prepared for the Kingdom (that is, the Church) of God, having, yea being a Treasure of things both new and old (that is, of all sorts of Doctrine, and all ways of Application of them.) He was a Boanerges, a Son of Thunder 
* Mark 3. 19 Lucas Brugensis. Beza Grot. ad loc. , for the power and efficacy God gave unto his Ministry; and a Barnabas, a Son of Consolation too 
* Acts 4. 36. Consolator, à comitate procul dubio, & eximi● in crigendis consuentis facultate, etc. Beza ad loc. : As the Thunder shaketh the Pillars of the Earth, overthroweth the Rocky Mountains, causeth the wild and savage Beasts to fear; and as the Lightning powerfully insinuates itself, breaking the bones, but not the flesh: So was it the pleasure of the Lord to bring down by his Ministry, the high and stout hearts of many rebellious ones, and to lead them in subjection to his will through Christ; To throw down, and to build up by him even as high as Heaven. As the Scriptures give us the Genealogies of the Saints, so many came out of Adam, Abraham, etc. How numerous are the Children whom this Author hath had given him by God? Many Families, persons of all sorts and ranks, in many Counties and Nations; even so far as his sound went forth, will and do acknowledge him to have begotten them to God, and call him Blessed.  
Reader, read his Works, and thou shalt know him; work what thou readest on thy own heart, that thou mayst be like unto him, one of his children also: which is the hearty desire of him who cannot but make this honourable mention of the Author, and is  
May, 1650. Desirous of thy good in Christ, SIDRACH SIMPSON.   

THE CONTENTS OF THIS EXPOSITION.  

Page  
THe scope of this Epistle both general and particular, with the several parts thereof, and matter contained therein, 1   

CHAP. I.  

Verse 1, 2.  
1. THe sum and parts of the Preface; 2  
2. The several names of this Apostle, and why so named, ibid.  
3. What names Parents are to give to their Children, ibid.  
4. Such as set forth Books, aught to set their names thereto, ibid.  
5 Why some worthy men have not done thus, 3  
6. Wherein the Apostles differed from all other Ministers, ibid.  
7. A Minister must have an inward calling and an outward, ibid.  
8. Why our Apostle nameth his Apostleship, 4  
9 Repentance wipeth away our sins, 5  
10. Why the Jews were called strangers, ibid.  
11. Among them there were sundry believers, ibid.  
12. God's Church here on earth is under persecution, 6  
13. Lawful to fly in the time of persecution, 7  
14. The large extent of the Church under the New Testament, ibid.  
15. The Apostles diligence and care in his charge, ibid.  
16. God hath chosen some to salvation,  
8  
17. How we may know the election of others, ibid.  
18. Christian's must so live, as that even others may be persuaded they belong to God, 9  
19 Why God decreed to save some, ibid.  
20. The ends why we were elected, 10  
21. Sanctification the end of our Redemption, ibid.  
22. Christ's obedience and sufferings the meritorious cause of our Salvation, 11  
23. Christ's death is to be particularly apprehended by faith, 12  
24. A proof of the holy Trinity, 13  
25. Election the work thereof, ibid.  
26. Why Gods favour is to be sought, ibid.  
27. Ministers must labour that their people may be brought into God's favour, ibid.  
And may grow in grace, 14   

Verse 3.  
1. THe sum and substance of the whole Epistle, 14  
2. God's blessing man, man's blessing man, and man's blessing God, 15  
3. God's mercies to be thought on, and spoken of with admiration, ibid.  
4. We must not think or speak of God, but with reverence, 16  
5. Why God is termed the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, ibid.  
6. God's Son, why termed Jesus Christ our Lord, ibid.  
7. What meant here by Hope, 17  
8. Assurance of Salvation comes not by nature, 18  
9 The means whereby God works Faith, ibid.  
10. Why termed a lively hope, 19  
11. God's free favour the cause of all our good, 20  
12. Man could not be saved without abundant mercy, ibid.  
13. The means whereby we are begotten to this hope, 22  
14. Benefits arising from Christ's Resurrection, ibid.   

Verse 4.  
1. THe Kingdom of Heaven why termed an inheritance, 23  
2. The happiness of God's people in heaven abideth for ever, 24  
3. Why termed undefiled, ibid.  
4. The Kingdom of Heaven always one and the same, ibid.  
5. God hath appointed to glorify his Saints in Heaven, 27  
6. The prevention of a conceit of the Jews, and of an Objection, 28  
7. God's Children shall not miss of Heaven, 29  
8. To be particularly assured of Heaven, a special comfort, ibid.   

Verse 5.  
1. THe prevention of another doubt, 30  
2. God's Children have many Enemies to hinder their salvation, 31  
3. Christian's cannot stand of themselves, 31  
4. God's almighty power is sufficient to uphold us against all our enemies, 32  
5. God's people are kept through Faith, 33  
6. How Faith bringeth us to Salvation, ibid.  
7. Christian's must not look here for outward prosperity, 34  
8. The fullness of our happiness not to be had here, 35  
9 The confutation of an Error, 36   

Verse 6.  
1. WE must rejoice in the assurance of our Salvation,  
37  
2. Religion reforms mirth, ibid.  
And moderates lawful mirth, ibid.  
3. Being assured of Heaven, we must rejoice even in our troubles, 38  
4. God's children must here undergo many troubles, 39  
5. Afflictions are trials, 41  
6. Here on earth heaviness and rejoicing may stand together, 42  
7. The godlies afflictions are short, ibid.  
8. Afflictions come by the wise disposing of Almighty God, 43   

Verse 7.  
1. A Qualification of their troubles, 43  
2. Affliction trieth whether we have Faith, 44  
3. How we may try our Faith, ibid.  
4. Affliction trieth whether our Faith be more or less than we take it, 45  
5. Affliction serveth to purify and increase Faith, ibid.  
6. Faith more precious than gold, 46  
7. Faith will be crowned at the last day, 47  
8 Christ will come on the last day to judge the world, 48  
9 The godly shall be publicly rewarded, 49   

Verse 8.  
1. Whereat Ministers should aim in commending their people, 49  
2. Through Faith we believe even things above the reach of our reason, 50  
3. True love the fruit of Faith, 51  
4. How to try both our Faith and Love, 52  
5. Faith must directly fasten itself on Christ Jesus, 52  
6. A proof of the Divinity of Christ, 53  
7. Joy a fruit of Faith, ibid.  
8. Why no true joy can proceed from ourselves, 54  
9 The joy of believers is unspeakable and glorious, ibid.   

Verse 9  
1. EVery man is in danger of utter destruction, 55  
2. The godly by Faith do even here enjoy Salvation, ibid.  
3. No pains too much to get Faith, 56  
4. Salvation not the end or reward of our works, ibid.  
5. We cannot merit Heaven, 57  
6. Believers shall have also the salvation of their bodies, ibid.  
7. What those are to look for that follow Christ, 58   

Verse 10.  
1. NO point touching Salvation is to be taught or received, but what's grounded on the Word, 59  
2. The Prophets took great pains to know the mystery of our Salvation by Christ, ibid.  
3. The Prophets and old Fathers were saved by Christ as well as we, 60  
4. The Doctrine of the Gospel not new, 61  
5. The Prophets foretold of Christ, 62  
6. The Harmony between the Old and New Testament, 62  
7. Salvation why called Grace, 63  
8. The Prophets did partake of Salvation, though they saw not Christ in the flesh, ibid.   

Verse 11.  
1. WE must endeavour to know what's profitable to be known, ibid.  
2. The Prophets searched into this great mystery, through the direction of the Spirit, ibid.  
3. God's Spirit the Author of the Old Testament, 64  
4. A proof of the Divinity of the Holy Ghost, ibid.  
5. The sufferings of Christ foretold in the Old Testament, ibid.  
6. Why it was needful that Christ should suffer for us, 65  
7. Three degrees of our Saviors Victory, ibid.  
8. Through afflictions we must come into glory, 66   

Verse 12.  
1. THe Anabaptists confuted, ibid.  
2. The Covenant of Grace one and the same throughout all ages, 67  
3. The Author, Matter, Form and End thereof, ibid.  
4. The difference about the measure given, and persons to whom, ibid.  
5. Why God sent his Son no sooner, ibid.  
6. Why theirs was called the time of the Law, and ours of the Gospel, 68  
7. God not to be charged with inconstancy, 68  
8. The same Gospel which was preached by the Prophets, was also preached by the Apostles, 69  
9 The Apostles have left a perfect direction for all things needful for our Salvation, 70  
10. Why the Angels desire to see the perfection of the Salvation of God's Church, ibid.   

Verse 13.  
1. DOctrine and Exhortation must be joined together, ibid.  
2. The corrupt conceits of the Jews about Salvation, 72  
3. The corrupt conceits of Christians about it, 73  
4. The best prize it not as they should, ibid.  
5. What sobriety is, and of sobriety about meat and drink, ibid.  
6. Sobriety about Apparel, Recreation and Profits, 74  
7. What Faith is, with the parts thereof, 76  
8. What it is to trust perfectly, ibid.  
9 Salvation a most special grace, 78  
10. What we are to expect by Christ, 79  
11. Salvation is not of our own procuring or seeking, ibid.  
12. The Gospel lays open Christ Jesus unto us, 80   

Verse 14.  
1. THe two parts of Sanctification, 81  
2. Obedience and Sanctification follow faith, ibid.  
3. God calls for obedience, 82  
4. We must obey in all things that are commanded, be the Commandment never so strange or unpleasing, 83  
5. The strict obedience of the Jesuits to their Superiors, ibid.  
6. We must obey without consulting with flesh and blood, whosoever or whatsoever be against it, voluntarily and constantly, 84  
7. What may stir us up unto obedience, 86  
8. Two parts of obedience, ibid.  
9 We must forsake evil before we can do good, 87  
10. Ignorance is the cause and root of a bad life, ibid.  
11. Why being so well instructed, they were termed ignorant, 88  
12. All knowledge without the knowledge of Christ, is nothing, ibid.  
13. Knowledge without Reformation, is but ignorance, ibid.  
14. Such as have attained knowledge, must not live as they did before, 89   

Verse 15, 16.  
1. HOliness must be added to abstinence from sin, 90  
2. This duty needful to be urged, ibid.  
3. Christian's must be holy, 91  
Holy in all manner of conversation, 92  
4. God is holy, 93  
5. A twofold calling, 94  
6. The parts of the inward calling, ibid.  
7. The fruits thereof, with the marks negative and affirmative, 95  
8. Why the Apostle doth so earnestly exhort unto Holiness, 96  
9 Ministers must prove their Doctrine by God's Word, 97  
10. Obedience is to be yielded to those Doctrines which are proved by the Word, 98  
11. God's word the rule of all truth, 99  
12. The use of the Apocrypha Books, with the respect which is to be given thereto, 100  
13. Christian's must be ready in the Scriptures, ibid.  
14. The more the Lord bestows on any, the more he expects from them, 102  
15. The Popish Doctrine of freewill hath no ground from this place, 103  
16. Nor is it against the married estate, ibid.   

Verse 17.  
1. Why we ought here to pass our time in fear, 104  
2. Three kinds of fear, Natural, Slavish, Filial; of which the last is often enjoined, 105  
3. Whence it proceedeth, with the benefits and marks thereof, and opposites thereunto, 106  
4. Means to attain unto the fear of God, 107  
5. God requires our whole time for his service, 108  
6. Christians here in this world are but sojourners, 111  
7. The first reason of the foregoing Exhortation, 113  
8. Such as call God Father, must walk in fear and obedience as Sons, 114  
9 What the name Father implieth, ibid.  
10. The second reason of the foregoing Exhortation, 115  
11. How God doth and will judge of men's actions in this life, at death, and on the day of Judgement, 116  
12. The person of man how taken, ibid.  
13. Four things required to the being of a good work, 117   

Verse 18, 19  
1. THe third reason of the foregoing Exhortation, 118  
2. A man may know himself redeemed, 119  
3. Redemption presupposeth bondage and slavery, ibid.  
4. There's a way whereby to come out of our bondage, 120  
5. The whole life of an unregenerate man is vain, 121  
6. Children readily follow the evil example of their Parents, ibid.  
7. Whom we are here to understand by fathers, ibid.  
8. Popish Religion stands in patches, 122  
9 Parents must give their children good example, ibid.  
10. To follow the example of our Ancestors is no sure rule, 123  
11. The things of this world are insufficient to redeem any out of his spiritual bondage, ibid.  
12. The things of this world are corruptible, vain and uncertain, 125  
13. Christ's blood the true price of man's redemption, 126  
14. In what respects Christ is compared to a Lamb, 129  
15. We are not to listen to, either believe all we hear, 131   

Verse 20, 21.  
1. THe prevention of an Objection, 132  
2. Christ was ordained before the world, 133  
3. The world shall not always continue, 135  
4. Christ how manifested, ibid.  
5. God is constant and unchangeable, ibid.  
6. God's promises are unchangeable, 136  
7. Christ was then exhibited, when God decreed he should so be, ibid.  
8. What God hath decreed, shall be in due time accomplished, 136  
9 Three differences of times, and why this called the last, 137  
10. God will no otherwise reveal his will than he hath already done, ibid.  
11. We now live in the latter end of the last times, ibid.  
12. Why Christ came towards the latter end of the world, 138  
13. What we are to do, that others may think well of us, ibid.  
14. We cannot believe in God but by the Son, ibid.  
15. In Christ's Resurrection the whole Trinity had a hand, 139  
16. The benefits which they reap that believe in Christ, ibid.   

Verse 22.  
1. Where there's no love nor fear of God, there can be no true brotherly love, 140  
2. Where there's the true fear or love of God, there's also brotherly love, ibid.  
3. There's uncleanness in us both in soul and body, 142  
4. Where there is sanctification of the soul, there is also sanctification of the body, 143  
5. The Word of God is the outward instrument of our cleansing, ibid.  
6. Why the Word is called Truth, ibid.  
7. The Spirit is the inward worker of Sanctification, 144  
8. Till we be cleansed by the Spirit, we are unfit for any duty, ibid.  
9 The end of our Sanctification is to be fruitful in good works, ibid.  
10. What love is, ibid.  
11. The properties of love, 146  
12. Two caveats to be observed of them that for redressing of wrongs make use of the Magigrate, 147  
13. There's little love in the world. 148  
14. The causes of the want of love, 150  
15. The effects of the want of love, 151  
16. Reason's inciting to the duty of love, 152  
19 The fruits of love must accompany the profession thereof, 153  
20. Brotherly offices must proceed from brotherly affections, ibid.  
21. Love must reach to all, ibid.  
22. How we ought to love the wicked, 155  
23. Love must be without feigning, ibid.  
24. Love must be mutual, 156  
25. The properties of pure love, 157  
26. A Christians love must be earnest, 158  
27. Love must be constant, ibid.   

Verse 23.  
1. NO unregenerate person can truly love, 159  
2. Such as are born again must needs love, ibid.  
3. What Regeneration is, ibid.  
4. The Lord the Author thereof, 160  
5. The Lords will the cause thereof, 161  
6. Without Regeneration, all things else we have are nothing, ibid.  
7. Regeneration of absolute necessity, 162  
8. The effects of Regeneration, 163  
9 A regenerate man is not the same he was before, ibid.  
10. A regenerate man groweth by degrees, 164  
11. Why men grow no faster in goodness, ibid.  
12. A caveat for such as complain they do not grow, 165  
13. There's no perfection here in this life, ibid.  
14. Regeneration cometh not by nature, 167  
15. God's Spirit by the Word changeth man's heart, ibid.  
16. God's Word is the instrumental cause of our conversion, 168  
17. God doth not always tie himself thereunto, ibid.  
18. The Ministers of the Word are appointed of God the instruments to convert souls, 169  
19 Whence it cometh to pass that the Word worketh Regeneration, 170   

Verse 24, 25.  
1. Wherein man's life may be compared to grass, 171  
2. How to be prepared for death, 172  
3. The glory of a carnal man but a vain thing, 174  
4. Nothing in an unregenerate man can abide the Lords examination, 175  
5. God's Word the means whereby to live for ever, ibid.  
6. The Word by preaching made the instrument of Regeneration, 176  
7. The Word ought to be preached in every Congregation, 177  
8. The Word must be so preached, as that it may be avouched to be indeed the Word of God, ibid.    

CHAP. II.  

THe Coherence of this Chapter with the former, with the sum thereof, and of the first three Verses, 179   

Verse 1, 2, 3.  
1. REgeneration and the love of sin cannot stand together, 180  
2. There's no perfection to be attained unto here, ibid.  
3. To be is a Christian, a work of great difficulty, 181  
4. Under those here named, all other corruptions are included, ibid.  
5. Most of the corruptions here named are inward. 182  
6. That's nought which is forbidden in God's Word, ibid.  
7. What malice is, with the difference between it and anger, 183  
8. What we are to understand by guile, ibid.  
9 Guile is to be avoided as well in small as great matters, 184  
10. What Hypocrisy is, 185  
11. What Envy, ibid.  
12. What evil speaking, ibid.  
13. The Word of God cannot thrive in an unsanctified heart, 186  
14. Our desire toward the Word must be earnest, ibid.  
15. Our desire toward the Word must be constant, 187  
16. Our desire toward the Word must be impartial, 188  
17. Ministers must have store of milk for their spiritual children, and store of love, and much patience, ibid.  
18. The Word why compared to milk, 189  
19 Nothing sweeter to God's children then the Word, 189  
20. The Word is the common food of all Christians, ibid.  
21. The Word why called sincere, ibid.  
22. Why Christians are to desire after the Word, 191  
23. Christian's must daily grow in grace, ibid.  
24. Such as find the Word powerful for their Salvation, do the more desire it and affect it, 192  
25. Christ is sweet to a Christian; and sweetens all that he hath, 193  
26. Christ is every way bountiful to his, ibid.   

Verse 4, 5.  
1. Wherein Christ's bounty doth appear, 194  
2. A comparison between the Temple of Jerusalem, and that which Christ maketh of all that believe in him, ibid.  
3. Christ why compared to a stone, ibid.  
4. To believe in Christ (which is to come to him) is a great privilege, ibid.  
5. Christian's must come to Christ, 195  
6. Christ the foundation that bears up his Church, 198  
7. Christ is a living foundation, 200  
8. The prevention of an Objection, 201  
9 Christ disallowed, of whom, and why, ibid.  
10. Such things are often disallowed of men, which are allowed of God, 202  
11. There's an union between Christ and believers, ibid.  
12. How to come to be stones of this building, 204  
13. The whole Church makes but one Spiritual House, 205  
14. Every particular believer is a Spiritual House. ibid.  
15. Such as are united to Christ, o'er made holy, 206  
16. Believers are Priests to God, ibid.  
17. The prevention of an Objection, 207  
18. Christians are not now without Sacrifices, and what they are, ibid.  
19 Why called Spiritual Sacrifices, 208  
20. Our service of God must be dòne in a Spiritual manner, 209  
21. The prevention of an Objection, ibid.  
22. Spiritual Sacrifices are not regarded of carnal men, ibid.  
23. Through Christ our Sacrifices are acceptable to God, 210  
24. Our works, though imperfect, accepted through Christ, ibid.   

Verse 6.  
1. THe Testimony of God's Word is that which settles us in any point of Doctrine, 211  
2. The Old Testament of the same authority with the New. ibid.  
3. Of old, people were more ready in the Scripture than they are now, 212  
4. What the Lord saith he doth, ibid.  
5. God lays the foundation of his Church's Salvation, ibid.  
6. The Papists take from Christ his Kingly, Prophetical and Priestly Office, 213  
7. Believers do always find enough in Christ, ibid.  
8. The miserable condition of them that believe not in Christ, and who they are, 214  
9 Believers can never fall away wholly nor finally, ibid.   

Verse 7, 8.  
1. GOds promises are to be particularly applied, 215  
2. Christ is precious unto all those that believe, 216  
3. Such are unbelievers which are disobedient, 217  
4. Why the Jews did reject Christ, 218  
5. Succession is of Doctrine or Person, 219  
6. Such as do least good, challenge the goodliest titles, 220  
7. Such as would be reputed builders, are usually enemies to true builders, ibid.  
8. Ministers must be builders, ibid.  
9 Every man must be a builder, 221  
10. The impiety of these times, ib.  
11. The carelessness of these times, 222  
12. The enemies of the Church unable to hinder the building thereof, 223  
13. Ministers must divide the Word aright, and give every man his portion, 224  
14. How Christ and his Word become stumbling blocks to unbelievers, 225  
15. Nothing so good, whereat corrupt nature will not take occasion to stumble, ibid.  
16. The world hath ever stumbled at Christ, ibid.  
17. The Papists stumble at him, also the ignorant, civil, profane, and such as will not part with some beloved sin, 226  
18. Such as stumble at the Word, stumble at Christ, 227  
19 Offences taken against the Word, removed, 228  
20. Scandals of the Papists against it, 230  
21. Why and wherein they charge our Doctrine, 230  
22. About auricular confession, fasting days, marriage, ibid.  
23. Offences at preaching the Word, 231  
24. Which the true Church, 237  
25. Offences against the Preachers of the Word, 239  
26. Offences against Professors of the Word, 241  
27. Offences arising from men's selves, hindering their zealous profession of Religion, 244  
28. No end of the Devils devices, 248  
29. Why so few be saved, ibid.  
30. Why people have no mind to Religion, ibid.  
31. God's word is therefore bestowed on as, that we may be guided thereby, 249  
32. How we are to obey the same, ibid.  
33. Four sorts of disobedient persons, the profane, 251  
The merely civil, the ignorant and hypocrites, 252  
34. Why Christ proves a Rock of offence unto most, 253  
35. Whether it be lawful and meet to handle the Doctrine of God's Decree, 254  
36. God hath ordained some to destruction, 255  
37. This was of his own will, and for no cause out of himself, 257  
38. The Lord hath done this most justly, 258  
39 The Lord hath done this unchangeably, 259  
40. Marks of such as are reprobates, 260   

Verse 9  
1. Minister's must speak comfortably to the good, contrarily to the bad, 262  
2. And warily deliver the Word, that each may take his due portion, 262  
3. What election is, ibid.  
4. God before the world hath ordained some men to salvation, ibid.  
5. The cause hereof was because he would, 263  
6. The number of the elect small, ibid.  
7. They that be elect cannot but be saved, 264  
8. A man may know, and be assured of his election, 265  
9 Notes of election, 266  
10. Whether we may be certain of another's election, 267  
11. Christians through Christ are made Kings, Priests, Prophets, 268  
12. Christ and his Gospel preached in time of the Law, ibid.  
13. The promises and privileges laid down in the Scriptures, belong only to Gods elect, ibid.  
14. Election is the foundation of all the good comes to us, ibid.  
15. Christ how our King, Priest and Prophet, 269  
16. Believers are others than the world thinks for, ibid.  
17. The Jews why termed an holy Nation, 270  
18. All that be the Lords company are holy persons, ibid.  
19 Comfort and counsel for sanctified persons, 271  
20. The misery of those that are unsanctified, with advice to them to come out of this condition, ibid.  
21. The Church God's peculiar people, ibid.  
22. No marvel though he set much by it, 272.  
23. God's glory the end of all the privileges bestowed on us, 273  
24. We were elected of God, that we might show forth his praises, and not to be idle, etc. 273  
25. God's glory the furthest end of our election, ibid.  
26. Effectual calling a certain argument of election, ibid.  
27. Two sorts of calling, outward and inward, ibid.  
28. The Word the outward instrument hereof, 274  
29. The parts of effectual calling, ibid.  
30. God's free mercy the cause hereof, ibid.  
31. Every one must endeavour to prove his calling, ibid.  
32. What to understand by darkness and light, 275  
33. Every unregenerate person is in darkness, 276  
34. Every true believer is brought to the saving knowledge of Christ, ibid.   

Verse 10.  
1. FOr a people or particular persons to look to their beginnings, is of good use, 278  
2. No privileges can exempt the contemners of the Word from God's wrath, 279  
3. God's mercy, power and truth in making the Jews a people again, 280  
4. Impenitent persons not worthy the name of people, ibid.  
5. No outward affliction doth nullify God's Church, 281  
6. To be the people of God a choice blessing, ibid.  
7. Sin unrepented of lets God's mercy, 282  
8. What God did for the Jews was of mercy, and so all we have, ibid.   

Verse 11.  
1. HOliness in heart and conversation must go together, 283  
2. Ministers must love and affect their people, ibid.  
3. The Saints are to be the objects of our love, 284  
4. Wisdom requisite in the Preachers of the Word, 285  
5. What meant by fleshly lusts, ibid.  
6. There are remnants of sin in the very best, ibid.  
7. Two sorts of sinners, 287  
8. Evil thoughts cast in by Satan, or from ourselves, 288  
9 The causes of evil thoughts from Satan, ibid.  
10. How to be rid of them, 289  
11. How to discern them from those which arise from our own nature, ibid.  
12. How to prevent evil thoughts, 290  
13. How fleshly lusts fight against the soul, 292  
14. Believers are here strangers and pilgrims, 293  
15. Several properties of pilgrims applied, 294   

Verse 12.  
1. REformation must begin at the heart, 299  
2. Christians are to have a good conversation, 300  
3. Our whole conversation must be good, 301  
4. Christians are to live godly, even among the wicked, 303  
5. In the worst places God will have his, and why, ibid.  
6. How to live holy among the wicked, 304  
7. Reasons to provoke to a godly life, 305  
8. The wicked speak ill of the truth of Religion, and the professors thereof, 305  
9 This sin rife in these days, 306  
10. Good works the best way to put our adversaries to silence, 307  
11. The wicked have an eye on the godlies actions, 308  
12. What good works are, ibid.  
13. How necessary they are, 309  
14. A Christians perseverance in well-doing, procures glory to God from others, ibid.  
15. To visit, taken two ways, 310  
16. Conversion is the work of God, ibid.  
17. It's of God's great mercy, ibid.  
18. No man can truly glorify God till he be converted, 311  
19 So soon as a man is converted he will glorify God, ibid.  
20. Even the slanderers of the truth may become converts, ibid.   

Verse 13, 14.  
1. AN Exhortation, with three Reasons to enforce the same, 312, 313.  
2. Every man must show forth his godliness in his particular calling, ibid.  
3. Ministers must labour to remove false conceits out of men's minds, and apply themselves to the state of their people, 315  
4. The duties of subjects to their superiors, ibid.  
5. God requires the same, which is a reason for it, 316  
6. How the laws of Magistrates bind us, ibid.  
7. A distribution of Magistrates, ibid.  
8. A King is Supreme Governor over all in his own Dominion, ibid.  
9 Subordinate Magistrates are also so to be obeyed, 318  
10. Both the Supreme and Subordinate are sent of God, 319  
11. The end why Magistrates were ordained, ibid.  
12. Magistrates must punish evil doers, ibid.  
13. Magistrates should stand for well-doers, 320   

Verse 15.  
1. IT's God will that we should obey, 321  
2. The godly by well-doing stop the mouths of the wicked, ibid.  
3. They are ignorant and foolish which speak ill of the Gospel, and the professors thereof, 321  
4. Every natural man is a fool,  
322   

Verse 16.  
1. THe prevention of an Objection, 323  
2. Naturally we are in bondage, 324  
3. Believers are made free by Christ, 325  
4. Wherein Christian liberty consists, ibid.  
5. Through man's corrupt nature, even the most holy ordinances of God and best things, are subject to be abused, 328  
6. Three restrainers of things indifferent, 329  
7. A Christian though free, yet is still a servant, 330   

Verse 17.  
1. THey are good Subjects which not only obey their Magistrates, but live well one with another, ibid.  
2. We are to honour our Superiors in six particulars, 331  
3. We are to honour our equals in two particulars, ibid.  
4. We are to honour our inferiors, and why, 332  
5. We are to honour ourselves, 332  
6. We are to honour both good and bad according to their places, 333  
7. Even in them that are most bad, there's something to be regarded, ibid.  
8. We are to love the persons of God's children, ibid.  
9 We are not to love the fellowship of the ungodly, 335  
10. We are to love the fellowship of the godly, 337  
11. Rules to be observed by Christians in their private meetings, 339  
12. How God is to be feared, 340  
13. Commendation and signs of God's fear, 341  
14. The duties of the first and second Table go together, ibid.  
15. The knowledge and fear of God is the fountain of all the duties we perform towards men, 342  
16. Differences between Religions and Civil honour, 343  
17. What honour comprehendeth, and if due to the bad, much more to religious Kings, ibid.   

Verse 18.  
1. GOds Word teacheth us in all things how to carry ourselves, 344  
2. Ministers must stoop to the meanest of their charge, ibid.  
3. Even particular families are to be well looked to, 345  
4. The preventions of Objection, 346  
5. Who meant by good, gentle, and who by froward Masters, ibid.  
6. Servants must be subject even to their bad and froward Masters, ibid.   

Vere 19  
1. TO be incited to the performance of any duty, its necessary to know that its pleasing to God, 349  
2. The actions of God's children when pleasing to him, 350  
3. Why servants must do their duties to unconscionable Masters, 351  
4. How we may know whether we do our duties in conscience, ibid.   

Verse 20.  
1. ALl suffering is not commendable nor comfortable, 353  
2. On June 16. 1611. being the Lords Day, there was such a grievous tempest of wind, as cast away many Vessels at sea, amongst others, one passage Boat toward Ipswich, with almost twenty persons; and on the 18 day, were two and thirty persons trodden to death and bruised at a Play in Norwich, 354  
3. Patience in suffering for faults hath no reward with God, ibid.  
4. What it is to suffer wrongfully, 356  
5. What those must do that suffer wrongfully, 357  
6. It's commendable for God's people to suffer for well-doing, ibid.  
7. How fearful their condition that hate others for their goodness, ibid.  
8. Such as are hated for well-doing, must bear the same patiently, 358   

Verse 21.  
1. GOd hath ordained his to undergo troubles in this world, 359  
2. In this world the godly suffer for well-doing, 360  
3. Christ's sufferings an incitement for us to suffer, 361  
4. Christ suffered even for the meanest, 362  
5. Christ a pattern for our imitation, ibid.   

Verse 22.  
1. AN illustration of Christ's sufferings, 362  
2. Christ was free from sin, ibid.  
3. How the godly stand righteous before God, 363   

Verse 23.  
1. CHrists admirable patience in his sufferings, 364  
2. Why we must not revenge, ibid.  
3. They that revenge themselves, call into question God's wisdom and justice, 366  
4. God is a righteous Judge, ibid.   

Verse 24.  
1. CHrists passion set out by the ends thereof, 367  
2. We must not be weary in meditating on Christ's passion, and hearing thereof, 368  
3. A Brief of the sufferings of Christ, set down at large by the Evangelists, ibid.  
4. For whomsoever Christ died, he died to kill sin in them, 372  
5. The two parts of Repentance, 374  
6. Christian's must endeavour to mortify their lusts, 375  
7. As we must be dead unto sin, so must we be alive unto God, ibid.  
8. All that Christ suffered was for our profit, 376  
9 Christ died even for poor servants, ibid.  
10. Sin is a disease, 377  
11. Our bodies are subject to many sicknesses, ibid.  
12. Christ is our Physician, ibid.  
13. Sin hateful to God, ibid.  
14. How we may speed in our suits to Christ, ibid.   

Verse 25.  
1. EVery natural man is like a beast, 378  
2. Every unregenerate man is out of his way, 379  
3. How they come to be misled, 379  
4. No natural man can of himself come home to God, 380  
5. The natural man is in continual danger, ibid.  
6. All believers are in a safe condition, 381  
7. The Ministers of the Word are Shepherds under Christ, 382    

CHAP. III.  

THe contents of this Chapter, 385   

Verse 1.  
1. MArriage in God's account an high and honourable state, 385  
2. Both husbands and wives must learn to know their duty, ibid.  
3. The duties of wives, ibid.  
4. Why the Apostle insisteth so largely about the same, 386  
5. God's Ministers have been at all times liable to be slandered, ibid.  
6. The prevention of an Objection, ibid.  
7. Wife's must be subject to their husbands, ibid.  
8. Wherein their subjection consisteth, 387  
9 Wife's must be subject even unto bad husbands, 388  
10. Wives are not to marry irreligious husbands, 389  
11. Such as live in disobedience are unbelievers, ibid.  
12. Good examples excellent preparatives to conversion, ibid.  
13. Wives professing Religion, must show it by their behaviour towards their husbands for their conversion, ibid.   

Verse 2.  
1. HOw bad husbands may be won, 390  
2. Chastity and reverence why required of wives, ibid.  
3. What chastity is, and by whom it is to be observed, 391  
4. How wives ought to fear their husbands, ibid.   

Verse 3, 4.  
1. A Preservative of subjection and chastity, 392  
2. What apparelling it is that the Apostle forbids, ibid.  
3. How far costly apparel is forbid, and to whom, and when, 393  
4. Rules about wearing of apparel, ibid.  
5. The matter and manner thereof considered, 394  
6. Reasons against access in apparel, 395  
7. Objections answered, 397  
8. An useful meditation upon the putting on and off of our apparel, 398  
9 A remedy for excess of apparel, ibid.  
10. Inward purity required, ibid.  
11. Our principal care should be to adorn the soul, ibid.  
12. The covetous and curious reproved, 399  
13. Grace is of an incomparable nature, 400  
14. A meek and quiet spirit the proper ornament of a good wife, 401  
15. The worth of grace, ibid.  
16. It's of great price in the sight of God, ibid.   

Verse 5, 6.  
1. Reason's of the forementioned Exhortation, 401  
2. The amplification of either reason, ibid.  
3. The examples of God's servants are to be followed in all their virtues, 402  
4. Antiquity joined with verity is to be esteemed, ibid.  
5. There have been always holy women as well as men, 403  
6. Why women are as forward as men, ibid.  
7. It's needful there should be good women, 404  
8. Holiness is that which commends one, ibid.  
9 Marriage no hindrance to holiness, ibid.  
10. Holiness cometh by faith in Christ, 405  
11. Holiness may be where there are weaknesses, ibid.  
12. Wives cannot perform their duty aright, unless they be holy, ibid.  
13. Why more good men than women are mentioned in Scripture, ibid.  
14. Why wives must imitate Sarahs' obedience and reverence. 406  
15. It's not enough to do duties, unless done in a right manner, ibid.   

Verse 7.  
1. SUperiority exempts not from duty, 407  
2. Wherein the husband's duty consisteth, ibid.  
3. Husband's stand in no less need of instruction than wives, ibid.  
4. Husband's are to dwell with their wives, ibid.  
5. In what cases they may be absent, 408  
6. Husband's must be men of understanding, 409  
7. In what particulars the same will appear, ibid.  
8. What honour the husband is to give to his wife, 410  
9 The particulars employed therein, 410  
10. The Reasons thereof, 411  
11. Sundry sorts of husbands reproved, ibid.  
12. Objections answered, 412  
13. Wives are the weaker vessels,  
14. Wives are no less heirs of the grace of life than their husbands,  
414  
15. Husband's should pray with their wives, ibid.  
16. Whatsoever may interrupt our prayers is to be avoided, 415   

Verse 8, 9  
1. THere must be between Christians unity in Religion, ibid.  
2. Who disagree from the truth in the foundation, 416  
3. Who holding the foundation, do yet err from the truth, ibid.  
4. Differences for matters of ceremony, 417  
5. The evils which ensue hereupon, ibid.  
6. Differences about private Opinions, ibid.  
7. There must be unity in our conversation, ibid.  
8. Christian's must be of like affection each to other, 418  
9 That Christians may love one another, what they are to do, and what to avoid, 420  
10. What pity is, and that we must pity ourselves, ibid.  
11. We must pity the souls of others, 421  
The Reasons, 422  
12. Why we must pity the bodies of others, 423  
13. Means conducing hereunto, 424  
14. We must be pitiful to our beasts, ibid.  
15. What courtesy is, and that Christians are to be courteous, 425  
And how it shows itself, ibid.  
16. Christian's must not revenge themselves on their Enemies, 426  
17. Lawful revenge on ourselves and others, 427  
18. God's children must even outwardly differ from the wicked, ibid.  
19 We must requite evil with good, ibid.  
20. An Objection Answered, ibid.  
21. Another Objection Answered, 428  
22. Reason's why we are to requite evil with good, ibid.  
23. The effectually called are willing to do any thing for God, 429  
24. The excellency and worth of effectual calling, ibid.  
25. How to discern hereof, ibid.  
26. Why many Christians are unsettled herein, ibid.  
27. The word always persuades us to our good, 430  
28. Christians are a blessed people, ibid.   

Verse 10, 11.  
1. Why we ought to be patient, and requite evil with good, 431  
2. A peaceable and patient man shall live the longer and the quieter, ibid.  
3. Life and long blessings of God, which his children may desire, 432  
4. Why the godly are at sometimes taken away by death, ibid.  
5. Long life proveth not a blessing to the wicked, and yet might, ibid.  
6. In what respects it may be lawful to desire to live, 433  
7. Whence it is that most are desirous to live long, 433  
8. In what respects days may be said to be good here, and in what evil, 434  
9 men's days be usually evil, ibid.  
10. Man's life short, ibid.  
11. Good days are a blessing of God, ibid.  
12. The wicked may live long, yet have not good days, 435  
13. Prosperity why denied for the most part to God's children, ibid.  
14. Whether we may pray for prosperity, ibid.  
15. Whether we may pray for afafliction, 436  
16. Whoso would be happy must refrain from evil speaking, 437  
17. Means whereby to bridle the tongue, ibid.  
18. Reason's inducing thereunto, ibid.  
19 We must abstain from the close and covert evils of the tongue, 438  
20. Guile to be avoided in Religion towards God, ibid.  
21. Guile to be avoided in carriage towards men, 439  
22. What the evil of sin is, and that we must avoid it, 440  
23. The evil of sin worse than the evil of punishment, ibid.  
24. All sins are to be eschewed, ibid.  
25. They are to be eschewed at all times, in all places, with all the kinds thereof, under what colour soever it comes, with the appearance thereof, and occasions leading thereunto, 441  
26. Means whereby to eschew evil, 442  
27. Whoso avoids not evil cannot do good, 443  
28. Christian's must be doers of good, 444  
29. We must do all the good we can, ibid.  
30. We must do all the good we can at all times, in all places, in all companies, to all persons, in our general and particular calling, though it be hard and difficult, and in a good manner, 445  
31. Christian's must seek after peace, 447  
32. Covetousness, pride, frowardness, tale-bearers, the enemies of peace to be avoided, 450   

Verse 12.  
1. THe prevention of an Objection, 451  
2. Why eyes, ears, etc. are attributed to God, ibid.  
3. Whom we are to understand by righteous, and why so called, and whom by them that do ill, 452  
4. The Lord careth for the righteous, ibid.  
5. God hears the prayers of his Saints readily, 453  
6. What prayers prevail with God, 454  
7. How the same may appear, ibid.  
8. Why the Lord at some times hears not, grants not the prayers of his children, 455  
9 God's wrath and the fruits thereof always bend against the wicked, 457  
10. Why the wicked are not always plagued here, ibid.   

Verse 13.  
PAtience and innocency of life, are the way to escape harms from men, 458   

Verse 14.  
1. SOme are so bad, that they wrong the innocent, 460  
2. Some hate the godly merely for their goodness, ibid.  
3. Such as suffer wrongfully, or for Religion and conscience sake are happy, 461  
4. We must tarry till God call us to suffer, ibid.  
5. Whether we may flee from persecution, ibid.  
6. A godly man is happy in what condition soever, 463  
7. Fear is an Enemy to constant suffering. ibid.   

Verse 15.  
1. What it is to Sanctify the Lord God, 464  
2. Faith the mother of constancy in sufferings, 464  
3. As we must believe God's truth with our hearts, so must we profess it with our tongues, 465  
4. We must believe with our hearts, before we can confess with our mouths, 467  
5. Our speeches must be accompanied with meekness and fear, ibid.   

Verse 16.  
1 What conscience is, 468  
2. The offices of conscience, to bear witness, 470  
3. To give judgement before our actions, 472  
4. To give judgement after our actions, 473  
5. An erroneous conscience what it is, and a doubtful, 475  
6. Whether a man sinneth, that doth according to his conscience, ibid.  
7. Whether a man may do any thing against his conscience, being erroneous, ibid.  
8. Whether it be lawful to do a thing with a doubtful conscience, 476  
9 The several kinds of conscience, ibid.  
10. The kinds of a still, quiet conscience, drowsy, secure, seared, 476, 477  
11. Means whereby the conscience may be awakened, 478  
12. The stirring ill conscience, excusing, accusing, 479  
13. A good quiet conscience, wherein it differs from a bad quiet conscience, 481  
14. What a good troubled conscience is, ibid.  
15. Signs declaring the goodness thereof, 482  
16. The great benefits of a good conscience, 483  
17. How it is kept, ibid.  
18. A godly conversation is to accompany the zealous profession of our faith, 484  
19 A godly man will stand by the truth, 486  
20. The wicked are apt to speak ill of God's servants, ibid.  
21. A godly conversation stoppeth the ungodlies mouths, 487   

Verse 17.  
1. Why we ought willingly to suffer for righteousness, 488  
2. It is better to suffer for well, then evil doing, ibid.  
3. No afflictions comes to us but by God's will, 489  
4. How far God hath an hand therein, ibid.   

Verse 18.  
1. CHrists sufferings an encouragement for Christians to suffer, 491  
2. How Christ was just, and how we, ibid.  
3. Christ suffered for our good, ibid.  
4. The godly sow in tears, but shall reap in joy, ibid.  
5. Several particulars laid down about Christ's sufferings, 492  
6. Profit arising from the meditation thereof, ibid.  
7. All Christ's sufferings make up one perfect suffering, 493  
8. The quality of the person that suffered, and for whom he suffered, ibid.  
9 Why our Saviour suffered, and to what end, 494  
10. That Christ must have died, and so did, 495  
11. The benefits ensuing by Christ's death, ibid.  
12. Christ rose again from the dead, 496  
13. Why he rose again, the manner of his resurrection, the place, the time, 497  
14. Why the Jews Sabbath was changed, ibid.  
15. The benefits hereof, and duties to be performed, 498   

Verse 19, 20.  
1. A Further comfort to them that suffer for righteousness sake, 498  
2. Reasons against the Papists exposition of these words, 499  
3. That there are no such places as Limbus patrum and puerorum, 500  
4. Reasons against Purgatory, ibid.  
5. Why purgatory was devised, 501  
6. That Christ went not down to hell to preach to the reprobates, 502  
7. God's Spirit preacheth in faithful Ministers, ibid.  
8. God will find a time to right things when they are disordered, 503  
9 The woeful condition of the wicked, ibid.  
10. Disobedience the cause of God's judgement on the old world, 504  
11. Whether all those which were drowned were damned, 504  
12. Two necessary considerations, 505  
13. Disobedience the forerunner of destruction, 506  
14. The sins of our times, like those of the old world, ibid.  
15. God's patience towards the disobedient, aggravates their sin, ibid.  
16. The names of the godly mentioned to their honour, 507  
17. The old world then most disobedient, when they should have been furthest from disobedience, 508  
18. Christian's must use the means whereby to be freed from hell and destruction, ibid.  
19 Faith and Repentance an ark for the soul, ibid.  
20. How useful examples and ocular sermons are, 509  
21. Wicked men fear not Gods judgements, 510  
22. Weak means are sufficient through God's blessing for our preservation, 511  
23. Righteousness shall not want its reward, ibid.  
24. It's good to be near the godly, ibid.  
25. No man can be saved by the goodness of another, ibid.  
26. The wicked, though they escape bodily danger, shall meet with everlasting judgements, ibid.  
27. There are but a few which shall be saved, ibid.  
28. The speech of an Arian at his death, 512  
29. Men and women be more excellent than other creatures, ibid.  
30. Noah and the old world a right picture of the good and bad in our age, 513   

Verse 21.  
1. THe godly throughout all ages are saved by the same means, 514  
2. The uses of Baptism, 515  
3. Who is to baptise, and who to be baptised, ibid.   

Verse 22.  
1. What our Saviors ascension was, that he did ascend, why, before whom, and when, 516  
2. They that have charge over others, must be careful to leave them in good plight, ibid.  
3. The place from which our Saviour ascended, with the benefits of his ascension, 517  
4. Three general Observations, ibid.  
5. The good Angels are subject to Christ, who watch and guard us, ibid.  
6. The bad Angels are also subject to Christ, 518    

CHAP. IV.  

THe Contents thereof, 519   

Verse 1, 2.  
1. THe parts and meaning of these Verses, ibid.  
2. The passion of Christ an especial means to stir up unto mortification, 520  
3. Observations from the necessity of Christ's sufferings, ibid.  
4. Christians are to labour for mortification, and who do not, 521  
5. Christian's must furnish themselves as Soldiers, that they may prevail, ibid.  
6. To mortify our corrupt nature, why called suffering in the flesh, 522  
7. The whole time of our life after our conversion must be spent holily, ibid.  
8. God's will must be the rule for all our actions, 523  
9 God's will and men's lusts be opposite each to other, 524  
10. No man at one time can live unto both, 525  
11. Till we renounce our lusts, we cannot be holy, ibid.  
12. Having renounced our lusts, we must yield obedience to Gods will, ibid.  
13. A man's constant course of walking discovers what he is, ibid.   

Verse 3.  
1. MOre reasons to persuade unto holiness,  
526  
2. The necessity of frequent Exhortations hereunto, ibid.  
3. The consideration of our former misspent time, an especial furtherance unto repentance, 527  
4. Where God bestows means of salvation, he expects answerable fruits, 528  
5. Bad company is very dangerous, 529  
6. Lasciviousness and lusts, what they are, and how common, ibid.  
7. Drunkenness an abominable sin,  
530, etc.  
8. Gluttony how committed, with the odiousness thereof, 535  
9 Means stirring up to Sobriety, 537  
10. What Idolatry is, and Idolatry in worshipping false Gods, ibid.  
11. Idolatry in worshipping the true God after a false manner, whether inward or outward, 538  
12. Several sorts of Idolaters among the Jews, 540   

Verse 4.  
1. THe prevention of an Objection, 541  
2. Such as live holily, shall meet with opposition, ibid.  
3. Man's proneness to evil exceeding great, 543  
4. The ungodly follow after sin eagerly, ibid.  
5. It's the nature of the ungodly to speak evil of God's servants, ibid.   

Verse 5.  
THe enemies of God's children shall not scape unpunished, 544   

Verse 6.  
1. THe Gospel was preached before Christ's time, 545  
2. The Gospel calls for Sanctification, 546  
3. Differences between the Law and the Gospel, ibid.   

Verse 7.  
1. THere shall be an end of all things, 547  
2. Riches good in themselves, 549  
3. How riches are good, 550  
4. Wherein sobriety in riches consists, 551  
5. A comparison between drunkenness and immoderate seeking of riches, 553  
6. We must not set our minds too much on riches, 555  
7. We must employ them as God requires, ibid.  
8. Watchfulness why set after sobriety, 557  
9 Watchfulness what it is, ibid.  
10. Why we ought to be watchful, 558  
11. Benefits of watchfulness, 559  
12. Prayer must be added unto watchfulness, 560   

Verse 8.  
1. LOve is a most excellent and necessary duty, 561  
2. Why love must be fervent, ibid.  
3. What sins love covers, 562  
4. On what respects we may seek redress by the Magistrate, ibid.  
5. How we may cover faults committed against God, and against ourselves, 563   

Verse 9  
1. WE must be kind to strangers, ibid.  
2. The regard we are to have of our own poor, 565  
3. Whence it is that the poor are so much neglected, ibid.  
4. Inviting one another how useful, 566  
5. Ministers must use hospitality, ibid.  
6. God looks no less on the manner of doing, then on the duty, ibid.  
7. Works of mercy must be done without grudging, and how we may that do, ibid.   

Verse 10.  
1. EVery man hath some gift or other wherewith to do good, 567  
2. Every one hath (as it were) a several or divers gift, 568  
3. God bestows gifts on us freely, 568  
4. Christian's must communicate their gifts for the good of others, 569  
5. Every man must minister according to the measure received, 571  
6. We are but stewards of the gifts we have, ibid.  
7. We must be faithful in our places, ibid.  
8. God's gifts manifold, ibid.   

Verse 11.  
1. THe calling of the Ministry is of all others the most needful, 572  
2. Whoso is in the Ministry ought to preach, 573  
3. Ministers must preach the Word of God, 574  
4. Ministers must so preach as becomes the Word of God, 575  
5. All that bear office in the Church must do the same faithfully, 576  
6. Ability to discharge one's calling is of God, 577  
7. The conscionable performance of our duties tend to God's glory, 578  
8. We must aim in our places at God's glory, ibid.  
9 All glory comes to God by Jesus Christ, ibid.   

Verse 12, 13.  
1. THere must be entire love between Ministers and people, 579  
2. Christians are not to be the less, but more loved for their troubles; 580  
3. The want of preparation for troubles before they come, make make them haader to be born when come, 580  
4. Afflictions are trials about the truth of grace, 582  
5. They are trials about the measure of grace, 583  
6. They serve to refine what measure we have, ibid.  
7. We must rejoice in afflictions, ibid.  
8. Why the sufferings of Christians are called Christ's sufferings, 584  
9 Christians suffer with Christ, 585  
10. The godlies afflictions end in joy, 586   

Verse 14.  
1. A Good name is a tender thing, 587  
2. Slanderers of God's servants are persecutors, ibid.  
3. To slander God's children for their goodness is usual, ibid.  
4. Such as are reproached for the name of Christ are happy, 588  
5. The judgement of the world is contrary to Gods, 589  
6. To suffer for Christ an evidence of God's Spirit in us, ibid.  
7. Such as are endued with God's Spirit are blessed, 590  
8. Such as are endued with God's Spirit are glorious, ibid.  
9 The gifts of the Spirit which the godly have cannot be lost, 591  
10. They that speak ill of God's servants for their well-doing, speak evil of God's Spirit, ibid.  
11. By our suffering of persecution God is glorified, ibid.   

Verse 15, 16.  
1. TWo kinds of sufferings, 592  
2. Suffering for ill-doing is shameful, ibid.  
3. Sufferings for godliness are glorious, 594  
4. To suffer for well-doing affords matters of thanksgiving, 595   

Verse 17.  
1. THe Church's troubles are more now then heretofore, 596  
2. Afflictions must begin with God's servants, 597  
3. Why Gods children must here suffer afflictions, 598  
4. God's Church is his House, ibid.  
5. Assurance of salvation possible, 599  
6. The state of the godly and ungodly much different, 600  
7. The afflictions of the godly not comparable to the miseries of the ungodly, 602  
8. The ungodlies misery cannot be expressed, ibid.  
9 Disobedience to the Gospel a grievous sin, 603   

Verse 18.  
1. Whom we are here to understand by righteous, 604  
2. It's an hard thing for a man to get to heaven, 605  
3. He that is not righteous, is ungodly, and a sinner, 609  
4. The fearfulness of the ungodlies condition on the Day of Judgement cannot be expressed, ibid.   

Verse 19  
1. THe troubles of the godly are by the appointment of God, 611  
2. God is careful of his children in the time of their troubles, ibid.  
3. Such as continue in well-doing, may comfortly commend themselves unto God, 612  
4. Such may comfortably commend themselves to God, which labour for the good of their persecutors, ibid.    

CHAP. V.  

THe Contents of this Chapter, 613   

Verse 1.  
1. THe duties of Ministers, with reasons to enforce the same, ibid.  
2. The Scriptures inform every one of their duty, 614  
3. The calling of the Ministry, a painful calling, 615  
4. Ministers are fittest to teach one another, and judge of one another's actions, 617  
5. To practise the duties we teach, procures obedience thereunto, ibid.  
6. Peter was no Pope, neither challenged any Supremacy, ibid.  
7. How Peter was a witness of Christ's sufferings, 618  
8. All that we have must be improved for the Churches good, ibid.  
9 Spiritual wisdom to be used to procure Obedience, ibid.  
10. The troubles of God's Ministers procure them more respect, ibid.  
11. Such as are heirs of glory should be much respected, ibid.  
12. They that suffer with Christ shall reign with him, ibid.  
13. Glory is laid up for the Saints in Heaven, ibid.  
14. How we may know whether we shall be heirs of glory, ibid.  
15. Through faith we are even here possessed of heaven, ibid.   

Verse 2.  
1. Minister's must preach the Word, 619  
2. Differences between reading and preaching, 620  
3. Ministers must preach the Word sound, 621  
4. Ministers must preach diligently, ibid.  
5. Christians are God's flock, 622  
6. Ministers are to regard all their people, 623  
7. Every Congregation is to have a several Pastor, ibid.  
8. Every Pastor is to look to his own charge, ibid.  
9 Ministers must oversee and look into their flocks, 624  
10. Ministers are not by constraint, but willingly to perform their duties towards their people, 626  
11. Ministers must not perform their duties for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind, 627  
12. Duties are to be done with a willing heart, 628  
13. No man is to follow any calling, merely for gain, ibid.  
14. Most of the gain of the world is filthy gain, 628  
15. What's to be accounted filthy lucre, 629  
16. Usually the Scriptures mention not riches but with some check, ibid.  
17. Means to help against covetousness, 630   

Verse 3.  
1. Minister's must not exercise any temporal power over their people, ibid.  
2. Ministers must not carry themselves proudly and disdainfully, 632  
3. Ministers must not use rigour toward their people, ibid.  
4. Christians are God's heritage, 633  
5. Ministers must not only preach well, but live well, 634   

Verse 4.  
1. CHrist the chief Shepherd, 637  
2. The great reward of faithful Ministers, 638  
3. At what time they shall receive their reward, 639   

Verse 5.  
1. What we are to understand by the younger and the elder, 640  
2. Wherein the duty of Ministers towards their people consists, ibid.  
3. People must submit themselves to the Ministry of the Word, ibid.  
4. God's Ministers must particularly inform every one of their duty, 642  
5. Wherein the duties of the younger towards their elder consists, ibid.  
6. How Superiors must be subject to their Inferiors, 647  
7. How equals must be subject one to another, 648  
8. Humility the fountain of submission, ibid.  
9 Whatsoever submission proceeds not from humility, is hypocrisy, ibid.  
10. What humility is, with the fruits in respect of God, 649  
11. The fruits of humility in respect of men, 650  
12. Examples of Humility, 651  
13. Humility an excellent virtue, 652  
14. The fruits of pride in respect of God, ibid.  
15. The fruits of pride in respect of men, 654  
16. Examples of pride, ibid.  
17. How abominable it is, and whence it comes, 655  
18. The very best not free therefrom, ibid.  
19 God sets himself against the proud, 656  
20. How God resists them, ibid.  
21. How God giveth grace to the humble, 657   

Verse 6.  
1. HOw Ministers ought to preach, and people to hear, 658  
2. Two other reasons persuading to humility, ibid.  
3. The consideration of God's power, a good means to persuade to humility, ibid.  
4. Humility is the way to glory, 659  
5. God doth all things in due time, ibid.   

Verse 7.  
1. THe prevention of an Objection, 660  
2. Christian's must not be careless, ibid.  
3. They must not be too careful about their souls, 661  
4. They must not be too careful about their bodies, 662  
5. They must not be too careful about worldly things, 663  
6. God cares for his own children, 664   

Verse 8.  
1. What Sobriety is, 665  
2. What Spiritual watchfulness is, ibid.  
3. A man must be awakened before he can watch, ibid.  
4. By nature we are asleep in sin, ibid.  
5. Reasons for Watchfulness, 666  
6. Satan's malice exceeding great, 667  
7. Satan's strength and subtlety, 668  
8. Satan's diligence, 669   

Verse 9  
1. SAtan is to be resisted, and why, 673  
2. Faith gives Satan the foil, 675  
3. True faith rare, 675  
4. What faith it is that prevails over Satan, ibid.  
5. All Gods children are liable to Satan's Temptations, 676  
6. God enables his children to overcome Satan's Temptations, ibid.  
7. Ministers must endeavour as to inform the understanding, so to work on the affections of their people, 677  
8. People must join practice to their knowledge, ibid.  
9 There's a near conjunction between believers, ibid.  
10. God's Church is dispersed through the world, 678  
11. The Saints in Heaven are free from temptations, ibid.   

Verse 10.  
1. GOds Ministers must further their people's Salvation by all means, 679  
2. God is the author and giver of all grace, 681  
3. Whom God will save, those he does effectually call, 683  
4. Such as are effectually called, shall partake of glory, ibid.  
5. God will not forsake them whom he hath called, ibid.  
6. All good comes to us by Christ, 684  
7. God's children must here suffer before they can partake of heaven, ibid.  
8. The afflictions of God's children are small, 685  
9 God's people must labour for perfection, ibid.  
10. Children must hold out to the end, 686   

Verse 11.  
OUr Election and Vocation should move us to praise God, 687   

Verse 12.  
1. HOly things should be handled by holy persons, 688  
2. A good name is to be laboured for, ibid.  
3. Such as are faithful in the Ministry, draw their people's hearts to them, 689  
4. We ought to speak and think so well of others as we have ground for, ibid.  
5. We ought to be wary in our commendations, ibid.  
6. The profitableness of writing Epistles, ibid.  
7. God's wisdom in providing for us his Word, and goodness in ordaining Ministers to reveal unto us his will therein, 690  
8. People must particularly know that the Religion they profess is the Truth of God, ibid.  
9 Christian's must persevere in the truth, ibid.  
10. Constancy in well-doing difficult, 691  
11. Doctrine and Application must go together, ibid.   

Verse 13.  
1. Christians' must be mindful one of another, how far distant soever, 691  
2. God hath some even in the worst places, 692  
3. Heretics wrest Scripture, ibid.  
4. Election diversely taken, 692  
5. It's not enough to live in an elect Church, but we must find that we are Elect, 693  
6. Why the Apostle calls them an Elect company, ibid.  
7. The sending of commendations how useful it is, ibid.  
8. The preaching of the Word the instrument of Regeneration, 694  
9 Ministers must love their People as their Children, ibid.  
10. People must love their Ministers as their Fathers, 695   

Verse 14.  
1. IT's needful that where love is, it should be continued, 696  
2. Christian's should salute one another, ibid.  
3. The ancient manner of saluting among the Jews, 697  
4. Our saluting one another must be in love, ibid.  
5. Hindrances of Love, 698  
6. What meant by Peace, ibid.  
7. Outward blessings may lawfully be desired, and how, 698  
8. Christ is the fountain of all peace, 699  
9 Respect is to be had of all God's people, 701  
10. The near union between Christ and true Christians, ibid.  
11. Fervency of Affection and Faith requisite in Prayer, ibid.     

ERRATA.  
In the margin, PAge 57 line 4 for inherit read merit, page 114. for john 4. read john 8. p. 357. l. 14. for hated of. r. haters, p. 582. l. 7. for above, r. about, p. 475. l. 19 add may before do. Words to be amended. Page 40. line 15. for scourge, read scour, p. 46. l. 45. for them, read thee, p. 56. l. 47. for in r. it. p. 57 l. 31. for it r. as, p. 66. l. 15. for with r. which. p. 149. l. 40. for grace, r. disgrace, p. 160. l. 3. for conversation, r. conversion, p. 173. l. 39 for of r. as. p. 191. l. 40. for to r. doth, p. 202. l. 5. for no r. an, p. 218. l. 43. for chief, r. Church. p. 228. l. 30. for we, r. he. p. 253. l. 11. for of, r. to. p. 258. l. 6. for the, r. they. p. 266. l. 7. for Cod r. God. p. 272. l. 18. for of r. as. p. 274. l. 33. for calling, r. called. p. 294. l. 40. for the r. their. p. 305. l. 48. for wrath, r. word p. 350. l. 19 for them, r. him. p. 360. l. 1. for our, r. one. p. 363. l. 4. for from, r. for. p. 400 l. 37. for out, r. one. p. 410. l. 45. for unequal, r. equal. p. 417. l. 26. for discharge, r. disgrace. p. 419. l. 30. for swim, r. swim, p. 428. l. 30. for good good, r. good for. p. 453. l. 10. for man's, r. many, p. 455. l. 7. for short, r. store, p. 495. l. 43. for course. r. recourse. p. 495. l. 34. for in r. then. p. 497. l. 33. for Son, r. Sun. p. 507. l. 31. for up. r. upon p. 515. l. 36. for one, r. our. p. 527. l. 41. for he r. we. p. 615. l. 44. for fleet, r. fleece, p. 630. l. 9 for throne, r. thorn, p. 640. l. 12. for uses, r. verses, p. 641. l. 24. for world, r. word. p. 643. l. 43. for which r. with. p 619. l. 29. for of. r. so. p. 661. l. 20. for partly, r. party. p. 669. l. 5. for trust, r. distrust, p. 677. l. 8. for of. r. in. p. 700. l. 3. for them, r. they.   

A Godly and Fruitful EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. PETER.  
THe general scope and intent of this Epistle, 
The general scope of this Epistle.  is, To confirm those Christian Jews whom he had procured to the Faith by his Ministry, that they might persevere in the same to the end, notwithstanding any troubles they should meet with for the same.  
More particularly he layeth before them, 
The particular scope.  The wonderful riches of God's mercies vouchsafed them in Christ Jesus by his Death and Resurrection, whereby they were recovered out of their woeful estate by sin, and brought to an happy and blessed condition, even Salvation through him. Hereunto he exhorteth them constantly to cleave, and not to suffer themselves to be withdrawn therefrom by any means; as also▪ that they would walk worthy so great mercy in an holy life and conversation; both in the general duties of Christianity, and the particular duties of their special Callings; and that they would so do, notwithstanding any troubles they should meet withal for the same.  
The parts of this Epistle are two; 
The several parts thereof, and matter contained therein.  1. The Preface, in the first two Verses of the first Chapter. 2. The Substance of the Epistle, in the following Verses and Chapters to the end. This containeth Doctrine and Exhortation: Doctrine, from the Third Verse of the first Chapter unto the Thirteenth of the same: Exhortations in all the rest of the Chapters and Verses; and they be of two kinds: 1. Unto general Duties belonging unto all Christians. 2. Unto special, to several sorts of men and women, according to their special Callings.  

CHAP. I.  

Verse 1. Peter, an Apostle of Jesus Christ, to the Strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bythinia. Ver. 2. Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you and Peace be multiplied.  
THese verses contain the Preface, 
The sum and parts of the Preface.  in which two things; 1. An Inscription. 2. The Salutation. In the former we have a description, 1. Of the person writing, and that both by his Name, Peter, and by his Office, An Apostle of Jesus Christ. 2. Of the parties to whom he doth write, and that both by their outward state to the World-ward, viz. Strangers scattered up and down in strange Countries, namely, Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bythinia; and by their estate to God-ward, viz. Parties belonging to salvation, which he sets forth by the causes thereof and degrees, namely, 1. Their Election. 2. Sanctification. 3. Redemption by the obedience of Christ Jesus, which showed itself in his shedding his blood for them. In the latter, a brief but pithy Prayer to God for his favour, as the fountain from whence all happiness was to be bestowed, yea multiplied upon them.  
Peter] Three Names are given unto this our Apostle in Scripture: 
The several Names of this our Apostle.  1. Simeon of Simon, that he had at his Circumcision. 2. Cephas, by interpretation a Stone, 
Acts 15. 14.  which our Saviour Christ gave him at his calling, thereby signifying what he meant to do for him, 
john 1. 42.  namely, to make him a stout defender of the Faith, on the behalf whereof (though he was born of Parents of small note) he proved one of notable courage: This is in the Chaldee or Syriack tongue. 3. Peter, which in Greek is all one with the former, 
2 Pet. 1. 1.  so that these two Names were in effect but one: In his second Epistle he names himself Simon Peter.  
Here learn,  
1. Christ's kindness to Peter, in giving him a Name to assure him of some grace which he would bestow upon him: Though we cannot do so, 
What Names Parents are to give to their Children.  yet it behoves us to give our Children such names as may edify them, and put them in mind of some good thing; either to imitate some good man or woman whose Name they bear, or else to follow some good that the Name puts them in mind of.  
2. In that he puts his Name to his Epistle, he shows his godliness and innocency, 
Such as set forth Books ought to set their Names thereto.  which makes him bold, for Truth may be blamed, but cannot be shamed: Contrary to many Heretics, and false Apostles and Teachers, the Devils disciples, which pen Books stuffed with Errors, either under the Names of the Apostles, that so they may the sooner beguile and get credit to their Lies; or else without Names, lest being found out by their Names, they should suffer, and be brought to punishment for their Errors; or their infamous Names being seen in the forefront of their Book, should cause any judicious and honest Reader with indignation to cast it away. The Apostle, I say, chose having the sound and holy Oracles of God from Heaven to deliver unto them, puts to his Name. There are many worthy Works, 
Why some worthy men have not done thus.  I confess, which have no Names put to them (those especially which were written in the times of Persecution) whereof the Authors, howsoever desirous to spread the Truth of God hated and persecuted, hereby notwithstanding shunned the hands of cruel tyrants. This is not for any fault in the matter, but only avoiding danger in speaking of the truth. This is no disgrace to them, but to their times, and their enemies; for men need not cast themselves into peril till God call them.  
This condemns the vile practice of the wicked, 
Use.  which hide themselves in the dark, and in corners, lewdness not abiding the light: We must do nothing, but that we dare put our hands to it, and our Names. We must do as the Angel did that rolled away the stone, and sat upon it when he had done, as if he should have said, Let me see who will control that which I have done. We must do so, as we may bid our Adversary write a Book against us for any gross or unlawful thing we have done and stand in. Alas! what a folly is this, you flee men's eyes, but can you flee the eyes of the Almighty? And if you cannot abide men's censure, how shall you be able to stand before the Judgement seat of Almighty God, who is a consuming fire?  
An Apostle of Jesus Christ] The word is general, 
Wherein the Apostles differed from all other Ministers  and signifieth one scent; but here (as elsewhere often) it is taken specially for one, and the principal sort of Ministers, differing from all others in these particulars: 1. They were immediately called by Christ own mouth, and sent abroad: Many were called by him for Disciples, and out of those he chose his Twelve Apostles. 2. They had a larger measure of the Spirit than others, so that they could not err in their writings. 3. They had also a larger Commission, 
Mat. 28. 19  Go ye (saith our Saviour) and Teach all Nations: They were to preach to all the world; but this Calling is ceased. This notwithstanding it hath communion with all other sorts of Ministers that they were called and sent: No man (saith the Apostle) takes this honour to him, 
Heb. 5. 4.  but he that is called of God, as was Aaron; and so were also the Prophets.  
There are two things required in a Minister: 
Two things required in a Minister.  1. That he be lawfully called: and 2. That being in, he discharge his duty faithfully.  
Touching a Ministers Calling, 
He must have an inward calling: and  it must be both inward and outward: 1. He must have an inward Calling from God; which appears 1. By an aptness and competency of Gifts to teach and edify the Church of God. 2. By a willing mind to employ the same, seeking not his own advantage and ease, but the glory of God: This makes the Minister. As when God calls a King, he gives him the heart of a King: So if he appoint a man to be a father of Souls, he fits him for it. 
An outward.  2. He must have an outward Calling from the Church and those that are in place to allow and disallow Ministers, whose approbation they must have, which is not to make them, but to approve of them for their further comfort, that they may more boldly go forward.  
The Brownists call us Bishops-Ministers, 
Use.  because they call us to this Office, but they do but allow and approve whom God hath made.  
Both must necessarily concur, the one go along with the other: He that wants the inward, though he have the outward, is not a true Minister of God (yet his actions are not to be esteemed nullities and void) and he that in ordinary times having the inward wants the outward, 
Perk. Treatise of Callings.  goes not to work humbly as he ought.  
Well did Peter declare himself an Apostle, one sent from God, a Messenger, who was to deal faithfully in his Message; For he publisheth not here his own Inventions, Poets Fables, Heathen Stories, Philosophers Conceits, 
1 Pet. 4. 11.  or men's Devices and Opinions, but the holy Oracles of God from Heaven. So must every Minister of God speak as the words of God; What is the Chaff to the Wheat, either one's Opinion to establish another's Conscience?  
But why doth he call himself by this great Name of his Office, and put this high stile before his Epistle? 
Why he nameth his Apostleship.  Not for vain ostentation, or for his own sake, but for the people's good, even to procure with them the more authority to that which he was to write; for who should dare to refuse that which comes from the Lord Jesus, the eternal Son of God, the Light of the world, the Saviour and Judge thereof? Nay, who should not with all high reverence submit himself thereunto? So did the Prophets begin, The word of the Lord, Thus saith the Lord, whereby they set their people's faith on work to look to God, and not to men.  
Hence let the Ministers of God learn to procure what credit and authority to their Ministry they can, 
Use.  signifying often, that it is Gods will, thereby drawing their people's minds upward from the instrument. They must deliver such soundness of Doctrine, as may be food itself, not froth, which accordingly they must deliver in a grave and religious manner; adding thereunto, as Prayer, so also a godly life, and all little enough, considering the profaneness of our hearts, that so little regard what we hear, yea hear without preparation or reverence, being of us no sooner gone then forgotten.  
But how dares he call himself an Apostle, 
Q.  that had deserved by his most shameful threefold denial of his Master, to be utterly discarded of his Office; and utterly cast away for ever?  
By the grace of God he doth this, 
A.  by Faith apprehending the mercy of God towards him; and he doth it to publish his grace and favour, who had upon his true Humiliation and Repentance not only forgiven his sin, and received him to mercy, but restored him to his Office again. 
Mark 16. 7.  Go your way (said the Angel unto the Women) tell his Disciples, and Peter, that he goeth before you into Galilee: And afterward our Saviour by a threefold Commission restored him to his Office, 
john 21. 15, 16, 17.  from which by his threefold Denial he had shut himself.  
Hence note, That  
Repentance will wipe away our sins, 
Repentance wipeth away our sins.  and make them as if they had never been, Joel 2. 12, 13, 14. Mic. 7. 18, 19 1 Joh. 1. 9 which  
1. Shows God's unspeakable mercy towards penitent Sinners. 
Use 1.   
2. Is a matter of endless comfort to us, 
Use 2.  which through our corruption fail and sin daily. As verily as we be unfeignedly humbled with desire of forgiveness, and not to sin, so verily may we believe ourselves pardoned; 
Mat. 6. 12.  for which accordingly we are enjoined daily to pray; yea if we have been overtaken more foully for want of watchfulness, yet let us not despair as Cain, or run from God as Judas, which is worst of all, but address ourselves to come with a heavy and bleeding heart to God, 
2 Sam. 12. 13.  with whom there is mercy. David having confessed his sin, Nathan said unto him, The Lord also hath put away thy sin, 
1 joh. 2. 2.  thou shalt not die. Unto every penitent soul his Son will be a propitiation for their sins. 
Luke 15. 20.  As the prodigal was embraced of his father, so will our heavenly father receive us, if we return unto him.  
3. May be a most effectual means to humble such as have run on in their sins, 
Use 3.  without humiliation, that at the length they may take this course; 
jer. 3. 22.  Return ye backsliding Children (saith the Lord) and I will heal your backslidings: See to this purpose Host 14. 1, 2.  
Oh, 
Ob.  but I have been thus and thus bad, will some say.  
No matter what thou hast been, 
Sol.  so now thou with thy whole heart turnest to God, and neither art now, nor hereafter intendest to be as heretofore. Time past shall not be remembered.  
Oh, 
Ob.  but I have committed many great sins.  
It's not that shall stand between God and thee, 
Sol.  if thou be truly humbled, God's mercy and the merit of Christ is as well able to take away and heal great as small offences. 
Ezra 9 6.  Though our Iniquities be increased over our heads, and our Trespass grown up unto the Heavens, yet if with Ezra we be truly humbled, 
ibid. 10. 2.  there's assured hope of pardon.  
To the Strangers, etc.] Though haply there might be some Gentiles amongst these, yet it is more probable that they were most Jews, which were principally his charge, 
Gal. 2. 7.  as the Gentiles the Apostle Paul's.  
They are called Strangers, 
Why called Strangers.  not as all Christians be, while they be here on Earth, 
Psal. 119. 19  absent from their heavenly Country and Inheritance (for so are we Strangers in our own Country, Towns and Houses) but Strangers, as being in a strange Countery, forced by persecution to leave their own and fly into another, which might be either through the Wars and Troubles which were raised in their own Country, or by the persecution raised in Jerusalem about the death of Steven.  
Here see,  
1. That sundry of the Jews received our Saviour Christ and believed in him, 
Though the body of the jews did not receive Christ, yet there were among them sundry believers.  and were sound converted, though the body of them did not (for he came unto his own, and his own received him not) those made a good progress in the course of Christianity, who were contented (even with the loss of their liberties) to undergo such dangers as might befall them in a strange Land, 
joh. 1. 11.  only that they might keep faith and a good conscience.  
2. The estate of the Church of God here on Earth, 
God's Church here on earth is under persecution.  namely, to be under persecution; In the world (saith our Saviour) ye shall have tribulation. Always there hath been enmity between the seed of the woman and the seed of the Serpent. 
joh. 16. 33.  Thus was it when the Church was but in one Family, in one Country, one Nation. The world having Power, Authority, Wealth, is full of malice against the poor Church, so that were it not that God Almighty defends it, it could not endure; It's as a Sheep amongst wolves, or a Ship among the waves. Though God will exercise it to keep it from errors, and corruptions, which it is subject unto through much prosperity and peace; though it have need of some peace to gather itself, 
Act. 9 31.  yet if't be long in peace it gathers mud as standing waters, rust as the ploughshare in the hedge, yea settles itself on the lees, therefore God pours it out from Vessel to Vessel. Ever mark, after long prosperity grew pride, and thereupon errors and corruptions, which like a canker brought destruction. Contrarily, the Church never shines so gloriously as either in, or presently after persecution; Then life, zeal, sincerity, heavenly-mindedness, and such like graces appear in their true lustre.  
It followeth,  
1. That as we are not to conclude for a company, 
Use. 1.  because they have so much peace, that therefore they are beloved of God; so must not we against any, because they be few in number, and outwardly despised and slighted. 
1 King. 18. 19  Four hundred false Prophets were maintained by Jezabel, whereas Micaiah the only true Prophet of the Lord was put in Prison; Jeremiah and Baruch were the true servants of the Lord, whom whole multitudes of proud men and false Prophets resisted.  
2. That we are to prepare ourselves for persecution, 
Use. 2.  especially having had so long a time of peace. To this end we must resolve to part with all for Christ's sake, and for his Cause and Religion. Thus did these Jews, thus the holy Martyrs; and great reason: For what would it advantage us, 
Mat. 5. 12.  if we should gain the whole world, in the mean time losing our souls by denying Christ. 
jam. 1. 12.  On the contrary, If we forsake any thing for Christ here, 
Mat. 10. 39  we shall have a Crown of everlasting glory, Great is our reward in Heaven. But how far are most of us from any such matter; many are destitute of knowledge, and how can they suffer? Many have no love to the truth, but are carnal and profane persons, which never could yet be wrought upon by the word to embrace it, or be ruled by it, that will not leave their vile lusts for it, and how shall these leave their goods and liberties! Nay, that which is most to be lamented, how few professors be like to stand to it, many are more likely a great deal to flinch! Alas, what poor faith is in most; especially how are most given over to the world, being too eager and earnest for these things, neglecting good duties, and slubbering them over for the world's sake; How will these forsake it altogether, and leave Houses and Lands, when they will not lay aside their businesses for an hour or two to hear the word, or a quarter of an hour for prayer in their Families? O let's therefore labour, as for good store of Faith, so to come to a contempt of this world; In the mean time, use we it moderately and in his place, denying ourselves by little and little, else we shall never come to it all at once; but for our livings sake shall be subject to fall from God, and renounce our Religion, a fearful state.  
3. The lawfulness of flying in time of persecution: 
The lawfulness of flying in the time of persecution.  The Jews here did it, to save themselves from danger: It's lawful for a Minister or any other tied by calling, either when persecution is only or chiefly intended against him, or having consent for a time to go aside, seeing it to be best for the rest: It's lawful for any, either when God makes a way for them that seems to call them thereto (whereunto if they should not yield, we are to think they have some extraordinary motion of the Spirit of God to the contrary, as it's written of some of the Martyrs) or find themselves as yet not strong enough to endure their rage; Those, I say, may sly to be reserved as a seed to propagate the Church afterward.  
Throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bythynia.] The places whereunto they fled for habor, were Regions and Countries in Asia the less, where there were then famous Churches.  
Note hence,  
1. The large extent of the Church of God in the time of the New Testament, 
The large extent of the Church under the New Testament.  that whereas before it was kept within the pale of Judea, in the New, since our Saviour's ascension, it's dispersed over all Nations far and wide, from the Sunrising to its going down; that it might be fulfilled which God spoke to Abraham, that in his seed all the Nations of the world should be blessed. 
Gen. 12. 3.   
But what's become of those Churches of Asia now? 
Quest.   
They are all (lamentable to be spoken) under the tyranny of the Enemy of God and Christ Jesus, 
Ans.  the Turk; They are now no Churches, but Synagogues of Satan, cages of unclean birds; so are also the Churches to whom Saint John wrote in his Revelation; Be we not therefore high minded, 
Rom. 11. 21.  but fear; for if God hath not spared the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not us; yea considering our lukewarmness, unthankfulness, contempt of the Word, and such other our crying sins, we have cause to fear the like judgement.  
2. The singular diligence and care of this holy Apostle, 
The Apostles diligence and care in his charge.  over the charge committed to him: Not only did he preach to them, being present with them, but wrote also being absent, being in persecution, and scattered throughout strange Countries; he encourageth them unto constancy, and that they should not faint under their troubles; of such helps there is great need in such cases, and at such times. He was careful, not only to gain them to God and the Faith, but to hold them fast, 
See Act. 14. 22  that as they were begotten, so they might be nourished up in the faith; as they were converted, so he was careful to confirm them, this being no less necessary than that: For Non minor est virtus, quam quarere, parta tueri. having offended, but again put in trust with the sheep, he is now careful of his Commission, 
Use.  which is set down for the example of all Ministers, even as we love Christ, so will we, must we, feed his sheep and lambs. We must labour by all diligence and faithfulness to convert and build up, yea in times of sickness or any affliction, when Satan waits to tempt them, and they be weak, we are to come and strengthen them, we are to shore them up, that they reel not, to comfort them that they despair not: But how do they perform this duty, that never come at their charges, seldom or never preach, put it off to another, though never so unfit? how also they, that either preach not, or but unprofitably, which come not to a poor or mean man's house upon any occasion? How shall they be able to answer the great Shepherd of the sheep, when they shall be called to an account? See Heb. 13. 17.  
Elect, etc.] Here he describes them by their inward estate to God-ward. I will not here handle the common place of Election, I have done it at large, and I reserve such things to Catechising; only now of such things as are necessarily occasioned by the text: whereof this may be one, That  
God hath chosen out some men to salvation, 
God hath chosen some to salvation.  as he did of the Angels, which are called the Elect Angels. Before the world, he Ordained and decreed some persons to obtain salvation, 
1 Tim. 5. 21.  even the vessels of mercy, 
Rom. 9 23.  which he had afore prepared unto glory; See to this purpose Acts 13. 48. Eph. 1. 4. 1 Thess. 5. 9  
This must needs be so, 
Reason.  for whatsoever falls out in the world, universally or particularly, God in his eternal and unchangeable decree Ordained the same. And if wise men do not (especially) great things, whereof they have not before deliberated, much lels doth God.  
Let us hold fast this truth inviolable, 
Use.  according to the Scriptures, casting away all carnal conceits of cruelty or the like in the Lord, and with the Apostle Paul, 
Rom. 11. 33.  what we cannot understand, learn we to adore and admire.  
Q. But how could the Apostle know they were Elect, may one know the Election of another?  
A. For our own we may, 
How we may know the Election of others.  as we shall hear by an by; for others we may also, though not with the same knowledge and judgement of certainty, because the heart of man is known to none but to God only, and a man may go far who yet may fall away; but with the judgement of charity, which hath degrees according to the fruits we see in them, if they only profess Religion, and be in the Church, we may hope, but it is but weak hope where we see no fruits; where we see some good likelihoods of religion, some good beginnings, we may more strongly be persuaded; for to such a man may say, If these things be in you, in truth you are the very Elect of God: Now when we see the fruits of faith, sanctification and godliness in men, and that they show it not by fits, but constantly; not in some things, but in all; not in prosperity only, but in adversity too, in persecution, and under the Cross, we may the more, yea very boldly judge of them as the Elect of God; and so doth out Apostle here, as appears by the next words, Unto Sanctification of the Spirit: He saw good signs of Sanctification in them, and that they suffered persecution for Religion's sake, therefore he so hoped of them, he so styles them.  
We should not only labour to have sound testimonies to ourselves of our Election and Salvation, 
Christian's must so live, as that even others may be persuaded that they belong to God.  but so live, as we may get a good and full testimony thereof in the conscience and mind of the Church and Brethren with whom we live; For a good name in the Church is a precious thing, and much to be desired: The voice of the Church is the voice of God. 
Heb. 11. 2.  We are so to live, that whatsoever befalls us, as to die suddenly or strangely, or to have great and extraordinary afflictions while we live, our lives notwithstanding may have spoken so well for us, as we may have good report while we live, and when we be dead; 
See Pro. 10. 6.  So have many poor godly ones in Scripture, and in our times, when great and mighty ones that have been wicked, their names be rotten, and so not at all, or else stinking, and so as a dunghill or puddle, which the more it is stirred, the more it stinketh: They therefore that live vilely in their lusts, bring an ill name upon themselves, who can judge they are Elect, or shall be saved? yea many be desperate, they care not what men say, as bad a sign as can be; such also as walk hollowly, and by halfs, in some things well, and in some other taking such liberty as will not stand with Christianity or a good conscience; These cause that the Church of God cannot conceive so well, nor give so full a testimony of them as were to be desired, but are forced to speak doubtfully. Oh let us so walk, that by sincerity and constancy in godly courses, we my get a large and full testimony in the conscience of those we live withal: It's a Crown and Garland to us whiles we live, and a confirmation to us, that we deceive not ourselves; It's an honour when we die, as the contrary, even to be accounted vile, a fearful punishment; yea it's a comfort and crown, to our Wives, Children, Friends, and a provocation to them to follow our steps whom they hear so well spoken of.  
According to the foreknowledge of God] God in his foreknowledge and eternal decree hath (as ye heard) appointed some to Salvation. 
See Mat. 25. 34   
Q. Why did God before all worlds thus decree of men? 
Why God decreed to save some.   
Ans. Of his own will, 
Rom. 9 16.  which is the first and highest cause; It's not in him that willeth, 
Eph. 1. 5.  nor in him that runneth, but in God that showeth mercy. Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children, by Jesus Christ to himself, 
Rom. 9 2.  according to the good pleasure of his will: He hath power over us, as the Potter over the clay. As he did not therefore choose some, because he foresaw they would receive grace, so neither is foreseen infidelity the cause why God refuseth any, but because he would; for though he neither hateth nor casteth away any but for their sin, yet this was not the cause of the Lords decree, but his own will, which is that which maketh any thing just and good. Our will indeed being so corrupt, must not be a reason of our actions, but in God his is, whose will maketh a thing good, and not because a thing is good, therefore he willeth it. Beyond this will of his we must not inquire, but in humility lay our hand upon our mouth, and admire the depth of his wisdom, and be content to stay for further knowledge of these things in the world to come: In the mean time sit we down quietly, believing what God hath revealed in his Word.  
It followeth,  
1. That if any can prove his election, 
Use 1.  he must stand and admire at the unsearchableness of God's free mercy, that he should think upon him a poor worm before the beginning of the world, and one that should be of the common stock of Adam, a sinful wretch; think of him I say, to choose him to life passing by so many. Oh how should this ravish our hearts, and inflame us with love!  
2. That if any be rejected, 
Use 2.  they must not complain of cruelty in God, for that they are rejected; Is the clay to say to the Potter, why hast thou made me thus? 
Rom. 9 20.  Beside, thou art not condemned but for the just deserts and sins which thou hast committed against God; all that can be said, is this, He giveth not his grace to them, as he doth to his elect, whereof who shall complain? God is bound to none.  
Unto the Sanctification of the Spirit] The end why we were elected, 
The ends why we were Elected.  is, 1. In respect of God his glory. 2. In respect of ourselves, our Salvation, which we come unto by Santificaction, 
See Eph. 1. 4  which is the end of our Redemption. 
1 Thess. 4. 3. 7.  All that were elected, in time he brings into the world; 
Luke 1. 74, 75.  we come in enemies to God, children of wrath, polluted; but he lets us have the word, 
Tit. 2. 14.  whereby he effectually calleth us to faith and repentance; 
Sanctification the end of our Redemption.  and so purgeth and washeth us by his word outwardly; and his spirit inwardly, whereby our nature is cleansed from the love of all sin, 
Rom. 8. 30.  and made pure in God's fight, and we enabled to die to sin, and live righteously.  
Hereby may every one examine and prove whether he be elect or no, 
Use. 1.  (viz.) Not by climbing to the top at first, and flying unto the unsearchable counsels of God (the way to dazzle and confound us) but by the lowest step, our Sanctification.  
Here's also comfort to them that can prove their Sanctification in truth, 
Use. 2.  though imperfectly: There's no condemnation to them, an infallible mark of their election; which may the more sound comfort them, because it is unchangeable as God is, so that all the Devils in Hell shall never be able to prevail against their Salvation, which is a Bulwark and Castle against all temptations. Once the child of God and ever so, only labour to walk worthy of this love, and grow in sanctification, that we may have the more plentiful and strong argument of our election past, and glory to come.  
Here's also terror to those that walk after the flesh, 
Use 3.  and the lusts thereof, that lie yet in their sins; they need not make a question about their election, they may know that as yet they have no mark of it; such rather carry a mark of reprobation about them.  
Break off your sins therefore, 
Use 4.  and turn to God; who would not leave any sin that would hinder assurance of Salvation? and who would not do any duty that might assure him thereof? Let this be a strong and sharp spur to move us to Repentance; and be not desperately careless, saying, If I be elected I shall be saved let me do as I will; and if I be rejected, let me do never so well, I shall be damned. These are flat lies; use thou in humility the ways and means to attain faith and sanctification, that thou mayst be assured of thine election, else if thou wilt desperately justle against God, see who will go by the worst.  
Yea, 
Use 5.  not only the profane bear a brand of reprobation, but even those that have some show of holiness, such as like H●rod, hear gladly, and amend many things; or such as like the Pharisees, make clean the outside of the platter, the inside being full of filthiness, such as have a show of godliness, yet by some sins deny the power of it; or such holiness as stands in Ceremony, the substance being neglected. These kinds of holiness are no marks of Election; therefore do not we content ourselves with these, but labour for true inward and sincere sanctification, 
Christ's obedience and sufferings the meritorious cause of our salvation.  which is in the heart, in one thing as in another, in trouble as well as in prosperity.  
Unto obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ] The meritorious cause of our salvation is Christ's obedience and sufferings; and his obedience was chiefly in the offering up of himself: for though the Father had Elected us to salvation, 
Rom. 5. 19  and made us happy in Adam, yet we wrought our own overthrow by sin, 
Phil. 2. 8.  and so deserved the curse of God here and for ever. The only way then to deliver us from this, and to save us, was by the Lord Jesus, God and man, who suffered all the wrath that was due to us for our sins, and so discharged us. To appease this wrath there was in ourselves no power; no means else in the world would serve, even the Angels were unable to help us herein. This hath Christ done for us, and that fully, the dignity of his person being such, that he is both God and M●n in one person. Of this the blood of the lamb sprinkled on the Israelites houses was a sign, all Sacrifices tended hereunto, our Sacraments point thereat; all Scripture layeth our Salvation in the Cross, 
Rev. 1. 5.  Blood and Sufferings of Christ.  
Here see,  
1. An admirable mixture of Justice and Mercy, 
Use 1.  so that God is not all mercy, as the world imagines: Therefore, for profane impenitent ones, they shall bear the just wrath of God themselves, and not by every late forced, Lord have mercy, have God at command as they imagine: For if Christ was feign to suffer, and the Father would not be entreated, notwithstanding his strong cries, but when he stood as our Surety, laid on load and spared him not at all, shall his profane enemies think to escape as they list?  
2. God's infinite mercy to mankind, 
Use 2.  to appoint a way to save some of them, whereas no Angel that fell shall be saved.  
3. It sets out the depth of our misery; 
Use 3.  therefore they that are still in it have no small piece of work to bring to pass.  
4. It teacheth us how to esteem of sin, 
Use 4.  as being of that weight, that nothing but the blood of Christ will satisfy for it.  
5. Its sets out the infinite and unspeakable love of God, 
Use 5.  to give us his Son, and of Christ to give himself, seeing no less means would serve; Who can sufficiently either admire or express the same?  
6. Here's matter of endless consolation to all troubled sinners, 
Use 6.  when Satan and the terrors of Conscience shall pursue them, to fly to Christ Jesus and his sufferings. This is their Castle, their quietus est▪ send Satan to thy Surety, all is fully discharged in his death: But this is only for humble bleeding sinners, that turn to God with all their hearts; but as for proud persons that live still in their lusts, what have these to do to talk of Christ's death? yet have these it in readiness, Christ hath died for us; What, for such profane ones as make his death a packhorse, and lay on more load, which is to crucify Christ again? No, let these know, they shall bear the burden of their own sins; but let the true penitent be of good comfort, and know, that all his sins (how great soever) be done away: Neither let such think, that their afflictions are any part of the punishment of sin, for it is all done away once in Christ, and therefore shall not again be demanded of them; but they are loving chastisements to humble them for their sins past, and prevent others for the time to come; both furthering their Salvation.  
7. For all that know they have their part in Christ's death, 
Use 7.  how should this work with them! 1. For sin past, it should vex and grieve our hearts, for we were the Crucifiers of Christ; Judas, the Soldiers and Jews but our Servants, whom our sins set on work: It's our great fault, that we can think of our sins without being humbled, shall Christ shed tears of blood for our sins, and we not be troubled for our own? 2. This should make us hate sin for ever, being as it were the knife and spear that killed Christ; what father could ever love that knife that should kill his child? 3. How should this inflame our hearts with love to him again, and carry us on in a zealous care of obedience all our days? our woeful coldness in Christ's cause and service deserves to be rebuked. Alas, how little will we do for his sake; we ought to be ready to leave Goods, Liberty and Life for him; we should herein but do as he hath done for us, yea who began thus to do for us, when we were even his enemies! How much more any other thing! And may not this stop the mouths of all profane persons, which will be talking, they hope to be saved by Christ, when they show no love nor thankfulness to him, but live yet in their sins to anger him.  
8. An exclusion of all feigned and false satisfactions of men's own devising, 
Use 8.  whereof the Church of Rome is full, which would strike in for a part with the merit of Christ's death, which makes a great stir about the Cross, when in the mean time they make void its efficacy.  
Sprinkling, etc.] By this word he alludeth to the sacrifices of the Law, which all pointed at the sacrifice of Christ; and to show, that as it had been nothing that a sacrifice had been killed, unless the blood thereof had been sprinkled upon the people (for so was the manner) so it avails us nothing that Christ died, 
Gal. 2. 20.  unless his blood be sprinkled on us by the hand of a true faith, 
Christ's death is particularly to be apprehended by Faith.  applying Christ Jesus to our Consciences. It's not Christ that saves, but Christ's death apprehended by a true and lively faith, for a particular persuasion hereof are we to labour.  
Here also in this verse is an excellent proof of the holy Trinity, 
A proof of the holy Trinity.  three persons and one God, which is so to be worshipped; all that do otherwise worship an Idol, and not the true God.  
Again observe, That  
Election is attributed to the Father, 
Election the work of the whole Trinity  Redemption to the Son, Sanctification to the Holy Ghost. It's not but that they be the common works of the whole Trinity, as all the works of God towards the Creatures are, 
jude 1.  in which respect Sanctification is also attributed to the Father; but because of their immediate working. The Father elected in the Son, and by the Holy Ghost, Father, Son and Holy Ghost elected. The Son is the immediate worker of our Redemption, he shed his blood, as the Holy Ghost the immediate worker of Sanctification.  
Grace unto you and Peace be multiplied.] The usual salutation of the Jews, ask the favour of God as the root and peace, that is, all happiness, as that which flows from thence, for so by peace the Jews meant, Peace be with you, Peace be to this house, etc.  
Hence note,  
1. That we should seek the favour of God, 
Why Gods favour is to be sought.  as that which draweth on other things, yea all things, for in love is no lack; Men may have other things without this, but they will have an ill farewell, as they that have possession, but no right title to that which they possess.  
2. What a Minister should chiefly desire for his people; 
Ministers must labour that their People maybe brought into God's favour.  even that they may be brought into God's favour by Christ, have their sins forgiven, Christ made theirs, and they assured thereof, with so much prosperity as may stand with happiness; So Husbands and Wives each for other; So also Parents for their Children: The favour and grace of God is the principal and root of all good. Men may have abundance of outward things, but if they flow not from God's love they will have a hard farewell. 
Psal. 30. 5.  This brings sufficiency, In his favour is life: yea this were sufficient if it came alone, but in God's love is no want of any thing needful; worldlings indeed do greatly seek after wealth for their children, and rejoice to see them wealthy and healthy, though in the mean time they see in them no true tokens of God's favour, but alas what are these! It should more glad us to see an humble, godly heart, turned from sin and embracing righteousness, though sickly and poor, then to flow in all the wealth of the world, and be ungracious, and to come home in a Gold chain, or to hear that our child were like Joseph, the second man in the Kingdom, without grace: But men do for their children as for themselves, labour more for goods than grace. But what shall we say to those Ministers that check their people for forwardness, and seek to discourage them? what also to those Parents, that are so far from desiring grace for their children, as they check and discourage them for their forwardness thereunto? such would like them rather if they saw them jolly as the world; 
See Pro. 10. 1.  Oh a hard part of Parents!  
Be multiplied.] He desires not that they be once taken into God's favour, and his other graces begun in them, but that they be continued, and daily increased more and more? He was covetous to have his spritual children thrive apace, and grow very rich in grace; Such covetousness, 
Ministers must labour that their people may grow in grace.  even a desire to join grace to grace, is both for ourselves and others commendable. So should a Minister desire that his people may not be a little better than the worst, but to exceed others by far, that they may answer the time and means; and to this end, as to pray, so to call upon them continually, and they not to think amiss of this, but to rejoice in it as a special fruit of his Love; so must Parents to their Children: God gives us leave to be covetous in these things, and to join grace unto grace, 
2 Pet. 1. 5.  as men do house unto house, so shall we honour him much, for a little grace will go but a little way. Thus shall we benefit our Neighbours much, when our branches spread far, and our lips feed many. Thus shall we have a large Testimony to ourselves of our Salvation while we live, and make a wide entrance for ourselves into the glorious Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 
2 Pet. 1. 10, 11.    

Verse. 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.  
NOw followeth the substance of the Epistle, 
The sum and substance of the whole Epistle.  consisting of Doctrine and Exhortation: Doctrine to the thirteenth Verse; Exhortations in the Verses following. The Exhortations are to continue constant in the profession of the Gospel of Christ, and to stick close to that Salvation purchased by Christ, and revealed therein; and that they would lead an holy and and godly life, answerable to this profession and Gospel, both in their general and particular callings; yea now in their present troubles, and notwithstanding any other they might mere with hereafter. Now this being a very weighty building, therefore he had need lay a foundation fitting for the same, and so he doth, which is this, namely, The singular benefits that we receive by Jesus Christ his Death and Resurrection, viz. Assurance of Salvation, Hope, Joy, Peace, etc. and at last everlasting life in the Kingdom of Heaven; all which are revealed and wrought in us by the Gospel, which is no new Doctrine, but that which of old was revealed to all the Prophets, though now more clearly and fully manifested. Therefore seeing God hath done so great things for us by Christ Jesus, and these things are revealed in the Gospel, which is very ancient, good reason they should cleave to Christ, and be carried after no other way of Salvation, accordingly walking worthy of the benefits they have both already reaped hereby, and may further hereafter. The Doctrine setteth forth the great benefit that we reap by Jesus Christ; namely, That we are begot to a lively hope of Salvation, and of being partakers of such an inheritance, as is without comparison, which is every way set forth, according to its excellency; where we have, 1. The benefit, That we are begotten to a lively hope: 2. The moving cause, The abundant mercy of God: 3. The means whereby, namely, The Resurrection of Jesus Christ: 5. The end, That we may partake of Salvation, which he calls an Inheritance, and describes it by several properties.  
Blessed be God] For the manner of speech, 
God's blessing man.  we read of three kinds of blessing in Scripture: 
Eph. 1. 3.  1. God blesseth man, when he bestoweth upon him his favours and good things, 
Man's blessing man.  earthly and heavenly: 2. Man blesseth man, and that either ordinarily when he prayeth to God to bless him (Thus Moses is appointed to bid Aaron bless the people; 
Num. 6. 23.  and the form of prayer is set down; 
Mat. 5. 44.  Thus Parents bless their children; and we are to bless them that curse us) or extraordinarily, when by the Spirit of Prophecy the Prophets of God have not only prayed to God for a blessing on their posterity, but have pronounced a blessing upon them, foretelling what their state should be in time to come. As Isaac blessed jacob and Esau, 
Gen. 27. 28. and 49. 3.  jacob also his Sons, and Moses the twelve Tribes at his death: 
Deut. 33. 1, 2, etc.  3. Man blesseth God, when he ascribeth that honour, praise and thanksgiving which is due to him for his Mercy, Wisdom, 
Man's blessing God.  Justice, Truth; not when we give him any thing he hath not (that cannot be) but when we ascribe and give that to him which is most justly due to him already. Thus understand we the phrase here, as elsewhere often.  
For the matter, Being to repeat the great benefits that come to us by Jesus Christ, he doth it not barely, but begins with praise and thanksgiving for the same, Blessed be God, etc. saith he, as if he should have said, For these unspeakable and great benefits bestowed on us unworthy ones, Oh my soul, Spirit, and all that is in me, come forth to render thanks to God; Teaching us, That  
When we speak, or have any occasion to think (as we ought often to speak and think) of God's mercies, 
God's mercies to be thought on and spoken of with admiration.  especially his special mercies that concern our Salvation, we should do it with admiration, and setting forth his praise. Thus both David and Paul: Even his outward benefits ought to stir us up unto thankfulness; how much more ought we to be stirred up for spiritual favours and deliverances from the bondage and thraldom of Sin. 
Psal. 103. 1, 2.  Satan and Hell; 
Eph. 10. 3.  how can we do any less? 
1 Tim. 1. 17.  All creatures, 
Psal. 107. 1, 2.  Sun, Moon, Fouls, praise God in their kind, and yet they have only been created; what we then that have been redeemed when we were lost?  
They that have felt their bondage, and find themselves delivered, cannot but break out into his praise. Indeed, the common sort that have those things but in their brain only, and never had the feeling of the one or of the other, they can speak of these things but faintly, and from the teeth outward, and not from the heart as others; but for any to boast of great matters done for them, and yet show no whit that they be ravished with love to God, neither breaking out into his praises in words, nor showing it in their lives, they do certainly lie and deceive their own souls, 
Psal. 116. 10.  for they that have had experience of the sour and of the sweet cannot but speak. 
See Luke 1. 46. 47.  I believed, therefore have I spoken, 
2 Cor. 4. 13.  saith David. Impossible it is for any man to think of his Election, Redemption, Calling, etc. And not be ravished therewith; It's our duty then to stir up ourselves often, and from time to time, by the deep meditation of God's special Mercies, which, as it will shake off dulness, so will it much revive us to duty.  
And Father of our Lord Jesus Christ] Mark, that he cannot speak of God, 
Rom. 15. 5, 13, 33.  but with some token of reverence and title of his. Thus, as he is elsewhere styled, 
2 Cor. 1. 3.  The God of Hope, the God of Peace, the God of Patience and Consolation, 
1 Tim. 1. 17.  the King everlasting; so is he here, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
We must not think or speak of God but with reverence.  His practice must be our patrens, we must never think or speak of the holy and blessed name of God, but with all high reverence, his greatness compared with our baseness might induce us hereunto.  
This condemneth as well the Blasphemy of Swearers, 
Use.  as the unreverent takers of God's Name in vain, after what manner soever.  
He is termed, 
Why God is termed the Father of our Lord jesus Christ.  the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, not only nor so much in respect of his Manhood, viz. that he took the lump whereof his humanity was framed, which was of the substance of the Virgin, and first Sanctified and freed the same from all stain or blemish of Original corruption, and actually United it from the first conception thereof to the Godhead and second person, and so framed the humanity of Christ of this substance, and infused into him a reasonable soul; but especially in respect of his Godhead, by an unspeakable communicating of the whole essence of the Father to him before all worlds, which mystery though we cannot fully understand, we must believe and adore.  
Here he is styled, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (as formerly he was wont to be called, and known by the name of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to distinguish him from all false gods) whereby he showeth himself more clearly to us, and the way how we should get into his favour, namely, by his son, there being no other way whereby our persons or service can please God.  
If therefore we would obtain any thing at God's hands, 
Use.  we must not come barely to the Father, as for forgiveness of sins, mercy or any thing else, but with respect of his son Jesus Christ, by whom only he is and will be merciful unto us.  
Speak we something of his three titles, 
God's Son why termed jesus   
1. Jesus a Saviour, so called by an Angel from Heaven ere he was born, 
Mat. 1. 21.  for that he was to save his people from their sins: who is an absolute and sufficient Saviour, 
Act. 4. 12.  yea the only Saviour, neither is there, was there, or shall there be any other.  
2. Christ anointed to be our King, 
Christ  Priest and Prophet, through whom we are made Kings, 
Reu. 1. 6.  Priests and Prophets. If so, 1. Where be our sacrifices of ourselves, of Prayer and Praise, Morning and Evening in our Families; a Priest must not be without sacrifice. 2. As Prophets do we teach our Families, do we instruct and examine them? 3. As Kings do we master our affections? If we be led Captive of our frowardness, worldliness, and the like, what Kings are we? Look to it.  
3. Our Lord. 
Our Lord.  He is our Lord every way; 
1 Pet. 1. 19  by purchase and by conquest; 
Col. 2. 15.  He bought us with his precious blood, He also conquered all the Enemies that held us captive, 
Heb. 2. 14.  Sin, Satan, Death, and so delivered us. If any great man would by money ransom, 
1 Cor. 15. 26.  or by his sword rescue out of his Enemy's hands any captive, he were his Lord; so is Christ our Lord either way. Whence ariseth,  
1. Comfort to all that know themselves redeemed by him, 
Use 1.  that he will never lose that which he hath so dearly bought, and taken such pains with every way, to come into the world, to die for us, than so to work, as we may come to the knowledge of it by his Word and Spirit; Whereby Faith and Sanctification are wrought in us.  
2. Instruction, 
Use 2.  it's our duty to submit ourselves to him as our Liege-lord, 
Psal. 2. 12.  to be his loyal people; we must kiss the son, take up his yoke: He hath paid full dearly for our service and love; 
Mat. 11. 29.  his we are, being now no more our own. There are too too many that yet do not so cleave to this Lord and his Word, 
1 Cor. 6. 19  but that they suffer other things, other Lords to carry them away. Many could be content to have Christ their Saviour, but they will not have him their Lord and King, to rule in them and over them; 
Psal. 2. 3.  Let us break their bands asunder (say they) and cast away their cords from us: 
Psal. 12. 4.  And again, Who is Lord over us? Let such to their terror consider that fearful sentence passed against them (But those mine Enemies that would not that I should reign over them, 
Luke 19 27.  bring hither, and slay them before me) They are counted Gods Enemies, and adjudged to be slain before his face; 
Psal. 2. 9  Yea, he will break them with a red of iron, and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel: Others will let him be their Lord as far as they please, and in what they list, as if they would appoint their work themselves (as some coy servants) which the Lord will not endure: 
Mat. 11. 29.  Well, let us bring our hearts to yield unto him as our Lord, else we shall never have Salvation by him: There's no refreshing by him, unless we take up his yoke, both must go together; they that will not willingly stoop to him, he will be their Lord and King in despite of them, and that to their confusion.  
Now for the afflicted conscience that travels for mercy and pardon, and desires after Christ more than all the world, dost thou as earnestly desire him to be thy Lord and King; and art thou willing to take up his yoke, and that he shall rule and reign in thee, and none else, and that in all things; be of good comfort, thou art one of those whom Christ will save.  
Which according to his abundant mercy, etc.] Now we are to observe, 1. The benefit bestowed for which he blessed God, namely, For begetting us again unto a lively hope. 2. The moving cause, His mercy, nay abundant mercy. 3. The means whereby, The Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead; of which as they lie in order.  
Hath begotten us again unto a lively hope] This is the benefit, 
What means here by hope.  God hath begot them again to the hope of Salvation, for so he means; for by hope is not strictly meant that grace of hope which proceeds from Faith, which is that whereby we wait patiently for that which by Faith we believe, but it's here meant of both faith and hope, even assurance of Salvation; Hereunto (saith he) they were begot again.  
Whence note, That  
We have not the assurance of Salvation of ourselves by nature, 
Assurance of Salvation comes not by nature.  or by our first begetting; no, by nature we are the children of wrath, enemies to God, dead in sins and trespasses, having no hope, and without God in the world: 
Eph. 2. 12.  Nay, to have Faith and hope of Salvation, is the only work of God, as our Saviour unto Peter upon his confession of him, 
Math. 16. 17.  Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my father which is in Heaven: So may we affirm about this particular. See to this purpose Joh. 6. 29. 
1 Pet. 1. 7.  Acts 16. 14. Eph. 2. 8. Phil. 1. 29. Heb. 12. 2. The titles given unto Faith show as much, 
Tit. 1. 1.  as precious Faith, the Faith of Gods elect, 
jude 20.  most holy Faith; have we any such thing in ourselves?  
The means whereby he works this Faith, 
The means whereby God works Faith.  are, 1. The outward Ministry of the Word. 2. The inward working of God's Spirit preparing us by the Law; 
Rom. 10. 17.  then working it by the promises of the Gospel: Father, 
2 Cor. 4. 13.  Son, and Holy Ghost work Faith.  
God that brings light out of darkness made all of nothing, 
Eph. 6. 23.  and raiseth up the dead to life, he only works Faith in us, and puts life into these dead hearts of ours; it's a great work of God that we can do nothing toward it. To be humbled truly in the sight of our sins, is a great work hardly brought to pass; yet this no part of Faith, but a preparation: Then when we see them, it's a great work of God that we are not swallowed up of desperation, but that God upholds and works by the Gospel longing after mercy, and so by degrees gives power to apply it; many that long seek and cannot lay hold, or having, yet quickly let go, find faith a great work of God.  
What shall we say then to the hope that's so common in the world, 
Use. 1.  almost at every hand? Go through a Parish, and you shall find few but hope to do well, to be saved, making no doubt of it, having no fears, ask no questions about it; yea, thank God they have been of this persuasion ever since they can remember. Surely this is but a false hope, a presumptuous conceit of their own heads, without ground or bottom in God's word, an illusion wherewith the Devil seeks to undo them, getting them to bear themselves fair in hand, that they might not be troubled till wrath overtake them without help; yea, it may appear they are not begotten again to it, for being asked, how long it hath been thus with them; they thank God they have ever been of a good belief: and they have no ground for it, but because God's a merciful God, etc. not considering that God is as Just as Merciful, and that his justice must first be satisfied, ere he can show any mercy. Besides, they cannot say it hath been wrought, as God worketh Faith in his, viz. First, he humbles and brings to the Gates of Hell, and then lifts up; this is not with them: They also cannot say nor remember when it was wrought, nor how they came by it, nor that it hath been otherwise with them at any time. Besides, 
Act. 15. 9  true Faith purifieth the heart, and he that hath it purgeth himself as he is pure, 
1 joh. 3. 3.  which is not in them, but they abide in their sins; at least in the love of some, and have no Faith for outward things▪ but use unconscionable shifts: 
Rom. 5. 5.  Therefore whereas true hope makes not ashamed, but in the needful time and great day will make men lift up their heads with joy; this will be like Egypt, a deceitful and broken Reed, to lay them under feet that do trust to it: Contrarily, know we that Faith and Hope are not so easily gotten; they must be wrought from Heaven, herein both Father, Son and Holy Ghost must join: therefore woefully do they deceive themselves, that trust to any blind conceit in stead of the true work of God; as they do desperately that put off Conversion and Faith till the latter end, as if they had them at command; we must in time labour for this true work of grace.  
But if any can prove themselves begotten truly to this hope, 
Use 2.  they have great cause of thanksgiving, whereinto the Apostle here breaks out; Oh what a thing is it, not only to give his only Son to the death for us, but to reveal it to us in his word, and thereby to assure us that we have our part in the same, and we poor sinners may come to know our sins forgiven, and that we shall be saved: Oh unspeakable favour I What is like this? Or what can make a man miserable that hath this? prize we this as a Jewel, nourish we it by all good means, especially by keeping a good Conscience; rejoice in it, as being of more worth than all the world: let not a few wants or afflictions daunt us, or take away this joy. It's a fault in Christians that they will be heavy if they want something they would have: Oh! Is it not enough that God loves thee? Again, a little cross casts us down and quells us, as if we had nothing to comfort us; Oh, no earthly thing should daunt us, while we know this: He that said, I could be content to lie as a fire-block in Hell till the day of Judgement, so I might be sure to be saved then, would have been glad of assurance in this life though with many crosses.  
If any have not yet this hope, 
Use 3.  let them give no rest to themselves till they have attained it; there's no peace without it▪ Sin lieth at the door, 
See B. Hall's Heaven upon Earth cap. 4. and 6.  a wounded conscience will arrest us, though we may still it for a season; pacify it we cannot, till our sin be taken away and forgiven: Assuredly their estate is most dangerous which neither have it nor seek after it.  
A lively hope] so called, 
Why termed a lively hope.  not only for that it is the hope of life, but because it doth exceedingly cheer and comfort the heart of him that hath is, and puts more life into him then any other thing can do. Herein it is opposed against all other vain hopes of the world, in outward and transitory things, which yield no sound contentment to them that have their part deepest in them. Herein also from the forged hope of Salvation, that the world fain to themselves, which also hath no life in it, no heartening in it: But true Faith and hope do exceedingly revive the heart which before was dead without any true comfort, 
See Mat. 9 ●.  yea being stung by the Law, 
Psal. 4. 7 and 51. 7. 8.  and so full of terror and discomfort, joy and gladness comes from persuasion of pardon. Neither comforts this only in prosperity, 
See Psal. 112, 7. 8.  when the world can be merry, but even in adversity and trouble, when they be dismayed, and dead, as it were, on the nest; Through this they can even in Prison with Paul and Silas sing Psalms, 
Acts 16. 25.  as through this the Martyrs endured the fire; Daniel and the Three Children went cheerfully to suffer: This also makes a Christian lively to serve God, 
Psal. 51. 15.  and in every duty to praise him, as David, Open thou my lips, saith he (namely with assurance of thy love) and my mouth shall show forth thy praise: So to do good to others, as being fitted to teach them as well the way of God's justice against sin, 
ibid. 13.  as the way of his mercy to them that repent; yea hereby we shall be fit to every good duty, 
Psal. 119. 32:  I will run the way of thy commandments when thou shalt enlarge mine heart, namely, by the persuasion of thy love, and by thy Spirit and the hope of Salvation.  
It's a fault in Christians, 
Use.  that they be no more cheerful in this hope, but lumpish and soon daunted in afflictions; a fault I say, that we are no more active and lightsome in God's business.  
Let every one then labour for it; till this we are not alive, our soul never prospers, nor sees good day: This, even this, is the beginning of life, and the first step to eternal life. Would any man live, and be cheerful, and see good days, and have that which might keep him from being daunted in adversity, persecution, death at the day of Judgement, let him by all means get this: Without this, men's hopes are vain; their stout courage will fail them in those times when God shall frown. It's Faith only, which will carry a man through all things: Hereby he shall have a heart to serve God, yea, both do and suffer the greatest things for him and his sake.  
According to his abundant mercy] The moving cause of this benefit of our calling to Faith and hope, 
God's free favour the cause of all our good.  is God's mercy, nay, hit abundant mercy. The cause of all the good that ever came to us, or ever shall come, is no other but only free favour: Why did he elect us before the world, 
Eph. 1. 4, 5.  but only of his undeserved love, According to the good pleasure of his own will? not for works we had done (it was before the world) not for any we were like to do, as who do none, till he work them in us. 
Rom. 5. 10.  So also, Why redeemed he us, when we were all fallen into condemnation? even for his mere mercy; was there any thing in us could deserve it, 
jam. 1. 18.  when we were utterly unable to do any good, nay, when his utter enemies? why also hath he called us? Did we, or could we do any thing before our calling to deserve it? We were not only unable to think a good thought, but serving the Devil with all our power, walking in our lusts, after the Prince that ruleth in the children of disobedience. 
Eph. 2. 2. etc.  See our case in Ezek. 16. both in respect of our Parents, sinners, and ourselves, or any thing we can do: Nay, to cut the throat of all conceit of any merit less or more, before or alter, 
Man could not be saved without abundant mercy.  he saith, His abundant mercy: So that a little mercy, such as is in man, or some reasonable store, as in Angels, would not serve the turn, nor was sufficient to save us, or move the Lord to call us to this hope, but an abundant deal of the mercy of God, which is infinite.  
Was it a small matter that moved God to choose thee to Salvation, 
Use 1.  rather than thousands of others? or was it a small mercy to give us his only Son, to save and deliver us by suffering all the wrath due to us? What, Not his Servant, nor his Friend, but his Son, his only begotten Son, the wisdom of the Father, the Image of the invisible God, the engraven form of his Person, to stoop so low as to become man! nay in that base estate to be despised of men, to be hated, spitted upon, mocked, shamefully Crucified, and he that knew no sin, to stand in the stead of most vile sinners, and so to be dealt with, and that for us no friends, but enemies; no good persons, but vile and wretched ones? Was a little love enough to bring this to pass? 
joh. 3. 16.  Oh no, but a love without measure, without example, never such another, even that any Father gave his only begotten Son to save traitors and enemies.  
It was wonder that the Father did not rather suffer all mankind to perish, 
Use 2.  then to give his only most blessed Son to suffer the least of these indignites. And it was no small love of jesus Christ that moved him to leave the glory of the Father, and stoop to the estate of a man, and all his infirmities save sin, and to endure all these tortures of men, and his Father's wrath especially? It was no small love that made him give us his heartblood; when he shed a few tears for Lazarus, the Jews said, 
joh. 11. 35, 36  Behold how he loved him, but having shed his blood for us, what may we say?  
So also is it a small measure of mercy to call us to the hope of Salvation from our wretched estate, when we went on in sin, and minded no good, 
See Eph. 2. ●.  nay all evil? It must needs be a great deal of mercy to move God to think well to us, 
Tit. 3. 5.  when we went on madly in our sins, and did fight against him: so also to forgive so many and horrible offences as we had committed; no marvel though David craved the multitude of God's mercies: 
Psal. ●1. 1.  If they were not infinite our sins could not be forgiven, for our sins come as near infinite as number can make them; then to clothe such wretches with the righteousness of his Son; then to forget and forgive all that is past, and take us into favour, and make us here heirs of all his promises and privileges, and of life eternal hereafter, who will not admire it? Is not this abundant mercy to work this hope in us, whom he might have justly condemned; and when he might also have been glorified in our condemnation, as he was in Pharoahs' Plagues? So also to adopt us for his children, men adopt that have none of their own; God had a natural beloved Son, 
Eph. 1. 5.  men adopt their kinsmen; God us, nothing of his kin, yea his enemies; 
1 joh. 3. 1.  men adopt for some good quality, we had no such thing to move God: was it not a great deal of mercy that moved God to call Paul that ran a persecuting of him in his members, to forgive Mary Magdalen, Manasses? etc. So every one of us, What were we when God called us? Must not we say, that it was abundant mercy that ever we were called, forgiven and saved?  
They that have had their part in this abundant mercy, 
Use 3.  must be stirred up to abundant thanksgiving, 
Psal. 116. 12.  saying with the Psalmist, What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me? We must testify our love in ●ealous obedience all the days of our life, 
Tit. 2. 14.  showing forth the virtues of him that hath called us out of darkness into his marvellous light, and be a peculiar people to him, zealous of good works, walking worthy of the Lord, 
Col. 1. 10.  which is by pleasing him in all things; we must be ravished with zeal towards him, as he hath been for our good; 
2 King 19 31.  The zeal of the Lord of Hosts hath done it. Oh how this rebuketh the scant duty that God hath from us again! We receive abundant mercy, but return poor sparing obedience; what slender zeal in Prayer, or works of mercy? How quickly are we weary of well-doing? What small things will we stick at to God, that stuck at nothing to us? If he should call us to part with our Goods, Country, Liberty, it were no more than Christ did for us, yea if to die, did not he even die for us?  
It teacheth us also to show mercy one to another, 
Use 4.  in giving, forgiving, 
Mat. 5. 45.  and the like; 
Luke 6. 36.  herein the Lord himself going before us as a pattern of imitation.  
It showeth also the miserableness of our estate, 
Use. 5.  that without abundant mercy we can never be saved; therefore must we seek for it earnestly and betimes, as becometh those that need such an infinite thing, which condemns the notable carelessness, and desperate boldness and presumption of the World, that put off seeking for mercy till the latter end, as if they had it at command: But do they think abundant mercy is so easily gotten? 
Heb. 12. 17.  Many have not found it so, nay they shall, with Esau, howl for the blessing and go without it, because they despised it, 
Mat. 25. 12.  when it was so often offered: The foolish Virgins sought to enter in when it was too late.  
By the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead] The means whereby we are begotten to this hope, 
The means whereby we are begotten to this hope.  namely, the Spirits assuring that Christ Jesus is risen for us, and giving us power through his resurrection to rise to newness of life. 
1 Cor. 15. 3. etc.   
The benefits that come to us by Christ's resurrection are many; 
Benefits arising from Christ's resurrection.  1. We are hereby assured, that he hath fully paid our debt and discharged all; for if one sin had remained unsatisfied for, the justice of God could not have suffered him to have risen again. 
Rom. 4. 25.  2. Hereby we receive power to rise to newness of life. 
ib. 8. 33, 34.  3. Hereby we are assured of the resurrection of our bodies at the last day: 
1 Cor. 15. 17.  The same power that did the one, shall be able to do the other; The head being risen will draw all the members after it.  
We should therefore often meditate on our Saviour Christ's resurrection, 
Use.  and the benefits thereof, especially on the Lordsday, the day whereon he rose again; by which very day we are put in mind thereof: and among other things, we must labour by Faith to draw virtue from his resurrection, whereby we may be more and more enabled to walk in newness of life: for as our Regeneration hath two parts, a dying unto sin, and rising to newness of life, so have these two springs, Christ's death, and his resurrection.   

Verse 4. To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fareth not away, reserved in Heaven for you.  
HEre he explains what we are called to, namely, the lively hope of the Kingdom of Heaven, 
The Kingdom of Heaven why termed an inheritance.  which as it is here termed an Inheritance, so is it in the next verse Salvation. This is called an inheritance to show us the nature of it, being also described by sundry properties, under divers-phrases, as if no words could sufficiently express the same. Those show the perpetuity and purity thereof, as also how we shall come by it; it's reserved for us, but where? in Heaven, where it's out of danger: but how shall we come to it being here on earth among many dangers? We are kept for it, and that by a mighty hand, even the power of God, by the mean of Faith; kept, I say, unto this Salvation, prepared long ago, and which shall be showed us in the fullness of it, even at Christ's second coming.  
An inheritance] Therefore no purchase, no wages of a servant, but an inheritance given by a Father to his son, not (such as many heirs have) entailed, or as any natural son, which hath it by a kind of right after his father, 
See Act. 20. 32  but an inheritance of Adopted children; 
Luke 12. 32.  taken in as the child of a Traitor, 
Rom. 6. 23.  nay a Traitor himself, and so made heirs, than which what can be freer? This is said to be given, and what's freer than gift?  
This serves to confute not only the gross Opinion of Papists, 
Use.  that we, God setting us forward, and helping us, can do such things as whereby we can merit Heaven and Salvation; but that which is more nice, is of those which say, that we have no good of ourselves, but that it's wrought in us by God alone, yet now look for Salvation by their Holiness and Sanctification; No, God forbid, for our Sanctification being imperfect, God might justly condemn us for it, and count our works a polluting of his grace; 
Psal 146. 2.  therefore David saith, No flesh (before nor after grace) can be justified in thy sight; 
Rom. 3. 20.  not only by nothing of our own, 
Luke 18. 11.  but by nothing that God worketh in us. What differ these men from the proud Pharisee, he attributed his holiness not to himself, but to God, and thanked him for it; but he thought this would merit (that he was not so and so as others) and challenge something at the hand of God, and therefore was rejected. True it is, God not only disproveth not, but liketh and accepteth of our works, though unperfect, yea crowns and rewards his own grace in us; yet not for the worthiness of the work, but for the persons sake that is in his favour by Jesus Christ, whose perfect righteousness is imputed, to make a supply of our imperfections and wants.  
Seeing therefore it is an inheritance every way free, bestowed upon us only by right of Adoption in Jesus Christ, which by his grace he hath called us unto; let us so acknowledge it to the glory of God, and like Adopted children, love our Father, fear him, be zealous for his glory, and take his part.  
Incorruptible, 
1 Cor. 2. 9  etc.] Now he describes it, rather setting down what it is not, 
The happiness of God's people in Heaven abideth for ever.  than what it is, which no tongue can express; it is without end, perpetual, called therefore everlasting life: Life for the excellency, Everlasting for the continuance; God endures for ever and ever, so the happiness of his servants: no death there to deprive us of it, 
Heb. 12. 28.  or take us from it; no sin there to provoke God to take it from us, it abides firm for ever, it cannot be moved. All earthly inheritances are subject to decay, liable to a thousand perils, alterations and troubles, they may be taken from us, and we from them by death. How were the Canaanites put out, and the Israelites succeeded in their places? How did the Chaldeans displace them, as themselves were by the Medes and Persians? These things below are the meat that perisheth, uncertain riches, a treasure which moth and canker corrupt, and whereto thiefs may break in and steal, whereof also civil or foreign Wars might quickly deprive us; neither are the smallest inheritances void of cumber, as being in danger of bad titles, oppressors, tyrants, and the like, or to be spent and wasted by unthrifty heirs.  
Undefiled] There comes nothing to taint it, 
Why termed undefiled.  it's most pure; how can it be otherwise, being the habitation of the most holy God, who is Holiness itself? 
Act. 20. 12.  holiness becometh the presence of God, where his holy Angels attend upon him: This is prepared for them that are sanctified; 
Apoc. 21. 27.  neither can any unclean person come there: Hereof the most holy place in the Temple, called the Holy of Holies, was a figure, and this is also called the holy Jerusalem; 
Apoc. 21. 10.  pure gold is the wall thereof, and precious stones that have no mixture of any impure thing in them; the gates That withereth not, or fadeth not away; A metaphor taken from herbs and flowers, which though fair and fresh, and of good smell in the morning, yet in a short time fade and wither, lose beauty, smell, and all. 
The Kingdom of Heaven always one and the same.  This Kingdom is not so, but continues ever fresh and flourishing, always the same, altars not through continuance or length of time. There's nothing in this world but welks; the older we grow, the more we wrinkle and wither, the more do we fade both in beauty and strength: so do inheritances; so goodly and fair houses in time are ready to drop down, or are quite consumed: Kingdoms also fade and decay, that were sometimes flourishing; so also Cities, yea every thing is the worse for the wearing: Not so with this, here's an inheritance indeed, could we but conceive and express the fame.  
This sets out the excellency of the children of God, 
Use 1.  that are beloved of God, attended by the holy Angels, heirs of the promises here, and of such an inheritance hereafter: If any man knew the excellency of a child of God, covered with Christ's Righteousness, heir apparent to such a Kingdom, endued with the Spirit of Sanctification, and who he were that is one of them, he would fall down at his feet, and kiss the ground he trod on, and cry out, Blessed be the day that ever thou wert born; but twice blessed the day wherein thou shalt die, for than thou shalt be blessed, and that eternally: but this the world seeth not, they see us but outwardly, and so our state is mean, they see not our inward estate. 
Simile.   
If the young Prince should come on foot in his working-day clothes through a Town, and none knew who were his Father, nor what he is born to, he might go through the street, and no man greatly regard him; but if in his best apparel, and known what he is, than every man would look after him, and reverence him: so the world sees us in our working-days clothes, and therefore neglect us; if they did see us in our holiday apparel, they would admire us: but being ignorant of the Father that begat us, and that will give us this inheritance, how can they take notice of us?  
This should stir up them that have attained hereunto, 
Use 2.  to be highly thankful for the same; and good cause why, for we were begotten and born at first to a woeful inheritance, to hell and damnation, children of wrath, but now begotten again to this happy inheritance; walk we therefore as becometh those that are called to so high an inheritance: 
Phil. 3. 20.  Kings Sons must not carry themselves like base persons; so neither must we, 
Col. 3. 1.  but have our conversation in Heaven, seeking for those things that are above, and esteeming of this world as vain; so using it, as that thereby we may be furthered to our true inheritance, not hindered; we must long to be at it: How do heirs under age, long to be of age to come to their Lands? so should we (here as it were under age) long to come to our Inheritance; as they that be long tossed on the Sea, long to come to the Haven, and Pilgrims to be at their own Country, and Prisoners to be at liberty; so should we desire to be dissolved, that we enjoy Heaven, our Haven, our Country, the only place of freedom. A wonderful fault in Christians, that so little think of it, take so little pleasure therein, are no more thankful for the same; seek after earthly things too eagerly, and do not so much aim after this: Oh what great unthankfulness is this! to be called to such an Inheritance, and so little to think thereof, so little to long after it? Oh how we linger here below! if God should not drive us out by crosses, as Lot was fired out of Sodom, we would never be weary, we would still say, It's good being here; say we then out of our earnest desire hereof, 
Rev. 22. 17.  Come Lord Jesus, come quickly.  
Here we sin, 
Rev. 7. 17.  and taste of sorrows many ways; then shall we sin no more, feel no more affliction, pain, sorrow, trouble any way: All tears shall be wiped from our eyes, then shall we be perfectly both holy and happy; when we come there, we shall not need to plow, sow, eat, drink, sleep, we shall not need travel any more to hear more Sermons, God shall be all in all.  
This should comfort us against the fear of death; 
Use 3.  what should we need to fear, since when Our earthly house of this Tabernacle shall be dissolved, 
2 Cor. 5. 1.  we know we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens. To go out of prison to liberty, is it not comfortable? out of of a miserable world, to a most happy Inheritance, what more desirable? So if we be deprived of our earthly Inheritance, as these Jews were that were scattered into other countries for Religion sake, comfort we ourselves notwithstanding, that yet we have an Inheritance (as hard as the world goes) and that a good and a sure one; 
Act. 7. 5.  as long as we have this, we are happy: So though we have no Inheritance here, not one foot; yet if we have assurance of this, we may rejoice, and having this, bear with the want of other things: It's better, then without this to be Lord of a Town, Owner of a Kingdom; it's our great fault, that if we be somewhat shortened here, we are so much cast down thereat as if we had nothing.  
This should make us count all the labour, 
Use 4.  pains, reading, hearing, conferring, praying, and all happy that hath brought us to the hope of this Inheritance; we have traveled well, it's happily bestowed. Hereupon for the time to come, we must be encouraged to any pains, to do any thing, to suffer any thing for the attainment and enjoyment of so blessed an Inheritance: This Inheritance should we desire for our children above any other, and use the means accordingly; how do men toil to make their children rich, how few use means to make them gracious.  
This may stir up them that have no hope to labour after this Inheritance; 
Use. 5.  Lay up a treasure in Heaven; 
Mat. 6. 20.  Labour for the meat that endureth to everlasting life. 
joh. 6. 27.  This is worth our pains and cost, this is good wisdom: 
Mat. 13. 45.  The wise Merchant spying the Pearl hid in the field, goes and sells all, and buys it; so every one that is a true Esteemer of this Pearl, prizeth it above all that he hath; But few do thus, because this Pearl is hid from carnal men, they do not see it, and many among us will not see it, though it be discovered to us: But O woeful and miserable world, he that would look upon most men, might think there were no such inheritance: How do some spend all their time in pleasure, and never look after any thing else? How do most men rake after the world, night and day (Sabbath and all) by right and wrong, hook and crook, and suffer no stone unrolled for this pelf and trash of the world, that never set their hearts once to inquire after any other inheritance for time to come, as if Heaven were here: poor beasts, they might as well go on all four: Oh base, that men should spend their time, their thoughts, their pains, and all, for that which may be lost ere morning, and no whit for that which will last for ever: Thus with Judas, most cell Christ for Thirty pieces; with Esau, their Birthright for a mess of Pottage; and with the Gadarens, prefer their hogs before Christ; others that seem not altogether eaten up of the world, or so profane, will talk of this inheritance, but how do they hold it? by every blind conceit; they that cannot even by learned Counsel make sure enough their Earthly inheritance, can of their own heads make sure their Heavenly: Nay, the world if they see any take pains in Hearing, Reading, Praying, and the like, wonder at them, count them fools, say, they will beggar themselves, I wonder what they mean, etc. Dost thou wonder? They desire to attain an heavenly inheritance, not easily attained: They may rather wonder to see thee so earnest for this trash, which thou must leave thou canst not tell how soon, and have no care for the time to come, which is for ever; let such leave off seeking for the body, 
1 Tim. 6. 19  and now care for the soul, Laying up in store a good foundation for themselves against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life: Oh get good evidences to show for it against all cavillers; content not thyself with this, that God is merciful, and Christ died for all men, and the like, but labour to gain assurance upon good ground, that thou art one of them to whom God hath promised mercy, and for whom Christ died: To this end, examine thy Faith by its undoubted fruits, Repentance and Charity.  
If it be an undefiled inheritance, 
Use 6.  let every one therefore labour to wash their robes in the blood of the Lamb, and by the Spirit of Sanctification, else can we never come there; none but such are admitted into God's presence: what an impudent sauciness than is it in a number that wallow in the filthy mire of their sins, and yet hope to go to Heaven as well as the best? Are swine, and such filthy cattle used to be brought into King's Presence-Chambers? No, thou must be washed ere thou come here, and that so, as all the water in the sea cannot wash thee: If such as thou go to Heaven, then who go to Hell? If you will say Turks & Pagans, then look into the Parable of the Sour, three sorts of hearers perish; you know and do not, they know not the will of God: Dost thou think that thou canst go on in thy lewdness, and step out of thy filthy life into Heaven? No, than had all God's servants lost a great deal of labour: We read of one, and but of one, that made any short cut, namely the thief upon the Cross; labour thou therefore in time to be washed, in time for Sanctification, and hereafter (as heretofore thou hast still done) put not off from day to day: But the Apostle contents not himself with the foregoing description, he yet adds more touching the same; what then? We notwithstanding must learn to be wise according to sobriety; and that we (forgetting our weak understanding) mount not up to search more curiously into God's mysteries than he hath revealed▪ lest the glory thereof dazzle and confound us: We are ready, & have a tickling desire to know further than God hath revealed, which breeds rather jangling then godly edifying: It may be enough for us to know that this inheritance and happiness is such, as that when all that men's tongues can speak is uttered, yet it is nothing to the excellency of it: So laying aside all curious questions about it, let us rather employ our pains and study to get assurance of it.  
Reserved in Heaven] This inheritance is here described by the place, not in Earth, not in Paradise, where Adam was, not in Canaan, which flowed with milk and honey, but in Heaven.  
Hence note, that  
Heaven is the place wherein God hath appointed to glorify his Saints, 
God hath appointed to glorify his Saints in heaven.  even the third Heaven, the place of his presence; where he manifesteth himself most clearly to his Angels and Saints; that Paradise whereinto Christ ascended at his death, where also he promised that the penitent thief should be with himself▪ the bosom of Abraham, whereinto Lazarus was received.  
For where Christ is, there shall all his Saints be; as he himself hath promised, and will perform: See to this purpose, Mat. 25. 34. Joh. 14. 2. and 17. 24. & 2 Cor. 5. 1. This is not every where, as some have imagined, 
Col. 3. 1.  but above in the highest Heavens: Christ was taken up, 
Act. 1. 9  and who knoweth not that Heaven is above, as Hell is beneath?  
This showeth the excellency of this inheritance: 
Use 1.  Oh how infinite odds is there between Heaven and Earth, both for Glory and Eternity! Therefore it's called a glorious inheritance: 
Eph. 1. 18.  If the outside be so decked with Sun, Moon, Stars, and such an excellent beautiful sky, 
Rev. 21. 11.  what is the inside? According to our weakness, St. John describes it by things of most worth amongst us, as pure Gold, and precious Pearls: In this will God glorify all his Saints, whensoever we die, our souls shall be taken up into it, as our bodies also at the last day.  
How doth this set forth the unspeakable love of God, 
Use 2.  and merit of Christ, that we who were worthily shut out of the Paradise on Earth, should be received into this Heavenly Paradise.  
How should this ravish their hearts, 
Use 3.  that know themselves heirs of this? How should it make them despise these things here below, when they know and find them experimentally lets hereunto? How should it make us walk with an heavenly mind worthy of that inheritance? Out mind and soul should be there, and savour of it, whither at the time of our dissolution we are to be carried.  
How should this stir up all men to seek after this glorious inheritance, 
Use 4.  this Treasure in Heaven, so excellent, so incomparable? But Oh, the blind world thinks not of this, because it's not seen with the bodily eye: Men labour and strive to get up aloft here, to fet their nest on high, from which yet they may come down quickly, as many do, and must do at their death; but how few labour to get up to this height of glory in Heaven?  
In Heaven] Hereby our Apostle meets with, 
The prevention of a conceit of the jews.  and seeks to cure a gross imagination of the Jews, which dreamt of an earthly Potentate, and thought Christ should come and deliver them from the Romans: See it in the two sons of Zebedeus; 
Mat. 20. 21.  yea after three years teaching of Christ, 
Acts 1. 6.  after his death and resurrection, they were not free of this conceit: our Saviour used to call their mind from this to heaven, Can ye drink of the cup that I drink of, saith he; and, I came to serve, and not to be served.  
So Peter draws them to look for their glory in Heaven; we must not therefore look for an happy estate here below but in Heaven: Here the Cross, there the Crown; here the Battle, there the Victory; The Crown of Thorns here, the Crown of Glory hereafter; many would follow Christ and the Gospel, if there came any preferment by him, 
Mat. 8. 19, 20.  that now do not; so would the young rich man: But God's children will serve him, though they undergo troubles here for the glorious inheritance hereafter.  
Reserved for us in Heaven] This meets with an Objection that these Christians might make: 
The preventian of an Objection.  Alas, come to this inheritance (it were happy indeed if we could) but what hope of it? Alas, we are tossed up and down, stripped of all our goods, and persecuted; we are so far from hope to obtain this eternal inheritance, that we cannot keep these earthly ones which we have: He answered, this is safely reserved for us, and is out of danger to be lost; and though they lost their earthly inheritances, they were but uncertain and transitory things, whereof God never promised that they should be other; but this is eternal, whereof they shall be most sure: 
Mat. 25. 34.  For, hath the Father prepared this inheritance ere the world was, and chosen us unto it? hath the Son purchased it for us when we had lost it? 
God's children sh●ll not miss of Heaven.  Hath the Holy Ghost assured us of it, and sealed it to us, and given us the earnest of it, and shall we miss it? God forbid, the Spirit of truth cannot deceive us; shall Christ lose his death? Oh no, it's reserved for us in Heaven, where no Devil can come, nor wicked men to take it from us.  
Let this be a comfort to all the faithful servants of God that are justified and sanctified, 
Use.  to sweeten all their afflictions here below, that they may be as sure of Heaven in the end without fail, as if they had it already: Many children lose their temporal inheritances, for want of good Guardians and Keepers, they are often wasted and gone ere they come to years, or are suffered to be recovered from them by some others; but the Lord is a faithful keeper, we are yet under age; when we shall come to age and die, the Father that kept it for us, will bestow it on us; Christ Jesus our head and elder brother, he hath taken possession of it for us, and tells us, that where he is, there shall we be. But if we say, we have many ill willers, there can none come into Heaven, but our Friends: The Devil our deadliest adversary, he comes not there, though he did into the earthly Paradise: And for the wicked, though they hare God's children, so as they could wish, that as they take away their earthly Inheritances, so they should never be happy, if they could help it; its past their power to deprive them hereof; they shall go to Heaven do what they can, yea oftentimes they help them sooner thither then otherwise they should be (though no thank to them) and at the day of Judgement, to the increase of their torment, the godly shall be taken up in their sight to Heaven, when themselves shall be thrust into that place of utter darkness, to be tormented with the Devil and his Angels for ever and ever: Hereof we have need to be throughly persuaded, else when great afflictions come, they will be ready to overwhelm us, as it did almost befall both Job and Jeremiah. Oh the afflictions of this present time are not worthy the glory that shall be revealed! let the assurance of Heaven keep us from wishing we had never been; whatsoever troubles we do here meet withal, pray we still, Lord increase our Faith; but more of this hereafter.  
For us] Namely, 
To be particularly assured of Heaven a special comfort.  himself by the judgement of certainty, and them by the judgement of charity.  
Here note, that  
Its a Christians special comfort, 
Gal. 2. 20.  that he knows and believes that this Inheritance is for him in particular; 
job 19 25.  I know, saith Job, that my Redeemer liveth; 
joh. 20. 28.  My Lord and my God, saith Thomas: This nature of Faith is signified in the particular distribution of the Sacrament.  
To believe it in general, affords no sound comfort; it may indeed allure one for a while to the profession of the Gospel, to hear that there be such excellent things, 
Heb. 6. 6.  but it will not continue, but will fail and fade away: They that have no more but tasted of the powers of the world to come, will assuredly fall quite away; but a particular assurance is the mother of all comfort, and the only foundation of a true good life, and continuance therein unto the end; The only prop and pillar to uphold us in Troubles, Dangers, Distresses, Persecutions, and what not.  
Therefore labour for it; 
Use.  But this were presumption, say the Papists, and to this purpose they abuse that of the Preacher, The Righteous and the Wise, 
Eccle. 9 1.  and their works are in the hand of God, no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them; but hereby is meant only, that by these outward things no man can conclude whether he be loved or hated of God, but that therefore we may not know at all, it's most gross. Indeed if we should say this of our own heads, it were presumption, but when we speak it from the Word, and the witness of the Spirit of truth, 
Rom. 8. 14.  than it is not; As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the Sons of God, 
2 Cor. 13. 5.  saith the Apostle; And, Know ye not that Christ Jesus is in you, except ye be reprobate. And the Apostle Saint John tells us how we may know that he dwells in us, 
1 joh. 4. 13.  even Because he hath given us of his Spirit.  
If therefore we find the fruits of the Spirit, an hatred of all sin, an unfeigned care to please God in all things, love to God's Word and his people, grieve that we can serve God no better, strive after more power, and that in the use of the means ordained to that end; we should be injurious to the Spirit of God, if we did not believe this inheritance to belong to ourselves in particular; 
Rom. 8. 30.  Therefore if we find ourselves regenerate and sanctified, we need not doubt of glorification.   

Verse 5. Who are kept by the power of God, through Faith unto Salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time.  
THey might say its a goodly Inheritance indeed, and reserved for us, but how shall we come at it, that are lost on the sea of this world? how should a Mariner come to the Haven in a great tempest through the midst of rocks and sands, 
The preventi- of another doubt.  and many Pirates in his way? This doubt the Apostle removes, by showing, That they are kept by the power of God, through faith unto salvation. God doth, as if a King should lay up an infinite treasure in a most safe place, and bid his subjects fetch and take it, but in the way are many Thiefs, and also Lions, Wolves and Bears, against whom he promises them safe conduct and protection, with his guards to go along with them.  
Here then is a further benefit that God bestoweth upon his, that he sets them not only in hope of Salvation, and in a good way, but so confirms them therein, that they continue to the end, and that by upholding them through his mighty power, against all oppositions whatsoever.  
Kept] Therefore we have many enemies and hindrances of our Salvation; 
God's children have many enemies to hinder their salvation.  1. The Devil, whose subtlety, malice, power and vigilancy is extraordinary; his names in Scripture, Serpent, Dragon, Lion, and such like, with his continued practices (there recorded) to hinder our Salvation, evidence the same: Accordingly doth he daily endeavour to have us in one extreme or another, as either to be of no religion, or a false religion; if of a true, then that either we may be carnal and secure, or run on to an erroneous and preposterous zeal; so as he drives some to presumption, he drives others to desperation. 2. The world; whereof 1. The evil examples therein, like a common stream carry us away, as sheep or cattle seeing a few go in at a gap, will in too, whatever come of it. 2. Ill counsel, and that both to young men, What will you in the prime of your youth give yourself to this precise course, never merry more? no body will care for you. Old men, What will you now be an hearer of Sermons, and of another mind then heretofore? what is this, but to disgrace all your former life? you have ever been counted an honest man, do not now discredit yourself: and to rich men, will you go among them, a company of poor despised people? it will be no small disgrace unto you. 3. The profits and pleasures thereof, whereby most men are beguiled and enchanted: By profits some are kept from professing religion altogether, their Oxen and Farms keep them off, they have no leisure; yea, some that have heard with joy, and (with Demas) gone further, have been choked by these thorny cares, as others besorted with pleasures to the ruin of their whole man. 4. Adversities, Persecutions, 
Mat. 26. 56.  Troubles every where to be found therein: All forsook Christ when he was first taken, 
2 Tim. 4. 16.  and the Apostle Paul saith, That at his first answer all forsook him. 
Rom. 8. 7.  And 3. which is the worst, our own corrupt nature, 
Gen. 6. 5.  the wisdom whereof is enmity against God, and all the thoughts of our hearts are only evil continually: 
1 Pet. 2. 11.  Our fleshly lusts fight against our souls; Oh the abominable corruption that lurketh in us! we drink in iniquity like water, we hale it to us as with cart ropes, naturally we can do nothing else; as a traitor its ready to deliver us up to every Enemy, 
joh. 17. 11.  therefore Christ had cause to commend us to his Father's custody.  
These be so mighty, as that few can be saved for them: These not only carry down the common sort, but even such as have made great profession, and have received great gifts; many of these, with Demas, are eaten up of the world, as others scared by persecution; yea, hereby even Gods sanctified ones (with David and Peter) are shrewdly shaken. 
Psal. 73. 2.   
We should therefore Be strong in the Lord, 
Use.  and in the power of his might; 
Eph. 6. 10.  Putting on the whole armour of God, that we may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil and his adherents. No marvel then, though our Saviour still stirs us up to watch and pray.  
By the power of God] We cannot keep ourselves; 
Christian's cannot stand of themselves.  No alas! not for an hour: look on David and Peter, nay Adam in the state of innocency; yea, as being left for a while, we fall into some one or other sin, as into security, 
Psalm 127. 1.  or the like; so we could not but fall quite away, if there were no other help but our own.  
This should make us hang down our heads, 
Use 1.  and humble ourselves, and cling to God: If we trust to ourselves we shall speed like Peter; therefore crave new grace, and continual supply.  
And if we be kept, 
Use 2.  we may know to whom to ascribe the glory and praise thereof.  
Though we have many opposites against our Salvation, 
Use 3.  and we cannot keep ourselves, there is one notwithstanding that both can and will keep us, so that we cannot fall from our happy state of grace, in despite of all the enemies of our Salvation whatsoever.  
He opposeth to the mighty adversaries of our Salvation, 
God's almighty power is sufficient to uphold us against all our enemies.  mighty defence, even the Almighty power of God; that is, His Almightiness, whereby he rules all things in Heaven, Earth, Sea, and all deeps, whom neither Angels, Men, Devils nor Hell can resist. Whatsoever disguise we see any Christians to come to, 
See Rogers his Book of Direct.  we that escape them, are so kept by the power of God; the Father having elected us, the Son hath redeemed us, and so committed us over to his Father to be kept: so that our Salvation is not in our own keeping, 
joh. 17. 11.  as it was in adam's, for then woe unto us, we should soon lose it; but it is in a sure hand, which makes our state by Christ much better than our state in Adam.  
This is most comfortable Doctrine against all fear of our own weakness, 
Use 1.  or any other enemies; 
Psal. 121. 4.  Though they be strong, yet the Father is stronger, 
joh. 10. 19  and none can pluck them out of his hands: Our adversary is as a roaring Lion, 
See Phil. 1. 6.  but we have the Lion of the Tribe of Judah on our side; 
jer. 31. 3.  and being made members of Christ, will be suffer any to pluck and rend us from him? no assuredly, we are not now enemies as in time past, but God's sons and daughters, therefore not like unnaturally to be forsaken of him in our need; 
Rom. 5. 10.  For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son; much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life, being delivered from our greatest fear, everlasting condemnation: 
Objections against this, answered by Downham. lib. 3. cap. 13.  it's most certain, that our combats that remain, shall not be deadly, but only to exercise our Faith; let us believe this firmly, God who hath bestowed grace on us, will uphold us to the end, so that we may say, Though we can do nothing of ourselves, we are able notwithstanding to do all things through Christ that strengtheneth us: 
Phil. 4. 13.  And, We know whom we have believed, and that he is able to keep that which we have committed to him, 
2 Tim. 12.  whose love also is unchangeable.  
Why, 
Object.  we have known of great professors who have fallen finally, as Judas, and many in our time.  
Yea, 
Sol.  but not such as were taken into the Divine protection and keeping of God, but hypocrites: They went out from us (saith Saint John) but they were not of us. Peter was kept by the power of God, though shaken by temptation, yet was he not overcome. Judas was never but the child of perdition, and had common graces, and was never justified nor sanctified.  
Let us then look we be found, and indeed be such as are taken into Gods keeping, and then safe enough; then may we triumph with the Apostle, 
Rom. 8. 31.  If God be on our side, who can be against us? And, who shall separate us from the love of Christ? 
Rom. 8. 35. 37.  Shall tribulation, or distress or persecution, etc. Nay in all these things we are more than conqu●rers through him that loved us: So must it needs be, except we think the Lords arm to be shortened, or his power weakened, that he cannot help, and that there should be any stronger than the Almighty: Indeed if we be but Hypocrites, and out of Gods keeping, we may fall into any sin, and miserably fall away for ever, for what have we to stay us? For as if God take not the care of a man, all creatures are liable to do him hurt; as Cain said murmuringly, 
Gen. 4. 14.  Thou hast cast me from thy face, and every one that finds me shall slay me: Noting indeed truly that he lieth open to a Thousand perils that is not kept by God; so is it for spiritual dangers, he that is not kept by God, may fall into any sin irrecoverably, and perish eternally.  
This then confoundeth that hellish Doctrine of Rome, 
Use 2.  that the elect and sanctified may finally fall from grace, which is contrary to the whole Scripture.  
Through Faith] God keeps us, 
God's people are kept through Faith.  but by no miracle or extraordinary way, but by Faith; not without us, but by working and increasing the grace of Faith, and true belief in us: some would understand it, through hope, because hereby we wait for Salvation, and indeed there is great affinity between Faith and Hope, so that in Scripture they are sometimes put one for another: By Faith we believe the goodness of God towards us, by Hope we wait till we find and feel him so to us; by Faith we believe eternal life, by Hope we patiently wait for it: And as there could be no Hope, if there were not Faith before, so Hope doth greatly help Faith; it keeps it that it makes not too much haste, nor break off in the mid way; for God oftentimes after his promises deferreth to perform them (so that the wicked also come to say, 
2 Pet. 3. 4.  Where is the promise of his coming) yea ere he come, he hides his face, and seems as if he would not fulfil the same; now therefore here doth Hope her Office, and steps in, and sustains Faith very well, so that a Christian must necessarily have both to go along with him: But I see no reason to alter the Apostles words, but to take Faith properly for the grace of true Faith and believing: though this is true, that Hope helps well on, but he speaks of Faith, which includeth Hope as a necessary companion.  
But how doth faith bring us to Salvation? 
How Faith bringeth us to Salvation.  It is said by the Apostle Paul, By grace ye are saved through Faith: Now as it first apprehends Christ and Salvation, 
Eph. 2. 8.  so it holds this hold, and continues our comfort, and still carries us on in the service of God, and an holy life: This assurance of eternal life makes us contemn profits, offered to pull us from a good conscience, 
Heb. 11. 24.  as Moses did Pharaohs Court, and pleasures of Egypt; so to despise the Cross, and overcome troubles that would draw us therefrom, as the holy Martyrs did from time to time.  
Also Faith apprehending the promise of God for our upholding to the end, rests upon the goodness of God, which is constant, and his power, which is infinite: Therefore when any shall persuade us we shall never hold out, we shall be forsaken, Faith then puts up head, and saith nay to it, because God hath promised to keep us unto Salvation.  
The wicked come and say, where is now thy God, by reason of troubles which befall the Godly; so the Devil and their own unbelief assaults them, 
Psal. 42. 5. 11.  now Faith helps and saith, Why art thou cast down, why art thou disquieted, trust yet in God, he is my present help and my God: and, 
Psal. 23. 4.  Though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no ill: and, the name of the Lord is a strong Tower; 
Pro. 18. 10.  the Righteous runneth to it, and is safe: 
1 joh. 5. 4.  This is the Victory that overcometh the world, called therefore the shield, 
Eph. 6. 16.  By which we quench the fiery darts of the Devil: For this purpose our Saviour when he prayed that Peter might hold out, prayed that his Faith might not fail: 
Luke 22. 32.  If that fail we are gone, if it hold, we shall be too hard for all the world; so long as our Faith holds, all the world, with all the Engines it hath to destroy us, can never overturn us: Contrarily, without Faith we can neither begin nor stand against any temptation or danger.  
This teacheth men to labour for this true Faith, 
Use 1.  without it they may fall to any thing, as the second and third sort of ground mentioned by our Saviour in the parable; most people content themselves in being professors, but labour not for this grace of Faith, and therefore do they fall away, and never come to Salvation.  
It teacheth also the Godly, 
Use 2.  still to say with the Apostle, Lord increase our Faith, 
Luke 17. 5.  using all other means to that purpose: A little Faith will go but a little way; the least, if true, shall get to Heaven, but with much ado, as a poor tattered Vessel may get to shore, especially if there come no storms, 
Simile.  but if there do, it's in great danger, and very hardly attains unto it: but as a strong Vessel comes safely, though it have strong tempests; so a strong Faith, though it be strongly assaulted, and put to it (as oft it is) both in life, and in the end of life, yet it conquers.  
We have had none but calm times hitherto, but what we may have we know not, whether common trials, or particular ones, accompanied with pain, grief, vexation, etc. Labour therefore for good store of Faith.  
Unto Salvation] kept not for a while, 
Phil. 1. 6.  but to the coming of Christ, to the enjoying of Salvation, and not as Moses, who had only a sight of Canaan.  
He keeps us by his power: 
Christian's must not look here for outward prosperity.  whereto? Not that our finger shall not ache in this world, but have all peace and prosperity, and every bodies good will: No, but to Salvation in the end of our life, for here we must suffer with him, 
Rom. 8. 17.  if hereafter we mean to reign with him; we must be Baptised with the Baptism wherewith he was Baptised.  
It is true that godliness hath the promises of this life, 
Use.  and of that which is to come, but of this only, so much as God shall see meet.  
Therefore let us dream of no tranquillity here, but expect that in Heaven, where we shall be happier than can be uttered.  
Ready to be revealed in the last time. 
The fullness of our happiness not to be had here, ] When shall we have it? It was prepared before the world, we shall have a measure of it in death, but the fullness thereof is deferred till the day of Judgement, Christ's second coming, 
Act. 3. 19  which is called the time of refreshing, and our full redemption.  
By the last time, 
Act. 2. 17  may be understood, in divers places of Scripture, all the time from Christ's coming in the flesh, 
Heb. 1. ●●  till the end of the world, so called, in respect of the former times; and because they go directly and immediately before the end, and because God hath perfected his will, and the revelation thereof to his Church in his Son, and no more is to be added.  
They under the Law waited for a clearer and fuller manifestation thereof, but now we have all we shall ever have; but by the last time here, the world's end is meant, for than shall there be no more time, as there was none before the creation; 
Gen. 8. 22.  the Sun, Moon and Stars were made for signs and season; Winter and Summer, to measure days, months, years, etc. but then shall they cease; in Hell the wicked shall have none, in Heaven the godly shall need none; so there shall be no more time, no more day in Hell, but all night, no night in Heaven, but all day.  
Well, 
But at the last day.  our full Salvation we shall have at the last day, and not before; then shall our bodies (whatsoever in the mean time becometh of them) as they have been companions with our souls in well-doing, and have been redeemed by Christ, as well as they be raised up, and set on the right Hand; when both jointly shall hear this comfortable sentence, 
Col. 3. 3, 4.  Come ye blessed of my Father, etc. then shall we be ever with the Lord in Heaven both in body and soul: Now our life is hid with Christ in God; 
1 joh. 3. 2.  But when Christ which is our life shall appear, then shall we also appear with him in glory.  
We must therefore wait patiently, 
Use. 1.  not making too much haste; in the fullness of time we shall have our heart's desire: Christ was promised in the beginning of the world, but came not till long after, even when the fullness of time came, 
jam. 5. 7.  so▪ shall our happiness in the appointed time.  
We are taught to pray, 
Object.  Thy Kingdom come; and in the Revelation it's mentioned that the souls under the Altar cried, 
Rev. 6. 10.  How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth!  
True, 
Sol.  but yet patiently awaiting Gods good time that he hath appointed. 
Use. 2.   
Hereby also we may stop the mouths of mockers that shall come to us, and say, 
2 Pet. 3. 4.  Where is the promise of his coming? we may answer, it is coming, and it will be here too soon for you, and God is not slack as you think, but therefore deferreth, as willing that all men should come to Salvation, even all such as he hath elected, who being once all born and called, the end shall quickly come: And as this may stop their mouths, so it may make us patient to tarry for our fellow brethren.  
When we therefore make too much haste, what is it, but that we would have our full, happiness, and leave out some of the elect to be quite put off; 
Simile.  as if we should desire to be over a water, and then draw the bridge that the rest shall not come over: And the rather let us be patient, 
jam. 5. 8.  not only because of the greatness of the reward when it cometh, but also because it hasteneth; we have the vantage of our Forefathers, which lay long in the earth, waiting for that day, but now it's at hand; we hasten to it, and it hastens to us, we shall meet ere long, and as our Apostle saith, 
2 Pet. 2. 3.  The damnation of the wicked sleepeth not, so neither the Salvation of the godly, now ready to be revealed.  
Last time.] 
The coufutation of an error.  Some gather hence, That we shall have no part in glory at all, till the day of Judgement, but that the souls of the Saints go to a middle place, etc. confuted by our Saviors speech to the thief, Verily I say unto thee, 
Luke 23. 43.  To day shalt thou be with me in Paridise; the Angels carrying Lazarus of soul into Abraham's bosom: 
Luke 16. 22.  See also Eccle. 12. 7. Phil. 3. 13. Rev. 6. 10.  
This should make us labour for pure and holy souls, 
Use.  seeing they must be in Heaven as soon as ever they depart from our bodies, which we know not how soon it may be: They must be carried up above the Starry Heaven into the most solemn appearance that ever was.   

Verse 6. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season (if need be) year in heaviness through manifold temptations.  
HAving showed the Inheritance at large, here he showeth by what way God will bring us thither; namely, by weeping-cross, by the rough way of affliction, which yet shall not be to our hurt or consuming, but to the trial of our Faith, that it may be (being purified) to our honour at Christ's coming: Therefore though our afflictions breed heaviness, yet not such, but that the assurance of our Salvation makes us in the same to rejoice.  
Wherein] that is, In which Election, Sanctification, Lively hope, and happy Inheritance ye rejoice: Here he setteth down another benefit bestowed upon us by the Gospel; namely, Spiritual joy, and rejoicing proceeding from Faith and Hope, yea, and that in adversity.  
He knew they rejoiced in the assurance of their happiness, he knew it by himself, he did so, and therefore they could do no other, for the same Spirit worketh alike in the elect, which makes that they can the better tell how to speak, to advise, counsel and understand one another.  
But in commending them, 
Phil. 1. 18.  he exhorteth them, namely, That they would do so still; 
We must rejoice in the assurance of our Salvation.  for being now in persecution, he requires them to rejoice yet in the assurance of their eternal happiness, as Paul of himself in another case.  
Hence note, 
See Psal. 4. 7. & 50. 12.  that  
Its the duty of all those that be assured of their Salvation, to rejoice in it, 
Mat. 9 2.  which being attained unto, breeds joy, and no marvel; For, 
Luke 10. 20.   
Is liberty joyful to the captive, 
Act 8. 8. 39 & 16. 34.  health to the sick, sight to the blind, life to the dead? Then must Salvation needs be so to them that have felt themselves condemned; for them to be the children of God, that were the slaves of Satan, heirs of Heaven, that were firebrands of Hell.  
Who can but rejoice, that knoweth that there's no condemnation to him? Though thousands perish, God loves him, he shall want nothing; such need not fear though Heaven and Earth should come together, he knows that Heaven's prepared for him, without which there can be no true mirth.  
This rebuketh Christians that do no more rejoice in their happiness, 
Use 1.  so seldom think of it, so little refresh and quicken up their hearts by it.  
We could be merry in it, 
Object.  but our wretched nature and corruptions, that break out so continually, so many ways damps us, and causeth us to go heavily, when we might else rejoice.  
True, 
Sol.  but this is not all the cause, we rejoice too much and too often in earthly things, and therefore so seldom in the true treasure and best inheritance; and this is unthankfulness, and too much baseness, and a great fault. If we did more often comfort our hearts in this assurance, it would sharpen us on much to duty; the want of this is the cause of our dulness.  
This also rebukes the fond world, 
Use 2.  that thinketh the Christian state so lumpish, as that there's no mirth in it; and that if they should undertake that state, they should never be merry more: such are afraid of their own shadows, 
Phil. 4. 4.  they are desperate and mad men, that can or dare be merry till they be Christians, 
1 Thess. 5. 16.  who only have commission to be merry.  
The wicked are bidden indeed, but it's with a choke in the end, that they must come to Judgement.  
Religion takes not away, 
Religion reforms mirth.  but only reforms mirth; it takes away the filthy and wicked mirth, that provokes God to anger, and ends in howling, as the wicked cannot be merry, but in swearing, drunkeness, ribaldry, mocking the children of God, and the like: What, no sport but with firebrands and edgetools? with nothing but that which must anger God, and wound our own souls?  
Again, 
Moderates our lawful mirth.  It moderates our lawful mirth, wherein many rejoice too excessively, teaching us first to rejoice in God and his love, then in these things, as coming from thence, and as helps, and for the hope of better things.  
Oh that roisters and carnal worldlings would set less by this joy, 
Use.  for howling will be the end, and labour for the ground of true joy, which may make their hearts merry here, 
Pro. 14. 13.  and bring them to endless joy hereafter. 
Eccles. 7. 6.  The wicked laugh, but in the midst thereof their heart is heavy.  
They have many secret stings; it's with good and bad men as its with a true man and a thief, the true man goes home merry, and there sits down quiet, though he have no great provision; the thief having his purse full of money at his Inn, calls for great cheer, wine and music, and yet with a trembling heart, a fearful eye, an ear that lists to every knock, thinking still that some are come to apprehend him; he is not therefore so truly merry as the poor true man: so is it with good and bad men.  
Ye rejoice] They were in affliction, 
Being assured of Heaven we must rejoice even in our troubles.  yet rejoiced in the hope of Heaven; whence learn, that being assured of Heaven, we are to rejoice even in affliction, in troubles.  
This is often commanded; We are to count it all joy when we fall into divers temptations. 
Rom. 5. 3.  For  
Our light affliction which is but for a moment, 
2 Cor. 8. 2.  worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory: 
Mat. 5. 11.  And, 
jam. 1. 2.  The sufferings of this present time, 
Reason.  are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 
2 Cor 4. 17.  Therefore our assurance of Heaven should swallow up our heaviness, 
Rom. 8. 18.  and not be swallowed up of it. We must be content with hungry men to eat good meat, 
Acts 5. 41.  though it have sharp swace; as others have not been daunted by any troubles, 
2 Cor 6. 10.  but amidst them expressed no small mirth; 
Heb. 10. 34.  so also must we.  
Herein there's no small odds between christians and carnal men, 
Use 1.  for these though they have all that this world can afford them to make them happy (like Dives) Wife, Children, Friends, and the like; yet dangers and troubles shall sooner make them weary of this happiness, whereof he is in present possession, than the child of God can be of that whereof here he hath but the assurance: for example, Take a man and give him what the world will afford him, yet let a Millstone hang by a small cord over his head, at his back a fierce adversary with his sword drawn, before his face an hissing Serpent ready to sting him, on each side ramping and devouring Bears and Lions ready to tore him in pieces, would not this fear daunt him more than all his jollity would comfort him? Would he have any joy at all, the case being thus with him? 
Dan. 5. 6.  As in Belshazzer: Nay, let him have but the gout or stone, and how will he take on? But take a Christian that hath the hope of eternal life, and set all these about him, they shall not daunt him, nor make him comfortless; He will hope and rejoice notwithstanding, as Paul and Silas in prison: As the fear of Hell will abate all joy, so the hope of Heaven will abate all sorrow and fear: The assurance of Salvation will comfort one more, than the enjoying of all the world; what can daunt him that hath this? such is the power of Faith. 
Use 2.   
This also showeth the difference between the joy of an Hypocrite and a true Christian; The one can rejoice in prosperity, but not in adversity, neither fasteth the Hypocrites joy, more than for a season: The wicked cannot bear, but fret at troubles, because they know no assurance of ease, but rather that they are forerunners of greater sorrows: As one may be drowned in a small River if he fall in headlong, and come safe to land in the main Sea, if he have a board to swim on; so the wicked are overwhelmed in less troubles, and the godly upheld in the greatest, by the assurance of an happy end.  
This also rebukes our daintiness and faint-heartedness, 
Use 3.  that are strait dismayed at a little trouble: He hath not rightly profited in the knowledge of God, and life eternal, that is dismayed by these troubles; If thou faint in the time of affliction, 
Pro. 24. 10.  thy strength is but small: We are ready (like the Israelites) to murmur if we lack any thing in the way to Canaan; the assurance thereof should have made them (as it may us) to bear many difficulties: To this end we set before us the Godly courage of the Martyrs, and many of our Godly predecessors: True it is, no affliction is joyous in itself, but tedious, yet Faith comforts, 
Rev. 16. 21.  and even in it affords joy▪ The wicked then must labour to get assurance of God's favour, else they may come to be Blasphemers, or to do in their troubles as Ca●n, Achi●ophel, Judas.  
Though now for a season, etc.] Here he sets out their joy by the contrary that it was mixed withal, namely, heaviness, occasioned through temptations, which are aggravated by their number, Manifold, yet diminished again by three things: 1. They are but short, for a season now. 2. The author or sender, God, he seeth it good, if need be. 3. By the end that their Faith may be tried, and so found to their honour at the last day, as in the ensuing Verse.  
Manifold Temptations] They were driven from their Native country, forced to fly for their lives, & so questionless met with variety of troubles.  
Whence may be noted, that  
Even such as are highly in God's favour, and shall be heirs of Heaven, must undergo, not one or two, but many troubles: 
God's children must here undergo many troubles.  As the Israelites went to Cannon through the Wilderness, where sometimes they wanted water, sometimes it was bitter, sometimes they met with Enemies, 
Psal. 34. 19  as at other times were encountered with other difficulties, so shall we in our journey to Heaven: 
Acts 14. 22.  Behold it in Noah, though he was saved from the flood, 
2 Tim. 3. 12  yet was it as it were by an Hundred deaths; what toil had he in making the Ark, whilst the world sported? Was he not also shut up in a close place amongst Beasts for a long time, where questionless there could not be but a noisome savour 〈◊〉 when he came out of the Ark, was he not mocked by his own Son, so that his own mouth was feign to curse him▪ The same might also be instanced in Abraham, Jacob, Job, David, Paul, and others; one might marvel where they should have a breathing time; as one flood calleth another, one wave followeth another, one Cloud after another comes over the face of the Sun, so did their troubles and crosses as it were strive for place, and crowd to prevent one another, the end of one being the beginning of another.  
Reason's hereof may be these, 
Reasons.   
1. To drive them to repentance, 
2 Sam. 12. 18.  as the death of David's child begotten in adultery, 
Gen. 42▪ 21.  joseph's brethren's hard usage in Egypt: They are as the Shepherd's dog. to fetch us out of the corn, to bring us into compass again; 
Psal. 32. 4, 5. & 119. 67. 71.  which David acknowledged again and again: As they prepare some which have never repent, so do they awaken others to the renewing of their repentance.  
2. To keep them from sin, 
Host 2. 6.  being therefore compared to an hedge of thorns. 
job 33▪ 17.   
3. To humble them; 
2 C●●on. 20. 37  we have a proud nature, and while we be in health, we think our heads half touch the clouds, therefore God pulls us down by troubles; no rule in a house where children be without rods: so the Lord should have no rule with us, were it not that sometimes by himself, sometimes by others he chastiseth us.  
4. To make them more holy, 
Isa: 4. 4.  to scourge off the rust, 
Heb. 12. 10.  purge out some of the rem●ant of this old man, 
Isa. 27. 9  and renew the inner man. Afflictions are like the furnace, like the fan, like physic, they are Gods pruning knife to cut off our superfluous branches, and make us more fruitful, as the Gardener prunes the Vine yearly, that it may fructify.  
5. To wean them from the world, to which even the best are too much addicted, and to make them willing to die, and to be gone hence, so setting them on work to look after, and make sure of a better inheritance; how loath was L●t to come out of Sod●m, though it were then even ready to be burnt? what would have drawn him out, if it had not been that? How loath were the Israelites to leave the fleshy pots of Egypt, and go to Canaan, being there notwithstanding in bondage▪ what would they have done▪ if they had lived there in honour as Joseph? God was feign to raise up a persecuting Phara●h, whereby they were made to cry 〈◊〉 him, and he thereupon sent them Moses and 〈◊〉, yet even then were they scant willing.  
6. To prove the Devil a li●●, who gives out, That God's servants do serve him for wages (Doth Job (saith he) fear God for nought) that so they may triumph in their obedience. 
job. ●.   
7. To keep them from hell and condemnation. 
joh ●●. 18.   
8. To bring them to Heaven; 
1 Cor 11. ●2.  no marvel then, 
Psal 9●. 1●, 13.  if that man be blessed whom the Lord chasteneth, 
Heb. 12. 6.  his chastisements being indeed sight of his love. Therefore  
1. We should not dream all of peace and prosperity here, 
Use 1.  but of trouble also; accordingly looking for it one after another; if God spare us, it is because of our weakness, but look we not long to be spared, but in the mean time gather strength; if we expect troubles, they prove the weaker; if they come on us unlooked for, they daunt us the more. In our prosperity we must think often hereof, thus reasoning with ourselves, Well, now I am in health, how shall I do when long and strong sickness shall lie upon me? now I have wealth, what shall I do if all be taken away. and I be put to a poor condition? now I am in mine own Country, House and Land, what should I do if I were imprisoned or banished among them I know not? This will partly make us use our present prosperity more soberly, and also we shall be fitter to meet with adversity when it comes: if it come not, its labour well lost; if it come, well bestowed.  
2. We should bear them patiently, 
Use 2.  seeing not only we must needs undergo them, but they are so many ways for our good: We must not then be dismayed at them, seeing even God's dearest children have undergone them, they have been their lot: But how loath are we to think of troubles till they come? They will come time enough we say, but never the sooner for thinking on them, it may be the longer, and to be sure the lighter.  
3. We must be thankful for them, 
Use 3.  as we would be to one that tames our wild Horses or Steers, or to a Physician for purging our superfluous humours. It's no matter, so as our souls gain, though outwardly we smart: Shall we thank and reward the Physician for very untoothsom Physic, and which makes us sick at the heart, and shall we be unthankful unto God for healing our souls, what means soever he useth?  
4. We must neither think them the better that are without affliction, 
Use 4.  nor them the worse that are afflicted; the latter may be happy, as the former miserable.  
5. We must make a right use of afflictions, 
Use 5.  whensoever they come upon us.  
Temptations] That is, troubles or trials.  
But it's said, 
Object.  God tempts none.  
There be two kinds of Temptations; 
Sol.  one, Trials, by leaving us to ourselves, 
2 Chro. 32. 31▪  as Hezekiah; or by afflictions (as here) to bring to light what is in us: The other, Suggestions to persuade us to evil; of the first God is the author, of the latter, the Devil and man.  
Afflictions, 
Afflictions ar● trials.  as Poverty, Sickness, Banishment, Imprisonment, are Temptations; they serve to try what is in us, not but that God knoweth what is in us already (he knoweth both the heart and reins) but that ourselves and others may attain this knowledge. Sometimes we overprize, sometimes we underprize ourselves: But they sometimes bewray hidden grace; as who would have thought of so much Faith in Abraham, Patience in Job, Meekness in David and Moses, if they had not been tried? Sometimes also hidden corruptions; for who could have thought of so much weakness in Peter, and the rest of the Apostles, if they had not been tried? So what grace hath appeared in some, as weakness and impatience in others in the time of affliction, neither of which before could have been believed?  
Are afflictions trials? then  
1. Labour we for such soundness of grace, 
Use 1.  that when afflictions shall come, they may find us pure gold and wheat, and not cast us out for chaff and dross.  
2. Do we consider that God now tries us by them, 
Use 2.  and so look we to ourselves, observing what they discover, if it be more grace than we thought, that we may thank God; if more corruption, be truly humbled, labouring for more grace: yea, whatsoever shall be discovered, we are to thank God, as which will tend to our good. There's therefore no cause why we should be impatient in troubles, for they try us; and who would be unwilling to be tried? It's a sign he meant not well that would not have his gold put to the Touchstone; or he that proffering Land to be sold, would not have his Writings perused.  
In heaviness] Can heaviness and rejoicing stand together? 
Here on earth heaviness and rejoicing may stand together.  A. They can in divers respects and degrees: In Heaven where our joy shall be in such an high degree and great measure, we cannot mourn, nor the wicked in Hell rejoice; but here on Earth we may: The wicked be merry, because they have their will, yet inwardly they are wounded in their consciences, for fear of that which may come after; So the godly are joyful in the assurance of God's favour and Heaven, and yet heavy thorough troubles which here lie upon them: As a sick man hearing glad tidings may rejoice, and yet be heavy for his pain; a Father also may be heavy for his child's death, and yet rejoice for his happy end and godly departure: 
Ezra 3. 12, 13.  Amongst the Israelites upon the rebuilding of the Temple, some wept and others rejoiced; both might have been (and haply were) even in some one.  
God's servants as by their Faith they are not freed from afflictions, so neither from heaviness, 
Heb. 12. 11.  but have sense of their miseries, which are grievous to them, 
2 Cor. 6. 10.  as Poverty, 
john 16. 20.  Sickness, Imprisonment, and the like; even our Saviour himself mourned and wept, and so he said his Disciples should: Nay, our Saviour himself shed tears of blood in his passion, saying, yea crying out, My soul is heavy unto the death: Faith makes us not blocks, neither takes away sense, only moderates our grief. The Martyrs had pain, but Faith prevailed and enabled them to bear it: Where there's no pain, there can be no patience; nothing due to blockishness, else were frantic persons worthy commendation, which feel nothing: Faith moderates our grief, makes us wait upon God, speak good of him, using no unlawful means when the cross is upon us.  
1. This is contrary to that blockishness of the Stoics, 
Use 1.  that profess to be moved with nothing so much as to change countenance, but to be at the hardest tidings, as if the joyfullest news had been brought them.  
2. To those half Stoics amongst ourselves, 
Use 2.  which think it too much weakness to complain or make moan in any affliction.  
3. This may comfort the servants of God when they are pinchad hard by troubles, 
Use 3.  and are affected thereat, and feeling pain declare it: Though they may be thought impatient, they are not; God knows we be not iron, as long as Faith can moderate; and we being heavy and pinched to the heart with pain, are yet upholden with the joy of eternal salvation, 
job 13. 15.  and can say with Job, Though he kill me, yet will I trust in him, in the mean time using no unlawful means, our care is good: Job is renowned by S. James for a mirror of patience, 
james 5. 11.  yet he rend his garment, 
job 1. 20.  shaved his head, put on sackcloth, and the like.  
For a season] Our afflictions are but short, 
The godlies afflictions are short.  as our life is, as a span long, as a vapour, a Weavers shuttle, a thought; yet in this short time our good days have been ●o then our afflictions. 
2 Cor. 4. 17. Psal. 90. 9   
We think them long if they have been on us a few days, 
Psal. 30. 5. and 125. 3.  but it's our weakness, they are short in respect of that we have deserved, in respect of the pains we be freed from, 
Isa 54. 7, 8.  and joys we go to.  
If our enemy should burst with malice, he cannot hurt us after this life.  
Therefore bear them patiently, 
Use.  think them not long: They that lie in Hell shall have a long task indeed; let us think of our long eternal joy: we if our afflictions be but very short think much, but look on Jacob and David, that from their youth were never free.  
If need require] That is, 
See Cap. 3. 17.  as it seemeth good to God, as it pleaseth him, as he seeth it fit and expedient.  
Hence note, that  
Our afflictions come not to us at adventure, 
Afflictions come by the wise disposing of Almighty God.  nor by the will of Satan and wicked men, for then woe to us, they would afflict us too much; nor yet by our own will, for then either we would have none, or too little; but they come by the will, providence, and wise disposing of Almighty God, who is infinite in wisdom, and knoweth what is best for us: who in love will do for the best to all his. Therefore,  
1. We may bear them more patiently, 
Use 1.  seeing they come from our Master; Nay, from our most wise and gracious Father, thanking him that he hath not left us into the hands of Satan or any of his, but hath the rod in his own hand, and knoweth when to stay; with him is mercy, with them none.  
2. We must not rush into troubles, 
Use 2.  and draw them upon ourselves, not being called of God thereto; but must be wise as Serpents, we must save our heads, whilst we may lawfully, and not exasperate men against us wilfully: Neither must we trust to our great strength, for than we prove weakest; they have not always proved the stoutest in the end, that have been forwardest to thrust themselves into trouble● Our Saviour Christ bade them, when they were persecuted in one city, fly into another, but if the will of God be that we shall suffer, we must be courageous, and quit ourselves like men.   

Verse 7. That the trial of your Faith being much more precious then of Gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise, and honour, and glory, at the appearing of Jesus Christ.  
HEre also he qualifieth their troubles from the end of them: 
A quilification of their troubles.  They come not for our hurt, but for our good; Thereby we are no more hurt, than Wheat is by threshing, or Gold by fining, they come for the trial of our Faith, and tried Faith, is better than any tried Gold; For that will perish, and be lost, but this will abide, and come forth to our honour and praise, at the great appearing of Jesus Christ: It may be conceived, as if he had said, The affliction and persecution which you now suffer, bear patiently, as serving for the trial of your Faith, which (how painful soever the trial thereof may seem for the present) will be found to your praise at the great day. This being so, who should not willingly undergo them? If we take pains and toil ourselves to get riches, and so long as we get them, forget our toil; should we not much more be consent to endure some trouble, that our souls may get the true riches?  
Now particularly for the trial of our Faith afflictions come, 1. To try whether we have any at all. 2. Whether it be so much as we take it to be. 3. To purge and refine that which we have.  
1. To try whether we have any Faith; 
Affliction trieth whether we have Faith.  as God doth it sometimes by false teachers and heresies, so doth he also by afflictions, wherein many that have not received the love of the truth have been carried away; 
jam. 1. 3. 2.  whereas others, 
Deut. 13. 3.  though haply of less parts, but more soundness, 
1 Cor. 11. 19  have resisted and stood to the truth; for there be false Faiths, and our hearts are deceitful, and the Devil is subtle to make as believe we have the right, when we have nothing less. Affliction will prove this, 
Mat. 4. 16.  as in those whom our Saviour termeth the stony ground, They went far, yea farther than most in most congregations go, yet had they not that which would serve to Salvation; affliction discovered what they were, that they were not such as before they were taken to be. The Israelites were proved in the wilderness, whose troubles manifested their unbelief; 
Heb. 3. 19  for which they were both plagued in the wilderness, and shut out of Canaan. Many a one thinks himself a tall man, till he comes into the field with his adversary, where he proves himself a rank coward; many think they can do great matters till they come to it: A Mariner is not tried till a storm, nor a friend till adversity; he that then stick● to one, is a friend indeed: So afflictions have discovered many that have thought but too well of themselves: Many talk that they believe in God, and put all their trust in him, yet when they are visited with sickness, losses, and the like, they run to witches and wizards for help, or in poverty, steal, lie, dissemble, or use any other unlawful courses to help themselves: Many also that in prosperity profess the Gospel very forwardly, when trouble comes fall quite away, are not only shaken as Peter, or a good man may be on the sudden, or for a while, but fall quite away, when many poor souls, it may be of less gifts, have stood out and suffered.  
Seeing then that God will try us by troubles, 
Use.  we should labour to have true Faith against troubles come, 
How we may1 try our Faith.  that we prove not dr●ss: Therefore let us try the Faith which we think we have by the touchstone of God's Word, 
Rom. 5. 1. 11.  if it will abide that, then will it endure the furnace of affliction. 
2 Pet. 1. 6, 7.  It may be tried, 1. By the manner of Gods working it, even through humiliation. 2. By such companions as go with Faith, or follow it, as peace, joy, and the like; so if we love God most dearly (as they that have much forgiven, 
Luke 7. 47.  love much) if we love his Saints and people most heartily, 
Cant. 5. 8.  if we wonder at and admire his unspeakable mercy to us, 
1 joh. 3. 14.  passing by so many thousands of others, 
joh. 14. 22.  with one hearts and mouths enlarged, 
Psal. 103. 1.  praising him secretly and openly for the same; 
1 Thes 5. 14.  if we pity, comfort and strengthen others, if we long to go hence where we are absent from God, and to be with him; if we mourn for our sins committed against him, 
2 Cor. 5. 6.  who was kind to us when we wandered from him, 
jer. 31. 18, 19▪  and have an hatred of all evil, with an unfeigned care hereafter in all things to please him, 
Rom. 5. 8.  they are infallible tokens of a sound Faith: It's needful that we should thus try our Faith, as being of that absolute necessity, that by it Christ and Salvation are made ours, without it, no hope of either. In so weighty a thing we had not need to venture without trial, without it no person or work is pleasing to God, and its the foundation of a good life, and all true comfort therein.  
2. To try whether our Faith be as much as we take it to be, 
Affliction ●●●eth whether our Faith be more or less than we take it.  or more; this affliction will discover: sometimes we think we have more than we have, as Peter, who notwithstanding his bold and confident protestations to our Saviour Christ, shamefully upon the trial denied him. Contrarily, others think they have little Faith, that upon the trial appears more, and shines gloriously, as Jobs and Davids. Who also could have believed that there had been so much in many poor Martyrs, if they had not come to the field and encountered with Tyrants, and their Torments? as who would imagine such sweetness in Spices, till bruised?  
We should not be against such afflictions as are sent for this end; 
Use.  for what's more comfortable then to know we have more Faith than we knew of? and what more necessary, then to know that our Faith is weaker than we imagined, that so we may labour to have it strengthened? If it appear weaker, then be we humbled, and distrusting ourselves, let us ever fly to God for more grace and strength against temptations, so will God give us as much as shall stand with his glory: but if we trust to ourselves, and be slack in seeking to God, then are we like to bewray our own weakness.  
3. To purge and purify that true Faith which we have, 
Affliction ●●●veth to purify and increase Faith.  and increase the same; this also is most necessary: for though a small Faith, being true, will save us, yet the more and purer it is, the better it will carry us to Heaven; and though by a weak Faith and mingled with corrution, we shall see the face of God, and his loving countenance, ye● the clearer and brighter it is, the more certainly & comfortably shall we see him: As they that have weak eyes, yet see so as they are directed to their ways end, 
Simile.  who if they had clearer, would be there sooner, and with less danger.  
As therefore its requisite to have those gross humours purged th●● dim the sight, so those, corruptions that dim the eye of our Faith. Beside, such is our corrupt nature, that much dross and corruption is mingled with the grace of God in us; so as except it be subdued by continual affliction, it will wax wanton against God, and hinder his grace in us. 
Simile.  Standing waters corrupt, and bodies not exercised, are full of gross humours: So would it be with our souls, were we not continually exercised with troubles; as the finest Wheat not fa●●ed, will be musty with dust, the finest clothes catch dust and moths, if not continually brushed; the finest vessels take soil, if not continually scoured: so our Faith not looked to, is quickly overgrown, as the 〈◊〉 with weeds, if the husbandman plucks them not out: As far, brush, weeding-hook, 
Psal. 119. 67. 71.  wisp, furnace, are to these things, so afflictions to the children of God. We are as an untamed heifer, if not held under the yoke; 
jer. 31. 18.  God therefore purgeth, scoureth and weedeth us, that his graces in us may shine in their perfect colours: 
Simile.  As the Vine-dresser shreds his Vine, and cuts off much, which one would think were against the Vine, yet makes it more fruitful, so doth the Lord deal by afflictions with his servants, which are his Vine branches.  
Though the outward man decay (by sickness, poverty, disgrace, imprisonment, 
2 Cor. 4. 16.  and the like) yet is the inner man (Faith, Hope, Comfort, etc.) increased daily; for Faith the more its cut, the more it grows; the more it's trodden on, the thicker it comes up. And by afflictions there's purged away a great deal of pride, self-love, worldliness, hypocrisy, and the like, which long peace gathers, whereof Jonah had experience when he was cast into the Sea; those tame us also: A man that was conceited against his neighbour for small causes in prosperity, in sickness and affliction will be glad to take every one by the hand; therefore are the most afflicted, for the most part, fullest of Faith and Grace, and purer than others; and a man is never better than when he is in, or newly come out of affliction. 
1 Thess. 5. 16.  Hence it is, that we are willed to be thankfulfor them, 
jam. 1. 2. 12.  yea to account it exceeding joy when they come, those being blessed that are so affected.  
Being much much more precious, etc.] He sets out tried Faith by comparing it with the most precious metal we have, 
2 Pet. 1. 1.  even gold, preferring it by far before the same, 
Faith more precious than gold.  which is elsewhere termed also precious, and much more precious is it every way. 1. Gold comes out of the earth, 
jam. 1. 17.  Faith from Heaven, whence every good and perfect gift is. 2. Faith is more rare, termed therefore the Faith of Gods elect, 
Tit. 1. 1.  whereas most, even of the most wicked, are not without gold. 3. Faith cannot be purchased with all the gold in the world. 4. It's hardly gotten and hardly kept, and hath many and strong enemies, our own nature, the world and the devil are all against Faith, but not so against getting of gold. 5. It apprehends Salvation and life eternal, and so is the instrument of our happiness; so is not gold, but the instrument of many a man's damnation, by unconscionable getting, and covetous keeping the same, many cast away their souls. 6. It will comfort a man with true comfort in his life, 
jam. 5. 3.  carry him strongly through troubles, and boldly through the gates of death. 7. Gold perisheth, here canker and rust consume it; we may be taken from it, as it from us, but Faith endureth till Christ's appearing, to our full Redemption, as the fruit thereof for ever.  
The uses hereof are,  
1. To them that want gold, 
Use 1.  and yet have Faith, know that thou art rich, 
jam. 2. 5.  richer than he that hath thousands of gold, and hath not Faith; thou hast enough, that hast Faith, it assures thee of eternal life, and entitles them to Christ, yea, hath the promises even of this life. Seest thou a worldly rich man, and wouldst thou change states with him? Oh but both would do well: Thou canst not tell if both would do so with thee; besides, God divides his gifts, they that have much of the one, have less or none of the other; therefore as long as we have of the best kind, let us think ourselves well dealt with.  
2. To the rich, 
Use 2.  Rejoice not that thou art rich, but that thou hast Faith: Again, think all your pains to become you well, and well bestowed in getting this precious Faith. If any should say, What you? such wealthy men; it's a disgrace to you to toil so in hearing Sermons, which few do but mean persons; do not these exclude themselves with their own mouths? But do not rich men travel to London, and to Markets and Fairs to enrich themselves, and take great pains, and is it a shame then or a disgrace for them to travel for that which is much more precious than gold? Hereat if any wonder, tell them, You seek that which is more precious than fined gold; and that you are so far from thinking yourselves too good for this, that you highly thank God for vouchsafeng you this favour: yea, that you are so far from thinking that you credit the Gospel, and its beholding to you, that you confess freely, that its your credit; and that if you have any thing in you worth the commendation, you may thank the Gospel for it: for, as for wealth it commends not a man, even reprobates are not without it.  
3. To them that have not Faith, 
Use 3.  poor souls, labour after it, that you may be made inwardly rich; seek for it in the means appointed, the preaching of the Word. But O poor & miserable creatures, that regard it not for the most part, but think their poverty here shall serve for all; but worse in the highest degree remaineth behind, if not prevented in time, could any look into your souls, they might perceive them more empty of grace, than the poorest houses are of provision.  
4. To rich men that have toiled for gold, 
Use 4.  seek this that is so much better: Many toil by Sea and land, and undergo no small perils to get gold, and to wax mighty, but as for Faith, they will scarce stir over the threshold for it: But will your gold procure a pardon for your sins? Alas, it's no payment with God for any thing, especially sin: Will it shelter when Death and Judgement comes? Alas no, it bears no sway in the other world, see Job 36▪ 18, 19 Prov. 11. 4. Zeph. 1. 18. No, it will not abate your pains in Hell one jot: O once consider your folly, and labour for that whereby you may have comfort when you draw away, and your friends are thinking of a Coffin to bestow you out of the house, and thereafter you may enjoy life everlasting.  
May be found unto praise, and honour, and glory.] The farthest end of our affliction that our Faith thereby tried, 
Faith will be crowned at the last day.  may come forth to our honour at the great day. Tried Faith is better than any thing that can be set by it, 
james 1. 12.  for all else vanisheth, but our Faith will be crowned at the last day: 
2 Tim. 4. 8.  Then will it be said, Well done good and faithful, servant, enter into thy master's joy; 
Matth. 10. 32.  and, Come ye blessed of my Father, etc. They that confess him before men, he will confess them before God, which shall be no small honour: 
Matth. 19 28.  They which followed him in the regeneration, shall sit upon twelve Thrones, 
1 Cor. 6. 2, 3.  judging the twelve Tribes of Israel; and The Saints shall judge both the world and Angels: what pains soever we have taken to come to our Faith, and to keep it, it shall not only comfort and honour us here in the Church, but hereafter also in Heaven.  
What an encouragement is this to them that have Faith, 
Use  and a provocation to all to labour for it? It will not only comfort us now, and make us please God, but will give us boldness also at the great Day, when the fearful and unbelievers shall stand trembling, and be cast into the lake which burneth with fire and brinstone; 
Rev. 21. 8.  yea, though our Faith be tried by afflictions and persecutions, yet we should rejoice, for they will turn to our glory: Our shame, reproach, infamy, imprisonment and troubles, will turn to our praise, and honour and glory at that day; when we are reviled (by private persons) when persecuted by public Magistrates and false Witnesses coming against us, yet we should not be troubled, 
Mat. 5. 11, 12.  but rejoice, For great shall our reward be in heaven; our poverty shall be recompensed with great riches, our shame with honour, 
Phil. 1. 28.  and if we be rejected of men, we shall be taken in of God: Yet do not our afflictions or persecutions deserve any of this honour, as the Papists would gather from hence, and from 2 Thess. 1. 5, etc. 
Rom. 8. 18.  Alas, no; For the afflictions of this present time, are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us: God indeed will crown his own graces in us, and hath promised to reward the sufferings of his servants with glory; and so he is become our debtor, not by taking any thing of us, but by promising us all things: We should therefore be comforted in all our sufferings, and oppose unto the ignominy thereof, the glory and honour we shall then have, which is infinitely greater: O who would not endure casting out by men, being a token that we shall be honoured of God, and taken in at that day. Indeed if there were no day of Judgement, nor reward, we might be sorry; but seeing there is, let us lift up our heads, and wait for that day: As the wicked shall have a second course to mar all their mirth, so contrarily the godly to swallow up their sorrow.  
At the appearing of Jesus Christ] Namely, to Judgement: True it is (as we have heard) our souls enter into glory at death, but our perfect happiness is not till the end of all; 
2 Thess. 1. 7.  besides, that which we have at death is not seen but to ourselves, whereas then it shall be manifest to all. We must be content to wait for our full Redemption till then; 
Christ will come on the last day to judge the world.  on that most solemn day shall we be honoured by the Lord himself: Then shall our Saviour come to judge the quick and the dead; and though he defer to gather his Elect, and be gone into Heaven, yet he will come, and that in another fashion than he came first; namely, in wonderful majesty, glory and power, which cannot but be a terror to his enemies.  
1. This must needs comfort all that have and do still embrace Christ Jesus as their Saviour and King, 
Use 1.  for he shall be their Judge, and therefore shall it go well with them.  
2. But woe to them that have despised him, 
Use 2.  where shall they appear? Not to appear is impossible; 
Psal. 1. 5.  for He numbereth the stars, and calleth every one by their name; he will not be bribed, for he is more just, and besides, we have nothing to give. To escape also is impossible, for he filleth all places, and whether can he go, that hath this revenging Judge over his head, Hell under his feet to swallow him, on each side Angels and Devils to torment him, within a tormented Conscience, and without all the world on fire? And to abide his wrath its intolerable; 
Psal. 76. 7.  for if when it's but a little kindled no man can stand, then how when its all on fire to consume his enemies utterly? 
Nah. 1. 6.  Kiss therefore the Sun, seek to be reconciled, get him thy Saviour and thy King, get pardon of that which is past, not adding more to the score against thyself.  
One thing more. The phrase here used seems to imply, that  
The reward of God's servants shall not be privy, 
The godly shall be publicly rewarded.  but seen and known, yea and that of those that have most hated, disgraced and persecuted them, accounting them mad, and esteeming basely of them; even before them, I say, they shall be honoured of God: As it will be a torment to the wicked to see Christ whom they have pierced to be in such high dignity and power; so will it increase their torment to see them whom they so basely esteemed of, as not worthy to live, to be received into honour, and stand on Christ's right hand, and themselves, of whom they were so well conceited, cast out: But its just with God, that they which willingly and of purpose have vexed and disgraced his servants here on earth, should against their wills see the glory that he hath prepared for them.   

Verse 8. Whom having not seen, ye love, in whom though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.  
HEre he proceeds to commend these believing Jews (yet withal admonishing and exhorting them) and that for the great measure of their faith, and the fruits thereof, love and joy, which are described by that which might have hindered their faith, namely, that they never saw Christ, and yet believed in him, and rested on him for salvation, and so loved him, as they were well content to suffer for his Name, yea and rejoice with such a joy, as for the excellency and greatness thereof could not be expressed. In that he commends them, it's to this end, that he might encourage and provoke them to go on forward, and increase more and more. To this end doth the Lord commend the good Churches in the second and third of the Revelation; and S. Paul in all his Epistles, 
1 Thess. 4. 1, 10.  even that he might provoke them to go on in well doing: 
Whereat Ministers should aim in commending their people.  And this must be the end of all good Ministers in the commendation of their people, not of flattery (that were abominable, and being men-pleasers, they could not be Christ's servants) nor out of a conceit that they have gone far enough, and now may stand at a stay (that were senseless, 
Gal. 1. 10.  for that we have is nothing to that we might have had, or should have, and want) but to be a spur to provoke them to go on forward, it being a shame for them not to satisfy the expectation of such as have a good opinion of them; and so must the people take such at any time, not being lifted up therewith, but rather humbled thereby; conceiving, that the Minister rather showeth what he would were in them, or should be in them, than what is indeed in them; and that he would not have them stand at a stay, but proceed and go on more and more.  
Speak we particularly first of their faith, though last set down, as without which there can be no true love.  
They never saw Christ, yet they believed in him; they saw the Scriptures speaking of him to come; they heard of him also by faithful witnesses; the Apostles had preached of his person, birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension, and that he came to save them that were lost: This they believed, and so believed in him for salvation, though they saw him not.  
This shows the nature of true faith, 
Through faith we believe even things above the reach of our reason.  namely, to believe things, not only that we see not, and are hidden from our sense, but such things as are above the reach of our reason, and which we cannot comprehend. So Abraham, when a son was promised by Sarah, stood not to scan this by reason, 
Heb. 11. 1, 3. and 17.  but believed it, and is accordingly commended for it; So Joshua and the Israelites compassing the walls of Jrricho: 
Gen. 17. 17.  Therefore both Zachariah and Sarah failed, 
Rom. 4. 19, 20.  in that they doubted of God's Promise, 
Heb. 11. 30.  for that it was against reason: 
Luk. 1. 18, 20.  Hence it is that our Saviour rebuked for his Thomas infidelity. 
Gen. 18. 12.  If all that Thomas had gone and preached to, 
joh. 20. 25, 29.  should have been of his mind, he would have made a poor preaching; Christ must have come to the earth again, and here tarried: 
john 8. 56.  No; Faith hath eyes, as well as the body; Abraham saw Christ's day, 
Heb. 11. 27.  and rejoiced; and Moses endured, as he which saw him that was invisible: Yea, it hath a more certain eye then the body, for it depends upon that which is more constant than Heaven and Earth, even God's Word, 
job 19 25.  which shall endure when the others shall vanish away; therefore is faith called a knowledge, 
2 Cor. 5. 1.  not a guessing uncertainty.  
Hereby we believe the Incarnation of Christ, the framing of his body in the womb of the Virgin, she untouched of man; so the mystery of the Trinity, and the Resurrection, the Union of Christ and Believers, the glorification of our bodies in the Kingdom of Heaven, and the like; yea, we so believe them, that (as Moses was content to part from the honour of Pharaohs Court for the Kingdom of Heaven, 
Heb. 11. 26.  so) for the assurance we have of them, we are content to forego both pleasures and profits, which we have eagerly followed after; yea, to endure present pains and losses, 
Heb. 10. 34. and 11. 35.  and that grievous ones, for the joys to come, not seen, but believed, whereof we have store of Examples, both in the Scriptures and Church Histories.  
1. This condemneth Atheists, 
Use 1.  that reject all that they cannot conceive in their foolish and corrupt brain; but Religion is not a matter of Reason, but of Faith: Woe were to us, if there were nothing for us, 
1 Cor. 15. 19  but that which we see with bodily eyes; the wicked were then in better case.  
2. It stirreth us up to try whether we have faith, 
Use 2.  or not; If we so believe the things to come, as whatsoever would let us from the joys of Heaven, we avoid it, and would rather endure any thing, then be deprived thereof, we are not without faith: The wicked will not do so; they will provide for the present time, they will have their will, will here take their ease, enjoy their unlawful profits and pleasures; as for the time to come, they are ignorant of it, what it will be: If any come after, so it is, but they will make sure work for the present; a Bird in the hand, is worth two in the bush: Neither will they suffer any thing for Religion, or the Gospel, or hope of Heaven; a sign they want that grace of true faith: They have Carnal eyes to see these things here below, but no Spiritual ones of faith to see the things to come, and so give no glory to God: 
Hab. 2. 4.  But the just shall live by faith, and We walk not by sight, 
2 Cor. 5. 7.  but by faith; Thus must we do here for maintenance, thus for deliverance out of dangers. As Historical believing the truth of these things, puts a difference betwixt Atheists and common Christians; so the particular believing and applying these things, between these and true Christians. The servants of God would not lose their part in that which is to come, for all that is here present: They say, the Bird in the bush is worth two of that in the hand. If the world count themselves wise that can save themselves from danger, and Gods servants fools for suffering, 
See D. Taylor on Acts 10. page 296.  be it so; it shall one day appear who hath made the best match: Oh, say they, we are sure of this, we have it in hand, 
2 Tim. 1. 12.  that you look for is uncertain; Well, as uncertain as it is, we will not change with you, for we know whom we have believed.  
If this be so, 
Obj.  then why may we not believe that Christ's body is bodily in the Sacrament, under the signs of Bread and Wine, though our sense and reason say otherwise, seeing our faith goeth beyond both.  
Though faith believeth that which no sense nor reason can comprehend, 
Sol.  because God hath said it, yet it crosseth not our senses, and the things which are daily subject to the same, 
joh. 20. 27.  wherein there is certainty: 
1 joh. 1. 1.  If we might give no credit to our senses, there would be no end of conceits; therefore seeing all our senses say it is Bread and Wine, we are to believe it to be no other.  
Whom having not seen, ye love] Now of the fruits of Faith, love and joy; for its impossible for us to love him, unless by faith we be assured of his love to us, 
1 joh. 4. 19  for we have not loved him, but he us first; so is it not possible, but believing in him, we should love him, and his love must constrain us, having done so wonderful things for us. Then  
True love is the fruit of faith, 
True love the fruit of faith.  and it cannot be sundered from love to God, and our brethren for his sake: He that knoweth, and believeth that he hath much forgiven, 
Gal. 5. 6.  must needs love much. 
1 joh. 5. 1.   
1. This confutes the Papists, 
Use 1.  which distinguish faith into formed and unformed, and that this latter is sufficient to the salvation of the people, Charity giving a form to it; but we must know that there's no true faith without it.  
1. It serves to confute that Slander wherewith they burden, 
Use 2.  not us, but the Doctrine of the Gospel; namely, That Justification by faith only, is a Doctrine of licentiousness: But while we establish faith, we set up good works, as who teach that they cannot be sundered: Though works have no place in our Justification, yet they are necessary to our Salvation.  
3. Perceive the force and power of faith; 
Use 3.  faith made them love Christ, though they had never seen him, as which told them of so great things done for them by him, whereby they could not but be exceedingly knit in love unto him, and be content to suffer for him. It's an increase of love, to love one we never saw; for sight moveth much, and draweth the heart: but by faith we love that we never saw; as we love many good Christians which we never saw, because by faith we believe that they be members of Christ, and fellow-members with us: So we love Christ, because we believe what great things he hath done for us, and that we shall see him one day in his glory, when we also by him shall be set in possession thereof; so that if we believe these things, 
1 joh. 5. 1.  we cannot but love Christ, though we never saw him: 
How to try both our faith and love.  Faith is not idle, but worketh by love to God, and to our brethren; and hereby we may try our faith, as our love, by the fruits thereof: namely, 1. If we take care unfeignedly to keep his Commandments in one thing, as in another. 
Psal. 97. 10.  2. If we love the brethren, 
joh. 14. 15. and 15. 14. and 21. 15.  which are members of Christ, so as we dare not harm them; yea, love them, not only because they have his image restored in them, but are a part of Christ, 
1 joh. 5. 3.  as it were, and of ourselves. 3. If we be content to suffer for his sake, and will not be plucked from him, but are vexed to see him dishonoured by any. 4. If we long for his coming, that so we may be with him, and married to him, to whom we are already betrothed: It's the Church's voice (and should be ours in particular) Come Lord Jesus. 
Rev. 22. 20.  If the husband be gone a long journey, his wife doth not much love him, if she never desire his coming home. 5. If in the mean time we desire to hear often of him, 
Simile.  and from him; as the wife that loves her husband, will send or be often at the Carriers to hear of her husband, and receive Letters from him: So must we frequent the Word upon every occasion, where we may hear of him, and of his great honour and glory, and of his providing us a place there, and of the glory there, and how he would have us in the mean time to carry ourselves, taking heed of any other lover in his absence, which also doth inform us, That his coming draweth nigh, and is at hand; Thus to hear of him, and from him, as much and as often as we can, we should be desirous. By this Touchstone we may thus try both our faith and love.  
In whom though now ye see him not, yet believing,] Here's the object of our faith, 
joh. 3. 15, 16.  the Lord Jesus Christ.  
The common people say, They believe in God, and trust in God; which is in truth but mere self-deceiving: for though when we believe in Christ, 
Faith must directly fasten itself on Christ jesus.  we believe in Father, Son and holy Ghost; yet our faith must directly fasten itself upon Christ Jesus, who hath wrought our Redemption, and on our behalf suffered all things; and so he must come in as a Mediator between the Father and us, else how should we poor worms come to put our trust in that glorious God, and being vile sinners, dare to look for any favour at his hands, but in and by him; who without him is a severe Judge? How dare any poor wretch put his trust in God for all good, that knoweth not that he is his God, nor how to bring it to pass?  
Here also the Divinity of our Saviour Christ may be noted; 
A proof of the Divinity of Christ.  for we may believe in none, but in God: If even he be cursed that putteth his trust in any other for outward things, 
jer. 17. 5.  how much more for Salvation? 
joh. 1. 1.  He created all things, Trieth the hearts, Forgiveth sins, Stilled the Sea with his word; 
Mat. 9 2. and 8. 26.  Raised the dead by his own power; all which point out his Deity: yea, it appeared even in his greatest abasement; He took upon him the seed of Abraham, 
Luke 1. 41.  but in this seed were all the Nations of the earth blessed; He was compassed in the Virgin's womb, yet even then at his presence John the Baptist sprang in his mother's belly; He was laid in a Cratch, but even therein was he worshipped by the Wisemen of the East; He was hungry, but he fed five thousand with five loaves, and a few small fishes; He slept, but at his awaking he caused the winds and waves to cease; He paid Tribute, but out of the fishes mouth; He wept for Lazarus, but he raised him from the dead; He was taken by wicked hands, but then he healed him with a touch whose ear was cut off; He was crucified and died. but at the same time he darkened the Sun, and shook the earth, the vail of the Temple rend, 
Mat. 27. 54.  which made the Centurion say, He was the Son of God; 
1 Tim. 3. 16.  He was buried, but he raised up his body the third day; He was manifested in the flesh, but justified in the Spirit.  
And it was necessary that he should be both, else had he been no Saviour for us, which showeth our great misery, and Gods great mercy: Who should not embrace him, that abased himself so low for our sins? as if a King should rise from his throne, 
Simile.  and row in a galleyslaves room; what then should not we be willing to do for him? yea, to abase ourselves to any service he requires of us on the behalf of our brethren; but how few embrace him? how few entertain him with an humble and contrite heart?  
Ye rejoice] The other fruit of Faith is joy; 
joy a fruit of Faith.  being assured of so great things done for them by Christ, and so great things prepared for them by him, they could not but rejoice; for as the feeling of God's wrath for our sins is fearful, 
Prov. 18. 14.  and cannot be endured (a wounded spirit who can bear?) as may appear by the heavy cries and complaints of some of God's servants in agony of conscience, O I am cast out of his sight, I shall perish, O what shall I do! but especially by the desperate horror of the wicked, who feel it so intolerable, as that they cannot bear it, as Judas, who went and hanged himself; for no man seeing and feeling himself under the wrath of God, and no way to be freed therefrom, but must needs wish he had never been, or now were not, 
Psal. 4. 7.  or were a Toad, or the vilest creature: so contrarily, they that feel themselves freed from this, 
Rom. 15. 13.  and called to the hope of so great glory, must needs rejoice; as Joseph doubtless was a glad man, when being delivered out of prison, he was advanced to honour.  
The way hereunto is true Faith: 
Use 1.  Worldlings indeed think Christianity a dumpish estate, but it's the only estate wherein we may be merry; and whoso is merry, not being assured of God's favour, is a desperate person: as if one were merry that hanged over a deep pit by a twined thread.  
In the midst of their mirth, 
Use 2.  the wicked have secret gripes; as thiefs condemned, though they drink and play at cards, yet to think that on the morrow they must be executed, chokes them and their mirth.  
The wicked also can be merry in nothing but some wickedness or other, as if one should be merry when he eats and drinks poison, when he slashes and cuts himself; for hereby provoking God, they increase their own damnation.  
This joy then coming from Faith, 
Use 3.  comes not from our works, or any thing that we can do: 
Why no true joy can proceed from ourselves.  These cannot bring sound peace to the mind, or quiet to the conscience, or joy to the heart; for 1. We have many sins, and therefore can merit nothing of God. 2. We know by ourselves, that even many of them are unto us unknown: who knows the errors of his life? 
Psal. 19 12.  no man can say, he hath found out all his sins, or the corruptions of his heart, so that he can say, now here be no more. 3. Our best duties be mingled with much weakness and imperfection; so that though they may appear before men, and be well accounted of and reverenced, yet when they come before God, than they must hide themselves; as the Stars and Moon show a goodly light in the night; but when the Sun appears, they appear not. The Nazarets vow was pleasing to God, 
Numb. 6. 13.  yet the time thereof being expired, there was a sacrifice appointed for the sin of such a one; what, of such a one, as had lived and served God in that strict order? yea, even they must acknowledge no desert, but as they stand in need of mercy, earnestly call upon God for it, Who will show mercy to thousands of them that love him; and keep his commandments: our works then, or any thing that we can do, cannot bring us sound peace and joy, as being imperfect and unable to abide the justice of God; but Faith, that layeth hold on the all sufficient merit and satisfaction of Christ, and his most perfect Righteousness, whereby they are made ours, brings us great joy, as whereby we dare come before God with boldness and confidence.  
Unspeakable and full of glory] What manner of joy is that of believers? 
The joy of belivers is unspeakable.  Unspeakable, such as cannot be uttered with the tongue: why? because it is for glory and happiness, which is unspeakable; for such things as neither eye hath seen, 
1 Cor. 2. 9  nor ear heard, therefore such as the glory is, such is the joy, it's an everlasting weight of glory: a wise man joys according to the object of his joy, but a fool reioyeth in a trifle of nothing; unspeakable things are believed, therefore it must needs be an unspeakable joy.  
Full of glory] Not a vain, 
Their joy also is a glorious joy.  carnal or flitting joy; that will fail and shame them that have had it, but a glorious joy, in the glorious Lord Jesus Christ and everlasting glory; glorious things believed, bring a glorious joy: 
Psal. 103. 1.  What was david's when he said, Bless the Lord, O my soul, 
Psal. 116. 12.  and all that is within me bless his holy name, etc. and, What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me? What the Virgin Maries, 
Luke 1. 47.  when she said, My spirit rejoiceth in God my Saviour? and cannot many a Christian say, that after long and heavy seeking after God and Christ Jesus, God hath sent down such glimpses of joy into their hearts, as they could not express; and would think, O if this would always last, it were a little heaven; and so it were indeed, for its the same joy for quality, that we shall have in heaven, though the quantity be but small in comparison.  
Here then see the happy estate of a Christian above all other men, 
Use.  and the difference between the joy of all rich worldings, that fat themselves in their rich come in, and richly furnished tables, and coastly attire, and the godlies; for do these bring unspeakable joy? O no! there's indeed small joy in them, besides much vexation that accompany them; and what a torment is it for such to think, that they must be snatched from this in a moment, and are provided for no better? neither is their joy glorious, but base and childish, that turns into shame in a few days; their joy is in vain things, and not in things that abide; 
Phil. 3. 19  they rejoice in the Creature, not in the Creator; yea, their glory is their shame.   

Verse 9 Receiving the end of your Faith, even the salvation of your souls.  
HEre's the ground of their joy, the end and reward of their Faith, the salvation of their souls: Salvation of their souls, why, was there any danger of the contrary? O yes! By nature, and through sin, 
Every man is danger of utter destruction.  we have deserved the utter damnation both of our souls and bodies, but through Christ we escape it, and obtain, the salvation of both; every man is in this danger, neither is there any help to be had, but in and through Christ apprehended by Faith. 
Acts 4. 12.   
How then doth it behoove every man to bestir himself about this so weighty a matter? 
Use.  For what shall it profit a man, 
Mat. 16. 26.  to win the whole world, and lose his own soul? yet the most makes small account hereof, but rather set themselves altogether about their profits and pleasures, O madness to be condemned! nay, if they see any earnest about this, they wonder what they mean; what they mean? they seek salvation; if thou wonder at that, wonder still; but the time will come, when thou wilt wonder at thine own folly, that soughtest not after this, though thou hadst miss of whatsoever else: when thou seest any grieve and mourn, wonder'st thou what they ail? It's for the want of salvation, as thou art when thou wantest money; if thou thinkest their grief and heaviness to be but melancholy dumps of foolish weak folks, which they may shake off at their pleasure, and be merry as formerly they were wont, thou art much deceived.  
Receiving] He saith not you shall receive, but receiving in the present tense: 
The godly by faith do even here enjoy salvation.  Whence note, that  
The Servants of God by faith do even here enjoy Salvation and Eternal life, even presently we have glory, though not in the fullness thereof; 
2 Cor. 3. 18.  1. Because we are as sure of it, as if we had it, as who have God's Hand for it, even his Word, 
2 Cor. 1. 22.  his Seal, his Sacrament. 2. Because even here we have the earnest of it, 
Eph 1. 13, 14.  which is his Spirit; when earnest is given between honest men, 
joh. 3. 36.  there's no going back; and shall God say, and not do it? 
See also joh. 5. 24.  shall he promise, and not perform? He is not a man, that he should lie or repent: He that believeth on the Son (saith the Son himself) hath everlasting life. 3. Because by faith we are already entered into the first degree of it; being knit to Christ, and so perfectly justified, we are come to the suburbs of our glory, and are as it were at the gate, lacking nothing but to be let in by death: As we say to our friends, having come a long way to a City, and are but at the walls thereof, 
Rome 8. 23.  and not entered therein, Now we are at it, ye are welcome to this place; 
Eph. 2. 5, 6.  so having received the first-fruits of the Spirit, we may thereupon affirm that we are in Heaven. 
Heb. 12. 22, 23  This showeth the happy estate of true believers, 
Use.  that are so sure of their happiness, and as it were entered upon it already: Thou therefore that believest, be of good comfort, thou art even as sure of Heaven, as if thou wert there already; Rejoice always, serve God cheerfully, and bear afflictions patiently: Being at the suburbs, thou wantest but letting in, when Death as the Porter shall open the gate. Thou hast paid the price, and hast good Evidence to show for it, which by thy learned Council is judged sound and good; God hath given thee his own Writings, and thou hast sure under his Hand and Seal, only thou wantest Livery and Seisin, which thou shalt have in good time, which in the mean time is never the farther from thee.  
The end of your Faith] Or the reward which God hath promised so often, 
No pains too much to get faith.  who would not take any pains to get faith, being so rewarded? The world wondereth at them that take pains to hear the word, yet this is the means of faith, which is the instrument of Salvation; yet wonder they not at themselves and others, that travel weekly as much and more for worldly trash, 
Use.  who for faith would scarce stir their foot over the threshold: But do not we rest ourselves either upon our gifts of Knowledge, Utterance, Profession, show of Zeal, outward Civility, 
Eph. 2. 8.  and the like, for nothing will save us but faith, and Salvation is the end hereof. If a man had lived in the days of Christ, and both heard him, conversed with him, and seen his miracles, yet without faith he might be damned, as Judas: Were one the kinsman of Christ, should he handle him in his arms, nay, were one his mother, what would the same avail without faith? Therefore refuse no pain to get faith; for though its beginning be bitter, yet its end is happy.  
If the Apostle had said, 
Salvation not the end or reward of our Works.  End or reward of your works, the Papists would have had their mouths made up, and run away with a full cry, Lo here, whether our Works merit not Heaven and Salvation, or no: Alas! there's no such matter; Can they not distinguish between Merit and a Reward freely given? True, the Scripture calleth Heaven a Reward, and promiseth the same to them that hold out in well-doing; but doth it not also call in an Inheritance? and who knows not that that is free? There are two kinds of debt, one of desert, and another of promise; Herod made conscience to keep his rash Oath to the daughter of Herodias, she deserved it not, but he promised it: And when God promiseth Eternal life to constancy in well-doing, is it to puff us up, as if we did deserve it? no such matter, its only to help our weakness.  
He calls us to deny ourselves, to wean ourselves from the pleasures of this world, 
See Mr. Greenham, pag. 754.  to suffer Reproach, Persecution, and the like; now these be harsh to our nature, therefore to encourage us, God makes these Promises, and accordingly at the end of our work, we shall have the thing promised, 
We cannot inherit heaven.  not because we have earned it, but because Christ hath purchased it, and God hath promised it to us. That we cannot merit heaven, may thus appear; 1. Because our best works be stained with many imperfections; and what's good in them, is God's gift, not our goodness. 2. Because there must be some proportion between the thing merited, 
Rom. 8. 18.  and that wherewith, but here there's none; as a man cannot buy a great Manor for a trifle, so the things we can do or suffer here, are not worthy the glory to be revealed. 3. Because that whereby we must merit, must be free, and that which we are not bound to do; but we are bound to do all that we can, and having so done, we have done but our duty, and consequently not merited; As if we had a lame servant, 
Luke 17. 10.  and assoon as he did a little service, he would think he merited of us, when if he could do much more, by the state of a servant, he owes us more; 
1 Sam. 18. 23.  David said, Seemeth it a small thing to you, to be son in Law of a King? (yet hereby should not he have had the Kingdom) howsoever by his Victories he deserved well; what then should we in respect of God? But as the whole Scripture labours to beat down our Pride, Arrogancy, and any Conceit that we might have of any thing in ourselves, so this place saith, The Salvation of our Souls, is the end and reward of Faith, not of Works; and yet not the reward of Faith, as if it merited any such thing, as it is a Grace in us, no, but only it apprehends it an instrument, that whereby we are justified and saved, and that which meriteth our Salvation.  
The Salvation of your souls.] 
Believers shall have also the Salvation of their bodies.  Not but that the servants of God shall have Salvation of their bodies also, as being made by God, rede●r●ed by Christ, and shall be glorified after the Resurrection; and therefore Christ took not only a soul, but an humane body also: but he speaketh of the soul, as of the principal part, which first entereth into Glory; and for the bodies of God's servants, wherewith they endeavour to praise and glorify God, they shall be glorified as well as their souls.  
Be we therefore encouraged even in our bodies, 
Use.  to take pains in God's service; never a member that honours him, but shall be filled with honour at the last day, and for ever.  
But what's that we have, and our Faith finds in Christ Jesus? not Ease, Health, Worldly Honour and Preferment, but Salvation; 
1 Cor. 1. 30.  CHRIST was not made these unto us, but Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification and Redemption: We have by him also right unto outward things, and possession of as much as shall be meet, but so as we may have and must expect, to drink of the same cup that our Master did, even to meet with Reproaches, Afflictions and Trouble.  
When must therefore when we follow Christ, 
What those are to look for that follow Christ.  or embrace him and his ways, not expect all Prosperity here, and Ease and Contentment outwardly, but rather think of the contrary, that it may appear that we follow him not for any by-respect; 
See Mat. 8. 19  but Salvation we shall have, and he that thinks not that sufficient, though it be joined with troubles, knoweth not its worth. The favour of God, the Kingdom of Heaven, is great riches, though not accompanied with outward either pleasure or profit: 
joh. 6. 26.  Many profess Religion for advantage, and many will profess so long as no hurt comes of it, but if any trouble arise, than they give over.   

Verse 10. Of which Salvation the Prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the Grace that should come unto you.  
HAving spoken of Salvation by Christ, laid hold upon by Faith, which they had obtained; He now commends and sets forth this Salvation and the means thereof, to be the only true way, and the Gospel revealing it to be the most blessed and excellent Doctrine that ever was: for 1. It's no new device of any, or first preached by the Apostles, but that which the holy Prophets that have lived in all ages (men endued with the Spirit of God) have studied and enquired into, and found, and have in their writings prophesied of the same; enquiring also to know the time when our Saviour Christ should be exhibited into the world; who understanding by the Spirit, that he was not to be born in their days, but in the last ages of the world, yet seeing him afar off, were glad, and took it thankfully, and so believing in him, were saved by him. 2. That the Gospel and Salvation by Christ, was preached by the holy Apostles, men set apart by God for that business, endued with his Spirit that came on them from Heaven; and so it's the same that was known to our Forefathers, and Patriarches, and Prophets, not varied, but the same Doctrine and constant way of Salvation. 3. That the very Angels as they wondered at the wonderful mystery of Christ's Incarnation, and learned (as is very probable) something by the Apostles Ministry, which they knew not before; so, into the fullness of this Salvation they desired to see. So we have a commendation of the Gospel, or the way of Salvation therein preached: 1. By its antiquity; the Prophets knew and embraced it: 2. The Apostles not of their own heads, but by the Spirit extraordinarily sent upon them, preached it. 3. The Angels desire further to see into it. In the Prophet's search we are to observe, 1. The substance they sought. 2. The circumstance of time: for the substance, it was privately for their own benefit, who therefore enquired into it, and searched it our diligently; and publicly, for the benefit of the Church, who therefore prophesied of it.  
Of which salvation the Prophets have enquired, etc.] In that the Apostle, 
No point touching salvation is to be taught or received, but what's grounded on the Word.  to prove that this was the true way of salvation, produceth the writings of the Prophets in the Old Testament, learn, That for all matters of faith that we reach the people, and would have them receive, we must ground them on no other proof, but the Word of God; no point ought to be admitted touching salvation, whereof God is not the author, and author he is of nothing, but of that which is in his written Word, 
2 Tim. 3. 16.  which is a perfect Rule, able to teach all truth, and confute all error.  
1. This confutes the Papists, 
Use 1.  who lean so much on Counsels, as they banish the Scripture as a dumb Judge: Of those, howsoever the more ancient of them are to be reverenced, and did worthily oppose & conclude against the Heresies of their Times; yet even in them some things are left rawly, whether those worthy men intending the greatest, less regarded smaller matters, or whether they erred as men, that we might not put too much confidence in them, or give too much to them: But for many latter ones, they are patched by the Pope and his Adherents, which will be sure to do nothing against him, and the greater part overcomes the better part; Therefore we are not to rest in these, 
Isa. 8. 20.  but go to that Law and to that Testimony, which alone must Judge and bear Rule in the Church: For, though Christ hath promised, 
Mat. 18. 20.  that where two or three be gathered together, he will be amongst them, yet they must be m●t in his Name; which is, when they all submit themselves to the Word of God, and suffer Christ to be Precedent of their Assembly by his Word, and not when they will set up Conceits of their own devising.  
2. Ministers must learn in all matters of faith, 
Use 2.  to bring forth the written Word of God, 
Luke 24. 27.  and not men's Judgements, which are of no force to establish the Conscience, 
Acts 18. 28.  neither Popish Traditions, by them termed Apostolical and unwritten Verities.  
3. People also for their part must receive nothing, 
Use 3.  but that which they see grounded hereupon: 
joh. 5. 39  To this end they are to search the Scriptures, 
Acts 17. 11.  and with the Berea●s to confer place with place, to find out the truth: 
Gal. 1. 8, 9  If an Angel from heaven should bring any Doctrine contrary to this, we are to hold him accursed. Assuredly, for want of Catechising publicly, and reading the Scripture privately, if a cunning Heretic should in most Congregations open his pack of Wares, they would go for currant, few or none being able to control him.  
Enquired and searched] The words imply the great pains they used herein, 
The Prophets took great pains to know the mystery of our salvation by Christ.  as Daniel by prayer, fasting and meditation: They had a little hint from God, and they found the savour of it, so as they followed it most earnestly to get out more, and plodded upon it to see further and further. 
Dan. 9 3.   
What then are all of us to beat our heads, and to set our hearts upon? even upon the mystery of our Salvation by Christ, that we may 1. Know it, and every part thereof. 2. Give full assent thereto. 3. Labour for a particular persuasion thereof by faith. These things belong to us, whom it much concerneth to know this by an effectual knowledge, 
joh. 17. 3.  feeling the power of Christ in us, 
Phil. 3. 8.  causing us to die to sin, and live to righteousness; 
1 Cor. 2. 2.  and this we should do: 1. For that its the chiefest thing in the world; Its life eternal to know him, and all is dung to this; yea, we should desire to know nothing but Christ, and him crucified. 2. Because in seeking we may find more in one day, than all the Prophets and Fathers could find by all their diligence all the days of their life.  
This condemns the monstrous Unthankfulness of our days, 
Use.  that make no reckoning of this so blessed Gospel, of those glad tidings that should be the glory of the world, without which the world is dead in sin, and comes to confusion. O how few regard to hear the Word? Many run to Sports and Pastimes, others to Markets and Fairs, but in many places, what thin Churches? their Oxen and Farms draw them away: Others hear, yet it is without any regard, any life; Israel never loathed Manna more, than most do the preaching of the Gospel; O they have had Sermons in many Congregations, until they have even loathed them! O how few can be brought to see their own misery! how few to prize Christ, and to whom he is indeed welcome, how few that will stoop to his yoke! Sundry in show would have him their Saviour, and talk that they hope to be saved by Christ, but that's but a Bawd for their sins, whereby they may go on the more freely in them; yea, are not the truest and painfullest Preachers and Professors of the Gospel hated? what this will come to, is easy to see; assuredly (being like Ch●razi● and Bethsaida) we may justly fear some judgement at hand. Time was, when Christ was welcome amongst us, and the kingdom of heaven suffered violence (as haply it doth still in some parts of the land) but O dead hearts, and unthankful in most places. Those under the Law, saw but a little, yet took it thankfully; we have much revealed, yet little regard it: To prise the Gospel, and seek after Christ, will be our wisdom and welfare; then to inquire for Salvation by Christ, there can be no greater thing, it becomes us well: if for this we be counted fools, well, we be such fools as the Prophets were, who enquired and searched after Christ; God be thanked for our so doing, let us continue in God's name; this shall bring us comfort living and dying, when carnal Worldlings shall perish for want of comfort, and go to hell.  
But did they only inquire after Salvation, and the way to it, and found it not? Yes, as they foretold Christ to others, so did they find that in him they sought for, 
The Prophets and old Fathers were saved by Christ as well as we.  and were saved by him.  
The Prophets and old Fathers were saved by Christ as well as we.  
This confutes two pestilent Opinions, 1. That of the Anabaptists, That the Fathers had no other but earthly Promises and Rewards, 
Acts 4. 12. & 15. 8.  and there was an end, 
Heb. 13. 8.  and had no heaven, nor hope of any such thing; most vile; 
Use. 1.  for 1. God gave them his Word, which was to convert their Souls, 
Psal. 147. 19 & 19 7, 23  and to be an immortal seed, to beget them to eternal life; and the Prophets in their times were filled with the Spirit of God; 
Rom. 3. 2.  but God did not all this for nothing. 
Zech. 7. 12.  2. He made a Covenant with them, 
Levit. 26. 12.  I will be your God, and you shall be my people: Now to have God to be our God, contains not only Earthly things, but Heavenly and Eternal, 
Psal. 33. 12.  For blessed is the people, whose God is the Lord: Our Saviour Christ saith, 
Mat. 22. 23.  God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, not of the dead, 
Mat. 8. 11.  but of the living; so that they live not in Soul only, but in Body also to Godward, 
Heb. 11. 13.  for he will surely raise them up again: 
Gen. 47. 9  Jacob speaking unto Pharaoh, mentioned the days of his Pilgrimage; both he and the rest confessed themselves Pilgrims: see what construction the Holy Ghost makes hereof, 
Heb. 11. 15.  namely, That this was in respect of some other Country; but what Country, Earthly or Heavenly? If Earthly, then that from whence they came, Caldea; but if it had been that, they had leisure enough to have returned thereunto, but they desired a Heavenly, therefore God prepared for them a City, even such a one as they desired, 
job. 19 25.  an Heavenly one. Job believed that his Redeemer lived, 
Luke 16. 23.  and Abraham's bosom is put for Heaven.  
But such speeches as Jobs, 
Obj.  are of some few principal men, and not of the people, with whom no doubt it was as with us, most understood not, neither believed, though others did.  
This comes of a false understanding of the Promises. 
Sol.  The Lord provokes them to keep his Law, and promiseth them a plenteous Land▪ and threatened the loss thereof if they obeyed not; But who knoweth not, that as Egypt was a Type of their Spiritual bondage, so Canaan, of Heaven, 
2 Cor. 5. 7.  and Heaven promised under it? even as the Lamb in the Passover was a Type of Christ, the true Paschal Lamb and Christians Passover, as the Apostle affirmeth.  
2. That of those which affirm, 
Use 2.  That they were saved by some other way (not by Christ as we) and what? by the keeping of the Law, it's otherwise; The Law was not to this end given them, that they might be justified thereby, more than to us, or that they could keep it more than we; for never could any keep it, but to show Gods perfect righteousness, and their own sinfulness, and so drive them out of themselves, to Christ the true Sacrifice: Notable is that Speech of Saint Peter, 
Acts 15. 10.  Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the necks of the Disciples, which neither our Fathers nor we were able to bear: He meaneth not here, the Ceremonial Law, wherein an hypocrite might go as far as another; 
Mat. 19 20.  nor the bodily observance of the Moral Law (whereof the young man bragged so much) but the true Spiritual Rule of Righteousness, which never any could keep; so they were saved by the Grace of Christ as we: 
See Rom. 3. 30.  Abraham's Faith was imputed unto him for Righteousness, and he was justified both before he was Circumcised, and four hundred years ere the Law was given.  
Who prophesied of the Grace that should come unto you.] 
The Doctrine of the Gospel not new.  The Doctrine of the Gospel is no new device of man, nor first Preached by the Apostles, 
Rom. 1. 2. & 3. 21.  but almost as old as the World: The Spirit hath given testimony of it in all ages, all the Prophets have looked into it; some Promises were given unto particular persons, some did concern all in general; those especially which were delivered by the Prophets: This was signified by all the Sacrifices and Washings in the Law, wherein there was an acknowledgement of guiltiness and uncleanness, 
Heb. 9 12.  and a promise of something to satisfy and cleanse; 
1 joh. 1. 7.  which was not the blood of Bulls or of Goats, 
Rev. 13. 8.  but of Jesus Christ, who is therefore said to wash away our sins by his blood, and to be the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.  
This condemneth that wicked slander of the Church of Rome, 
Use.  that style our Religion, The new Gospel, or a yesterdays Religion; Nay, theirs is a new Religion; who knoweth not, that though the Mystery of Iniquity began already to work in the Apostles times, and the Devil had spread some Heresies; yet alas, Popery was not then hatched, and it was not come to the top, till within these three or four hundred years bypast, the whole being at several times patched up with several pieces, by one Pope after another: and new it is, as being of man's brain, most things therein having no ground in the Word of God, nay, altogether contrary thereunto.  
The Prophets foretold of Christ, 
The Prophets foretold of Christ.  and that very fully, of his Nature, Offices, Birth, Life, Death, Sufferings, Patience, Resurrection, Ascension, etc. See Gen. 49. 10. Isa. 7. 14. Isa. 9 6. Jer. 23. 6. Isa. 53. 8. Zach. 12. Psal. 110. 1, 4. Isa. 61. 1. Dan. 9 25. Mic. 5. 2. Psal. 22. 16. Psal. 16. 10. Psal. 68 18. Hag. 2. 7, etc.  
This showeth what an agreement and blessed harmony there is betwixt the Old Testament and the New; 
The harmony between the Old and New-Testament.  no divers matters, but the same Christ, the subject matter of both, driven at in the Law, pointed out in all the Sacrifices: 
Act. 18. 28.  The Old Testament is the New folded up, the New, 
Luke 24.  is the Old unfolded and opened, the one proving the other; and hence are these Phrases, As it is written, And that it might be fulfilled.  
1. This condemneth them that reject the New-Testament and Christ Jesus, 
Use 1.  and yet retain the Old, as the Scribes and Pharisees did, and Jews and Turks do; 
joh. 5. 46, 47.  but hold one, and hold both, deny one, and deny both. O the lamentable blindeness of the Jews, that were so well acquainted with the Old Testament, which did so foretell Christ! and yet when he came, in whom all was fulfilled, they could not see it; a forestalled conceit of an earthly Potentate hindered all.  
2. It teacheth us to labour to be acquainted with both, 
Use 2.  and reverence both, the one giving light unto the other; and they especially that are of better understanding, and have more time, let them read orderly, not here and there a Chapter, and that most or always in the New-Testament, but going on throughout both; They that are slow and dull, and can read little, no matter though they hold themselves most to the New; but for the others, let them be acquainted with both: Are we ignorant of the one? its for want of acquaintance with the other; Hath God set on work his holy Prophets, to prophesy such things as be greatly for our Confirmation, and kept them through so many storms of Persecution, and shall we not be conversant therein? yea, those Chapters that seem of least use in Leviticus, touching cleansing of many sorts of uncleanness, have this main use, even to teach, That God cannot abide sin, but that it must be cleansed through the blood of his Son: the Chapters also of Genealogies in Numbers and Chronicles, are of good use for the understanding of the rest of the Scriptures, though but a few understand the same.  
Of the Grace] He calls Salvation Grace, 
Salvation why called Grace.  and that most worthily, as being freely both Elected, 
joh. 3. 16.  Redeemed, and Effectually called.  
1. This condemns, 
Eph. 2. 4.  1. That Luciferian conceit of Merit or Worthiness in us, 
Use 1.  poor miserable sinners: 2. Them that challenge part in Christ, and all that he did, and yet show no part of thankfulness and duty again, but live as they list, and will not only not part with their lives, but not with their lusts for his sake, they are liars, and deceive their own souls.  
2. It should teach us to acknowledge the whole work of our Salvation to be of Grace, 
Use 2.  and thereupon to walk the more thankfully and zealously; 
The Prophets did partake of Salvation, though they saw not.  yea, often meditate of this Freegrace and Salvation, whetting up ourselves thereby.  
That should come unto you.] Why? were they not partakers of Salvation themselves? Yes, as we have heard, but they never saw the time of Christ's exhibiting in the flesh, 
Christ in the flesh.  nor so clearly; They received not the promises, 
Heb. 11. 13.  only saw them afar off, a●d were persuaded of them.   

Verse 11. Searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.  
SEarching what or what manner of time] They took great pains to know Christ, & would gladly have learnt that he should have come in their days, so they should have had a clearer Revelation; yea seen him whom they so much longed for and loved. 
Luke 2. 25.  Simeon waited for the Consolation of Israel, 
Luke 10. 24.  as many Prophets and Kings desired to see and hear thereof; and this was lawful, 
We must endeavour to know what's profitable to be known.  unless God had enjoined the contrary: If then we know a thing to be good and profitable to be known, we must refuse no pains in searching it out, but Study, Meditate, Pray, Confer, Read, etc. 
Prov. 2. 3, 4.  We must call for Wisdom, and cry for Understanding; we must seek and search for her, as for silver: The Word is like a Noble man, that one must make some suit, and use some means to come unto; with which being once acquainted, wherein can it not pleasure us? when we have sued to it by pains, it will be beneficial unto us indeed: whereas profane Books (easily enough attained unto) usually work much mischief; many of us read much of the Scriptures, but take no notice whether we understand the same or not, or take no pains to come to knowledge: to be inquisitive of the meaning of this or that place of Scripture, 
Use.  were profitable when Christians meet together, whether Ministers or others, 
The prophets searched into this great mystery, through the direction of the Spirit.  or both.  
As they desired to see Christ's first, so should we long for his second coming.  
The Spirit of Christ which was in them] See how they sought into this matter, not of their own heads, but by the guidance and direction of the Spirit; and that 1. Because it was a matter so high and above their reach, as in which they could know nothing without the help of the Spirit. 2. To avoid curiosity, searching no further than God should see good to reveal unto them.  
This teacheth us, 
Use 1.  that when we search into any point of Doctrine, or to know any thing, we must not go to work by our own head or wit (for that were Pride and the way to Error) but by the help of the Spirit; and therefore no further than the Spirit shall guide us: this we do, if we keep ourselves to the written Word of God; for God's Spirit teacheth us according to the Word, and no otherwise.  
This condemneth the frenzy conceits of the Anabaptists, 
Use 2.  which boast of Revelations of the Spirit; counting whatsoever comes in their head, and they conceive (though contrary to the Scriptures) to be a Revelation, which is wicked; for the Word and Spirit cannot be divorced, either the one contrary to the other: We must hold us to the written word, searching thereinto according to sobriety, proceeding no further than it, and there staying where it stayeth.  
This is also contrary to the Papists, 
Use 3.  that will have their humane Traditions and unwritten Verities, whereby upon the point they overthrow the Scriptures. 
God's Spirit the Author of the Old Testament.  Again, in that the Spirit of Christ was in the Prophets when they prophesied, see the authority of the Old Testament; the Spirit of God is the Author of it, therefore is it to be highly esteemed as the New, 
2 Pet. 1. 21.  and all questions are to stand and fall by the sentence thereof.  
Read, 
Use.  believe and obey it, and be out of all doubt of it, without ifs and and's: As the Papists most wickedly would have the authority of the Scriptures, to depend upon the testimony of the Church; and because they say its Scripture, therefore they believe it, and otherwise would not; they would give no more credit to Paul's Epistles, then to Esop's Fables, if the Church did not give testimony thereof, which is a blasphemous Opinion: The Scripture is above the Church, and that whereon it's grounded, and hath no greater testimony then from itself: we testify that God is the true God from all Idols, and Christ from all false Christ's; do they therefore depend upon our testimony? and are we above them? Though the Church discerneth the Word or Scriptures from false writings, and therefore rejecteth a great many of Epistles and Gospels, of Bartholomew, Thomas, Thaddeus, as adulterous; yet this proves not that they depend on the Church's testimony. 
Simile.  A King's Letters come to a City, the Officers thereof, by the stile, sign, or some other thing whereunto they are accustomed, accept of them, yield to them, and testify that they are not false or counterfeit; are they therefore above the King or his Letters? 
A proof of the Divinity of the Holy Ghost.   
Further, here is a testimony of the Divinity of the third Person; for the whole Scripture is given by inspiration from God, 
2 Tim. 3. 16.  and here it's said, 
The sufferings of Christ foretold in the old Testament.  it was by the Spirit; and who could foretell things so long before but God? confer Acts 1. 16. with 4. 25.  
When it testified beforehand of the sufferings of Christ] Namely, That he was to suffer for us, 
Luke 24. 26.  and so to enter into his glory: This we find in the Old Testament both plainly expressed, and under types and figures; as of Isaac's offering, the Brazen Serpent, the Paschal Lamb, Ionas, etc.  
This serves to answer all profane Infidels, 
Use. ●  that scoff at Christians because they believe in a crucified God, for so do they contemptuously speak of Christ.  
A. He suffered what was necessary for the Saviour of the world to suffer, 
Phil. 2. 8, 9  and what the Scripture foretold he should suffer; and though he suffered and was abased, yet he overcame it, and entered into glory: Had not these things been foretold, they might have been offended at his dejected estate, 
Luke 24. 21.  for so were the Disciples notwithstanding, but being foretold, they are not; yea if he had not suffered for us, we had been yet in our sins, yet under the curse, as if he had suffered, and had not conquered and entered into glory, we had been never the better.  
It was needful that Christ should suffer for us, 
Why it was needful that Christ should suffer for us.  for we by Adam's fall were plunged into sin, and so in danger of the curse of God, and liable unto all wrath here and hereafter; This God's justice could not suffer him to remit, but the death threatened must be paid: To this end our Saviour became man, and suffering all that was due to us, thereby discharged us: He was arraigned before an earthly Judge, that we might never be brought to our answer before the heavenly; accused, that we might be cleared; condemned, that we might be acquitted before God; counted among vile sinners, that we might be reckoned among the Angels; spitted on, that we which had deserved that God should for ever have spitted on our face shame and confusion, might be received into favour; did undergo the curse, that we might be blessed; died, that we might live, etc. then this, there was no other way whereby we could have been discharged. See Isa. 53. 1 Pet. 1. 19 & 2. 24. 1 john 1. 7. Rev. 1. 5. Hence perceive,  
1. The depth of our misery. 
Use 1.   
2. The unspeakable love of God, 
Use 2.  and Christ Jesus.  
3. Comfort to all that have their part in Christ, 
Use 3.  all their sins and punishments are discharged, crosses and death are now become blessings, no punishments of sin; whoso do not by Faith take hold on him, must suffer for their own sins, and that for ever.  
4. That as we are to hate sin with a deadly hatred, 
Use 4.  so must we testify our love to him that hath redeemed us at so high a price; Numbers will talk of Christ, that he died for their sins, which yet are so far from being humbled to repentance hereby, and to turn from sin to God, as that they seem rather emboldened and heartened to run on in sin, 
1 Cor. 15. 14, 17.  and sin more freely; such vile wretches crucify Christ again, neither shall have any benefit by his death.  
And the glory that should follow.] It was necessary that he should have overcome, else had his death been in vain.  
Hereof there were three degrees, 
Three degrees of our Saviors victory.  1. His resurrection. 2. His ascension. 3. That he shall one day come into judgement, & bring all his servants into his glory; 
john 14. 3. and 17. 24.  whereunto may be annexed the consequents of each.  
But how shall we come to glory? 
Through afflictions we also must come into glory.  even by the same way that our Head, our Lord and Master hath gone before us, namely, by sufferings; for through many afflictions we must enter into the Kingdom of God, 
Act. 14. 22.  and God will have the Members made conformable to the Head. 
Rom. 8. 17.  It followeth hereupon,  
1. That afflictions or persecutions are no ill sign, 
2 Tim. 2. 12.  but rather of the way to Heaven and glory; 
1 Pet. 5. 10.  it should encourage us to suffer, 
Heb. 12. 3.  seeing glory follows, 
Use 1.  and a great reward ensues thereupon.  
2. That those which will suffer no affliction nor persecution for Christ and the Gospel, 
Mat. 5. 12.  but shifting themselves therefrom, 
Acts 5. 41.  aim at the glory of the World, 
Use 2.  are not in the way to glory, but shame hereafter will be their portion.   

Verse 12. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us, they did minister the things which are now reported unto you, by them that have preached the Gospel unto you, with the holy Ghost sent down from Heaven; which things the Angels desire to look into.  
YE have heard what the Prophets searched into, and by what guide; now see what was revealed unto them, & how far forth they were satisfied; namely, that the things which they sought into, even the time of Christ's coming, should not be in their days, but in ours; They took the pains, we have the gains; They laid the cloth, and we come to partake and feed on the dainties; The fruit of their ministry, was to our benefit: So that we have the advantage of all our Forefathers of the Old Testament.  
Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, etc.] Lo, say the Anabaptists, the Jews foretold many things of Christ, but had no part in him themselves, 
The Anabaptists confuted.  those concerning us; They had Canaan, and temporal benefits, and looked no further; But how absurd this is, we have already showed, having sufficiently proved the contrary: And these words are not to be understood of Christ, or of the substance of salvation, but of the time of his coming, and of the manner and measure of revealing him to them more darkly, to us more clearly; to them more sparingly, to us more fully: They believed in Christ that was to come, we hear of Christ already come, and that he hath finished all things, and how; and thus are we to understand, Heb. 11. 13, 33, 39 where there seems an opposition: They received the promises, that is, the fruit of them, and salvation by Christ; and they received not the promises, that is, saw not the exhibiting of Christ, who was promised to the World: For more plainness, there was never but one Covenant between God and his people, from the beginning till now, nor shall be, which is the Covenant of Grace, except we mean the Covenant of Works, which was between God and all mankind in Adam; the foundation and matter whereof was our own strength and righteousness, but this was soon at an end; Adam had soon broken this, and overthrown himself, 
The Covenant of Grace one and the same throughout all ages.  and with him all us: The Covenant of Grace then the Lord entered in his great mercy with Adam in Paradise, which was founded in Christ Jesus, requiring of us to believe in him, and repent of our sins, and he would forgive us our sins, and give us salvation and life eternal: This for the substance thereof, was never altered one jot, only the Lord hath revealed his Son more fully to us, more sparingly to them; more plainly to us, more darkly to them: Herein may be considered, both the Author, Matter, Form and End.  
The Author, 
The Author,  the same God to them and us.  
The Matter, 
Matter,  Christ Jesus the same to them and us.  
The Form was generally also the same, 
Form, and  for as God required Faith and Repentance of them, as well as of us, so he gave them the same means for the working thereof, the Word and Sacraments.  
The End the same (viz.) 
End thereof.  the Salvation of his Elect, and Eternal life.  
The difference is in the measure of his giving them, 
The difference about the measure given, and persons to whom.  as also in the persons to whom; then was it to the Jews only, who were the peculiar people of God; now the partition wall is broken down, and the Covenant is to the Gentiles as well as to the Jews: So also for the measure, he spoke to them by visions and dreams, to us by his word, and when to them by his word, it was both more sparingly, and more darkly: Also our Sacraments compared with theirs, are, as fewer, so more easy, and more significant; and for the Spirit, they had him more sparingly (except some extraordinary persons) whereas it was promised, 
joel 2. 28.  that he should be poured upon us: And for the common people, they are far inferior to Christians now; they saw Christ to come afar off, we already come, yea, that he is dead, risen, ascended, and shall come to judgement: They had him under Types and Shadows, we have the substance, the body itself; theirs was as the seed time, our time as the harvest; they had the twilight, we have the noon day: And there was great reason that the time when Christ himself should come, should bring more glory with it; as the coming of a King himself, hath more solemnity and privileges, then when the King's Harbinger comes before; and that when the sun of Righteousness should arise, there should be more light than before. 
Why God sent his Son no sooner.   
But why did God send his Son no sooner, and not in their time rather?  
A. We must not quarrel with God, we may as well ask him, why he made the world no sooner, why he put distinction between the summer and winter, day and night: We must know, that all things are done in infinite Wisdom and Justice by the Lord, though we know not always the reasons of his dealings: 
Gal. 4. 4.  He came in the fullness of time, he could come no sooner, nor tarry any longer; we are to thank God that he is come.  
The difference between them and us, is only in the measure of Revelation and means; therefore we call their time the Old Testament, or Covenant, and ours the New, not two, but one; only the Covenant to them was sealed in the blood of Bulls and Goats, 
Luke 22. 20.  ours in Christ's own blood, as he himself witnesseth.  
The cause why their time was called the time of the Law, 
Why theirs was called the time of the Law, and ours of the Gospel.  ours the days of the Gospel, was not but that they had the Gospel also preached, as Adam in Paradise, so Abraham, so the Jews in all their sacrifices and cleansings; but because then the Law was so much preached, and the Gospel so darkly and sparingly, as now the Law more sparingly, the Gospel more frequently.  
Neither is God to be charged with inconstancy, 
God not to be charged with inconstancy.  because he taught his Church otherwise then, then now he doth, no more than a Father, for training his children up otherwise when they be children, 
Simil.  then when they are men grown; he doth both in wisdom. The Lord trained on his children in their infancy, by those babish rudiments, fit for the time, reserving greater things for the grown age of his Church; yea, such is his constancy, that he hath never altered the way of Salvation, but hath ever been the same from the beginning, and shall be.  
Seeing then that the Lord hath honoured us to live in these days, 
Use.  and revealed his will so plentifully, O how joyfully should we embrace Christ Jesus, and labour to be found answerable in Knowledge, Faith, Repentance, Zeal and Holiness! Our Forefathers saw but a little, and took great pains for it, and were glad of it; How glad then should we be of that we have? 
Luke 2. 25.  Simeon waited for the consolation of Israel, and was so glad that he had seen, and taken Christ in in his arms (though then in his swaddling clothes) that he was willing to die; O how joyful would he have been if he had seen his Miracles, heard his Preaching, known his Resurrection, Ascension and Glory, 
Psa. 119. 127.  as we do. David was so glad of the Word, that he accounted it better than gold and silver, and sweeter than the honey, and the honeycomb; 
job 23. 12.  and Job esteemed it above his appointed food: Alas, What a little had David (especially Job) in respect of that we have? we have the whole Old Testament, which some of them had not, and the New also, an Exposition and Commentary thereof, which they had not at all; How cheerfully then may we come to Christ, and believe in him? How should we walk, that know he is gone up to heaven to prepare a place for us, and will come again to receive us? But alas, if the Lord come to look for these fruits, where be they? Alas, to whom is the Gospel welcome? How many be there that would as willingly there were no Preaching as any? and are there not many that hear only for the fashion, that will hear but when they list? The Lord publisheth his Gospel, and offereth his Son to the world; but alas, men have more mind to their Oxen, Farms, Pleasures, then to embrace it; many savour not of the Gospel, many count it rather a burden then a jewel: yea, of those that hear the word usually, How few are there that hear it with delight? how few find such need of Christ, as they desire him more than all the world? as they will willingly stoop to his yoke, and serve him? And as many have no more knowledge, then if they had never had the means thereof; so even they that have some measure of knowledge, make no conscience of their ways, are utterly void of Reformation: Thus do not they take thankfully this great jewel of the Gospel, the only glory of the World, but most unkindly requite the Lord; yet what's their saying? They hope to be saved by Christ, as they that believe steadfastly in him; but how they came by their Faith, or any good fruits thereof, they can show none: For this God must needs have an heavy controversy with the Land; and were't not for a remnant that he hath to gather, we should quickly perceive it: O therefore let our conversation be such as becometh the Gospel, 
See Heb. 6. 7.  bring we forth meet fruit, to the pains God hath bestowed on us: But as for those that live and make no account of, nor receive any profit by this Gospel, their condition will be heavy, God will take his Word from them, or snatch them from it; and not only Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and old times shall rise up against such, but even the good Souls that saw but a little light fifty or sixty years ago, and had but a little knowledge (for the means were small) yet were zealous and godly, and sundry gave their lives for the Truth; even these, I say, shall rise up and condemn them: Then would they be glad of one of the days they have had, but shall not have any. Awaken therefore to day, while it is called to day, for we may fear it draws to night-ward, towards the Sunsetting of the Gospel.  
The things which are now reported unto you, by them that have preached the Gospel unto you, 
The same Gospel which was preached by the Prophets, was also preached by the Apostles.  etc.] The second part of the commendation, The same Gospel preached by the Prophets, was also preached by the Apostles since Christ, men that were trained up with Christ all the time of his preaching, and were witnesses of his Life, Death, Resurrection and Ascension: These have preached this Gospel, and that not of their own minds, but by the Spirit of God, which was sent down from heaven upon them, and that in an extraordinary and visible manner. The Prophets preached of the same Christ, and that by the Spirit (as we have heard) so that they and the Apostles agree notably in one; but the Apostles received a greater measure of the holy Ghost, and a more plain and visible sign, not only perceived of themselves, but of others.  
In that he addeth, Which the holy Ghost sent down from heaven, he alludes to that of Acts 2. 17. taken out of Joel 2. 28. And it shall come to pass in the last days (saith God) I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh etc.  
If then the Gospel was also preached by the Apostles, 
Use.  and that by the Spirit sent from heaven upon them, Hereby may all that hear it be induced to embrace it; as on the contrary, their case must needs be fearful which reject and despise it: 
Heb. 2. 1, 2, 3.  Such is the case of the Jews, though they killed the Prophets, yea, though they rejected Christ and his preaching, yet were they not cast off, till they had rejected and resisted the preaching of the Apostles, who with one consent bare witness of him; confirming also their Doctrine by Miracles from heaven: 
Acts 13. 4●●▪  having done this, their sin was at the highest, and from them the Apostles turned unto the Gentiles. Such is the condition of the Turks, utter enemies of Christ and true Christians. Such is also theirs, who among ourselves despise this Gospel: 〈◊〉 but none do so: Yes, many in sundry degrees; for all that receive not the Gospel, embrace not the Gospel, do not believe, obey and repent, all these despise it; for to believe and repent, are the Commandments of the Gospel: therefore he that yields not unto them, despiseth the Gospel. He that is not with me (saith our Saviour) is against me; All these have a dreadful account to make: For, though now it be preached by sinful men, yet it is the Gospel that was preached by Christ himself, 
See 1 Pet. 4. 17.  and after by the Apostles inspired by the Spirit, and it hath been abundantly confirmed by Miracle: 
Heb. 2. 1, 2.  This is that (I say) which we preach; 
2 Thess. 1. 8.  let every one therefore take heed, lest they set light by it, as though it were not the Gospel of Christ, but of men.  
Again, 
The Apostles have left a perfect direction for all things needful for our Salvation.  in that the Apostles were so filled with the Spirit to preach and write, we learn, That they have left unto us a perfect Direction for all things needful for our salvation, and for the good estate of God's Church, and that therefore there's nothing to be added, detracted or altered.  
1. This condemns them that trust in new Gospels of Thomas, 
Use 1.  Thaddeus, Bartholomew, etc. and in Traditions and unwritten Verities; which is to accuse the holy Ghost of want of care for his Church, as not having left that which is sufficient for salvation.  
2. It condemns them also that take away and alter at their pleasure; 
Use 2.  what is this, but to tax the holy Ghost for leaving something not necessary, nor profitable for his Church, and by altering or taking away the same, to make ourselves wiser than he?  
Which things the Angels desire to look into.] The third commendation of the Gospel, The Angel's desire to see into the further end of that salvation that is preached therein. They are not ignorant of any thing the Church knoweth; but they have gathered some things they knew not of, or not so much till they came to pass; as, touching the Incarnation of the Son of God, both Natures in one person, etc. This they desired to see before he came; 
Exod. 37. 8.  and this was figured by the Cherubims looking down toward the Mercy-seat, which covered the Ark, which was a figure of Christ, signifying that they desired to look into that Mystery of his Incarnation; and when they saw it, they admired thereat, even to see the Eternal Son of God joined to man's Nature, it to be worshipped without Idolatry, and his Manhood to suffer, the Deity remaining free without suffering: So also by the Church they learned the Mystery of the calling of the Gentiles. 
Eph. 3. 10.  But now that which they desire to see, is that which is yet to come, namely, the fullness, perfection, and accomplishment of the salvation of God's Church and People; 
Why the Angels desire to see the perfection of the salvation of God's Church.  namely, to see the day of Judgement, when God shall be perfectly glorified in his Saints.  
They desire this; 1. Because they are enforced to see now a great deal of sin in the world, yea those duties which the Saints themselves perform, 
See Rom. 8▪ 19  full of corruptions and weakness, which after that day they shall see no more: 2. Because that day shall be our perfection; Alas, here we are imperfect every way, and weak, then shall we be perfect and free from sin, and in a most happy estate both in body and soul, which for the love they bear to God and us, they long to see: for as God revealed himself more darkly to the old world, more clearly to us; so when we shall come to heaven, much more clearly than now: There shall be as much and more difference between that which we shall know then, 
See 1 joh. 3. 2.  and that which we know now, as between us and the darkest times before us under the Law; 
1 Cor. 13. 9 10, 11, 12.  Here (as children) we are weak, and rather stammer, then speak plainly of God, his Word and Works; but when in the life to come we shall come to man's state, it will be far otherwise: Here we see with spectacles of the Word and Sacraments, but there without, and that most perfectly.  
1. Is there such an happy condition remaining for all Believers? 
Use 1.  O how should we rejoice, that are entered into the first degree of it, and expect the other! How should we bless God for his Gospel, and for the pains which we have taken herein to attain the same! Yea, how should we walk thankfully, that look for such a state? how zealously and heavenly-minded, not defiling ourselves with this world, nor sticking here, but mounting up in our affections, and having our conversation there?  
2. How should we long for the day of our dissolution, 
Use 2.  to enter another degree; but especially for that last day, when we shall be made perfect? The Angels have what they shall have, yet in love to God and us, they long to behold our perfection; what should we then do, that shall have the benefit of it?  
3. This should teach them that be yet void of grace, 
Use 3.  to embrace the Gospel, that they may come to this happy estate, else they shall go to one as miserable as this is happy; from which the Lord deliver us.   

Verse 13. Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end, for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.  
HEre followeth the 2d part of the Epistle, containing matter of Exhortation, built on the foregoing Doctrine. Being begot again to the hope of such an inheritance, and to such salvation, whereinto the very Angels desire to look; they were thereupon to trust steadfastly, (without wavering) to the end, honouring this hope and Gospel by an holy life and conversation, not only renouncing the lusts of the time before their calling, 
Doctrine and Exhortation must be joined together.  but also living in Sanctification of life, wherein they might resemble God their Father, who being holy, requires that his children should so be; even holy, as he is holy: whence may be noted, 
Mat. 6. & 7.  That for the building up of God's Church, Doctrine and Exhortation must be joined together. 
Rom. 12.  Thus our Saviour preached, 
1 Tim. 4. 1●.  thus also the Apostles; 
Heb. 2. 1. & 4. 1. & 12. 1.  as the one must inform the judgement, so the other pull on the affections (which are as much or more corrupted than the understanding part) whereby Knowledge, Conscience and Practice may go together.  
Knowledge without Zeal is blockishness, as Zeal without knowledge rashness; but better less Knowledge and more Zeal, then more Knowledge and less Zeal or care of obedience. Doctrine without Exhortation, is to set a dull Horse in the way, and not spur him on: Exhortation without Doctrine, is to spur a Horse forwards, before he be put into the way; the one is the Foundation, the other the Building, both which must go together.  
Ministers that would go to work indeed, 
Use.  must go with their tools, use both Doctrine and Exhortation; as he that would cleave a knotty Log, must both use Beetle and Wedges, the one without the other would be to no purpose: We must be like careful Messengers, not delivering barely our Master's message, 
1 Thess. 4. 1.  but earnestly entreating on his behalf: We must not bear the air as it were, multiplying words, yea good words, without a ground: Neither must we deliver sound Doctrine strongly proved, so leaving it, but urge and apply it, Practice being the life of all, and people being unapt to make particular Application; yea, it is the principal part of our Ministry, to draw on the will, and to persuade and work upon the affections, for want of which many find but small fruit in their Ministry; for people are grown to that pass, that it is not the excellency and weight of the matter that will move (which for the most part proves but a sound with the most) if it be not whetted by some enforcement of Exhortation.  
People also must not only be willing, 
Use.  but glad of this kind of teaching, 
Heb. 13. 22.  suffering (as the Apostle speaks) the word of Exhortation; but too too many had rather have general Doctrine, then be called upon to Practice and examination.  
In this Verse our Apostle Exhorts to steadfastness in Faith, and to rely and trust on the Salvation, to the hope whereof they had been called by the revelation of Jesus Christ, even the Gospel of Christ, and therefore to remove from them all such impediments as might hinder the same: Those were of two sorts; 1. Such as were in the understanding part, implied in the first part of the Verse: And 2. Such as were in their affections, implied in the latter.  
Gird up the loins of your mind,] A borrowed speech from those that wore long garments, which when they went any journey, or were to stir about any thing, 
Exod. 12. 11.  they were wont to gird up, lest they might be troubled or hindered thereby. The meaning is this, As men do thus gird and truss up their clothes, lest they should be hindered in their work or journey, 
Luke 12. 35.  so shake off all that may hinder you in going your Spiritual journey to Heaven, 
jer. 1. 17.  and doing the work of the Lord. By the loins of the mind, we are to understand all lets in the understanding part, namely, all corrupt opinions about Salvation, contrary to the Word; Those must be reform, else can we not trust perfectly, or hope to the end. 
The corrupt conceits of the jews about Salvation.  The Jews wanted not theirs, nor we ours: for the Jews, 1. They looked for earthly promotion by Christ, as a Potentate of the world; This could not but much hinder them from trusting in him for Salvation; This they must gather up, if they would profit by him, knowing that he is made of God unto them not ease, riches, etc. but Wisdom, 
1 Cor. 1. 30.  Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption. 2. They did still stick much to Moses his Law and Circumcision: This also hindered them from resting wholly and only upon Christ for Salvation; This also they must tuck up, acknowledging Salvation to be by him alone. 3. They prized not Salvation at so high a rate as they should, and this also was no small let unto Salvation.  
For ourselves, 
The corrupt conceits of Christians about it.  How many corrupt conceits be in people's heads that hinder them from Faith? As some think that they be no great offenders, and hope to be saved by good prayers, good meaning, civil life, etc. Others, that it's no such hard matter to be saved, but if that men call to God for mercy, they shall do as well at the last, as they that make all the stir: These conceits be as it were the strong Castle of carnal People, whereinto being once got, all that we can say, proves unable to beat them out; Others hope to be saved by Christ, who yet live in their sins; Others think that if they should Repent, and go to Sermons, they should never be merry again: Now these, and such like, must be reform, finding these lets, we must gird up our loins, and remove them: Nay, even God's good servants that are truly humbled in conscience for sin, and ●it to believe, hungering after Christ more than all the world, as desirous to turn to him, yet are held off by some false conceits, O they be unworthy that God should forgive them! Therefore he will not, their sins be too many and too great; and, O if they could sorrow as deeply as some, and serve God as well, than they would hope, etc. and, O they have so many corruptions, and such a rebellious heart, as they know God will not forgive any such; whereas it is not that will hinder, so as our hearts be unfeignedly bend to strive against our corruptions, and serve the Lord in truth.  
Neither do the very best prize so highly this Salvation as they ought, 
The best prize it not as they should.  we weigh not what God hath done for us in Christ: This is the reason why we walk not more thankfully, joyfully, and zealously; let us gird up these loins, rid ourselves of these impediments, up, and be sound of these points, and whatsoever thought would hinder us from resting on Christ Jesus for Salvation, 
Mark 10. 49, 50.  let us cast it from us, as the blind man did his cloak, when he went to Christ.  
Be sober] Sobriety is a virtue that keeps us not only from things unlawful, 
What sobriety is.  but moderates us in the use of things lawful, that we exceed not our bounds therein: 
Luke 21. 34.  These may be referred to two heads, Profits, and Pleasures, 
1 john 2. 15.  which we are most subject to abuse, and are therefore dehorted from them.  
For the former, which is Pleasure, thereto may be referred meat, drink, 
1 Cor. 10. 31.  apparel, recreation, etc. All which we must use soberly to the glory of the giver, our own good, and the good also of others.  
1. For our meat and drink, 
Sobriety about meat and drink  we must neither be excessive, nor over curious, as Dives that fared deliciously every day, making his belly his God; we must eat to live, and thereby be more fit for duty.  
2. For our apparel, 
About apparel.  we must not exceed for the matter of it, nor for the fashion, God hath given it for necessity, comeliness and decency; 
1 Tim. 2. 9  it must not be new-fangled, 
1 Pet. 3.  either we use it to wantonness or pride.  
3. For Recreation, 
About recreation.  it must be sparing in time, place, measure, to make us more fit for our duty; for God hath not set us here to satisfy and pamper the flesh, but to mortify the lusts thereof; not to play, but to do his work; to this end is Recreation to be used.  
1. This rebuketh those that wallow in beastly and unlawful lusts, 
Use 1.  in whoredom, chambering, wantonness, drunkenness, etc. so in games altogether unlawful, yet many make a practice of these, to whom Solomon's speech would well suit, 
Eccle. 2. 2.  I said of laughter, thou art madness: For a man to sport at God's dishonour, and their own destruction, is madness: Can we play with nothing but edge tools? the Lord will laugh such to scorn; 
jam. 4. 9  O turn your beastly pleasures into weeping and wailing.  
2. This rebuketh also such as are drunk with lawful things, 
Use 2.  as some that so glut themselves, and so pamper the body, that they make themselves unfit for any duty; many waste and consume themselves this way, Bodies and Goods, yea, Souls and all: Others also are so curious in their meats, as that nothing can please them, nothing's good enough for them; yea, are more angry for any want this way, then for any sin in themselves or others; they have fat Bodies, but lean Souls: O, think they, this is a goodly life, but indeed it is a swinish life, fitter for beasts than men, most unseemly for a Christian: So for Apparel, they that follow every new fangled Fashion, and are so proud and costly, and so over curious, as they spend no small time in trimming themselves, taking no care to trim their Souls with Christ's Righteousness and Spiritual Graces, How are they to be reprehended? What painted Sepulchers are these? may not an image have gay clothes put on? yet how many spend their precious time and goodly patrimonies about this vanity? So for Recreations, some are so mad on them, as they think and speak of nothing else, as if they were set here to eat and drink, and rise up to play; thus spend they the greatest part of their time.  
3. Let us therefore pair away whatsoever supper fluity hath been in us in these things, 
Use 3.  and learn soberly to use these mercies, as the Gospel teacheth us, so as thereby we may ever be made fitter for our duties, and to serve God, and that they may be as a staff in our hand, to help us on in our journey, and this is to walk pilgrim like; be we more careful in feeding, clothing and making merry the Soul.  
For the latter, 
About profits.  namely profits, we must also be sober, both in getting and keeping them.  
We must not only use no unlawful means to get the world, but use the lawful means moderately, not setting our affections upon the world, 
See Mat. 6. 24.  or being too earnest to compass it, 
1 Tim. 6. 6.  filling ourselves with too many businesses, 
Heb. 13. 5.  and following the same too eagerly, lest we neglect good duties, 
jam 44.  or be hindered from doing them as we should. 
1 john 2. 15▪   
1. This condemns those that use flat unlawful means to get the world, 
Use 1.  swearing, lying, deceiving, oppression, usury, false weights, and the like: 
Hab. 2. 6, 9, 12.  These pull a w● upon themselves, 
jer. 17. 11.  besides that they heap up but chaff, 
1 Thess. 4. 6.  which the wind of God's wrath will scatter; God is an avenger of all such things: O what reckonings do these multiply against themselves! What answer shall they make that sell their souls to hell for pelf?  
2. This condemns not those only that get thus, 
Use 2.  but those that follow the world so eagerly, as they mind nothing else; of which sort most are, all day long nothing but of the world, no Prayer, no hearing of the Word; they think and talk of nothing else but the world, Lords days and all; they think Prayer would be an hindrance, they savour nothing but of the earth; they make more account of their old Shoes, than they do of a Sermon, they prise not such things; when they are called to the Wedding Feast, they have Farms and Oxen to hinder them, or if they come, all runs over, for they be full already, or as the Pharisees, 
Luke 16. 14.  mock at that they hear, or if they hear with joy, the thorns (worldly cares) quickly choke it; O this world undoeth most men! its an enemy, but not of itself, but by reason of our sottishness and drunkenness, 
See 1 Tim. 6. 9 and note the place.  that cannot moderate ourselves, but take too much of it, and wound ourselves many ways; What will it profit them in the end to have embraced this strumpet? she will serve us as Delilah did Samson, deprive us of our strength, and give us into our enemy's hands, and as Jael the Wife of Heber did by Sisera; thus will she serve her favourites.  
3. Learn we to be wise indeed, 
Use 3.  laying up a treasure in heaven, and labouring for meat that endureth to everlasting life, 
Mat. 16. 26.  For what will it profit a man to win the whole world, if he shall lose his own soul? O that God's good servants should be so encumbered with the world? O that that these base things should beguile and ensnare those that are born from above, to the hope of so great glory! Many good Christians are half drunk, they are unfit for good duties, cannot mind heaven, from Monday morning till Saturday night, and it is well if they be sober on the Lord's day; many be not, but let both their hearts and tongues be employed on the world, who yet count themselves Christians.  
O what excellent Christians would some be, were it not for the world! but how doth it mar many, keep them from good duties, weigh down their minds? 
Heb. 12. 1.  its that wherewith they are too easily beset.  
O let's wind up our plummets (as the clock-keeper) once every day, 
Simil.  keep our minds from being weighed down with the world; we must set apart some time to draw up our mind, especially Saturday night, not letting them down all the day following: We must so use the world, as not to run into evil for it, neither to neglect any duty to God, our Souls, our Families, our Neighbours, the Poor, or any other, we must use it to further us, as the Pilgrim doth his staff: Learn we to prise Spiritual graces, which are the only current coin in the Country we are going to; yet is not the seeking of God's Kingdom the way to hinder us of that which is meet, but rather the only furtherer: 
Mat. 6. 33.  would we have more than will do us good? But if we shall have less of the world, are we not more then enough recompensed, if we shall have more peace of Conscience, more credit here, more favour with God, more joy in death?  
Hope to the end, for the grace, etc.] This is the main Exhortation to constancy in the Faith, 
Mr. Esty on the place.  to the which the other two former Exhortations served as furtherances; others read the words thus, Trust perfectly on that Grace, etc. Where we have three things, 1. What they are exhorted to, namely, To trust: 2. How, Perfectly: and 3. On what, Grace; That is, Salvation; which is described by the means how they came by it, It was brought them, and that by the Gospel which revealeth Jesus Christ.  
1. They are exhorted to trust and believe in Christ for Salvation; Faith is a particular assurance, that whatsoever Christ hath done, he hath done it for me: 
What Faith is, with the parts thereof.  This is to put on Christ, to eat and drink his flesh and blood; It hath three parts: 1. Knowledge of the mystery of Salvation. 2. Consent. 3. Particular Application: 
john 3. 16.  This is the instrument of our Salvation, and puts a difference between justifying and temporary Faith, what else soever a man hath, there's no Salvation promised to it; 
Rom. 15. 3.  This the mother of all true joy and peace, The mother of all obedience, 
Heb. 11. 17.  and good life: See it in Abraham's offering up his Son; Hereby we are induced to do or suffer any thing for Christ: This we must labour to come to, when we feel our misery, and desire to come out of it, and hunger after Christ: we ought to believe that we shall be saved, 
john 6. 40.  This is the will of God (saith our Saviour) that ye believe in him, etc. God is willing and de●irous we should believe; 
Mar. 1. 15.  The commandment of the Gospel is so, and its commandments are as necessary to be obeyed as those of the Law, He that believeth, 
1 john 5. 10.  hath put to his seal that God is true: It's therefore our fault, that being come to the birth as it were, we stand still and do not believe, when God hath made us fit to believe; either raze yourselves out of the number of weary loaden sinners, etc. or else believe you shall be refreshed, and are pardoned in Christ.  
2. They are willed perfectly to trust; 
How they were to trust.  namely, 1. Sincerely without feigning. 2. Steadfastly without wavering. 3. Constantly without breaking off. Sincerely, nor feignedly, but so believe as we have ground out of God's Word for it: many say, they hope to be saved, and this is all; but put them to prove why, and whereon their persuasion is grounded, they can say nothing: Can you prove it out of God's Word? What promise have you thence? if you have, then it's well, 
See Downham, Christ. War.  else its Presumption, not Faith. Try it by the fruits of Humiliation, and by the fruits of Sanctification, by thy love to the Word and Saints. Steadfastly, without wavering, we must not be off and on, we hope well, but we cannot tell; God's promise is not yea and nay, 
Heb. 10. 22.  but most certain and infallible, so that we may be out of all doubt: 
Rom. 4. 21.  To this purpose its called assurance of Faith, and (as Abraham) we are willed to ask in Faith, 
jam. 1. 6.  and not to waver: It's true, no man's faith is so perfect, but there may be sometimes some doubtings, but they are not of the nature of Faith, but being from our corrupt nature, are contrary thereunto.  
1. This condemns the Papists, 
Use 1.  that tell us we may be of a good hope, but are great enemies to assurance; we may be assured, say they, in respect of God, but in respect of ourselves we cannot; he being faithful, changeth not, but we are weak and variable, may be well now, but by and by fall; a tormenting Doctrine: If we look to ourselves, we need not doubt, but despair rather; and God hath not promised Salvation to us upon condition of our constancy, as to Adam, 
john 13. 1.  but of his unchangeable love, 
Phil. 1. 6.  he will never leave us, but finish the good work he hath begun in us; yea, say the Papists, if we hold out: What a foolish repetition is this? God will do great things for us, if we continue; what were this to us, if we were left to ourselves? 
jer. 32. 40.  nay, he will give us a mind to continue, and so do all these things for us.  
2. This reproves even good honest humble Souls, 
Use 2.  that long after Christ, and hate sin with a deadly hatred, and have many excellent things in them, and yet stand at a stay; they would not for all the world, but hope that God will have mercy, but cannot be assured: Why, Is not God faithful? hath he not said, that such and such shall be saved? shall he say it, and not do it? God forbid.  
O am I so unworthy. 
Object.   
Therefore he will have mercy on thee; 
Sol.  if thou didst not feel and bewail that, he would not care for thee.  
O my sins be so great. 
Object.   
Is his mercy only able to take away small ones, 
Sol.  or the blood of Christ only for lesser offences? take heed.  
O but it's not for me. 
Object.   
He names thee not; 
Sol.  but faith he not, All weary and heavy loaden ones shall be eased? all that take up his yoke, shall find rest to their Souls? excludes he any? exclude not thyself.  
O but I have such a corrupt heart, 
Object.  and offend him every day.  
But how dost thou like thy sins? 
Sol.  I hare them, they are as gall to my mouth, I desire to be rid of them, etc. Why, then be of good comfort, no better sign of a child of God, then that thou strivest to mortify them, and to please God: There is none free from corruption, yet if thou fightest this Spiritual combat, thou mayest believe and be thankful; therefore this do, strive against thy corruptions all thou canst, and labour to reform more and more, and then shalt not thou need to doubt of thy Salvation. Lay the foundation of thy Salvation once sure, and never raze it more; if there be any fault in the roof, be mending it, but let the foundation he still: Imitate thy Father Abraham, 
Heb. 11. 17.  God promised him a Child, What did he? he neither looked on his own old age, nor the deadness of Sarahs' Womb, but looked on the promise of God: So do we look, not on this or that, our own unworthiness, or what Satan saith, but on God's promise; If the Devil do but put into your head, you shall not be saved, it shall prevail more than all we can say out of God's Word; fie upon it: Is not he a liar, and a murderer from the beginning? Doth he not tell them that have no Faith, that they have, as them that have it, that they have none; Cleave to one testimony of God's mouth, and let all the temptations to the contrary be gone: Renounce Thousands of them, and stick to the promise.  
O but I feel it not. 
Obj.   
No, 
Sol.  how canst thou, when thou wiltst not believe; believe first, and thou shalt feel after, but though thou shouldst not feel of a good while, yet believe the promise of God, constantly without breaking off; believe to morrow as to day, next year as this, we have good leave, God is the same, so shall we with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, die in the Faith.  
Therefore use all good means to continue it and increase it, 
Use 3.  hear diligently, receive the Sacrament carefully, pray continually, always keep a good Conscience▪ 
john 15. 10.  Wood is not more necessary and apt to nourish fire, then good works and well doing to nourish Faith: Also observe the dealings of God, and grow by your own experience: Many that have believed, and were very earnest in their beginning till they got it; after, growing secure and worldly, and withal neglecting the means, have (with David) fallen into some one sin or other, thereby losing the peace and comfort they formerly enjoyed: A great loss indeed, more than if a man were stripped of all to his shirt. O le's take heed of this loss, as we are to be wise as Serpents, so let us show our Serpentine wisdom in this one thing especially. The Serpent will be sure (so much as in her lies) to save her head; 
Simile.  so must we our Faith, for on this hangs all: and if by any means we have fallen therefrom, recover we ourselves by all means possible.  
3. That which they are to hope for or trust on, 
Salvation a most special grace.  is Grace, that is, Salvation: Every benefit is grace, but to be delivered out of our lost and undone state, and brought again into the favour of God, and saved, 
Eph. 1. 5.  is a most special grace. Our Election is of grace, 
joh. 3. 16.  so our Redemption, 
james 1. 18.  so our effectual Calling.  
1. This condemns the Papists, 
Use 1.  that teach partly Grace, partly Works: No, these cannot be mingled, either all or none; they be as contrary as light and darkness, 
Rom. 11. 6.  honey and gall, else were grace no more grace. 
Gal. 1. 7.  To join any thing with Christ, is to pervert the Gospel: They now begin to be ashamed, and mince this Opinion, saying, We be saved most by Grace, yet partly by Works; and, that these Works be died in the Blood of Christ; and, that it is most safe to rest on his merits alone: Well, God make them so ashamed, as altogether to renounce it, and so let us in the mean time.  
2. Let us serve the Lord with a cheerful and constant love and service, 
Use 2.  for his free favour to us all the days of our life.  
3. Show we grace and favour to others, 
Use 3.  not to such as have deserved well of us, but even to such as have not, nay ill, as we had of God.  
Grace] That is, Salvation. See, he calls their minds from looking for earthly preferment by Christ, whereunto they had a lingering mind, and calls them to look for Spiritual riches, even Salvation by him. 
What we are to expect by Christ.  What are we then to expect by Christ, and by professing the Gospel zealously? not Wealth, Honour, Peace, Credit in the world, but pardon of our sins, freedom from Hell and God's wrath, peace of Conscience, joy in the holy Ghost, that our persons and works shall please God, Angels to be our guard, our Prayers to be heard, our Souls at death to be carried into heaven, both our Bodies & Souls to be glorified at the great day; Will this satisfy us? Hereof we may be assured, if we believe in Christ, and zealously embrace the Gospel. 
john 18. 36.  As for other things, his Kingdom is not of this world, he promiseth not plenty, peace, ease, etc. He had them not himself, but (contrarily) troubles, 
2 Tim. 3. 12.  as all shall have that live godly in him.  
This teacheth us to lay our hand upon our heart, 
Use.  when we go about to profess, we know what we shall find, but it may be sorrow withal; if we can be content so, then may we go forward, else not. Many having gone on in profession not so advisedly, and after having found the wind and tide against profession, and reproach, trouble and danger for the same, have shrunk away, and with Demas, have forsaken Paul, and embraced the present world: Others seeing how hardly such be dealt with, though in their conscience they think best of such, yet keep in their heads, thinking that its best sleeping in a whole skin: But alas, they make but a weak choice; were they not better have these heavenly comforts and privileges here, and be acknowledged of Christ, and saved at the great day, though with some sorrows here, then to make the world their friend, and God their enemy, and to have him ashamed of them at that day, as he will? for we cannot have it go on our side now and then too.  
That is to be brought unto you] God tarried not till they sought Salvation, but he of his goodness brought it them, which he useth here as an Argument to persuade them to trust steadfastly to this Salvation, and look accordingly for it, because God would bring them to the Faith of it, when they thought not thereof.  
Note here, That  
Salvation is not of our own procuring or seeking: 
Salvation is not of our own procuring or seeking.  Alas, what could Adam and we in him do? we could fall, but what then towards our Salvation? we could run and hide ourselves, and excuse our sin, and increase our danger, 
Ezek. 16. 6.  but God was fain to bring him the seed of the woman, 
Eph. 2. 5.  he could not make himself an help, a wife (for God made and brought her to him) much less a Saviour. So, what's the reason he hath given us the Gospel in this Land, and not to our Forefathers, not to many other Lands? we sought it not, but when Idolaters in darkness, God brought it. So have we not been brought by marriage or by Service into Towns where we have had the Word, when we purposed no such thing? So to our hearts, what were any of us when God called us? Did we seek him? Alas no, we ran from him rather, long ere we yielded, but he followed us, and overcame us: See it in Saul, 
Acts 2. & 16.  did he seek Salvation? he was going to Damascus to persecute, 
Luke 19  God brought it him; so to Zacheus, the Gaoler, etc. so we. 
Rev. 3. 20.   
This teacheth us,  
1. To be humble. 
Use 1.   
2. To be exceeding thankful all the days of our life. 
Use 2.   
3. To rest confidently on him for the time to come, 
Use 3.  in the experience of that we have had; as thus, That he that brought us Salvation, the Word to us, or us to it, and gave us to see our misery, long after Christ, 
Rom. 5. 8, 9, 10.  have some taste of his love, and some desire to please him that were far from these, he will continue this, and will never leave us: Thus the Apostle reasons; But God commendeth his love towards us, 
Gen. 32. 10, 11.  etc. So Jacob in danger of Esau, He came over Jordan with his staff, and God had given him two bands, therefore he was persuaded to rely on God for present deliverance; for why (might he say) I am persuaded thou hast not done all this for me, to be lost in an instant, as an ox should lick up a flower, or a candle be put out at once. We use not Gods mercies well, when we grow not stronger by them for time to come.  
4. Comfort to a fearful heart, 
Use 4.  that fears he shall not hold out, or that God will cast him away: O its impossible, did he bring thee Salvation that regarded it not? and now hath given thee an heart to prise it above the world, and to walk in the way to it, will he now disappoint thee? No assuredly: If he would not have saved thee, he would have let thee alone as thy companions and many others, and never have done this for thee.  
O but the Devil is so strong and subtle, 
Object.  and I so weak and simple.  
He that hath plucked thee out of his hands, 
Sol.  will never suffer him to get thee captive again; It were else a disgrace to Christ: Except therefore he be stronger than God and Christ, thou needest not fear.  
At the revelation of Jesus Christ] He plucks these Jews from Moses Law, and the Ceremonies which were out of date, (but they could hardly be so persuaded) and brings them to the Gospel which discovers Christ: He was in that Law covered with Vails of Sacrifices and Ceremonies, etc. All these be done away in the Gospel, where Christ is laid open without any covering. Note,  
We have the excellency of the Gospel, 
The Gospel lays open Christ jesus unto us.  that doth uncover and lay open Christ Jesus unto us, brings us tidings of him, who is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and the only Saviour of the world; So that the Gospel is the glory of the World: The Sun is not so necessary in the Firmament, as the Gospel is to the world: This teacheth us Christ, which is life eternal, and St. Paul desired to know nothing, but Christ and him crucified, 
Phil. 3. 8.  and counted all dung for the excellent knowledge of Christ Jesus his Lord: O how welcome should this be! It is well called glad tidings, so it is indeed: The Gospel is our pardon. If we should find evidences of great Lands and Inheritances to come to us, or a Will wherein were bequeathed great Legacies to us, how glad would we be of the same? How often would we revise and read them over? The Gospel brings us tidings, and tells us the way to come to an everlasting inheritance, and therein are bequeathed such blessed Legacies, Item, I give thee forgiveness of thy sins by my Son's death; Item, Eternal life by his obedience. Item; I give thee assurance that thou shalt be raised here from sin, and that thy body shall be raised at the last day by my Son's Resurrection; Item, I give thee assurance of a place in Heaven by my Son's Ascension.  
1. Is it not a marvel then that the Gospel is so hardly entertained? 
Use 1.  and that the World cares so little for it? It's welcome to most people, not as if it brought them news of a blessing, but as if it would spoil them of all they have.  
2. How should they that want it be set on work to labour to get it? 
Use 2.  as without which there's no Salvation; Its light, food, armour, without which darkness, famine, spoil: If the Sun should be wanting to a Town, and could be procured, how would all join to get it? Or rain for a dry and barren ground; who would not wonder at any that should be against it? yet who joins, who labours for the Gospel.  
3. If the Gospel be the revelation of Jesus Christ, 
Use 3.  then are the Ministers revealers of this blessed Secret, therefore worthy to be acknowledged for their works sake, 
1 Thess. 5. 12, 13.  for the greatness of their work, and the excellency thereof: Pharaoh reverenced and advanced Joseph for smaller matters; 
Rom. 10. 15.  O how beautiful are the feet of such: Most people either rate them, or at least set light by them, not reverencing their calling, but esteeming them more base than the meanest Tradesman; But that grieves us not so much, as that unkindeness that we meet with from them, from whom we look for most comfort and encouragement.   

Verse 14. As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance.  
TO Faith he addeth Repentance and Sanctification, by the one to testify the other, 
2 Pet. 1. 5.  (as in the second Epistle, he wills them to add unto their Faith, virtue) as if he should say, You that sometimes were the Children of wrath, and are now by grace made God's Children, walk obediently as becomes such a mercy.  
This Sanctification hath two parts: 
The two parts of Sanctification.  and stands, 1. In renouncing evil, or the lusts, which (before grace) we were wont to be led by. 2. In putting on, and embracing holiness of life, that we may resemble the disposition of our Father who is holy, and looks for holiness in his; yea, holiness in all manner of conversation.  
For the order, 
Obedience and Sanctification follow Faith.  first goes Faith, than Obedience and Sanctification; for as the light and Sunbeams comes from the Sun, a river from the Spring head, 
Simile.  fruit from the tree, so doth obedience from Faith: Till a man be pardoned and believe, 
Heb. 11. 8.  he cannot repent nor obey the will of God, no more than a dead stick can bring forth fruit. When by Faith we are engrafted into Christ, than we receive power, not before; one that hath never been humbled aright for sin, cannot hate and fly from sin as he should: He that seeth not the love of God to him, cannot love God, nor set upon a good life; to deny his lusts, being as dear as his life, and to yield obedience, is irksome to nature: for this cause the Devil is such an enemy to our Faith, and labours to shake it, for than he knows he damps our care of a good life.  
1. This condemns Papists, 
Use 1.  that boast of holiness of life, and yet overthrow the foundation of it, (viz.) A true justifying faith: They may stir up good moods, and a blind devotion, by scaring men with the pains of hell, and telling them of the joys of heaven, but no sound Obedience, godly Life, renouncing Lusts, etc. without the work of Faith, from that will be Obedience, even to suffering.  
2. It confutes them that think Repentance is before Faith; 
Use 2.  they are indeed wrought at once, and Repentance showeth itself first, but in order of nature, Faith is as the root: Many humble souls hold off, and dare not believe, O say they, if I could repent so heartily as I see some, and could serve God as I would, than I could believe.  
3. It teacheth men, 
Use 3.  that if ever they will set upon a good life indeed, and in time, they must begin at the right end, and lay a foundation of true justifying faith; for want of this, many deceive themselves that have some purpose to do well, being afflicted, or somewhat stirred at the Word, and fall out of a bad course, to leave this and that evil, or take up good duties; and many that never had experience of the work of Faith, that think they live well, or some that upon some occasion thus promise, You shall never hear me swear more, I'll never play more, Never come in an Alehouse; yet this lasts not, but they fall to their old byase by and by, because they took not the right course: Many also purpose to repent, and do great matters, but this is a greater matter than the world thinks off; a man must first be the child of God, ere he can obey, and Faith must be wrought first, ere he can come to true repentance; therefore put it not off, it's not the work of a day, or sickness the fittest time to be allotted thereto, but constantly to be set upon, till we shall attain thereunto.  
As obedient children] Or children of obedience, that is, given to obedience, and studying thereto with all their might of body and soul, as if you could imagine obedience to be a creature, and a mother that had children, resembling herself, 
Eph 5. 6.  so must we be; the contrary hereof is elsewhere expressed, 
Col. 3. 6.  Children of disobedience, that is, given over unto all disobedience, and in other places the like phrases, and to the same purpose are used, see 1 Kings 21. 5. Psal. 50. 18, 19 Mat. 7. 23.  
Hereunto the Apostle exhorteth, for that they were called to be children, 
God calls for obedience.  which strongly enforceth this duty of obedience.  
Obedience is that which God still calls for, which he doth again and again require at our hands; 
jer. 7. 23.  its better than sacrifice, as contrarily, 
jam. 1. 22.  rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. 
1 Sam. 15. 22.  The Israelites (doubtless) spoke well, 
Deut. 5. 29.  But O that there were such an heart in them (saith God) that they would fear me, and keep my commandments always: Neither hearing the Word, 
See Isa. 38. 3.  nor knowing or speaking of it, pleaseth God, without obeying; 
john. 14. 15, 21.  nothing else can comfort our Souls and Consciences in death; nothing else can approve us to be the servants of the Lord, 
Mat. 7. 24, 25.  or that we love him, 
john 10. 27.  or that we shall continue to the end, His sheep hear his voice, and follow him.  
For the manner of our obedience:  
1. We must obey, 
We must obey in all things.  not to halves, or where we lift, but in all things, not as Saul or Herod, 
Psal. 119. 6.  Nadab and Abihu; there were the same persons, incense, 
Luke 1. 6.  censers, altar that should be, only the fire was not the same, who therefore were punished by fire from heaven. 
Leu. 10. 2.   
2. We must not on the other side run without our errand, 
Which are commanded.  nor do things whereof we have no commandment; this is no obedience, be it never so costly or painful, have it never so goodly a show: And here falls to the ground all Will-worship of the Papist, to whom it will be said, Who required these things at your hands? as also all good intents without warrant of the actions: How was God displeased with them that offered their sons and daughters to the fire, 
jer. 7. 31.  having no such commandment from him.  
Moreover, 
Be the commandment never so strange or unpleasing.  we must obey the Commandment of the Lord, be it never so strange, harsh, unpleasing, or contrary to Nature, denying ourselves contrary to custom, though all the world counsel to the contrary: and that not indenting or covenanting with the Lord beforehand for wages or success; as to say, I would do such a thing, so I thought no hurt would come of it, or that I should thrive in that course, or that I should not meet with trouble: no, we must follow the Lord, as the blind man follows the staff of his leader, and chooseth not his own way. Thus did Abraham in forsaking his own Country at God's Commandment in his old age; it was his Native Country, that wherein he had lived so long, he was to go he knew not whether: He had questionless contrary counsels of his Neighbours, What a mad man are you to remove now, and seek a new dwelling in your old age; you are here known, here are your Kindred, you know the Country, and have thriven: It's as if one should remove a tree that hath grown long in place, into another place when its old: Well, for all those he persisted in his obedience to God's Commandment.  
The Jesuits train up their Scholars in strange obedience, 
The strict obedience of the jesuits to their Superiors  as that they must do whatsoever their Superiors bid them, and that speedily without questioning; as to water a rotten tree, to pour a vessel of good wine into a gutter, to set trees with the roots upward, etc. when his Superior calls him to go in an instant, and not to stay to make up the circle of an O; when he is writing and made the one part of it, he must not stay to make up the other part: They to justify this, and provoke to obedience, tell a miracle, That one thus called of his Superior, and leaving his O in the midst half made, at his return found it made up a perfect O, and so gilded, that it shined, etc. Such obedience owe we to God, and these rules be very good, so as the Commanders and Commandments were good. We must obey God directly, and never cast about beforehand what shall be the end, we must leave it to him, and to obey him must needs fall out well. Abraham did not amiss, but sped well in obeying God: So Noah and the rest. Abraham never shifted for himself, but twice about his wife, and he was like then to have spoiled himself, if God had not helped him out of the briars; So Jonah: Our own Devices never succeed, though never so likely. But we have such reaches beforehand, that mar our obedience: Oh, if I were ruled by the Preacher, I should not thrive by plain dealing, nor wax rich; or if I should leave such a course, or such a course, I should be poor; If I should do thus and thus, I should come to trouble: but let us do our duty, and let the Lord alone for his part to look to us; in obeying him we cannot do amiss. The wicked will leave their sin a little while it may be, through Sickness, or Fear, or Counsel, as the Dog that is beat from the Carrion, 
Simile.  or called away, yet hath a Dog's eye back again after it, 
Mat. 21. 30.  and will be at it again, as soon as one's back is turned; yea, and if haply they give good words, yet will not their doings be answerable.  
3. We must obey without reasoning the case, 
Without consu1lting with flesh & blood.  or consulting with flesh and blood; we must bind Reason hand and foot to follow God (as it were) blindefold, as Abraham in offering Isaac, and Joshua in compassing Jericho, 
2 King. 5. 11.  and not as Naaman the Syrian: Our Reason proves a very great enemy to obedience.  
4. We must obey, 
Whosoever, or whatsoever be against it.  whosoever or whatsoever be against it: If Profits, Pleasure, Farm, Oxen, etc. calls us away, and God invite us, we must follow him, else have we no part in him: If Father, Mother, Friend, 
See Deu. 13. 6.  nay the Wife of our bosom entice us from him, we must not give ear to them; nay, if our right hand, eye, or foot offend us, we must cut them off and obey God. He that hates not father and mother, wife and children, 
Mat. 5. 29.  yea his own life for my name's sake (saith our Saviour) is not worthy of me; 
Luke 14. 26.  yea, if any should command and threaten us contrary to our obedience unto God, 
Dan. 3. 17, 18.  we must not yield to them, but rather obey God then them. 
Acts 4. 19   
5. Speedily, 
Speedily.  not hereafter, but to day, while it is called to day, etc. not repent hereafter, when I have taken my pleasure a while longer, hear Sermons when I am thus rich, have Prayer in my Family when such businesses and le's be over; nay, thou mayest be dead, or meet with more ere they be gone.  
6. Voluntarily, 
Voluntarily.  not be haled only by pain and misery, as Pharaoh; God loves a cheerful servant.  
7. Constantly, 
Constantly.  not for a while, as Joash, but as Caleb and Joshua followed the Lord to the end, yea when most revolted: See the contrary punished in the Prophet that came from Bethel. 
1 King. 13. 24.  We must not be weary in well doing. 
Gal. 6. 9   
Reason's hereof may be these: 
Reasons.   
1. God's Sovereignty over us, we Clay, he our Maker.  
2. His Will a rule of Righteousness.  
3. His great mercies every way, even to the worst, but to his children wonderful ones.  
1. This condemns them that are so far from obeying, 
Use 1.  and that in all things, and after this manner, 
See Exod. 5. 2.  that they will obey in nothing, but as if they were set to cross the Lord, 
job 21. 14, 15.  what he forbids, they love, what he enjoins, 
jer. 6. 16. and 44. 16.  they cannot away withal: They live like masterless men, as if they ought nothing to any, were beholding to none; What, art thou not a piece of Clay, the Lord thy Maker? even he that threw Angels out of Heaven, Adam out of Paradise, opened the Earth, reigned down fire and brimstone on Sodom, etc. If his Sovereignty move thee not, consider, I beseech thee, his Goodness; Who hath nourished thee up? given thee a comely body, a reasonable Soul, and so long kept thee, that thou art not now in Hell? What's all this for, that thou shouldst fly in his face that gives thee bread? He lets thee hear his Word, calls thee to Repentance, etc. Is it that thou shouldst tread these things under thy feet? Oh, thou art of thy father the Devil, whose works thou dost; and except thou fall down at the Lords footstool, 
Psal. 50. 22.  and humble thyself before him, he will confound thee▪ O consider this, all ye that now forget God.  
2. It condemns such also as obey God to halves, 
Use 2.  and in what they list, in the mean time lying still in some beloved lust; So Pharaoh obeyed, 
Exod. 10. 26.  so Herod and Saul: But as Moses would not part with one hoof, so will not God have us cast off any one Commandment; God will have no parting Stakes: 
1 King. 3. 26.  The Devil, like the Harlot, would be contented with the one half, but God, like the true Mother, will have all or none. If God were so revenged of half-obedience under the Law, what then now? This halving is an Argument of no true Faith, for that purifieth the heart; 
Acts 15. 9  also of no Repentance, for he that reputes truly of one sin, reputes truly of all: Whosoever therefore thou art that dost thus, thou art in the gall of bitterness, and bond of iniquity, thou art in the state of damnation. If thou livest in the practice and love of one known sin, profitable or pleasing, this one shall be enough to sink thee down to destruction, 
Simile.  as one leak in a Ship may endanger the whole, and one gate in a City open let in the Enemy.  
3. This rebukes the servants of God that yet walk not in that obedience that were meet, 
Use 3.  but leave undone this and that duty, slighting over others, and letting loose their affections and lusts; O this is not the cheerful and constant obedience that we ought to perform in all things. If neither his Authority, nor his outward Benefits will move us, consider we his love towards us in Jesus Christ, that of children of wrath he hath made us his children, that by giving his Son, he hath freed us from Damnation, and means to save us: Oh, the Name of Children calls for much obedience, 
Gen. 13. 8.  as the Name of Brethren should still all Controversy. And this is the Argument which the Apostle here useth to persuade to obedience: Oh, we be God's Children, Children ought to obey their Parents, there's nothing more uncomely than the contrary, much more we the Father of our Spirits: Christ the natural Son was obedient to the death, How obedient then must we be, being but adopted ones?  
Again, 
What may stir us up unto obedience.  That he hath called us to the hope of such an Inheritance, what obedience doth this challenge? For this is the force of the coherence of Verse 13. with those that go before. Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, etc. That is, Seeing God hath done such and such things for us, let us trust perfectly on that grace that is brought unto us, and walk obediently: Yea, the more we profit in obedience, the more comfort we may have, that we be the Lords, and have true Faith; the more will our comfort be also in our death: So many of us therefore, as can prove ourselves the Lords, do we labour to walk worthy hereof in all due obedience; and for others that know not they are the Lords, let them try it by obedience.  
Many Covetous, 
Use 1.  Usurers, Oppressors, Swearers, etc. will say, they believe: no, be tried by this rule, If your heart stand to obey all God's commandments, it is so; but while you live in any thing you know is sin, you are void of Faith.  
Other poor humble Christians that hate sin deadly, 
Use 2.  and unfeignedly desire to please God in all things, yet say, they cannot believe; Why? who hath wrought these things in you? Not flesh and blood, they are the gifts of God's sanctifying Spirit, therefore they come from Faith; as if we see a Sunbeam, we say, the Sun is risen; if an Apple that is good, 
Simile.  we say, there is a good Tree: Except therefore you will say that men can gather Figs of Thistles, or Grapes of Thorns, you cannot deny but that you have Faith; wheresoever Sanctification is, there Faith went before; O but I find it but weak, yet as long as it is in truth, with desire of increase, it presupposes Faith: as if we see a Sunbeam, though but dimly, yet we say, the Sun is up, after it will shine out more clearly: So we say, it's a good Tree, though the fruit be small at first, so long as it is good.  
If any shall say, 
Obj.  I feel in me no such thing now, therefore I have no Faith, what shall become of me?  
Was it ever so with thee? 
Sol.  Look to the time past, and thou must not deny the mercy of God showed thee: Thou canst not deny, but it hath been so, than thou hast had Faith, than hast thou Faith still, though it seem raked up in the ashes: 
Simile.  when thou with the bellows of Prayer and the Word, and God with his Spirit shall blow away these ashes, it will uncover itself, and burn out again.  
Not fashioning yourselves, 
Two parts of obedience.  etc.] There are two parts of Obedience, or Repentance, a dying unto sin, and a living unto righteousness; a renouncing of lusts, 
Isa. 1. 16.  and embracing holiness; a ceasing to do evil, and a learning to do well; 
Rom. 12. 9  an abhorring of that which is evil, 
Col. 3. 10.  and cleaving to that which is good; a putting off of the old man, and putting on of the new; he that hath the one, hath also the other, they are married by the Lord, and none can divorce them: Therefore if any man seem to have the one, and not the other, he hath neither in truth: If therefore any leave evil, and do not good, or if any do some good, and hate not all evil, he is but an hypocrite.  
For the order here used, 
We must forsake evil before we can do good Simile.  he sets renouncing of our lusts first, before embracing of holiness; men put off their old rags, ere they can put on new apparel; purge the stomach of ill humours, ere they take good nourishment; dig up the weeds, ere they sow or set herbs: so in this case.  
Where therefore there remaineth the love of any lust or sin, there is no true grace in that heart, neither will any grow till that be rooted out, God will not plant any of his grace there, till the Devils planting be plucked up. Many think they be Christians, and do many things well, though they keep the love of some sin; no, mark, the love of grace and goodness, and the love of any sin, cannot be in one heart, they are so contrary the one to the other; therefore while thou livest in any known sin, and lovest any lust, as sure as God is in heaven thou art an hypocrite, and let me perish if there be one dram of true grace in thee, but thou standest in the state of damnation.  
Therefore renounce and bid adieu to thy lusts; 
Use.  and seeing you make a profession, and do many things, will you lose heaven for your lust, for one sin? 
1 Cor. 9 24.  so run that you may obtain, lose not heaven for a little, make either something or nothing of thy profession, banish from thee all sin, that God may work some true grace in thy heart.  
In your ignorance] He fathers their following of lusts on their ignorance; 
Ignorance is the cause and root of a bad life.  and ignorance is the cause and root of a wicked and bad life: For till men know the will of God out of his Word, how can they do it? and what are we prone to by nature, but to all the evil in the world? Therefore the devil labours by all means to hold people in blindness, & of all books, hath most been an enemy to the Bible, and to sincere and diligent reading and preaching the Scriptures, for were those away, he knows all iniquity must needs abound, as there did in Popery, when people were nuzzled up in blindeness; O what abundance of sin was committed? but it did not so much appear, because they were in the dark, and the light of God's word discovers sin, which was then very rare: 
Simile.  As if one come into an house at midnight, he ●ees no faults, but when the morning comes, than he sees a number of things out of order; so in this clear light of the Gospel, we see the wickedness that then appeared not in the dark. Whether will not our nature run? and whether may not the devil and world lead one, when he hath no eyes to see whether he goes? The blind eats many a fly, and a man may lead a blind man into the deepest pit. 
Simile.  As the Raven first picks out the Lambs eyes, and then kills it at his pleasure, when it cannot see to escape away, so doth the devil by people: Ignorance is often compared to darkness, and they that go in the dark often stumble, fall, and hurt themselves: Samson when blind, was led to any thing, as to grind, to make Sports, etc.  
1. This teacheth us to desire that the clear light of the Word may shine more and more brightly into all places of this land, 
Use 1.  for there are many places that have either no preaching, or else very seldom; So as for want of knowledge, people wallow in a number of lusts most fearfully, the Lords day most grievously Profaned, preachers slighted, etc.  
2. Every Minister is to endeavour to the utmost of his power, 
Use 2.  to bring their people to the knowledge of their duty, that so they may be either truly converted, or at least hereby restrained.  
3. People are to labour for knowledge, 
Use 3.  else they must needs be captives of many lusts: Think not as many do, because ye are poor and not book-learned, therefore you shall be held excused; many think their very ignorance shall be a good plea, because they know nothing, God will hold them excused: 
john 3. 19  Is light come into the world, and shall men's sin (their ignorance) hold them excused? its otherwise.  
4. All parents are to have a special care, 
Use 4.  where and in what Towns and houses they place their children; they must place them where they may learn to know God, to discern between good and evil, and if it prevail not with them by and by, yet there's hope it shall lie as seed in their hearts, that will shoot up in time.  
But how can he say, 
Why being so well instructed in the Law, they are here termed ignorant.  In their ignorance, seeing they were well instructed and expert in the Law, having it read among them daily? and had they not good knowledge in the Law, and in the Prophets? True, yet he justly calls them ignorant; 1. Because though they were so cunning in the Law and Prophets, yet they knew not Jesus Christ, the end of the Law, and so the sum of all. 2. Their knowledge was only in their brain, and not effectual in their hearts to renew and reform them, 
Rom. 2 17, etc.  but they were carried away by their lusts, notwithstanding of their knowledge.  
1. Then all the knowledge in the world without the knowledge of Christ Jesus, 
All knowledge without the knowledge of Christ is nothing.  is nothing: If a man could measure the heavens, tell the number of the stars, had skill in all Arts and Sciences whatsoever, yet without the knowledge of Christ it were vanity. Paul knew much being brought up at the feet of Gamaliel, 
Phil. 3. 8.  But he counted all things else loss and dung for the excellent knowledge of Christ Jesus; 
1 Cor. 2. 2.  He desired to know nothing but Christ Jesus, and him crucified. If a man were the wisest in a County to arbitrate and compound controversies, yet all this were nothing without the knowledge of Christ.  
2. All the knowledge of the world, 
Knowledge without reformation is but ignorance.  if it reform not a man, is but ignorance; So much a man knows as he obeys: That is not knowledge that is in the brain, but that which soaketh down into the heart, and transformeth a man into the similitude thereof; so much men know, as they mortify their lusts: He that lives after his lusts, let him have never such store of knowledge, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know: what if a man know he should not Swear, Lie, commit Adultery, etc. yet doing these is he any whit the better? Is he not rather much worse? Yea, the Devil himself hath more knowledge than any man: The world wonders many times to see men of great knowledge do such and such things: Alas, Knowledge and Conscience are two several things, and often sundered in the subject.  
1. Then, let no man boast of his Knowledge: Many love to hear themselves talk, but look what power they have over their lusts, what mastery over their affections.  
2. Do not we labour so much for knowledge, 
Use 2.  as for the power of it; Therefore when we have heard a Sermon, let's not content ourselves that we can repeat it, have a good memory and utterance, but by ourselves pray earnestly, and travel upon our hearts, that it may effectually work in us: A little well learned of an humble Soul, craving to be ruled by it, is better than much that a vain bragger can repeat, that will be ruled in nothing but when he list.  
But he would not have them live now they had Knowledge, 
Such as have attained knowledge, must not live as they did before.  as they did in Ignorance, and now God having wrought in them the hope of eternal life, he would have them walk far otherwise then they did ere they had this; being called out of the world, they were not to live after the corrupt manners thereof. 
Rom. 12. 2.  Men and women would be loath to be seen abroad in such attire as they go in on nights; 
Rom. 13. 11, 12.  were it not a gross thing for any to do their work as badly by day light as in the dark night? 
Eph. 4. 17. & 5. 8.   
People therefore that live under the Word, 
Use.  must not do as they did before they heard it: Why may we not do this or that, will some say? we do but as we have done, and as other Towns do? well, is it not enough if upon your true humiliation God pardon the time of your ignorance, 
john 9 41.  though he now expect obedience? and so must you now obey, else your sin will be great, and ye must be beaten with the more stripes: will God look that your work should be done no better than theirs that have no light, 
Luke 12. 47, 48  when he allows you candle? our conversation must be such as becometh the Gospel. 
Phil. 1. 27.   
So for Christians that have received assurance of God's love, and entered covenant with God, they must not yield to their lusts as others, to whom God hath not showed such mercy, or as themselves did before they knew God in Christ Jesus: they must not be as worldly now as before they knew God to be their Father, and that there was a better inheritance for them; as proud now of apparel, following every fangle, as before they knew the true apparel of Christ's righteousness, & to be decked with grace to be the best attire; as froward as before they had the Spirit to refuse these corruptions; they must not backbite, slander, talk of other men's faults, rejoice in their infirmities, as they did in the time of their ignorance; they must not talk of worldly matters on the Lord's day, as they were wont ere they knew the holiness thereof, and what a strict rest & observation God requireth; nor follow gaming, as before when they knew no better mirth; 
Gal. 5. 25.  nor be so vain in talk, as before they knew it to be a fault, & as carnal persons be: Then what singular thing do we? We must be now as much altered in our behaviour, as our case, we hope, is altered from top to toe; as from being heirs of wrath, to be heirs of heaven: Kings sons and daughters must not live as every ordinary base person, nor God's Chrildrens as Worldlings. Let us therefore so many as have given our names to Christ indeed, and know ourselves delivered out of this evil world, and are assured that God is our Father, and we his children, walk as it becometh children of such a Father, and such an hope of so glorious an inheritance, not avoiding gross and outward ungodliness only, but resisting our own lusts; for Christians must make an account they have themselves, their own very hearts to strive against: Our adversary is in our bosom and bowels, no marvel then if our strife be somewhat hard, for our crown after our victory is wonderful great.   

Verse 15. But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation. Verse 16. Because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy.  
HEre's the other part of Sanctification, 
Holiness must be added to abstinence from evil.  namely, 
Tit. 2. 12.  The affirmative, which showeth what we must do; this must necessarily be added to the former: so that it's not enough that we fashion not ourselves to our former lusts, but we must also be holy. Our Saviour Christ cursed not the figtree because it bore bad fruit, to poison them that came by, but because it bore none; as that also for which the dresser of the vineyard pleaded: 
Luke 13. 7.  Every tree that brings not forth good fruit, is hewn down; The bad servant bound hand and foot, 
Mat. 3. 10.  not for rioting out his talon, 
Mat. 25. 30.  but for not well employing it; so on the day of judgement shall it be said, 
Verse 41.  Go ye cursed, etc. not for casting me into prison, but not visiting me therein, etc.  
This is the more to be urged, 
This duty needful to be urged.  because a great many as long as they be not hurtful, think themselves in a very good case as can be, though in the mean while they do no good: They do hurt to none; alas, this is but half, God forbidding an evil, commands a contrary good: what if one do not that which is forbidden, and yet leave the duty commanded? what obedience is this?  
Let a number that think they have repent, 
Use.  and a number of civil persons try themselves by this: You have left, or do keep no ill company, but do you care for and delight in good company? alas, a number have no savour nor mind to such: You do not profane the Lords Day, but do you carefully sanctify it publicly and privately? You have banished Cards and Dice out of your house, or never had any, but have you entertained Reading and Prayer in their stead? banished the Devil, and entertained God in his room? you are peaceable, and not boisterous and spritish in your Family, but do you any good? So, it's not sufficient that we drive none from God and his Word, and well doing, by mocking or any other discouragement, but provoke one another to goodness, 
Psal. 51. 13.  the Husband the Wife, Parents their Children, Masters their Servants; and so on the contrary, Wives their Husbands, etc.  
It's not sufficient to say, I hinder them not; this shows only, thou art not so bad as some, but proves not that thou art indeed good: So many in a Town think it enough if they do no hurt in it, but they will sleep in a whole skin: But they must not only haunt no Alehouses, or be disordered, but seek to suppress such as be; else if they gather not with Christ, 
Luke 11. 23.  they scatter; if not with him, then against him: 
judg. 5. 23.  for this Meroz; was cursed. How a number of rich men in Towns can shift this curse, 
Neh. 13. 17.  I know not: O what evil is this that ye do? Too many are content to let goodness go by; they are no enemies to good Ministers or people, etc. but they will do nothing to procure the Gospel to a Town, or to hold it where it is, but if we have any truth in us, we will, though we meet with hard measure for our labour; Christ hath done more for us: So much have we profited in the hatred of evil, as we have gotten in the love and practice of the contrary good, and no otherwise.  
If this would serve for men, to leave evil, many would be Christians, but this is but half; he that stands here will come but half way, almost only with Agrippa to heaven, 
Acts 16. 28.  not altogether: Repentance hath two feet, he that stands not on both is a lame Christian. If there were a Preferment for a man at London, and he should go half way, and there stay, would he not lose it? might he not also be justly accounted a fool, a negligent and lazy person? Such are we, if through lack of one part of Repentance we deprive ourselves of heaven.  
But as he which hath called you is holy, etc.] Speak we first of the Exhortation unto holiness, ver. 15. then of the Reason enforcing the same, ver. 16.  
Touching the Exhortation, it's to Holiness, whose extent is in all manner of Conversation, which is set out by a Simile, viz. As God is holy; who is described by a main benefit bestowed on them, Their Calling: But as he that hath called you is holy, so be ye holy, etc.  
The Exhortation than is to Holiness; we were made holy at the first, we are now filthy and unclean; we must have the image of sin put off, 
Christian's must be holy.  and a new image of God put on; we must be sanctified persons, set aside for the Lords use, as the Shewbread, that none might meddle with, or put to any other use. We must be for the use of neither Flesh, World, Devil, but for Gods use only; we must have no more Body, Soul, Wit, Will, Reason, Hand, Eye, Finger or Foot, but for the Lords use. 
1 Thess. 4. 3.  This is the will of God, even our Sanctification: Angels our fellow servants be holy, Heaven the place we look for is holy, no unclean person comes there; 
joh. 15. 3. and 17. 17.  God hath also given us his holy Word, and holy Sacraments to increase us in holiness; so holy Sabbaths, and his holy Spirit.  
This the end of our Election, 
Eph. 1. 4.   
This the end of our Redemption, 
Luke 1. 74, 75.   
This the end of our Calling. 
1 Cor. 6. 20.  Yea, 
1 Thess. 4. 7.   
As without holiness no man shall see God: 
jam. 1. 18.  So, 
Heb. 12. 14.   
The inheritance is prepared for them that are sanctified. 
Mat. 5. 8.   
1. This condemns such as are so far from holiness, 
Acts 20. 32.  as they give themselves over to all manner of lewdness and profaneness, 
Use 1.  and mock at those that desire any better, Oh, you be of those holy ones, of the holy brotherhood: and what are you? of the profane ones, as Esau? Take heed, you will speed as Esau did. If you be not holy, you shall never see God, but (as Belshazar saw the hand-writing) to your terror: Is it not too much you be profane yourselves, but would you that others also should be so too? Doth not God enjoin holiness? speaks he not to all? Therefore except you will publish to the world that you are marching in the Devil's Rabble, and have renounced your part in heaven, and vowed your own destruction, break off your fins by Repentance, and cease to be for the Devils use any longer: Confess and cry for pardon of that is past, enter a new Covenant, renounce thy old Master, with whom is ugly works, base scullery, woeful wages. 
Rom. 6. 22.   
2. This also condemns all civil persons that rest herein; 
Use 2.  you must exceed this, else you cannot enter into the Kingdom of heaven. It's great pity, that many men of very fair carriage are no better for themselves, and they trust to their honest and just dealing with their Neighbours; but alas, it will deceive them for want of holiness. Alas, that you will see nothing into the first Table: How little do most regard the true Worship of God, and the Spiritual use of it? How seldom do they pray, or have any divine Meditation? How little regard they the Sabbath? How often swear? and such persons be the best Papists we know.  
In all manner of conversation. 
Holy in all manner of conversation. ] Not where, when, to whom, and what we list, but at all times, in all places, towards all persons, and in all things, 
Psal. 145. 17.  as God is holy in all his ways and works.  
1. This serveth to rebuke those that will yield in some things only: 
Use 1.  what is it if a man be not covetous, if he be proud or unclean, etc. some will yield in great matters, but in small do as they list; as to swear by their Faith and Troth, especially in that which is true, talk vainly, play a game or two on the Lords day, put a little false Ware, deceive a little, etc. Some again will yield in all small matters, but in some great thing they will not; 
2 Pet. 1. 5.  as to give all diligence to increase in every grace, 
Col. 3. 17.  and that no corrupt communication should come out of their mouths: 
Eph. 4. 29.  though thou hast spoke many good words, yet hadst thou better be silent, then have no more good to speak. There are some devout in the Church, but Spirits in their houses at home; In their own Town well ordered, but in strange places as the company is, riotous, wanton, 
1 King. 20. 23.  deep in gaming, etc. as though God were God of the Mountains, and not of the Valleys, of one place, and not of another. Some must be vain at the Table, and Christ-tide, howsoever at other times. Some in adversity will be very humble, good words, golden promises, but in prosperity nothing so. Some in prosperity carry themselves well, in adversity not stick to run to a Witch: At the Communion, or a day or two after, 
Simil.  will be demure, but not so long. Some use their Superiors well, their poor Tenants or Workfolks hardly: Alas, there is no part of our life, wherein God gives any licence to do evil; in our particular Callings let us show the truth of our Christianity. Some servants will make a show of Religion, and be desirous to hear, but are lazy and unthrifty in their Callings: Some men carry themselves very forwardly, that in their shops and dealings show it not. Papists seem very devout in some things, yet you shall lightly ever know any that make Conscience of an Oath, or of the Lords day  
2. Let us prove the truth of holiness in us, 
Use 2.  by the generality of it; keep a constant tenor, an even hand, and let there be a proportion between every part of our life, not one part as it were devout, another profane and wicked; 
Dan. 2. 32.  like Nebuchadnezars Image, one part gold, another silver, another brass, etc. These cannot hang together, but let it be in all things, and this will afford true comfort on our Deathbeds, 
2 Pet. 1. 11.  and give us a large entrance into the glorious Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ: True it is, we cannot come to any perfection here on earth, but shall be subject to offend; yet this were to be wished, that all our actions and behaviour, and all our speeches and thoughts were such as become holiness; and it's that we should endeavour unto, the beginning whereof is simplicity, and truth of heart, desiring without dissembling, or feigning to walk so as we may please God in all things.  
Wonderful is the weakness of most part of Christians, who howsoever in many things they do well, yet many of their actions and speeches are not answerable: Well, let us notwithstanding endeavour it, and that every day more & more; and le's not be discouraged, though we cannot attain to all we would, but if we can gain ground this way, though it be but a little at once, yet our labour shall not be in vain: we must every day exceed ourselves a little, and so not bearing with ourselves in our corruptions, but unfeignedly striving against them, we may receive no small comfort; let us therefore not bear with ourselves in the least evil, 
Rom. 7. 19, 24.  but strive to reform ourselves in every thing; in the mean time (with the Apostle) mourning because of the corruption.  
But as he that hath called you is holy,] That is, God: This is the Simile, whereby the Exhortation to holiness is set forth, which hath in it also the force of a double reason to persuade thereunto: 1. From the person calling. 2. From the calling itself.  
The person calling, 
God is holy.  God: he is holy, therefore must we be so. Concerning Gods holiness, we need say little; It's his very essence, and uncreated in him, he hath been so for ever, and is so infinitely: 
Isa. 6. 3.  The Angels cannot cease praising the same, Holy, holy, holy, 
Rev. 4. 8.  etc.  
He is the Fountain of holiness, and conveyeth the streams thereof into his Creatures, 
Leu. 20. 8.  Men and Angels: He is holy by nature, whatsoever holiness is in Angels or Men, is not by nature, but by grace: He sanctifieth the place where he manifesteth himself, as the ground whereon Moses stood by the bush where God appeared; 
Exod. 3. 5.  much more Heaven, where he most clearly showeth himself to the Saints.  
This should teach us, 
Use.  as to acknowledge him so in his Word, and in all his Works, and that we should not dare admit a thought to the contrary, though we cannot see the reason of all things, so the use hereof is, That we should study after holiness, that so there may be some agreement between him and us, as we are bidden be merciful, and perfect, 
Mat. 5. 48.  as he is, and our Saviour faith, Learn of me; not that he requires an equality, 
Mat. 11. 29.  which can never be here and hereafter: Here we cannot be perfectly holy as he is, in Heaven we shall be perfectly holy, but not infinitely as he is, because we are finite; but so that we labour to imitate him, that we may have his blessed Image renewed in us daily, 
Psal. 84. 7.  and grow more and more like unto him, going from strength to strength, till we appear before the God of gods in Zion: Can the most holy God abide unholy persons? 
Leu. 12. 3.  He hath pure eyes, 
Hab. 1. 13.  and hateth sin, 
Psal. 94. 20.  abhorreth iniquity, what agreement between light and darkness? God and Belial? Therefore the Lord so often called upon the Israelites, to keep themselves from all kinds of Pollution, and instructed them unto holiness in innumerable things, whereof some were very small: Therefore as we take Gods holy Name upon us, hear his holy Word, partake his holy Sacrament, and take his holy Name in our mouths, let us also study after holiness, else never look to see God's face: He can no more endure profane persons, than we to take a Toad in our mouths. This holiness stands not in coming to Church, mumbling over a few Prayers without understanding, coming to the Communion at Easter, etc. The Pharisees fasted oft, prayed long, gave Alms, had broad Phylacteries, yet were rejected by our Saviour Christ; It stands in the purity of the heart, and the whole conversation. But how little doth this example of the Lord prevail to bring men to holiness? most follow after their own hearts lusts, and the corrupt example of men, we do as we see others do, and why, (say we) should we be wiser than our Forefathers, than all our neighbours? and thus being willing to follow such examples, we draw one another to all evil: But follow we not those in evil, but the blessed example of God himself, as in holiness, so in sanctifying his day. Thus of the person calling.  
The calling itself. 
A twofold calling.  A great benefit indeed: why, Is it so great a benefit to be called? Yea, as is here meant.  
There is a twofold calling; 1. Outward: When God calls men by every days new benefits, by every new correction, by his Word, whereby yet they are never awe hit the better, 
Rom. 8. 30.  nor converted, for many are called, 
Eph. 4. 1.  but few chosen, 
1 Thess. 5. 24.  and this is common to Reprobates. 2. Inward and Effectual: when besides and with the outward means, God speaks inwardly by his Spirit to the Conscience: 
The parts of the inward calling.  The parts hereof are,  
1. The enlightening of the mind to understand the Principles of Religion, which though alone it be not sufficient, nor more than may be in a Reprobate, yet it's the foundation of the rest, without which no effectual calling.  
2. The opening of the heart to believe (as Lydia's was) when one believes every thing particularly to belong to them, 
Acts 16. 14.  and so the promise of Salvation among the rest, till than her heart (as all ours) was fast locked up, 
Col. 1. 13.  not able to believe.  
3. The change of the whole man: 
Eph. 2. 1, 2.  This is essentially necessary to Salvation, 
Rom. 6. 17.  for by nature we are slaves of sin; 
1 Cor. 6. 11.  as long as we continue as we were born, 
The fruits of this inward calling.  we are far from Salvation.  
The fruits hereof are,  
1. When a man goes about the works of the same, and labours to walk worthy of it in an holy life.  
2. When a man highly esteemeth his calling, and the hope of glory he is called to, as Paul accounted all dung in respect of the excellency of Christ crucified; and the things he esteemed highly before his calling, afterward he made no reckoning of.  
3. When he will suffer any thing for the same, rather than be drawn from the hope thereof.  
Some are called sooner, some later, as in the Parable of the Laborers hired into the Vineyard.  
Examine we our calling, 
Use.  for much hangs upon this, Our Election past, 
Rom. 8. 30.  and Glorification to come. Calling is the fruit and proper effect of Election; 
2 Pet. 1. 10.  if the one, 
Marks of effectual calling.  then certainly the other: Notes hereof are both Negative and Affirmative. Negative,  
1. Not to hear the Word, 
Negative.  and that diligently; so doth the Devil, he will not miss a Sermon, nay marks every point in a Sermon, to keep thee from the obedience thereof, or turn it one way or other to hurt.  
2. Nor to hear joyfully.  
3. Nor to reform many things, as Herod.  
4. Nor to do some choice duties, as Ananias and Sapphira. Affirmative; 
Affirmative.  But  
1. To seek above all to be at peace with God, and to have his Spirit to assure us of our everlasting Salvation, not to serve the time, nor any such thing, but above all to be assured of God's favour.  
2. That we hate unfeignedly all evil, but especially the special evils of the Time, and of our own Nature.  
3. To affect heartily all good, but especially those good things that the World and Times lest regard, and ourselves be most untoward unto.  
If by these notes we find we be called, then have we cause to rejoice, and to praise the Freegrace of God, who for no desert, but his mere mercy, hath vouchsafed to call us that were vile, as Abraham an Idolater, Paul a Persecuter, Zacheus a covetous person, the Gaoler a desperate Ruffian; and hath now put a difference, and that for no goodness in us, rather than in others: And hath he done so to all our companions? No, they abide in ignorance, unbelief, impenitency: And now our work must be this, even to study after holiness more and more, being called out of the world, that we should no longer fashion ourselves according to the same, having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, 
Eph. 5. 11.  but reproving them rather: As you would be loath to be put back with the world, and have as they shall, so be not as they, no not in the least things; and as our hope is in Heaven, so have we our conversation there, as being called of God to that high Privilege: If you be not effectually called, and have had so long and so great means of calling, it's a fearful sign that you harken not, 
1 Sam. 2. 25.  because the Lord will slay you. The earth that after much cost, 
Heb. 6. 8.  yet yields nothing but briars and thorns, is reproved, reprobate ground, near the curse, whose end will be to be burned. 
2 Cor. 4. 3.  If the Gospel be hid, 
Acts 13. 48.  it's hid to them that perish. So many as were ordained to eternal life, believed; therefore if thou hast hitherto stopped thine ear against the Lords calling, take heed thou provoke him not further, but to day, whilst it is called to day, give ear and obey: It's more than thou couldst have looked for, that he should have all this patience, abuse it no longer, lest it turn into fury, and the Lord in his wrathful indignation flying away from thee, pronounce that he will never more speak to thee, and either snatch thee from the Word, and send thee to Hell, or the Word from thee; or if thou hear, 
Isa. 6. 9, 10.  that he yet bid the Minister preach to harden thee, and let thee alone: 
Host 4 17.  agreeable to that, He that is unjust, let him be unjust still, 
Rev. 22. 11.  etc. which is most fearful, and curse thy heart, as Christ did the Figtree, never fruit grow on thee, never good motion come in thy heart, or if any do, let them die presently & not live, and give thee over to be more strongly tempted by Satan; Devil, take him, and hurry him at thy pleasure, & lay down thine own corruption unbridledly, which is the fearfullest curse under heaven: O le's seek to escape it, and tremble, to prevent this fearful judgement, which lighteth on many that have long lived under preaching, and are hardlier won at last then before. Some of you haply having barren Trees in your Orchard, and having resolved to cut them down, have tried one year more ere you cut them down: We may fear there be sundry of us in this place going upon our last year (who they be God knows) If now you listen not, 
Prov. 1. 24, etc.  the Lord will hew you down, and cast you into the fire; and then will you call and cry to God, but in vain, he will not answer you then. When God shall cast such into their deserved place, how shall they then fret and vex themselves? What beasts were we that we did not yield to the Word of God, which so often called upon us? Others obeyed, and they are well: O that we had profited at such a time, when such good motions came in our minds! O that we had yielded to them, and not cast them off as we did! but then all too late; they may fret, and gnaw their tongues for vexation, but to no purpose: Endeavour we therefore in time to prevent this. Thus of the Exhortation.  
Now follows the Reason of the Exhortation laid down in the 16 Verse, Because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy; where's to be considered, 1. That he urgeth still the matter in hand, and cannot have done with it. 2. How he urgeth it, even by Scripture, It is written. 3. The Text itself, Be ye holy, for I am holy.  
1. I say, he still urgeth the matter in hand, much pressing his Exhortation unto holiness, and is very earnest herein.  
The Reasons may be these: 
Why the Apostle is so earnest in exhorting to holiness.  1. Because the thing in hand is so excellent and necessary, than which nothing can be more: Holiness makes us like God and Angels, unlike Devils and ourselves; without which there's no seeing of God. 2. Because we are altogether so untoward thereunto: Who seeth not what a work we have to bring any to turn from their sins, and to take an holy course? how few such, and with what a deal of pains? and when converted and brought to a love of holiness, and desire to please God, yet who finds not what a stir he hath to bring himself to any good Duty, Prayer, Meditation, Examination of his heart, etc. or when we are brought to do good things, yet to do them in a right manner, but the heart will be gone? especially in all things, and in our whole conversation; therefore no marvel though the Holy Ghost dwell long upon it.  
1. This teacheth us Ministers in weighty points, 
Use 1.  to dwell as it were upon them, and not sliding from them too quickly, to urge them again and again, questioning their hearts whether indeed they will do so and so, or not, etc.  
2. People, 
Use 2.  when they perceive their Ministers so to urge such and such a point, 
Lam. 3. 40.  they must consider it the more seriously; so when we read any thing, 
2 Cor. 13. 5.  wherein the holy Ghost is more earnest or repeats it often, as to search and examine ourselves, we must take knowledge of the weight of the matter, and of our own dulness, dwelling the more thereon in our observation and attention; where the holy Ghost is earnest, we must not pass it slightly over.  
2. He proves it by Scripture, 
Ministers must prove their Doctrine by God's Word  and so must we when we would prove any thing to the Conscience; for God's Word is the Judge of all truth and falshhood, good and evil; it's the Golden rule, the Balance of the Sanctuary. 
Luk. 10. 25, 26.  Philosophers prove things by Reason, in God's School proof must be from the Scripture: We must not look what this man, or that man, or twenty men say, this stablisheth not the Conscience; but the Word of God, that bears meat in the mouth, that is of weight and authority, either to make to yield, or at least to leave without excuse: One Testimony of Scripture, is of more weight than the testimony of a thousand men, for that is the Word truth, and all men are subject to error, and thereto may people say indeed, 
Acts 12. 22.  The voice of God, and not of man.  
A number of people in Cities and great Towns, 
Use 1.  if Preachers allege, Fathers, Counsels, Schoolmen, etc. O how they applaud them! but if any shall allege Scripture, properly and plainly, Oh, he is a plain homespun Preacher, he may do well in a Country Town; but Christ's sheep do otherwise, they reverence and adore above all the Word of God.  
This condemns the Papists, 
Use 2.  that deal most treacherously, and will not have the scriptures to be judge, but Fathers, Counsels, the Church; And who is the Church but themselves? and the Head of Counsels but the Pope? and so upon the point, the Pope is the Church, and so its like enough to go well on their sides: And in their Counsels, who is any thing but the Pope and his Consistory? as he will have every thing, so it shall be, as in their last Council of Trent, which they so magnify as the most sacred Assembly that ever was, which indeed was nothing else but a conspiracy of Traitors, against the Crown and Dignity of Christ Jesus, and his Truth; there such were picked as were fast to the Pope and the Religion of Rome, and such as were sworn to be true thereto; and when some few spoke somewhat more boldly in some things, than was well liked of, they were quickly packed out, and this charge they had after they had sat a while, That they should interpret no Scripture, but such as might stand with the Doctrine of Rome; this was good stuff, that whereas they should have brought their Doctrine to the rule of Scripture, they must bring Scripture to their Doctrine, as if the Carpenter should cut his rule according to the piece, and not the piece according to his rule: And howsoever they sat there at Trent, disputing for a fashion, yet nothing was concluded, but such as the Pope and his Consistory at Rome devised, which being set to them, they were to publish; and thus the parties become Judges, and they that should stand at the Bar to be judged, sit on the Bench to judge their own cause, therefore it must needs go well on their side: They cannot away that the Scripture should be the Judge, because they then know how it would go with them and their Doctrine, but we must receive it, and try all Doctrine by it, and stand to the sentence thereof, as being the only Judge: So here the Apostle enjoining holiness, takes this as a sufficient proof, It is written, though that was against their nature and disposition; though by following after it, they might be counted Puritans, Singular, Proud, Hypocrites, etc. yet they must not stand reasoning the case with flesh and blood, they must be holy, for so it was written.  
If then we know any thing once proved by the Word of God, 
Obedience is to be yielded to those Doctrines which are proved by the Word.  we must make no more ado; if the Word command a thing, we must yield and obey; if forbid a thing as vile, we must dare no more meddle therewith, then to eat poison.  
For the Word of God is the Royal Law, 
Reason.  that Rule of Righteousness that must command all the world, Prince and people must stoop hereunto; 
Amos 3. 8.  This is the Law of his Kingdom, whereby all we his Subjects must be ruled: If the Lion roar, the Beasts tremble; and if the Lord speak (who is our Sovereign) is it not meet that we should take knowledge hereof, 
Deut. 5. 27.  and yield obedience thereto? this was ever Preface enough to the Prophets in their Sermons, Thus saith the Lord, The Word of the Lord, etc. and his Word not being left us in vain, to shake it off at our pleasures, the same may command obedience.  
1. This condemns the profane and dissolute world, 
Use 1.  do men go by any such rule, and try, ere they do any thing what God saith of it in his Word? O that were too much preciseness: But by what rules then? If it stand with my pleasure, with my profit, with my ease, with my credit, most do so; I shall be accounted a fool if I do not so: O cursed rules, What? shall Profit, Pleasure, Mammon, and our Lusts become now as it were our God? dare we cast the word of God behind us? do we provoke the Lord to anger? are we stronger than he? Oh let him that thinketh, he standeth, 
1 Cor. 10. 12.  take heed lest he fall: It's written, we must be holy, therefore we must be so; why, then it's written, we may not swear; therefore we must not swear; so, oppress, deceive, commit uncleanness, etc. because the contrary is prescribed in the Word: And yet how dare men live in those very sins against the Scriptures? Hath not the world smarted sufficiently yet, whereat to take warning? What threw Adam out of Paradise, drowned the old World, brought such variety of Judgements upon the Jews from time to time, if not their disobedience? have there drunkards enough, swearers, prophaners of the Lordsday, Usurers, etc. been plagued, and sent to Hell already? This rebelling against the Word of God, hath made all the racket and havoc in the world, and hath brought to confusion the Proudest and Mightiest: If we had not the Word, but were left to the light of nature, God might condemn us for our sins, how much more when by the Word he hath told us all his mind? Well, let us look to it, if the Word may not be a light to guide us, it will be a fire to consume us; If it be not strong enough to make us yield obedience, it will be strong enough to throw us headlong to confusion, as whereby we shall be judged at the latter day: If when God smites any one part of us with pain in extemity, we be weary of ourselves, when yet we have many comforts, and many to pity us, and hope also of an end thereof, what shall their care be that are smitten and plagued in all parts of Body and Soul, there being no eye to pity them, nor hope of an end? which yet ensueth upon the disobedience to God's Word; Then will they fret and vex themselves, O beast that I was, that took not warning at such and such a time, etc.  
2. For as many as are willing the Word should guide them, 
Use 2.  and be it with or (in appearance) against them, are willing to be ruled, let these be of good comfort: It's a good mark of Christ's sheep, they hear his voice and follow him, 
john 8. 47.  and he is of God that heareth and obeyeth his word.  
Again, 
God's Word the rule of all Truth.  in that it's said, It is written; we note, That the Word of God is the rule of all Truth and Doctrine.  
This condemneth the Papists, 
Use  which as if the written Word of God were insufficient and imperfect, and the Prophets and Apostles either would not, or could not, or might not leave a perfect direction for us, 
See Isa. 8. 20.  divide the word into written, and unwritten; Thereupon imposing a great number of Traditions, 
john 5. 39 & 20. 24.  Degrees, and old received Opinions and Customs upon the people, 
1 Cor. 4. 6.  as matters whereon to ground their Faith, 
2 Tim. 3. 16, 17.  and bind their Conscience, as much as any of the written Word, 
Sadael de verbo Dei Scripto.  and that upon peril of Damnation; which is a fearful Abomination.  
They have indeed need of unwritten Traditions, to shore up a number of points of their Religion, or else they would fall to the ground for all the written Word of God, as having no authority from thence: But what a Religion is that, which must thus be maintained without the Testimony of the Scripture? we must learn to detest all such Traditions, else what a Floodgate should we let open, to let in all Errors and uncertainties without end; Yea, were this granted, every dream of a Friar's brain, and any old Custom, would be imposed upon the people for a Law: Cursed be they that add to the All-sufficient Word of God, 
Rev. 22. 18.  God will add to their plagues.  
3. The Text itself, It's written; where? In Leviticus 11. 44. & 19 2. The Word is the Rule, the written Word, the Canonical Scripture, that only.  
There are other Books called Apochryphas, 
The use of the Apocrypha Books, with the respect which is to be given thereto.  usually joined with the Bible, which are not God's Word, nor of equal authority of the same, but are the writings of men, of good men, and have also good use; some part for the helping out of the story of that dark time, from Malachi to John the Baptist, and other parts for instruction in good manners, and to a godly life, and are therefore to be read of us; yet were not they written by any Prophet, are not Originally in the Hebrew (as all the Old Testament is) but in the Greek; neither were received of the Jews, 
Rom. 3. 2.  to whom were committed the Oracles of God, for which they were not blamed of our Saviour Christ, as questionless, they should have been, if they had done amiss. Further, we find no Testimony of our Saviour Christ, Evangelist or Apostle, cited out of them: They have also their weaknesses and imperfections, and the best parts thereof savour of a man, and have not the majesty and weight of God's Word; Therefore are they not sufficient whereon to ground any part of our Faith, or to say, This is true, fosso it's written in such a book: No, but to read them and try them, and where they consent with the Word, then say its true, not because it's so there, but because the Scripture approves it; where they jar from Scripture, there are we to leave them: we must walk in a middle path wisely and soberly, as not to match them with the Word of God, so not to reject them, as some have done, for that they observed others magnify them too much, hereby running into a contrary extremity. As nothing makes a handmaid so much despised, 
Simile.  as when she is set in her Mistress' Chair, so long as she stands as an handmaid, all like her, and say, she becomes her place well; So when the Apocrypha is equalled with the Scripture, it is justly to be disliked, when made to serve it, of good use.  
It is written,] But he tells not where, because they were so well acquainted with the Scripture, as they could straightway say, Oh, we know where it is, It's written in such a Book, such a Section.  
This showeth how cunning we should be in the Scriptures, 
Christian's must be ready in the Scriptures.  and every part thereof, reading them diligently, as by ourselves, so with our Families; and great cause: We have a corrupt heart within us, therefore had need have the Word dwelling in us to subdue it; 
john 5. 29.  We have plenty of duties, 
Col. 3. 16.  therefore had need of plenty of knowledge in the Word; we shall have plenty of strong and subtle temptations from the Devil and World, 
josh. 1. 8.  and therefore had need to be ready herein to resist them: 
Psal. 1. 3. & 119. 97, 98, 99, 101.  Herein must we meditate day and night, that we may observe, and do and prosper, that we may be as fruitful trees, that we may become wise in all our ways, yea, wiser than our Enemies, than our Ancients: This is unto God's Children a storehouse of all good things; its Food to nourish us, Armour to defend us, a Light to guide us, an Apothecary's shop containing all things for meat and medicine for the food and health of our Soul, Purgations to purge out our sins, Cordials to comfort us, Preservatives against every poisonful temptation of Satan: Herein is our Father's Will, wherein are our Legacies, in every leaf and line some good.  
1. This condemns the Church of Rome, 
Use 1.  that make it a deadly sin for the people to read any part of Scripture; one of them saith, He thought it was the device of the devil that the common people should read the Sriptures, which might make all loath their Religion; for is it any thing else, but as thiefs which blow out the candle that they may not be seen.  
2. This condemns those amongst ourselves, 
Use 2.  that say, It was never merry world since every Ploughman and Weaver could talk of the Scripture, and that the world was far more quiet before; these be no● led by the Spirit that Moses was, 
Numb. 11. 29.  who wished, That all the Lords people could prophesy, and the Apostle Paul, who often speaks of the increase of knowledge.  
3. This condemns the woeful carelessness of most people, 
Use 3.  that regard not to read the Scriptures, and therefore are exceedingly ignorant therein, so that if a Minister quote a place, he had need name both Chapter and Verse; nay, if it be amongst the books of the Old Testament, yea, some Epistles of the New, they cannot tell whereabouts to find them, but are often fain to turn to the Table of the Book. Rich men are so mad of the world, that they can find no leisure, Mammon is so mighty with them, as God and his Word have no time with them: And might they not find that in one leaf of the Bible, whereof if they could make use, it would profit them more than the whole world? Some are all for the world, out of one business into another; others can find leisure to play at Tables, Cards, Bowls, etc. or to stand in shops two or three hours, spending the time in idle discourses, and unprofitable frothy talk, if not in hurtful slandering and backbiting their neighbours, and reproaching the servants of God, who yet can find no time for the Word: Others are very cunning in their Statute Books, but not so in the Scriptures: As for the poor, because they be poor and not Book-learned, they think it concerns not them, or that God looks for any such thing at their hands; and therefore are as ignorant as if they lived in Turkey, altogether without fruit (as the figtree whereunto our Saviour came) foolish, and carried away with every temptation, and all for that they meditate not in God's statutes: They live ignorantly and loosely, and die blockishly and miserably; yea, and they perish worthily, for that being offered a guide, to take them as it were by the hand, and lead them through this wilderness, this narrow unbeaten path, from all byways, and bring them to Heaven, yet will not entertain the same. 
Simil.  If the King should send a Letter to any of his Subjects, and they would not vouchsafe to open it, or look therein to read it, What a contempt were this? The Scripture yet is the Lords Letter, sent to us to inform us of his will: O what shall the condemnation of this Land be, that having the light, love darkness better? and God having given us his Word, (which he gives not to all) we make so light account thereof, we will not bestow the searching of it: Nay, every toy proves sufficient to keep us from it, O woeful unthankfulness! How did our Forefathers make account of the Word, Job, David, they in Queen Mary's time, whereof some read it by stealth in Hay-gofes, etc.  
O how precious was it to them! 
See the Book of Martyrs.  Crack threw away his Money, but kept his New Testament when he suffered Shipwreck: Many poor Christians and dear servants of God in Spain, and elsewhere, do now read the Word of God, and other good Books with peril of their lives: O how shall they rise up against us, which may with peace and much liberty, and sundry encouragements, read and be conversant in the Scriptures, yet regard it not? God sends his Letter to us, we will not vouchsafe to open it: What will we regard, if we regard not the Scriptures? I tell you, God hath no greater blessing to bestow on Mortal man: This little Book is the glory of the world, without which all the world is but a dunghill, and if this were taken away, it were better for us not to be, then to be, for we should do nothing but grope in darkness, and be devoured of our lusts till Hell snatch us away; le's learn therefore at last to be wiser, and that whilst we may: Casting away our toys and vanities, learn we to be better acquainted with the Word, then at any time heretofore; all that be strangers to it, be strangers to true comfort: Yea, resolve we that no day shall pass us, without reading some part of Scripture for our instruction, else how shall we do our duties each to other? how use prosperity and adversity? how to learn either to live or die? Here (as good householders) we may provide store both for ourselves and others.  
For the words themselves, Be ye holy, for I am holy: They are taken (as ye heard) out of Leviticus; Them the Lord used to his people, whom he had chosen from all others, on whom he bestowed many outward mercies, and betrusted them with his Word, who thought they should see round about them the Gentiles abounding with idolatry, and all manner of sin, yet they must not follow them therein: But as I have set you out from all other, for myself (saith the Lord) so set yourselves apart to my use, and service, and be ye holy to me, as ye observe me to be.  
Hence learn, That  
Where God bestows on a Land, 
The more the Lord bestows on any, the more he expects from them.  or Corner, or Town, more mercies then on others, he looks they should not be as other places (that have not had the same favours, but have been left to themselves) but abounding in holiness, holy as he himself is holy.  
Here I might speak of this Land, 
Use.  what God hath done for it, and what he expects at our hands, even that we should be better than any other Nation; and then, how we are so far from being more holy than others, that if any Nation have any sin, we get it from them, and appropriate it to ourselves: What should I speak of the common sins of the times? The last Assizes, and every one shows what state we are in, what horrible incests, the daughter being with child by her own father, and the Wife burning the child; another ravishing his own daughter, being thereof accused by his own child and wife; What cruel murders? besides the common mother sins, ignorance, extreme worldliness, and that overspreading canker and leprosy of this Land, the contempt of good persons: If any be more forward, careful, zealous than the common sort, he is hated, mocked, discouraged all that may be: Not the simplest fellow in a Town, though he cannot understand one petition of the Lords Prayer, but will mock at those that be any thing toward in Religion, or forward to hear the Word, refrain from disorder, and keep the Lords Day, etc. this sin abounds most fearfully in this Land: In other Religions, which are indeed false and irreligious, look who is most zealous and forward, he is most reverenced and regarded; only in the true Religion, if any be but careful to bring into use and practise, that which he hears & knows, and dare not do as others, but rather reprove them, he makes himself as a wondering stock, and is hooted as an howl, & one that shall sure be hoist up in charges, hu●cht at, complained of and vexed: This sin (not repent of nor left) will be the moth & confusion of this Land, as we may justly fear. God is every year upon us with one new punishment or other, but they prevail nothing, we are as bad still or worse: what therefore may we not look for? How sped the Israelites at last? we may fear, lest God make us as famous for judgement, as we have been for mercies; we may fear, that it shall be said of all that pass by, How is this famous nation become thus desolate? and answered, Because they despised the Lord, his Gospel and servants, after many mercies bestowed upon them, to have brought them in love therewith.  
Be ye holy, etc.] Some urge this exhortation and the like to establish freewill, 
The Popish Doctrine of freewill, hath no ground from this place  but without cause: They show not what we can, but what we should do, and what God will require of the wicked, or else condemn them, and what he will enable his servants unto, as give their endeavour thereto; to the wicked they are commandments of conviction, which God may justly require of them, because he made them able to do the same; to his servants they are not so, but with the exhortation he conveys such grace, as whereby they are enabled to do the same.  
Lastly, 
Nor is it against the married estate.  this place is abused by sundry, to cry down the married estate, & to magnify single life, but there is no holiness in the one, more than in the other; 
Tertull.  for neither if we marry not have we the more (as the Apostle speaketh about eating) or marry have we the less, 
Hieron.  the Kingdom of God not consisting in these things: 
Rom. 14. 17.  The benefit of the one more than the other, 
1 Cor. 7. 32.  consists only in this, That a single life hath freedom from many troubles and cares, and so more liberty to every good duty, 
Ibid. 34▪  but this gift is given but to few; therefore rather than they should live discontentedly, he persuades them to marry: Let them therefore that live single, take heed they put no holiness therein, or think that thereby they please God the more, but rather let them use it well, and profit thereby, in being so much the more zealous and forward in every good work, public and private, else that their single life will one day be a witness against them; but especially take heed of a filthy sole life, for many wanting the gift of continency, yet to avoid troubles, cares, and charges of marriage, and that they may live easily, proudly, and gather riches, will live singly, though impurely; Such shall one day know, that they had better been married, then here to burn with lust, and hereafter in hell for ever: Marriage is no opposite to holiness, but an help thereto, ordained by God in man's innocency for holy ends, 
Heb. 13. 4.  Honourable amongst all men, and the bed undefiled: Hereunto if a man enter holily, and in the fear of God, beginning with prayer, then choosing for the fear of God with consent of Parents, and care to know his duty, and praying for Grace to bear the crosses of marriage, he cannot but find it holy. Thus of the Reason.   

Verse 17. And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear.  
HEre the Apostle proceedeth in matter not unlike the former: Before he exhorted to holiness in all manner of conversation, now to pass our time in the fear of God; the same thing, but in other words, and urged with new Reasons: Or this may be the intent of the holy Ghost, to meet with a secret corruption of man's heart, placing holiness in outward observance of duties (as the Jews were much given that way) thereupon exhorting not to rest in the outward doing of them, but to do them carefully, and in the fear of God, with desire therein to glorify God, and to do the most good: And this fear of God is a great help and fnrtherance to holiness. Herein he wills us to pass our time here in this world, 
Why we ought here to pass our time in fear.  using three Reasons for the same; 1. From this Privilege, that we call God Father, we must then so behave ourselves as Children of such a Father, and as he may not be ashamed of us, when we so call him, saying, Callest thou me Father? away varlet, and bastard, thou art none of mine, I acknowledge thee not, neither haste thou any quality of my Child. 2. From the nature of God, who is a Judge, and that an upright one, who will Judge every man, and that without partiality, and give him not according to the outside, but the inside of his works. 3. From the invaluable price of our Redemption, laid down in the following Verse. Speak we first of the Exhortation, then of the Reasons thereof.  
Pass the time of your sojourning here in fear.] This is the Exhortation; and very requisite it is, to speak of the fear of God, that knowing the nature thereof, we may the better try whether it be in us; for though most men will challenge it to themselves that they love, fear, and put their trust in God, and serve him, yet alas, there's no such matter in them, 
Hereof see Dr. Taylor on Acts 10 p. 108.  there belongs more to it then the world thinks, as I hope we shall see ere we part.  
There be three kinds of fear; 
Three kinds of fear.  1. Natural, being an affection planted in man at his creation, 
Natural.  as his other affections, whereby he shuns any evil thing that comes towards him, which is not in man only, but in all sensible creatures: This in itself is not evil, it was in Adam in his innocency, 
Heb. 5. 7.  it was also in Christ, who was heard in that which he feared. If a man should see a beast run at him, or a man with a drawn sword, he cannot but fear; only the excess of it is a fault, when men having promises of God's Providence and Blessing, do not believe them, but are swallowed up of fear, are at their wit's end, made unfit for any duty, or reach out their hand to any unlawful shift or means. Jacob no doubt was afraid when he heard of Esau's coming against him, but yet his faith comforted him in his fear, and made him pray to God, and use wise and lawful means. David, when they of Ziklag were ready to stone him, feared, no doubt, but yet by faith comforted himself over it, that it did not swallow him up, which is a thing worthy to be spoken of, because many good servants of God, are yet fearful to be alone in the dark, fearful of death, of the day Judgement: The best may be so a little, but we must take head of too much fear, being in our way, and having Gods Promises, as our Saviour to Peter, when he cried out, 
Mat. 14. 31.  Save, Master, I perish, so may it be said unto us thus fearing, O ye of little Faith. 2. Slavish; 
Slavish.  when men fear God only in respect of his wrath and punishment, and abstain from sin, not for any hatred thereof; or do good, not for love, but either because God's judgements are on them already, or hang over them, were't not for them, they would not care what they did: As a galleyslave that rows and toils but only for fear of the whip, 
Simile.  and were't not for that, he would do nothing, being in the mean time so far from any love, as he could eat his heart for whom he works; or as a Trewandly Boy, that learns only for fear of the rod, not out of any love to his Book or Master: This may be and is in the reprobate, as in Ahab and Pharaoh, but is not that (as neither the former) which is meant here. 
Filial.  3. Filial or sonlike fear, whereby the Children of God considering his Power, 
See morton's Threefold estate pag. 122.  Justice and Truth, and especially his Goodness in itself, and showed towards them, stand in a reverend awe of him, and are careful to please him, fearful to offend him, even chiefly for the love they bear him, yea, and would not grieve him, though they knew they should not be punished for it, as having been so gracious and merciful a Father to them; as a good and gracious Child would not willingly grieve his father, though he knew he would not cast him off, or shut him out of doors, 
This last often enjoined.  even because he is a loving Father unto him: This proceeds from Faith, and is that which is here meant.  
Hereunto we are often exhorted, 
Psa. 2. 11.  as may be seen by the places quoted in the margin, 
Eccles. 12. 13.  which (howsoever abused by the Papists, 
2 Cor. 7. 1.  who understand them of slavish fear, 
Phil. 2. 12.  to overthrow assurance of Salvation, and to maintain that vile Opinion, That a true Christian may fall finally) are meant of a reverend awe of offending God, which is not only not against Faith, but stands well with it, nay proceeds from it, yea, the more Faith, the more such fear.  
This proceedeth from the consideration both of God's greatness and goodness, 
Whence it proceedeth. The benefits hereof, Pro. 1. 7  whether jointly or severally considered; to this purpose peruse Psal. 130. 4. Jer. 5. 22, 24. & 10. 7. Host 3. 5. Mat. 10. 28. Heb. 12. 28, 29. 
Eccles. 12. 13.  This is the beginning of wisdom, 
Heb. 11. 7.  and hereby we eschew evil, 
Gen. 25.  as both Job, Nehemiah and Joseph: This is a spur to obedience, and the fountain thereof, 
Rom. 3. 18.  wherewith Noah being moved, prepared the Ark, 
The opposites hereunto.  the want of which is a floodgate to all iniquity: Hereunto there are four main opposites, 1. Profaneness, when men dare live as they list, and their lust is their Law. 2. Security, when men live carnally and wretchedly, contenting themselves that they be none of the worst, they be not such and such kind of persons, yet go on without regard either to God or his Word; The evil they abstain from, as it is not from the fear of God, so if good come in their way, they do it after their fashion, and evil also, as comes to hand; they dare commit sin in hope of mercy, and think they shall do well enough. 3. Hypocrisy, which hath more show of Religion, but resteth in the outward ceremonious performance of duties, and looks not to do them in the right manner, and so are not guided by the fear of God in their lives. 4. Slavishness, when men fear indeed, but never, but under or in expectation of the rod; they then will fly to a book, have good words, golden promises, etc. 
The marks hereof.  at other times they care not what they do, or at least be as before.  
Contrarily the true fear of God is known by these notes; 1. To hate evil, and not leave it off only for some sinister respects. 2. Not only gross and open evils of the hand, 
Prov. 8. 13.  but inward corruptions of the heart, as Pride, Arrogancy, Hypocrisy, Hardness, Frowardness, Wordliness of the heart, etc. spying them out, mourning for them, and striving against them, as being seen to God, as well as gross sins to men. 3. All evil, the evil way, every evil way. 4. Such evils as a man may go closely away withal, 
Gen. 39 9  as Joseph might with uncleanness with his Mistress, 
Neh. 5. 15.  but would not, as fearing God. 5. Such as a man may carry out by strong hand, 
Joh. 31. 15, 21, 23.  by might and authority, and no body to control him, yet dares not do it, because there's an higher who hath forbidden it. 6. It will make a man watchful to avoid evil, as the Hare hath an eye to passengers as she sits. 7. It will make men avoid the occasions of evil. 8. It is ever joined with the fear of his Word, and as is the one in us, 
Isa. 50. 10. & 66. 1, 15.  so is the other.  
If it be thus, 
Use. 1.  than I may too truly and plainly conclude, That there is but a little fear of God in this Land; for how few hate evil, secret corruptions, all evil, such as they can go cleanly away with, such as they can carry away by might and colour of Law? How many live profanely, as if there were no God, no Law, no Judgement day, no reckoning to be made, but do what their lust leads them too; and that which some would not, nor durst do for a world, they make no bones of.  
Another sort live securely and carelessly, not so bad as the former, but such as look not to God, nor set him before their eyes in their deeds.  
Others perform more duties to God, but so as they regard not why, nor in what manner, but rest in the work wrought, not casting with themselves how they may do them aright, and thereby taking notice as well of their own weakness, as Satan's malice.  
Others slavishly fear in their misery, but in their prosperity regard nothing but their own will: These being called out, a few there be remaining that truly fear God, 
See B. Halls 3. epistle of his 6. Decad.  for which he may justly have an heavy controversy with this Land, that after so many happy means, so few should be found that truly fear him, though many think they do: How few keep Gods commandments all, always with delight? let every man examine himself carefully by these notes.  
If any be loath, and would have a wider sieve, truly I can give no wider, God hath given me no wider to let Hypocrites, Profane Persons, etc. scape through; I try you but by the Word, and by it you must be judged at the last day.  
But for those that do indeed fear God, 
Use 2.  there's abundant comfort for them, 
Prov 31. 30.  they have that which is better than all the world; 
Psal 112. 1. & 128. 1.  yea, God's mouth pronounceth them blessed. Both the quoted Psalms are a storehouses of promises made to such; there are others also in Psal. 25 12, 14. & 34. 9, 10. & 84. 11. & Mal. 3. 16, 17. which are duly to be weighed: Such as fear God, need fear neither Man, Death, Devils, Hell, Day of Judgement, etc. which are indeed the terror of the world, only let them be provoked to fear him more and more; for even of God's children, not a few have but a small measure hereof, whereby it comes to pass, that they hate not sin so heartily in themselves and others as they should, neither are such enemies to privy corruptions, but that they break out often, and so pull many a sorrow and gripe of Conscience upon themselves, which more fear of God would have prevented: Our often falls argue too little fear, as may appear by our small zeal to duties, and our little trembling at the Word of God; therefore labour we for more, 
1 King. 18. 3●▪  that it may be said of us as of Obadiah, That we fear God greatly, 
Prov. 19 23.  that so we may be preserved from evil: Oh, this is the keeper of all virtues, holding all in good order, a watchman indeed to look to our heart; if it be there, and temptation comes, up starts it, and says, Nay: This will keep the heart clean, hold out ill, set us on to good.  
Means to attain hereunto, 
Means to attain unto the fear of God.  may be these, Let us often set before our eyes our own baseness, God's greatness, power and justice, with the effects thereof on Adam, the old world, and others; especially do we consider what God hath done for us, that so our care and resolution may grow how to please God: If this religious awe be in us, O how it will keep our lives from innumerable evils, and replenish them with all goodness, that having finished them well, we may come to the Lord in peace at our latter end: O if we did consider the unspeakable mercies of God towards us, we should see cause enough, though there were no hell, yet to fear more than death itself to offend God; but because our nature is so exceeding lewd and prone to sin, its good to think often, that that God under whose power we live hates all sin, and will not let any go unpunished: What cause have we then to grow in the fear of God, that have seen his greatness and just displeasure against sin so much, every year one punishment or other? What cause have we also to fear God, that have such experiences of his goodness in 88 when he delivered us from the Spanish Armado, and after from the Gunpowder Treason, and now of late hath begun to relent towards us, 
A great drought, Anno 1615.  and gives us some showers of rain? But alas, if we will prove ourselves by the notes before mentioned, it will be evident that most have not the fear of God, which is a fearful thing: As no better testimony can be given of a man then this, that he feareth God, as Job and Obadiah; so none more fearful than this, There's no fear of God before his eyes, 
Mal. 3. 8.  none in his heart, God hath threatened to be a swift witness against such; 
Deut. 28. 58. 59, 65, 66, 67.  and such may justly fear all things, even the tiles of their houses, 
job 15. 2.  their tools, every stile they go over, every crow that flies over their heads, all creatures, from the angels to worms; they have cause to fear the bread they eat, the hair of their own face, lest it choke them, yea, the thought of their own mind, lest it turn to their ruin: And though haply they do not fear, yet they have cause so to do, epecially lest the Devil pursue them in every corner, and lest God should give him commission to haunt them and theirs: They have cause to fear every thing, as Cain doubtless, that every thing would kill him: a fearful state; yet none so bold as blind Bayard, none fear so little, as they who should fear most: well, they that fear Gods judgements least, shall feel them most.  
Let them therefore labour to get out of this case, and seek to be reconciled to God, else they shall fear him in spite of their hearts at the dreadful day, when they shall stand quaking like Belshazzar, when the Lord shall come from heaven in flaming fire, etc. when he shall come armed against them.  
Pass the time] That is, 
God requires our whole time for his service  the whole time, for he names no part of time; he will have all, as who made all, who is worthy of all, if it were more and a great deal better, 
Prov. 23. 17. & 28. 14.  and we owe nothing to any, but to him; we owe the World, Flesh, and Devil nothing: What fruit and joy shall we have to do that which we must again undo or unsay, 
Luke 1. 35.  and vomit up our sweet morsels: Is there any service to the King's service? Can we spend our time better than in Gods? There is no part of it that God allows to spend in vanity; even our youth must be employed for God, which is the best time of all, when wit is freshest, and the memory best, yea, the whole man every way fittest to serve God.  
1. This condemns the common sort, 
Use 1.  which (though they mind to serve God afterward) think their youth too good, and too soon for God's service, yea, think themselves hardly dealt with, if any persuade them to leave their tricks of youth, and turn to God; nay, they think it unseemly (so vile is the World grown) to be Religious in youth, and that its never spent in the kind, except it be in Swaggering, Vanity, Ruffianlike hair, and Fashions, Riot company, Drinking, etc. They think its time enough to repent afterward, when they have been married a while, and they be groan somewhat ancient: Thus vile wretches dally with God, and their souls, giving the wine to the Devil, reserving the lees and Cask for God: But is thy Youth too good for God, thinkest thou? and is not too good for the Devil and thy lusts? Who is the better Master? Who pays the better wages? which is the better work? the Devil's Kennel stuff, or God's service in righteousness and holiness? that which thou must afterward unsay, and be ashamed of, or this that is pleasing to God, and Angels? Fond Youth, that promises to thyself repentance afterward, see thy folly, knowest thou that thou shalt live? canst thou boast of to morrow? hath not God cut off many as likely to live as thyself, and prevented their Repenrance? Nay, what if thou knewest thou shouldest live, hast thou power to Repent? do not many after they are grown ancient, find as great a let of the world, as in Youth they did of their pleasures? and have become so worldly, that they have been as far from Repentance as before? and this is just with God, because they will take upon them to be carvers of his gifts at their pleasure: And what if thou knewest thou shouldest both live and repent, yet were it not better for thee to turn to God now, then to follow thy lusts till then, and so to be long out of the service of righteousness? This were, as for one to feed on draff and Hog's meat, which might have Angels food: And besides, thou treasurest up a great deal of sorrow for thyself, and it may be, fasten some punishment upon thee, such as thou shalt never get out of in this life, though thy soul be saved: Therefore follow the Lords counsel, who knows what's best for thee. Begin betimes, come into the Lords work with the first, before the Devil hath trained thy wit, tongue, etc. so will it be easy to thee, and never depart from thee, and (though there be a devilish proverb, A young Saint, an old Devil, yet) if thou be truly turned to God in thy youth, thou shalt never fall off: Contrarily, they that take liberty to be young Devils, in hope to be old Saints, if God snatch them away while they be such, they will never prove either young or old Saints.  
2. This condemns those that can afford no part of their time to the fear of God, 
Use 2.  but still it's too soon: They have spent their time lewdly and vainly, as the Prodigal, as their middle age in extreme hunting for the world, and yet in old age it's too soon till their deathbed: How many wicked, profane, covetous old men are there, of fifty or sixty years, and yet as far from God as ever? They smell of the Spade, but savour not of God, nor any goodness; these be unreasonable persons, and see what truth is in the Devil: He makes men believe he will hold them but a while, yet when the time is more than come, he will hold them still, not let them go; what a fearful answer have such men to make, that should spend all the time of their life in God's service, and spend none? when God shall call them to an account for their time, how they have spent their youth, how their middle and old age, and find that none was for himself, all for the Devil, then shall they certainly have their wages, with whom they have wrought.  
3. This condemns also those that having come in late into the vineyard, 
Use 3.  yet work lazily, do not throughly employ themselves in this great work.  
4. This may stir up God's servants to afford God their whole time, 
Use 4.  for that he requires: Alas, none of us have done so, but spent a great deal in vanity and lewdness, grievous to be spoken of, some more, some less; every one of us have come short of that we should have done: what then? This cannot be called back, it must be redeemed; and seeing we came not so early to the Lords work as we should, we must now work the harder; The longer it was ere we came, the more painful we must be, and employ us the faster, and now be as earnest in goodness, as we have heretofore in vanity; we must now speak as much for God, as heretofore for Baal, and for goodness against the enemies thereof, as herefore in defence of Sin. 
Simile.  As travellers that have loitered in their way, when they see Night approach, ride hard; so let us be as earnest, and go as far to draw men to God, as we were wont to call them to vanity; let old men that came in so late, call upon young men, and give them counsel by their own miserable experience; and if any call us, let us go as readily and gladly, as ever we did to any pastime, and the worse we have been before, be now (as the Apostle Paul) so much the more zealous: What shall we say to those that came not in till the tenth or eleventh hour, had they not need to work night and day? as also set forward the work in others all that ever they can, calling on others, and on their Families to this end, and spending all their affections about this? They cannot but vex to think how they have spent their youth and middle age, thereupon wishing with all their soul, that they had spent the same in God's service.  
5. But for those that have long continued in this Christian course, 
Use 5.  they must not now leave off, but continue therein to the end. There's no time wherein we must cast off our care, or lay away our Armour, or be off our watch: What! must ancient Christians walk in awe and fear of offending still? Alas, yea: Have they not still an evil and false heart? Will the Devil ever be at peace? Nay, he laboureth with old Christians most, that he may foil them in the end, to make them call their estate, and all they have done into question, and to shame their profession, and open their enemy's mouths: The righteous are but scarcely saved; 
1 Pet. 4. 18.  all our diligence, watchfulness, care, is little enough to carry us through this evil world, wherein so many enemies lie in wait for our souls. Besides we see such famous Examples as Moses and Aaron, those famous servants of God, who yet in their old age at the waters of Meribah doubted, and did not glorify God, 
Num. 20. 10, 11, 12.  but said, Hear ye rebels, etc. So Noah, that had seen the old world drowned, himself miraculously preserved, and been a Preacher of Righteousness so long, in his old age was caught with Wine, and uncovered in his Tent: So Solomon to whom God appeared twice, and was the mirror of Wisdom, yet how fell he in his latter time? so Asa and Joash. The Devil will say of an ancient Christian, This man hath done me much hurt, hath been constant many years, and many have followed him, now if I can foil him in his old age it will be worth the while; so shall I make him call all the time passed into question, 
Prov. 23. 17. and 28. 14.  shake weak ones, make my company cry out, Look on this old professor, they are all Hypocrites: Be we therefore in the fear of the Lord all the day long, for happy is the man that feareth always: O let ancient Christians look to themselves now a while, and anon they shall be at their journey's end! so look to thyself, that as thou hast begun and proceeded well, so you mayest shut up all well, as Abraham, 
Heb. 11. 39 and 13. 14  Isaac and Jacob, who died in the faith, and had good report in the Church of God.  
Of your sojourning] We are here but for a little while, 
Doctr.  not Dwellers, but sojourners, 
Christians here in this world are but Sojourners.  and must away to our Country and Home in Heaven: Therefore we must pass this little time so as we may honour God, and so provide for our end, as that dying we may live for ever; our life is so frail, as that it cannot (as I may so speak) be set out by things frail enough: 
2 Cor. 5. 1.  It's compared to a Tent, set up in the Morning, pulled down at Night; some booths stand two or three days, some a weak, but easily overthrown, quickly removed; so to a Vapour, a Bubble, 
jam. 4. 14.  a Ship under Sail, having Wind and Tide with it, an Eagle in the Aira, 
job 9 25.  Post, 
Psal. 10. 9  a Weavers Shuttle, a Tale that is told, a Thought, yea to nothing; 
Psal. 39 5.  whether we be eating, drinking, sleeping, waking, playing, etc. it continually runs on, and never stands at a stay: The swiftest things have stayed, even the Sun itself at Joshua's prayer, but not Joshua's life, nor any man's: Many die the same day they are born, some the same year, some in their youth, and even they that live longest, yet die: We are as a Traveller that lodgeth in an Inn for a Night, as a Player comes on the Stage to play his part, longer or shorter, and comes away when it's done; or as one that goes to the Market, to buy one thing, and to sell another, and then home again. Therefore we have great reason to spend the time of our sojourning here in fear, we should spend that little time in well-doing to glorify God, do good in our places, and work out our own Savation; not havocking away our precious time, or spending it about needless things, 
Gal. 6. 10.  as God hath given us this time, so to do the work that he hath sent us hither for: This the Apostle requireth of the Galarians, As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, where's employed, that having but a little while to tarry, we are to bestir ourselves: Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might (saith the Preacher) even whatsoever our duty doth any way require of us: 
Eccles. 9 10.  I must work the works of him that hath sent me (saith our Saviour) while it is a day, 
john. 9 4.  so must we: 
Psal. 90. 12.  This is the effect of that prayer, Teach us so to number our days (as being few, flitting and hasting away) that we may apply our hearts to wisdom, even do a wise man's part, to know the work we came hither for; see we do it, and not spend our few days in other business and lewdness, that we must after be ashamed of, such work as we shall never have thanks for: Seeing we are but on this Stage, to play a part and down again, it were meet we should play an honest Man's part, the Christians part, the good Magistrates, the good Ministers part, the good Husbands, the good Parents part; not a Thiefs part, nor a Cozener, nor the part of an idle Person.  
1. This condemns them that make the clean contrary use, 
Use 1.  let us eat and drink, 
Isa. 22. 13.  for to morrow we shall die, as if they had said, the Prophets say, we shall be cut off and die, let's be merry while we may: Such Epicures, that think there is neither pleasure nor pain, when they be gone hence, shall find (though no pleasure because they have had it already, yet) that pain, and that eternal, will lay hold on them: Sour sauce to their sweet meat.  
2. This condemns the common sort, 
Use 2.  which will not consider of the shortness of their life, though both the Scriptures and Experience preach it continually, and therefore thinking the time long, care not how they squander it away, and thereupon follow their pleasure, as drinking, riotous living, etc. even selling themselves hereto; and so (to use their own Phrase) drive away the time: Alas, they need not drive it, it runs fast enough, unless they spent it better: Others are all for the world, toiling and moiling night and day, scraping together by hook and crook, and mind nothing else: Is this the work for which God sent you into this world? Is Lying, Swearing, Sabbath-breaking, Whoring, etc. any of God's work? pointed he out any time for this? And did he set you here only to rake for the World, to Oppress, Deceive, gripe the Poor, & c? No, but to set forth his glory, and work out your own Salvation; but this lies all undone, you never went about it, as neither to do good in your places, in the Church, Commonwealth, Town, Family, etc. where you live: Now if you have done hurt to the glory of God, your own Souls, 
Simile.  and to others by your ill example, have you not (think you) spent your time well? A man hath two Servants, and sends them to Market to sell his Corn, do Errands, buy Provision, etc. The one, when Market begins, gets him to an Alehouse with his Companions, and there calls for beer by the yard, or by the dozen, and sits quaffing, and prating, and gaming, and thereafter hath his Harlot, thus holding on till Night, and then is the Market done: The other being a worldly fellow, pitcheth down his Master's sack, and spying good Commodities, he falls to look after them for his own gain, and buyeth what's cheapest, and most profit to be had by, and so he spends the day, wholly omitting his Master's business: Well, Market is done, and all the people gone: Being come home, their Master falls a reasoning, What, was it a good Market to day? how sold the Corn? and have ye sold it all? have you brought Provision? did you the Errand to such a Man? They answer, they have not done any of those; No, saith he, what then? What have you done, Sirrah? And what you? How spent you your time? One makes answer, I went into an Alehouse to drink two or three pots, and good fellows came in so fast, and held me till Night, that I could not do your business: The other saith, he saw there some good Bargains and Pennyworths to be had, and while he followed these for himself, Market was done ere he was aware: would not the Master hereupon pull the coats of these varlets over their ears? would he not discard them in his displeasure, yea and get them punished? yet thus for all the world do most men with God; Some hunting after their pleasures, as others after the things of this world: Well, let them that have hitherto misspent and lost their time, let them, I say, yet ere Night come, bethink themselves and fall to their work, and dispatch it ere Market be done, and thank God that they be yet alive: It's better to be a living Dog then a dead Lion; 
Eccles. 9 4.  thank God thou hast yet an hour, and use it well. There be thousands in Hell, that if they had the whole world, would give it for one hour here upon earth, and if it were so much worth to them, it's as much worth to thee, that hast lost all the hours of thy life hitherto; O therefore whilst thou hast yet an hour, bestir thee, for the night approacheth: Thou hast played a bad man's part hitherto, now ere thou goest off the stage, unsay that part, and tell the world it was not that part thou shouldest have played; now begin the honest man's part, defer not all thy work to the last, as most men do, that think when they be sick, and fear they shall die, Oh, than they will send for a Minister, and as though we could work miracles, we must teach them in a rice the whole way to Heaven; and, O I pray you give me some good counsel, I sent for you to speak a few comfortable words to me, and then either the Minister daubeth with untempered mortar (which is a just judgement) or if he be faithful, and begin to wade into his misery, this he thinks to be strange; Oh, I sent for you to tell me some-words of comfort, not to speak so much and such things to me. And let all good Christians be wise, let us think of our brittle state, le's ply us, and be doing all the good we can to ourselves or others; and do not we put off from time to time, I will next year take up prayers more constantly, when such a business shall be over; I will be liberal hereafter, or at my death, I hope I shall do my duty in due time; O fie upon it, that a Christian should say. Hereafter, and be bold to put off time, and in the mean time we die; Oh, do all the good we should now, lest on our deathbed with grief we be forced to say, Oh, I thought to have left this sin, done that duty, etc. if I had lived a year longer, I would have put off some of my dealings that have clogged me, given up some of my Farms; I purposed to have got out of the Usurer's books, and never take that course more; I purposed to have done more service to the Town where I live, more good than ever, and now death prevents me.  
And if ye call on the Father] Now we come to the Reasons of the Exhortation, 
The first Reason of the foregoing Exhortation.  whereof the first is, Because they called God Father, it was therefore meet they should walk as children in awe and reverence, and that not when and wherein they list, but in all things, for he cannot be their Father unless they be his Children. An impregnable reason, That they which call such an holy God Father, 
Doctr.  should walk in fear and obedience as sons: 
Such as call God Father, must walk in fear and obedience as sons.  No Father without sons, and the very name of Father calleth for reverence and obedience; Therefore when God would include all Superiors (to whom reverence and obedience is due) Magistrates, Ministers, Masters, Governors, etc. he calls them in one word, 
Exod. 20. 12.  Fathers; even as he that calleth one Master, thereby professeth service and obedience, and the King his Sovereign, professeth subjection, so calling God Father, we do thereby make known our filial awe and reverence. 
See Mal. 1. 6.   
By the name of Father (which we ascribe to our Fathers) as we acknowledge one to be the Author of our Being, 
2 Cor. 6. 18.  and that we owe him obedience, 
What the name Father implieth.  so we challenge much of him, as that he should have a care of us, to preserve us, defend us, and provide for us all things needful, for thus do Fathers to their children, especially their dutiful ones; in like manner when we call God Father, we both ascribe so much to him, and profess to look for so much from him, as that it requireth of us to pass our time in a reverend awe of him in all things.  
1. This condemns them that live wickedly, 
Use 1.  and in their sins, and yet call God Father; they might as well say any thing: If one should fight against the King on his Enemy's part, and say he were a good Subject; or say he is a man's servant, and yet doth nothing that he is bidden, but is drunken, quarrels with his fellow-servants, beats his Master children, breaks down his windows, rails upon him, should this be counted a good servant, or the other a good subject? so the Lord defies that such should call him Father, and counts it a disgrace to him to be called Father of such miscreants, 
See Psal. 50. 16  that live like bastards, that have no care to please God, 
jer. 3. 3, 4.  no fear of offending him, 
Luk. 6. 46.  nor delight to be in his presence: We should take it as a disgrace to have some base and filthy person come in a market to us, and call us father, yet this may and doth befall men, yea, good too, who have lewd children, and such be like them neither in favour nor condition: yea, there's scarce one child like the Father, or one like another; but it's nor so with God, he hath never a child but is like him, and hath his image in him, 
Psal. 15. 2. ver. 15. of this 1 john 3. 9  like hearted and like handed to him, innocent hands, and a pure heart, holy as he is holy, hating sin as he he doth, loving his Word, People, Righteousness, etc. as he doth, He that is born of God, sinneth not: Those are true properties of a child of God; yet even others have a father too, Christ hath pointed him out, Ye are of your Father the Devil, 
joh. 4. 48.  and the lusts of your Father you will do: Such as care for no goodness, nor for God's children, but are Liars, Deceivers, Oppressors, and the like, they are like the Devil; God is not their Father, but their Enemy, with such all the Angels and Creatures are at defiance, and wait for their destruction; all the judgements of God hang over their heads, their death will be a passage to their endless woe and misery.  
Therefore never call God Father till thou change thy manners, nor look for any privilege of a child from him, as either protection or maintenance, no nor so much as good look: But shall I thus leave these? God forbid; for though we find them children of the Devil, yet we would be glad to bring them to be Gods: Therefore humble yourselves, confess your sins, as the Publican and the Prodigal, entreat and sue for Pardon, change thy behaviour, and when thou canst feel thy heart effected like a Child, or truly desirous so to be, then call him Father: In the mean time, if thou wouldst mourn for thy sins, and labour for a contrite heart, 
See 2 Cor. 6. 17.  and abstain from every unclean thing, thou shouldest be received, thy sins pardoned, and God would be a Father unto thee; But if thou goest on in this graceless course, as thou workest, so shall thy wages be.  
2. But dost thou unfeignedly desire to fear God, 
Use 2.  1. In thy general calling as a Christian, to walk holily, righteously, and soberly? Fearest thou to offend God thyself, or to see him dishonoured by others? carest thou to please him? lovest thou to be in his presence? dost thou conscionably hear his Word, and patiently bore his Corrections? 2. In thy special calling, art thou careful to glorify God, as a Parent, Child, Master, Servant, etc. not only in ceasing to do evil, but in doing good, yea, and labouring to do it well? Thou mayest comfortably, and with good leave call God Father, and make account of him so to be, 
1 john 1. 12.  which is the greatest privilege in the world; Christ is thy Brother, thou art Heir with him of all good things in this world, and Salvation in the Kingdom of Glory hereafter: Angels guard thee, nay, are thy Servants; Afflictions, Corrections, Death no Death, but a passage to Life: O let us be persuaded to increase more and more in this care, and every time we call God Father, we may be put in mind, and provoked to labour for the affections of dutiful Children! We can readily look that God should be a Father to us, that we want nothing, but we for our parts, can be content to be wanting in our duties many ways, we neglect this and that duty; yea, in those we perform, how cold are we, little differing from Hypocrites? how often do we break out into gross evils? how little grieved, when we offend or see others offend? for these the Lord is often driven to afflict us. As it's between natural Parents and Children, we see that love descends, but seldom ascends; They look for all maintenance from their Parents, but care little how small reverence or obedience they give them; So we deal with God, our head must not ache a little, but he must presently give ease, but we can be slack enough in the performance of our parts.  
Who without respect of persons, judgeth according to every man works,] Here's the second Reason, 
The second Reason of the foregoing Exhortation.  He whom we call Father, is also a Judge, and that a very sharp-fighted one, that will not be carried away with shows, and false glosses of good works, but will look into the inside, and judge accordingly; If they proceed from an honest heart, he will surely reward them, if not, they shall not only miss the reward they look for, but have, for all their gay shows, their reward with Hypocrites: Therefore it stands us in hand not only to renounce evil, and to do good, but to do the same with a right affection.  
Here I might speak how God judgeth, 
How God doth and will judge of men's actions.  and will judge men's actions: as 1. In this life he approveth the ways of his Servants by his Word, and by his blessings upon them outward and inward; and disalloweth the wicked actions of the World, 
1. In this life.  and their courses, by his Word, 
2. At death.  and by his judgements sometimes. 2. In the end of this life, by receiving the soul of the one into glory, and by casting down the other to confusion. 
3. On the day of judgement.  3. And especially at the last day, by receiving the one into everlasting glory, and throwing the other into endless misery. Which may  
1. Make us all look to our ways, 
Use 1.  to walk in reverence and fear all our days: To this purpose peruse Ecles. 12. 13, 14. Act. 24. 16. 2 Cor. 5. 9 2 Pet. 3. 11.  
2. Be a strong bit to hold back the wicked from running on; 
Use 2.  nay, to bring them on their faces for that which is past, that it may be here pardoned, that they meet not with all their abominations at that day: For we must all appear before the Judgement seat of Christ, 
2. Cor. 5. 10.  that every one may receive the things done in his body, 
See Rev. 1. 7. and 20. 12.  according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad: Even they that have been judges of others, they that have ben quit, yea, they that have had their sentence here too, shall appear before a wise Judge that cannot be deceived, a Just one that will not be bribed, from whom they cannot flee, as being Infinite.  
But because this is not the main drift of the Apostle, I pass it over the more briefly, the chief force lying in this, That God judgeth according to man's works, without respect of persons.  
The person of man is taken, 
The person of man how taken.  1. For those outward qualities that be common to good and bad, that yet set out a man, as Birth, Wit, Learning, Strength, Beauty, Wealth, etc. Now God is no respecter of these things, though amongst men they are much looked after, by reason of which not a few scape their deserved punishment, 
Deut. 16. 19  and yet the same is prohibited of God; He forbids it in others, therefore will not himself have respect of persons.  
Therefore let no man think he shall escape better by his Wealth, 
Use.  Birth, Learning, Authority, etc. and because of them embolden himself to do that which a poor ignorant mean man may not; Gods laws be not Spiders-webs: Nay, for these a man shall scape the worse, for the greater the wages are which God gives, he requires the more work; the higher place he sets men in, he looks for the better carriage: where there's more knowledge, there must be more obedience, else there must be more stripes. 2. For the outward appearance of a work, the show of Holiness, Costliness, Painfulness, Multitude, etc. and so it's here; God respecteth not the outside of a work, and the show that it hath to the eye of the world, but looketh to the inside, 
See Psal. 51. 6. & Rom. 2. 2.  and respecteth with what heart it's done, and from what affection it comes: 
Isa. 1. 15. and 58. 4.  The Jews did abound in their outward works and service, yet their hands being full of blood and abomination, his own Ordinances were irksome to him, 
See Mic. 6.  and accordingly he did reject their Humiliation, though it was extraordinary: So he respected not the sacrifice of Cain, 
Gen. 4. 5.  though he were the firstborn, nor made choice of Eliab, 
1. Sam. 16. 7.  for all his outward appearance. 
john 4. 24.  God is a Spirit, 
Prov. 23. 26.  and will be served with a spiritual service; My son (saith he) give me thy heart; 
1 Chro. 28. 9  God seeth into the heatrs and reins, whom therefore we are to serve with a perfect heart and willing mind.  
To the being of a good work, 
Four things required to the being of a good work.  these things are required; 1. That the person be justified in Christ, and so pleasing to God. 2. That it be done in Faith, or a particular persuasion of the lawfulness of the thing done. 
Gen. 4. 4.  3. It must proceed from a sanctified heart, 
Rom. 14. 23.  else the fountain being impure, makes the sacrifice or work abominable to God. 
1 Cor. 10. 31.  4. It must be done to a good and right end, our own discharge, and the good of our brethren, as inferior ends, but the main end, the glory of God.  
1. Here are rejected all the works of natural and unregenerated men, 
Use 1.  all the civil virtues in the Heathen Philosophers, their Justice, Temperance, 
Splendida percata.  Liberality, Fortitude, contempt of the World, Patience, and the like, which great works of theirs were but shining sins: So the actions of such as are merely civil, though never so fair conditioned to the world-ward, these are in no account with God, nay their hearing, praying, almsgiving, are abominable, till their persons please God, and be sanctified; and all such, though haply of great age, did never in thoughtword, or deed please God, trust nor then to these things: Oh, many will brag with the Pharisee of their just dealing, but resting thereon, they shall have the Pharisees reward. Many a poor man will say, I thank God I have lived honestly, followed my work, earned my living truly, no man can say, Thus and thus hast thou done amiss; but even this not done to a right end and in a right manner, is sin.  
O but Christ loved the rich young man, 
Object.  though not yet converted.  
He loved that seed or good that was in his own work, 
Sol.  but not the person.  
2. Here are rejected all works of Heretics, 
Use 2.  though never so costly, devour, painful; as their early rising to Mass, their painful travel on Pilgrimage, their costly gifts to Religious houses: So of other nations, that coming into the Temples of their gods, throw themselves down on the ground, smite themselves on the breasts, etc. of all these being done without Faith, God will say, Who required these things at your hands? The faster one runs in a wrong way, the further he is out, and the longer ere he come in.  
3. Here are rejected the works of hypocrites and carnal Gospelers, 
Use 3.  which make a profession, hear, receive the Lords Supper, join in outward performance of duty, but look not to themselves, their hearts remaining tainted with their lusts: Such as yet live in some sins, may go to Hell with Water of Baptism on their faces, and the Bread of the Lord in their mouths. They care not how works be performed, but slubber them over, so they be out of their hands, they care not how; these will be paid according to their work: They make sale ware for the Lord, slight and of no substance, but this the Lord cannot abide, he will have it substantial: If it come not inwardly from a good heart, let the outside be what it will, it's but like a painted Tomb or gilded Idol, hollow within, that cannot speak. We are here met to day to hear God's Word, a good work, an excellent work, if all came with an upright heart, God requiring it, and that we should know his will, and in all things be ruled thereby, but few be such; but when they have heard all they can, yet do as they list, at least in part: It's true, Ahabs hypocritical repentance was rewarded with a temporal benefit, but not for love of the work, but for example to others, how well God would reward things done in truth.  
4. Let this teach all God's servants, 
Use 4.  not only to have a care to do duties (so can hypocrites) but to do them in a right manner: Herein lies the difficulty to bring our vile hearts to do them aright, else the doing of the duty is an easy thing, and no strait way, if that were all; but we have a wretched heart, full of inwinding and privy corruptions, that cannot be seen to others when we do our duties, for even sundry of them are unknown to ourselves, pride, hypocrisy, dulness, earthliness, unbelief, and the like; look therefore when we Hear, Pray, give Alms, follow our Callings, or whatsoever, that we do it well and substantially, using all skill and diligence, for we have a God with whom we deal, that looks to the inside, and hates all slight; and he will pay well, cares not what he gives so the work be done well. Commonly men that be good husbands, will look to have their work well done; so doth the Lord, and he pays presently in hand, Peace of Conscience, Joy in the Holy Ghost, with divers outward Blessings, besides the inheritance reserved for us hereafter.   

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; Verse 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish, and without spot.  
HEre's another main Reason of the foregoing Exhortation, 
The third Reason of the foregoing Exhortation.  drawn from a wonderful benefit bestowed upon us, namely, Redemption, procured by no less price than the precious blood of Christ; Were we redeemed at such a rate, and by such a great and unspeakable price? Then we must pass the time of our sojourning here in fear.  
Here consider, 
The parts of this verse.  1. The benefit, Redemption. 2. From what, Their vain conversation; which is set out by the Original of it, The tradition of their fathers. 3. The price whereby purchased: which is set down, first Negatively; where's showed, what it is not, no worldly thing, such as silver and gold, described by the nature and quality, Corruptible things; then Affirmatively, where's showed, what it is, namely, Blood, precious blood, The precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish, and without spot.  
Forasmuch as ye know,] Hear note, 
Doct.  That  
A man may know himself to be a redeemed one, 
A man may know himself redeemed.  he may know that there's no condemnation to him, and that he is translated from Death to Life; 
1 john 3. 14.  He may know, that he serves not sin as he was wont, but his heart is to serve the Lord, and that he walk not after the Flesh, but after the Spirit.  
And doth a man know himself redeemed, 
Use.  he must pass his time in the fear of God, and therefore in vain do such boast that they are redeemed, that live yet in their sins.  
That ye were redeemed] Here note,  
1. That as Mercy presupposeth Misery, 
Doctr.  so Redemption Bondage and Slavery; 
Redemption presupposeth Bondage and Slavery.  neither is the bondage wherein we stand, such as of Pharaoh, or the Turks, but Ten thousand times worse, even of Sin, and of the Devil; God indeed made us free in Adam, Sin nor Satan had nothing to do with us, but we all sinning in Adam, became subject not only to the Wrath and Curse of God, the first and second death, and the forerunners of both, but to sin also, and so by nature we can do nothing but sin, we drink sin, as a thirsty man doth water; It's as natural to us, as for the fire to burn: So fast is our will bound to the will of the Devil, that for our lives we cannot think a good thought. Now as all bondage is abhorted of the nature of man, so the base person one is in bondage too, the more odious it is to them that see it, and the more tedious to themselves that bear it: Now none so base in the world, as sin and the Devil, the woeful enemies of God and our souls.  
This should humble us all, 
Use.  being in this woeful case, and so would it do if we could be brought to believe it: 
john 8. 33.  But (as the Jews) we think we were never in bondage to any, and finding our bodies at liberty, conceive so of our souls, whereas both be in a spiritual bondage unto evil: Nay, such is our woeful bondage, as we cannot believe we are in it, nor can desire to come out of it, but naturally we love and desire it, & thereupon are enemies to the means of our freedom: most think that if they may have their lusts satisfied and fetch their flings in all manner of evil, some of pleasure, some of their unconscionable dealing, etc. O it's a little Heaven! O such Towns and Houses where they may thus have their wills, are the only places! but for the Towns and Services where they may not thus lash out, but are restrained, and must be brought to the Word, Prayer, Reading, Repetition, Catechising, and the like, O fie upon it, say they, Here's a Bondage, a Slavery, who would be tied thus? If my year be our once, I'll lay a stone there, etc. This is a hard saying, who can bear it? Let us break their bands, and cast their coards from us: If this Preaching be suffered, we shall do nothing shortly, we shall not be merry, we shall have our hands bound behind us: Thus counting God's service, which is perfect Freedom, to be Bondage, they hold their woeful Slavery to be the only Liberty, and therefore are not only willing so to continue, but are against the means of their Delivery, which is a great depth of bondage: for let one be a slave to the Turks never so though his body be bound, yet his mind is free, he retains an earnest desire to be set at liberty: well, men must see it, and feel it, else they shall never be delivered, and if they die in this case, they must have their wages according to the work.  
2. That there is a way out of this bondage, 
Doct.  for our parts we could find none, 
There's a way whereby to come out of our bondage.  we could desire none; nay, God of his infinite mercy having found it out, and prepared it, we have no desire of it: This indeed is a great and wonderful mercy; He might have been glorified in our confusion, and hath provided no remedy for the evil Angels, as he hath for us. It followeth hereupon,  
1. Seeing there is away of Redemption, 
Use 1.  that all that know not themselves delivered, must give all diligence, that they may have their part in it: Believe God's Word that thou art now in Bondage, but abide not in it, seeing there's a wayout: will any of the Turks Slaves stay in Prison, if the door be set open, and liberty offered and proclaimed? 
Luke 4. 18.  Christ was sent to proclaim liberty to Captives, and so doth: Do this the rather, for the redeemeth not all, most shall bear their own burden: He prayed not for the world; All mine are thine, 
john 17. 10.  saith he to his Father, thine by Election, mine by Redemption.  
But is not he the propitiation for the sins of the whole world? 
Object.   
This is to be understood of all Believers, 
1 john 2. 2.  of all Nations through the world, 
Sol.  in this last age since Christ.  
2. That they which know themselves delivered from so great Thraldom, 
Use 2.  both of Death and Damnation, and of Sin also, must now serve God, and that under the hope of eternal Life: They must study how to show their thankfulness in all dutiful obedience all the days of their life; If any were ransomed from the Turk, doth he not count himself his that hath ransomed him? so should we: As we have yielded our members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, 
Rom. 6. 13.  so must we now yield them as instruments of righteousness unto God: We have taken great pains for the world and vanity, forgot our meat and sleep, thought the time short, feared ever we should come too late, have pleaded for Baal: O le's now do so for goodness, we have spent our substance on lewd persons, & to follow our lusts, now let us spend it in the service of God, and on God's Children! O le's not serve the Devil and sin in any point more forwardly than God we must glorify God in Body and Spirit; 
1 Cor. 6. 20.  we must have neither Heart, Tongue, Wit, Will, Eye, Ear, but for the Lord, and all to be at his command: O that we would often think of our Redemption, both from whence and to what! This would make us gather up our feet in our Master's service more roundly, and call home our ranging Wits, Wills, and parts from following our Lusts, to yield better obedience to God.  
From your vain conversation,] Hear whence, and from what they were delivered vain, 
jam. 2. 20.  that is, empty, fruitless, unprofitable, as, But wilt thou know, 
Psal. 33. 17.  O vain man (O thou empty Cask) that Faith without Works is dead? And an Horse is a vain help: Such was the conversation of the Jews, both their worshipping of God, and the rest of their lives; It was empty, and therein was no substance, as a blown bladder, that made a great show, but had no substance therein, which was also unprofitable unto them, even their conversation, I say, was vain, who were the people of God by name, and his Law, Word, and Worship amongst them. Whence note, that  
Till a man be converted to God, 
Doctr.  and the work of Regeneration wrought in him, 
The whole life of an unregenerate person is vain.  his whole life is vain: None of his actions either please God, or profit himself; for till a man's person please God, his works cannot.  
Be a man an Hundred years old, and not born again, the time is yet to come that ever he thought, spoke, or did that which pleased God, or shall do himself any pleasure.  
Therefore it concerns every man to try in what state he stands, 
Use.  and to labour to prove himself a person reconciled to God, and converted.  
Received by Tradition from your Fathers. 
Obs. ] He turns not off the fault wholly from the Children to the Parents, 
Children readily follow the evil example of their Parents.  but shows that their Parents giving a bad example, they by their sinful nature were as ready to follow it; to follow their Parents, I say, which were corrupt both in their Lives, and the worship of God: Concerning the corruption of their Fathers, it's to be understood, not of all, for God had his among them: Abraham was a true worshipper of God, and a sincere man in his conversation, 
Gen. 18. 18.  and so taught he his Family, and lost not his labour: So Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, and the Prophets; In this respect the Apostle said, 
Acts 24. 14.  I worship the God of my Fathers.  
But more generally of the whole body of the Jews, 
Whom we are here to understand by Fathers.  which was shamefully corrupted in all things: Hereupon what a stir had the Prophets continually with them for their idolatry, & corrupting of God's worship in the first Table, and their unrighteousness towards men against the second: 
Mat. 15. 4, 5, 6, etc. and 23. 23.  Afterwards it was worse with them, They corrupted the true and sound interpretation of the Law; They were full of Hypocrisy and Ostentation, and would set up their own Traditions, and make them equal with the Word of God; 
Mat. 15. 9  They taught for Doctrine (even things necessary to Salvation, and parts of God's worship) the commandments of men: Therefore they did often quarrel with our Saviors Disciples, sometimes for eating with unwashen hands, as at other times, for not fasting, for plucking of ears of Corn on the Sabbath-day, etc. Yea, they were so wicked, as they would set up their own Traditions, to the casting down of God's Commandments, and so set themselves above God: 
Mat. 15. 4, 5, 6.  the former was fearful, but this horribly blasphemous, as by their Corban they set a Son free from any duty to his Parents: Shall not God be master of his own Worship? hath he not left his Word for a light and a rule, 
2 Tim. 3. 16, 17.  and that most sufficient? must there be any thing added hereunto?  
If any say, 
1 Sam. 15. 22.  they did these things of a good mind, let him know, that to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken, than the fat of Rams; let such call to mind God's justice against Nadab and Abihu: 
Leu. 10. 1, 2.  There were the same Incense, the same Censers that should be offered in the same place by the right persons, only they took strange fire, which yet could burn well: shall man make himself wiser than his maker?  
This condemneth the Papists, 
Popish Religion stands in patches.  for they are nothing but inventions; almost their whole Religion stands in patches: How have they defiled God's Ordinances with their wicked inventions? Baptism with Salt, Cream, spital, Oil, Crossing, & c? How the Supper of the Lord, by taking away the breaking of the Bread, using gay whole round Cakes, the Priests forsooth for holiness, putting the same in the people's mouths? (with their polluted hands they must not touch it) as if their mouths being clean, their hands could be unclean? How by keeping away the Cup altogether? how by taking away that plain apparel which Christ and his Disciples used, and bringing in costly apparel, like that of Aaron, fitter for an Emperor? Not to speak of their Altars, Music, Elevation, Censing, Reservation, Fast, Vows, Pilgrimages, set numbers and stints of Prayers, and that upon Beads, their Penances, Indulgences, etc. one devised one thing, another another thing, those that came after not being willing to be behind herein them that went before: Thus ceased they not, till they had filled all with trash; and than lest they should be loathed and laughed at, they began to urge them more stiffly, and enjoin them under pain of great sin to be obeyed.  
They also prefer their own Traditions before God's Commandments: Usually they count it more heinous to work on an Holiday, or Saints-day of their own devising, then on the Lordsday: So to eat a bit of flesh on Friday, then to commit whoredom all the days of the Week: So to speak against any of their toys, when to swear or take Gods Name in vain; The one is punished more severely, the other not regarded.  
Here may be also noted, That  
Parents had need give their Children good example, 
Doct.  and take heed of the contrary, 
Parents must give their children good example.  which they will readily enough follow: The Parents actions be Copies for their Children, their examples Precepts, their Precepts Oracles, to evil especially, whither their nature is prone: 
See 2 Kings 17. 41.  David would wal'k wisely, in a perfect way, in the midst of his house; 
2 Chro. 22. 3.  so must Parents, for in vain do they counsel their Children, if their own example be not answerable. 
Psal. 101. 2.   
1. This condemns them that are most cruel examples to their Children, 
Use. 1.  of Swearing, Lying, Stealing, and all Wickedness, and Cursed speaking, so of profaning the Lordsday, railing on God's Servants, raging in their Houses, etc. They chalk them the way to destruction, and therefore will be guilty of it.  
2. Parents must be careful, 
Use 2.  not only not to be examples of evil unto their Families, but examples of much good; that so their Children may imitate their reverence of God's Majesty, and his worship, their attendance on the Word upon all occasions, their conscionable care of the Sabbath, with their daily use and exercise of Religious duties.  
Further, in that they be rebuked for thus learning of their Fathers, learn, that  
It's no good rule for us to follow the examples of our Ancestors: 
Doctr.  The Word of God is the rule, 
To follow the examples of our Ancestors is no sure rule.  whereby we must live; the other being indeed a Leaden rule: So far are we to follow them, as they follow Christ: Yet are not we to reject a thing simply, because it was done thus long ago, or done by the Fathers in the old time, but rather being good and warrantable we are to follow it, because Antiquity hath reverence joined with truth; yet we must not follow a thing simply, because ancient; evil is almost as ancient in the world, as good, better a new truth (that is, truth newly revealed) then an old error.  
This condemns the Papists, 
Use.  most of them have no other reason for their Religion, but, Thus did our Forefathers; So long, and so long it hath been, and shall we be wiser than they; My Father, and my Grandfather (God rest their souls) they did thus, etc. a poor blind rule: They walked in darkness, and so went out of the way, will you do so that have the light? It's no more a rule for Doctrine or Manners to say, Thus did our Forefathers, they were of this mind, and why am not I so to be? then if any should Swear, Rail, Lie, Curse, and say, I do but as I heard and saw my Father do; will this go for payment, trow ye?  
Not with corruptible things, as silver and gold,] The things whereby we are not Redeemed, are silver and gold; These he names in stead of all other worldly things, 
Pro. 10. 19  as which answer all, and by them Houses, Lands, yea, the most costly things, and most precious Pearls are bought.  
By these men may be ransomed and redeemed out of bodily Thraldom, 
Doct.  but all the silver and gold in the world is insufficient to redeem even one man out of his Spiritual bondage: 
The things of this world are insufficient to redeem any out of his spiritual bondage.  See Mat. 16. 26.  
The Reasons hereof may be these,  
1. God hath no need of any of these things, and they are his already: 
Reas. 1.  The earth is the Lords, and the fullness thereof; The gold of Ophir and Havilah, 
Psal. 24. 1.  as are the beasts on a thousand mountains. 
Psal. 50. 10.   
2. Our soul is an immortal and incorruptible being, 
Reas. 2.  a Creature that had a beginning, but never shall have end: Now gold and silver are things corruptible and vanishing, therefore are not of worth or value to redeem or countervail the soul; for there must be some proportion between the thing bought and the price given, so is there not between the world, and the soul of a man; one soul is more excellent than the whole world.  
3. Sin is a transgression against an Infinite God, 
Reas. 3.  and so deserveth an infinite punishment, a death, and that eternal and infinite: now a death must be paid, God's justice hath set it down, no such price therefore will be taken, neither are these things infinite, all the world is not.  
4. Many times even for a Trespass committed against men, 
Reas. 4.  these things will not be taken for a recompense. 
Prov. 6. 35.   
5. These often, 
Reas. 5.  when God sends some bodily judgement, are unable to do men any pleasure, 
Pro. 11. 4.  nor can at all pacify God. 
Ezek. 7. 19   
6. These cannot redeem a man's bodily life, 
Zeph. 1. 18.  and save it from death (for many would give much to procure that) nor can they prolong a man's (ones own brothers) life an hour beyond his appointed time, 
Reas. 6.  much less can they redeem his soul. 
Psal. 49. 7.   
7. These cannot purchase Wit, 
Reas. 7.  Learning, Eloquence for those that want them, much less Sanctification and Grace; as also if a man were born Blind, Lame, Deformed, they cannot purchase Sight, Strength or Beauty.  
1. This condemns those gross Absurdities, 
Use 1.  nay, Blasphemies of the Church of Rome, they by Pardons and Indulgences, sold for Money, take upon them to forgive sins; yea, they give those to houses of Gentlemen, for many years to come, persuading also, that by their Masses (which they must purchase with their Money) they shall be freed from Purgatory, and sent to Heaven: Among them, belike the rich are in a good case, they may sin freely, but the poor are in an hard taking: O cursed Blasphemy! None can forgive sins but God only; yea, whereas all the Silver and Gold of the world cannot satisfy for one sin, yet will they set it at such and such a rate of Money: It may be said to them, as Peter said to Simon Magus, Your Money perish with you, 
Acts 8. 20.  because you think that the gift of God (such a special gift as is the Remission of sins) may be bought with Money.  
2. We must learn by any means not to hazard or sell our souls for Silver or Gold, 
Use 2.  not for the whole world: If a man should sell his soul for the whole world, would the same price redeem it again? no, not if there were ten thousand worlds: Then is it a very hard bargain to sell any commodity at such a rate, as a man would give a thousand times as much for it again, and yet must go without it; what shall I say of the common sort, which so basely esteem of their souls, that they sell them away to destruction for toys of this world: How many sell themselves to hell, some by Robbery, Bribery, Oppression, Simony, Sacrilege, Cozenage, Lying, Swearing, etc. others for a bare living and maintenance? O poor woeful Creatures! They know not what they do: They are like young Heirs, that know not the worth of their Inheritance, and so part with all to some cozening companion for a Horse, Dog, or Hawk, nothing to the true worth of it, and then fret to think that they had such a living whereby they might have lived in good fashion all their life, and now it's gone, and they have nothing, but like profane Esau's have lost their birthright: O if men knew the worth of their souls, they would then despise the whole world if it were offered for them, 
Mat. 4. 9, 10.  but an Omnia Dabo pulls most of the world upon their knees to worship the Devil: Many Shopkeepers say, they would not give their lying for Forty pounds a year; but poor blind Creatures, young Heirs, if they gate Forty thousand pounds a year, they were great losers, for if they would give it, and as much more to it, it would not recover their souls again from Damnation thereby deserved; Oh, the soul lives for ever, and sin casts it into everlasting Woe and Torment: And for enjoying a few short pleasures of sin, 
Heb. 11. 25.  shall we throw ourselves into everlasting torment? Moses would not thus do, but left Pharoahs' court and the delights thereof, which he could not hold without sin: O le's be wise at last, and royally set such a price on our souls, as if the Devil would say as he did to Christ, All this will I give thee, we may tell him he bids like an higler, and if he would give us seven worlds, 
Use 3.  we would not part with our Souls.  
3. We wust be more afraid of sin, then of any thing else, seeing the price is so great that must satisfy for it, even more than the loss of all that we have: If we should commit sin to save all we have, we lose; But how little account do men make of sin, whereas nothing but Christ's blood can satisfy for it? If we were set to pay Twenty shillings for every sin we commit, how shy would we be? but considering that the very greatest sum can neither take it away, nor pay for it, we ought to be the more careful; but, O Lord, men commit sin as if an half penny would satisfy for it, nay, a straw under their feet: Thus do many rap out oaths, others talk ribaldry, others lie, others rail, curse, backbite, etc. The devil thinks, nay he knows he doth us a greater spite to make us sin, 
job 1. 11.  then to pluck away all that we have; see this in his dealing with Job, he desired to spoil him of his goods, Why? because he hoped thereby to bring him to blaspheme God; and its true, he doth us more mischief by bringing us to commit one sin, then by stripping us of all the estate we have: O do not that, which when done, 
Doctr.  all the world cannot make amends for.  
But what are these things? 
The things of this world are corruptible, vain and uncertain.  what's their nature and quality? they are corruptible things, vain, uncertain, of no continuance; fire consumeth houses, water wares, death cattle, land is subject to barrenness, to bad titles, wranglings, enemies, all these outward things, sick of a consumption: They may hold out for a time, but at length perish; nay, ourselves and our own lives as frail as any thing, 
2 Pet. 3. 10.  a bubble, a shadow, a vapour (as we heard larely) yea, 
Use 1.  the very heavens shall pass away.  
1. Therefore be not proud of these things, alas, they be gifts of Gods left hand, 
Pro. 23. 5.  common to the bad and good, also they have eagles wings, 
1 Tim. 6. 17.  and are uncertain: And yet how do these things lift up men's minds, and make them contemn their brethren? and so lordly, that they are not fit to be spoke too, froward, contentious, etc. there's little cause they should so do, but rather make them the more humble, for the more a man hath, the greater account he is to make: If of any thing, be proud of grace (yet not of that) and disdain not a poor Christian; 
james 2. 5.  for though he have no wealth, yet if he have more grace than thou hast, he is the better man, I mean in the sight of God, who therefore is not to be contemned for his poverty.  
2. Trust not in them, 
Use 2.  let them not be thy strong city; hereof Job particularly acquits himself, 
1 Tim. 6. 17.  and so should we. 
Prov. 10. 15.   
3. Esteem of riches accordingly, 
job 31. 24.  and seek them in their place: To this purpose peruse Matth. 6. 19, 20, 33. 
Use 3.  John 2. 15, 16, 17, & 6. 27.  
4. This condemns the common sort, 
Use 4.  that seek after nothing else, as if there were no other heaven, nor other end of man's being here: Multitudes seek after them by right and wrong, yea, the most unlawful and vile courses: Others not so openly evil, yet so seek these things, as regarding them more than that one thing that is needful, being so addicted hereto, that in the whole day they cannot spare one quarter of an hour for prayer in their family; so in the whole week no leisure to break off and hear a Sermon, nay, Sabbath and all, only coming to Church (and some scarcely that) but will lose as little time as they can, for they will talk of the world till they come to the Church door, and in many places in the very Church, and as soon as they are out again, to it again: With them every little time for God and the Soul is too much, no time for the world enough; every small measure of knowledge, a shadow of any thing in that kind is much, but much of the world seems yet small: Mammon is much beholding to them, God and their Soul but a little; therein they are wise, and have tongue enough in such things, none at all in heavenly matters, and so they bring up their children, and so match them: Thus they set the cart before the horse, and speed in their souls accordingly; yet is one dram of Faith Repentance, Knowledge, worth all the silver and gold in the world. Yea, it's not only the fault of the common sort, that they see no better things, but even of God's children, that have the substance, and yet will be catching at the shadow; so did not Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, they dwelled in Tents, and counted themselves Pilgrims, neither regarded Moses the pleasures of Egypt.  
But with the precious blood of Christ] Here's the true price of our Redemption: 
Doctr.  It's true, 
Christ's blood the true price of man's Redemption.  we are redeemed by the whole course of Christ's obedience, which he performed from his birth to his death; but it's ascribed here particularly to his death and suffering, being the principal part of his obedience, 
Rom. 5. 19  whereby he satisfied God's justice for our sins (by his blood, 
Phil. 2. 8.  is here meant, all his sufferings from his beginning, and that not only visible from men in his body, but the inward terrors of God upon his Soul, yea and death itself) and no less payment would serve the turn for us, for by our sin we had deserved death of body and Soul, the first and second: Therefore blood must be shed, death must be paid, else God's justice cannot be satisfied; well, be it so, Would not then the death of some Saints have done the turn? All men are enwrapped in one and the same Condemnation, unable to help themselves, much less others: Neither could the very Angels help us, for having sinned against an infinite God, we deserved an infinite punishment, which being finite, we could never overcome; therefore it must be blood of Jesus Christ, his that was both man, that he might suffer, and as man's nature had offended, therein give satisfaction; and God, that he might make his sufferings of infinite worth and value, and that he might overcome the same; therefore it is called Precious, by reason of the hypostatical union of the Divine Nature therewith, and so was the blood of that man that was God, and so after a sort, the blood of God: Hence he is called The Lord of life and glory, 
Acts 3. 15. & 20. 28.  and said to have purchased the Church with his blood. No less would have served the turn, so precious is the work of our Redemption, and our estate before so miserably woeful: 
Isa. 53. 5.  This was plainly prophesied, 
Acts 4. 12.  Other way of Redemption there was none in the world, 
Rev. 13. 8.  neither is there Salvation in any other: He is the Lamb of God slain from the foundation of the world; 
Heb. 13. 8. & 10. 14.  He is the same yesterday and to day, 
See Rom. 3. 25.  and for ever: This was signified by the Sacrifices of the old Law, 
Eph. 1. 7.  which were types hereof; and this indeed is an All-sufficient way: 
1 Pet. 2. 24.  He is the surety that hath paid our debt, satisfied the creditor, and freed us, 
1 john 1. 7.  by whom we are discharged from all the wrath of God that we had deserved. 
Rev. 1. 5.   
But how could he in so short a time dispatch that which was infinite, 
Object.  and we should have lain under for ever?  
Because he was God. 
Sol.  It was more that he should suffer for a moment, than all men and Angels for ever: As a rich man is able to pay that debt in an instant, that a poor man can never be able to wind out of; so did he that quickly, which we could never have done: Therefore let every man trust to this; if this be not a sufficient way, thou mayest say, I am content to perish; thou mayest well enough, and I with thee for company.  
1. This confoundeth all other false and devised satisfactions by any other, 
Use 1.  and showeth the most fearful state of all that know not nor embrace Christ; as 1. The Jews that look for another Christ: 2. The Turks that trust in Mahomet, and do not acknowledge Christ; so the Pagans that are utterly ignorant of him: The Papists also that make him but half a Saviour, and add a number of other Merits and Satisfactions, with their blasphemous Idol of the Mass, their Pilgrimages, Penances, etc. yea, not only say they are the sufferings of the Saints, meritorious for themselves, but even to put something into the common treasury to help others: These also among ourselves that hope to be saved by their good meaning, good prayers, and civil life, and either do not at all look to Christ, or but to halves, being as good as not at all; So those that make God an Idol, all of mercy, and no justice, when as they are both essentially in him, and he could not be God without both, and the one is infinite in him as the other; yet by crying God mercy, they think to escape, never considering how his justice should be answered; but he should not be just, nor God, if he should let thy sins go unpunished.  
2. This showeth the fearfulness of sin, 
Use 2.  such was our case that (as if one had committed a fault, and there were no way to scape, unless he could obtain the King's son to die for him) we could not but perish, unless the Son of God had died for us.  
3. This should much grieve and humble us, 
Use 3.  to think what our sins have done, even that they occasioned all the torment our Saviour was put to: It was not Judas nor the Jews, Pilate nor the Soldiers that crucified Christ, but our sins, they being but our servants and executioners; How should this go to our hearts, that our lying, swearing, whoredom, pride, profaneness, etc. was the cause that put our Saviour to all those indignities: Shall he be pierced, yea to the very heart, for our sins, and shall not we be pierced with grief for our own sins? Shall he shed Tears of Blood, and shall we have dry eyes? Shall he say, his soul is heavy to the death, and shall not our hearts be heavy? could we having a friend that loved us so dearly as he would take our room, to endure much for us; could we I say, stand by, and see him tortured for our cause, and look on it with dry eyes?  
4. This should make us take heed of sin for the time to come, 
Use 4.  and avoid it above all things in the world, look upon every sin in blood; no sin but hath a bloody face, when we have committed it, all the world cannot satisfy for it, it must be blood, the blood of the Son of God; one drop of which was of more worth than Ten thousand worlds: if it were but the blood of a man must be shed for every sin were't not fearful? but it's Christ Blood, therefore how careful should we be? But, O Lord, How small account is made of sin! How doth the world make a May-game thereof? How do men think they can appease God's Wrath with a broken sigh, or a Lord have mercy upon us, for we are all Sinners, or by making some counterfeit show in their sickness, or on their deathbed? And do not the Papists think that it may be done away by auricular Confession, Penance, Pilgrimages, Holywater, Pope's Pardons, the saying over of so many Ave-maries, Pater-nosters, etc. But those that set so light by sin, are such as never knew the weight of it, nor have part in the remedy; and therefore in vain do such say, they hope to be saved by Jesus Christ, and he died, and shed his Blood for their sins, and yet they still live in sin: What is this but to make a light account of Christ's blood? 
Heb. 10. 29.  a treading of it under foot? an accounting of it an unholy thing? a despiting of the Spirit of grace? Yea, if even God's Children did so weigh this unspeakable price as they should, they would be more afraid to offend than they are: This also should awaken those that know no part in their Redemption, that they have the greatest matter in the world to seek; Such should never be quiet, till they find themselves discharged, for without this, there's nothing but eternal destruction, they shall bear their own burden.  
5. This setteth out the unspeakable love of God and Jesus Christ, 
Use 5.  that when we had plunged ourselves into this miserable estate, and could not only not help ourselves out, but not so much as devise a way out, that he did both find out the way, and was content to bestow his Son on us, to suffer the curse and death that we had deserved, 
Simile.  that so we might be freed: What man would beat his Son, to spare his Servant? What man would kill his Son, to save his Enemy? What Prince would give his only Son and Heir for a base Subject, nay, to redeem a Traitor? and that not to bondage, but to death? 
john 3. 16.  yet all this hath the Lord done; God so loved the world: O wonderful, that the Father did not rather suffer all the world to perish, then that his most blessed Son should suffer the least of those indignities that he endured! And was not the love of Christ infinite, that for us gave himself, and did willingly lay down his life for us, which could do nothing to deserve or requite it, nay, which were his very enemies? so to endure such base and cruel dealing from men, who himself was Lord of the world, and could have commanded the earth to swallow them, so to be spitted on, mocked, scourged, nailed to the cross, etc. but above all, that he would undergo his Father's displeasures for us Rake-hells that had so provoked him.  
6. And what doth this call for at our hands again, 
Use 6.  but admiring at the infiniteness of the price, we study all our life how to walk thankfully before him, giving our Bodies, Souls, Lives and Labours to him again most zealously, faithfully serving him in all obedience, yea if he should call us to lay down our lives for his Names sake, to do it cheerfully, as he did for us: we are not our own, but the Lords who hath bought us, and paid dearly for us, and so must have neither Wit nor Will, 
1 Cor. 6. 2●.  Body nor Soul, Hand nor Foot, but for him, and which we are to employ in his service. If one should redeem us with a great sum of Money, 
Simile.  we would ever be thankful, and count ourselves his; if one should give all his Substance, more; if one should give himself to serve and be bond for us, yet more; but to lay down his life for us, a Superior for inferiors, yea for enemies most of all; so far and all this hath Christ done for us, How then should this dissolve and break our hearts to love, and cause us out of love to serve him? O woeful dulness in us and unthankfulness, that can say, We have part in such a Redemption, from such a misery to such a glory, and by such a price, and yet can be ready to think every thing too much for him! How dull are we, and slow to do his service, in hearing the Word, Prayer, and other duties? How quickly are we weary of well doing? How think we every little time too much for him, that thought not his pains, his abasement, nay his life and heartblood too much for us? When we have him ask us in his poor members some small refreshing, how hardly and sparingly (if at all) doth it come from us? nay, we will not part with our lusts and sinful affections at his request: Will we give our lives for him, and not our lusts? how shall we ever martyr our bodies for him, that will not martyr our affections of Pride, Envy, Covetousness, unlawful pleasure in gaming, etc. O shall we grieve him that hath done so wonderful things for us? It was grief enough to him that he suffered already, though we grieve him not again by our unthankfulness: O that we would labour to gratify him by all means possible: To this end do we often meditate of this price, come we oft to the Sacrament, there may we see it, there eat and drink it worthily, there sprinkle it upon our Souls, and apply it to ourselves, that so an edge may be set upon our care and zeal.  
7. In vain do they lay claim to the blood of Christ, 
Use 7.  that yet live in their lust; O impudent faces and liars that they are!  
As of a Lamb without blemish and without spot.] 
In what respects Christ is compared to a Lamb.  Here Christ is further described by his innocency and purity, compared therefore to a Lamb; Where allusion is made to the Lamb in the Old Testament, used in the Sacrifices, and the Paschal Lamb, which as it signified their own guiltiness and danger; so yet that there was help (not by their blood, but) by the Sacrifice and satisfaction of another that was signified hereby, 
john 1. 29.  namely, Christ, who is termed, The Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world: The Paschal Lamb was to be a Male without blemish, of a year old, a pure and perfect one, signifying the Purity, Perfection and Innocency of Christ Jesus; so he is called a Lamb, 
Isa. 53 7.  to show his willingness and patience in suffering both from God and men.  
Our Saviour Christ was innocent indeed, 
Isa. 53. 9  no guile found in his mouth; he was most pure and perfect in his birth, for he was conceived by the Holy Ghost, and so freed from the least touch and contagion of Original sin, which was in the Virgin his Mother; as also that matter of his body was filled with all holiness that it was capable of, and likewise immediately from the first moment of the conception, united unto one person with the Godhead, the second person in Trinity: He was so in his life, 
john 8. 46.  Who could accuse him of sin? 
Mat. 27. 4, 24.  so also in his death, for he that betrayed confessed the same, and his Judge two or three times so pronounced him; 
Luke 23. 41.  one of the thiefs also that were condemned with him, gave the like testimony of him: and it was necessary he should be innocent, 
See Heb. 7. 26, 27.  else he could be no Mediator for us, he himself had needed a Saviour.  
But how could it stand with God's Justice to punish an innocent? 
Object.   
He being sufficient to pay our Debt, 
Sol.  offered himself our Surety to his Father, 
Isa. 53. 6.  who therefore could not refuse him, but imputing to him our sins, 
2 Cor. 5. 21.  laid the punishment thereby deserved on him.  
1. This sets out his love so much the more, 
Use 1.  that being innocent, would suffer for us wicked wretches.  
2. This teacheth us to imitate him, 
Use 2.  and in all things to be innocent as he was (for this cause are we thrice termed Sheep and Lambs in our Saviors charge to Peter) we must walk holy in the duties of the first Table towards God, 
john 21. 15, 16, 17.  and righteously in the duties of the second towards our brethren; 
Eph. 5. 15.  we must walk so exactly, that we may not justly be blamed: 
job 31. 35, 36.  Be we as Job, as Zachary and Elizabeth, and as Daniel, whose enemies could find no fault in him in respect of his outward conversation, 
Luke 1. 6.  and therefore were fain to take another course to entrap him: 
Dan. 6. 5.  Samuel could say, 
1 Sam. 12. 3.  Whose Ox have I taken, etc. and though we cannot say with our Saviour Christ, Who can accuse me of sin? being privy to ourselves of so many corruptions and infirmities as the best of us are; yet that we may truly say, Who can accuse me of this or that gross sin? or of any infirmity that I know by myself, and both mourn not for and strive against? O it's a shame that Christians should hurt others in their goods, in their names, that they should revile, censure, backbite, etc. consider that there are many eyes upon us, Gods, his Angels, the Devils, both good and bad men's.  
3. In that Christ being so innocent, 
Use 3.  was yet willing to suffer and offer his blood, let us imitate him in this also; let us be patient in bearing troubles and persecution; we must suffer for his sake (though causelessly) cheerfully and willingly, being called hereto; for it's our honour, and we must reign with him. To suffer with Christ hath these things in it, 
Rom. 8. 17.  To suffer as a Member of him; To suffer for his cause, and to suffer willingly as he did; we must also suffer patiently such afflictions as are of God's immediate sending, as in like manner injuries and wrongs from men, against frowardness, hastiness, and revenge: Use we meekness and patience, 
Mat. 18. 15, 21.  these we must follow.  
If Christ were thus innocent, 
Object.  how comes it to pass that he was called a Samaritan, a friend of Publicans and Sinners, a glutton, a wine-bibber, an enemy to Cesar, and Barrabas preferred before him?  
He might be, 
Sol.  and was innocent for all this: The holy Ghost saith not, he was never ill spoken of, for the Devil and his instruments will speak ill of the best persons and things, yea, of goodness itself.  
Learn we then not to listen to nor believe all we hear; 
Obser.  even Elijah will be accused for a troubler of Israel, 
We are not to listen to, either believe all we hear.  and the young Prophet called a mad fellow, and that Micaiah never prophesied good, and that Jeremiah raves, and it's not meet that he should live, Paul a pestilent fellow, 
jer. 26. 20.  and a mover of sedition, and now adays, the true servants of God, good Christians, 
Acts 24. 5.  called of some Heretics, of others Puritan, Factious, Proud, Singular, Shismaticks, worse than Papists, etc. And may they not be the good servants of God for all this? You shall have Elimas' ready to buzz in young gentlemen's and ignorant persons ears, that begin to set on to Religion, O these Puritans are the vilest persons in the world, even as the name of Hugenot in France was enough to help one to his death! But let such take heed, believe not all, its malice speaks: So take heed we believe not all we hear of particular Ministers, and Christians, some slandered one way, some another: Is this a new trick, or rather is it not the old course of Satan to raise up such things to hinder men, if he could, from profiting by their Ministers, or set men off from the profession of Religion? It's more to be wondered that he raiseth not up ten to one; therefore never condemn them in your hearts, till you have tried them: Do them that equity, ere you believe it, ere you report it, ask and expect, if they have so carried themselves as they have deserved to be well thought of before: Is it not therefore a grievous thing, that even such as profess the same truth, and that have also good things in them, hearing an ill report of their Neighbour Christian, shall be too ready to believe it, and report it to others; but I hope, saith he, it is not true, and so he tells it to another, and so it increaseth like a Snowball, who should rather have stopped it, when he heard it first, and have used means to have come to the truth.   

Verse 20. Who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you. Verse 21. Who by him do believe in God that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory, that your faith and hope might be in God.  
HE proceeds to speak of Christ, as of one of whom he cannot make an end of speaking, and describes him, 1. By his Antiquity. 2. By the time of his taking flesh, and the reason of it: He was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world; there's his Antiquity: He was manifest in these last times for you; there's both the time, and reason of his Manifestation. Those for whom he was manifested he describes also, 1. By their Faith in God. 2. By the means whereby they did attain thereto, namely Jesus Christ; where's showed, both why they did for the time present, and might still also believe and hope in God; namely, because he raised him from the dead, and gave him glory, both which were for our good.  
Who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world,] 
The prevention of an Objection.  Hear the Apostle prevents an Objection: He had said, they were redeemed from their vain conversation, which they had received from their Fathers by Christ's Blood: why then belike (might they have said) our Fathers lived and died in their sins, and in their vain conversation, or else they had some other way of being Redeemed and Sanctified, and so God had no Church in former times; yet saith the Apostle, God had his Church among the Forefathers, and such as were Redeemed, Justified, and Sanctified, as well as we, and that also by no other way than we; for Christ, though he came not in the Flesh till these last times, yet he hath been the Saviour of the world from the beginning in God's counsel, and the efficacy of his death and merit: So that first he answereth what they might have doubted of their Fathers, and then shows Christ's Antiquity, that they might see he was not a new way devised of late, and that after Four thousand years it came into God's mind thus to redeem mankind: Oh, No, saith he, it was ordained before the world, and hath been in force in all times: And this he speaks the rather, because we are ready to suspect Novelty, neither can we freely fasten our Faith upon any new devised way: He tells then, they may freely rest upon him, as being the ancient way of Salvation.  
But was manifest in these last times for you.] He adds these words to stir up their hearts to more thankfulness and duty, who being so unworthy, should yet have the vantage of all the Fathers: Christ was but promised to them, he was performed to themselves: Now its worth much thanks to have a benefit promised of God, who is so sure of his Word, and to us so unworthy, but than it deserves much more thanks when the benefit is performed.  
Who was fore-ordained,] 
Acts. 1. & 4.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ordained before; The word signifieth foreknown, as it's elsewhere rendered, to show that God's foreknowledge is not idle, nor separate from his Decree and Will, as some think.  
Now that Christ was ordained before the World; 
Doctr.  he was he that was foretold by the Prophets, 
Christ was ordained before the world.  signified by their Sacrifices, promised to Abraham, The seed in whom all the nations of the world should be blessed; 
Gen. 12. 3. & 3. 15.  so to Adam, The seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the Serpent; 
Rev. 13 8.  yea, he is termed, The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world; 
john 6. 27.  neither is this all, He was ordained before the world: Whatsoever God brings to pass in time (as nothing, 
Eph. 1. 4.  nor the smallest or most casual thing but comes to pass by his Providence) that he decreed beforetime; for nothing comes to pass without God's knowledge (for then were not he infinite in Wisdom) nor without his Will, for than were not he infinite in Power.  
How could this be, 
Object.  seeing there was no need of Christ till after the world was made, and man was the last creature that was made, and that in innocency; Was the remedy ordained before the malady?  
The remedy was ordained before the misery; 
Sol.  was, but not before the misery was foreknown to be: Thus was the Lord's order, He before all time set down this to glorify himself: How? In the Salvation of some of mankind, and condemnation of others: Well, how could he bring this to pass? he decreed to make man male and female, and to make them holy; he decreed also to leave them to themselves, that falling, he might make a way for the glorifying of his mercy and justice, which if man had continued righteous, had been stopped up; then he decreed to give his Son to redeem the vessels of mercy. Now for his decreeing of Adam's fall, let it not seem strange; he did not only foresee, but decree it, yet so, as he is altogether free from any fault thereof: God, Man and the Devil had all a hand in that action, yet man and the Devil most guilty, and the Lord most free, as may appear partly by their divers ends that they aimed at, and partly by their manner of bringing it to pass. Their ends; God aimed to glorify his mercy in saving some, and his justice in condemning others; a good end: The Devil's aim was to strip the Lord of any creature on earth to serve him, and to overthrow all mankind: Adam and Eve they listened to the Devil, counting God as it were a liar (that had threatened them when there was nothing so) and envious of their good estate, therefore thought without him to thrust themselves up into his seat, and make themselves equal with him; two vile ends: for the manner also there are great odds; God effects it thus, He makes man an holy and happy creature, gives him a commandment to exercise his obedience, gives him power to obey, useth reasons to have him take heed of breaking it, threatens death thereupon, only leaves him to himself, and to the Devils temptations, yet sufficiently armed to resist him, only follows him not with new grace, which he was not bound to do: Who can find any fault in this? The Devil effects it by alluring and tempting them to do that which God forbade, and that by his vile lies: Adam and Eve they believe the Devil, and break the Commandment of their Creator: Who can herein lay any thing to God's charge, or have cause to complain? Hath the Devil? nothing done but what he persuaded to: Hath Adam and Eve? nothing done but what they voluntarily without any compulsion yielded unto: Have their Posterity? Neither; for 1. The godly they are restored to a better condition in Christ, than they lost in Adam. 2. The wicked they are never punished till they have justly deserved it by their own sins; therefore it's without cause to complain: So is God just, Man and the Devil to be condemned.  
What! 
Object.  shall they be blamed for doing the will of God, for doing that which he had decreed?  
They aimed at no such end, 
Sol.  but to fulfil their own lusts; therefore are they justly to be blamed.  
1. This setteth out the exceeding goodness and mercy of God, 
Use 1.  thus graciously to plot a remedy so soon, which no man could have done, God like a Father did plot and forecast for us: If we had been left without a remedy, or must have shifted for one, it had gone ill with us. Now as this should make us love the Lord for his goodness and care, so what a comfort is this to poor souls, that seeing their misery, desire above all the world to be delivered out of the same; Shall these miss of it, if they seek it of God with humble heart? If the Lord had this care of his Church ere it was, will he suffer it to want any thing now, that is, if it seek it of him? Did the Lord ordain a remedy before the world was? was he so careful? and now will he not bestow this remedy on all that truly desire it? Will a Father be so provident to lay up corn and necessaries into his house, before there be need of them; and when need is, and the children call and cry for bread, will he deny it them?  
2. This should marvellously provoke all to labour for their part in Christ: 
Use 2.  Was he fore-ordained of the Father, and did he come and suffer, and shall we not lay out for him? O monstrous carelessness and unthankfulness! yet how few seek him? how few seek him aright? Few seek him as a Saviour, fewer as their Lord and King, most so coldly as that they shall not obtain such a benefit as this.  
3. This showeth, 
Use 3.  that as God ordained some to Salvation before the world, which was the cause of ordaining Christ, so this was most free; 
joh. 3. 16.  for what could we do to move him before we were, before the world was? No, as God sent his Son into the world of his mere mercy, so he ordained him of the same.  
4. If Christ were thus ordained, 
Use 4.  than he is no new Saviour, but the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world, 
Rev. 13. 8.  by whom all the Fathers have been saved; 
joh. 8. 56.  Abraham saw his day, and believed, therefore none needs doubt or fear to trust in him: 
Rome 9 33.  He that believeth in him shall never be confounded, nor make haste. O that the Jews and Turks would believe this! but they will one day be confounded with shame, and make haste to seek another Saviour, when their former shall fail them.  
5. Lay for Christ, 
Use 5.  ere thou lay a foundation for the world, let him be first sought after: 
Mat. 6. 33.  Till we have Christ, 
joh. 6. 27.  neither our persons nor works please God, nor have we right to the things of the world, nor any promise of blessing.  
Before the foundation of the world,] 
Obs.  As the foundation of the world was laid, 
The world shall not always continue.  so it may and shall be unlaid, and pulled down, and that by him that laid it: The time will come, when the Elements shall melt, etc. 
2 Pet. 3. 10.  when the earth, with all the works therein shall be consumed with fire. As all things here be frail, and of no continuance or certainty, but subject to many alterations; so the world itself, that hath worn out many generations of people, itself shall have an end, already waxeth old.  
Trust not to it, 
Use.  it will deceive all that do; It's like a great round Bowl, whereon if a man should offer to stand, it would roll away, and lay him under feet, if not break his back: Too too many break themselves with the world, only Heaven lies foursquare.  
But was manifest] He is manifested three ways; 
Christ how manifested.  1. By the Word and Sacraments: 2. By his coming in the flesh: 3. By his last coming to Judgement. Here the second is chiefly meant; for he was revealed in all Ages to our Forefathers in the Word and Sacraments, 
Heb. 9 26.  but yet not so evidently and clearly as in our times, in these last times, wherein he was made manifest in the flesh.  
Note here,  
1. The constancy and unchangeableness of the Lord, 
Doctr.  who as he Ordained Christ before the world, 
God is constant and unchangeable.  so he sent him in due time into the world: The Lord is not as man, that he should lie or repent, his purposes are unvariable, and his promises most certain and sure; he wants no power to effect his Decrees and Purposes, No length of time could make him alter or fail, neither the wretchedness of the Age that he came in, which was woefully corrupt, when even they that bore the Name of the Church were defiled in Judgement and Conversation, God notwithstanding would accomplish his purpose: So it is with every one whom he elected before the world, he will not lose one, but in time afford them effectual means for Faith and Repentance; 
Acts 13. 48.  no length of time, no man's badness shall hinder this work. The Lord had decreed to call and make his Covenant with Abraham, and yet what was he but a blind Idolater till God called him? What also Paul, who notwithstanding was ordained from his Mother's womb, nay, before the world, to be a special instrument in the Church?  
1. This may comfort godly Parents over their children that be yet uncalled, 
Use. 1.  they may have hope they be in the compass of God's election, and so that God will one day have mercy on them: Oh, but they be thus and thus bad! It's grievous indeed, but that shall not hinder, if they belong to God's election: Shall the wretchedness of man make the faith of God of none effect? nay, let God be true, and every man a liar; wheresoever God hath any elect ones, he will find them out and remember them.  
2. It teacheth us also to be constant in all our good purposes; 
Use 2.  Hell is full of purposes, 
Acts 11. 29, 30  Heaven of performances: 
Psal. 76. 11.  How many good purposes in sickness, after the Word, before the Sacrament, etc. have we, which prove as blossoms without fruit?  
2. The constancy of God's promises they be Yea and Amen; 
God's promises are unchangeable.  no length of time can make him break a promise (as this of sending Christ into the world) as neither the unworthiness of men: The Israelites as wretched as might be, yet they could not make him break promise with Abraham to give them Canaan; one would think he should cut them off in the midway, but he had respect to his Name: This was the cause that God's Servants were always glad of a promise, 
Neh. 1. 9  as Nehemiah. So are his threatenings, as that with Adam and Eve, though then there were no more upon the earth: So even with our Lord Jesus himself, that innocent Lamb of God, yet standing as our Surety, God spared him not, but according to the threatening of death, gave him to die; notwithstanding of his prayers and strong cries, he abated nothing, but laid it on him to the uttermost.  
1. Here's a comfort to God's people, 
Use 1.  find out, apply, and hold fast the promises in all our necessities: Stand upon them, on any one one of them, as upon an unmoveable foundation; God cannot fail, who ever trusted in him and was confounded? Happy is the man that trusteth in him.  
2. Let the wicked know how small account soever they make now of the Lords threatenings, 
Use 2.  they shall find them too true for them: And if the Lord Jesus, the innocent Son of God, the Surety, found it, shall those horrible monsters, that shake off all care of God and goodness, think to scape free, and find his Word lose? No, though they bore themselves upon late repentance.  
In these last times] Christ was not exhibited till after Four thousand years of the world: 
Obser.  and why not before, 
Christ was then exhibit it when God decreed that he should so be.  or all this while? because God decreed it to be no sooner: why decreed he it to be no sooner? because he would not: If any go yet further, and ask why he would not? this is Presumption, and curious Pride: we must not ask a reason further than the will of God, where none is revealed, God determined (as we shall see after) to bestow a greater privilege on the last age of the world, then on the former, and who should question him for the same? This than was the time which God in his counsel had appointed, 
Gal. 4. 4.  which is called by the Apostle, the fullness of time: when all time was run out that was to be before, than he came; so that he could not possibly have comed any sooner, nor tarried any longer: If we respect the Power of God simply, he could have sent him sooner, but if God's Decree, he could come no sooner; even as Christ's bones could not be broken in respect of God's Decree, though the nature of them was as other men's, subject to be broken: Nor could Christ have lived longer in the world in respect of God's Decree, 
Doctr.  though he might by the course of nature and strength of body continued many years. 
What God hath decreed shall be in due time accomplished.   
Note we then from hence, that  
What God hath decreed, as he will effect, so will he do in the due and appointed time; 
Acts 16. 6, 7.  whomsoever he hath chosen he will call, every one in their time, yet after Peter writes to the Christians scattered in those places; what is this, but that the time of their calling was not yet come, 
Mat. 10. 5.  which afterward was fulfilled? At the first sending out of the Apostles, 
Mat 28. 19  they were forbid to go into the way of the Gentiles, but afterwards (and that upon the forementioned ground) bid to Preach to all Nations: 
Rom. 11. 25.  So the Jews shall be called, but when? when the fullness of the Gentiles shall be come in: Some were called into the Vineyard to work at one hour, some at another.  
1. This may teach us, 
Use 1.  being truly called, and our time come, highly to praise God.  
2. And for those that yet be behind, 
Use 2.  be not out of hope, wait still, use the means, etc. and when God sends the means, hope the time is coming: who knoweth whether God hath not some Elect among the Indians that he will send means unto, which they have hitherto wanted, and so call them to the knowledge of Christ Jesus? The like may be said of particular persons: But let none hence cast off care, and say my time is not yet come wherein I shall be called, and so neglect the Word, and live badly, but let such use the means with all speed, to day, while it's called to day: The longer any goeth on uncalled, it's the more dangerous sign of no Election of God.  
3. Here see the reason why many a good Prayer and good Enterprise taketh not effect by and by, 
Use 3.  but the wicked prevail, even because the time is not yet come.  
Further, 
Three differences of times.  observe three differences of times, Before the Law, Under the Law, and After the Law, or after the manifestation of Christ: Why is this last called The last times? 
Why this called the last time.  A. They be so in comparison of former times; and these from Christ onward, are the next before the end of the world, when there shall be no more time.  
God will never speak to his Church after any other manner; 
Obser.  he will make no new Covenant, 
God will no otherwise reveal his will, than he hath already done.  no new Gospel, Religion, manner of Worship, Sacraments, Faith, but hath revealed all his will to us in his Son Christ Jesus, he will never alter his course; we have all that ever we may look for here on earth, 
Heb. 1. 1.  nothing can be more clear.  
This condemneth the Turks, 
Use.  which look for their Mahomet, and the Jews which look for I know not what Messiah and Lordly Saviour: The Papists also, being belike ashamed of what God hath revealed in his Gospel, patch together an infinite number of men's inventions, so that their Religion is as a beggar's cloak, full of pieces, of divers colours set on at divers times.  
These being termed the last times, 
Doctr.  because they be the immediate times before the World's end; 
We now live in the latter end of the last times.  it followeth, that having been so ever since the Apostles, we live in the latter end of the last times.  
1. Here's comfort to God's people, that the last day is so near, which therefore they may wait for with patience. 
Use 1.   
2. Terror to the wicked, 
Use 2.  that think it will not come, because deferred, and so many hundred years it hath been called the last time; but God is not slack, but patient for his Elects sake that yet are behind: If it had come one hundred years ago, we had been prevented, But a thousand years are but as one day with the Lord, and it will surely come, and that too soon to the wicked, who shall feel the terror thereof.  
For you] The Reason of Christ's coming thus towards the end of the world, 
Why Christ came towards the latter end of the world.  because God had appointed to do a greater favour to the last age, not but that those which went before, both knew and saw Christ, as Abraham, though afar off; So that here the Fathers are not excluded, but he was manifest for us, that we might have a fuller sight of him then the fathers; their light was but dim in comparison of ours.  
How much then are we bound to God? 
Use.  and aught we not to have more knowledge and faith, and show more tokens of thankfulness than they? But alas, though we have the Gospel and Sacraments so clearly, never did iniquity more abound: Thus do we reward the Lord for his kindness.  
Who by him do believe in God] He saith, They believed, how came he to know that? he hoped so, and in charity so judged of them, as who willingly gave themselves to the profession of Christian Religion, and for the same did undergo persecution: Therefore I say, he hoped the more confidently of them, even as we may do of such Assemblies as these on the week days; 
What we are to do, and how to carry ourselves, that others may think well of us.  a man may hope better of them, then of those which come by commandment (as others of Custom, not Conscience) especially considering the discouragements they meet withal, and their constancy notwithstanding; A man cannot but think they should come for Conscience, and expect better things at their hands than others; which I desire you would be careful, to declare well at home in your places and several dealings, not only to God's glory, your own comfort, and winning on of others, but stopping up the mouths of the worst, that are ready to pry into, and speak all evil of the forwarder sort of professors.  
By him] We cannot believe in God, 
Doctr.  but by the Son: For 1. The Father dwelleth in the light that none can attain unto; 
We cannot believe in God, but by the Son.  How then shall we come to him of ourselves, we being so poor and weak, and he of so infinite Majesty? 
Reas. 1.  As in the Summer we cannot directly look upon the Sun shining in his full strength, but may view it in a pail of Water; 
2 Cor. 4. 4.  so must we see the Father in the Son, who is the image of the Father, 
Heb. 13.  and the engraven form of his person. 2. God is infinitely just, 
Reas. 2.  and we extremely wicked, he a consuming fire, and we stubble; How then can we come to him, believe in him, or take comfort, but only in and by the Lord Jesus our Mediator? who by his death hath made satisfaction to his Father, 
john 14. 6.  and covered us with his righteousness: 
Eph. 3. 12.  He is the Way, the Truth and the Life, none cometh to the Father but by him; 
Heb. 10. 19  By him we have boldness and access with confidence: Its life eternal to know the only true God, 
john 17. 3.  but how shall that be done? only by Jesus Christ: He therefore that would believe in God, and have comfort thereupon, must first know and believe in Christ Jesus, even know him to be for natures and offices as he is, God and man, and believe in him as the only Saviour who reconcileth us to the Father.  
1. Therefore Jews and Turks believe not in God, 
Use 1.  because they believe not in Christ, and know him not.  
2. All are Heretics that deny any of Christ's natures or offices, 
Use 2.  for we must believe him to be such as the Word declares him to be.  
3. The Papists, 
Use 3.  which in effect deny his Humane Nature, by standing for Transubstantiation; and his offices Priestly, by their Masses, Satisfactions, Joynt-intercessions; his Prophetical, by their own Traditions; his Kingly, by making the Pope head of the Church, making Laws to bind the Conscience, to forgive sins, save, damn, etc. Therefore they cannot truly believe in God, and therefore it stands them in hand to know Christ aright, and then to believe in him.  
4. This condemneth a number of ignorant creatures among us, 
Use 4.  which will come to God, but how? by their good meanings, good prayers, good serving of God, civil life, and the like; as others which seem better taught, by their repenting, and crying God mercy: Oh, this goes for current, and in the mean time take no thought how his justice should be satisfied: These may cry their hearts out to God, and find no mercy; they must bring Christ their Surety in their hand, and plead mercy for his sake, and his satisfaction: Such as were stung by the Fiery-Serpents, could not be otherwise healed, but by looking up upon the Brazenserpent, neither we otherwise accepted of God, then through Christ: Humble thou therefore thyself, confess thy sins, judge thyself, know Christ, and plead his satisfaction.  
That raised him up from the dead, 
Obs.  and gave him glory] The Father is here said to have raised up Christ, 
In Christ's Resurrection the whole Trinity had a hand.  and yet the Son saith of himself, That he laid down his life, and took it to him again. A. Whatsoever the Father did herein, the same did the Son, and the Holy Ghost: The work is common to all.  
Here I might speak, 1. Of our Saviors Resurrection, and show how carefully all the Evangelists have recorded it, with the witnesses thereof, and how all the Apostles in their Sermons stood upon it, and how the Devil and the Jews endeavoured to hinder it, and what great benefits ensue unto us hereby. 2. Of his Ascension, after forty days being on earth, 
Phil. 2. 9  and how he changed his place, and vanished not, and how though absent in his Humanity, he is ever present by his Spirit, and how he is most highly advanced, and how his Godhead was not thus advanced (it was impossible) nor his manhood by itself had such a name, and such glory due to it, but that the person of Christ, God and man was advanced, and how now he makes intercession, and hath prepared a place for us; but of these I have spoken at large on the Creed.  
That your faith and hope might be in God] Every one that believeth in Christ that these things belong to him, 
The benefits which those reap that believe in Christ  may boldly believe and hope in God, for all good for this life, and that which is to come, look for a full discharge of all sins, for power to rise to a new life, for a glorious resurrection; look also on God with boldness, by the intercession of Christ, and be assured of, expect and wait for an entrance into the same glory our Head is entered into.   

Verse 22. Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit, unto unfeigned love of the brethren; see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.  
A Good life is an inseparable companion of Faith and Hope; God having bestowed upon them the former, the Apostle would not have them to be wanting in the latter. Generally he exhorts to Sanctification, vers. 14. then particularly, first to renounce their lusts, ibid. then to embrace the contrary, Holiness, vers. 15, 16. This he divides into two parts: 1. The fear of God; which contains all parts of Piety towards God, vers. 17, 18, 19, 20, 21. 2. Love to our brethren; which comprehendeth all the Duties we owe to them. These two are knit in a comely order, not to be sundered.  
In this verse we have an Exhortation to true and Christian love; wherein we have, 1. The ground of it, The grace of God, which they had received, namely, for that they were Justified and Sanctified; which is set out by the part purified, Their Souls: the outward means whereby, the word called Truth, which they did obey; and the inward worker, the Spirit. 2. The end of it, which was as to all good duties, so to true love amongst the rest; as if he had said, Seeing you are pardoned and purged to this end, that you should love purely, see that you do so. This ground is a Reason of the Exhortation; where it seemeth the Holy Ghost keeps a good order both in his Exhortations and Reasons. Before he exhorted to the fear and love of God, now to the love of the Brethren: Before he had used Reasons both from the Godhead in general, vers. 15, 16. and from the first two persons of the Trinity; the Father, vers. 17. and the Son, vers. 18, 19 Now he useth one taken from the third person, the holy Spirit of God, who had wrought grace in them, and purified them to this end.  
From the order which the holy Ghost useth, Note we two things:  
1. Where there's no love nor fear of God, 
Doct.  there can be no true Brotherly love, 
Where there's no love nor fear of God, there can be no true brotherly love.  that being indeed the root from whence this springeth.  
1. Therefore there can be no true love amongst the wicked: Drunkards meet together, and Pot-companionship is common, but this is no love, 
Use 1.  its conspiracy; Love rejoiceth in good, not evil. No more is a company of Thiefs and Traitors that conspire together, 
1 Cor. 13. 6.  or many or fewer that combine against a good part, they may stick close, and hold together in evil, but this is no love; nor in those Towns where there's scarce any, or but mean teaching, where people meet twice or thrice a week to Bowls, and women to Stoolball, or other games, thus to spend out their time, and to no good, is far from love; and yet if one speak against such things, Oh, say they, You are an enemy to love and friendship; and, It was as a peaceable Town till such a one came, as any other whatsoever, now there's no good-fellowship etc. But our Saviour Christ saith, He came to bring no such peace in evil, but rather debate: The Devil is content with this peace, because they strengthen one another in evil; for if any good come to cross this merry profane world, then will it be opposed: What hold is thereof their love? they go arm in arm to the Tavern, yet strait ready to stab one another, or betray each other, 
judges 9 23.  as Joab did Abner, and it was between the men of Sechem and Abimelech; if they be once out at deadly defiance, it's seldom forgiven, never forgotten.  
2. Nor can the wicked love the children of God truly; 
Use 2.  they may be convinced in their conscience (as Saul) that they be the Servants of God, innocent men, and God may incline their hearts to favour them, as Cyrus to set the people at liberty to return and build (For if a man's ways please God, 
Prov. 16. 7.  his very enemies shall be at peace with them) and Ahasuerus and Artaxerxes favoured Ezra and Nehemiah; yea, as God kept Daniel among the Lions, so he can and doth keep his children among the wicked; and as he made the Ravens bring Elijah meat, so he can make even the wicked instruments for his children's good, but love them they cannot: They may do a man outwardly some good (and not amiss to take it) but to do it aright they cannot, as neither to pray, or do any other duty; and what hold of their favour? If they cry Hosanna now, within a while they will cry Crucify him; as those of Lystra would have sacrified to Paul and Barnabas as gods, 
Acts 14. 15, 16, 19  but by and by upon a lying report of some, stoned them; and as Herod reverenced John the Baptist, yet at the persuasion of Herodias her Daughter, cut off his head: Judas betrayed Christ, and David complained that it was his familiar friend that did him the greatest hurt. If some great body shall say to them, I perceive or hear you are a great favourer of Puritans, they are gone, and hide their heads: if the multitude go the other way, or it be any thing dangerous, when there's most need of them, they are gone.  
2. Upon this coupling of these two together, 
Doct.  Note further, that Wheresoever there's the true fear and love of God, 
Where there's the true fear or love of God, there's also brotherly love.  there will be also love towards our Brethren.  
1. Therefore they that declare no love, but that they are void of all bowels of compassion, 
1 joh. 1.  being all for themselves, are also void of the love of God. 
1 joh. 4. 12.   
2. They also that malign, 
Use 1.  mock and persecute the better sort, no worse brand of such that they have in them not the least dram of the love of God: 
Use 2.  He that loveth him that begetteth, 
1 joh. 5. 1.  loveth also him that is begotten; 
Psal. 15. 4.  and they that love God, make much of them that fear the Lord, 
Psal. 16. 3.  having all their delight in such: The contrary is a black mark, and as bad as may be, as bad a brand as any can bear; as hereby we may know that we are translated from death unto life, 
1 joh. 3. 14.  so by the contrary, that we are yet under darkness.  
3. They that are contentious, 
Use 3.  giving or embracing every trifling occasion conducing hereto, and can fret, and fall out, and live in enmity, and that day after day, week after week, month after month; let these suspect themselves, either the love of God hath no place in them, or else it's in a very small measure, and their corruption overgrows the same.  
Having purified your souls] These words are the Ground and Reason of the Exhortation; namely, That forasmuch as they were Justified and Sanctified by the Spirit of God to the exercise of all good duties, and so of love, that they would do that for which they had this cost bestowed upon them.  
This presupposing a former impurity, 
Obser.  notes the uncleanness that is in Soul and Body: 
There's uncleanness in us, both in Soul and Body  They were created pure, but are now defiled in the sight of God, and that with sin, which God who is of pure eyes cannot abide; we are guilty of Adam's sin, born in Original sin, therewith tainted throughout, so with infinite actual sins: Not only are our eyes full of adultery, our feet swift to shed blood, our mouths full of cursing, etc. but our very souls defiled, and every faculty thereof, 
Gen. 6. 5.  the thoughts of our heart being only evil continually, thereout proceeding Murders, 
Matth. 15.  Adulteries, etc. whereby we are defiled: 
Isa. 1. 16.  This is employed in that of the Prophet, Cease to do evil, learn to do well: 
jam. 4. 8.  and that of Saint James, Cleanse your hands ye sinners, and purify your hearts ye double minded: 
Rev. 3. 17, 18.  We are not without filthy nakedness, we are so corrupt, that our nature taints all our actions be they never so good in themselves, yea, the best and most holy of God's Ordinances, the Word, Sacraments and Prayer, making them abominable in the sight of God: So impure that we cannot cleanse ourselves, nay, nor desire it, conceiving that even our uncleanness is purity, and becomes us well: So as all the water in the Seas, all the help of Men and Angels cannot help us; it must be the mighty work of God alone, as the very water in Baptism teacheth us.  
This should humble us, 
Use.  and make us desire speedily to be cleansed, which is by the Blood of Christ Jesus from sin past, and from the taint of nature by the Spirit of Sanctification: But how few are thus affected? how few take knowledge of their uncleanness, and that sin doth so defile them? 1. There are even open profane ones, which yet seek no washing, but refuse it, yea, think themselves clean enough, yea, hate them that wallow not in the mire as themselves, thinking strange to see any cleanse themselves by the Word and Prayer, yea, think them strange that will not go on in their filthiness, by companying and joining with them. 2. Civil persons can see no such thing, therefore few of them are cleansed, because few find themselves leprous, and desire to be cleansed; let such take knowledge of their uncleanness, 
john 3. 5.  yea, let the civilest know, that if they be not born again of water and the holy Ghost, they cannot see the Kingdom of God: Seek therefore to be purged in time, 
Mat. 5. 8.  that you may please God, and see him, for without holiness none shall see him: 
Heb. 12. 14.  He only that hath innocent hands, 
Psal. 15. 2.  and a pure heart, shall enter into his Tabernacle; else person, service, and all, is loathsome to God, and what should such a man do living? And the servants of God that are in some measure purged, must desire to be more purged of these evils that cleave to them, 
Obs.  and prevail so much over them, 
Where there's sanctification of the soul, there's also sanctification of the body.  and defile even their best duties.  
Your souls] Hereby he means the whole man, both Body and Soul, for God sanctifieth throughout, and there the body is Sanctified, where there's Sanctification of the Soul, as from which comes the Sanctification of the Body.  
In obeying the truth] The Word of God is the outward instrument of our cleansing: 
Doct.  Thus were Zacheus, Mary Magdalene and the Gaoler; 
The Word of God is the outward instrument of our cleansing.  thus also are we sanctified. The Law pulling down, the Gospel by degrees lifts up, working an high prising of the remedy, vehement longing after it, 
joh. 15. 3. & 17. 17.  at last some persuasion which Faith unites to Christ, whereby guiltiness and sin is pardoned in Christ's death, and corruption being taken away, the grace of Sanctification is given, which Faith sucketh from Christ the fountain of life; so that as he that is out of Christ can do no good, 
john 15. 5.  so united to him, we receive sanctifying grace; 
Acts 15. 9  therefore Faith is said to purify the heart, namely, by uniting us to Christ, and the Word is the instrument to work Faith: Besides, the Word purgeth thus, not only setting before us as in a glass all our faults, and what we should do, but it worketh in us care and conscience to be obedient.  
1. Therefore thank God for the Word, 
Use 1.  the instrument of purging: Where it is not, all lie in the mire; O how we should desire the free passage of it!  
2. If we see our children and servants defiled, 
Use 2.  we must bring them to the Word, and pray and wait thereon.  
3. For ourselves, 
Use 3.  we are to try, whether it hath been effectual to wash us, both heart and hand, if yea, then there's comfort, it hath obtained the right end; if not, but that we remain in our filthiness, or in any part of it willingly, it's a fearful sign: Many have been cleansed by it, what hath it purged us of? Hath it washed our mouths from swearing, lying? our hands from wrong? our eyes from wantonness? our hearts from the love of all sin, our master sin, especially as Zacheus?  
They obeying the Word, their Souls and bodies were purged thereby, 
1 Sam. 15. 22.  else they could not: This is better than Sacrifice, and disobedience is that which the Lord cannot away withal, 
jer. 25. 12, 1●.  but will grievously punish. 
2 Thess. 1. 8.  All the stir is about obeying the truth, for men can be content to hear, 
1 Pet. 4. 17.  but to obey is death; O how would the Word purify men, if they would obey it! its just with God to take away the Truth from us, because we obey it not.  
Truth] The Word is called Truth, 
Why the Word is called Truth  not true only, but Truth, the Truth, 
john 17. 17.  nothing but Truth, and in matters of God and our Salvation, all the Truth, 
james 1. 18.  the rule of Truth.  
1. Then Traditions contrary to this, 
Use 1.  are lies, and whatsoever else.  
2. It's Blasphemy to speak against this Truth, 
Use 2.  or any part of it.  
3. Let Gods poor people get the Word on their sides, 
Use 3.  humble persons get a promise, and stay upon it against all contrary temptations: They are lies, the Word is the truth; yet they suffer themselves to be more carried away with a temptation of Satan, or that riseth of their own unbelief, than they are comforted by three or four plain promises of God's Word.  
4. Let the wicked that make such slight account of God's threatenings, 
Use 4.  know, 
Heb. 13. 4.  that they shall prove all too true for them; they shall not be held guiltless: and they go in danger of all God's wrath and curses every hour, and hang over the pit of Hell, etc. These things move not, but the Word ought to make their hearts ache and tremble, as who shall one day find whose word shall stand, theirs or the Lords.  
Through the Spirit, 
Doct. ] The inward worker is the Spirit, without which all will be in vain. 
The Spirit is the inward worker of Sanctification.  It's the Spirit that worketh all from first to last, opens the understanding, works Faith, and then conveys power from Christ, to die to sin, and live to righteousness; without him we shall have but bind eyes, 
Acts 11. 21. and 16. 14.  ears stopped, no hearing ears: he opened the heart of Lydia.  
We must not then trust to ourselves, 
Use.  or our wit, learning and parts, but acknowledge the very best thing in us, the wisdom of the flesh, to be enmity against God: Nor must we trust to any Preacher in the world, 
Rom. 8. 7.  for its God only that giveth the increase; but ever come in humility, 
1 Cor. 3. 6, 7.  calling upon God, both on our own and the Preachers behalf, that God would give us his Spirit to make all effectual, that through him we may understand, believe and obey.  
Unto unfeigned love of the brethren;] Hence note,  
1. That till a man be cleansed by the Spirit of Sanctification, 
Obs.  he is not fit to do any good, 
Till we be cleansed by the Spirit, we are unfit for any duty.  no not for love; for the heart must first be emptied of the love of all evil, ere the love of any good can take place: The garden must be rid of weeds and stones, ere we sow and plant.  
For those therefore that declare by their looseness, 
Use.  that there remaineth the love of some lust in them, it's as sure as God is in heaven, for all the countenance they make of Religion, and show of profession, and good things, there is not any dram of true grace in them, and all the seeming good things they do, are in hypocrisy, and to no purpose; for the love of evil, and of good, cannot be at one time in one heart. O look to it, will you lose all your comfort here, and all your labour, yea Heaven itself, for some one sin?  
2. The end of our Sanctification is to be fruitful in good works, 
Obs.  and to set upon good duties. 
The end of our Sanctification is to be fruitful in good works.   
Such therefore as profess themselves to be Sanctified, must be more fruitful.  
Touching the grace here exhorted unto, 
Eph. 2. 20.  speak we both in general and particular: 
jam. 1. 18.  In general; where consider,  
1. What Love is. 
Use.  It's a Sanctified affection of the heart, wherewith whoso is endued, 
What Love is.  endeavoreth to do all the good he can to all, but especially to them that be nearest unto him. It's an affection seated (as is said) in the heart, as the others of Hope, Fear, Joy, Grief, etc. are. They were all good and well ordered in Adam, but ever since his fall woefully corrupted, and utterly disordered and perverted; as this of love is turned either into an hatred of that we should love, or into self-love.  
It's a Sanctified Affection: For ere a man can love, he must be Regenerate and Sanctified throughout, which comes by being united to Christ by Faith, whereby our affections are in some measure purged and restored to their former integrity, as to hate evil, and love good, God, 
Gal. 5. 22.  and our Brethren for God's cause: Love is a fruit of the Spirit, and must come from a pure Heart, 
1 Tim. 1. 5.  good Conscience, and Faith unfeigned, and therefore cannot be in an unregenerate person; there may be indeed a show and shadow of it, but that's no true love: They do not love one another, neither possibly can love the people of God. 
See Psal. 41. 9 & 55. 13.  There's no trust in them, they do but watch their opportunity when to do them mischief: 
Mat. 10. 21.  O the wretched condition of such! how needful wert for them to be wearied thereof? And for the people of God, they must not trust them, or too much open themselves to them: He only that fears God is to be trusted, he dares not deceive.  
Wherewith whoso is endued, endeavoreth: Though love be in the heart, yet it must and will show itself forth in the Life, 
See 1 joh. 3. ●7.  Words, and Deeds, to Soul and Body, else it's like the love of bad men to God, who yet keep not his commandments; 
james 2. 14, 15, 16.  or like the worldling's Faith which is without Works.  
To do good: For it's the nature of love, it can do no hurt, but what good it can it will do, to Soul and Body; and wheresoever any true good is done to Soul or Body, 
Rom. 13. 10.  Goods or Name, there was love, love did it.  
To all: For though brotherly kindness be to the people of God, yet love reacheth to all, whether near or far off, to Strangers, Enemies, such as are not yet called, under the Turk, Pope, Pagans, etc. for whom we are to pray, and to do them all the good we can, with the pitiful Samaritan. 
Luke 10. 34.   
But especially to them that be nearest: So God gives leave, nay, commands that our love begin at ourselves and ours, and so go on forward to them that be nearest by nature: 
● Tim. 5. 4, 8, 16.  Therefore they that prefer Strangers before Kinsmen, and Kinsmen before Children, are blame-worthy, and to bestow upon any, to the undoing of one's Family, is not love but folly: as in them which will spend in lewd company, their Wives and Children at home being in want. So must it be to them that ●e nearest by grace: 
Gal. 6. 10.  This is often commanded, and highly also commended in the Scriptures: 
Rom. 12. 10. and 13. 8.  This is the bond of perfection, It binds up all the duties that we owe to our Neighbour, 
Col. 3. 14.  which are many, holds them together as the bond of a Faggot, and makes every duty easy, as where this is not every duty is irksome, nothing comes well off hand; It ties Societies together and Families: O how it keeps out evil, how it sets up good! By it small things have become great, and for want of it great things have come to nothing: It's the fulfilling of the Law, 
Rom. 13. 8.  It's a most beneficial virtue; other virtue's benefit ourselves, 
Gal. 5. 13, 14.  but this doth good to others: 
Psal. 133.  Faith draws all from Christ to us, Love lays out itself for others good, as the Sun that hath no light for itself; other virtues be like the Bung of a Barrel, Love like the Tap that sets it abroach to the benefit of them that need. If a man be as full of gifts as a Tun of Liquor, if he have no Tap, others may starve; 
1 Cor. 13. 1, 2.  so for Temporal things: without this all gifts are nothing, but as sounding Brass. We are not born for ourselves, but the perfection of all we have is to employ: This is the lasting virtue, which (when others, as Faith and Hope, shall end) shall spring afresh, abound, and abide for ever; that virtue that makes us like to God, for he is Love, and doth good to all, even his enemies, though he have a special affection to his Children: O that I could paint out the face of this lovely virtue, that every one of us might grow in love therewith!  
2. The properties thereof, 
The properties of love.  whereby we may try whether it be in us, and in what measure. They are laid down by the Apostle unto the Corinthians, 
1 Cor. 13. 4.  Charity suffereth long, and is kind; Charity envieth not; Charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, etc. Take we notice of a few of them; 1. Love will interpret things doubtful to the best; (that is, speeches or actions of men towards ourselves or others) and if they may be taken well, will not take them ill: Our nature is to take every thing in the worst part, Love doth otherwise; the Mother saith a pin pricks the Child, or it breeds teeth, when it may be its of forwardness that it cries. Thus joseph's Brethren sold him spitefully into Egypt, afterward when by reason thereof they were afraid, what construction made he thereof? God (saith he) did send me before you to preserve life. 
Gen. 45. 5.  If a thing be plainly evil, yet it will make it no worse than it is, nor say it was done deliberately, when it may be it was done rashly; or maliciously, when it may be it was done weakly and in temptation; for one may do injury to a bad action, in making it worse, and its better to judge a little better of a thing, then worse than it is: Always provided this be understood, not of palpable, notorious, foul evils, nor of continued courses in sinning; for what good or charitable construction can a man make of these? Therefore such say foolishly, when being informed hereof, they Reply, Oh, ye must not judge; what can be judged of this case, but only that there may be Repentance? It's a fault in Ministers and others that will extenuate foul sins in bad persons and wicked livers, in the mean time aggravating a Professors oversight. 2. It will depart from its own, 
Mat. 17. 27.  rather than break love, as give way in conference, and yield, 
Gen. 13. 8.  though we know we have the truth, so it be in small matters; after offences yield, and sometimes seek Reconciliation, though it were meet the other should seek to us; for why? it more prizeth and esteemeth love, 
See M. Perkins Christian Equity.  then small matters: It will lay down the bucklers, go on the lower ground, yield the way or the wall, when there's no reason for it. 3. It doth no hurt; it's against the nature thereof so to do, whether in life, 
Rom. 13. 10.  chastity, goods, and good name: See it in God, a perfect pattern of love, He doth all good (no hurt) to his Children: It provokes not, but strives by all means to please all as far as may be with a good conscience; it seeks not its own things, but others as well. 4. It's not easily provoked, but forbears, forgives, puts up, etc. It will cover natural infirmities, 
See Mr. Perkins cases of Cons.  such things as be weaknesses in our brethren, natural defects, not done of set purpose, or breaking out into extremities: 
1. 3. cap. 3. pag. 135.  As some be a little too quick, some a little too slow; some seeing a fault are too ready to speak, 
1 Cor. 13. 5.  some a little too slow to speak or reprove; some a little too fine, earnest, negligent, merry, solemn, others a little too homely and plain, remiss, sad, sullen, etc. If they were not so much on either hand it were better: These love will cover, or nothing; love will not stand upon them, rebuke or reproach them, it will not deal hardly with them for these things, but wisely bear them: Thus will a loving husband bear with his wife, that fears God, though haply somewhat quick, and cursed, haply not so cleanly, or provident altogether as were to be desired: So a wife with her husband, though haply not so affable, or whose nature will not suffer him to use such compliments to his wife as some can with facility: So if a servant be very trusty and careful to please, only somewhat slow, the Master must not hereupon rebuke him too oft, too openly, too sharply, sometime lovingly in private he may: So a Neighbour confers with a Neighbour, and the one is a little too quick; love will not see it, but consider its a natural infirmity, it's not much out of the way, though somewhat it is; love will not exasperate him, or answer him tartly, but go on friendly, in a manner not so much as taking notice thereof: Love will also cover and put up wrongs done unto it, not seeing small ones, but forgiving, and putting them up, saying, Thus ought I to do, he is a man, I am also subject to offend my Neighbour, and would be forgiven, and stand also in need that others should pardon me: And as a Christian I must do, For I sin daily against God, 
Mat. 6. 12.  and so crave to be forgiven of him, as I forgive others: If they be greater matters, yet love will easily accept of any indifferent conditions of agreement, and that unto Seventy seven times: If they be so great, that without great prejudice to our estate and reputation they cannot be passed by, than its lawful to have recourse unto the Magistrate, and use the benefit of the Law; but so as there be no malice, and the revenge be not in any case sought after. 
Two Caveats to be observed of them that for redressing of wrongs make use of the Magistrate.  Herein two Caveats must be observed, It must not be for trifles (which ought rather to be forgiven) and it must be the last remedy, when all other ways of more peaceable and quiet agreement have been tried, as the cutting off of an arm or leg, when no ways else will help: Hereto belongeth also, that love covers folk's faults from the World, 
1 Cor. 6. 7.  except it hath cause and calling to speak thereof, commonly it speaks of their virtues: The contrary is most woefully common, little of men's virtues, except a word or two to make way to speak of their faults, and these we delight to be much in; 
Simile.  As the Crow that likes the Carrion, and the Hog that delights in mire, rather than to lie on the green grass, or the Fly, that is more on a galled or sore place of a Horse, then on his whole body, or one that passing by sweet flowers in a garden, gathers Hemlock only. 5. It's bountiful, beneficial and helpful, not having that to itself which it hath, but ready to distribute and communicate to the good of others, whether they be gifts Spiritual or Temporal. Spiritual; for love begins at the Soul, and doth good to that first, whether of our Children, Servants or Neighbours: Love taketh to heart their Spiritual wants, giving counsel to the ignorant & doubtful, comfort to the afflicted, admonition to them that be out of the way, exhortation to them that be in the way, and especially if they begin to slack, 
Mat. 5. 42.  adding prayer for all. Temporal; It will give to the poorest that are to be helped by alms, 
Deut. 15. 10.  as it is able; it will give in greater measure on solemn times, 
Acts 4. 37.  yea of the main stock in persecution or hard times; it will give cheerfully, and such God loves; it will also give quickly, 
2 Cor. 9 7.  that is to give twice; it will also lend to them that be a degree above the poorest, 
Prov. 3. 28.  which having a Trade, Skill and will to follow their Trade, only want a stock to employ themselves and theirs: These a man is as much bound in conscience to lend unto, according to their ability, and honestly to pay again, as to give a piece of bread, or a penny to a poor miserable creature; by this help many have lived in good sort, and brought up their Families. To the wealthy that have no need of us, yet we must be neighbourly and friendly, communicating in kindnesses with them, inviting them also sometimes to us, and going to them being invited; so we must visit them in their sickness and heaviness, and comfort them in the best manner we can.  
Now love being such a thing, 
Obs.  and these being the properties thereof, 
There's little love in the world.  if we try the world by the same, we must needs conclude, that there's little love in the world. 1. Who takes not things in the worst part, hardly construing men's words and actions? the doubtful ones (haply not bad) they judge to be evil; those that be evil indeed, they make far worse than they are: 
1 Sam. ●. 14.  Thus did Ely judge amiss of Hannah, when her lips only moved; & the Jews with our Saviour Christ, when he said, 
john 2. 20.  Destroy this Temple: this is the cause of innumerable contentions and breaches among men. 2. For departing from right, who doth it? who stands not out stiffly to the uttermost? This is an usual speech, It's my right, and I will have it, I ask no more but my right, and that I will not lose; this is thought but reasonable, and he is thought but an honest man that will have but his right, but it's an ill speech and resolution, whether it be in conference: If a man know he hath the truth (though it be but in small matters) yet he will hold it out, though the other be never so peremptory, till in conclusion, they fall flat out, this is nought; in small matters it were better to yield: so in Dealings, Covenants, Bargains, Bonds, men will have their right; herein right may be extreme wrong, always provided that we give not away another's right, 
Exod. 10. 9  especially Gods: Moses would not yield an hoof; yet most men are stiff in their own, will yield enough of God's right; as they will not suffer their Servants to play one hour in the week day, but for the Lords day, they will suffer them therein to play as much as they will. 3. Whereas love does no hurt to any, Whence comes all the hurt and mischief in the world? Stabbing, Fight, Quarrelling, Railing, Reviling, Scolding, Crying, all the defiling of men's Wives, Children, Servants? So for Oppression, Bribery, Thievery, Cozenage, false Weights, deceitful Wares? So Slandering, Defaming, Backbiting, Mocking? All these abound in the World: I am sure they come not of Love, it was never at the doing of them, and those that will so readily provoke one another by words and deeds they care not how, are far enough from love. 4. For being provoked, O Lord be merciful to us, who can bear any thing, but taunt for taunt, quip for quip; he shall have as good as he brings, is common with every one: How do men stand upon every small trespass? Hence the innumerable Contentions and Suits in the Land, thousands in a year for mere trifles, wherein ten times as much is spent then is sued for, which is a shame for England, having had the Gospel of Peace so long: Oh, men's stomaches be up strait, all their blood in their faces, or looking as pale as ashes, or secretly practising to revenge, hand on the Dagger strait, strait on the top of the house, fly in our Neighbour's face by and by; so little love is there to forgive till Seventy, I may say till Seven times; so short Spirited, as we can bear nothing; and that which is worse, if we have once taken up a displeasure, it's not easily laid down, but Sun after Sun, Moon after Moon, yea, Year after Year it continueth; quickly provoked, hardly pacified, especially truly. It may be we live not in open enmity, yet in secret grudging, the heart not sound, but ready to break out upon every occasion, can abide nothing but Revenge, which is fearful. 5. Where is communicating of Spiritual good things? Parents bring up their children brave, but how few Catechise, Counsel and Instruct them, pray with or for them? So for Servants, They give them Meat, Drink and Wages, with work enough on the six days, little caring how they spend the Lords day, neither instructing them, examining them, or drawing them to hear the Word, or Read, and Pray: What love call you this? show you not as much to your Beasts? So for our Neighbours, who admonisheth them that be out of the way? do we not rather let them run on, talking of their Infirmities behind their backs, and spreading them to their grace? Nay, do not many, yea most rejoice thereat? what consolation to the heavy? who takes it to heart? how few are able to comfort fitly? but utter vain, idle, if not more hurtful words to to such, nay, many rather laugh and jest at heavy conscienced persons, every man saith, Is he is Brother's keeper? Nay, alas, so far from communicating Spiritual grace to them (which they ought) or to call one another to go to the house of God, as they rather use all means, by jesting at them, troubling them, etc. to discourage them; yea, how many have given lewd and wicked counsels to others to the dishonour of God? For outward things, how backward are most from giving any more than they needs must? What contentions at making of Rates? For lending, where is this? but rather as if God had never given precept for it, or as if it were like a Statute repealed, which is of no use, so is this duty: That cursed Trade of Lending upon Usury, hath eaten up, and banished out of the Country this Christian duty of free lending; What rich man hath almost at any time any thing to lend? Some are so grim and austere, as a poor man dares not speak to them for such a thing: Some put so much to Usury, as they neglect their Trading, set none a work, nor have aught to lend at any time, but rather borrow; and if a poor man happen to do any work for them, they cannot pay him in a good while, they are so bare; for as soon as any money comes in, it must out strait to Use, as if it would burn a hole in their Cupboard if it lay there two or three days, or a week. Others are ever Purchasing, and are ever in debt, and will be; then wrangle at Rates, grudge at this and that, are never fit to lend; such bring a curse upon themselves willingly, which is to borrow, when as they might else lend. Others are so miserable, that though they have wherewith, yet will not lend: So for Neighbourly dealing, 
Mat. 24. 12.  inviting, visiting, etc. Love is very cold. Here I may add, That there's a great deal of counterfeit love, Pot-companionship, and joining in vanity, a deal of fawning, crouching, conguing, etc. a great deal of self-love, 
2 Tim. 3. 2.  making others faults great, and their own small or none; nay sometimes extenuating and making light of the virtues of others, highly esteeming their own; being ready to provoke and wrong others, but bearing nothing, strait provoked, seeking their own in all their dealings and courses, so making sure for themselves, without regard to their Neighbours: These be the times. Now let every man examine himself, and see how it's with himself in these, who finds not himself ready to take things at the worst? and have we not often done so, when as afterward having heard that it was nothing so, but quite otherwise, we have been put to shame, and forced to say for our own excuse, We heard or thought it had been so: The like might be particularised in the rest.  
3. The causes of the want of love: 
The causes of the want of love.  1. Want or weakness of Faith; when our Saviour taught his Apostles this Duty, they said, Lord, increase our Faith: Assurance of pardon makes us forgive. 2. Pride, 
Luke 17. 4, 5.  whereby men think highly of themselves, meanly of others; think they may speak or do any thing, but that others may say or do nothing to them: 
Prov. 13. 10.  Only by Pride comes contention, but humbleness causeth love: 
Eph. 4▪ 2.  Pride makes men think themselves so wise and good, as every body should say as they say, and yield in all things to them, when they do not, they break the peace, as Haman with Mordecai: Pride cannot endure a reproof, therefore could not Herod abide John, Ahab, Elijah and Micaiah: Pride makes men think so highly of themselves, and meanly of others, that they will not bear any wrong, but take the least in scorn. 3. Covetousness; this makes men contend for trifles, Oppress, use false weights and sleights, as also hinders from inviting and meeting together. 4. Envy at the thriving and wealth of others about them, or equal to them, as Laban's sons did at Jacob; Cain, that Abel's Sacrifice was better regarded than his; Esau, that Jacob was blessed; and Ishmael, that Isaac was the son of the Promise. 5. Frowardness and shortness of spirit breaks love very often, for angry words stir up strife. 6. These very days of peace make men grow hollow and strange, and to set little one by another: As when Sheep see a Dog, they run all together; so trouble makes men to make much one of another, whereas its otherwise in peace: These be woeful causes.  
4. The effects of this want of love, 
The effects of the want of love.  are lamentable every where, both in Church and Commonwealth; O what woeful breaches and contentions? what wrongs and enmities? So in Families, so among particular persons, how break they out to the dishonour of God? yea, sometimes Professors one with another, to the shame of their Profession, the interrupting of their Prayers, or either the hindering of themselves from the Sacrament (as many a time it is) or slubbering it over, and coming with festered hearts, and so depriving themselves of the benefit thereof, nay, provoking the Lord by their unworthy receiving.  
Seeing these things be so, 
Use.  O let every one of us, finding ourselves faulty, humble ourselves, crave mercy, and labour to be reform herein: To this end learn we to pluck out of our hearts those noisome weeds, that this precious plant of love may grow. We must strive against infidelity, and labour for more faith: In humbleness of mind we must labour to esteem every one better than ourselves; we must labour for a moderate affection to outward things, setting more by peace then them; we must also avoid envy: We have more than we could have looked for; Is our eye evil because our Masters is good? we must also cease from frowardness, and be gentle and meek; and labour we that this love to our brethren may show forth itself in all good fruits, as in judging the best, departing from our right, not provoking, or being easily provoked, but forbearing and forgiving: Alas, we have need that others should forgive us; for who lives, and is not subject to offend? God forgives us many and great debts, and shall we catch our neighbour by the throat? 
Mat. 18. 26, 28  God bids us ask forgiveness on no other condition, but to forgive our offenders; and there's no better sign that a man is forgiven of God, then to show mercy to men; none can be assured of that, but they will forgive: Let us therefore from the sea of compassion that God sheddeth out upon us, let fall some drop thereof on our neighbours, and not seek revenge, which every bad man, 
Pro. 19 19 11.  yea beast can do, but pass by offences, which is the glory of a man: Besides, revenge is the Lords Office, and to revenge, is indeed to resist the Lord, without whose Providence nothing is done; this kept David from revenging himself on Shimei. Not to revenge, is always the best way for us, and the worst for him that wrongs us: There's no dealing with a man that commits his cause to God; more safe to anger a Witch, than an Innocent meek spirited man that hath his recourse to God; thou hadst better deal with one that will take revenge on thee to the uttermost. To this end keep we out anger if we can; if not, yet let it not rest in us, as it were souring in our hearts: Let not the Sun go down upon it. This indeed the world accounts a base thing, 
Mic. 7. 18.  but its honourable, it makes us like God: Neither must we labour for this a little, or some few times, but for a long skirted love, 
Prov. 10. 12.  that will cover even a multitude of offences. And let our love show itself in giving Spiritual and Temporal things; for God gives to good and bad, and makes us but Stewards of that he gives us, that we may dispense the same; yea, the more we give, the more we have, as which increaseth by giving: and for Temporal things, 
Pro. 11. 24, 25.  the highway to thrive therein, is to be merciful; as to beggary, to be pinching.  
5. The general reasons inciting to this duty of love, 
Reason's inciting us to this duty of love.  1. God requireth it of us, who is love; and if we perform it, we do not so much serve our Neighbour as please God, who takes it as done to himself: If we neglect it, we neglect not our Neighbour only, but God, 
Isa. 58. 2.  who takes himself wronged in this point. 2. We are all one flesh, and all have some part of the Image of God upon us: But for the people of God,. 1. We be members of the same body: The members of the Natural body not only hurt not, but help each other, else quickly would the body be brought to confusion. 2. Brethren, 
Gen. 13. 8.  not Natural ones, but a better Brotherhood, a nearer Bond: Now between Brethren there must be no contention, 
1 Cor. 6. 6.  and it were a shame for such to contend. 3. Both the Word requires it, and the Sacrament of the Lords Supper calls for, and puts us in mind of it. 4. No better Argument that we are in the light, 
joh. 13. 34, 35.  love God, are Christ's Disciples, 
1 joh. 3. 14.  and translated from death to life, than this. 5. The beauty of a Christian is love; he's the best Christian who loves most, whose lips feed most, whose branches spread widest. 6. As it brings us much peace to our conscience, and will comfort us not a little on our deathbed, that we have not lived to ourselves, but to be useful to many, especially to Souls; so it procureth us love in the places we live in, and in the Church of God, where we have a good name. No man is well beloved, though he have good things in him, if he be not loving; Oh, say they, he is a good honest man, but a harsh Censurer, Contentious, and so hasty, that no man can tell how to speak to him; he is a straight man, no man is the better for him by counsel, encouragement, admonition; so for other things: But if a man be full of love, Oh, it shall procure him love again, he shall be commended while he lives, and mourned for when he dies; 
See Pro. 10.  as they wept for Dorcas; but a proud, churlish, 
Acts 9 39  close man, he shall live without being desired, and die without being mourned for: Many would have Love, and goodwill, and Credit, but will not seek this way to procure it; they live closely to themselves, neither being useful, or any way liberal to their Neighbours, let them never look for it: Many care not, so they may scrape all to themselves (for their good name let it go whether it will) but these are bafounded, and its a curse so to live. Thus in general.  
In particular, Touching the love to the Children of God, which is here cheerfully called for, consider we both the duty, and the manner how it's to be performed.  
For the duty itself, it hath these two things in it, 1. That we have brotherly and tender affections one towards another. 2. That we show it forth by brotherly actions and fruits answerable; 
Rom. 12. 16, 17.  both which must necessarily go together.  
1. Then, 
Obser.  In vain do any challenge tender and loving affections, except they show the fruit thereof to their brethren's Bodies and Souls especially. 
The fruits of love towards our brethren must accompany the profession thereof.   
2. It's not enough to do brotherly offices, unless they proceed from brotherly affections: Many a man will give frankly, and do other duties required of him, but defiles his liberality with insulting over the parties relieved, 
Obs.  upbraiding them therewith, 
The doing of brotherly offices must proceed from brotherly affections.  and thinking thereby to make them subject unto them; whereas a gift should be given cheerfully, and seeing one that stands in need of our help, we ought compassionately to tender his estate as our own; remembering God's commandment for relieving such a one, and thanking God we may: and though the party ought to be thankful, yet should not we slain our liberality with any sinister manner of giving: It must be frank, that's the nature of a gift, and it must also come from compassion and feeling. So for reproving, admonishing, etc. (an excellent duty, I would it were more usual) it must proceed from a brotherly affection, not proudly, imperiously, or harshly: So we must invite from a brotherly affection, else our brotherly action loseth his grace with God, yea, with men also if they perceive it.  
And though we are chiefly to love God's servants, 
Love must reach to all.  Christians, professors with us of the same Religion, and our fellow Brethren; yet we are not to neglect any, we must love all, all that either be, or may be the people of God, though they be yet Pagans, Heathens, etc. for they are our own flesh, and have in them (as ye heard) some part of the Image of God, as in their Soul, which is a Spirit, and Immortal, and the Majesty of their face above all Creatures: A King, though an Heathen, hath a part of the Image of God in his Sovereignty.  
Then we must love the Devil, 
Object.  as having some part of God's Image.  
We are not, 
Sol.  because he is pronounced of God as his final and desperate Enemy, appointed to destruction: So if we knew any such men (as the Prophets did) we ought not to love them, but hate them; not pray for them, but against them, as David did. For others, though Infidels we must love them, and if God cast them into our lot, we must do good to them, to their Souls and Bodies.  
They be strangers to me. 
Object.   
So was the Jew that fell among Thiefs to the Samaritan, 
Sol.  and in that Christ taught who is our Neighbour: 
Luke 10. 33.  God's Image ought not to seem strange to us, but loved wheresoever we see it.  
They never did aught for me. 
Object.   
But God hath, 
Sol.  who bids thee love.  
They have wronged me, 
Object.  and are mine enemies.  
This is no sufficient ground for thee not to love them, 
Sol.  for the rule is not to love for that thou art loved, 
Matt. 5. 44.  but because the Lord commands it: 
Rom. 5. 10.  God is not our enemy, he deserves well of us, and to him we owe all that may be; and he hath turned us over to pay some of the debt we owe him to our enemy, and he will take it as paid to him: 
Note.  O that we could learn this Lesson! And if we must love that small part of the Image of God where we see it, then where its more, we must love more: Therefore where we see the very face of his Image renewed in Wisdom, Holiness, Righteousness, and the Sanctifying Grace of God's Spirit vouchsafing to make a man a new Creature, and Holy as he is Holy; Oh, this we ought to embrace, love, reverence in a high degree: we cannot show a better tokenof our love to God, 
1 joh. 5. 1. & 3. 14.  then to love his Image, and the more we see it, 
Zech. 2. 8.  to love it the more, such are dear to God, as the Apple of his eye.  
1. Those that make all alike, 
Use 1.  make one as welcome as another, make no difference of good and bad in their countenance, help, assistance, they be not endued with the Spirit of God, for where it is, it will take knowledge of his own work, and make a man love it; yea, though a carnal man should have some natural parts of civility, 
Gal. 6. 10.  skill, etc. more than a Christian man, yet we must affect grace most: These men be neither fish nor flesh.  
2. But much worse are those that of all persons like the Children of God worst, 
Use 2.  and that for their zeal and forwardness; If't were not for them they could like them, and therefore choose swearers, jesters, and profane persons for their companions, and cannot away with the society of Christians, who in their liberality will rather give to bad persons, fitting in the others light, and making them far the worse for their zeal and godliness: Of all men they cannot away with these Puritans, and had rather their Friends should be any thing then of that number, their Sons, Daughters, and Tenants, etc. They would love them, 
1 john 3. 14. ibid. 10.  if they were not so precise: A bad sign, such are not translated from death to life, are not of God, are in darkness to this hour; 
Psal. 15. 4. & 16. 3.  they are not led by David's Spirit, who could not abide the workers of iniquity: The more of God's Image a man seeth in another, to like him the worse is a fearful sign of no love to God: If you will needs hate, hate not them which God loves, but whom he hates; hate them not because he loves them, and because of their goodness, 
Gen. 27. 29.  for God saith to them as to Jacob, I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curse thee; 
Num. 23. 8.  even Balaam himself refused to curse Israel: If they shall stand at the last day, and be damned that gave them no meat, then what shall become of their haters, imprisoners, and that for their goodness? Then would they be glad to be with the least of them, but it shall be far from them, how little soever they regard them in this world, and then shall their time of glory be, as is their enemies in this world: We must therefore labour to be religious, else we can never love them that be so because of their goodness.  
Here also observe a difference between the love we ought to bear to the Wicked, 
How we ought to love the Wicked.  Pagans, Infidels, etc. we must love them as our flesh, not as our brethren, for they have not God for their Father, the Church for their Mother, have not sucked the same breasts with us, the Word and Sacraments: Therefore look how natural Brethren be affected each to other, so ought Christians, Fellow-heirs of the same Inheritance, as having a better Brotherhood, as much as the Spirit is better than the Flesh, and Grace above Nature. Our Saviour preferred the hearers and doers of the Word, before his natural Kindred: This is a more lasting Brotherhood, which abides longer than this life, even for ever, when it shall be with a most entire affection each to other, which often in this life is not, because of the weakness of Grace: It's unseemly for Kinsmen to disagree, 
Gen. 13. 8.  much more Brethren, but most for Christians to fall out, 
See 1 Cor. 6. 8.  to contend, wrangle, and be at odds: Do we not profess we are members of Christ, and persuade ourselves our Neighbours are so? We do; then let Nature teach us: See how the natural members be affected? Are we not Fellow-brethrens? When therefore we live in enmity with our Neighbour that is a Christian, we do as much as in us lies put him out of the Lords Roll, and unbrother him; for is he our Brother, of the same Father and Mother, and can we jar with him? especially (though somewhat should fall out otherwise then well) can we suffer the Sun to go down upon our wrath? God forbid: When we come to Heaven, we shall love all our Fellow-brethrens, better than ever two Brethren loved in this World, and shall we not aim at it now, and come as near it as we can? 
john 15. 19  and we have need so to do, for the World loves their own, therefore hates us; shall not we then hold together? shall we be divided within ourselves? O what wrack comes of this in the Church of God in these days? whiles Brethren differ and contend, the common Enemies, Atheists and Papists multiply.  
For the manner of it, 
Doctr.  It must be without feigning, love unfeigned; God hates dissembling in every thing, 
Love must be without fainng.  loves simplicity and plain dealing, 
Rom. 12. 9  as in Jacob and Nathanael: If love, which is the main virtue, be counterfeit and false, 
1 john 3. 18.  what shall become of all the duties that proceed from thence?  
Two sorts of persons may be here chiefly taxed:  
1. Such as pretend to love, 
Use 1.  but indeed hate, as Joab to Amasa, Saul to David, 
Psal. 28. 3.  Judas to our Saviour Christ; such have a mark of Rebrobation, workers of Iniquity, to whom belongs some notable judgement of God; 
Gen. 3. 5.  they be like the Devil, who pretended to love Eve, 
Mat. 4. 3.  and our Saviour Christ: of these see Psal. 12. 2. & 55. 12. & 62. 4. Pro. 26. 24. Jer. 9 2. 1 Sam. 18. 17, 25. 2 Sam. 20. 9 Those are more dangerous to them they hate, then if they bore open hatred; as one enemy within the walls, is worse than ten without: it's also worse for themselves, for any vice cloaked or masked under show of virtue, is double iniquity; such shall receive greater damnation, yet how common is this? Many will speak men as fair as may be, yet lie in wait to do them a shrewd turn, and as soon as their back is turned, raise a slander of them, and do them all the hurt they can: Others haply have done so with us, but so must not we do.  
2. Such as pretend they love, 
Use 2.  but do not: Many will salute with Good morrow, and Good night, when as there's no true love; one handful of true hearty love, is worth ten armfuls of their Court holy-water, crouchings, and congees down to the ground. These are clouds without rain, vessels with false bottoms, that have only a little water in the top. Such are they who pretend they love the poor, who yet coming to them, can get nothing of them, but what they are enforced to, and that very hardly. So many good Ministers have proved the goodwill of a number that have made goodly shows, but have found small kindness at their hands: What love call you this? its dead, as Faith without Works: 
james 5. 17.  Such is theirs, who will speak well of such and such, and seem to pity them, saying, They are worthy men, and pity they should want, but yet relieve them not at all. If God should so feed and deal with them, they would soon complain.  
See that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.] Here's the Exhortation; wherein we have again both the duty required, which is to love one another, and the manner also, with a pure heart fervently.  
Love one another] This noteth,  
1. A mutual love: 
Obs.  It must come from one to another mutually, and be at every hand. 
Love must be mutual.  As others are to love us, so are we to love others; none free. Many will look for a deal of love from others, that yet care not how little they themselves part with; would be visited, but care not to visit others; would have their own virtues commended, but will not do so by others; have their infirmities covered, but will not do so by others; would not be provoked, yet will provoke; would not that others should be quickly angry with them, who will yet be angry with others: 
Acts 20. 35.  Alas, this is weakness; It's a more blessed thing to give then to receive, and we should rather strive to go before, and set others in our debt by love: A good mind rather remembers the debt that is going from him, then that which is coming to him. This often comes of pride in some men, to look for much of others, and perform little themselves: The husband often looks his wife should walk at an inch with him, though he will break many els out of square; So the wife will look for much of her husband, not caring how little she perform: This is no equity; We must do as we would be done to. It's more dangerous for us to neglect our duty to others, then for them to neglect theirs to us; let us therefore strive who shall perform most each to other, Husbands, Wives, Neighbours, etc.  
2. A community: 
Obser.  We must not love one or two, or a few, but all that fear God in the place wherein we live. 
In love there must be a community.  Love communicates itself, and is not engrossed to a few.  
Many can be content to love one or two, or a few, but they oppose and justle against many others, and live unkindly with them: This is no true love, nor ought love so to be; yet in many Towns there is siding, which at the length turns to its undoing; yea, we must love the meanest that fear God, and not neglect them, as the meanest member of the Body is regarded of the chiefest; we must not have the Faith of Christ in respect of persons. 
james 2. 1.  God hath vouchsafed to give his Son to Redeem them, his Spirit to Sanctify them, and Heaven to be possessed of them, and shall we despise them? Nay, we ought rather to encourage and hearten them on in well doing, seeing so few of that sort fear God. If we regard them, they will bear their poverty the better, and it will be a great cheering to them: There's nothing more comely, then for the wealthy to be thus affable and kind to them; 
Prov. 22. 2.  The Lord is the Maker of both, and being fellow-brethrens and fellow-Members, 
james 2. 5.  the one as dear to God as the other, a little wealth must not puff up the one's mind over the other.  
With a pure heart] Every kind of love is not that which is here required; 
Gal. 5. 22.  it must be the fruit of the Spirit, 
1 Tim. 1. 1.  proceeding from a Sanctified heart, and be agreeable to the pure Word of God.  
This hath many properties: 
The properties of pure love.  1. It loves for some good actions, which condemns the common love of wicked persons, as of the Fornicator and his Harlot, the Adulterer and his Mate, the Drunkards and Thief, though sworn Brethren. To love any because they can rail against goodness, or Dice well, or are eager against the Servants of God, 
1 Cor. 13. 6.  etc. this is cursed love. True love rejoiceth not in iniquity, a worse note cannot be, then for one to love them, whom as Rebels and Conspirators against God, he sees fight against God. 2. Pure love is that which is grounded on Grace and Religion, not on any transitory thing, which condemns the carnal love of the world, which love only for worldly respects, as strength, beauty, and the like; or if it be for any inward gift of the mind not Sanctified, that's also but carnal, as wit, skill in Arts, Music, etc. these are worthy love; but to love only for these, is not true and pure love, for thus the Heathens loved; 
Gen. 25. 28.  as Isaac loved Esau for his hunting, and many a man his wife for her beauty: These are false grounds, when they fail, love fails. 3. Pure love is in respect of the party himself whom we love, and for no respect to ourselves, or commodity of ours, which condemns the world, which only loves on such respects, as because he is my Uncle, my Friend, loves me, hath done this or that for me, or may do me a pleasure; therefore I will make much of him, or for fear he may do me a shrewd turn. This being shaked out of the clow●s, 
Mat. 5. 46.  is indeed but self-love, as having a respect only to ourselves. Many a man shows kindness to others to purchase credit: The charitable deeds of the Papists were of self-love, for they were done out of opinion of merit: So the love of worldlings, they have a reach at themselves. 4. Pure love reflects chiefly on another's Soul, therefore hates his sin in him, whom he loves most dearly, advising him from all evil, counselling him to all good.  
This condemns all impure love: 
Use.  So to love, as not to tell our neighbour of his fault for angering or disquieting him; 
Leu. 19 17.  this is hatred: So Parents that love their children so well, as they will not nurture, rebuke or correct them, do indeed hate them, & slay them in following their ways: He that spares the rod, hates his child. 
Prov. 13. 24.  It's as if any should be so tender over a child, as not to suffer the wind to blow on it, and therefore holds their hand before the mouth of it, but holds it so hard, as they strangle the child; 
Simil.  or as the Ape, which hugs her young one so hard, that she strangles it. Again, friends persuade a man to do this or that for preferment, which he cannot do with a good conscience, Oh, they love him, they would fain see him preferred; woeful love to the body, by destroying the soul: A neighbour hath his Child or cattle strangely handled, one comes in of love, persuading to send to such a Cunning-man or good Witch (one of the Devils worsts instruments) Is this love? Is he a friend that will do that whereby a penny may be gained, but many hundred pounds lost? So when a Christian is ready to suffer for a good Conscience, and a friend comes and says, Oh, I pray cast not away yourself, I wish you well, do as the times are, and as others do: This was the tormentors love to Martyrs (tormenting love indeed) that by saving their bodies, their souls might perish: Thus would Peter have persuaded our Saviour, 
Mat. 16. 22.  O Master, these things shall not be unto thee; but if Christ had not suffered, we had all perished in our sins, yea, the Saints in Heaven must have come out from thence, for they went to Heaven by Christ who was to be crucified; What love was this? our Saviors Answer shows, that he gave him no thanks for that counsel.  
Fervently.] This stands in two things, Earnestness and Constancy.  
1. For the Earnestness of our love, 
Obs.  we must stretch it to as many persons as we can, 
A Christians love must be earnest.  and to as many duties, as giving, forgiving, etc. and therein we must not be sparing; as in giving, For he that gives sparingly, shall reap sparingly: 
2 Cor. 9 6.  So for forgiving, it must not be only an offence or two, 
1 Pet. 4. 8.  Charity covers a multitude; thus is God to us, in giving for Soul, Body, Goods, Good-name to us, to ours, day and night, never weary, never upbraiding us: So in forgiving, how merciful is he to pass by our many offences, and that daily? should not we then herein resemble him? Again, a little love is soon quenched, soon hindered, but we must love so, as if we meet with many temptations from ourselves, or the parties whom we are to love, our love notwithstanding must last still; yea, we must not only do these things when we can well do them, or there's nothing to let us, but even forget our ease, pleasure and profit to do our neighbour good: Love seeks not her own things, 
1 Cor. 13. 5.  is laborious; we love ourselves fervently, and therefore must so love our neighbours.  
This condemns the cold frozen love of the world, 
Use.  wherein there's no heat or fervency, a little thing lets: We are so full of self love, that we will not speak so much as a good word in defence of the very best, 
1 Sam. 30. 23.  whether man or cause, 
Hest. 4. 16.  if thereby we may be prejudiced never so little; 
Obs.  so did not Jonathan, so did not Hester, when she adventured her life for her people. 
Love must be constant.   
2. For the constancy thereof, 
Heb. 13. 1.  Unity must be kept, we must seek Peace, 
Eph. 4. 3.  and follow after it, and its a part of fervency when it will not easily be broken off. 
Psal. 34.  God's love is constant, ours must be so; the Devil will assay to break it off, we must therefore the more stand in it: Oh, it's the easiest matter in the world to break off love, but we must not embrace any occasion moving hereunto.  
This rebukes the inconstancy of many men, 
Use.  that are won with an Apple (as we say) and lost with a Nut, that will upon every slight occasion break friendship; I loved him as well as could be (will some such say) till such and such a thing fell out: and what, are you now broke off? what can worldings do more? If God should so deal with us, how miserable were we? but his love is constant, yea, he loveth us in our adversity and low estate, nay, best then, and is then nearest with his comforts; so it ought to be with us, for then our Neighbour hath most need of us, and then our love will appear most free, not mercenary: But how contrary this is, daily experience showeth, while men be in prosperity they have many friends, which in their affliction forsake them (as Doves, that come to fair houses, not to low cottages) whereof Job often complaineth.   

Verse 23. Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.  
THis duty of love is of such use, and we so untoward to it, and so hard a thing for us to love as we ought, that it's urged with a Reason: 
james 4. 5.  True, it is so, and no more than needs; for the spirit that is in us lusteth after envy. 
Tit. 3. 3.   
The Reason is taken from the grace of Regeneration bestowed upon them, They were born again, and therefore were to show the fruits thereof, as in other things, so in this of love. Where might be noted,  
1. That such as are not born again, 
Observ.  cannot love, no more than men can gather Grapes of Thorns, 
No unregenerate person can truly love.  or Figs of Thistles, or pour Wine out of a Bottle full of Vinegar; but as Grapes are gathered of the Vine, so must love come from a Regenerate man, not otherwise.  
2. That the Regenerate man must needs love; 
Observ.  therefore they that declare no love, 
Such as are born again, must needs love.  but hate their Brethren, the people of God especially, show they be not born again, nor of God. But I proceed to the words.  
Being born again, 
1 joh. 3. 10. ] Here's occasion offered to speak of the grace of Regeneration. Touching it, consider briefly these particulars:  
1. What it is to be born again; 
What Regeneration is.  It's to be made new creatures, to be cast in a new mould, to have the corrupt Image of Sin, which we have by Nature (and wherein we were conceived and born) put off throughout, and the contrary good one, wherein we were at the first created, put on, to have the understanding enlightened with distinct knowledge of God, the heart bowed to the obedience of God, etc. new thoughts, 
2 Cor. 5. 17.  desires, speeches, actions: In the new Creature all things must become new; Thus it's done to all that were elect before the foundation of the world: They are changed up and down, from a good state by Creation, to a bad in Adam; from thence to a good one in Christ, by grace here in expectation of glory hereafter: For the wicked, they are changed from good to bad, and there remain the same (but still worse and worse) for ever; we should give God thanks that made us so good at first, be humbled to see our base and woeful state now, and seeing there is help, never to be quiet till we recover our first condition.  
2. That the Lord is the Author hereof, 
The Lord the author thereof.  he takes away the stony heart, 
See Deut. 29. 4.  and gives a new heart, an heart of flesh; It's his work only, nor Man or Angel can change the heart, 
Psal. 51. 10.  to work a deadly hatred of that which by nature we love as our lives, 
Ezek. 36. 26.  and to love and take delight in those courses, 
john 1. 13. & 3. 5.  duties, companies, which sometimes were as a Prison: 
Acts 11. 21.  Alas, the best Paul and Apollos cannot; often even of their Children or very Friends, 
1 john 3. 9  not a few remain unconverted, though haply in the mean time God bless their labours to convert many others; Yea, if an Angel should take a man and carry him to Heaven, and show him the Joys thereof, and thence to Hell, and show him the Torments thereof, yet this would not convert him, neither all Mercies, Afflictions, or Plagues of Egypt: It's a great work of God, and so great, as if all things were not possible to him; he could not do it; It's a greater work than the Creation of the World: In that, there was no opposition, in this much: we have not only no aptness to good, or to be wrought to goodness, but a violent opposition against it; there but to make the things, here both to put out the corrupt nature, and to put in the contrary good; then he made all of nothing, now he makes good of nought. 
Simile.  As its easier making a thousand glasses, than the setting together one that is broke; so it was easier (to speak quo ad nos, for all things are alike easy to God) to make the world, then to repair the broken Image of God in man: It's a miraculous work of God, greater than any miracles that Christ or his Apostles wrought; our Saviors several miracles upon the bodies of men, are all done in the conversation of a sinner; sight restored to them that were blind, and darkness itself, hearing to the deaf, speech to the dumb, feet to the lame, Devils cast out, yea many, for the Devil possesseth us, and all our Parts and Members, Hearts, Hands, Eyes, Tongues, Feet, etc. as any Captain holds a Castle, and hath it at command. Thus it's a wonderful work of God to see a man's Soul and Life, 
Acts 3. 10.  his wit, will, desires, 
john 9 8.  affections, and all altered from black to white: It was a wonder to see the Cripple go, and for him that was born blind to see; but it's more marvel to see a man converted: for whereas God gave power to work all these miracles (the raising of the dead not excepted) to men, 
1 Tim. 4. 16.  this of regenerating is his own only: If we find it ascribed to Ministers, as Paul is said to have begot Onesimus, and as a Father the Corinthians, 
1 Cor. 4.  we must not conceive as if it were not proper to God only, but know, that it is; for that God would keep them the instruments by whom he works from contempt: 
1 Cor. 7. 16.  A good Husband or Wife may be a good means each to other, but have no power of themselves: Adam could easily cast away himself, but none could restore him but God only; as a Child of half a year old may break a glass, which all the men in the Town cannot set together again: It's wrought of God by uniting us to Christ by Faith, through his holy Spirit, which works this alteration, when pardoning our sins past, he taketh away the guiltiness and punishment thereof in his death.  
Let all that can prove it, 
Use.  give all glory to God, for so unspeakable a mercy, even that when they were going headlong to destruction, when as vile as any, he yet called them, passing by thousands which yet lie in their sins: And for them that can prove no such thing, let them not delay, nor put off to the last, as the fashion is, as though it could be dispatched in a trice, or with a wet finger, but seek it both earnestly and quickly in the means appointed: Why do men think they shall repent on their death bed rather than now? Is it because the pain or fear of death will make them? Alas, all the Plagues in the world cannot change a man without God, and will God be near to work then? Nay, he that was rejected in health and life, will more likely cast off in death; and if he will not bless his Word, will he work in the end by other means? This is little better than Saul's practise, to go to the Devil when God would not help him.  
3. That the Lords own will is the moving cause hereof; 
The Lords will the cause hereof  As he Elected freely, and gave Christ of his love, so this: Nothing in us could move him hereto, 
jam. 1. 18.  but whom he elected before the world, those doth he of the same grace effectually call and convert, 
john 3. 16.  which should bind our hearts more effectually to praise and serve him all the days of our life.  
4. That the excellency of this grace is such, 
Without regeneration, all things else that we have are nothing.  as all things without it are nothing; If we had the wisdom of Solomon, the strength of Samson, the policy of Achitophel, the wealth of Ahasuerus, etc. if we could measure the Heaven, Earth and Sea, and knew the nature of all Creatures therein, from the Cedar to the Hyssop; nay, if we could understand the Bible, could Preach never so Learnedly, and had all gifts of knowledge and utterance, yet were we not born again, all were nothing: Besides, it's the more excellent, both because so rare (only the Elect of God are born again) and because Eternal. In the natural birth we die, because born of mortal seed, and nourished by corruptible food, but they that be born again never die more, never come more into their former state, as being born of the immortal seed, of the Word, and Spirit, and being thereby nourished, are joined to the fountain of life, Christ: Again, by our first birth we are made miserable, by this happy; by that sinners, by this righteous persons; by that children of wrath, by this children of God; by that slaves of Satan, by this servants of righteousness; by that limbs of the Devil, by this members of Christ; by that heirs of Hell, by this heirs of Heaven: O happy day, O happy birth; before Regeneration, Sin and Satan wholly ruled in us, but after, Grace and the Spirit of God.  
1. This should teach us, 
Use 1.  if we can prove it in ourselves to rejoice, and remember our birthday. Many delight to talk of their age, as others, when, where, and what year they were born; But canst thou tell where and when thou wert born again? thou canst else have little joy of thy first birth. The older thou art, the more shame and greater condemnation if thou art not born again: He that is not regenerate is a Bastard; for though he have after a sort the Church to his Mother, yet he hath not God to his Father; and though in the Natural birth the Mother's side is the surest, yet in the Spiritual birth it's otherwise: Therefore if thou hast Wit, Beauty, Strength, Wealth, and the like, rejoice not in them, but that thou art born again; yea, though thou art Poor, Weak, Sickly, yet being born again, thou art happy: If God hath denied thee Wealth and Health, or taken them away, yet if he hath given thee grace, thou art to rejoice exceedingly.  
2. It may teach us to rejoice, 
Use 2.  if we know our children new born: We rejoice at their Natural Birth; but alas, wert not for hope because they be of Christian Parents, we might rather weep: for when a child is born, there's come a sinner, a guilty person into the World, one that is in danger of all evil, subject to a great deal of sin and sorrow, and one that hath deserved to be cast into Hell; O therefore, if we know them born again, there's cause of rejoicing, yea, we must rejoice at the new birth of a servant or any other as the Angels do: The World likes such the worse, a sign they are the old men.  
3. If we know it not, 
Use 3.  we are to use the means, bring them to Baptism, after teach them what is fit, that they may make conscience of their Covenant, and bring them to the Word; if they be any whit forward, further them, if backward or unwilling, use thy Authority over them.  
4. Rebuke them that desire to see them Strong, 
Use 4.  Fair, Rich, Healthy, and the like, in the mean time not respecting whether they be born again or not.  
5. He that is not born again, 
Use 5.  hath nothing excellent in him, but abides in death, and is the servant of sin.  
5. That it's so necessary, 
Regeneration of absolute necessity.  as without which there's no entering into the Kingdom of Heaven, for thereinto can no unclean thing enter, and they only which are pure in heart shall see God: 
john 3. 3, 5.  We are born impure, sinful, 
Revel. 21. 27.  defiled from head to foot; while we are in this state, there's no possibility of serving God, 
Mat. 5. 8.  as either by thinking, speaking, or doing good; we must therefore be washed and made clean.  
The world imagine no such necessity herein, it's a riddle to them, few know what any such work or change meaneth: They think to be saved by their good meaning, civil life, and living orderly, O this is sound; if these do not well, God help us all: Again, though openly bad, if they can cry God have mercy on their deathbed, they shall do well enough: Here's no dreaming of a new birth, of any change in the understanding, will, affections, yea, throughout both body and soul; 
Col. 3. 9, 10.  but none of the others will serve the turn, therefore try whether ye be new born: If we live still in sin (as in lying) it's a certain argument we are as we were naturally, 
2 Cor. 5. 17.  He that is in Christ is a new creature, and such a one walketh not after the flesh, 
Rom. 8. 1.  but after the Spirit; if thou art thus, thou hast put off thy old conversation, and put on a new.  
6. The effects of Regeneration; 
The effects of Regeneration.  1. An hatred of all sin, a love of all good. 2. A strife and labour to do the one, and avoid the other. 3. A diligent use of the means for this purpose, and a Spiritual combat against the lets, wherein being conquerors, we have peace and joy; if otherwise, 
See also the notes laid down.  grief. 4. Delight in the Word, Prayer, and Heavenly things, whereas we were wont to delight in vain and worldly things; so to cry, 
2 Cor. 7. 11.  Abba-Father, to love the Father, to desire the sincere milk of the Word, and to live innocently: If upon trial of thyself by these notes, 
1 john 2. 29.  thou findest thyself not born again, 
1 Pet. 2. 2.  thy case is fearful; it had been better than thou shouldest thus die, that thou hadst never been born, or born a Toad, whereof when its dead, there's an end; but the man that is not born again while he lives, when he dyeth, the second death will lay hold on him eternally; yet alas, a number of old folks ready to drop into the grave, are not yet born again; What shall become of these? few men are born again when they become old, which I speak not to discourage you quite, but to awaken you the more earnestly to look about you; some were called about the eleventh hour, but let them that have day before them, not defer or put it to the venture.  
6. That the life of a Regenerate man cannot be that it was, 
A Regenerate man is not the same he was before.  or as is the life of carnal men, for the case is altered; he is now united to Jesus Christ as an imp to the stock, a member to the head; by Faith on our parts, but principally by the Spirit of God: by which Faith we draw, and by which Spirit is conveyed to us virtue from Christ's death to kill sin, our old man, and the corruptions thereof, whereby it hath a deadly wound given it, which it shall never recover; so from his Burial, his Spirit conveyeth power to hold under our corruptions, that they get head no more; so from his Resurrection, power to rise to newness of life: so that now being grafted into such a living stock, by such a cunning hand of the Spirit of God, the Regenerate man receiveth virtue accordingly: He was before a branch of the wild olive, but now of the true olive, therefore the fruits are and must needs be accordingly; so that though he sinneth, yet it's not as before: before he was guided by the Spirit of Satan and the world, now by the holy Spirit of God, and therefore must needs bring forth the fruits of holiness, 
Gal. 2. 20.  as it is holy, must needs be renewed throughout, though not wholly and perfectly.  
1. Here's a great comfort to God's children, 
Use 1.  and infinite cause have they to praise God, that whereas before they brought forth nothing but fruit unto death, now they are enabled to bring forth fruit to God, and to life; before servants to the flesh, reaping corruption, now to the Spirit, 
Gal. 6. 8.  the fruit thereof being everlasting life: There must needs be joy in doing such work.  
2. This condemneth them that say they believe, 
Use 2.  and they are converted, and hope to be saved by Jesus Christ, and yet continue in their course: No, every one that's in Christ is a new creature; it's a disgrace to Christ to say such fruit comes from him.  
7. The growth of one that's truly Regenerate, 
A Regenerate man groweth by degrees.  he is not at his pitch the first day: It's not with him as with Adam, who was perfect at once in his creation, but he comes to it by degrees; as every thing that moveth from one place to another, doth it in some space of time, so in this motion from sin to righteousness and life eternal, it's done in time, and by degrees, and that not in all alike: But as some men are of greater stature, some of smaller, and sometimes the younger are taller than the elder; so it may be in this: but all do and must grow, and that by the Ministry of the Word and Sacraments, as Corn by the early and latter rain springs up by degrees: and a Babe first small and weak, yet by good tendance and Gods blessings grows bigger and stronger in every part, then can go alone, speak, digest strong meat, begin to bear burdens, and do the works of a man; so must a Christian grow from a Babe to be stronger, to digest strong meat (higher Points of Doctrine) to be able to go alone in good Duties, by the finger, as in Prayer, Reading another's Prayer, but now can go alone in it, so in other Duties; then stronger to bear Afflictions. Temptations, Mocks, Discouragements, and also to put up wrongs, and go through duty and service.  
1. This may rebuke them that are so far from growing, 
Use 1.  as they go back, and are worse than sometimes they were. These may suspect that either they never begun in truth, but were suddenly moved, had but some common gifts, and were but built upon the Sand; or else that they have ill behaved themselves, beginning in the Spirit, to end in the Flesh: Were you too well? what fault found you that you are weary, and gone back to your old Master? If you belong to God, and do not awaken yourselves, the Lord will whip you home, will send you as Runagates to the house of Correction.  
2. For those that stand at a stay, 
Use 2.  and no difference can be discerned between that they were many years ago, and now, they also are in a woeful case. Doth not a man look his child should grow in learning every year, and would it not grieve if he should stand always at one stay? We love to see our children grow, and would grieve to see them Dwarves, and no bigger now than they were many years ago; and have we no care of our own or their growth in grace? As men every year aim more and more to grow in wealth: and as in a Race men press hard forward towards the mark, so should we to grow in grace. But why do men grow no faster? 
Why men grow no faster in goodness.  A. 1. Some are proud, and conceited they have more than they have, and so strive not. 2. Some compare themselves with them that are under them, and not with them that exceed them in grace, and so think they have enough; whereas in worldly things they reach always at those above, that they may not only equal them, but over-top them. 3. Some are so cloyed with the love of the world, and multitude of businesses, that they can spare no time for this. This is the bane of Religion, and hinders from many a duty public and private, choking the Word in the obedience thereto, and practice thereof, and causing many a duty to be but poorly performed. 4. Ill company is as great a hindrance to Spiritual growth, as the East and North winds to tender flowers and plants. 5. Neglecting and failing of the means of growing; as if any man want his meals, he will soon faint, and if any Tradesman want his Markets, he will soon be Bankrupt. 6. Some use them negligently, as Hearing, Praying, etc. and thrive accordingly: He that keeps the Market but once in a month, will not gain much; so they that hear the Word but now and then at their leisure, will not get forward very fast, especially they that keep not the main Market, nay, the Mart of their Souls, The Lord's day, when they should make off their corruptions, and provide themselves with all Spiritual commodities. 7. Such as hear often, but without preparation before, or regard after. Do men thrive by meat taken into a full or foul stomach? or by swallowing their meat whole? no more shall we Spiritually thrive though we swallow down whole Sermons, unless we chew them by Meditation and Practice they will never nourish us.  
And whereas many humble Souls complain that they do not grow, 
A Caveat for such as complain they do not thus grow.  though earnestly desirous thereof, and diligent in the use of the means, they must examine themselves, whether indeed they have used the means, and that diligently with preparation and prayer; If not, they must reform the same; if yea, they may be of good comfort, for assuredly they cannot but grow somewhat, though not as they would: They must yet be constant, and that God who hath given them an heart to use the means of growing, 
See Wilson of Sanctification, pag. 11. 12.  will also enable them to grow: we must be growing as long as we live here. If we had Methuselahs' years to live, and still took pains, yet still there would be work; so hard is it to get victory over, and to subdue this Army of our lusts, and to draw dry this ocean of our corrupt affections.  
Blessed is he that makes this his chief or only work, to mortify more and more his sinful nature, applying the Word, Promises, Threats, Mercies, Judgements, general, particular, on ourselves or others: To this end God hath given us many means to subdue them, therefore will be angry if we keep them not under, and grow especially against our strongest corruptions; they offend God, hurt us, glad Satan, defile the Temple of the holy Ghost, were the cause of Christ's death, are of long continuance, and therefore must be put away: And as we must labour daily to mortify our lusts and old man, so to grow in all graces.  
8. The perfection of a Christian: 
There's no perfection here in this life.  There's none here in this life we know but in part; there be still remnants of sin in us: we are indeed perfectly Justified, not, but in part Sanctified. Sin and Grace is mingled in every part, 
1 Cor. 13. 9  (not sin in one part, and grace in another) as heat and cold in lukewarm water, 
Eph. 5. 27.  light and darkness in the twilight: God will have it so to be, 
Reason's hereof  1. That we might be saved of mercy, and by Christ's merit, and not by any merit of our own: for if we were perfectly Sanctified here, then should Christ seem only to make us fit to merit our own Salvation. 2. That his power might be made known in our weakness, whereby we are enabled to overcome such mighty enemies of our Salvation. 3. That continually we might be kept humble, ever thankful to God for daily pardon. 4. That there might be continual use of the Word, Sacraments, Prayer, and one of another. 5. That there might be something to weary us hence, and make us long for Heaven, where we shall attain that which here we can never: But though these Corruptions remain, yet they reign not; they are indeed troublesome and hurtful, as the Canaanites to the Israelites, or Rebels that make Insurrection in a Kingdom, but have not the Sceptre in their hand, but are subdued in time; and they dwell in us as unwelcome guests. There is always a Civil war in a Child of God; two men in one man, the old and the new; two laws, the law of our members, and the law of our mind: the Flesh and Spirit fight each against other, 
Rom. 7.  now the one prevailing, than the other, 
Gal. 5. 17.  yet so as the old man grows weaker, and the grace of God stronger. It had a deadly blow at first, and still languisheth, and is in a Consumption; 
Simil.  as a Serpent that is deadly wounded in his head, yet wriggles with the tail; or a Soldier deadly wounded in his brain, yet thrusts with his weapon. The Scripture speaks of the old man in Regeneration, as if it were crucified and wholly destroyed, because it's so wounded that it can never recover his former strength.  
1. This condemns all Anabaptists, 
Use 1.  and others that dream of a purity in this life.  
2. It teacheth us to bear with one another: 
Use 2.  The husband, though godly, must not look the wife should be without fault, nor the wife the husband; so the Master the Servant, or the Servant the Master; there are none without Imperfections: we never read of any, but noted with some weakness, Christ alone excepted; therefore think it not strange, neither neglect the graces that be in any for one or more infirmities, so as they grow to no height.  
3. Here's comfort to those that doubt of their Conversion, 
Use 3.  because they meet with temptation, and feel sin rebelling in them, and their corrupt nature lusting after evil. It's not so much a sign you are not converted, because you have sin (for that's common to all) as that you are, because you feel it, strive against it and grieve for it: This is indeed a sign you have the Spirit in you. The godly and wicked sin both, but there's great odds in the manner; the wicked sin willingly and advisedly, yea, delight in it, are loath to be hindered from it; when they have done, are not humbled, but go on therein: whereas the Regenerate sin not with full consent, but haled thereto by force of temptation, and strength of corruption, being thereafter humbled, ashamed, grieved. If it be thus with thee, be of good comfort, be still constant in resisting, use means to subdue the old man, and cherish the new, so shall you every day get the victory more and more, and when you be overtaken thus, it shall not be laid to your charge, but pardoned in the Death and Obedience of Jesus Christ: Neither shall your corruption recover itself again to rule over you as before, but shall still languish; and this is the cause why the Scripture speaks, as if our Regeneration were perfect, our old man destroyed: And at last by death we shall get a final and perfect victory, and never feel sin more, for with laying down our bodies, we lay down our sin, and not before.  
Not of corruptible seed, etc.] Here is set down, 1. The efficient cause of our Regeneration, both Negatively; where's showed, what it is not, and Affirmatively, what is not. 2. The instrument thereof, the Word of God. 3. A description of God, that he liveth and abideth for ever.  
Not of corruptible seed.] Of mortal seed we are born, 
Observ.  not born again; 
Regeneration cometh not by nature.  by it we are made Creatures, not new Creatures; we are not born holy, but by being born again we are made holy: The godliest Saints of God cannot convey grace into their Children, 
See john 3. 6.  but sin and nature; 
Psal. 51. 5.  whence it is, that even Abraham had an Ishmael, Isaac an Esau: 
job 14. 4.  As we are born of our Parents, we are altogether corrupt, our understanding seeth little in heavenly things, and our Reason is an enemy thereto; as that there is one God in three Persons, Christ God and Man, born of a Virgin, the world made of nothing, Man saved by the imputed righteousness of another, the near Union between Christ and a Believer, the Resurrection and last Judgement, etc. Reason sees them not, yields not to them, nay, being much urged, 
Mat. 16. 17.  laughs thereat; and that which it doth understand, it conceives not as it ought: the will desires nothing that good is, or at least as it ought, for it is defiled, and so the whole man. Again, mortal seed begets that that is mortal only, and not immortal; but when we be once Regenerate, we never die more, but live the life of grace here, and shall that of glory hereafter; a final fall, or the second death can never befall the new Creature. 
1 joh. 5. 18.   
Let none therefore trust in this, that they were born of godly Parents, but desire God as their Father to beget them anew.  
But of incorruptible, 
Observ. ] Namely, by the Spirit of God, which is the true efficient cause, 
God's Spirit by the word doth alter and change man's heart.  who doth alter and change our hearts, and conveys power to kill sin in us, and to quicken us to a good life: Usually these words and the next are put together, and understood of one thing; namely, that the Word is the immortal seed of Regeneration, 
1 john 3. 9 & 5. 1.  and after a sort it may be so called, but properly the Spirit of God is the seed, 
john 3. 5.  the Word is the instrument, and we know the Word of itself can do no such thing, no more than a Tool can work without the hand of the workman. Joh. 1. 13. is a notable Exposition of this place, where by Blood, and the will of Man, and of Flesh, the same is meant that here he calleth mortal seed, and that which is here immortal, or incorruptible seed, is there but of God: All Men and Angels cannot do this, whomsoever God useth as the instrument, he himself is the worker; therefore is the Spirit compared to water, as washing and making fruitful, and to fire, as through whom our corruptions are purified.  
1. This should stir up those that are born again, 
Use 1.  to labour with all their might, to show themselves thankful to God, that hath done that for them that their own Father, their Preacher, nay all the men of the world could not have done for them; and to labour to glorify his name in all holy obedience all their days, 
jam. 1. 18.  for therefore hath he done it, that they should be as the first fruits of his creatures, even set apart for his service as the first fruits were.  
2. For those that are yet natural, 
Use 2.  let them not trust to Ministers nor means, but desire Almighty God to open their heart, and to work in them that work that may be to their Salvation.  
3. Here's an exceeding comfort to all new born persons, 
Use 3.  namely, That though they have a corrupt Nature, the Devil subtle, the World naught, and themselves subject to many temptations and dangers, yet they shall never fall finally from God; it's not possible they should perish, for then the immortal seed (the Spirit given them, and which is in them) should perish, which is more impossible than that that should perish, 
Eph. 4. 30.  whereby they are sealed unto the day of Redemption.  
By the Word of God] It's the mean to make of the servants of sin, 
Obser.  the servants of God; 
God's word is the instrumental cause of our conversion.  of unclean, clean; of vile persons like Lions, Tigers and Bears, to make meek humble Lambs; to raise up the dead in sin, and to bring to the Kingdom of Heaven, which is therefore called, The Gospel of the Kingdom: 
Rom. 6. 17.  See to this purpose Psal. 19 7. Isa. 53. 1. 
joh. 15. 3.  Rom. 1. 16. 1 Cor. 1. 21. Jam. 1. 18. Acts 26. 18. and for examples hereof, 
Isa 11. 6, 7.  Acts 2. 37. & 11. 21. & 16. 30. The Law preparatively makes a way for Conversion and Faith, 
joh. 5. 25.  by humbling and affrighting the heart with the sight of misery; the Gospel effectively: This works Faith and Repentance, tells us of the remedy, the sufficiency of it, and how freely it is offered, then works an earnest desire after it, and an heart to leave any thing that might let us from it; not that God is tied to this, 
God doth not always tie himself hereunto.  but thus it hath pleased him to appoint ordinarily to work: In times of persecution he can bless, and doth reading of the Word to convert, yea, the report of private men: So also for Infants he hath another way (no less easy to him, then hidden and admirable to us) how to work in them, as he sanctified John Baptist in his mother's womb: 
Luk. 16. 29, 31  He hath not ordained Angels to come and tell us news from heaven, nor any to come from the dead with tidings, but Moses and the Prophets, Ministers to open and apply the Scriptures, and this he makes effectual. It's true, God prepares men sometimes by crosses, as the fire doth the iron, but most are moved presently at the Word; some by sickness or terror outward or inward, sent of God, have something brought to their conscience that they have heard, and so are converted; as others thereby prepared to the Word, and thereupon converted by it, as by experience hath been often found. This is the reason that the Devil hath ever been a spiteful enemy hereto, an enemy to true, sound, plain and diligent preaching; raising so many Enemies against it, laying so many logs in the way to hinder the course of it, raising up such in the Ministry as either preach not at all, 
1 Cor. 2. 4, 13.  or seldom, or in the fleshly words of man's wisdom, crying down preaching, under this or that colour, etc. for he knows well that its the mighty Engine to batter his Kingdom; it's that which pulls down the walls of Jericho, 
2 Cor. 10. 4.  how base soever in the world's eyes: It's the strong voice of God that casts Satan out of his hold and possession, his mighty arm that plucks us out of his power and Kingdom, and translates us into the Kingdom of his dear Son.  
1. This teacheth us highly to esteem of it above all other means, 
Use 1.  not preferring or equalling thereto either Reading or Prayer, public or private; For what were this but to thwart the Lord? hath he blest these alike to win souls? If thou sittest at home and readest, when thou shouldest be hearing, God will curse thy pride, that thinkest to be wiser than he, or teachest any so to do.  
2. It teacheth us to praise God for his unspeakable mercy towards us, 
Use 2.  that whereas most of the world sitteth in darkness, he hath given us the means of the new birth: If thou art hereby Regenerate, thou art happy, if not, thy case is hard; then will it profit us, when it hath wrought this in us; therefore pray unto God to continue his Word, and give it power to change thee, and that he would whet this two-edged sword to pierce through thee, and make it an hammer to break thy stony heart.  
3. They that have it not, 
Use 3.  should mourn for it, and pray for it, as being subject to perish, 
Prov. 29. 18.  For where prophecy faileth, the people perish: we must pity them who do not pity themselves.  
4. Labour to profit daily by it, 
Use 4.  for it's also for our further building up, and whereby we go on to perfection, praying that it may be so long continued, till we shall have no more need of it, or our poor children whom we leave behind us.  
5. Pray to God to give it free passage every day, 
Use 5.  to the winning of many souls, to the accomplishment of the number of God's Elect, and let every man further it what he can to the utmost of his power, herein showing himself Christ's true friend: And let all men take heed of hindering the same; hinderers are enemies to men's souls, and to the Kingdom of Christ, and friends to the Devil's Kingdom.  
Here I may speak how God hath appointed Ministers to be the bringers of this glad tidings, 
The Ministers of the Word, are appointed of God the instruments to convert souls.  that converts the soul, and that the Lord useth them as instruments to win the soul, who are therefore called in Scripture by many Honourable names, as, Men of God, Angels, 
2 Cor. 5. 20.  Ambassadors from God, Spiritual Fathers etc. so, Builders, Laborers, Watchmen, Shepherds, etc. in respect of their pains; They are appointed over the Lords flock, they have the trust of Souls, the greatest trust that can be; other callings are about men's bodies or goods, but this their Souls.  
1. Therefore for Preachers, 
Use 1.  we must be faithful, in token of our thankfulness to God, that hath so highly honoured us, and deeply entrusted us, 
Dan. 12. 3.  so shall our reward be great above others; if we be unfaithful, 
1 Pet. 5. 4.  we must look for greater damnation, as being treacherous in so weighty a work.  
2. For people, 
Use 2.  how ought they to regard Gods faithful Ministers, that watch over their Souls? Alas, how little are they regarded! how poorly maintained? every thing too much, every little enough for them; whereas Lawyers, Physicians, etc. live wealthily, are much sought to: It's a plain sign men love their Bodies better than their Souls, and the Earthly Inheritance better than the Heavenly.  
Which liveth and abideth for ever. 
Whence it cometh to pass, that the Word worketh Regeneration. ] These words spoken of God, are to show how it comes to pass that the Word is able to Regenerate and beget us to a new and immortal life; namely, because it is the Word of him who liveth, and giveth life to all, and endureth for ever: If it were not the Word of such a one it could not; for as for the word of man, it can do no such matter. All the wisdom of all the men of the world put together, and used to persuade a sinner, are not able to change his heart: The word of a man can but stir up that in a man which is in him already; but to put any thing into him that was not in him, it cannot.  
1. This teacheth us to preach the pure Word of God purely, 
Use 1.  and not our own Devices: for what is the chaff to the wheat? not any word of man, this or that (how wise or ancient soever) can put life into a man: So, nor to mingle man's word with Gods; it hath no need of help from man's testimony, let it alone, it shall be able to perform that which its appointed for. The Word of God is sharp enough to divide between the joints and the marrow, 
Heb. 4. 12.  though it be not whetted on this or that man's Grindstone. As Pearls need no painting, so that which is of incomparable power, 
2 Cor. 10. 4.  and is pronounced to be mighty, hath no need of the help of weak man.  
2. Let him that is born anew by the preaching of the Word, 
Use 2.  be well assured he shall live and endure for ever, as God so liveth and endureth; as every one that is not begotten thereby, shall through God's judgement live after a sort and abide for ever, but it shall be in everlasting woe and misery.   

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. 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 Apostle now laboureth to make men labour for their part in this Regeneration whereof he had spoken, and that is by showing the miserable state of a carnal and unregenerate man; and that a man without this hath nothing that good is, nothing that can please God, that can stand him in stead, and bring him to Salvation; for whatsoever is in man besides this, is flesh, is corrupt and sinful, and so consequently vain and vanishing as grass; yea, the best thing that is or can be in an unregenerate man, is but as a flower, that fadeth soon away, and cannot abide the heat of the Sun; no more can any thing in an unregenerate man abide the censure and judgement of Almighty God: and this he doth to drive as well carnal men out of themselves, and make them labour for this grace of Regeneration; as to stir up them that were Regenerate, to be thankful to God for this marvellous work, and labour to walk worthy of it in all fruits of holiness and obedience.  
Now having laid out the misery of a carnal men, yet he leaves him not so, but tells him that there is a means to help this, and to bring him to an happy state, and to live for ever; namely, The Word of God, which endureth for ever, whereby the Soul is converted, Faith wrought, we united to Christ, and fetch from him as pardon of sin by his death, and favour by his obedience; so, ability to live the life of grace here, and the life of glory hereafter. But lest any should say, But where is this Word that is able to do thus wonderfully for us? and how must it be dealt with to make it thus effectual for our Regeneration? He tells them, that its among them; and being sincerely preached, and humbly heard, believed and obeyed, would become effectual to their Salvation.  
In the words we have both the Law and the Gospel: 1. The miserable state of all unregenerate men. 2. The mean to make us live for ever. Both these are set down in two Propositions: The first concerning the base estate of a carnal man, hath two branches, one a degree above another; The first, that all flesh (that is, whosoever is carnal and unregenerate) is grass, that is, frail, brittle, fickle, perishing, which is not only in respect of his bodily estate, but any thing else in him. The second, that the glory of man (that is, the best things that be or can be in him) are as the flower of grass, vain and vanishing. The second concerns the Word of the Lord, that it endureth for ever, and that to make us live for ever, by uniting us to Christ the Fountain of life.  
The words are taken out of Isa. 40. 6, 7, 8. (where note by the way, that no text is ever cited out of the Apocrypha) the Apostle being guided by the same Spirit that the Prophet was, looking upon the same sense, not standing precisely upon the very words.  
All flesh is as grass,] Though it be not chiefly meant of the frailty and brittleness of our bodily condition, 
Psal. 103. 15.  yet it is also included; of which a little.  
This our life is often compared to grass, 
Wherein man's life may be compared to grass.  and that fitly: for as grass is subject to come to an end many ways, so we. It may be blasted with the East-wind as soon as ever it peers out of the ground; if not that, yet in the spring the beasts will crop and bite it off; if it miss both these, yet the mower will cut it down with his scythe; if it escape all these, yet there is one thing coming that it cannot escape, namely, the cold frosty winter, whereby it must needs wither away: So we may be blasted as soon as we be born; how many have died the same day they have been born, or shortly after? if we scape then, yet some disease may bite us in our youth; or if we miss both these, death with his scythe may cut us down in our middle age; but if yet we scape, the winter notwithstanding of old age will wither us away, and we cannot shift it.  
Alas, we are as a bubble, a vapour, of no continuance, so vain a thing is man, 
Mr. Midman at that time so killed.  lighter than vanity: A little too much heat or cold, * a little blow with a Horse foot, a bad savour, or the like, can quickly make an end of us: Alas, we carry the matter of many diseases daily about us, in our bosoms and bowels; insomuch that all must die: It's so appointed, 
Heb. 9 27.  It cannot be shifted, It's the way of all flesh, high and low: This grim Sergeant knocks at every door, spares none, will not be bribed by any, Money, Physic, Wit, Wealth, cannot free us from it; even Methuselah died: They that have been most unwilling, yet have died; where are all our Forefathers? where all the mighty Monarches? long since gone, and so must we, there's no remedy: yet we know not when, to day or to morrow, this year or the next; nor where, at home or abroad, in our bed or in the fields, by sea or land, nor how of a natural or violent death: Here to day, to morrow gone; The fairest flower may be soon welked: A few years ago we said, Our Fathers and Mothers are dead, and shortly our Children will say so of us, 
Eccles. 1. 4.  one Generation passeth, another succeedeth.  
1. This may well serve to humble us, 
Use 1.  pull down our Peacock's plumes: Alas, why should we be proud? proud against God, as most be to shake off his commandment, to stand in no awe of his Word, but to do that which he flatly forbids, nay, though he threaten never so severely? O thou poor Worm, thou Snail, what art thou poor Potsheard, that darest lift up thyself against thy Maker, the mighty and glorious Lord of Heaven and Earth? 
Dan. 5. 22, 23.  shouldest thou not fall down at his footstool, and say, Speak Lord, for thy poor Creature is ready to do whatsoever thou requirest, as its right meet, and my bounden duty so to do? proud against our Neighbours, what art thou that liftest up thyself proudly, vaunting of thy Beauty, Birth, Strength, etc. mayest thou not be laid full low ere to morrow Night? what art thou that treadest others down by thy greatness, mayest thou not be laid where others shall tread on thee, and that shortly? what art thou, who so proudly deckest thyself with endless cost and time? why dost thou so gorgeously set out, and take such delight in a piece of clay? may it not lie by the walls this week? may not a Tuft of grass be cut down this night? O that there should be such excess, cost, vain fangles, endless and too much time spent in trimming up the body, and no care of decking the soul! O this curious and long dressing and pinning is but for a day! and yet what a great deal of precious time is spent this way? Also what art thou that bearest malice against thy Neighbour, and will not be pacified, but threatnest to be revenged? Alas poor soul, where mayest thou be ere that time? lay down thy displeasure to day, lest thou die to morrow, and die in wrath.  
2. This may abate our care for the world: 
Use 2.  O how do men toil and care, 
Use 3.  as if they were to live here, and never die, when as die they shall, 
How to be prepared for death  and that haply very suddenly!  
3. This should make us labour, always to be prepared for death: To this end, 1. Labour to be assured of the forgiveness of our sins, and that the book be crossed, the reckonings cancelled, and God at peace with us; woe be to him that dies, these things being not discharged: But alas, most as if they were not enough indebted already, run on more and more. 2. Walk ever carefully in the fear of God, that we may be found well-doing; but how do most live in sin, that they are unfit to die. 3. Be we not fettered nor entangled with the profits, pleasures, 
Luke 21. 34.  and excessive cares of this life. 4. Employ we ourselves carefully in some measure about the work whereunto we are called. 5. Wait we for the Lords coming, being always desirous thereof.  
4. It should make us (seeing we be but grass) not to promise great matters of ourselves; 
Use 4.  We will do this or that, We will be revenged of him ere seven years come to an end, We will go and buy and sell, and get gain, 
jam. 4. 13.  and tarry thus long, We will repent seven or ten years hence: Alas poor fool, art thou not ashamed to show thy folly? Alas poor Creature, whereof art thou made? Thou thinkest of heart of Oak, Marble or Cedar, remember thou art but grass: Reckon not without thine Host, boast not of to morrow.  
Be we hereby stirred up to do all the good we can, 
Use 5.  while we may, and work while its day; 
Eccles. 9 10.  If thou hast to repent, do it to day, hear this Sermon, 
Gal. 6. 10.  keep well this Sabbath, thou knowest not but it may be the last; come this Communion, thou knowest not whether thou shalt live till another.  
6. Never trust to any mortal friends, 
Use 6.  haply they may be gone when thou shalt have most need of them, and when they might do thee most good; Trust in God that lives for ever, who is Almighty, ever a merciful Father and a Friend to his: So, make the best use of any friend while thou hast him, People of their good Ministers, Husbands of their gracious Wives, 
2 King. 2. 3, 5.  Children of their godly Parents, etc. Thou knowest not how soon they may be taken from thee; we shall hear lament after the death of such, butts it more wisdom to make use of them while they be with us: so for thy Enemies, fear them not too much, 
Exod. 4. 19  they are but grass, they may be taken away ere the time come wherein they should have hurt thee. 
Matt. 2. 10.   
7. For our Children, 
Use 7.  delight not too much in them for their beauty, stature, growth, they are but grass; If we set our mind too much on them while we have them, we will be too excessively grieved when God takes them from us; love them moderately of God's blessings: If we bring them up in the fear as God, that they may prove gracious, and instruments to honour God in Church and Commonwealth, we do well: Take heed we prank them not up too much, or too much cocker them, and give them the head, as David to Absolom and Adonijah; as also that we rake not greedily for them, and so hinder God of his service: If they be perkt up to high, or regarded more than the glory of God, it's the next way to provoke God to pull them down.  
And all the glory of man as the flower of grass:] Not only the glory of men, as Nobles, Princes, Great-men, Highborn, Wise, Witty, Learned, and the like, which are the chief, are as flowers, somewhat finer and fairer than grass in colour, & of them some fairer than some, but even the greatest man is but a flower, that for all the beauty fades assoon as another: But this is the meaning, that  
The glory of a carnal man is but a vain thing, 
Doct.  and the best part of an unregenerate man is corrupt; 
The glory of a carnal man is but a vain thing.  the best gift is but vain, our understanding not dark, but darkness: The natural man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, neither can; flesh and blood reveals no such things to him: 
Eph. 1. 8.  Our understanding is altogether blind in the first Table, 
1 Cor. 2. 14.  unless it be for some few general notions, that serve to leave us without excuse, as, That there is a God, That he must be served, but what, and who he is, and how to be served, alas, here we dote: Hence have risen so many thousand Inventions, Images, Idols, so many kinds of Services in all Nations, 
Rom. 1. 23.  Turning the glory of the incorruptible God, into the similitude of a corruptible man, calf, creeping thing, etc. In the second Table, God for the preservation of civil society, hath left a little more light to discern between right and wrong, just and unjust, good and evil, as appears by the Laws of the Heathens against vices and for virtues, yet herein how blind is carnal man? In the general he holds adultery, murder, etc. to be evil; but in particular, lust and anger (practised by himself) not so, or but a little; but for concupiscence, original sin, the root of them, alas, this is quite hidden: So for our will, it's altogether corrupt and rebellious; it ought to be guided by Reason, yet often when Reason speaks, and would guide right, it will not only not be ruled, but will overrule Reason; as the horses draw Coach and Coachman over hills and dales whither they list, 
See Gen. 6. 5.  yea all that is in us is only evil; Our Righteousness is like a filthy clout, 
Isa. 64. 6.  we are not able to think a good thought; In me, that is, in my flesh (saith the Apostle) dwelleth no good thing: 
Rom. 7. 18. & 8. 7.  The wisdom of the flesh is not only an enemy, 
Eph 2. 1.  but enmity against God, and our own conversion and Salvation, and we are dead in sins and trespasses, and so cannot stand before God; our sins must be taken away in Christ, and Christ's righteousness imputed to us, and put upon us; we must also be purged and renewed, 
Mat. 5. 20.  Either must our righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees (who yet were very strict and civil) or we cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven: What if a man could rule Towns, Countries and Commonwealths, as long as he hath no true rule over his own heart according to God's Word? What though a man could compound all the controversies between man and man in a Country, and were reputed the wisest man therein, yet if he know not the great controversy that sin hath made between God and himself, and seek and know that compounded in Christ, what would it avail him? What if a man were never such a skilful Lawyer, and could help every man to his inheritance, if he knew not that hell were his inheritance by nature, and laboured for a better, and for the same show good evidence? What if a man▪ were so skilful in Physic, as he knew the cases and cures of all diseases, if he know not the Spiritual diseases of his soul, and how they must be cured in the blood of Jesus Christ.  
This may stir up all men to examine themselves in what state they stand: 
Use.  If thou hast not felt an Almighty work of God in thee, to renew and alter thee throughout, than art thou yet but a carnal and unregenerate man, than thou art in a woeful case, thou hast nothing that can please God, what shall become of thee? rest not in this state: O that people could be persuaded of their woeful and wretched miserable state, then were it easy to persuade them to seek to have it bettered! The Lord ferret you out of your holes, and muses that you have to lurk in: Alas, they will not all hide you f●om the Allseeing eye and justice of God: O pity thy soul! This is the first step to Heaven, to know thy naked case: Take out this first Lesson, Thou canst never learn any other till this be learned; Thou that hast not learned this (as most have not) thou hast learned nothing to do thee good by all the Sermons which thou hast at any time heard.  
The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away. 
Observ. ] Even so whatsoever is or can be in a mere unregenerate man, 
Nothing in an unregenerate man can abide the Lords examination.  when it comes to the Lords examination, it will not abide, but vanisheth away, as snow on the Sun-fide of the house, and Butter before the fire.  
But the Word of the Lord endureth for ever;] Having told them of their misery without Regeneration, he leaves them not there, but tells them of a remedy: To what purpose were it to tell one of his nakedness, unless he were also told how to come by clothing? that he is sick, unless he be told how he may be cured? to rake in the wound and sore, unless a Plaster be applied? This were but to increase a man's grief; so to Preach man's misery, and there leave, were to drive a man to despair, were either to make men blockishly careless what they did, or desperately to rage, and run into the Gulf of all impiety, seeing there is no remedy: The Apostle therefore doth both, teaching Ministers wisely to join Law and Gospel together; we must not only tell people of a remedy in general (so leaving them to se●k it themselves) but prescribe them the way by dutiful attendance to the Word of God; else they are like to do as sick folks, that having no counsel from the Physician, take things of their own head, which rather increase the disease then otherwise, even by some blind courses of their devising seek a remedy, which will do them no good.  
The Word of the Lord is the means appointed of him, 
Doctr.  to make us live that be dead, 
God's Word is the means whereby we may live for ever.  to convert the Soul, to work Faith, whereby we are united to Christ the fountain of life: It's the Conduit pipe, whereby God conveyeth the life that is in him into us; without the Word, 
john 5. 25.  we are sta●k dead, where that fails, the people perish; without the Word, 
Prov. 29. 18.  I say, we are but dead men, and we must die and perish eternally if it help us not: But if it be carefully heard, believed and obeyed, it will bring us to everlasting life, to an enduring state in Grace and Glory.  
1. O then, 
Use 1.  wherewith shall this Word be prized? If even a Soul be more worthy than all the world, what is it worth that saves Souls? O no marvel though David said it was better than gold and silver, 
Psal. 19 10. & 119 72, 127.  and sweeter than honey: O how thankful should we be to God for this rich treasure hidden from most part of the world? he hath given his Statutes to Jacob, 
Psa. 147. 19, ●0  he hath not dealt so with other Nations; what if we had this whole world's wealth amongst us, if we had not the Word of God? O what are we, that we should be preferred before so many great Countries, and innumerable people? O how great is the unthankfulness of this Land, that set so little by it! why are the people so shy, and so hardly drawn to the preaching of the Word? Is it not some great hurt it would do them? It's even this, It would make them of sinners converted persons, bringing Salvation to their house; of dead, make them alive, and to live for ever: without it we are sure to die, and that eternally.  
2. To answer the profane world, 
Use 2.  that wonders at people that take pains winter and summer, to travel and take such journeys to the Word; they think they be fools, and laugh at them, What do they mean, say they? What mean they? they seek to have their Souls saved; if you have any greater business in hand then that, or know a better way to effect it, than the preaching of the Word, you should do well to set about it: But if ye do neither of these (as I know ye do not) then cease marveling at them, and give them leave rather to marvel at you, that can be so careful for toys, and so careless of your Souls for the time to come.  
3. If we have the Word of God, which is sufficient, and appointed to save our Souls, then how dare the Brownists separate themselves from us? Peter would not from Christ, when being asked of him whether he would go away, 
joh 6 68  Master (saith he) whether shall I go, thou hast the words of eternal life; yea, though there may be some things amiss, and where at they are offended, yet seeing there is sufficient to the Salvation of our Souls, we ought to take heed of departing from those places where such means are; they will go farther, and speed worse. Again, whereas they call our Ministers Antichristian, and B●alitical Priests, etc. what gross wrong is this? will God bless the labours of such to the winning of Souls? Have not sundry Ministers among us through God's goodness been the instruments of converting many to God? 
1 Cor. 9 2.  Paul took that as a good Seal of his Apostleship, that he had been so blessed.  
Of the Lord] This is to exclude all men's Traditions, false Scriptures, etc. which have no such power, and to stop the mouths of Enthusiasts, that depend upon immediate Revelations from God, as though the Scriptures were insufficient.  
And this is the word, 
Doct.  which by the Gospel is preached unto you.] Where is the Word, 
The word by preaching is made the instrument of Regeneration.  might they say, and how must it be handled to make it thus effectual? He answereth, If it be effectually preached, as it is among you, this is the means; it's not in heaven, but among you, and by preaching its made the instrument of Regeneration: For, How shall they believe in him, 
Rom. 10. 14.  of whom they have not heard; and, It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe: 
1 Cor. 1. 21.  The Eunuch having that by preaching opened and applied to him which he read, 
Acts 8 3●.  was thereupon converted; 
See Neh. 8. 8.  that which could not be done by bare reading, was done by preaching. It's true, the Word read and preached are both alike apt to convert in respect of themselves, but not in respect of us; as whole loaves, and bread cut in pieces and made small, have like nature and aptness to nourish in respect of themselves, but not in respect of us: for whole loaves will not enter into the mouth, nor into the stomach; or if they could be there, so fit to digest as when cut small, yea and chewed, for then its fit: So a sentence of Scripture must be broken, and divided into Doctrine and Use, than its fit, and not till then to nourish us; so that the cause why the Word read is not so apt to Regenerate and nourish us as the Word preached, is not in the Word itself, but in us, in respect of our weakness that cannot conceive it, nor yet apply it to ourselves.  
Therefore they that would have bare reading in Congregations, 
Use.  and that as sufficient for the Salvation of a Congregation, they are Enemies to the Souls of God's people. True it is, the reading of the Word, as well privately as publicly in the Congregation, is an exercise both holy and profitable, and hath ever been used in the Church of God, and is to this day, but yet not as sufficient (as the other) to Salvation.  
Preached] This he addeth, that they might not look that God should speak to them from Heaven, or by an Angel, he hath thought good to speak unto us by men, whom he sends to preach unto us.  
Unto you. 
Doct. ] In that it was preached as to others, so also to them; note, That the Word ought to be preached in every particular Congregation; 
The Word ought to be preached in every Congregation.  They that have it not, must seek it elsewhere, for it will not avail them that its preached in the same Land, Country or corner, except they also have it preached; nor yet will this serve for their excuse, We had it not in our Town: If light be come into the world, we must seek after it, as men go from Market to Market for provision.  
And if the Word be truly preached in any Congregation, 
Use.  the people ought in any wise to attend there, and wait for a blessing thereon: They must not discourage their Ministers through their absence, but rather by their presence and prayers for them in preaching, and themselves in hearing, help them forward.  
And this is the word, etc. 
Obser. ] Peter boldly avoucheth it was the Word of God that was preached among them; 
The Word must be so preached, as that the Ministers thereof may avouch it to be indeed the Word of God.  and therefore that they which resisted it, resisted not him, but God: So must we preach, that we may boldly say thus and avouch it.  
Those Ministers that broach Errors, and corrupt Opinions, or that plead for Baal (for this and that Disorder) or they that bend the edge of their Ministry against the forward and better sort, and so weaken their knees, 
Use.  and strengthen the hands of the wicked, these cannot thus say, This is the Word of God that is preached unto you; God would not have said thus, neither saith God's Word thus: and they that resist not God, but man, nay, the Devil, that moves him to utter these things. We ought to take heed, not daring to utter any thing, but that whereof we may boldly avouch; Thus saith the Lord, He that speaketh, 
1 Pet. 4. 11.  let him speak as the Oracles of God: But if we speak nothing but the Truth, and as God would, let all take heed how they shall dare to resist or gainsay it, or not yield obedience thereto; for he that resisteth it, despiseth his own Salvation, and resisteth not a mean man, but Almighty God, whose Word and Ordinance it is to save the Elect: and be sure if it save you not, it will condemn you, For as the rain cometh down, 
Isa. 55. 10. 11.  and the snow from Heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sour: So shall my word be that goeth out of my mouth (saith the Lord) it shall not return unto me void, but shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.    

CHAP. II.  
WE have finished the former Chapter through God's goodness; many that heard the beginning thereof, died ere we came to the end, many dead since: We set now upon this second, hoping for the same assistance; and I pray le's all attend to the beginning with carefulness, for no doubt sundry of us (so frail are we) shall never live to the end of it, and therefore are to make the best use of that we shall hear.  
In the latter end of the former Chapter, 
The coherence of this Chapter with the former.  he had spoken of Regeneration, whereof he was persuaded many of them were partakers; now he persuades them to declare and honour that state and calling by a life answerable, even an holy conversation, both in their general and special callings, renouncing the sins and corruption from which they were called, and which became not new persons, and performing all the contrary good duties, beseeming them that are called to the state of grace and hope of glory.  
This whole Chapter contains Exhortations; 
The sum of this Chapter.  some general to all Christians, from the beginning to the thirteenth verse, some special, from thence to the end.  
In the three first Verses he exhorteth as well to the laying aside some faults, 
The sum of the first three Verses.  as the performance of a most necessary duty: The faults to be avoided and abandoned, verse 1. The duty to be practised, verse 2. Whereunto is annexed a Reason why they should so earnestly long after, and heartily embrace the Word of God, even because they had already found some benefit thereof, yea the special goodness of God thereby, verse 3.  

CHAP. II.  
Verse 1. Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and evil speakings: Verse 2. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby. Verse 3. If so ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.  
WHerefore laying aside, 
Doctr.  etc.] Sundry things may be hence observed in general: 
Regeneration and the love of sin cannot stand together.  1. That Regeneration and the love of sin cannot stand together, it must needs be accompanied with a new life: This is the end of our new birth. The life of a Regenerate man must be a continual practice of mortification, 
Rom. 8. 1.  and study to please God; 
2 Cor. 5. 17.  this may be seen from the dependence which this hath with the former, 
Gal. 5. 24.  Wherefore laying aside, 
Rom. 13. 1. 2  etc. as if he should say, Seeing you are Regenerate, and God hath done so much for you as thus and thus, therefore we must lay aside, etc.  
1. Here's reproof for those that bless themselves, 
Use 1.  as if they were Regenerate and Believers, who do yet still live in their old lusts; Do Vines bear Haws and Brambles? do men gather Grapes of Thorns?  
2. Admonition to all that have proof of this work of God's special grace in them, 
Use 2.  which Man nor Angel could not have wrought, and which is given but to a few, that they labour to show forth their thankfulness, by renouncing all evil, and setting themselves on the contrary duties to please God.  
3. Comfort to them that do thus, 
Use 3.  They may rejoice in the assurance of their Regeneration, they have cast off the work of darkness, put on the armour of light.  
2. That there's no perfection here to be attained, 
Doctr.  for men cannot lay away that they have not, 
There's no perfection to be attained here.  but that they have; even the best have remnants of the old man, they have sin dwelling, though not reigning in them; they are sanctified throughout, but not perfectly; so that though it be true, 
1 john 3. 9 & 1. 11.  That he that is born of God, sinneth not, it's also, That if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us; God will have it so to humble us, and exercise us in his Word, Sacraments, Prayer, etc.  
1. This condemns all such monsters as challenge any perfection or purity here, 
Use 1.  whereof have been sundry sorts, raised up by Satan at all times, as the Pelagians, Catharists, Caelestians, Donatists, Anabaptists, Libertines, Family of love, etc. a dangerous Opinion: 1. To puff up with arrogancy while they look for inherent righteousness to come to heaven. 2. To drive such into desperation that feel the corruptions of their heart's rebelling, and cannot be rid of the same, which yet was the case of Paul himself: We are at the best unprofitable servants, and while we live shall for many things stand in need to make this Petition, 
Luke 17. 10.  Forgive us our trespasses.  
2. This must not yet quail or discourage us from this Spiritual combat, 
Use 2.  but rather set us on work more carefully; for though we cannot overcome in all, yet we may prevail much; and though we shall have cause to say with Paul, 
Rom. 7. 24, 25.  O wretched man that I am, etc. yet we shall also have cause to say with him, I thank God through Jesus Christ; and though we shall have cause to grieve that we can get no more mastery, yet we shall have cause to rejoice, that we have attained to that we have, wherein though we have gone on but slowly, yet sincerely: Original sin is not a cistern, if it were, we would never leave till by the grace of God we had emptied it; 
Simil.  but it's a spring, when we have pumped out all we can at night, at a Fast, at a Sacrament, yet it will come in again quickly; there will still be more, whereat notwithstanding we must not be discouraged, and give over, but out with all again, for the longer we tarry, the fuller it will be, therefore we are to set upon it both quickly and continually.  
3. That it's no easy thing to be a Christian, 
Doctr.  it's no plain, nor easy life or work, 
To be a Christian, is a work of great difficulty.  but a very difficult, sore and painful life, for a man to renounce those sins which be so near to him, and he so wonderfully given to, to deny himself, and take up his cross, therefore we are bid, strive, 
Luke 9 23.  labour, study, give all diligence hereunto, mortify our earthly members, pluck out our right eye, cut off our right hand, etc. so many affections as be within us, so many armed soldiers we have to fight against; therefore is our life compared to a warfare, as who are to fight against three sore Adversaries, the Devil, the World, and our own Lusts, the worst of all: O how hard it is to resist the multitude and example of the vulgar and most! how hard to despise the baits of unlawful Honours, Profits, Pleasures! how hard to overcome the contrary troubles for well-doing! how hard to resist the Devil! but chiefly our own corrupt heart is a rebellious traitor, subtle and wicked, which few overcome, and great is their reward which doovercome.  
1. They that find themselves in an easy way, 
Use 1.  are not in the state of grace: It's easy to follow the course of the world, and our own will, but he that doth thus, is in the broad way; but to deny these, and obey God, we shall find hard, it will cost much labour, many prayers, sighs, tears, much hearing, meditation, partaking of the Sacrament, and the like.  
2. For them that wrestle, 
Use 2.  and find themselves beset, and therefore are fain to take pains, let such be of good comfort; this is the way to heaven, be not discouraged, go on; the work is hard, but the crown and reward is wonderful eternal.  
4. That under those corruptions here named, 
Obs.  all others are included, 
Under those here named, all other corruptions are included.  and the first word may be taken very fitly for all naughtiness in general, the rest being particular branches thereof, elsewhere more are set down: Therefore a Christian must not renounce only some evils, but all, all being hateful to God, he must cast away every thing that presseth down, 
Col. 3. 5.  we must cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit: 
Heb. 12. 1.  The Spirit of God, 
2 Cor. 7. 1.  and the love of any one sin, cannot be together in one heart; and here he names only those wherein they were most faulty, and which were contraries to that love exhorted unto in the former Chapter.  
Therefore wheresoever there's the love and practise of any one sin, 
Use.  assuredly the Spirit of God dwells not in that man, neither is there any work of Regeneration in him.  
5. That most of those here mentioned be inward corruptions, 
Observ.  which we must as well avoid, 
Most of the corruptions here named are inward.  as the outward, the sins of the tongue, and the like: It's not enough to pair away the outward sins, but the heart also must be purged; we must be sanctified throughout, our whole Spirit, 
jam. 1. 26.  Soul and Body, 
1 Thess. 5. 23.  must be kept blameless.  
1. This condemneth those that will look to the outside, 
Use 1.  and yet in the mean time suffer their hearts to boil full of Lusts, and swarm full of Corruptions, of Pride, Envy, Impatience, Unbelief, & the like, making no conscience of these; This is an ill sign: These haply may bridle themselves awhile, but they will surely break out one time or other; if they should not, yet were they but painted Sepulchers in God's sight.  
2. This may comfort God's Servants who groan under their inward corruptions, 
Use 2.  and when men think they have done well, yet they shake their heads at themselves, at their dulness to good, at their Pride and Hypocrisy therein, at their unwillingness thereto, at their wander: This is the mind of God's true Servants, and this also may much comfort them.  
Wherefore laying aside] Now of the vices themselves, or corruptions rather as they are in the Regenerate.  
I remember I requested in the beginning of the Chapter to attend to it, because we knew not whether we should live to the end of it, or no; and is it not proved true? Some that were at the first Sermon (there being but a little intermission from the course of my Ministry here) are now at their long home; 
The Author was absent at this time three weeks.  not Ancient alone, but Young and Lusty also, that might have lived to see the most of us buried: Therefore I see we had need take heed not to Chapters only, but to every Verse, every particular Sermon, this very Sermon, accordingly making the best use and benefit thereof, seeing no man knows whether he shall hear another, so vain a thing is man; and I pray God we may so do.  
All malice,] The Word signifieth very properly all kind of naughtiness, and so may fitly here, as the genus of the vices that follow, and all others, and accordingly speak we thereof. Naughtiness: What is that that is naught? 
Obser.  and what makes a thing naught? That which is forbidden by God in his Word, 
That's naught which is forbidden in God's Word.  as that is good which he approveth; for his will is the absolute rule of righteousness: who doth not see a thing first good, then willeth it, but willeth and commandeth it, and thereupon it becomes good, 
john 3. 4.  and so on the contrary; and therefore sin is said to be the transgression of the Law.  
This teacheth us to examine all things, and knowing any thing commanded, 
Use.  to conclude that its good, and thereupon to do it; contrarily, knowing any thing forbidden, that thenceforward we know it to be naught, and therefore abhor it; for what good can come of that which is naught? and what should we have to do therewith? The Lords will is a rule of Righteousness, all promises made to the obedience of it, and all the threatenings and plagues upon the world have come because of disobedience, that God would have his will, and men will not, but have theirs. This is the trouble of the world, and that which hath cost the world full dear, yet how few knowing Gods will can be content there to rest, and say, Now I know this is forbidden, I have done with it, I know this prescribed, I will therefore obey it? O this were a happy world!  
But if by this word we understand malice in particular, 
What malice is  It's an old grudge upon some wrong done, or conceived to be done to a man, whereupon he waits to do some hurt or mischief to him that did it.  
Anger is like a fire kindled in thorns, 
The difference between it and anger.  soon blazeth, is soon out; but malice, like a fire kindled in a log, it continues long: This is often forbidden, 
Eph. 4. 31.  and yet as Esau hated Jacob, and Haman Mordecai; so the world hateth Gods Servants, 
Col. 3. 8.  as being reproved of them, and who run not with them into the same exce●s of riot.  
1. We ought to take heed of the beginnings of unadvised anger, 
Use 1.  it rests in the bosom of fools; 
Eccles. 7. 9  whereas he that is so slow to wrath is of great wisdom: God is slow to wrath, and so should we be.  
2. If we be overtaken (as a right good man may) take heed it fester not, 
Use 2.  grow not to hatred, heal it quickly, as we do our wounds: The Devil is an ill Counsellor, cast it out to night, how can you else lie down in peace, or pray? prayers be lost, and that's a grievous loss: Nay further, Cast it out to night, thou mayest die ere to morrow; and then shalt thou either die in malice, or else forgive per force, when thou canst not retain it any longer, nor any cares for it; for what needs one care for thy hatred, if thou be once dead? Again, 
Mat. 5. ●3.  thou art not fit to come to the Sacrament; not fit to offer thy gift at the Altar: And to be revenged, what a madness is this? It may be thou dost but imagine a wrong, and then there's no cause, thou dealest unjustly: but if there be, wilt thou revenge? It's the Lords office; Take heed of perking up into God's place, as if he would not deal equally, either not revenging at all, or not sufficiently; The Lord knoweth what is best, let him alone, else thou turnest off his hand from thine adversary against thyself: Nay, what is this but to be revenged of God, 
2 Sam. 16. 11.  as it were? for hath not he a hand therein? Is it not by his appointment? 
job 1. 21.   
And all guile,] 
What we are to understand by guile.  It's meant of guile, that is between men and men in their dealings each with other, as in buying, selling, letting, hiring, borrowing, lending, paying wages, doing work, partnership, and the like; when men would seem to do well, but do otherwise; when one thing is pretended but another practised: 
Prov. 20. 14.  Guile in the buyer is naught, 
Prov. 11. 1.  as not to pay, or to pay in ill coin; so also there may be many frauds in the seller: 
1 Thess. 4. 6.  These God forbids, and he is an avenger of such things; we are not born for ourselves, but for the good each of other: we must love our Neighbour as ourselves, and do to him as we would be done to; we must not lie one to another, seeing we are members one of another, as it were monstrous in the natural body, to see the hand beguile the mouth, etc. and yet how common is this sin? how doth one spread a net for another? not caring how they come by their goods, so they be once masters of them.  
The buyer should look to himself, 
Object.  his eye is his Chapman, he should have had more wit.  
Thou shouldest have looked to him, 
Sol.  and God will say to thee, thou shouldest have had more love, and more honesty.  
Yea, 
Object.  plain dealing is best, but he that useth it shall die a beggar.  
This proverb was never framed in an honest heart, 
Sol.  but in an unbelieving and profane heart; It's as much as if we should say, men should speed the worse for obeying God, and they that dishonour him most shall speed best at his hand.  
We must maintain our charge, 
Object.  and except we use our wit, and the best shifts we can, we shall not do it.  
Saith not the Scripture, 
Sol.  A man cannot be established by iniquity? Hath not our Saviour promised, 
Prov. 12. 3.  that if we shall in the first place seek God's Kingdom, 
Matt. 6. 33.  all other things shall be added unto us; we shall have that which is meet, and God's blessing withal, and that's better than never so much with his curse, an ill conscience, and the loss of our Souls, God will rifle in it, and scatter it at his pleasure: What if we get not so much, or so hastily, as they that care not what they do? (and yet God often crosseth such, and hath ways to defeat them, as to bless his servants) A Thief robs by the Highway, he steals Twenty pounds, sooner than an honest man can earn Twenty pence, what then? would the true man change parts with him, when he sits quiet on his Loom, or is threshing in the Barn without fear, whereas the other hath the Country raised after him, and being apprehended is haled to the Goal, thence to the Bar and Gallows? whose part is best? There's no less difference between goods well and ill got.  
All] This is added to show (lest any should think none but guile in great matters or measure forbidden here) that there's a through-Reformation required; 
Obs.  Therefore it will not serve any man's turn to say, 
Guilford is to be avoided as well in small as great matters.  My shop is not so dark as others; I mingle not my commodities so much as such and such; I never deceived in any great matters: All guile must be abandoned of a Christian that cares for his Soul. A Christian must show forth the truth of his Christianity in his particular Calling, in his shop, Buying, Selling, etc. that men may take his word, and believe it, as if they had seen it with their own eyes, yea, count his words as good as a bond, that they dare rest on his faithfulness, that he will not deceive: O some smile at this, as if there were none such, I hope there be some, its pity they be so rare; It's but that every Christian should do, and must, if he will honour his profession, and do as God requires.  
And hypocrisies,] Not that grossest (as I take it) that our Saviour Christ condemned in the Scribes and Pharisees, and that which is so common in the world, that come to Church and place all their Religion in Ceremony, and make no account of the power of any part of it in their lives; and yet of this hypocrisy God's servants have remnants, whereby oftentimes they draw nearer to God with their lips, than their hearts; their knee is bowed, when the heart is not humbled▪ the tongue goes, when the soul mourns not unto God: But this chiefly is meant, 
What's here to be chiefly understood by hypocrisy.  when a man is willing to be better thought of then there is cause; when he hates sin indeed, but not so much as he would seem; so loves good, hath some care in his Family, etc. this often befalls good men, and is for want of setting ourselves in the sight of God nakedly, and looking to him with whom we have to do: Now he seeth what and how we do, so that we are to lay away all approving of ourselves to men, that is not joined with as narrow a care to approve ourselves to God that seeth our very hearts, and let us rather do more than is thought of us, or then we desire should be thought to be in us, then less; that if we deceive the opinion of men, it may be in the better, not in the worse.  
And envies,] 
What Envy is.  Of this I have spoken in handling the Ninth Commandment: It's a bearing ill will, and wishing hurt, not for any hurt done to us, but because another man prospers, or doth or is accounted of better than we would have him, or we ourselves are; therefore we seek to disgrace him, cannot abide his commendations, labour his ruin: Thus Cain against Abel, the Scribes and Pharisees against our Saviour Christ. This is forbidden by the Apostle, and reckoned of him among the fruits of the flesh. 
Gal. 5. 21.  The more a man clears before men his innocency, the more is the envious man's envy fed, whereas were he found blame-worthy, this would staunch it: Lay away all envy, save emulating the grace of others, I mean so far as to strive to reach and exceed them therein, and all good fruits thereof.  
And evil speakings,] 
What we are to understand by evil speakings.  Namely, against our Neighbour, in slandering, backbiting, reviling, etc. whereof also I then spoke at large; Whoso bridleth not his tongue (how religious soever he seemeth) his Religion is vain: 
james 1. 26.  Le's desire therefore, and pray the Lord to set a watch about the door of our lips. 
See jam. 3. 5.  The tongue is a slippery member, as little as it is it may do much good if well ruled, 
Psal. 120. 4.  much hurt, if otherwise; an evil tongue is compared to Fire, a Razor, Coals, a Sword: these things must be laid aside, not to put them on again at any time, as men do their work a-days clothes, but as Joseph laid away his Prison garment when he went to Pharaoh, at no time to put them on any more.  
As new born babes, etc.] Having prepared the ground, he now comes to sow the seed; and having purged the stomach of ill humours, he comes to prescribe wholesome food, namely, the word of God, which he would have them seriously and heartily to love and long after, and the Ministry thereof, being that wholesome means of nourishment that God hath ordained to this end, that they might grow and increase from grace to grace thereby, till they should come to the full measure of their Sanctification which they were to attain unto in this life: So that in this verse we have the Affection, the Object, and the End; or, 1. A duty required, namely, to desire after the Word of God, which is set down by a similitude from children new born: and 2. How the Word of God is described, namely, from the nourishing nature thereof, it's called Milk; the purity, its sincere Milk; and the end thereof, that they might grow thereby.  
He had before willed them to lay aside all malice, etc. now to desire the sincere milk of the word: Hereby implying, that  
The Word of God cannot thrive or prosper in an unsanctified heart, 
Doct.  neither can a man either affect it, 
The Word of God cannot thrive in an unsanctified heart.  earnestly desire it, or truly delight in it, as long as he lives in any one sin: For 1. The Word of God is holy, and will not abide in an unclean heart, no more than Rose-water will keep good in a musty or foul vessel. 2. It crosseth all our sins and corruptions; whoso therefore loveth any one sin, cannot love the Word: Hence it is that so few affect the Word sound, even because it crosseth that which they love, and so few grow by it, because their hearts be defiled with some sin.  
Therefore let us abandon the love of all evil and sin from us, 
Use.  if ever we mean to find the Word sweet unto us, or to prosper thereby; so far doth any man profit in the love of God's Word, as he profits in the hatred of sin: The best nourishment taken into a corrupt stomach, yet nourisheth not; so it's with the Word: The most come to Church with hearts overgrown with rank weeds more or less, therefore cannot the Word thrive in them; and so the carnal people of the world receive no benefit after long preaching, and they that have good things in them, yet when they suffer some corruptions in themselves to wax too rank, do not thrive in grace.  
The duty required is, As new born babes to desire the sincere milk of the word, so being much conversant both in the hearing and reading thereof.  
The desire that new born babes or young children have after their Mother's breast, 
Observ.  is 1. Earnest: 2. Constant: 3. Impartial: 
Our desire towards the word must be earnest.  Such must ours be towards the Word. 1. Earnest; the new born babe hath not only an aptness to suck at the first, but makes aim at the dug, wrings and turns the head, and gapes, which is the wonderful work of God, nay, desires it so earnestly, as it will cry for it, yea and if it hath it not, 
job 23. 12.  nothing else will still it; and after it hath been accustomed thereto, 
Psal. 42. 1. & 119. 20, 103, 111, 227.  no dancing, rocking or gingling will still it, but the Big it must have, and that satisfieth it. Such must be our desire to the Word, an earnest fervent desire, so as nothing can satisfy us without it, 
Psal. 119. 98, 99  but we esteem it above all, both profit and pleasure. Such as be new born do thus desire it; and no wonder, for it made David wiser than his Teachers, 
2 Tim. 3. 15, 16.  his Enemies, his Ancients: It makes us wise to Salvation, 
jam. 1. 21.  its able to save our souls; it's the instrument to convert, to build up, to teach, instruct, convince, correct, etc. and to make perfect to every good work: Every part of it is so holy and profitable, the Promises so comfortable, the very threatenings also able to subdue our rebellious Corruptions, and the Instructions thereof to teach us the way we have to walk in: O there can be no part thereof spared.  
1. This condemneth those that have no desire at all to the Word, 
Use 1.  had as leave be at home, as thereat, no Sermon, but for names sake; that care not to come to the Word, or if they come for company or fear of the Law, yet it's without any appetite or desire, and therefore they come no more than they must needs for shame or danger: Tell whether Papists or others amongst ourselves that care not for the Word, of profits or pleasures, they like it well, but as for a Sermon, they have no appetite thereto, find no savour therein; some had rather be with their Oxen, and at their Farms, some at Bull baiting, or some Play; some had as leave be in the Churchyard as in the Church, love the Word as one would love a Prison: This is a certain sign of carnal persons dead in their sins; as if a child after it were born, or at any time, should lie a day or two and make no aim for the Big, would not every body say it were dead? Many other would seem to desire Preaching, and wish they had a good Preacher, but in the mean time it troubles them not, they seek not to compass it, nor mourn for the want, nor will they take pains to stir abroad to hear elsewhere till they have one of their own: Certainly these men have no life of grace in them, if they had, they would not only wish for it, but earnestly desire it: Doth the child only sometimes make aim for the big? No, but if it be well it will cry for it: These profit accordingly when they hear, because they hear not with a desire; others can be kept from the Word by every trifle, and wonder that others are not: For this sin of the contempt of the Word, God may justly visit the Land, as he doth every year with one Judgement or other, and why rather then for this mother sin, and great unthankfulness for this most precious and invaluable Jewel?  
2. It may comfort those that long after it, 
Use 2.  and so earnestly desire it, as nothing can please them without it; a fair house, fertile ground, wholesome air, a good farm, all this gives them no content without the Word, which should sweeten and teach the use of all; O if they had thought they should not have had the Ministry of the Word, they would never have come there; and now labour by all means, not coldly, but with endeavour to compass it, going where it is, till they have it, taking great pains about it, hot and cold, in winter and summer, a good sign of health of such as are alive, born again, when men are not held away by any small occasion, are never so glad as when they are at it, 
Prov. 2. 3. and 8. 17.  never so grieved as when withheld therefrom. These be they that shall profit.  
2. Constant; 
Constant.  A young child having newly sucked, is quiet a while, but by and by will desire the dug, and cry for it again, and ever and anon must be sucking: 
Psal. 27. 4.  So should we always be desirous of the Word, 
Psal. 119. 20.  still hungering after it. Regenerate persons or true Christians desire it again and again; for why, they seek so much to know, that they desire still to hear more; they find their Faith feeble, therefore desire more still that it may be strengthened: They find many and strong corruptions, therefore they would hear that which might subdue them; they find many doubts and much weakness, therefore they desire to hear still as often as they can, and all too little; therefore they think the time long from one Sabbath or Exercise-day to another.  
1. For them that care not how little they hear, 
Use 1.  with whom once a Sabbath is full enough, once a month for a need, yea, once a quarter would serve the turn; It's a sign of clung and starved souls, for as they that be in health, must eat oft; so they that have spiritual health in soul, must hear oft; Therefore they that loathe, and are weary of the Word, it's a sign of sick souls, having no Stomach to this food, it's a sign they are dead at the heart.  
2. For those that feel an appetite from Sermon to Sermon, 
Use 2.  and to hear oft, it's a sign they see their wants, and find the goodness of the Word.  
3. This may stop the mouth of barkers at such as go to the Word, 
Use 3.  Why, were you not at Church last Sunday? must you go again to day? must you go on the week day too? Why, know ye not that growing persons eat oft, are often hungry: They are growing, and therefore that they may grow more, must use this means; they that see no wants in themselves, a Sermon now and then will serve their turn.  
3. Unpartial; 
Vnpartial.  As the child cares not whom it sucks, rich or poor so the milk be good, so must we not look at the man, or at his outward appearance, so as he deliver the Word of God sound, truly, and sincerely, that it may appear good milk.  
Many look upon pomp and outward compliments, 
Use.  so as they set light by the Ministry of them that want them, counting them plain men, simple men to see to; let such know, that not painting of the Cask makes good wine.  
These being the duties of the people, thus earnestly, constantly, and impartially to desire the Word of God, by the way in a word Ministers must learn their duty, and how to carry themselves.  
1. As the People be the Children, 
Obser.  so Ministers be the Nurses, therefore they must be no dry Nurses, 
Ministers must have store of milk for their spiritual Children.  than the people shall desire and miss, but have full breasts, that their Children may have enough to nourish them: They must Study, Read, Meditate, Pray, that their breasts may be full, as good Householders, they must have old and new for every bodies turn, 
Mal. 2. 7.  give every one their portion; and as good Nurses that fear they shall want milk, eat and drink spoon-meat more than they are willing; so must we study, against our ease to satisfy our spiritual Children, not woo-meal our Children.  
2. Ministers as they must have milk enough, 
Obser.  so must they have love good store, 
Ministers must have good store of love.  to lay out their breasts publicly and privately upon all occasions, as the kind mother that sometimes a whole day together doth not pin up close her things, 
Acts 20. 31.  but lets her breast always be in readiness. 
2 Tim. 4. 2.   
3. Ministers must have much patience, 
Obser.  that though the people, some or all be wayward, 
Ministers must have much patience  and take not the breast handsomely, yea, sometime fall out with the breast, when it comes too fast, and fall a crying, 
2 Tim. 2. 25.  as Children do; They must I say have patience, and wait, putting it again in their mouths, though they cag and puke it up again.  
Milk of the Word] The Word is here and elsewhere compared to milk (as to wine and bread, 
The Word why compared to milk.  this being to the Soul as those to the body) as in respect of the plainness of it to young children, 
Isa 55. 1.  which is therefore opposed to strong meat, 
1 Cor. 3. 2.  that is, harder Points, and Mysteries of Religion, 
Heb. 5. 12.  so especially for the nourishing nature thereof.  
1. Therefore they that may hear the Word, 
Use 1.  and will not, starve their own souls, and are wilfully guilty of their own destruction; They that take away the Word from any place, pluck away the children's bread, and leave the people to perish for want of knowledge.  
2. Christian's must desire it, 
Use 2.  and hunger and thirst after it, praying God to continue it, and that of all punishments, he would not send a famine of the Word: The Soul hath a life as well as the Body, bodily food will do it no good, therefore the Word must be had.  
3. This also stops the mouths of those that wonder at Christians because they hear oft, 
Use 3.  they can never be content; They did hear on the Sunday, must they go on the week day too? Did not you eat yesterday, yet will dine to day again? and no marvel, for you cannot live without it; no more can the Soul without the Word, the Spiritual food thereof: And though your Soul be a small feeder, and little will content it, indeed nothing at all, because you have no Spiritual life in you, yet the children of God that are alive, must have it again and again: We say, They that are growing must eat oft, and are hungry, so must growing Christians hear oft.  
It's also compared to milk for the sweetness of it; 
Psalm 19 10.  nothing sweeter to a child then the mother's breast, so is the Word to a new born Christian.  
They that feel no sweetness therein, 
Obs.  their mouth is out of taste with sin, 
Nothing sweeter to God's children then the Word  as they also to whom it seems bitter; contrarily, they that find it sweet, pleasant, delightsom, yea every part thereof, and to whom even the threatenings thereof are welcome, as whereby their corruption may be subdued, it's an infallible sign that they are Gods children.  
Besides, 
Obs.  as milk is a general food for all Christians rich and poor, so is the Word the common food of all Christians, 
The Word is the common food of all Christians.  the means of their begetting and edifying; the greatest must look for no other, so neither the poorest, none must neglect it, it's the common food of all that shall be saved: Happy is the Land therefore that flows with Peter's milk and David's honey, they have the best Spiritual complexions that be fed therewith.  
Sincere] That is, 
The Word why called sincere.  Pure, Unmixed, a borrowed speech from honey that is not mixed, but sine cera, without wax; and it's so called, not only because its the purest thing in the world (and therefore we o●ght to desire it the more earnestly) but because there be such as will deal with the Word, as Hucksters that sell milk, and mingle it with water; so some mix the Word with Errors, and deliver it not sincerely, whereof accordingly they were to take heed.  
Hereof he had great cause to warn those Jews, because there were false Teachers, that laboured to draw them from Christ altogether; others joined Law with Christ, as if Salvation were not by Christ alone: This was to put poison in the milk.  
1. This teacheth Ministers to preach the Word sincerely without mixture: 
Use 1.  For matter, all must be according to the Law and the Testimony, and the Balance of the Sanctuary, so that they may boldly avouch thereof, 
Isa. 8. 20.  that Thus saith the Lord, they must speak as the words of God, 
1 Pet. 4. 11.  and his Oracles: And for manner, it must not be carnal, in humane eloquence, and curious words of man's wisdom; such teaching darkens the Word. The Lord hath left us marvellous things in his Word, 
Psal. 119. 129, 130.  and yet in a very plain manner, He saith they be wonderful in one Verse, and in the next, That the entrance into them giveth wisdom and showeth light: So must Ministers deliver it in an holy kind of plainness, not mingling therewith carnal and fleshly eloquence, fine conceits, and I know not what witty sayings out of Heathen Writers to garnish the same, but handle Spiritual things spiritually, not being ashamed of the simplicity and plainness of the Gospel, for this foolish and plain preaching shall be blessed, and be the wisdom and power of God, when that wisdom shall remain unprofitable and vain; What is the chaff to the wheat? all that vain Ornament doth but disgrace the Word, and it may be seen that God is displeased therewith, for that he blesseth it not to win Souls, as he doth that other which is despised of many of the world, and counted plain English preaching, a good English Sermon.  
2. It teacheth the people to avoid all vain and humane corrupt mixtures, 
Use 2.  accepting only that which is sincere milk: For the matter, They must take no erroneous Points for truth, but be able (with the Bereans) to try all things by the Scripture, 
Acts 11. 17.  and so rejecting the rest, keep that which is good; they that through ignorance slap us all together, will be poisoned in stead of being nourished: It is the safest and best diet which is most simple, and therefore some render this as a reason why our Forefathers were stronger, and lived longer than we do, even because of the simpleness of their diet; this Spiritual mixture hath been the cause of all Errors, wherein some truth is used to help away the falsehood: So for the manner, They must affect a plain and Spiritual kind of preaching, when the Text is clearly opened, aptly divided into his parts, the Doctrines maturely gathered, strongly confirmed for the settling of the judgement; and lastly, Uses are made of Admonition, Reprehension, Consolation, Confutation, together with Exhortation, all applied to the consciences of the hearers; Oh, this is sweet! Many simple people desire to hear Sermons, stuffed with sentences out of Authors, and that in a strange tongue, and highly commend it, though they understand it not; and is not this a great folly and judgement of God upon them? A number of idle and vain curious heads, had rather hear fine witty conceits, ancient stories, pleasant discourses, serving rather to tickle the ear, then to edify the Conscience, such are like those that desire sauce, and leave the meat. But Preaching was never ordained but to work upon the Conscience, and in such teaching the true Servants of God find no favour, but grief; when its kindly, naturally and spiritually handled, than its sweet to them.  
That ye may grow thereby.] 
Why Christians are to desire after the Word.  The end of our desiring after the Word, of our Hearing, Reading, Meditating, Conferring thereof, is not that we might get some knowledge to tip our tongues with, and make ourselves the better thought of in some companies, as some do, or that we may be able to discourse, haply eavil against it, but that it may work effectually in our hearts, to humble us, to work in us true Faith and Repentance, and being wrought, may be increased and set forward more and more, and hereat we should aim at all times; when we read a Chapter, or hear a Sermon, we must come with this mind, that we may be the better thereby: For the Word is ordained and is apt and able not only to convert, and beget us, but also to nourish us, that we may grow up from strength to strength. 
Eph. 4. 11. 15.   
1. This rebuketh the common sort, 
Use 1.  that come with no such mind and resolution, as appears by their continuance in their sins; They will be brought to reform nothing, though they hear never so oft, never so plainly: They come only for fashion, and what Hypocrisy is this? Yea, also if those that have some goodness in them came with this mind, and cast with themselves to go away gainers, and it would grieve them as much to make an ill market at Church, as at London or elsewhere, surely they would grow and thrive faster in Grace; They could not then fit and sleep, for who sleeps at his Market while profit drops? It's said of Agustus Caesar, that he thought that day lost, or ill spent, wherein he had done no good to others; so we should moan our losses, and think that Sermon lost, whereby something hath not been added to the stock of our Faith, Knowledge, and Repentance.  
2. Seeing the Word serves as well to build up as to convert us, 
Use 2.  men o●ght to attend on the Word Preached as long as they live; 
Acts 20. 32.  yea, though already they be full of knowledge and able also to admonish of others: 
Rom. 15. 14.  Therefore they that think they have profited enough, 
2 Peter 1.  and now may take their ease and let others hear, they have indeed got nothing as they ought.  
Christian's must daily grow in grace; 
Doctr.  For this as the Church of Thyatira was commended, 
Christian's must daily grow in grace.  even because their works were more at the last then at the first; So the Church of Ephesus reprehended for revolting from her first love: 
1 Thess. 4. 1.  For hereby as greater glory to redound unto God; 
2 Pet. 3. 18.  So more comfort to ourselves, more good to others. 
Rev. 2. 19 & 2. 4.   
1. For those that are fallen away, and now are nothing so good as heretofore, 
Use 1.  let them consider, that relapses are very dangerous, let them weigh with themselves, whether ever they began in truth or not; If not, then to begin to lay the foundation, though they may be ashamed at themselves, and say, Shall I that seemed to be so forward, begin in a new again? yet better so then to perish; if yea, then let them endeavour by all means to recover themselves.  
2. For those that grow slowly or not at all, many things may be in fault; as 1. Pride, when men think too well of themselves: 2. Worldliness, which the faster it goeth up, Religion goeth down, like a pair of scales, or as a Dog that is following the chase hard, and lights on a piece of carrion: 3. Ill Company, wholly addicted to their Sports and Pleasures: 4. Neglect of the means, or careless use of them, as those that have slack Markets prove Bankrupts; O find out those, and use the means constantly and conscionably, both public and private, whereby being freed, thou must grow in some good measure.  
If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.] The Reason, They had tasted the goodness of the Word already, therefore to desire it more and more.  
By tasting, 
What we are to understand by tasting.  he means not such as in Heb. 6. with the top of the tongue as it were, and tip of the lips, which Hypocrites may have, but an experimental taste upon good proof; as if he should have said, Seeing you have found by good experience, that the Word hath been effectual to enlighten, convert, comfort and sanctify you, and the instrument working wonderfully for the Salvation of your Souls, you are the moreto desire it, and continually show your affection thereunto. Therefore  
Who so have at any time found the Word of God powerful to their Salvation, 
Doctr.  as to humble them who before saw no danger, 
Such as find the Word powerful for their salvation, are the more desirous thereof and affectioned thereto.  to comfort them when they were in woeful distress, to change their hearts, to be a word of life and Salvation, they will be the more desirous thereof, and affectioned thereunto; it will draw their hearts to it, as the Adamant doth the iron, it will ravish them with the love of it; so were David and Job, who found so much profit thereby: as they are most desirous and greedy of gain, which have felt the sweetness and come in thereof; as the Israelites after they had tasted of the Grapes, could not but desire more after Canaan; so they that have tasted of the Word, can never be satisfied therewith, but still cry for more.  
1. For those that are much affected herewith, 
Use 1.  it's a sign of much good received thereby: It's true, an Hypocrite may hear it with joy, and have some flashings, but a constant desire after the Word, with delight, argueth an experimental feeling of the goodness thereof; that heart is indeed drawn thereby, which still desires more comfort, more instruction, and more grace from thence.  
2. For those that have no desire after it, 
Use 2.  no delight in it, had as leave be absent as at it, at play or in their Shops then at Church, that are (as most be) strangers from it; strangers in judgement (as who cannot conceive thereof, though apt enough to conceive of worldly things;) stranger's in their thoughts (for of those many they have all day long, fewest (if any at all) be of the Word;) stranger's in their affections (as who have no delight herein, though in other things too much;) stranger's in their tongues (they speak not of it;) stranger's in their actions (as not being guided thereby) their condition is fearful, the Word hath not been effectual to their conversation, and so they remain in the state of Damnation to this hour: 
john 8. 47. & 11. 27.  He that is of God, heareth God's Word (and that both with affection and obedience) And his sheep hear his voice; they then that do not hear, are not of God, are none of sheep: These must desire God to make his Word effectual to their good, that it may convert them, for than will they affect it.  
3. This serves also to stop the mouths of carnal people, 
Use 3.  that wonder at God's servants for that they are so fond after the Word, and take such pains, and that so often; O would you know? they have found it a powerful Word to pluck them out of the jaws of Hell, and to save their Souls, that before were in the way of Damnation, therefore do they still desire it, and can never have enough thereof.  
Tasted] A borrowed speech from meats which are discerned by the taste.  
Their Souls had tasted the sweetness of the Word, 
Obs.  and therein the sweetness of Christ, 
Christ is sweet to a Christian, and sweetens all that he hath  in whom is Salvation, yea and in him only: O the vanity of all things without him! he is sweet to him that hath nothing but him, and he also sweetens all that we have, without whom we could have but little joy therein.  
This condemneth those to whom Christ is not sweet, 
Use.  which favour profits and pleasures, but Christ is a sapless and dry thing to them: To some he is the joy of their hearts, and their very life, to others he is of no account; such as have not found their sins bitter, cannot find Christ sweet, or desire after him: Thus are civil persons, thus profane impenitent ones, thus worldings; these feel no need of Christ, they desire him not, Oh, it had been good he had never been offered to these swine that tread him under foot; Oh, they that hear Christ preached, and have him offered daily, and yet neglect him, how shall they escape? Is this favour granted to all to hear of Christ? Alas, no, but to a few; I tell you, those that perish in these times, shall have the deepest damnation in Hell, the furnace will be made seven times hotter for those that perish among us, then for others.  
Gracious] Great was our Saviors bounty, 
Obser.  in forsaking the glory of Heaven for our sakes, 
Christ is every way bountiful to his.  and suffering so much for us here, without which our condition had been miserable: He was bountiful of his life, of his blood for us; through him we are delivered from Hell, and made heirs of Heaven, and was not this bounty? and not this only, but to reveal all this to us in his Word and Sacraments, which he doth not to the world.  
O how should this unspeakable bounty affect us? 
Use.  all that have found their part therein, how should they be stirred up unfeignedly to be thankful for the same, even to the laying down of their lives for his sake, if need be? and how should it affect all to desire their part in this bounty, to find that the Lord is bountiful and gracious unto them? O happy are they that partake hereof! and they that shall neglect and contemn the same for profit, pleasure, sin, or whatsoever, will have fearful experience of God's severity.   

Verse 4. To whom coming as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious; Verse 5. Ye also as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifice, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.  
NOw he sets out the bounty of Christ to all that believe on him, and consequently, the excellent state and condition of such above all people in the world.  
This stands in these things; 
Wherein Christ's bounty doth appear  1. That he gives them leave to come to him: 2. That having so done, he makes them partakers of that blessed and spiritual life that is in himself, whereas they were dead before, and makes them which were an habitation for the Devil, a dwellinghouse for the Lord wherein to take pleasure; and whereas before they were unholy and profane, he being once come to them, will make them holy Priests, apt to offer such Sacrifices to God as he will accept of by Jesus Christ.  
This he sets out in a borrowed speech, taken from the Temple of Jerusalem, which was the House of God, wherein he took pleasure, and in which he dwelled after a sort, 
A comparison between the Temple of jerusalem, and that which Christ maketh of all that believe in him.  by manifestation of his favours: As that was built of many fair stones in a magnifical manner, and in it were Priests that offered sacrifices to God, such as he required and accepted, such a Temple doth Christ Jesus make of all that believe in him, save that its every way more excellent: The foundation of that was but a dead stone, this a living stone, Christ Jesus; all the stones of that (though fair, yet but) dead stones, of this all living, answerable to the foundation; those joined together with mortar, these by the Spirit and Faith; that was an Earthly House, this a Spiritual House; there were Sacrifices of the blood of Bulls and Goats, but these be Spiritual Sacrifices; there the Temple was one thing, and the Priest another, here the Temple and the Priest are all one; there the Priest one, and the Sacrifice another, here both are one and the same.  
Now this that he hath said concerning Christ Jesus, the foundation of his Church, and of the good estate of those that be built upon him, he confirms out of Isa. 28. 16. which accordingly he applies, as well for the comfort of the godly, as the terror of unbelievers.  
For this foundation, consider what he is, and how esteemed: What he is, 
Christ why compared to a stone.  A stone, so compared for his firmness, stability and continuance; his nature, a living stone, whereby he differs from all other foundations: How esteemed of men, namely, wicked ones disallowed, but of God elect and chosen to be Mediator, and to the godly precious.  
To whom coming] The first privilege, 
Obser.  he gives us leave to come to him, 
To believe in Christ (which is to come to him) is a great privilege.  which is to believe in him, and is indeed a very great privilege: He might scare us from him (as Adam was kept out of Paradise by the blade of a sword) but doth not, and this is the beginning of all good from Christ, till which we are never the better for him.  
Hence observe, That if ever we would receive good by Christ, we must come to him.  
But how can we come to him, 
Object.  he is in Heaven, and we on Earth?  
Not with our bodily feet, 
Sol.  but with the feet of our mind and heart, when we seeing our misery, and finding ourselves wholly lost, come to him to seek for Salvation, and rely on him, and are ruled by him: This is to come to him. Such as go on Pilgrimage from this place to that, and seek him bodily in the Sacrament, do but deceive themselves, being thus void of Faith; when they think themselves nearest him, they are as far off as ever.  
To come to Christ and to believe in him are all one; 
joh. 6. 35.  and then we come to him, 
Doctr.  when we go out of ourselves, as being utterly undone, and go to him as an All-sufficient Saviour, 
Christian's must come to Christ.  and rely on him, and are willing to take up his yoke, and forsake all other Saviors and Lords▪ and this we must do, because  
1. Of our own utter misery in ourselves by sin, 
Reason 1.  punishment, and inability to help ourselves out, whereof if people were persuaded, it were as easy to persuade them to come to Christ, as to persuade a sick man to the Physician, one overloaden to be eased of his burden, an hungry man to take meat.  
2. In Christ there is sufficient to make us as truly happy, 
Reason 2.  as we be utterly miserable in ourselves, 
1 Cor. 1. 30.  Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification and Redemption: The sinner cannot complain of any thing, but there is help for it in Christ, do but ask the thing, and it's to be had; Oh, I have deserved the wrath of God and Damnation, but I (saith Christ) have died for thee, and paid thy debt; But how shall I come into the favour of God and be saved? Oh, saith Christ, I have obeyed for thee, and purchased it; But I have no power to do any good? but I have enough (saith Christ) to make thee a Sanctified man.  
3. Christ is willing to have us come to him, 
Reason 3.  and therefore also doth earnestly call us: 
Isa 55. 1.  If one know himself poor, and that such a rich man is both able and willing to help him, and is also invited of him to accept hereof, will he not thereupon go to him? so is Christ to us, and accordingly we must come to him.  
1. For those that are come to Christ, 
Use 1.  and do believe in him with their hearts, and are guided by him, they may be of good comfort, having done what God requires of them, they shall find fruit and benefit thereby, more than they can express.  
This serves to provoke on those that are coming and coming, 
Use 2.  and yet draw back, set one foot forward, and pull the other back again, fain would believe, and yet cannot, but fear (Oh, it's not for me) and cannot be persuaded that they be of the number of such whom Christ will save: Why, what would you have Christ say to you? He bids all without exception, that are weary and heavy laden with their sins, to come to him, that is, believe in him; it's also the end of his coming into the world: You stand in great need of mercy, do ye not? O yes, above all the world, and cannot endure to think but that I should have part therein; and Christ hath need of some to show his mercy on, and therefore calls thee: Therefore as in a Market, one having need of a Commodity, another (that hath it) of money, me thinks these two should quickly agree, the Buyer and the Seller, who both come for that end; so is it between Christ and the poor sinner, wherefore else doth Christ set forth his stall of so rich mercies, and call people to them? to send them away empty? no verily, Christ hath said the contrary, and so can assoon deny himself, as not save thee; therefore believe, 
john 6. 29.  which is the great Commandment of the Gospel.  
Oh, 
Obj.  but I am so unworthy.  
If it be so, 
Sol.  thou art the more fit for Christ, he came for such, he accepts such. 
Luke 18. 13.   
Oh, 
Obj.  if I could weep as much as some, or had been so long, or so much humbled, or could repent and serve God as I would.  
What God doth, 
Sol.  he doth freely, and when thou canst do nothing but feel thy misery, 
Acts 16. 27.  then believe Christ will save thee: What was the Jailor when he did believe? believing will break thy heart, and bring Repentance; O that we should so much, so often, and so earnestly be persuaded to believe, and yet do not. If a King shall call a poor Subject, 
Simile.  and reach him a handful of gold, will he draw back, and say, I am unworthy that he should call me, or I should come to him; What am I? I never deserved any such thing, etc. If it be great, great gifts become a great God; and seeing he will do it, hinder not thyself, thou shalt be the more bound to love and praise him here and for ever; yet is it no easy matter to believe: If a man had this Church lying upon his back, it were not so easy a mater to rise and stand upright; so, when any have the wrath of the infinite God lying upon their Souls, what can they do? howsoever, do your endeavour, strive against unbelief, discern between temptations that come from the Devil, and the promises of God; those (how many soever) reject as lies, but these apply diligently, stand even upon one word of God's mouth, and let that comfort thee more than ten thousand temptations to dismay thee.  
3. This Rebuketh the most part of men, 
Use 3.  that will not come at Christ, though he call them, and offer them wonderful fair; He bids them come, confess their sins, seek to him for Salvation, and be ruled by him, and he will take all their burden on him and save them: But how few give ear to this gracious voice and offer? how many go on, and are not at all moved, though Christ be preached daily? though they need him, he be sufficient for them, and willing to do them good? and why? few can be persuaded of their danger: Civil persons, Ignorant ones, and a number of Worldlings are so glued to these things, that they savour and mind no other life, nor offer of any such thing; A number of profane people will not part with their sins, though to obtain such a benefit; And there be such a number of other Comes, that calls and carry them away, that though Christ call, Come, few follow him; The Devil saith, Come, and they flock after him; The World saith, Come, and they flock after it; The flesh saith, Come, and they follow it thick and threefold, even striving who shall follow it fastest: But if they had wit to see whether these Comes tend, they would not be so forward; The Devil calls, Come, as the Fowler calleth the Bird into his Net; The World calls, Come, and serves her followers as Dalilah did Samson, and Jael, Sisera; The flesh calls, Come, but all that follow it shall die; 
Rev. 8. 6.  The Harlot also hath a Come, 
Prov. 7. 18.  but her Chambers go to Death and Hell, and he that goeth in into her, is led as an Ox to the slaughter; the like might be instanced of others: So that Christ by his Ministers might cry, Come, but few hear and follow: O what woeful unthankfulness is this! Did Christ come down from Heaven to us, and will not we come to him one whit? Hath he taken so long a journey, and come to offer himself, and do we refuse? O horrible ingratitude! Yea, what mischief is this to ourselves? Is it not to seek our own destruction? If a King should send a gracious Pardon to a company of Traitors that had deserved Death, and they should go on and set light by it, would he not send an Host of armed Soldiers to destroy them? So may the Lord justly deal with us. You are told you are undone without Christ, that he can and will save you, if you come to him; if you will not, you cannot but perish, and whom then will you blame? O whose heart should not leap at such an offer, and coming in, yield himself, and say, O it's the first bargain I'll make, the best that ever I shall make! How many thousands would be glad to hear such things as these, that do not, nor are vouchsafed the favour? Do you think ever to have a better offer? to make any better of your sins, then to renounce them, and embrace Christ? O consider of this, and renounce all other Comes which you have already followed, and at last, ere it be too late, embrace this most blessed offer: O fall down and humble thyself!  
O but will he ever pardon and receive me, 
Obj.  who have been thus and thus?  
It's no matter what thou hast been, 
Sol.  not number nor greatness of sins can let, 
Isa. 1. 18.  if thy heart could be truly humbled, there's the greatest doubt: He as the true Samaritan will pour wine and oil in thy wounds; He is the true pool of Bethesda, now the water is stirred, step in, and though thou hast been Thirty and eight years, yea Forty eight and more sick of deadly sin, thou shalt be cured; Christ is a perfect Physician, what disease is there, that he cannot cure? The Urinals that stand so abundantly in Physicians and Apothecaries houses may condemn the world, seeing there be so few seek to the spiritual Physician; labour to see thy misery, understand and apply the Law, to make the soul sick, as some make themselves sea-sick: When thou art touched deeply with thy misery, come to Christ, he will do thee good; If being burdened with thy sins, thou goest to the Devil for council, he will tell thee thy ●ins be unpardonable, no mercy, better rid thyself out of the way as Judas: If thou go to the world, they will bid thee be merry, and put away these melancholy dumps and thoughts, Ride abroad, go to Cards, Dice, haunt Alehouses, etc. and go to no more of these Preachers and Sermons, they put folks out of their wits, that's the good they do: People that were honest folks, and lived at quiet, since they have used to go after them, are grown full of fancies: But if you come to Christ, he will take pity on you, ease, comfort, and save you: O be persuaded, will you perish rather than humble yourselves? will you cast away your souls for love of your lusts? We will hereafter, for we know that else there is no Salvation: O that's the Devil's word, Hereafter, he knows delays to be dangerous. Accept it whilst it is offered, lest thou never come to it again; If thou despise it, thou shalt hear a fearful, Go ye cursed; If thou wilt embrace it, thou shalt hear a comfortable, Come ye blessed. The Lord persuade your hearts, and cause many to come this day, if it be his blessed will.  
As unto a living stone,] The next privilege of a Christian by Christ, is, that being come to him, he conveyeth of that spiritual Life and Grace that is in himself into every of them; which is here set down under the similitude of a building, of which there be two parts: 1. The Foundation: 2. The rest of the House raised and built thereupon, which be so coupled, as they make but one building.  
For the Foundation which is Christ Jesus, 
Observ.  he is compared to a stone, because as that's used for a foundation in an house of moment, 
Christ the Foundation that bears up his Church.  as being sure, lasting, firm and perpetual: So is Christ Jesus the Foundation that bears up his Church, and by which it is saved, a sure, firm and perpetual Foundation, 
Acts 4. 12.  without whom there is no hope of Salvation, he being the way, 
john 14. 6.  the truth, and the life: He that brings another Gospel, let him be accursed; 
Gal. 1. 9  If he come like an Angel, spit on his face, defy him to Hell: Adam and all since have been saved by him, and all that are or ever shall be; what he did, no other could do, and that he did which was needful for our Salvation.  
1. This condemns all that build not upon this Foundation, 
Use 1.  but on another, either in whole or in part; as 1. The Jews, that look for a Saviour in the Air, that will come they know not when: 2. The Turks, that build on a deceitful cursed Mahomet, that will never come till he be hailed before the Judgement-Seat of Christ for his Blasphemies. 3. The Papists, who though they acknowledge Christ in word to be the Redeemer and Saviour of the World, yet they so pull from him, and add to him, as they leave him but a bare Name and Title; for than is Christ the Foundation and so acknowledged, when we acknowledge Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification, Redemption, Satisfaction, Life and Glory to be in him, and in him alone: Contrarily, they attribute part of these to their own Merits, Masses, Pardons, Satisfactions, and so they rake together a deal of Rubbish to join with the Foundation, which will not be, for he is an whole Foundation or none; of them, some few whose eyes God opens in their end (as finding no certainty nor sure rest in any thing of their own) do renounce themselves and all in them, and only lean upon Christ Jesus for Salvation, and so become happy indeed: They also hold that Peter is the head of the Church and Foundation thereof, who would not wonder at their wickedness, when as Peter himself saith it here of Christ, and attributes nothing to himself.  
But is it not confirmed by that of our Saviour, 
Object.  Thou art Peter, and upon this Rock I will build my Church? 
Mat. 16. 18.   
The Question propounded by our Saviour, 
Sol.  was moved to all the rest as well as Peter, and answered of all, though by the mouth of Peter; Christ's meaning is, That on himself whom he had confessed, he would build his Church; Would he build it on Peter? then either on his Person or on his Faith: not on his Person; and how weak was his Faith, which was so sore shaken by the speech of a Maid? that could be no meat foundation to build on. 4. Those fools among ourselves, who though they acknowledge no other foundation, yet build not upon him, but on their civil life, their bare hearing of the Word (which yet they do, because it's commanded by Law, and stands most with their safety, and as the Papists, but for their purse, so they would not come to Church, but for shame or punishment) their doing as others do, etc. foolish Builders that build on the sand; their house (as every other that is not built on Christ by true Faith) how fair soever in their own eyes, will fall on their heads; if any storm of trouble arise for the Gospel, they will quckly yield, and change as oft as Religion changeth; and if no such change be, yet at death they shall drop into Hell for want of a foundation, as the five foolish Virgins were shut out of Heaven, for that they had no oil for their Lamps, no stock of Faith to feed or back their outward Profession.  
They that content themselves with any thing, with any gift, before they have got a true justifying Faith, will fall away, will perish, may prove Persecutors or any thing: They that so hear the Word, as they never give over till it hath humbled them, and brought them to Christ, and they have found sure foundation on him, and footing, and grace to be changed; these build upon the rock: Therefore content not yourselves with hearing the Word, nay hearing it with joy, and reforming many things, nay that you have been troubled for your sins (as some have wept for their sins at a Sermon, but let it go over, and wear away, ere they came at Christ) so bearing yourselves in hand that ye are converted persons, for afterward by your falling away, or at your death, it will prove nothing so, and all for want of a foundation: There be even now thousands in hell, that have heard as many Sermons as ever you heard, or ever shall.  
2. That Christ is a foundation, 
Use 2.  and the only foundation of his Church, is no small comfort to all that believe on him: They may quiet themselves amidst the multitude of contrary Opinions in the world, or temptations of Satan to make them waver; they may answer, If Christ be not sufficient to save me, I am content to be damned; I'll never seek other foundation, you may well enough. Again, being built on Christ, there be many enemies will lay Battery against you to beat you off; but be of good comfort, they may shake you indeed, but to overcome you, or pull you off the foundation, it's not possible, 
Mat. 16. 18.  All the gates of Hell shall not prevail against you, all their power shall not quail you. As in a City the strength is placed at the gates, as the Portcullis, and the Canon to keep from entrance, so if Hell should plant all its force against a Christian, yea the poorest Christian, it shall never be able to prevail against him, he is so surely joined to the foundation, by the Spirit of God that lies so fast; Will Christ suffer his Building to be defaced, or one member, or the least joint to be pulled out of his body? Christ that prayed that his Disciples might be kept, 
john 17 15.  prayed also for all that should believe.  
Living] Christ is a living foundation, 
Doctr.  not only because he hath life in himself (as he is the Living Bread, 
Christ is a living foundation.  the Truth, and the Life) but because he giveth life to others, even all that believe in him. Hence perceive. 
joh. 5. 16. &. 5. 21. & 11. 25. & 17. 2.   
1. That Christ differs from all other foundations, he gives life to his, 
Use 1.  but whoso trusteth on any other, shall die eternally.  
2. An encouragement for all to come to Christ; 
Use 2.  He is not such a one as can do them no pleasure, but as he can and will save them, so he will also put life into them; that whereas before they were as dead as a stock, to any thing concerning the glory of God, or their own good; no Wit, Will, Memory, Affection, no Hand, Foot, Tongue, but all were stiff and stark lame to any good, yea dead; being joined to him, he will make them alive, 
2 Cor. 5. 17.  give them Wit, Will, and a Heart to that which is good, 
Eph 2. 1.  so a Hand, Foot and Tongue, yea so change them, that they shall be nothing the same, but new Creatures. Hence it is, that some that were as very wretches as could be to their lusts, that loved a Sermon, Sabbath, or good Exercise, as a Bear doth the stake, have yet by the preaching of the Word been brought to Christ; the case is so altered with them, that now they loathe what they loved, love what they loathed. It is not a strange thing, to see a man that loved money as his life, and had no savour in any good, to set as light by it as his shoes, and to love the word that wrought this dislike in him? So for a man that loved a pair of Cards, and Tables, and to ramble abroad on the Lord's Day, and who could not abide to take a book in his hand, or to be in any Religious persons company, now to abandon the one, and to be earnestly affected with the other? yet this Christ worketh in those that be joined to him: O come to this Christ Jesus, humble thyself, believe in him, and give over thyself to him, and though thou be'st as bad as the worst, he will so alter thee, as thou mayest prove a worthy Christian.  
3. This serves to uncase a number of Hypocrites, 
Use 3.  that think themselves stones of this Building, and hope to be saved by Christ, and to be Believers, and yet have no Spiritual life in them: If you can show me that Spiritual life that you have got from Christ, to die to sin and live to righteousness, than you say something; but there be no dead stones in this Building, but living, answerable to the foundation: Therefore they that remain dead in their sins and old lusts, or any of them, Christ and they are assuredly as yet two, and not one: Show your Christianity by renouncing all ill, and by your love to good, Prayer, good duties in your Families, and places where you live, and in all good Works.  
Disallowed indeed of men,] Here's showed how this foundation is esteemed, both of Men and God: He first speaks of men, and that by way of prevention. 
The prevention of an Objection.  No marvel you speak of Christ to be such a Foundation, might they have said, we are sure, when he came into the world, a number cared not for him, would none of him, and those none of the fools or simple ones, but Wise, Politic, Learned Clerks: True, saith he; but what then? yet I have that which will weigh it down, namely, that he is chosen of God, and precious to him, and them that shall believe on him.  
Disallowed he was indeed of men; 
Christ disallowed of whom, and why.  They called him the Carpenter's Son, a Samaritan, Wine-bibber, deceiver; They would have no other King but Caesar, never left him while they put him to death, with them Barrabas was meeter to live than he: What was the cause? or how should they disallow him, when it was so plain that he was the Christ, foretold by the Prophets, who came at the same time, in the same place, and after the same manner, whose Life, Preaching and Works did well declare him so to be, what might be the cause hereof? They looked for one that should come as an earthly Prince, to deliver them out of the hands of the Romans; but his Kingdom was not of this World: 
Acts 6, 14.  They looked also for one that should have upheld their Customs, Law, and Traditions, but the date of them was out. (See by the way what it is to have an old conceit settled in one's brain, O how hardly is it removed!) Again, How came they to this height of disallowing him? at the first of ignorance and blindeness, but after of malice; so men grow (when they desire not to amend and see the Truth) from one degree of wickedness to another: The Jews disallowed him, and do to this day, though the hand of God be heavily upon them, 
Mat. 27. 25.  according to their own Imprecation, His blood be on us, and our children; whose case is most fearful: So is the case of all others that disallow him, whereof there be multitudes among us. Why, nay, all we allow him? O most of Pharisees disallow him and will perish.  
Yes, 
Obj.  most among Jews and Turks, but all we shall be saved, unless it be here and there an adulterer, or horrible drunkard, etc.  
Consider that of four sorts of grounds (Professors) three are naught: 
Sol.  O most among us disallow Christ, 
Mat. 13. 3, etc.  while they will not come to him, embrace him as their Saviour, and renouncing all evil, take up his yoke as their Lord; most amongst us allow a kind of Christ, but not a true Christ: They allow a Christ that will save them, though they never be humbled, though they live still in their sins; but Christ is no such, Christ will save no such: O let all such look to it, that will not come to Christ as he hath appointed; you think the Jews, Judas and the Soldiers have a fearful account to make, so they have; and how shall they appear before Christ at the day of Judgement? but even thousands in our Parishes are in no better case, that break his bonds, and despise the offer of his blood; Such are all Apostates that have professed the name of Christ, and fall away, all fearful ones, that deny him out of fear, and all that will not embrace him being offered.  
Disallowed] Was not this no ill sign of Christ that he was disallowed? 
Doctr.  O no: 
Such things are often disallowed of men, which are allowed of God.  Even that may be disallowed of men, which yet is allowed, and highly accounted of of God; nay, the more Spiritual any thing, any course, any person is, the more and the sooner will the world disallow him and it.  
For, they be carnal, therefore savour the things of the flesh, not of the Spirit; they be in darkness, therefore care not for the light; The more Spiritual any thing is, the higher is it out of their reach: Those courses and persons that be carnal, the world allow well of; four hundred false Prophets maintained at Jezabels' Table, 
Heb. 11. 37.  good Micaiah and Elias abused; 
john 6. 35.  of those that wandered up and down in sheepskins and goatskins, the world was not worthy, yet did not the world think them worthy to be among them, 
Acts 4, etc.  but thrust them among the wild Beasts: 
See Luke 6. 22, 23.  Others also were racked as the vilest Malefactors, yea, our Saviour himself was so accounted, 
Isa. 8. 18.  so the Apostles, men wonder at them as at a thief. 
Use 1.  Hence learn  
1. That we are not to esteem the worse either of ourselves or others because of the world's mislike; many be so weak, that if they see the most, and especially any great ones, or any learned cry down a man or an action, 
john 7. 7, 48.  etc. they are carried away, and open their mouths wide against them; but if that might have gone currant, Christ himself had been naught: we must not go upon any such rule, but examine whether they be allowed of God, or not; if they be, then are we not to regard what the world saith; The world will prefer Barrabas to Christ, call evil good, 
Simile.  and good evil: There's no more heed to be given thereto, then to be judged of a blind man concerning colours. As they that have sore eyes cannot abide the clear light and Sunshine, 
Luke 15. 16.  so cannot the wicked abide that which is pure and Spiritual, yea, the things that they highly allow, are abominable in the sight of God.  
2. That they which disallow that, 
Use 2.  and those whom God alloweth, are in a miserable condition, they cross God, and he will cross them: The time shall come, when they shall find by woeful experience, that he disalloweth them, when they shall be glad, and desire to be in the number of those whom they have most despised, but to no purpose.  
Ye also as lively stones are built up,] Now of the rest of the building that is reared upon this Foundation; Every Believer is a stone of this building, a lively stone, and all together make up a spiritual House for the Lord to delight in, as many stones go to the making up of a material House.  
Now in that Christ is compared to the Foundation, 
Doctr.  and believers to stones built on him, 
There's a near Union between Christ and Believers.  it showeth the near conjunction that is between Christ and them; as stones are joined to the Foundation by mortar, so are believers to Christ by the Spirit: Accordingly he is compared to a head, 
Eph. 1. 22, 23.  and the Church to the body; he to the Vine, and the Church to the Branches: 
1 Cor. 6. 15.  Such an Union is between Christ and Believers, as is between the husband and the wife, 
john 15. 2.  no more twain, 
Eph. 5. 30.  but one bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh: Before a man have Faith, he is as a dead stick or stone, by Faith he is united to Christ; which is signified by these and the like speeches, 
john 6. 51.  eating Christ's flesh, and drinking his blood, which is to believe in him, showing that as the meat we eat is turned into our substance, 
1 john 1. 3.  and nearly joined to us, so are we to Christ by believing in him: and this is a real and true Union, but a Spiritual one, not that we are thereby united to Christ's soul, but to his body also, and by his humanity to his Deity, and by both to God the Father, and the holy Ghost, which is an admirable prerogative: If any say, How can this be, Christ being in Heaven and we on Earth? It is so by the Spirit on God's part, and Faith on ours; Those join things far distant in place most nearly together. If any say, I cannot see nor comprehend how this should be; 
Eph. 5. 32.  If we cannot, no marvel, for its a great mystery which we are to believe and adore in our hearts. The benefits hereof are unspeakable (as the honour most glorious) for by virtue hereof, we that were as dead as blocks and stones, draw spiritual life and Grace to become new Creatures, to die to sin, and to lead a righteous life; as the members receive sense and motion from the head, and the Vine-branches sap from the root: Hereby also we have title to Christ and all his good things; He also bears our troubles with us, and hereby our souls shall be as filled with Grace here, so taken up to glory with him at death, and the body remains united to Christ even in the grave; by virtue whereof it shall be raised up a spiritual and glorious body to be glorified for ever: And this is yet so much the more absolute and blessed a Union, because its indissolveable; No violence of Satan, nor any other Enemy can break off the same: 
Rom. 8. 38.  He hath not therefore fastened us as stones into this building to be ever pulled out any more; 
1 john 2. 19  If they had been of us (saith the Apostle) they should have continued with us: What God hath joined together, who can separate?  
1. This is for instruction to all that are believers, 
Use 1.  and so members of this body, stones of this building, that they walk in their conversation answerable to such high Dignity, to such an Union: The Members must be like the Head, the stones answerable to the Foundation, as the Fruit to the true Vine: Take heed they disgrace not themselves and their stock by bringing forth sour fruit, even of the wild Olive, of their own sinful and corrupt nature, but mortify the same more and more.  
But how cometh it to pass that they which are grafted into Christ should bear any sour Fruit? 
Object.   
Even because there are some suckers of our own crabbish and sinful nature shut out, 
Sol.  and have through heedlessness and want of care grown apace, and which we must pluck off by any means.  
2. Comfort to all believers; 
Use 2.  O admirable privilege to be joined into one with Christ, and with God What grace or good thing can he stand in need of, that is joined to such a plentiful and living head? He cannot but mortify the strongest Corruptions, overcome the greatest Temptations, perform the most difficult Duties; Such thou mayest draw from thy head, but make no obstructions by sin: Keep open the passages, and by the Word, Sacraments, Prayer, and other like means, fetch Grace from Christ Jesus: He also will strengthen thee, and even in the fiery Furnace be present with thee, and after take thee up to glory; neither shall all the power of Hell ever separate thee from him: for though Hypocrites that hang on only by the untemperated mortar of outward Profession shall fall off, thou that art saudered into Christ by the Spirit of God shalt never be plucked off.  
3. To discard all those that profess themselves believers, 
Use 3.  and stones of this building, and yet have no life in them; let such know, they have no part in Christ, nor fellowship with him.  
4. This should persuade all men to labour to have part in this blessed Union; 
Use 4.  Till this be, they are quite dead, and have no more Spiritual Life than a stone hath: If thou be'st not united to Christ, thou canst never have Life of grace here, nor glory hereafter; And if not a Member of Christ, thou art a Limb of the Devil; If not a Branch of this Vine, thou art a dry withered stick for the fire of Hell; If not a stone of this Building, thou art refuse and rubbish to be thrown into Hell.  
Q. 
How to become stones of this building.  But how should we become stones of this building?  
A. By suffering the axe of the Word of God to cut off our knobs, to hew and square us, that thereby we may be humbled, and mortify all our sins and lusts; for if there be but one sin in us unrepented of, we are not fit to lie in this building: And though all stones be not alike, some bigger, some less, some more costly, some less; yet happy we, if we be any true stone of this building; let us now suffer ourselves to be fashioned for it, 
Simile.  it must be now in this Life, or never. As there was no hammer heard about the Temple, but all was hewn in Libanus, so must we be hewn in this Life, that we may rest in the Spiritual Temple for ever: Having a house to build, will we lay in a stone rough, as it comes from the Quarry, or a piece of Timber as it comes from the Wood? 
See 5. H. on Mat. 3. 10 pag. 6.  much less will the Lord suffer any to be joined into his Spiritual building, till they be squared and hewn by his Word: Therefore le's be tenderly affected one towards another, and build up one another, and do all the good we can one to another, not living to ourselves, or having hand in Contentions, Rents, Divisions, which do so abound among Christians, and that for toys.  
Are built up a spiritual house,] 
Hag. 2. 10.  So foretold by Haggai; Not a materiel one, as was the Temple of Jerusalem, but a far more excellent, as much as the body is better than the shadow, which the Apostle speaks, to take off the minds of these Jews from the material Temple on which they too much doted, and on the promises made thereto (not considering that it was appointed but for a time, and that it was but a type of this Spiritual house, infinitely more excellent) and to labour to become stones of this Spiritual house, which did so far excel the other.  
All the Church of God and Believers, 
Obser.  make together a Spiritual house; 
The whole Church makes but one Spiritual House.  as a house, though it hath but one foundation, yet hath many stones to make up the building.  
This showeth the communion that the Saints have one with another, 
Use.  members of the same Body, stones of the same Building; with this Union that we have with Christ, we have also communion one with another, as Fellow-members, Stones, Branches. Besides,  
As all the Saints together are here said to be built up a Spiritual house, 
Observ.  so else where the like is affirmed of every particular Believer; 
Every particular Believer is also a Spiritual House.  that whereas before he was but a Cage of uncleanness, and a Den for the Devil, and an Habitation for foul Spirits, now he is made the House of God, of a poor mortal man, 
Isa. 57 15.  an Habitation for God; as a King maketh a Cottage a Court, 
john 14. 23.  so doth the Lord make a Bethel an House of God, 
1 Cor. 3. 16. & 6. 19  of him that was before Beth-aven, an house of Iniquity; which is an admirable advancement. 
2 Cor. 6. 16.   
1. This teacheth every one that is such, 
Use 1.  to take heed he pollute not himself with any sin, thereby grieving and wearying so happy a guest. The Prophets were profitable to those with whom they sojourned; The Widow of Sarepta had her oil and meal increased, 
1 King. 17. 16.  and her life saved; 
2 King 4. 7. & 4. 17.  The wife of one of the Children of the Prophets had her two Children kept out of the Creditors hands; The Shunamite obtained a son; but much more profitable is Christ, he brings Peace, Joy and Life: A pitiful thing that sundry Christians are so hasty, so furious, so full of pride, worldly, negligent in religious duties, and the like; How can Christ tarry in such an house? can he abide in an heart full of these?  
2. To deck and trim up the house of our Souls with all graces of the Spirit of God; 
Use 2.  therefore take pains, and think no cost too much in Hearing, Reading, Praying, to trim up this House for the Lord, that he may take the more pleasure therein. Solomon bestowed great cost on the Temple, and was seven years in building thereof, and shall we take no pains on this Spiritual Temple? 
Hag. 1. 4.  The Lord complained of his people that would dwell in fieled houses, and let the House of God lie waste; much more may he of us, who mind many earthly things, and mind nothing so much the dressing up of our hearts by Prayer, Meditation, Watchfulness, and the like, as a Bride prepared for the Lord Jesus: When we dress up our houses to entertain strangers, it were good to have such meditations, 
Psal. 24. 7.  saying to ourselves, Lift up your heads, ye gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting door, and the King of glory shall come in, and thus entertain him most respectively here, till he shall vouchsafe to entertain us at our death into that habitation, that is not made with hands, 
2 Cor. 5. 1.  but eternal in the Heavens, and when thou art at the best, think that thy heart is too straight, nothing good enough to entertain such a blessed guest.  
An holy Priesthood] Another branch of the benefit that believers have, being received of Christ, and united to him, namely, That whereas they were unholy, now he makes them holy; whereas they might not come near God, neither their persons nor works, now they are advanced to this dignity, to be a Priesthood, and every of them an holy Priest to draw near unto God, and offer him Sacrifices; whereas before they did nor could do nothing but was abominable in God's sight, now they are enabled to offer such Sacrifices and Services as God accepts, and takes pleasure in, and are not these great privileges? and all this comes by the means of Jesus Christ, whom while they were without, they miss all these privileges, but having him, enjoy them all.  
Holy] They that are united to Christ are made holy, 
Doctr.  that were nothing less before, 
Such as are united to Christ are made holy.  and draw sap of Grace and Sanctification from him, through whom also they become new Creatures; which is a wonderful privilege, that such filthy and unclean ones as we are by nature, 
Rom. 8. 1.  should be made holy; 
2 Cor. 5. 17.  for holiness is the greatest gift that can be, a little of it is better than all the world: God is holy, his Angels holy, therefore he gives us his Word, his Sacraments, Afflictions, and the like means to bring us to holiness.  
1. They that have any measure of holiness, 
Use 1.  must acknowledge that they have received it from Christ.  
2. Let every one try whether he be united to Christ or not by this mark; 
Use 2.  he is an holy head, and all that are joined to him partake of holiness.  
Priesthood] Believers together make a Priesthood, 
Doctr.  and every Believer is a Priest to offer Sacrifice to God. 
Believers are Priests to God   
What, 
Object.  are not Priests and Sacrifices at an end yet? I thought they had been only in the Old Testament, and now abolished.  
True, 
Sol.  some Sacrifices are at an end: There were under the Law Priests ordained to offer Sacrifices daily to God, for their own and the people's sins, all which pointed at Christ the true Priest, and that blessed Sacrifice of his Body: 
Heb. 7. 27. & 10. 2, 10, 11, 12, 18. & 12. 25, 26.  All these Sacrifices did but tend and direct to that All▪ sufficient Sacrifice of his Death. Now when he had offered himself on the Cross, and died for our sins, he put an end to all Sacrifices propitiatory, 
john 19 30.  as who finished all himself, saying, It is finished; so then, there is now no more need of Sacrifices for sin, Christ once offered being All-sufficient. Which  
1. Condemns the Sacrifices of the Jews, 
Use 1.  and all bloody Sacrifices, which are to the Devils and not to God.  
2. Condemns the Blasphemous Sacrifice of the Mass, 
Use 2.  where (as the Papists say) Christ is by the Priest offered daily on the Altar a propitiatory Sacrifice for the sins of the quick and the dead: This is to overthrow Christ's Cross.  
But though there be an end of all legal Sacrifices and Propitiatory, yet there are Evangelical and Gratulatory; and though those Priests that offered blood and beasts be at an end, yet are there Priests still remaining in the Church of God, which the Apostle mentioneth, lest the Jews should think the former times better than these; thereupon objecting, 
The prevention of an Objection.  Have we no Sacrifices now to offer to God? he answereth, We have, though not of the same kind: We have no Propitiatory Sacrifices (the date of them being out, and which yet were not taken away by men, but by him who ordained them but till this time, who yet is not inconstant in changing them, 
Christians now are not without Sacrifices which they must offer up to God.  as having done away sin through the Sacrifice of his Son, of whom the others were only the types and shadows) but Sacrifices of thanksgiving we have, and that for the mercy of God in Christ, and all other blessings flowing from thence: This is no small honour and privilege. It was an honour under the Law to be Priests, few were admitted to the Office; they represented Christ, they went near and offered Sacrifice, the people standing afar off; so is it now to be a Spiritual Priest, to have the honour to come near to God with comfort and boldness.  
1. They therefore speak they know not what, 
Use 1.  that use this as a name of disgrace, and call Ministers in derision, Priests; and what is he but a Priest? but it's an honour, and a great one, though Mass-Priests by their filthy lives have brought the same in disgrace; yet is not this proper to Ministers only (which we speak not as though we were ashamed of it, 
Re. 1. 6  but that every one may have their due) it's also common to all Believers, and they that will none of this, shake off the name of a Christian, but they that are wise will take their part in it. This is signified by the name Christian of Christ, which signifieth anointed; of that anointing by the Spirit without measure, he was made and fitted our King, Priest and Prophet, and not so only, but to make us so; so that every one that believeth in him, he gives him the honour to be so: As we partake of the benefit of his Priesthood, and its parts, Satisfaction and Intercession, so of him we also are made Priests.  
2. As we are to rejoice in this privilege, 
Use 2.  so we must use it, and improve it carefully in offering Sacrifices; What else becomes a Priest? he were not worthy the name, that did not delight to offer Sacrifices to God. 
The Christians Sacrifices.  Now the Sacrifices of the New Testament for Christians to offer, are these, 1. The offering up of our Bodies and Souls, 
Rom. 12. 1.  and all that is in us to serve God, having neither Wit, Will, Memory, nor any thing else, but for the Lords use: It's meet we should offer this Sacrifice, for its his by right of Creation, Redemption, and continual Preservation; we owe neither it, nor any part of it, to any other, all to him, and when we give it to him, we provide best for it: It's not only never the further from ourselves, but that is the happiness of it, we should give it, and thank him he will take it of us; and this is the first Sacrifice to be offered: Till this be, no other will be accepted of, 
2 Cor. 8. 5.  Prayer, Praise, or whatsoever; first the person must please God, than the work, as in Abel: And thus every man may try his Cristianity; Do you give up your bodies and souls for his Service, and would not with your good wills that any the least part should be withdrawn from him, no not one thought if you could help it? thou art a good Christian, this is a good Sacrifice, continue it still; But how few do thus? how few which give not their Hearts and Bodies to Profits and Pleasures, to Sin, the World, and the Devil? How many Sacrifice to these all day long? Christians in name, not in deed: They that give themselves wholly to sin are monsters, as they that give themselves partly to God, and partly to their lusts, are like Ananias and Sapphira: Oh, but though we do not thus, yet we offer other Sacrifices: 
Isa. 1. 13.  Fie upon thee and them, they are abominable in God's sight, as is the Sacrifice of the wicked: O give them no more as weapons of sin, to serve the Flesh, the World, and the Devil (that were too too base) but employ them for God's service, not some part, but the whole, all too little, and wish it were better for his sake. 2. The Sacrifice of a contrite and broken heart, that is, an heart grieved and crushed for sin past, 
Psal. 51. 17.  comforted in Christ, afraid to offend, careful to please God, touched and grieved at the smallest offence: 
1 Cor. 11. 31.  They that offer this, 
Prov. 28. 14.  scape God's Judgement; fearing always, they are happy; fearing small sins, they escape great ones; being troubled at the least, they rise, and fall not into security: Such as offer this, and would it were softer, grieving and complaining of their hardness of heart, let such know, that there may be hardness as they complain, but not such hardness as they conceive, as who could not feel the same: But there are few broken hearts in any measure, most are not troubled for their sins past, nor afraid to offend, nor careful nor humbled after they have offended, being neither melted by mercies, nor moved by the Word and Afflictions: O the fearful state of an hard heart; all have not alike tender heart, but assuredly he is no Christian that hath it not in some measure. 3. Prayer and Praise for Christ Jesus, 
Psal. 141. 2.  and all benefits by him past, 
Heb. 13. 15.  present and to come, for Soul and Body: O what a favour is it, that we worms on earth may come to the glorious Lord of Heaven and Earth? but where are our morning and evening Sacrifices? What, a Priest without a Sacrifice? 
Psal. 14 2.  They that pray not at all, 
job 27. 9  it's a sign they are profane persons, as they that pray only in misery are hypocrites: Hath God honoured us to make us Priests by Jesus Christ, and do we neglect the Office, not appearing with our Sacrifice? 
Heb. 16. 13.  4. Alms, mercy to all in hunger, thirst, 
Phil. 4. 22.  sickness, prison, especially to the household of Faith: This we ought to do; whensoever God prepares an Altar of the necessity of a poor Saint or Church, 
Mat. 25. 40.  that then we Priests lay on our Sacrifice: God requires it, it's an honour, he counts it as done unto himself; therefore he promises that he will requite it, and that not as we, a penny for a pennyworth, but as Kings that use to reward a house largely, where they have found kindness; 
2 Cor. 9 6.  therefore it's compared to sowing: God and his poor Saints are the best ground can be sown in: O that we had Faith enough in this Point! If we did believe that we should have penny for penny, it would make us forwarder than we be, but he will do more: The world savoreth not this at all, and Believers fall too short in this Sacrifice; but the more we offer it, and the better, the better Christians are we. 
Why called Spiritual Sacrifice.   
To offer up Spiritual Sacrifice] He calls them Spiritual, 1. In comparison of the carnal and bloody Sacrifices of the Law. 2. Because they must be done with the Soul, Heart and Spirit. 3. Because they must be done by the help of God's Spirit.  
Our services then to God must be done in a Spiritual manner, 
Obs.  else they please not God; 
Our services to God must be done in a Spiritual manner.  They that give God their bodies, and keep their hearts to sin, perform a carnal and wicked, no Spiritual service and sacrifice: So we must pray and praise in a Spiritual manner, with our souls and best affections, 
john 4. 24.  not with labour of the tongue or knee: True, he will have the Body, but especially he will have the Spirit, which condemns the cold idle wordy Prayers of men, wherein there is no Spirit: So our alms and liberality must be done, not out of ostentation, for company, no nor for a natural kind of pity, but for love to God, 
Mat. 10. 41.  because he requires it, and to them, because they are the Lords.  
Acceptable to God,] It being a great favour to do any thing that may please God, 
The prevention of an Objection.  they might object, as any weak Christian would; Alas, I would go and offer these Sacrifices, but doth the Lord regard what I do? will he once look to such a one, or such service as mine? Yea, saith the Apostle, we may offer up Spiritual Sacrifice acceptable to God: Gods Servants shall not then need doubt, but being once Believers, their services done Spiritually are accepted of the most High God of Heaven, yea, of the meanest true Believer; for he that vouchsafed to bring thee to Christ, to unite thee to him, to make thee a lively stone, a Spiritual house, an holy Priest to offer Sacrifice, he will also accept of the same: Let this encourage us much to these duties, what a spur is this? True it is, if one knew he should not be accepted; or if he did doubt whether he should or not; this would take off all edge; but when we are sure, that's a great encouragement: For who would not be glad to do any thing, wherewith God would be pleased? Art thou afraid that he doth not accept thy Sacrifice, as who hast prayed oft and long, and art not heard? Judge not according to that; 
Dan. 9 23.  Thy Prayer sent up in truth, was accepted at first, though not granted by and by, as not being then time; The Lord stays till a fitter time.  
Acceptable,] Not that God hath any need of them, but it pleaseth him for our encouragement so to tell us; for if we serve him never so diligently, he is never the better, but ourselves are the better, and our Neighbours by our good example; 
job 22. 2, 3. and 35. 6.  So contrarily if we do never so ill, he is not the worse, 
Psal. 16. 2.  as being most perfectly holy and good at first, and so is and will be.  
To God,] Hear may seem a secret Antithesis between these words, To God; and these, To Men: For indeed  
Spiritual Sacrifices are nothing to Carnal men, 
Obser.  but such only as stand in outward Pomp, 
Spiritual sacrifices are not regarded of carnal men.  Show, and Ceremony; But it's the Spiritual service that pleaseth God: He cares more for a broken heart, and for the Sacrifice of praise Spiritually performed, then for Thousands of Bulls, or all the outside that so much pleaseth the eye: He cares not for the Papists going on Pilgrimage, numbers of Prayers, Fasting days, Pompous service, and curious music, which doth more delight the ear, then tend any way to edification; And because we reject these, they cry out upon us, as having no Religion: And are there not some among us, with whom its a foul matter to neglect any outward Ceremony, who yet do altogether neglect Spiritual services?  
By Jesus Christ] 
Doctr.  Our Sacrifices are acceptable to God, nor for own-worthiness, 
Through Christ our Sacrifices are acceptable to God.  or the worth of the service, but for the sake, and by the means of Christ Jesus: He only makes them acceptable to God, 1. In taking away our sins by his Death. 2. Covering us with his Obedience. 
Reason's  3. Enabling us by his Spirit (who can do no good of ourselves) to perform these services. 4. Covering the wants thereof in his perfect Obedience, and making Intercession for us; and in this worthiness must we offer up ourselves, Prayers, Thanks, and Alms.  
1. This condemneth them that do these Duties, 
Use 1.  and yet are in their sins unpardoned, not having Christ's Righteousness made theirs, and which do them not by the Spirit of God, but by their own might; Their services are abominable.  
2. Those that come in the worthiness of any Saint, 
Use 2.  as the Papists which prey for this or that Saint's sake, do grievously sin: Oh, but say they, he is indeed the Mediator of Redemption, others may with him be Mediators of Intercession: He is belike beholden to them that will leave him somewhat; but there is no other Intercessor, but the Redeemer, 
1 john 2. 2.  he that's the one, is the other also: Oh, but they conclude all their Prayers, per Jesum Christum Dominum nostrum. A good mends, when they have robbed him, by joining others with him, to conclude with his Name; So those that come in their own worthiness, not ask for Christ's: But we ought not to think of God but in Jesus Christ coming between. Note further, that  
Our works, 
Doctr.  even the best can never attain to that perfection to be worthy of themselves, 
Our works, though not without their imperfections, are accepted through Christ.  as being still full of imperfection, but by Jesus Christ to all that perform them in Faith, and to their uttermost they are accepted as perfect.  
1. This serves as to humble us while we live under the daily sense of the imperfections of our services; So, to warn us to shroud them and ourselves under Christ's perfection. 
Use 1.   
2. To comfort them that in Faith strive, 
Use 2.  and yet cannot perform them to their minds; They must not be dismayed, but believe that for Christ's sake they shall be accepted: This is necessary to be known and believed, because many a good soul, when they have prayed or done any service in the best manner they can, are yet discouraged: Why? nothing pleaseth God but that which is perfect, and I know (will such a one say) how imperfect my poor service is, I cannot in any sort pray as I would, I cannot continue a short Prayer without wander, etc. Well, what thou dost, do in truth, and with all thy might; and Christ's perfect obedience shall make it up; Though thy service be short, yet it is large enough to cover all; were't not for this, we might be dismayed at our best duties: But this is not for the wicked and unbelievers, they think they will do as well as they can, and there's an end, Christ shall do the rest: But what right hast thou to Christ? and what canst thou do? as good as nothing.   

Verse 6. Wherefore it is contained in the Scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious, and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.  
THe Apostle having already showed both that Christ is the Foundation on which his Church is builded, and that Believers are built up on him a Spiritual House, etc. he now confirmeth both out of the Scriptures; and needful it was fully to prove them, that so they might be strengthened to embrace Christ the Foundation of their happiness, and against that common offence of the multitude, which did not embrace but reject him.  
Now that he had said, he showeth to be no new thing, but such as was of old spoken of by God to his Prophets, as the Scripture of the Old Testament beareth witness, namely, that of the Prophet Isaiah, Chap. 28. 16. wherein is showed of Christ, that He is a chief corner stone; and of Believers, that they shall not be ashamed, and therefore are accepted of God.  
In that he allegeth the Scripture for his purpose; Note we, that  
That which must confirm and settle us in any Point of Doctrine, 
Doctr.  is the Testimony of the Word of God. 
The testimony of God's Word, is that which must settle us in any Point of Doctrine.  If God speak to his in his Word, we build that its true, accordingly doing or leaving undone; nothing else can satisfy, not the mind of this or that man, or many men, or the practice of such and such, no not of the best; but we must build our Faith on God's Word that cannot deceive us, else shall we ever waver, never be at a certainty: Through men we may be driven hither and thither, but if grounded on the Word of God, nothing can remove us.  
1. This condemneth the Enthusiasts, 
Use 1.  that boast of Revelations, and so neglect the Word; 
Isa. 59 3.  No, God's Spirit and his Word are joined together, and they that have at any time been most endued with the Spirit, have at no time neglected the Scriptures, but given themselves to the searching of the same: God's Spirit speaks no otherwise then according to the Word.  
2. Papists, 
Use 2.  that thrust in Traditions and Humane Inventions, as whereon people must settle.  
3. It teacheth us to search the Scripture, 
Use 3.  labouring by all means that the Word of Christ may dwell in us plentifully, that so we may be grounded: If we hear God speaking in his Word, we must sit down by it, all mouths must be stopped; if not, we must not be carried without it. 
Obser.   
Again, 
The Old Testament of the same Authority with the New.  He allegeth the Old Testament, as Christ and the other Apostles did, for the Old was the same in substance with the New, and of the same Authority.  
Further, 
Observ.  In that he nameth not the place, nor the Prophet, it showeth their skill, 
Of old people were more ready in the Scriptures than they are now.  and rebuketh our ignorance, that have not the book of God clasped against us, as in Popery, but open, if we can take our time; for the place itself, it's alleged with some alteration of the words, though not of the sense: 1. He leaves out a word or two, and takes that which fitteth his purpose. 2. He turneth these words of the Prophet, He that believeth shall not make haste; into these, He that believeth on him shall not be confounded: The Prophet sets down the effect, the Apostle the cause; for unbelievers being ashamed, it makes them run up and down in their misery for some other help, seeing themselves disappointed and deceived.  
The occasion of that promise there, 
See Calvin on the place.  was to comfort the good in respect of the great threatenings against the bad and contemners, namely, that they should not be destroyed and cast off among the rest, and that the wicked might not scorn them, and think all Gods promises made to them fallen to the ground.  
Behold] This being a word to stir up attention, implieth, that  
What the Lord saith, 
Doctr.  he doth; He is true of his word, the Almighty, 
What the Lord saith, he doth.  and who cannot be hindered: He saith not, Such a stone shall be laid, but, Behold, I lay it, whereby he confirms the good, and puts them out of doubt, who by reason of the threatenings were grown weak, fearful, and in doubt.  
Here see our infidelity in Spiritual things, 
Use.  especially if we see any things against us, 
Luke 1. 18.  such was Zacharias; So was not Abraham, he looked not to carnal lets, but rested on God's Word, had enough that God spoke it, so should we: If we have any promise of God's mouth, we should be of good comfort, and believe, and not be dismayed at our sins and unworthiness: 
Mat. 11. 28.  Come unto me, saith our Saviour, all ye that are weary and laden, and I will refresh you, etc. What promise more comfortable? and yet many seeing their sins and danger, cannot be comforted and persuaded: But we must give God the glory to believe him on his word, and know that nothing can make him break promise or change his mind, either any hinder him from performing what he hath promised.  
I lay] It's God that lays the Foundation of his Church's Salvation; 
Doctr.  All the Men and Angels in the world cannot lay one stone in this building, 
God lays the Foundation of his Church's Salvation.  unto this Foundation: Though God use the Ministry of his servants, Men, to this purpose, yet its God that by his Spirit makes them fit, 
Psalm 2. 6.  and couples them hereto; 
john 6. 27.  therefore much less could they lay this corner stone.  
Paul saith, 
Object.  he laid this Foundation.  
By Preaching the same to the people, 
1 Cor. 3. 10.  not otherwise; That Foundation which God had laid before the world, 
Sol.  and appointed to be Preached, that he taught to the people, and that was all he did.  
If God gave Christ generally for his Church, 
Use.  then for every humble soul that seeth his need of Christ, and cometh with an heavy heart to him, and desires him above all the world, assuredly he will give him to such.  
In Zion] That hill in Jerusalem is put for the Church, whereof it was a type, 
See Psal, 2. 6. 8.  and because the Gospel was first preached there (Christ there revealed) and from thence conveyed into all nations far and wide; so that now by God's mercy, we have him no less preached unto us then the Jews had, and have also our part in him as largely. O unspeakable mercy!  
A chief corner stone,] A chief stone, a foundation stone: This is the principal point in this first part of the Verse; but of this on the fourth Verse, where was showed, That he is not a stone as others be in the building, but the foundation on which they are all built, which sustains and holds them together, there being no other foundation but he. This the Papists overturn, and that both in respect of his Kingly, Prophetical and Priestly Office.  
For his Kingly Office, 
The Papists take from Christ his Kingly,  which is to rule over the consciences of his subjects by his Spirit, and to have power to make Laws to bind their consciences, they take it from him; for with them, the Pope may also make Laws of his to bind the conscience, as much as any of Christ's, and doth and may repeal some of his at his pleasure.  
For his Prophetical Office, 
Prophetical,  which is to be the only Teacher of his Church, and to reveal all his Father's mind, in the Books of the Prophets and Apostles; this they take away, by adding (as if the Word were altogether imperfect) unwritten Verities, and men's Traditions, which (say they) are of absolute necessity to be obeyed to Salvation.  
For his Priestly, 
and Priestly Office.  they abolish both parts of it: 1. His Sacrifice All sufficient, and once offered on the Cross for all, by their blasphemous Mass, wherein they offer Christ daily (as they say) as a Propitiatory Sacrifice for the sins of the quick and the dead. 2. His Intercession, wherein they join many Saints with him; What Salvation can there be for such? le's pray for, and keep ourselves far from them.  
Elect,] Christ is chosen of God to the work of our Redemption, and furnished for it; therefore make we choice of him for our portion: woe to them that refuse him.  
He that believeth on him shall not be confounded.] Hereby is meant a true particular justifying Faith: Such as have this, shall not be ashamed, or seek at any time as confounded or deceived of sufficient help and Salvation; therefore he shall never be put to make haste to seek any other.  
The true Believer shall never be confounded, 
Doctr.  but find enough in Christ to satisfy him to the full, 
Believers do always find enough in Christ.  to deliver him from all evil, and make him partaker of all Happiness, Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification and Redemption, 
Rom. 5. 1.  and enough to make his mind peaceable and quiet, and to establish him against all that his own conscience, or any, yea the Devil himself can lay to his charge; but he finds enough to answer all at large; As, Thou art a sinner, and hast deserved Damnation, and God is just. R. I grant all, but I have a surety able enough, 
Rom. 8. 33.  who hath born all; Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect? It's God that justifieth, etc. His heart is fixed, he believeth in the Lord: In his life he hath that wherein he may quiet himself, and never be to seek, but may draw new life and grace from Christ, to enable him to hold on: In his death he shall not be comfortless, but find enough in Christ to carry him to heaven, though through the gates of death; He knoweth whom he hath believed: At the day of Judgement he shall not be ashamed, but lift up his head with great joy, when he shall see Christ coming in great glory and power, to save all them that have embraced him, and to receive them into the glory which he hath prepared for them; then shall he be our Judge who hath been our Surety and Saviour: Contrarily, they that believe not in Christ, are never in quiet; as the Papists, that hope to be saved partly by Christ, and partly by Works, are often (even the wisest of them) distracted, 
The miserable condition of those that do not believe in Christ, and who they are.  and cannot tell when they have done enough to rest in, and so are ever suspicious and doubtful, tossed to and fro as one upon a ship mast: So the wicked among ourselves that believe not in Christ (though some securely flatter themselves) are for the most part doubtful, having ever and anon thoughts that all is not well, and so not knowing what shall become of them; and though they love their lusts so well, that they will not part from them for Christ, yet often do their thoughts accuse them of their Whoredoms, Deceits, wicked Courses, their hearts misgive them; and so indeed their lives be as if one should lie in a bed too straight, and the clothes too short, and so they cannot sleep; whereas he that is assured of his happiness, and his heart witnesses his upright care to obey God's will, his bed and clothes be large enough, he sleeps quietly, and rests on a soft pillow, his good conscience: In the hour of death they are fearful & disquieted, and in death they are confounded, when they see the Devil ready to carry their souls to hell. At the day of Judgement, how will the Jews and Turks that altogether reject Christ, be ashamed and confounded, when they shall find that their imagined Christ, and Mahomet hath deceived them, and led them into a false hope? O what a case will they be in, when they shall see the true Christ whom they have rejected come to judge them? O what wailing will there be? how will they run up and down, and what would they not do, if they knew any way to help themselves? then shall they find it too late to sue to him: 
Rev. 6. 16.  Then will they sue to the hills to fall upon them, and the mountains to cover them; a poor request, which yet shall not be granted them: So all wicked men among us that have not kissed the Son, but broke his bands, and cast his cords from them, that have had him offered to them, but have not embraced him, nor believed in him, choosing rather to continue in their lusts, then to have their part in him, their condition is fearful: O that all would embrace Christ whilst they may, who else shall have sorrow and shame for their portion. 
Obser.   
This phrase also implieth, 
Believers can never fall away wholly nor finally.  That  
Believers can never fall away wholly nor finally, as the Papists teach, for than they might come to be ashamed: They may be shaken for the trial and strengthening of their Faith, but overcomed they cannot be by all the gates of Hell.   

Verse 7. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious; but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, Verse 8. And a stone of stumbling, and rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient, whereunto also they were appointed.  
NOw that which the Apostle had cited out of the Prophet, and was indefinitely spoken of all and every one, he comes to apply particularly to the Jews that he wrote unto, both believers and unbelievers, showing the happy state of the one, and the miserable condition of the other, one and the same Christ being to them divers: To Believers, precious, and fruitful to Salvation and all good; but to the unbelievers and disobedient, a stone to stumble at, etc. though not of his own Nature, yet through their infidelity, so that they should not only have no benefit by him, but destruction, stumbling at the word that foretold of him, and now testified of him. But least any should wonder at this madness in men, the cause is set down, that as God ordained some to life, and so to embrace Christ unto Salvation, so some others to stumble against him to their ruin: Besides this, he also removes a common and great scandal and log out of the weak and common people's way, and that was, that whereas he had spoken so much of Christ, they could not see him to be such a one: and their learned Doctors and Rabbis, Scribes and Pharisees, High Priests and Elders, they could no way think well of him, they judged him a deceiver, and pursued him also, which they would never have done, if he had been the Saviour and corner stone, as you speak, etc. But for this, faith the Apostle, If it were a new thing, that you never had had warning of, it were somewhat; but this is no other than was foretold in David's time, 
Psalm 118. 22.  so long ago, therefore it needs not seem strange to you; yet their struggling was in vain, for in despite of them he was made the head stone of the corner: This had been indeed a great temptation, if they had been to consult only with reason; For what should they have thought, but as they were taught and learned of their gave Teachers, of whom that People had a very great and high opinion; But considering God's decree, and that he had foretold it should be thus, and that God would save his Church by such a way that worldly wise men thought not of, and would effect his purpose not only without the help, but even against the will of the great men of the world, it could not much trouble them.  
And in that the Apostle doth apply that which was indifinitely said of all to particular persons, 
Observ.  we may learn how to use the promises of God laid down in Scripture, 
God's promises are to be particularly applied.  even to endeavour to apply them to ourselves particularly; This is the nature of true Faith: It's but a cold and dead thing to believe those things in general to be true, which Hypocrites, yea Devils do; but this to make them ours, as David, 
Psal. 18. 2.  My Lord, My Castle, My Refuge; and Job, My Redeemer; and Thomas, 
job 19 25.  My Lord and my God; 
john 20. 28.  and Paul, Who loved me, and gave himself for me, 
Gal. 2. 20.  is that we must labour for: This particular Faith is that which is to Salvation, signified by eating and drinking: and Faith is compared to an hand; and in our Creed every one of us is particularly bound from our hearts, to say, I believe.  
How may we come to this particular persuasion? 
Quest.   
A person humbled, 
Answ.  and seeking earnestly, God sends his Spirit to witness to his of the same, 
Rom. 8. 16.  wherewith (that it may appear that it's no presumption nor deceivable persuasion) he gives also the Spirit of Sanctification, namely, an unfeigned hatred of all sin, and true purpose to please God; and whose finds these, may boldy build hereon: And though there will arise, through remnants of unbelief, sometimes doubtings and fears, yet this grace of Faith rooted in the heart, will never quite fail; 
Psal. 22. 1.  as, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? The last words savour of distrust or despair, but yet so, as Faith still held her hold: So is it with every Believer in their temptations; though they speak some words of doubting, yet some do come out by and by, that do argue a measure of true Faith: O lets never leave till we have a particular persuasion, and that upon good ground, that the promises of salvation especially (and other particulars) belong to us; some think they do, and are very bold, that yet can render no reason thereof, but their persuasion is vain: some being put to particulars, can say nothing thereto, and so can never have comfort or joy while they live.  
Unto you which believe he is precious,] He saith not only that Christ is most blessed and good in himself, but that that which is in him is to be communicated to others, or else what were it to us? nay, he showeth also by what means others may be partakers hereof, namely, by Faith; For what were it, though there were never so much in Christ, and that for others too, if we knew not the way to come by it? therefore he tells us, it's made ours by Faith: As, what were it if there were never so much water in a Well, and no bucket to draw it out? or a very good Medicine, and no knowledge how to use it?  
But Christ is precious to those that believe in him; 
Doctr.  They shall be partakers of all that is in Christ whatsoever, 
Christ is precious unto all those that believe.  Pardon, Grace, Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification, Redemption, Life and Glory is in him, or to be had by him, is ours by Faith, and no other way: If there be never so much in Christ, yet to the unbeliever it avails nothing, 
john 1. 12.  he shall not have a dram of benefit by him; Therefore Faith is compared to an hand to lay hold on Christ, to a mouth to feed on Christ, etc. As a man's hand chopped off can take nothing, his mouth closed up can eat nothing, so without Faith, no benefit by Christ; for Faith is the only instrument that God hath ordained to convey all grace from Christ into us.  
1. Here's comfort to all such as can prove themselves believers. 
Use 1.   
2. Labour we for this grace of true Faith, 
Use 2.  which entitles us to Christ, and makes him ours, without which he will be a rock of offence to our condemnation: This Faith is not every idle persuasion of the brain of a carnal professor without ground, and never humbled, or any whit reform, but it must be a work of the Spirit of God, which hath so much depending upon it, which few truly enjoy: And the rather are we to labour for this grace, because as it makes Christ ours, so all things else to work to our good, without which all turn to our destruction. 
Rom. 1. 16.  As the Word by Faith is the power of God to Salvation, and the savour of life unto life; so is it to unbelievers the contrary, even to their Condemnation; as the sunshine to good eyes is comfortable, but to weak and blear eyes offensive and hurtful: Thus are all other holy things; Thus the Sacrament; Thus also our meat and drink, etc. To believers that are not only persuaded by the Word, that they are Gods creatures appointed to nourish us, but that we be such as having lost our interest in Adam, have it restored in Christ; we using them also with prayer, may with good consciences make use of them, whereof those that have not this Faith are usurpers: Yea, that which is a part of the curse in its own nature, yet by Faith is made a blessing; as our sicknesses, crosses and troubles which came in with sin as punishments, 
Rom. 8. 28.  yet to believers, them that love God, all things (even these) work together for the best; but to unbelievers they are the beginning of their sorrows. And  
As Christ in our sense is precious to the Believers, namely, that they make most precious and high account of him, and so of the means that have brought them to him, the Word, and the means that yet still bring them tidings of him, the Word and Sacraments; so also in this, that he is fruitful and blessed to them: Therefore never leave till we be in the number of these believers.  
But unto them which be disobedient, etc.] now to the other sort: The true and direct opposition had been to have said, But to the unbelievers; Why then not so, but to the disobedient? namely, to show who they be that be unbelievers, 
Obs.  by the effect, disobedience: For as Faith is the mother of obedience, 
Such are unbeleivers which are disobedient  so Infidelity the mother of disobedience and rebellion: Unbelief hath the seat in the heart, who then can know it? the Lord who seeth it, sheweth that they which be disobedient to the Word be unbelievers.  
Hereby may every man try himself, 
Use.  whether he be in the state of unbelief or not; Thou art, if thou be'st in the state of disobedience. Thus are they that live in the open breach of God's Law, and are tainted with foul sins; 
See also john 3. 36.  they are in unbelief to this hour, whom (if they should thus die) this Scripture would send headlong to destruction: Thus are they, who though they reform some, yea many things, yet maintain themselves in the love and practice of some one sin, either by doing some forbidden evil, or neglecting some known required duty, which they will not reform, nor desire to do: Let these know (whatsoever they are) that they are in unbelief until this hour, and so stand in the state of wrath and condemnation: O that this might awaken all our carnal Professors that bear themselves in hand that they have Faith, when they have nothing towards it; no, it must cost you more than ever yet it did, ere you enjoy it, and must be showed forth by better fruits.  
Now before he comes to show directly what Christ is to the unbelievers, he doth by the way remove a stumbling block.  
The stone which the builders disallowed, is made the head of the corner.] This Text alleged out of the Psalms, 
Psal. 118. 22.  is meant 1. Of David, who by Saul's Courtiers was rejected, whom they would not have had King, yet God had so appointed, and would have it so. 2. Of our Saviour Christ, whom the great learned men of his time did reject, and would not embrace as the Saviour of the world: Where Christ's Kingdom is compared to an house, and Christ to the foundation thereof, or corner stone, and the learned men of Christ's time to builders, who should have built the Church of God (by their place) but they rejected the best part and foundation of this building: Therefore were like to make a bad building.  
These indeed were Christ's chief Enemies, and could not away with him, persecuted him, preferred Barrabas before him, crucified him, forbade his Disciples to preach in his name, yea imprisoned and scourged them for so doing.  
How came this to pass? They had a strong conceit that the Messiah should be an earthly Potentate, 
Acts 6. 14.  and that he should continue Moses his Law and Ordinances: When therefore they saw the contrary, they would none of him; but for all they were so expert in the Law, yet they fulfilled it to their own destruction, in rejecting him that was the fulfilling of the Law and the Prophets. See what a strong conceit and prejudicated opinion will do.  
Now their rejecting of him was, 
Why the jews did reject Christ.  1. To show that God had purposed the Salvation of his Church and building of his kingdom by a way that the wise men of the world never dreamt of. 2. That their malice might appear to their punishment, and God's power in resisting them. 3. To show, that great men are not always the greatest maintainers of the Truth, but miss the cushion oftentimes; they be not always friends and furtherers of the Truth, but often great lets and arch enemies thereunto: Thus it hath been for the manifestation of God's power, who can do his will not only without the help, but against the might of great persons. 
jer. 20. 1.  Thus was it in ahab's time; Thus in Jeremiahs; Thus in our Saviors: They that should have been the first and chiefest entertainers of him, preaching to the people, 
john 7. & 9  hated him, excommunicated him, and persecuted the people for believing in him; so hath it been of long time, and is at this day with the chief of Rome: Oh, they boast themselves to be the only Church, and all that vary from them to be Heretics, and that they have all the marks of a true Church, Unity, Universality, Antiquity, with a perpetual succession of Bishops from Peter; when yet they are the Enemies of the true Church of God, and have still so been; a pack of erroneous and pestilent Doctrines they hold, contrary to Christ's Truth, whose Church they persecute with fire and sword: The Church never found greater Enemies, nor any so great, as they that profess themselves to be the Church of Christ. For their succession which they boast of from the Apostles, it's very idle, and makes no more for them, then that Ahab was right owner of Naboths Vineyard, because he came into the possession of it; or that a Thief having killed the master of the house, 
Succession is of Doctrine or Person.  sits down at Table in his chair, and eats of his meat. Succession is of Doctrine or Person: Succession of Doctrine is good; Therefore that company that continues in the Doctrine of the Apostles, and Fundamental Points thereof (though some errors should be mingled) and hath the Sacraments pure for the substance, that company is a church of God, though there be defects in manners, for so Christ said of them that sat in Moses chair; for though both Doctrine and manners be necessary in a good Pastor, yet if he hold the Fundamental Points of Doctrine (though he err in life and manners) we reject him not from being a Pastor. But as for succession of Person and Place, it's nothing: For Place; Where hath God ever in the New Testament, tied himself or his Church to any particular place? or doth he not call it Universal, as being in the parts of it spread into all places? 
Acts 20. 29.  For Person; as though Thiefs may not succeed good men, and Wolves faithful Pastors: Therefore, though they could prove that there hath been ever since Peter a continual succession of Bishops in Rome, yet this would do them small pleasure; but this their Personal succession they cannot prove, they agree not among themselves who was first after Peter. Again, it was broken off sundry times, when some of their Popes were condemned for Heresy, when there were many Antipopes, and in the days of Pope Joan; unless they will say that these were true successors of the Apostles: But say they could prove this, yet what would it avail them, seeing they are altogether degenerate from the purity of the Apostles doctrine, and are become enemies and persecutors of the same? They have overthrown the foundation, and almost all the Fundamental Points of Religion, and left nothing sound, brought in errors, and laden the Church with an infinite rabble of idle and most frivolous Ceremonies; by their Doctrine overturning almost every Article of the Faith, and thereby violating every Commandment of the Law: and for the Sacraments, they have altogether abolished one, and turned it into a Sacrifice and blasphemous Idol; and the other they have so besmeared with their filthy inventions, that it's nothing like itself. Not at all to speak of their filthy manners, that besides all other sins, are wholly sold to blood and murder, as being not from above, but from the Devil, Who is a murderer from the beginning; we therefore conclude, that they are none of the Church of God, but a Synagogue of Satan: They be the rightful successors of the Apostles, that being rightly called, do build upon their foundation, teaching the purity of Doctrine, and administering the Sacraments for substance sincerely, whether they have had long succession, or have but lately come to their places. Thus we see, that they which boast themselves to be the Converters of the world, the only Church, are the deadliest enemies thereto; they which would challenge to themselves to be the great Fathers and Builders of the Church, have not only not built themselves, but (as the Scribes and Pharisees, 
Mat. 23. 13.  that kept back the key of knowledge) have been the greatest lets to the building; whose case is the more fearful, seeing they both may and aught, and profess to do great matters, yet are so far from doing, that they altogether hinder.  
1. This serves to teach us, 
Use 1.  not to stand upon great men's opinion, or hang upon their mouth, approving and disallowing upon their testimony or example: We must herein look only to the Word of God; yet the common saying is, Do you think that such great or learned men would say or do so and so, if it were not good and right?  
2. To magnify the power and wisdom of God, 
Use 2.  that hath used to build his Kingdom, and uphold it, not only without the help, but against the wills of great men, that rather fret then rejoice thereat.  
Bvilder's] They would be so called, so reputed; But what did they build? Errors, their own Traditions, and humane Ceremonies, for which they were very zealous, being enemies to the true Building and Builders: They are so called, not because they were so, but because they should have been so, their place and office did so require: These should have taught the Law, and offered Sacrifice in memorial of Christ till his coming; and being revealed, they should have preached him the Foundation, and built up the Church on him: But they did quite contrary. Hence note,  
1. That none will take so great names to themselves, 
Obser.  as those carnal minded men who do least good of all, 
Such as do least good, challenge to themselves the goodliest titles  nay rather do hurt: Yet will these ever challenge most to themselves; as the Popish Priests, I warrant you, ascribe more to themselves, than the most faithful Pastors; and so do a number of lazy Ministers at this day.  
2. That such have been ever greatest enemies to faithful Builders, 
Obser.  which have challenged to themselves the name of Builders, 
Such as would be reputed Builders, are usually greatest enemies to true Builders.  being indeed nothing less: The Church's enemies are often in her bosom; and godly Ministers (as Micaiah, Jeremiah, the Apostles) have lightly no greater enemies, than those of their own coat and calling; so the Popish rabble hate all good Protestant, but especially godly and painful Preachers: 
Ezra. 4. 2.  The Jews had no greater enemies than they that seemed desirous to help them in building.  
3. That its the duty of God's Ministers to be Builders of God's Church; 
Observ.  so they are styled, 
Ministers must be Builders.  they are also called Laborers and Workers.  
We must build by all means, 
1 Cor. 3. 10.  with both hands, Doctrine and Conversation: 
2 Cor. 13. 1.  All must be done to Edification, and not to Destruction in the Church; all must be done for, nothing against the truth: We must build by preaching Christ the Foundation, and build thereon not Wood, Hay, Stubble (false Doctrine) but Gold, Silver, Precious Stones, answerable to the nobleness of the Foundation. We must daily edify by Preaching, 
Mal. 2. 6, 7.  dividing the word aright, which was signified by that Urim and Th●mmim written on Aaron's breast, 
2 Tim. 2. 15.  light of Doctrine, 
Exod. 28. 30.  and integrity of Life; 
1 Tim. 1. 19  we must keep the Faith, even soundness of Doctrine in a good Conscience.  
1. This rebukes those that build with neither hand, 
Use 1.  but rather destroy, 
Prov. 14. 1.  like the foolish woman in the Proverbs: Thus the Papists, who be woeful Builders: They overturn sound Doctrine, and build trash of their own devising; as if one would come to an house to build, and would put up the groundsels, and rear up a house of leaves, sticks and boughs, so do they Toys and Ceremonies: So also those that would build with one hand, live honestly, but Preach not: These be willing guides, but know not a step of the way: A man cannot be an honest man in that calling, that is not an honest Preacher; His goodness must appear in his particular calling: 
See Dr. Dounham of the dignity and duty of Ministers, pag. 97.  A Minister ought not only to be a Sheep in the Fold, but a Pastor of the Flock; not only a stone in the Building, but a Builder: So those that build by Preaching, but pull down by Life, O pitiful people! and O dreadful answer that such have to make, 
jer. 48. 10.  which have undertaken to Build, and yet pull down; The curse will light on such: No Minister can do this as he ought, Who is sufficient for these things? O le's labour to Build worthily.  
2. There's comfort to them that unfeignedly strive to build both ways; 
Use 2.  As it's a special work they do to help up the Lords Spiritual Temple, so their reward shall be great in the Kingdom of Heaven: O happy is he that layeth but one stone into the building, and holds in the rest! Oh, it's the greatest honour in the world; other men deal about men's bodies or goods, we about their souls; others build houses for men (what though for Kings?) we a Spiritual house for God himself; who would not be encouraged hereby, against whatsoever discouragements this world (their's especially which should most encourage us) gives us?  
3. We must pray to God to furnish and send out many wise and able Builders into his Church, 
Use 3.  that may be workmen that need not be ashamed, that may lay the Foundation well, and build answerably thereupon; 
See Mat. 9 38.  The Lord send such into his Church.  
But, 
Observ.  though Ministers be chiefly Builders of the Church, yet we are to know, 
Every man must be a Builder.  that every man also must be a Builder, and help the work forward, both of himself, by working the things that are publicly delivered on himself in private, 
jude, verse 20.  and by other private means; as also one of another, 
Heb. 3. 13.  by Admonition, 
1 Thess. 4. 18.  Exhortation, Consolation, example of Life, 
jude, verse 23.  and Prayer: For we are not born for ourselves only, but to help to save as many as possibly we can: Every man must put his hand about this work: Being converted, we are to help forward the conversion of others: As formerly we drew others to vanity, so must we now draw them to grace.  
But alas, great is the Impiety, and carelessness of the times this way.  
Impiety; 
The Impiety of these times.  How few seek to build up, but rather to destroy by their vile example, yea, by reproaches, discouragements, and logs laid in the way of any that would come forward, and desire to do better than they have done? O how few helpers do Gods poor servants find? There's none so simple, but hath somewhat whereby to discourage and hinder them; yea oftentimes even Husbands and Wives prove lets and discouragements to each other: O these wicked scatterers from Christ, That will neither enter into the Kingdom of Heaven themselves (nor serve God) nor suffer them that would: If they that win men to God shall shine in Heaven, what shall become of the enemies of Christ's Kingdom, which do daily turn men from God? he will be fearfully revenged on them; These be like Devils, that turned our first Parents out of the way. Herein I may yet go more particularly; thus, 1. By example they destroy altogether. 2. For admonition for any thing amiss, they are rather content thereat, and if men did otherwise, these would not like it so well: If any of God's servants do amiss, their admonition is, to blaze it abroad in hatred of their persons and profession. 3. For consolation, if any be afflicted, they can say little to it, but I pray be of good comfort, nay haply utter much idle talk: If any be humbled for sin, either they give it out that they are mad, and that through running to Sermons; or at the furthest, bid them be merry, put away melancholy thoughts, ride abroad to their Friends, Drink, Play, etc. Miserable comforters in-indeed. 4. For Exhortation to them that be going on well, they do quite contrary; though they loved them never so well before, now they hate, revile, and discourage them all they can.  
Yea the carelessness even of those that profess Religion, 
The carelessness of these times.  is to be lamented: It's a very lamentable thing to see how every one casts off the care of others, as though it concerned them not who admonisheth, comforteth, exhorteth, etc. And for example, is it not grievous that some that make great profession of Religion, yet walk so loosely, or have so foul things fall from them, as that in stead of edifying, the godly are wounded, the weak daunted, the wicked hardened in their courses against goodness, nay occasioned to speak ill of the Gospel and Profession, and professors thereof? Such have lived to an ill pass, it had been better they had been taken away at the best, if ever there were any soundness in them: These had need not only to repent between God and their own Souls heartily, but labour ro recover by all wise, godly and most holy carriage of themselves, that which they have lost, 
Mat. 18. 6.  Else it were better a millstone were hanged about their necks, and they thrown into the bottom of the sea: O what evil examples are some professors for promise breaking, ill payment of their debts and work-folks; as others for extreme covetousness, hastiness, and the like? Christians are as a City set on an hill, and have many eyes set on them (the Canaanite also and the Perizzite dwelling in the Land) and therefore must take heed and be watchful over themselves: 
Gen. 13. 7.  Oh, God hath done great things for them, therefore they ought to shine as lights in the places where they live, to gain men to God; If they will not, we have openly discharged the Gospel and ourselves of their sin, and testify that they never learned so in the Word of God: The Gospel is good, let them be what they will, and we neither defend nor like them.  
Is made the head of the corner] namely, The Foundation of his Church, or the Head, that is, the principal part of the same, notwithstanding Satan's rage, and his instruments rejecting of him; these great Rabbis and Doctors would none of him, yet he was the Foundation of his Church for all that, he had still the place that God appointed him to, though these great men rejected him, and cast him off. So  
God will do with his Church and Ministers, 
Obs.  and build up his Kingdom as he hath appointed, 
The enemies of the Church shall not be able to hinder the Lords building thereof.  do his Enemies what they will or can, fret, rage, gnash their teeth, and gnaw their tongues: There is no wisdom, counsel nor strength against the Almighty; The Lord will do it, and who can let it? he hath decred a thing, and who shall alter it? Men may account of God's faithful Ministers as they please, 
Isa. 8. 9, 10.  and cast them out as rubbish, but God will set them in their own place, and accordingly account of them. As if a man had a house to build, and a great many fair well hewn stones to build it with, and the Workman of spite would cast away these good stones, and build the house with rubbish, will the master of the house put it up? No, seeing he hath been at the cost to get and fit those stones, he will have them laid in their own place in his building, as is meet; so will the Lord in building his Church. How often do great men and others fret, and seek to overturn goodness, but God will do his will in despite of them: Thus he did in the Apostles time, though the Scribes, Pharisees and Priests gathered themselves oft together, and plotted to stop the course of the Gospel; but they might as well have gone about to stop the wind, or hide the Sun, seeing God had set them on work: So in Luther's time, all raged against him, yet God kept him, and by him gave the Pope such a deadly wound, as he can never recover; though Turk and Pope and all fret, yet Christ is and will be the corner stone. So the Papists fret at us, and have sought by many Treasons, and blowing us up, to overturn our peace and being; yet by God's goodness we continue a Church, and if our own sins undermine us not, shall do still in despite of our adversaries. So in a Town, God will have his Word come and continue, and prevail to gather out his, and do that which he hath purposed, though hand join in hand to thrust them out; He hath the key of David, and openeth, and no man shutteth, and till his work be done, no might of men or Devils can shut the door.  
And a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence,] Namely, unto the disobedient, as it's in the former Verse. Now is showed what Christ proves to the disobedient & unbelievers, A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even a let and hindrance that they should not be saved; and lest they should except against it, and say, They stumble not against Christ (as many unbelievers will) yet saith he, Ye stumble at the Word and Gospel that preacheth and offereth him: Not we, say unbelievers, we stumble not at the Word, God forbid we should; yes, saith the Apostle, that you do, both against Christ and his Word, while you be disobedient to them both; whereat that none might wonder, he shows that this came to pass through the wise and just council and providence of God, who had before ordained that ●t should so be: Even that as some should embrace and obey them to Salvation; so on the contrary, some should not, to the glory of his Justice.  
In that the Apostle divides the people thus into Believers and Unbelievers, and shows the note of unbelief, Disobedience; we may see, That  
The duty of Ministers is to divide the Word aright, 
Doctr.  and give every man his Portion, 
Ministers must divide the Word aright, and give every man his portion.  not speaking confusedly to all alike; The Word is a fan, that will make two heaps where it found but one, laying the chaff and corn each by itself: It sets down certain notes and marks to know one from another; the Regenerate or Believers, from the unregenerate, and unbelievers: these must be observed by the Minister, that every man may see his face as in a glass, and know himself in what state he stands, that none may be deceived, but such as willingly deceive themselves; that they that be Believers may know it, and walk cheerfully, and give glory to God by a life answerable; and they that be contrary may know it, to humble them, or leave them without excuse: Thus did John the Baptist, our Saviour, and his Apostles: And this thus set down in the Word, and Preached by God's faithful Ministers, is a certain foregoer of their righteous Sentence, which Christ himself shall give at the last day to the good and bad. Those that now the Ministers of God according to the Word pronounce to be Believers and penitent persons, they shall then be found such, and have the reward of Believers on the right hand: Those on the contrary, that they shall thus mark out for unbelievers, shall then be found such, and have their reward accordingly; for that which is loosed or bound on Earth, is loosed or bound in Heaven.  
1. This condemneth numbers which Preach as if all were alike, 
Use 1.  and seldom show out any (except they be the best) neither set down marks that every one may know themselves.  
2. For people, 
Use 2.  they must be willing hereto: Oh, naturally men cannot away with it, they love general Doctrine! A sieve thus to sift the one from the other they cannot abide.  
3. Here's comfort to all such, 
Use 3.  to whose hearts God's Ministers shall declare by good and infallible tokens that they be Regenerate persons, and Believers in Christ; They must not make a small account hereof, but rejoice and lift up their heads in true thankfulness and obedience: They shall find that verified, which is now told them, it shall never deceive them: We speak it to you, not of ourselves, but from the Word, which deceiveth none.  
4. This may terrify those that by just marks are left in the number of unbelievers; 
Use 4.  let them not depart as if this did not concern them, or touch them at all, but fall down and bewail themselves, for they are yet shut out of Heaven, & if they continue their courses, shall find God's Ministers words true; where they set them, there they shall stand.  
And a stone of stumbling, etc.] Our life and Christian course is usually compared to a way, and the stops and lets that hinder us from entering into a good life, or turn us out of it, or make us slack in it, are called stumbling stones, by reason of which men are hindered from entering in, or turn out of the way, are made go back again, or go slowly on; Now Christ and his Word are here said to be so to Unbelievers.  
Q. How can this be, that these should be le's to men?  
A. It's not in the nature of themselves; 
How it comes to pass that Christ and his Word become stumbling blocks to unbelievers.  for Christ is the way by which we come to the Father, the light of the world to guide us to him, and the door whom we enter; and the Word of God is that blessed direction and light to guide men to the Kingdom of Heaven, and showeth us every thing that belongeth to our happiness, which is therefore called the Word of Life, and Kingdom of Heaven; but through the default of the parties themselves, even the unbelievers and disobedient, some of ignorance stumble, that know not these things, nor desire to know them, do content themselves that they be not book learned, and are poor, and think they have a good heart, and mean well; or if they know some things generally, as that they must love God above all, and their neighbours as themselves, they persuade themselves they so do, and as they say, so will, and that further they need not trouble themselves; others stumble out of notable pride of heart; others of profaneness, as not a few of malice, as the Scribes, Pharisees and Priests, who though they were convinced in their own Consciences of the wrongs they did Christ, yet would not go back from that they had said or done. Note then, that  
There is nothing so holy and good, 
Obser.  but that our wicked nature will thereby take occasion to stumble, 
There's no thing so goo● whereat our corrupt not: will not take occasion to stumble.  and take hurt; Christ Jesus and his Gospel, nothing more excellent, yet many stumble at them both.  
For Christ, The world hath ever stumbled at him, which was also foretold of the Jews, though some received him, yet the great ones (especially) rejected him; they stumbled at his (seeming) baseness and poverty, 
Obser.  misinterpreting the Scriptures which foretold of his Kingdom, as if an Earthly had been meant therein, 
The world hath ever stumbled at Christ.  whereas the contrary was foretold; & howsoever he was Man, and mean in their eyes, and so unable to save the world, yet he was God also, and Lord and King of all, and even in his greatest abasement, 
Isa. 8. 14.  his Godhead uttered itself notably; when he lay in the Cratch, 
john 1. 11.  the wise men from the East led by a Star came and worshipped him; 
1 Cor. 1. 23.  The Angels also appeared to the shepherds, 
Isa. 53. 2, 3.  & with songs set forth his Nativity; He was hungry, yet fed five thousand with five loaves and two fishes; Slept, but when he awaked stilled the winds and waters; Paid tribute, but out of the fishes mouth; Wept for Lazarus, yet raised him from death, when he had lain three days in the grave; Betrayed of Judas, but at the same time healed Malchus his ear, and at his word caused them that came to take him to fall down backward; At his death the Sun was eclipsed, the Earth shook, the Graves opened, the vail of the Temple was rend; He was buried, but rose again the third day, yet for all this they would none of him, though he himself had told them, 
john 15. 24.  that if he did not works that none else could do, 
Rom. 9 32, 33.  they should not believe on him: They trusted for Salvation by keeping Moses his Law, and so stumbled at him: And as then, so now also both they, the Turks and Pagans stumble at him, they will not believe in a crucified God.  
So the Papists, 
The Papists stumble at him  For though they give him a Name, and in word acknowledge him, yet indeed hoping to be saved, partly by their own Merits and Satisfactions, and partly by Him, they overturn the Gospel, make void the grace of God, and deny Christ altogether; for he is either a whole Saviour, 
Gal. 5. 2.  or none at all: If ye be circumcised (saith the Apostle) Christ profiteth you nothing.  
And are there not many also among ourselves that stumble at Christ?  
1. All ignorant persons, 
So Ignorant persons.  that take no knowledge of the misery or danger they are in, but if they see any thing amiss, yet they trust by crying God mercy, to do well, and so know no need of Christ, nor seek after him.  
2. Civil persons, 
Civil persons.  that like the Pharisee trust to their just and true dealing, and honest living above a great many others; These cannot think that they are so wretched, as the word saith we all are, namely, children of wrath, servants of sin and Satan, and that there is no good thing in us, and we unable to think even a good thought: This they cannot away with, nor do believe; but like the young man think they have kept the Law (though in the mean time, they understand not the Spiritual meaning thereof) who therefore hearing the judgements of God denounced, put them off from themselves to Whoremongers, Drunkards, Blasphemers, etc. and so when Christ is Preached with his benefits (which glad the hearts of some, more than all the world) they take no comfort therein. These stumble at Christ, for he came to save the wretched, miserable, poor, blind, naked, lost, laden mourners, wounded ones, and the like; and as long as a man hath any thing of his own, Christ will not meddle with him.  
3. Profane persons, 
Profane persons.  who hearing that all that will have part in Christ must be truly humbled, & must be throughly changed, renouncing all sin, and embracing the contrary good, think this very harsh: Some like the Gaderens will not leave their excessive covetousness, and gainful sins, as that which they get in their shops, by lying, cozening and deceiving, who cannot find any time for the Word, their Farms and Oxen carrying them away; others like Esau for their unlawful pleasures and filthy lusts reject Christ: How often is Christ offered to them, who yet will not renounce their sins, and turn to God with all their hearts? Is not this fearful? But were it not an happy change, to lay down and abandon their sins which will bane them, and take up Christ, who would save them? Is it not monstrous that sin should be preferred before Christ? Is not this to spare Barrabas and crucify Christ? 
Such as will not part with some beloved sin.   
4. Such as go yet further, and have been professors and hearers of the word long, and done some commendable things, who yet have some one lust or sin, that they will not part with: Thus some stand cheapening many years together; They would fain do well and be saved, but have something that they cannot find in their hearts to do away, and so at last come to nothing, perish as unbelievers; for whosoever shall have part in Christ, must be like the wise Merchant, who will part with all that he hath, to get the Pearl: He will part with any, with all his sins whatsoever, that he may have pardon in Christ: He will take up his yoke not in what he list, shaking off some part at his pleasure, but in every part thereof: O poor fools, that will lose Heaven for some one lust! Are not such worthy to perish?  
1. This is an exceeding comfort to those that are holpen against all lets that hinder most, 
Use 1.  and do not stumble at Christ, but acknowledge themselves utterly lost without Christ, that earnestly long after him, prise him above the world, and are content to part with any thing for him: O you are blessed! Why should so many stumble at Christ, and not you? O its Gods unspeakable mercy! Flesh and Blood hath not so taught you; well may you rejoice for him, the joy and rejoicing of your souls: He will be a sure Foundation of happiness to you, that will never fail you in this Life, in Death, or at the day of Judgement.  
2. Terror to all that stumble at Christ, 
Use 2.  upon what occasion soever, that will not see their need of him, nor part with any thing for him; To these he will turn to their destruction: For they hurt not him thereby, but themselves; as one stumbling at a great stone, hurts not it, but himself; or one running a Ship against a great Rock, hurts not it, but splits the Ship in pieces: so will it be to all that embrace not Christ, for missing him, Who shall save them? There is no other to be saved by, but they must bear their own burden, and shall undoubtedy perish: They shall not escape destruction; and no marvel, For if they that despised Moses Law, escaped not unpunished, What shall become of them that despise Jesus Christ himself? O how happy might we be that have the Lord Jesus, the blessed Saviour of the world Preached to us so graciously, when as few have that favour, but most sit in darkness and blindeness!  
3. Whatsoever hath made any of us stumble at Christ, 
Use 3.  endeavour we to remove the same, that so we may embrace him with both arms as our Saviour, and stoop to him as our Lord and King, who will be to us a sure Foundation of Salvation that will not fail us: If any will yet go on obstinately and carelessly, he shall surely bring destruction upon himself eternally: And is it not a grievous thing that Christ should be a cause of men's Damnation? and yet he is to all that receive him not, as they that come unworthily to the Sacrament, eat and drink Damnation to themselves: We say its pity fair weather should ever do hurt; but is it not wonderful pity that ever Christ should do hurt? 
Observ.   
Even to such as stumble at the Word, 
Such as stumble at the Word, stumble at Christ. ] Some will say, they stumble not at Christ; If they stumble at the Word, that brings news of Christ, and will not embrace it, or be obedient thereto, it's all one. And For the Word,] Most men take occasion to be offended at it, that either they will not profess it at all, or at lest no more than they must needs; but to love it, delight in it, attend on it with diligence, and be obedient to it in all things, O this few do! Why, doth the Word give any just occasion to men to stumble? O no! It's the the Word of Life, and Gospel of the Kingdom, able to make us wise unto Salvation to save our Souls; It's our Light to guide, Food to nourish, Armour to defend us, Pearl to enrich us, all in all: Yet will men through their own default and forwardness, take one occasion or other not to embrace it, being herein stark fools; for if they take any occasion to quarrel with this, or to shake it off, or be strange to it, they must needs perish, yet there are too too many such.  
The occasions that men take, are either from the Word itself, or from the Preaching of it, or the Preachers and Professors thereof, or from themselves.  
Against the Word itself, 
Offences taken against the Word removed See downham's Christ. war. pag. 329.  Be these, 1. Some say, if they knew indeed it were God's Word they would (as good reason they should) believe, and be ruled by it, but that they cannot tell. But he that hath not a profane heart, and willing to doubt, but is any thing humble and teachable, may see enough, even by the Scripture itself to satisfy him fully, and such arguments as hell itself is not able to gainsay. 2. Some find fault with the Translation of the Scriptures, for whose satisfaction Dr. Fulk and others have written largely. 3. Some curious Heads and nimble Wits, no less profane than proud, stumble at the plainness of the Scriptures, the homely and low stile of the same: But this is one great argument to prove it to be of God, because there is such fullness of Majesty in simplicity of words, which is not to be found in any other writing: It savours of a man, and of weakness, whatsoever else is written; or if any thing work admiration, it is that which is strained out into some lofty and eloquent Style.  
Unto the Prophet God's Testimonies were wonderful, 
Psal. 119. 129, 130.  a giving light and understanding (even) to the simple; yet in some parts of Scripture is not only admirable Eloquence, able to set down the proudest and ripest Wit (so also we could have spoke it all) but some be dark and obscure, as may take up the deepest and greatest Learned; which the Lord hath done, that there might be taken away offence from the wise, as the rest is plain, to take away offence from the simple. 4 Some stumble at some points of Doctrine which they cannot conceive of, as of the Trinity, the world's making of nothing, the Resurrection, that Christ being Man should save us, that being dead he should rise again, etc. This comes of Pride, when men will reject that which they cannot conceive: But we must be fools in ourselves, that is, captivate wit, reason, and all to God, adoring that we cannot understand, and knowing that God's mysteries are no more fit to be comprehended in our shallow reason, than a man can span the whole Earth with his hand; for Christ as he was Man and mortal, so also is God immortal: He that was God died, but not in his Godhead (that had been impossible) but in his Humanity; and by his Godhead raised up himself being dead, and in both natures saved us. 5. Again, some points be too harsh for some, as that of Predestination, that God should appoint most men to damnation, and that then it's in vain to strive, or do any thing, for that we cannot alter; But of this we shall have occasion to speak in the end of the Verse: We allow a man to kill a Worm or Fly at his pleasure; Why, may not the Lord do so by man, who is much less to him, than a Worm to a man? God ordained to pass by some men, but condemns none but for his willing sin. 6. Again, that we are the children of wrath, wholly sold under sin, slaves of Satan, having no good thing, but altogether filled with all evil, have no right to a bit of bread, that the child in the cradle is the enemy of God, and hath deserved Hell; this man's proud nature cannot brook, but it's too true, the whose Scripture tells it, and we shall find it: And we are worthy to be in this case, that were so happy in our Creation, and could not hold it; and now we may willingly acknowledge we be thus vile, which will be the better for us, seeing all that is wanting in us, is to be had in Christ: We must swallow this pill, that we may have such a piece of Sugar follow it. 7. Again, that we must renounce all our sins, and be crucified to the World, and take so straight a course; this carnal people count bondage, which is indeed true liberty, and that which they are in (as sweet as it is) is most slavish bondage to Satan: They think they may not so much as laugh, and that this course ties them so short that they may do nothing; but it ties us from nothing but evil, and gives us liberty enough in that use of God's benefits, so it be without sin. 8. Again, that they that will be Religious and Christ's Disciples, must suffer persecution; this they cannot away with, even because they are wholly carnal, and savour of the flesh, and are so given to their ease, profit, pleasures, and honours of the world: If they knew what the end of suffering for well doing were, they would not be so addicted to the world; 
Mat. 5. 11.  for our Saviour himself affirmeth, that such shall have a great reward in Heaven; 
Heb. 11. 26.  hereat Moses aimed, when he entered into this course: This must we undergo; by troubles we must go to Heaven, for they humble us, make us pray more, exercise our Faith and Patience, weary us hence, and make us shine brighter, drive us to God, and that end will be happy. 9 Some again take occasion from the Scriptures to be licentious, as from the falls of God's servants, and that promise in Ezekiel, 
Ezek. 18. 27.  When the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness, etc. and the example of the Thief upon the Cross; thereupon delaying their repentance, and living in sin boldly, through ignorance partly and profaneness, especially they abuse the Scriptures (not a letter therein countenancing sin) and wresting them to their own condemnation: These Examples and Reasons (among others) are only set down to comfort and uphold them that being oppressed with their sins, are ready to sink under the burden thereof: If thou be'st not in this case, woe unto thee if thou thus meddlest with the Scriptures.  
Here I will add also some of the scandals of the Papists against the Word; 
Scandals of the Papists against it.  for though they will lay it upon our interpreting and preaching the same, yet seeing we know we preach it according to the true meaning thereof, therefore they indeed blame the Scripture itself.  
They cry out of our Doctrine, that its a Doctrine of Liberty; and that under the colour of Christian Liberty, we establish carnal Liberty, and let every man do what he list: This is as if the most infamous Strumpet should charge a modest grave Matron with unchastity; for to be sure theirs is a Doctrine of all ease and liberty to the flesh, yea those very things wherein they seem most harsh, feed the flesh, and give liberty to sin; It enjoins outward duties, which an Hypocrite may perform as well as the best; It appoints bodily punishments and penances as satisfaction for sin, and that by such and such works (which an Hypocrite may do) they merit Heaven; and for their Service, what can be said of it, but that it pleaseth well the eye and the ear? yet we cannot be rid of their fooleries.  
But why and wherein is our Doctrine to be charged? 
Why and wherein they charge our Doctrine.  1. Because we teach free Justification by Faith only, without works of our own: But is this a foolish slander, we establish works as well as they, & teach the necessity of them, as inseparable companions, and necessary fruits of Faith, and that there is no Salvation without them; only their blasphemous assertion, That we are justified by them, we dare not affirm, do not believe. 2. That we take away Auricular Confession (that notable mean to kill sin, and to keep the people in awe) and Fasting days, and give liberty to all sorts to marry. To answer them severally:  
For Auricular Confession, 
About Auricular Confession.  We know no such thing out of Scripture, it's but a carnal device, and it's so far from killing sin, that it gives life to it; for having once discharged themselves of all their sins into the Priest's care, and he enjoined them what penance he lists, thereupon having received Absolution for them, they are ready to sin afresh, and so do: As a drunken man goes out and vomits, not that he may be sober, but that he may go to drinking again, even so do they in their confessing.  
For fasting days, 
Fasting days.  and difference of meat for Conscience sake, We know no such thing in the New Testament; The Apostle calls them a Doctrine of Devils: They fast indeed from the Butcher's Shambles, not the Apothecary's Shop.  
For Marriage, 
Marriage.  It's the Ordinance of God that he hath appointed for all, that they may keep themselves undefiled members of Christ's body; and since God hath appointed to give the gift of continency but to few, therefore he hath appointed the remedy to be enjoyed of all: And for the Papists, which do herein fight against God, and against Nature, yet they do most filthily defile all their places with most abominable Whoredoms: Therefore they are wicked slanderers. Our Religion is too strict for such Libertines as they be; All theirs is merely in show and bodily exercises (which the veriest Hypocrite may do) not in mortifying the lusts of the heart; They meddle not so far. True it is, we have too many licentious persons of our Religion, but so doth not our Religion teach them, which theirs doth: And that Original sin is done away in Baptism, that some sins be Venial, that man hath some good in himself, and that he can take away by penance the temporal punishment of sins, and can merit, etc. It's impossible therefore for their Religion to humble a man aright, and make him fit to receive Christ.  
At preaching the Word, 
Offence at preaching the Word.  There be, that either cast it off, or at least hear negligently, and for fashion, without any serious care to be guided thereby.  
1. Some say, they did well enough before there was such preaching, and if there be such need of it, what is become of our Forefathers, they were honest people, and had no such stir about hearing of Sermons? I Answer, They were in woeful danger, lying in ignorance and unbelief, which because they saw not, they thought not thereof; but some whose eyes God hath opened, bless him who hath brought them out of that state, and wonder that ever they could be so careless in such deadly danger; and plainly see, that if they had so died, they had gone to Hell, who yet then thought their case as good as you, wherein they would not now be for all the world. As if one in a dark night, or asleep on his horse, should come over a narrow Bridge, standing on a deep River, or a steep dangerous place, than he fears nothing, for he sees no danger; but when he views it in the day, his heart is ready to fail him, and he would not so go again for the whole Town: And for our Fathers, we know not what their state was; but know, that God let in light to sundry of them by small means, as by reading some small parts of Scripture, some small Books, Primmers and the like, so by conferring with others, etc. which (how small soever) God was pleased to bless; but if they had no light and true knowledge of Christ, we know that they could not be saved: We cannot say this or that, we may not belie the Scriptures for their sakes; but whatsoever became of them, it behoves us now, to whom God offers greater grace, and such blessed means as preaching, that we take hold and embrace it, that we may come out of ignorance, to the true knowledge of our Saviour Christ Jesus, who is indeed the way to Heaven: The time of that ignorance God regarded not, but now he admonisheth every man every where to repent.  
2. Others say, This preaching brings stirs where it goes, and unquietness; the Towns and places that were very loving before it came there, after fell into divisions: Its wonder that the Gospel of Peace should breed Dissension, and that that which makes Peace between God and man, should break Peace between man and man; Indeed it's an occasion through man's corruption: no marvel though it breed stirs, considering what manner persons we are to be wrought on to good; how hard to convince our judgements and consciences of the things of God's Word, and the Truths therein contained; how hard to work upon our crooked wills and rebellious affections; no marvel though men startle when they be put out of their bias: But its good when the Devil stirs, for then there is some hope and likelihood that he will be cast out. And for Divisions, its true our Saviour said, He came not to bring peace (namely in evil) but a sword and debate; 
joh. 10. 20, 21.  but the fault is not in the Gospel, but in them that embrace it not; for they that do not, 
See S. H. on Mat. 3. 10. pag. 11, 12, 13.  but are obstinate, they fall out and contend with them that do, because they by word and deed reprove their ill works; whereas if all would obey, 
Acts 4. 32.  it would make a blessed peace, as it doth between good Christians, that were as Lions and Tigers; but better this Division yet, then that all should go hand in hand to Hell, as those do that consent easily in evil; better two Souls of five saved, though they have much unquietness withal, than all five perish. Where the Gospel is embraced, it breeds not such a carnal love as was in Popery, to consent in Superstition, in Vanity, Pastime, Good-fellowship, Belly-chear, and the like, but a Christian and godly love in the Spirit, furthering one another to Heaven, and in the setting forth of God's glory; howsoever, a just War is better than an unjust Peace. Hereto this Objection may be added, That if a man be never so well beloved before, if he become a Professor, and goer to Sermons, he shall be hated of most men; therefore I would be none of those, will some say, I would have the goodwill of my Neighbours: But let such know, that that is a wicked love and a woeful, which a man gets by living in sin; 
john 7 7. & 15. 19  better be hated of men for good, then of God for ill-doing, yea to be thus hated is a good sign.  
3. I cannot tell, say some, but since there hath been such preaching, and such a stir for preaching, and running after Sermons, I see people never a whit the better, but there is more sin now then was before; now such Pride, Covetousness, Craft, etc. whereas before there was Love, Good-neighborhood, Plain Dealing, etc. A. 1. The Devil had them who lived in Popery and Blindness so fast in the main, as he did not greatly strive to bring them to gross sins, because he was sure enough of them otherwise; now he fears he shall lose them, therefore labours this way, & the rather, because he would discredit the Gospel: He knew their civility could do their Souls no pleasure, and that being void of Faith it pleased not God, therefore he let them alone, and the rather, that that Religion might be the better thought of; now to disgrace the true Religion, he persuades many to rest in hearing, yet drawing them to all evils. 2. There is not more, nor so much as seems, but because the Gospel and Light hath discovered sin more; for a number of things that were counted virtues, now the Word finds to be vices, and rebukes; as Carnal good-fellowship, idle and vain spending of time, Idolatty, and blind Superstition: None were counted bad then, but those that were notoriously so; now the Word descryeth many smaller things, so that the Gospel is no more in the fault, though it discover faults, than a Looking-glass is to be blamed, for showing any the spots in his face; the fault is not in the glass that there be spots, they were there before: If in a dark night we come into a house, we see nothing out of order, though there be never so many things amiss, which in the light we do, yet is not the light in the fault, as only discovering that which before was unseen. 3. No marvel though there seem more evil, because when men are forbidden evil, and called upon for good, they are more eager on sin then before; as a melancholy man hath most mind to those meats that his Physician forbids him. 4. No marvel also though some prove as bad or worse than ever before, through God's judgement on them for the contempt of the Gospel: For if God gave up men to a reprobate mind, 
Rom. 1. 21.  for despising the light they had, though but the light of nature, and that which they had by the works of God, what will he do for the contempt of the light of the Gospel? 5. Yet there's no cause of offence at this, though there should be more sin now: for there be many infinitely amended, who before were ignorant, superstitious, & profane, but now zealous Christians, True and Religious worshippers of God, and such as live justly and righteously with their Neighbours, and are merciful and ready to every good work, and do more true good by many degrees, than was done in the time of Popery: Then they fed the bellies of all comers, and nourished the people in idleness, and now in many places the poor that can work, follow their calling, and either eat their own bread, which is best of all, or else are relieved by the contribution of their neighbours, their souls also, and the souls of their Families being looked to: where it is otherwise, the people be all for themselves; which the word teacheth not, and so is not to be blamed, but their evil hearts that will not be ruled thereby: So it's no marvel that some be worse since the Preaching of the Gospel, but it's a wonder indeed, and a great work of God, that any be better, and yet through God's goodness many thousands are converted by the Word, that were wretched persons, to become good christians, worthy servants of God; who do more good, and better please God, one of them, yea in a day, than many of the best of the Papists in all their lives: Take heed you be not worse by Preaching, but labour to be converted thereby.  
4. Some see not why there should be such regard had of Preaching; They can profit as well by reading, and they can read the Sermons of Christ, the Prophets, and Apostles, & I hope will such a one say, These be better Sermons than any body else can make, and if Sermons be so needful, will we condemn all that have had none, or now have none? A. 1. Private reading of the Scriptures and other godly Writings, is commendable and of great use, whereof one branch may be to make men fitter to profit by Preaching. 2. For public Ministerial Preaching, its ancient and profitable: But let men take heed how they cast aside God's Ordinance, to set up any other in the stead; such pride he will not endure, God's Ordinance is that which carries blessing, and from which we must look for good: Men shall thrive by it, and not otherwise; 
Exod. 16. 24.  when Israel kept Manna all night, it stank, if on the Sabbath even, it did not, Why? because of God's Ordinance: so why doth some men's knowledge rot as it were and come to nothing that they get by reading, 
See Neh. 8. 8.  and others that they get by reading and hearing comes to good? 
Mat. 2. 7.  even because the one attend upon God's Ordinance, the other not: 
Luke 4. 16.  This is the way he hath sanctified in all ages to save his people. 
Acts 19 15.  We see how little and slowly people conceive of Religion, notwithstanding our Catechising and Preaching never so plainly, What would be without it? and what though they be the Prophets or Christ's Sermons? usually there is but a small sum which must be opened and applied: 
Acts 8. 31.  The Eunuch could not understand without a Guide and Interpreter; Reading is like a fair Carpet folded up, Preaching is the same opened; Reading like whole loaves, Preaching as bread cut in pieces for to be eaten: Paul bids that his Epistles be read in other Churches, and without doubt Ministers did Preach out of the same, opening and applying the same by Confutation, Consolation, Exhortation, Admonition, that every one might have their due: And for that which they say, what became of them that had no Preaching, and yet were godly? God is not tied to means, and can work in extraordinary times as he pleaseth, but in ordinary times he will work by ordinary means: The Israelites in the Wilderness where they could not Blow, had Manna, but if they had looked for it when they came to Canaan, they might have starved: Therefore we shall see that God curseth the reading of those that do it with contempt of Preaching, that either it turns to vain jangling, or if there be any soundness in it for truth, yet it swims only in the brain, and soaks not into the heart to reform. Again, if reading in the Church were enough in a Minister, than it were not so great a work, and so weighty an office to be a Minister as the Scripture makes it, so might Universities, and a great deal of cost and labour be spared.  
5. Some will pray, and they think that as good as Preaching. A. It's monstrous wickedness for any to put down any Ordinance that God hath set up, 
Neh 8. 6, 9, 3.  under colour of setting up another: These two, Preaching and Prayer, be inseparable companions, and must go together, & none pray more, than they that make most conscience, and have profited most by Preaching; and how can any pray without Faith? and how comes Faith, but by Preaching? The Word Preached shows men their wants, without which they cannot Pray, but babble: Therefore it's said, 
Prov. 28. 9  He that turns away his ear from hearing of the law, even his prayer is abomination: and what Prayer is it that they talk so much of, but Book-prayer to serve a turn? which though it be not amiss, as a staff till a man can go of himself, yet it's not as conceived Prayer, much less to be set up with the casting down of Preaching, 
See Mr. Hierous Preach. Plea. 220.  whether it be done privately, yea, or reading of Prayer publicly, which is lawful in itself, but to thrust out Preaching, that were abominable; Pray as much as you will, but neglect not Preaching.  
6. Some stumble at often Preaching; They see no such need of Sermons, they be not so bad, that they should need so much, one in a month were enough: They could be content to hear now & then, but every Sunday, especially in the afternoon is too much; but for weekday Sermons, they utterly mislike, that people leaving their work should frequent them, and think that they which Preach so oft, cannot Preach sound. 
Prov. 10. 4. and 11. 14.  A. 1. Soundness and diligence in Preaching may well stand together; Disuse makes men less willing, yea, less able to Preach; If a man conscionably give himself to the service of the Church, he shall be fitted indeed to it: It's not rare Preaching that makes men Preach well, no more than seldom milking of a Cow makes her give more or better milk; If men be given to profits, pleasures, etc. they will not much trouble themselves this way. 2. Men have need often to hear, as being careless to attend, slow to conceive, having bad memories that had need be helped continually, as also rebellious and untoward hearts to obey; Therefore we are bid to Preach instantly, in season and out of season; If any should be weary of often Preaching, it should be we that Preach, but woe unto us if we do the work of the Lord negligently.  
7. Some say the Ministers Preach so harshly, and such fearful things as they cannot abide; They have come sometimes, but cannot away with such things; They cannot be content though people be civil, and quiet, keeping their Church, following their calling, and doing no body hurt, but require them to live so strictly, and telling them that if they live but in one sin they shall be Damned; and they call for such duties, and they must be done in a Spiritual manner; They cannot tell what they would have. A. Alas poor people, they would fain hear all is well and peace, that they might make an easy matter of being a Christian, and go to Heaven with ease: Therefore they cannot endure to be put out of their Bias, especially being Ancient, and having all this while thought their case good; and withal having been somewhat civil, now to be told all is out of the way, and nothing as it should be, and to hear such duties required, and to be done in such a Spiritual manner, and that it will not serve to huddle them over as they have been wont: O this is such a disquieting that they cannot away therewith, therefore they count Preaching harsh. But better begin again, then still go wrong and perish: If any hath gone out of his way half the day for want of ask, and at Noon one tell him he is out of the way, will he say, Nay, seeing I have gone so far, I will not go back now, but go on? Or though it be more grief, will he not rather return then go further out, and so never come to his Journeys end? he were else mad: Our case is such, and it is best to be told of it, and herein Ministers should deal faithfully, laying this as the Foundation of all their Doctrine, 
See Deut. 27. 15, 16, 17-26.  that in themselves men be utterly lost; 
Psal. 9 17, & 11, 6.  thereupon denouncing Judgement, whereby they may be brought to seek mercy; They must herein follow those which have gone before them, 
Mark 16. 16.  the Prophets, our Saviour himself, 
john 3. 36.  and his Apostles: As they must take heed they break not the bruised Reed, 
Acts 2. 37, 38.  nor quench the smoking Flax, so they must not give children's bread to Dogs; We must not give Pearls to Swine, and lavish out the mercies of God to Proud, Profane, Impenitent persons. First, the Law must Arrest men's Consciences, and they must be roused up by it, else they will never seek unto Christ for pardon: It is necessary we should thus Preach, that we may be free from men's blood; and that their ignorance or slackness in repenting be not imputed to our coldness in reproving, such as more like or approve others, will one day curse the day that ever they heard such sweet-tongued flatterers, or unskilful dawbers, and they shall find most favour at the last that deal most plainly: Howsoever, thus we shall please God, and keep a good conscience. Neither must thou stumble at those many marks and signs that they lay down whereby to try Faith, Love, Repentance, Sincerity, and the like, for Gold fears not the Touchstone: And they that hear grievous things in the Word, if they would tarry by it, should hear as comfortable and joyful, whereof in time they might have their part, but they must taste of the bitter, ere they come to the sweet; Such as are otherwise, would be as it were lulled asleep, even to their final destruction: If any eat, and say we would bring them to desperation, they nor we shall not need fear that, people be not so easily moved; if Preaching humble them, we fear not, but it will also comfort them: Holy desperation I would we could help men to, but there's more fear of desperation and horror for not believing and regarding the threatenings of God's Word.  
8. Some stumble at plain Preaching; If there were any witty conceits, or Eloquence of words, or plenty of Quotations of Writers, and that in divers Tongues, or ancient Stories, etc. I could like it well, will some such say, which now I do not. A. They that have itching ears to hear the painted words of man's wisdom, rather than the plain evidence of the Word of God, and seek to delight their minds, rather than edify their conscience, if ever they receive any good, it's of God's exceeding mercy, not the course they take: These be commonly such, as get something into their heads to talk of, but yet live licentiously and at large; and hence it is that they love such Preaching as is fair and far off, rather than that which comes home to search their Conscience, and sift them like a sieve: But whatsoever they would have, God's Ministers must learn to distribute the Word as becometh the Word, and to give that which is most wholesome and profitable for the people's Souls: They must Preach Christ Crucified in a Crucified Phrase: The foolishness of Preaching God hath Sanctified; It's better to speak five words with understanding, which may convince the Judgement and Conscience as it may search the heart, and so edify the Soul in true godliness, than Five thousand, to no edifying, but to fill the brain only: It's the true learned Preaching that open the Scriptures sound, and gather Doctrines naturally, to confirm them strongly, and apply them wisely, 
2 Cor. 4. 2.  and in all this to be so plain, as that which is in the Teacher, may be conveyed into the Hearer; It's true Learning to make another Learn, that's Preaching which may pierce the Heart; we may not deal Huckster-like with the Word, as men do with their Wares, rather to beguile, then profit the buyer: How little do most conceive when we speak the plainest? Assuredly for the plainest Preaching, people ought to be most thankful.  
9 Some take offence at us and our assemblies, and refuse to join with us publicly and privately, because they say our Church is not rightly governed, our Ministers be not true Ministers, and that there be many foul abuses among us, and that we are no Church of God, but an Antichristian company, 
Eccles. 7. 16.  etc. A. These are they that be too wise, and over just, that either would imagine a company more pure than is to be looked for on earth, or condemn the Church of God to be none, because of some wants and blemishes. But  
That company that hath the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles sound preached in all substantial Points, 
Which the true Church.  and the Sacraments for substance according to Christ's institution, is a true Church of God, though there be blemishes therein: If it overturn the foundation it is none; as if one want a head, heart, liver, he is no man, but a carcase; who though he have scars and moles in his face, yet having the other parts, nay, though he should want a leg or an arm, yet he is a man. Christ never forsook the Synagogues of the Jews, though they were greatly corrupted, and both Doctrine and life was foully faulty: Sometimes two High Priests in one year, sometimes others of other Tribes then of Levi came to the place by corruption, yet seeing they held the foundation, Christ forsook them not. Again, That Ministry which God hath used to convert many thousand souls, is not Antichristian. Ye are the seals of mine Apostleship: We think a great deal more charitably of them, than they do of us, as that holding the foundation of Religion, they may be saved: And though we know that numbers of them be proud and idle persons, and such as look not much to govern their hearts and lives, and are more cunning in points of Church Government, then in points of Sanctification; yet we doubt not but some true servants of God have been misled, and their tender consciences have stumbled, whom God hath enlightened, and brought from among them, and who have had more peace in a day, in coming to the Word from them, and joining with the Church again, than they had before in a whole year.  
10. Some say, There be so many Religions in the world, that they cannot tell which to take; There be Jews, Turks, Anabaptists, Familists, Papists, Protestants, Lutherans, Calvinists, Brownists, etc. every of which say they have the truth, and what should such plain men as I do? for my part, I think it the wisest course to meddle with none of them all, but follow my own business, till they all agree which is the Truth, not troubling myself at all with any thing they say; I may come to Church because of the Law, but I will never greatly regard what is said or spoken there. A. A bad excuse is better than none at all, but this will not serve men's turn: Though there be many that say, They have the Truth, yet there is but one Truth, 
1 Cor. 11. 28.  and this is to be found out of such as are not willing to be ignorant (as these Objectors commonly be) It's no marvel that there hath been ever, and will be that envious one, that soweth Tares where the good husbandman soweth Wheat; There have ever been Heretics and false Teachers in the Church, that they which are approved may be known; but by the light of the Word, which is able to show men the Truth, the servants of God willing to learn the same, have found it out: Zachary, Elizabeth, Mary, Nathaniel, and thousands of others found it out, though the Jews at that time were rend into many Sects, Scribes, Pharisees, Sadduces, Essenes', &c. They did the will of God, 
john 7. 17. & 10. 27.  and were Christ sheep, therefore heard his voice, and were instructed in the Truth. And it is extreme madness in any to neglect the finding out of the Truth, because there is some difficulty, seeing without the knowledge hereof they perish eternally: The more falsehood there is, the more it stands them in hand to search for the Truth, or else they shall perish in their ignorance, 
Prov. 23. 23.  as others do in their error: We must buy the Truth, we must strive both to find it and maintain it; The Truth must be had, else we die: In worldly things men be wiser. As if one dwell some distance from the Market, and in the way to it, he must go over a great Common, where lie a great number of by-paths, some to one place, some to another; will he for this stay at home, and want necessaries, and say, I will never go, lest mistaking my way, I lose my Market? No, but he will rather get one that knows the way to conduct him therein, whereto he will take good heed, that he may not mistake at any other time; Or will he neglect to buy necessary provision, because there be so many deceitful people in the world, and so starve at home? No, but he will say, There be false wares and deceitful men, but I'll learn skill to know the one from the other, to discern the good from the bad; so that some difficulty taketh not away men's care, but rather whetteth and increaseth it: This worldly wisdom will condemn men's folly and madness in heavenly things; We must therefore get skill in God's Word, whereby to try Doctrine, and that by earnest prayer unto God; there be plain places of Scripture that will confute the errors that shall be broached, by them we must be judge. These things I speak, because I would have all get over these logs, if they have hitherto stumbled; and if we have got over, we may be able by good Arguments to help over others, our weak brethren, that are willing to learn, that they may be able to confute any caviller, or answer any that shall kick at these things: And I pray and beseech you look to it, let there be none here so ill minded toward himself, that having stuck at any of these, he be willing and still content so to do, concealing the same, neither desiring to be rid out of the fetters thereof: This is dangerous indeed, especially take heed that there be not such an ill mind, and vile disposition in any, as not to be content alone to cast off Religion upon these occasions and pretences, but labour to lay them in the way of others to draw them from God: O fearful thing! Cannot you yourselves be content to cast off God, but will you labour to bring others also to destruction? O these enemies to God and his kingdom! what will be their end? and where shall they appear? For if they that win souls shall shine as the stars, 
Mat. 21. 3.  what shall they do that destroy souls? As the ten Spies that went with Caleb and Joshua, bringing up an ill name and slander upon the Land of Canaan, whereby they discouraged their Brethren from going toward it, were shut out and perished; so they that bring up an ill name upon the zealous Profession of God's true Religion, and discourage their Neighbours from it, will assured perish in endless confusion.  
Against the Preachers of the Word Offences also are taken; 
Offences against the Preachers of the Word.  as  
1. Some say, There is a deal of preaching indeed, and crying out against sin, and calling men to this and that strictness of life, and that it is such an hard matter to be saved; but you must give us leave to regard none of this that is said, for we see none worse than the Ministers themselves; they must say somewhat when they be in the place, but they are as proud and covetous, and as bad as any other; and were there any such matter as they teach, would they dare to go clean contrary? A. It cannot be denied but that some in the Ministry, both of them that do not, and of them that preach, that yet live so grossly and dissolutely, contrary to their teaching, that they give a grievous offence to those that wait for such things; yea, and make many ignorant (with Elies' sons) loathe the sacrifice of the Lord, 
1 Sam. 2. 17.  and think that Religion is no such matter as we tell them of, because they observe the contrary in their Teachers: But what though they do thus? yet notwithstanding is the Word of God holy and good. Is Physic nought, because the Physician is a bad man? or the meat, because the Cook is a swearing hasty fellow? There is no calling wherein there are not some bad: But there be many Ministers that make conscience to live according to that they teach, and as well to be examples to the Flock in holy conversation, as to preach (which is but one part of a Ministers duty) and who (setting humane frailties aside) may bid their adversaries write a book against them. For common frailties, who can say his heart is clean? even between Paul and Barnaba● arose dissension; and Paul complaineth, That when he would do good, 
Rom. 7. 19  evil was present: But for gross things that are reported of godly Ministers, usually upon trial they have proved lies, raised of Malice, and not deserved by them; And shall the whole calling of Ministers be blemished, because some be bad? And though it were as they say, that Ministers were like Cooks, that prepare good meat for others, and taste not of it themselves; yet the Word is good, and it may be profitable to others, as God's Ordinance, which is appointed for the Salvation of his people, the blessing whereof dependeth not upon the Ministers good life, but God's blessing. Noah was saved in the Ark, whereof the makers were (in likelihood) drowned: 
Mat. 23. 3▪  It was our Saviors direction, that the people should be ruled by the Doctrine of the Scribes and Pharisees, sitting in Moses chair, that is, preaching his Doctrine, though they were not to do after their works: And though Ministers know the will of God, yet let it offend none, that they strait do it not, for knowledge is one thing, and sanctification another, which two are often severed.  
2. Some say, There be contentions among the Ministers themselves, and they cannot agree in points; What then shall we do? I'll see them agreed, ere I'll regard any of them. A. It's not to be wondered at, if there be differences in some things, for here the best know but in part, and there still remains scales to be rubbed off, and God doth not reveal all his will in all points at once, but by degrees, and in time; and if any would tarry to be Religious, till all men jumped in all Points, they should never be Religious, but perish; and will this serve men's turns? But what contentions and differences are there between the Ministers of the Church of England? True, its pity there should be any; and we should desire God, to cause his truth to break out, and to remove the occasions of strife, and till they can agree about those few things, to proceed by one rule in peace: But what differences are they? not about the Essential points of Religion, or matters of necessity to Salvation, but of matters besides the main, namely, The Government of the Ch●rch, or rather the persons by whom, and the manner how the same is to be governed, about which indeed there's diversity of opinions; So about Ceremonies, which are not of the Essence of Salvation, neither doth the Kingdom of God stand in them: So that as the Church is a true Church that is governed either way, so may they of each and both opinions, yet be the servants of God, and be saved, both holding the foundation, though differently building thereon: If therefore they shall agree in all Fundamental Points, and all things necessary to Salvation, as in the Doctrine of their own Misery, Christ, Faith, Repentance, and the like, though they leave the other till God shall further reveal, they shall do well enough; and its more seemly for Christians to mind the Doctrine of Faith, Sanctification, Love, etc. then to busy themselves about the Government of the Church. The Devil calls them from things most needful, to other things less needful, more uncertain and dangerous: If because of some smaller points of difference, they shall shake off all Religion, what answer shall they make? What if Clothiers should all agree in the main points of Cloth-making, till they came to the manner of making up, and to the tilers, and herein they should differ, should any need stumble hereat, and say, I'll be no Clothier, they cannot agree among themselves? Why, they may be good Clothiers, though they differ in this and that of both fashions: Let a young man than go and practice as far as they agree, and when they come to the winding up, do as he is persuaded best, and he shall be Clothier good enough.  
3. Others say, The Minister speaks too fast or too slow, or stands too long, etc. A. Most is his own pains: They have thought longer time but short at Cards, Tables, Feasts, Plays, and do still; Two or three hours at a Feast for the body, and as much at play, yea an whole day from one sport to another, as a Fly from one box to another, is usual with most.  
4. He is rich, and then he must needs be covetous, or else poor, and then contemptible. A. Men will find a very poor excuse rather than none at all; 
Mark 6. 2. 3.  so was Christ contemned of his Country men: But can any Minister so walk, but that some which have no love to Religion, and to be reform, will cavil against him, to colour over their contempt; Could John Baptist? But he had a Devil; Could our Saviour Christ? No, he was a Winebibber, a companion of Publicans and Sinners.  
Against Professors of the Word, 
Offences against professors of the Word.  and their Profession of Religion, there be that take offence:  
1. Some say, There's but a small number of these Professors that be so precise, most be not so; and such as are usually, are of the meanest, not of the greatest and wisest men, of whom but a few are carried after these Preachers, to run after Sermons, or be so precise in themselves and their families, and a contemptible company they be, 
Rev. 7. 4.  hated of all for the most part. A. 1. For their number, its small if they be compared with the multitude, but by themselves a worthy company; and being such a small number, it's an Argument that they are approved of God, and walk in that way which leadeth to Heaven: And hath not this been always told, That the way to Heaven is straight, and few find it; and so on the contrary? The greatest number have ever been deceived, and joined in evil; most cried against Christ, Crucify him; for one Elias, one Micaiah, there were Four hundred Priests of Baal. 2. For their baseness, that's not always true, though the Church consisteth most of them that are mean, yet God hath had and will have of all sorts, not excepting the greatest, as David, Solomon, Asa, Jehosaphat, Hezekiah, Ahikam; and before them, the Patriarches, Job, and others: So hath not our own Land wanted worthy men of the greatest place, as there are at this hour many right godly Noblemen, Knights, and others of great state and place: 
1 Cor. 1. 26.  If this will draw them to the love of Religion, there be not such wanting, though their number be not the greatest, For not many mighty are called; 
Mark 10. 24.  And its hard for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God, from whom for the most part heavenly things are hid, and by whom God will not uphold his Kingdom, but by mean ones, 
james 2. 5.  that the glory may be his: The poor he hath chosen. 3. For their contemptibleness, they are not the worse, but the better to be liked, for the Devil and wicked men will ever hate that which is good: They did so by the Prophets, our Saviour, and his Apostles, and will do so by their followers; let this therefore be a mean rather to draw men on to Religion, than set them off from it.  
2. Some say, They make a great show, and be very hot for a while, and after they fall off, and become as others, as bad as who is worst, which we think is, because having begun, they see nothing in it, and so they return to their old courses, as that which is better. A. You might have guessed many truer Reasons: It's not that a true Christian is fallen away, or one that hath truly tasted of the goodness of the Lord, and finding no sweetness in it, returns to his old bias as the better state; but it is, that he that was but an hypocrite, though he made a show, is discovered now, he hung to the bark, but was never engrafted, went out from us, but was not of us; and Christ coming (as is foretold) shall make the thoughts of many hearts to be opened: It's the easiest thing in the world to be deceived, and few build sure; and God will have some such Revolters, both for the good of his servants (which are thereby made the more wary to build sure, and look to themselves better than otherwise they would) and for the just falling of the wicked, that they which will take no benefit by any thing, as by Preaching, and by the godly lives of the servants of God, but rather seek for lets, may meet with such blocks falling in their way to their Destruction: If some fall away, what then? The Word hath foretold there shall be hypocrites in the Church; yet there be some have held out constantly, 
Heb. 11. 35.  yea to the death, in Prison, and flames, and loved not their lives so well as the Truth, who have found indeed the sweetness of that Christian life, from which they would never part: Let us therefore begin in Truth, and we shall never fall from it, as the hypocrites do; le's look to ourselves, there may be times of trial, wherein many will fall away.  
3. Some stumble at the falls of Professors: We see not, say they, but they be as bad as other folks, and seeing they make a show of forwardness more than others, I would have them show it by their lives; but they are as Covetous as others, as Froward, Hasty and Furious, if they be stirred. A. I see you can tell how others should live, though you have no mind to it yourselves: True, they should lead their life answerable to their Profession; and do not a great many so, even their Neighbours that live by them with Eagles eyes, yea, even their Adversaries being Judges? Why doth not this provoke them and you? and what if some having boisterous natures, and strong corruptions, which for want of heedfulness and care, prevail over them for a time, and so they fall to do something uncomely, yea, and for a long time walk not so watchfully as they ought, is this matter enough for you to mislike Religion? The Gospel teacheth not this, but the contrary, therefore is it not in fault that you should fall out with it. Doth any man dislike a Trade, because some of the Trade be bad persons, and are at sometimes overshot therein? Christianity and the denying of ourselves is not so easy a matter, as that it should be expected a man should straightway, as soon as he hath entered upon the profession of Religion, be perfect, although we ought to look and labour thereto diligently.  
4. Some stumble at the great humiliation of some Professors, who by going to Sermons have been even at their wit's end, and so troubled, as that all their friends could not comfort them, yea some have been in such despair, as they have been almost besides themselves, and some have made away themselves by drowning, hanging or otherwise; and they that have not been so, yet though they were as merry before they went to Sermons as one would wish, after have been so dumpish and heavy, as that they would never be merry; and I would be loath (will some such say) to come to this pass, therefore I do not mean to trouble my head about such matters. A. Many through God's goodness be truly humbled, and yet in short time find comfort; others more deeply cast down, and longer held without comfort, whom (though they walk heavily as they have cause, yet) God sustains, and in due time they get comfort; who if they should be held under all their life, and yet obtain it at last, were much bound to God, and their estate infinitely more happy, then to live as before in security: Yea, if any should be so deeply cast down, and for want of means of comfort, living in desert places, wanting public and private helps, or having them, be troubled also with the humour of melancholy, and the Devil subtly watching his advantage when both these mere, should draw them into some temptation, to lay violent hands upon themselves, yet I had rather a thousand times be in the case of such a one, that being lost, hath sought after mercy and salvation, and had it in chase, and yet were held off by unbelief, Satan's temptations, and their own distemper: Being in seeking of it, their state could not but be good, what ever became of the body, For, Blessed are they that hunger and thirst, etc. Better, I say, is the case of such a one (though it be somewhat grievous) then either of profane ones, or civil persons, that never make question about their salvation; but (God be thanked) such examples are few, and very rare: Many indeed there be that make away themselves by hanging, drowning, cutting their throats, etc. (of whom we hear ever and anon) but not one of a thousand of those upon any such cause, but upon Covetousness, Pride, Discontent, Worldly grief, meeting with such Afflictions and Persons as cross their Wills; and having no Grace nor Faith to bear them up in them, they sink under them, and yield to the Devils temptations, as Achitophel: So that you need not keep away from Sermons, lest you should be troubled in your wits, and make away yourselves, but rather hear the Word, and labour for Faith, or else you may be more likely a thousand times for want of Faith, when Afflictions come, to hang yourselves, than otherwise: And is it not strange, that if one of an hundred upon trouble of Conscience come to such an end, that should be a stone to stumble at, and all the other should be leapt over, and be no means to provoke people to the Word, and to Faith? a sign they are willing to stumble: And whereas there are some that are upon some occasion, or naturally distracted in their Wits, and craized in their brains, and so miscarry, people must be so wise as to know, that this is no trouble of Conscience; yet a number are so foolish, that they put no difference: Therefore never fear, being troubled at the Word, for if thou be'st not troubled in this World for thy sins, thou shalt howl in Hell for them eternally. And where you say, They that go to Sermons be so heavy, whiles they are seeking, and have not yet found, pardon them if they be heavy, having obtained, they have warrant to rejoice in the Lord, and so both may and do; though they dare not giggle, and be merry in folly and lewdness, which is accounted the only mirth with the world: So that preaching is the means indeed to make men first heavy, but after truly merry for ever.  
From themselves also arise lets, 
Offences arising from men's selves hindering their zealous profession of Religion.  why they do not profess Religion zealously; as  
1. Some from a supposed sufficiency in themselves, say, They know as much already as the Preacher can tell them, namely, That they must love God above all, and their Neighbour as themselves, and so they do, and they can tell them no more. A. O poor blind creatures that can be so deluded: If they were not willing withal, it could not be; For is it enough to know these general things, and no particular belonging thereto? But alas, in their wilful blindeness they think they know and do all, when indeed they know and do just nothing. Would not he be accounted a wilful fellow, that being persuaded to learn the Trade of Clothing, should say, Why, I know that well enough already, it's but to buy Wool, and make Cloth and sell it? But are there not so many particulars and turn-agains belonging hereto, as they that be Apprentices thereto seven or eight years, if they give not the more heed, they are yet at the end but bunglers? So of a Carpenter, It's nothing to build a house, it's but to lay the groundsels, raise up the sides, and set on the roof, etc. There's more than so required, as skill in contriving, skill in choosing materials, and the like; so to the love of God and our Neighbours belong innumerable things: When we have attained the knowledge of our duties to each, we have not then done, we must also know our misery; and to help us thereto, know the Law, and then know Christ, and what he hath done; and then know Faith, and have it wrought in us: These must we have, ere ever we can truly love either God or our Neighbour; therefore they that content themselves without these, abide in ignorance, and will perish in Hell, as those that are wilfully guilty of their own destruction. Thus in these days, do not many say, They know they be sinners, and hope to saved by Christ, and saith not the Scripture, Whoso believeth in Christ shall be saved, etc. If this would serve the turn, God then might have spared all the rest of his pains in leaving us the Word (only those two Precepts would have been enough) and his labour in fitting Ministers to it, which he calls such a worthy work: No man alive can say, that he loves God above all, and his Neighbour as himself, only that he endeavoreth thereto, which endeavours also hath and will cost much pains.  
2. Some say, They mean as well as any of those that go to Sermons, and though they do not show it by that or any such things, yet they have as good a heart to God-ward as the best of them all, though they cannot talk so well. A. These bewray themselves to be naught at the first dash, for whereas they say, they have good hearts, even the best complain of the badness of their hearts: Thus Hypocrites desire to hide themselves out of men's sight, and having nothing to say for themselves, they fly to the heart, which they think men know not; but alas herein they play the fools, for if men do not approve of them, do they think God will? and that they can stand before him? They think also men cannot judge of the heart, but the Lord hath taught us ways to judge of it by the outward behaviour, as the Tree by the Fruit. 
Mat. 5. 16.  Besides, grant their heart were good, Is that enough? doth not God require a good outside? 
Rom. 10. 10.  Let such as wanting this, boast of a good heart while they will, it's a rotten and stinking heart they have; for without knowledge the heart is not good: Hypocrites boast of a fair outside, when as the heart is naught, as others having no good parts of obedience, say, that all's within, they have a good heart; but the ones outside, and the others inside (both being indeed stark naught) will carry them to Hell, not to Heaven: Learn we to submit ourselves to the Ordinances of God, and by the Word Preached to get Faith, that thereby our hearts may be purged, and made clean.  
3. Some say, The world is hard, and they pay a dear Rent, and they cannot live and pay their Landlords and every body with Praying and running to Sermons, 
See Dr. Prest. Saints daily exercise, pag. 32.  and (to put them both together being near of kin) some be very poor, and say they have a charge of children, and it's enough for them to labour for their living, and all little enough they think and find; they cannot spare time to read a chapter, and pray Morning and Evening, much less let their work to go to Church on the weekday; Nay, I promise you they can scant spare the time on the Sundays; They must be at home (without it be now and then) to bake, wash, and mend their things, or go on this or that errand, or see their Friends, lest they should let their work on the weekday, and therefore they must be held excused. 
Mat. 23. 23.  A. These things ought you to have done, and not to leave the other undone: It's needful for you to follow your callings, but there is a time for all things, and do you think that Religion and serving God is such an Enemy to thriving? What a fearful crossing of God is this, 
Mat. 6. 33.  when as unto them that first seek his Kingdom, all these things shall be added? Is it not the blessing of the Lord that makes men rich? and whether will he bless, them that serve him, or that cast off his service? Do we not see a number who trust all to their toil, whom the Lord so crosseth, as all will not do? and others that serve him carefully are blessed, who yet toil not so much? 
Psal. 127. 2.  And if they that cast off God's service do prosper, yet what profiteth it them? That one thing is needful which they have neglected, 
Mat. 16. 26.  and our Saviour saith, What shall it profit a man to win the whole world, and lose his own soul? They have spun a fair thread: But what if the outward state be somewhat hindered, yet if the soul be a gainer it's a good bargain; though you have less riches than some others, yet if you have more grace, is not your state better? And would you offer a Sacrifice that costs you nothing? 
2 Sam. 24. 24.  or cannot God, who knows what your serving him stands you in, sufficiently requite it? And for the poor, let them know, their great charge will not excuse them: Have they not souls? That's the greatest charge, and to seek the Salvation of these; and one would think their poverty should be a spur hereunto: Is there not the same way of Salvation to them that is unto others? They had need hear the Word to get knowledge and faith, that they may go through their Temptations comfortably. And first for the Sabbath, let them and all others take heed they meddle not with it to their worldly uses, God hath sanctified it to himself, and the matters of Salvation: This aught every one to spend conscionably, which if we would do, we might get a competency of saving knowledge; woe be to them that dare profane this: God hath said, we shall do all our works on the six days, that which we cannot, God will supply without breach of his Sabbath; and for the poor that live in the same Town, or near a Sermon on the weekday, I make no doubt it's their duty, without some great let to attend on it, 
See Hag. 2. 19  and God will recompense it, if they do it conscionably; let them thus do, and thereupon return to their work, and follow their calling with diligence, and see what they shall miss by the week's end. Neglect of Religion indeed hath brought want, but I never knew any that heard conscionably and thirstily, that were put to the more want by their hearing, or any such so miserably poor, as careless persons: If any shall under colour of hearing neglect their business whole days, and so bring poverty on themselves, they are exceedingly faulty.  
4. Others plead no want, for they are troubled with nothing but too much, and they have so much business, and so many servants to look after, and so many occasions, as for their part they cannot spare the time. A. Have they so much to do for themselves, as God can have nothing done of them? and so much for the body and this world, as that they have no leisure for the soul, or the world to come? Remember the end of them who being invited to the great Supper, 
Luke 14. 24.  came not, but preferred their Oxen and Farms thereto, they were shut out, and had no part in that blessed Feast: Others might also pretend it as well, if they knew not that one thing to be needful: What? are all they idle persons, and have nothing to do that attend on the word diligently? No, but such as both have business, and in like manner a Christian care thereof, yea, and those that dispatch it well enough, and find God's blessing thereon, no less, nay, much more than they, that have care of nothing else: If they wanted something of that they get, yet it shall be better with them in the winding up, when they shall have that which will stand by them, whereas all that the others have got shall be taken away; else as they had no leisure, and could find no time to serve God, so God will find no time to save them.  
5. Others be not Book-learned, therefore they hope they shall be held excused, though they have no great knowledge. A. You had need take the more pains in hearing, as also learn and labour to be book-learned: It's possible, if you will give your mind and endeavour thereto; If not, yet many that never knew letter in the Book have attained to good knowledge, and been most excellent Christians, and laid down their lives for the Truth, and others to competent saving knowledge, and lived well as the servants of God: But this may be a warning for Parents to bring up their Children in Reading, as in many other respects, so that they may not have this block to hinder them from goodness: and rich men should do well to bestow Learning upon poor men's children, it's a mercy indeed to their Souls.  
6. Others say, They be so dull, and its such an hard thing to learn Religion, as they shall never attain it. A. The slothful man saith, There's a Lion in the way, but it's as easy to learn, as many other things are: 
See Psal 119. 130.  You can learn to play at Cards, you can conceive your own business, 
Prov. 1. 4. and 14. 6.  and are wise enough to save yourselves from being beguiled, if you would willingly in humility come to learn, knowledge is easy to him that will understand: And though you get no great measure, yet if you get knowledge of the main points and Faith, and desire more, and be willing to be ruled by that which you know, God will accept of the will.  
7. Others say, If they should follow Sermons, etc. they should be so hated, mocked, and nicknamed, as they should not be able to endure it, their Landlords would fall out with them, and turn them out of doors, 
Mat. 5. 11.  etc. A. 1. Blessed are ye when ye shall thus suffer, you may exceedingly rejoice thereat. 
Prov. 16. 7.  2. When a man's ways please God, even his foes shall become his friends.  
8. The younger sort say, It's too soon; and wealthy ones, That they think they have more liberty than others. A. 1. For the younger sort, they must remember their Creator in the days of their youth. 2. For the rich and wealthy, they are no more exempted from serving God, than the meanest, nay, are more bound and tied thereto, by reason of the means afforded them to do good.  
9 Others think they do well, and please God, though they be not so precise as some be; for they thrive, they thank God, and have as few crosses as the best of them all, and if God did not love them, he would not so bless and prosper them as he doth. A. This is an ill argument, 
Heb. 12. 6.  seeing God afflicts those whom he loves, and suffers his sun to shine, and his rain to fall even on the unjust; This is but the wicked man's portion: Ishmael had the fat of the Earth, Esau the dew of Heaven; Our Saviour suffered Judas to carry the bag, but Peter and the rest carried away the grace; Jacob had many crosses, Esau many blessings, yet was Jacob loved of God, Esau hated: There can be no worse sign, 
See Psal. 50. 21. and 55. 19  then to live in a careless profane course, and yet to meet with no crosses, but to have all prosperity: the forgiveness of sins, and a little Faith, and Sanctification, is more worth than all the world, 
job 21. 30.  But the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction, etc.  
10. Some say, They have a Minister of their own, though he cannot Preach, yet he is an honest man, and quiet, and means well, and doth his good will, and what can one desire more of a man? A. These be notable persons, If Salvation were put in their mouths, they could be content to take it, but to seek after it, they see no such cause: It will serve no man's turn to excuse himself by another man's fault, If the Minister do not his duty to Preach, people must seek after the light (being its come into the world) compassing even sea and land to obtain it: Neither would they be so simple in other things, as to put their Suit for Goods and Lands into one's hands that hath no skill at all in Law, and being so told, make answer. I'll look after no other, he will do his good will, and I can desire no more of a man: The like might be instanced in a Physician for our body, nay, a Shepherd or a Keeper for our cattle; Nay, will men take it well, if such as through want of skill have spoiled their work, should say, Why, we did our good will, and you can have no more? But will you not say, You should not have taken it in hand, except you could have done it; If I had known it, I would have sent it five miles, or sent five miles for a Workman, rather than had my Stuff spoiled.  
Thus there is no end of devices that the Devil hath to put in men's heads, 
No end of the Devils devices.  to keep them from regarding the word and matters of Salvation, nay, that people will seek out for themselves, even to wrong their own souls.  
And this is one main cause why so few people be saved, 
Why so few be saved.  because none so simple but he can find a shift, nor none so worldly wise, but he can suffer himself to be held back by one of these or the like hindrances. In our earthly journeys, we love smooth and plain way, and find fault with the contrary; but as if the way to Heaven were too plain, men seek out blocks to lay in their own way; but all these things will no more serve their turn when God shall come to judge them, than a Breast plate of brown Paper against a Musket-shot: For alas, they be but devices, and false causes in stead of the true.  
For the very reason indeed that people have no mind to Religion, 
Why people have no mind to Religion.  is, because it crosseth their humour. 1. Discovering their sins which they would have still hid, and rebuking them. 2. Striving to pluck them from their sins, wherewith being in love, they are unwilling to part. 3. Laying duties upon them which they have no mind to stoop to, but count it a being tied, and shortened to yield obedience to the same, which is indeed the main reason, and true cause: If it were not for such and such things, will they say, we would you should know, we would be as forward as the best: Well, let us, as many as have been thus foolish, learn to be wiser, and devise no blocks: No, though we meet with some things otherwise then ought to be, let not that make us fall out with Religion. In worldly things people be so eager, as if they have a mind to a thing, it's no small matter shall beat them off, as from a Lease, Farm, Purchase, or Bargain; but in Heavenly things, not a cause, but a shadow of a cause will keep men back: O how happy might we be here in England and in these parts, if we were wise, that have the Gospel so graciously Preached unto us: Many Nations have it not, and they cannot be happy; and we have it, and yet through our own froward hearts, deprive ourselves of the benefit thereof: If we have been weak, le's labour to be strengthened against these, and lift up our feet over these logs that the World layeth in our way, neither rest we content therewith, as too many are. In our ordinary ways, if any Lewd and Drunken Companions in the Night should tumble Logs, or lay stumbling Blocks to stop our passage by horse or foot, we find great fault, and that justly; but we are content to have Logs laid in our Spiritual way, lest we should be happy: And le's labour to strengthen others, and help them over, and let none of us be any longer hindered hereby, much less let there be a mischievous heart in any of us, to lay them in others way to hinder them, but go on ourselves roundly in the way to Salvation, and help as many others forward as possibly we can: Notwithstanding these lets, we must not be loath to enter this way, but labour to bring our hearts to this, to see and confess, and forsake our sins, and be content in every thing to be ruled by the Word: And what thankfulness owe we God, that have passed over these Blocks, and are in our way to Heaven, whereas so few scape them? It was of him alone. O pray we him to help us also against all those that yet remain.  
Being disobedient,] Here he proceeds to show the bad estate of unbelievers: They are disobedient to the Word of God, which is given them for a rule and light to guide them to Salvation: And this is indeed the very Reason of their much stumbling at the Word, because men have no mind to be ruled by it; They think it ties them too short, therefore they have no mind to stoop to it, therefore they are willing to take any occasion against it: for if men had a mind, it's not those idle pretences should keep them from it, as in worldly things we see. The lesson we learn from hence is, That  
God hath therefore left his Word amongst us, 
Doctr.  not that we should only hear it, 
God's Word is therefore bestowed on us, that we may be guided thereby.  or make an outward profession thereof, but that we should take it as our Rule and Law to guide us, and in all things make Conscience to yield obedience thereto; what it forbids to count as a cursed thing; what it commands, to esteem as holy and good, and necessary to be obeyed: This is that which God evermore requireth in his charges. This keeping is not a Legal Observation, which no flesh can attain (Christ hath fulfilled that perfectly for us) but an Evangelical, 
How we are to obey the same.  which is, when believing in him that hath done it perfectly, 
Psal. 119. 6.  we do our unfeigned endeavour constantly to be obedient thereto; and that 1. In one thing as in another, 
Luke 1. 6.  having with David, Zechary and Elizabeth, respect to all. 2. Freely, and not by constraint; not as Pharaoh let Israel go. 3. Not outwardly, but inwardly with the heart and mind, aiming at God's glory. 4. Constantly, and to the end: Yet more particularly, 1. We must not give good words only, but follow Christ, as the Apostles, who forthwith at his call left all to wait on him. 2. Our obedience must be shaped after Christ's, willing in all things to do Gods will, as do also the Saints and Angels in Heaven. 3. It must be like abraham's; as he left his Country and all when God called, contrary to all temptations, and that readily and simply, without reasoning or indenting; so must we forsake our sins, though never so natural, and never excuse it thus, It's my nature, my Predecessers have done so, I have been long accustomed hereto; He left his Country so natural to him, and that in his age: We must obey against all temptations of Profit, Pleasure, Ease, Father, Mother, Wife, Children, though all these hang about our necks, we must yet readily obey. 4. Throughly, not as the Devils, who if they must needs out of the man, yet would tarry in the coast: The obedience of the wicked, is like their Fathers the Devil, it's but in part; as the Devil entered into the Swine, so they will tarry in some sin: They say (as the Olive and Fig Tree in Jothams' Parable) Shall I leave my Fatness? 
judg. 9 9, 11.  Shall I forsake my Sweetness? Usury, 
jam. 1. 22.  Deceit, Lying, Fornication, Adultery, and the like? so must not we, 
Deut. 6. 1.  we must be doers of the Word; All other duties do but tend to practise, which is the end and perfection of all.  
1. God is our Sovereign Lord and King, 
Reas. 1.  and we be his Subjects, and these his Laws, and by these means doth he speak to us, gives every body leave to read his Laws and Statutes, yea, requires it, 
2 Pet. 1. 21.  and besides, sets Expounders thereof: This is the Word of GOD, This is the mind of GOD, He that despiseth this, despiseth GOD himself; This Bible shall save or condemn the World, and by this we shall all be judged: He being our Sovereign, and we such poor Worms, we should count it our happiness to obey.  
2. He is exceeding bountiful towards us, 
Reas. 2.  he who both gave us life, and continues to maintain it by so many mercies, which all aught to bind us; neither doth he thus for us, to strengthen us to rebel and fight against him, but to the contrary.  
3. His will is a perfect rule of Righteousness, 
Reas. 3.  and he doth not first see a thing good, and then wills it and commands it, but first commands it and wills it, and so it becomes good: Whatsoever is agreeable to this, is holy and good; whatsoever is contrary to this, is wicked, and to be abandoned.  
4. All creatures in heaven and earth obey: 
Reas. 1.  The Sun runs his course ordinarily that God set it at first, and slacketh not; and not so only, but if it be put out of course, it resisteth not: If he bid it stand still, it doth; 
jos. 10. 12.  if he bid it come back, it doth: He appoints the Sea to flow, 
Isa. 38. 8.  and it doth; but if he bid it stand up, and let his people pass, it obeyeth, and stands as two Brazen Walls; so when he sets it on work, it rageth to toss Jonah, and whom God will; and when he bids it and the winds be still, they obey, as to our Saviour: 
Exod. 10. 13.  He commanded the east wind to bring in the Locusts, and another wind to carry them out; how much more than should we obey, that aught to be best of all, being Lords of the rest, and all they to serve us? Summer and Winter obey the Lords Word, and why not we? These may rise up against us.  
5. Obedience exceedingly pleaseth, 
Reas. 5.  all else is to no purpose, Sacrifices, 
1 Sam. 15. 22.  burning of Incense, observation of Feasts or Fasts, etc. Unto the wicked, 
Isa. 58. 3.  saith God, What hast thou to do to declare my Statutes, or that thou shouldest take my Covenant in thy mouth, 
Psalm 50. 16.  seeing thou hatest instruction, and casteth my words behind thee? Nay, it's so far from pleasing him, as it incenseth and provoketh him, He that turns away his ear from the cry of the poor, shall himself cry unto the Lord, but not be heard; They are blessed that hear the Word and keep it; If ye know these things, saith our Saviour, happy are ye if ye do them; yea, such as do the will of God, he accounts as his Mother, Brethren and Sisters; by this we may know that we are the Lords: 
Deut. 28. 1.  This also opens the storehouses of all God's blessings, and musles the mouths of all the Creatures, that they can do us no hurt.  
6. Disobedience is that which hath ever troubled the world: 
Reas. 6.  At first in Adam and Eve it put all out of course, and so hath done ever since: This is the cause of all Evils, Plague, Pestilence, Famine, and the like, 
Leu. 26. 16.  yea, of the increase and continuance of those and others more grievous; 
Deut. 28. 15.  yea, this is that which brought all Judgements, not only upon Israel, 
Host 4. 3.  but upon all the world, and that which sends men to eternal confusion.  
1. This is an exceeding comfort to all those whose hearts the Lord hath inclined, 
Use 1.  bowed, and humbled, to be obedient to his will in all things, and that have no greater grief, then that they can obey no better, 
john 14. 25.  but glad when they can obey, and most, when best; let these know, it's a brand of Christ's sheep, and mark that they love God, that they are of the blessed ones, that hearing, also obey, that they shall never fall, 
Mat. 7. 24.  as being built on the rock: This is a certain band to tie the Lord to you, 
jer. 7. 23.  he can fail you of no good thing; Obey my voice (saith he) and I will be your God; yea, and a certain assurance of eternal life, is gained by obeying: Herein continue and increase your care, its perfect freedom it brings, sound and true comfort here and hereafter; when they that disobey, have a corrasive and gnawing Conscience.  
2. This condemns all sorts of disobedient persons, 
Use 2.  which are many; and this is the reason that Hell is fuller than Heaven, because so many are disobedient to the Word, 
Four sorts of disobedient persons.  and so few will be held within compass; as  
1. Those notorious monsters, 
The profane.  that live in open profaneness, that are set to cross God; what he commands, they will none of it, and what he forbids, they are mad on; which shake off all care, and live as they list, 
job 21. 15.  as if they were masterless, and no body had to do with them, 
Exod. 5. 2.  or to call them to any account, as if they ought no duty to any; who will not learn God's ways, but with Pharaoh, say, Who is the Lord, etc. Do these poor woeful creatures know what they do? alas no; Knowest thou with whom thou hast to do, and against whom thou rebellest? against the Lord of Heaven and earth, that made the world, that toucheth the mountains, and they smoke, that thundereth with his voice: But who art thou that strivest with thy maker, that darest rebel against thy Sovereign, who is able to cast thee into the Jail of Hell for ever and ever? O consider this you that forget God, 
Psal. 50. 22. & 9 17. & 11. 6.  The wicked shall be turned into Hell, upon the wicked God will rain snares and fire, etc. Dost thou think to speed better than thy Predecessors? Adam was cast out of Paradise, the old world drowned, Sodom burned, etc. If Pharaoh that proud hearted Tyrant could not hold it out, nor Nabuchadnezzar, nor Belshazzar, nor Herod, dost thou think to get any thing by wrestling with thy maker, by casting out thy gantler, and as it were bidding battle to the Lord? O therefore humble thyself on thy face, fall flat at his footstool, and crave pardon, send out messengers of Peace, and submit thyself, saying, Lord, what wilt thou that I shall do? obey and that gladly, or else he will lay thee where thou shalt have small joy, yea, he will make thee obey in spite of thine heart: There will come a voice that thou shalt nor resist, Go ye cursed of my Father; and if thou wouldst bring thy mind to obey, thou shouldst find it every way thy safest course, thou shouldest save not only thy soul which is the greatest, but even thy body, thy good name, thy goods; for how have many by yielding to the Word, saved hundreds and thousands this way, that they began to waste, and others do? How do many bring untimely death upon themselves by wretched courses? How many do the gallows catch in a year? how many stabbed, and die fearfully, which might have lived long, if they would have been ruled? Innumerable sorrows do men bring upon themselves, for want of obedience to God and his Word, which that would save them from: At least if thou wilt not obey throughly, and in all things, yet come into some civil order and course, so shalt thou at least if thou be'st not saved, yet have the less torment in Hell.  
2. Civil persons, 
The merely civil.  which disobey both commandments of the Gospel, do neither believe nor repent; and for the Law, they do some duties to men, but of the first Table make small Conscience, nay they have no skill, neither savour of the spiritual manner of performing duties: What talk they of giving every man his due, when they give God no part of his as they should? or of keeping promise with men, if they shall break their vow with God?  
3. Ignorant persons of all kinds, 
The ignorant.  as the Heathens, that worship they know not what; and Papists, that toil themselves about their will-worship, how good soever their meaning may be, yet they do not that which God commands; yea, numbers among ourselves, that either have or might have the means, but neglecting them pull in their heads.  
4. Hypocrites, 
Hypocrites.  that obey in some things, yea some in many, and go far, yet either never digged deep, and laid a foundation sure, or retain the love of some sin.  
3. This may be for instruction to us all, 
Use 3.  especially that profess the fear of God, that throughout our whole course, and in all our conversation we cast this with ourselves, not what our profit, or our pleasure, or our mind saith, but what the Word of God saith: This becometh Christians, and will bring comfort, and will prove the surest way at long run: we must not (following our own reason and conceits) cast off and disobey the Word; we think it may be better thus and thus, or hope it's no great matter, or that it's but once: O take heed! This cost Saul dear; 
1 Sam. 15. 26.  He would go offer Sacrifice, He said he was bold, so he was indeed, as we many times; But take heed of being bold with the Word, and taking leave of sin, though but for once: Thou knowest not what that once may cost thee: To Travel on the Lord's day hath many fair pretences, but what evils hath ensued thereby? So Usury is a hasty way to get gain, but fair and soft goes far, What if we get much, and put it in a bottomless purse, and God blow on it and melt it? One man gets slowly in his Office and Trade, because he dares not lie, Dissemble, break the Sabbath: Others care for nothing, and they grow rich apace; with the one it holds, and his Children enjoy it, and he dyeth with Peace and Credit, but the other dyeth with disgrace and a guilty Conscience, and God scatters that he hath; for God will take pity of the honest labours of men, and give of the fruit thereof to their Posterity, but no pity of that which was got with the price of his glory: Hereby many a man loseth soul and all. So many a man seeth not into some one thing (who is otherwise good) and so haply is too hard to his workfolks, will make bold now and then with the Sabbath, etc. though his soul be saved, yet God sets the print of his hand on him in some outward affliction, Body, Goods, Children, and the like.  
Whereunto also they were appointed] The Reason how it comes about, 
Why Christ proves a rock of offence unto most.  that seeing Christ is the way of Salvation, and the Word the means to bring men to Faith in Christ, that yet to some they prove a rock of offence, and turn to their destruction; it's because God in his unchangeable and eternal purpose hath so decreed: This (to let pass other interpretations) by the consent of the soundest, is the plain meaning of the words; and I come not to tell you what men say, but what I am persuaded God saith; As he hath ordained some to Salvation, so hath he some to stumble and come to destruction, which are the two parts of Predestination: This is that most holy and just decree of God, whereby he hath in himself eternally and unchangeably determined of the final estate of all mankind, and every particular in the same; 
Eph. 1. 5.  whatsoever falls out is by his decree, and not a● adventure, 
Acts 4. 8.  He doth all according to the counsel of his own will: The means of effecting this are, the creation of man in innocency, and the fall of Adam, which was also of him decreed: It hath these two parts, Election and Reprobation; for though it be put sometimes for the one only, 
Rom. 8. 31.  as for Election, yet is it common to both.  
This Doctrine will appear both lawful and meet, to be taught upon these grounds; 
Whether it be lawful and meet to handle the Doctrine of God's decree.  1. Whatsoever is written, is written for our learning, and the whole Scripture is profitable to teach, etc. whereof this is a part. 2. This is a part of God's counsel, the whole whereof ought to be taught. 3. It's of very great use to the people of God, their strong Bulwark to fly unto, and strengthen them against all Satan's assaults, 
Acts 20. 27.  even the unchangeableness of God's counsel. 
Rom. 9 11, 12, etc.  4. The holy Apostles have Preached the same plainly to mixed Churches in most of their Epistles. 
Eph. 1. 4.  5. Many Errors have been broached about this Doctrine, 
jude, verse 4.  by Satan and men of corrupt judgement, whereof the Translator of Mr. Perkins his Treatise speaketh in his Epistle.  
But it's offensive, 
Object.  and many take hurt hereby, casting off all care, and saying, If I be elect, I shall be saved, let me do as I list; and if I be appointed to damnation, I cannot be saved do what I can.  
What if some take hurt by this Doctrine, 
Sol.  shall it not therefore be Preached? What Doctrine almost can be taught, but man's vile nature and heart will take occasion by it of ill? as of God's mercy, whereupon men wax bold and secure, shall not the Doctrine of God's mercy be taught? 
Rom. 6. 1.  so of Christian liberty, (which was the reason of those preventions which the Apostles used) so of the Doctrine of Justification by Faith only; 
Gal. 5. 13.  yea, Christ himself is a stumbling stone and rock of offence, Shall he therefore not be Preached? It's not the fault of the Doctrine, but their own wicked corruption, and Satan's malice, that turn holy and wholesome things to hurt; as a choleric stomach doth good meat into ill juice; and the Spiders gather poison from the same flowers from which the Bees gather honey, Do we therefore wish there were no flowers? Shall the children's bread be kept from them, because some unruly Servants will riot and abuse it? Shall the use of a Knife or a Sword be denied to all sober men, because a mad man will hurt himself and others therewith? The wicked do abuse the Word and Sacraments and all to their hurt, Shall therefore the people of God be deprived of them? as the Papists do most wretchedly keep away the Scriptures from the people, lest they should read them: The like may be said of the Preaching of this Doctrine, But who are they that take hurt? even such as would take hurt, and perish though this were not: But one of God's people is more to be respected, than ninety and nine that care for no goodness: And this is of great use to the people of God; It stays them well when they see great professors fall away, else they should ever be in a slavish fear, and so it makes the true servants of God go on comfortably, and strengthens them in all persecutions and troubles, that they shall never fall finally.  
It makes men bold and secure, 
Obj.  because they know they can never fall away.  
Not at all, 
Sol.  but the more careful to please God; for they know they may fall dangerously, and that holds them in awe with the conscience of Gods love together: It further stirs up men to labour to get marks of Election to themselves: It's also a matter of great thanksgiving to God, that having passed by so many, he hath had mercy on us; so that its profitable to more than its hurtful to: It comforts many, What if some stumble when they have no cause? Yea, its matter of Humiliation, that God's grace, not our goodness is the first cause of our Salvation.  
It will make men shake off the use of all means, 
Obj.  and say, What need is there of Sermons and Exhortations, if the number be appointed who shall be saved, and who damned?  
What are they but desperate and wilful persons that will so do? 
Sol.  that will neglect the means, because they know the end is certain and unchangeable? we fear not to teach men Gods Ordination in other things, as that he hath set the period of man's life, which he cannot pass; yet this doth not make men neglect their meat, nor desperately make them cast themselves from the tops of houses, or run upon a naked Sword, because their time is appointed; therefore we may teach it, provided it be taught modestly, and according to the Scriptures: But its Sacrilegious modesty to keep back this or any part of God's counsel; this were to be wise above God and the Scriptures: the Papists have a number of such carnal conceits, which show they be not led by God. If a King should give unto any of his subjects a goodly Manor, and appoint by what way he should go to it, would not he be willing to learn the way? accordingly should we in this particular.  
For the Doctrine itself, consider we briefly four things, which are most material for the edifying of the Consciences of them that are desirous to learn the mind of God herein, wherein I will rather endeavour to show the truth and some uses thereof, then by entering into curious questions to please itching ears, or to stand long in confuting the contrary errors; The first is this, That  
God hath ordained some to destruction: 
Doctr.  This appears by plain places of Scripture which cannot be avoided, 
God hath ordained some to destruction.  as Rom. 9 17. For this same purpose have I raised thee up, etc. Judas, verse 4. Who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, etc. So for Election, we have Eph. 1. 4. 1 Thess. 5. 9 2 Thess. 2. 13. 2 Pet. 2. 12. Now there is the contrary reason of contraries; If he chose some, than he refused others; If he had taken all, than no Election; If not all, than some refused: And if the Lord ordained those whom he Elected to eternal Salvation, Did he not then ordain the other to destruction whom he refused, or left he them at uncertainty? Things fall not out at adventure, but according to God's Decree and Eternal counsel, What wise Workman doth not propound an end to himself, 
Acts 4. 28.  ere he begin his work? and think we the Lord did not determine the final state of all men? 
See Willet on Rome 9 11. pag. 4. 16.  Yes; ere he went about the making of a world he decreed the least matters, therefore much more this.  
1. This confuteth that erroneous platform of the Papists and others, 
Use 1.  which defend universal grace: 
See Perkins 3, on the Creed and Pred.  This makes the will of God (which is the high and sovereign cause of all) to be subject to man's will; whereas it's said, 
Psal. 115. 3.  Whatsoever he will, he doth.  
But is not the Lord slow to anger and of great kindness, 
Object.  and how can this be, 
Exod. 34. 6.  having ordained most men to damnation?  
That's true, 
Sol.  yet makes it nothing against this. 1. It's true of the godly, but he is severe towards the wicked; Both Saul and David sinned, yet was the former punished severely, the latter pardoned: Neither is he so slow to wrath, but that he is also just (many examples of either might be instanced) and is as much honoured in the one as in the other. 
See Nah. 1. ●7.  2. It's true also in part of the wicked, for it's of his patience towards them, that they live and enjoy so many of his benefits in such abundance, with the Gospel, and that he doth not confound them at once, who yet provoke him highly every day.  
It's said in Ezekiel, 
Obj.  As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, 
Ezek. 33. 11.  etc.  
He doth not delight thereat, 
Sol.  as its the destruction of the creature, but as its a mean to set forth his glory; For he aimed not at the undoing and ruin of his creature in his Decree, but at a far more excellent end, even his own glory. Besides, God wills many things which yet he delights not in, as the afflictions of his servants at the hands of ungodly men. 
See Mr. Harsnels' Sermon of this point.  As good and merciful Judges, they delight not in the blood and pains of them that are Executed and by them condemned, which yet must be for the defence of the good, the cutting off and terror of the bad.  
God will have all men to be saved. 
Obj.   
It's to be understood of all kinds of men in this last age of the world, 
1 Tim. 2. 4.  by the means of Christ Jesus. 
Sol.   
The Lord is not willing that any should perish, 
Obj.  etc.  
The wicked mocked at God's promises, 
2 Per. 3. 9  and the godly began to think long; 
Sol.  therefore the Apostle sets himself (and that's the scope of the place) to comfort the faithful: So this place of all men to come to repentance, 
See Rev. 6. 11.  is meant of the Elect only. Is patient towards us, saith the Text, showing that God defers not of forgetfulness, but because he waits till the rest of the Elect uncalled and unborn be added, and then it shall come at the just appointed time: It's not deferred that all men should be saved, for than it should never come, for all men shall not be saved, but for the Elect only.  
If God hath ordained most men to destruction, 
Object.  then is his justice greater than his mercy.  
We must not measure his justice and mercy by the number of the one or of the other; 
Sol.  for if there had been but one only saved, it had been as great mercy, as his justice in condemning the rest: for if but one had been saved, it must have cost the death of the Lord Jesus, such was our misery. Now what a mercy it was, that the eternal Son of God, equal with the Father, and in whom he was well pleased, should not only abase himself to our nature, but to our infirmities; yea, to sorrows, and great indignities, nay, to death, yea, a cursed death: O who can express this love! It was a wonder he did not rather suffer us all to perish, than his Son to endure the least of these!  
Then he hath ordained the means of their condemnation, 
Object.  namely, sin, and so is the Author of sin.  
True, he ordained and decreed that there should be sin in the world, as he did of the fall of Adam; but not as is sin and evil, but as whereby and out of which God draws glory to himself: and it was necessary that there should he evil in the world, as well as good, that a way might be made for setting out God's mercy in pardoning some, and his justice in punishing it in others, but so as the Lord is no way faulty: He ordained willingly to permit it, as it hath respect of good in it, but as no actor of it: He put no evil in Adam, nor any man, but only willingly permitted his fall, etc.  
2. This should and may stay our minds, 
Use 2.  when we see any great Professors, and men of excellent parts fall away: It's no other, then that an Hypocrite, and one that never was sound nor elect of God, is now discovered; and let none that can prove their election be overmuch troubled, only walk reverently, but never be dismayed with deadly fear: They fell, because they were not elect, and you being elect, shall be therefore sure to stand: and thus our Saviour comforts his Disciples, 
See 1 joh. 2. 19  That none was lost but Judas, who was the son of perdition; so did Paul the Christians, notwithstanding the revolting of Hymeneus, Philetus, Alexander, etc. If it were not for this, what a deadly fear might this breed in weak Christians, to see those so far their superiors in knowledge and gifts to fall away. Thus of the first.  
The second is this, 
Doctr.  That  
This was of his own will▪ 
This was of his own will, and for no cause out of himself.  and for no cause out of himself; for the Lord infinite in wisdom and holiness, needs not as man to fetch the reason of his purposes forth of himself: He will have mercy on whom he will have mercy, 
Rom. 9 15.  and whom he will he hardeneth; He doth all things according to the counsel of his own will. 
Eph. 1. 5.   
Is it not said, 
Obj.  O Israel, thy destruction is of thyself; and, He that beliveth not is condemned; and, Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.  
Cursed be the mouth that saith not so, 
Sol.  even that every man's destruction is of himself, and his own just desert; but we must put a difference between the decree of God, and the execution of it; God condemneth no man upon his bare will, but his own just desert: Sin comes in between the decree of God, and the execution of his Decree, as the cause of Damnation.  
If then it be asked, 
Quest.  Why is any man condemned?  
For his sin. 
Answ.   
But why did God decree to condemn any? 
Quest.   
Because he would. 
Answ.  As no man is saved but by Faith in Christ, and Sanctification of life (which yet is not the cause why God appointed him to Salvation, but because he would) so there's none condemned but for his sin; yet God ordained him not thereto because of sin, but because of his own will.  
If any ask further, 
Quest.  and why would he?  
That a note too high for man or angel to sing, 
Answ.  but there in humility we must rest, and not put the Lord to render a reason of all his decrees or doings, which even princes will not do to their subjects: he raised up Pharaoh, etc. even because he would get glory out of him, and by his means.  
This condemneth the Opinion of foreseen works, 
Use.  good or bad, as of this, because he foresaw some would be bad, and refuse grace, he therefore Reprobated them, etc. but God loved Jacob and hated Esau, not only before the had done good or evil, but before there was any thinking of good or ill: If foreseen sin be the cause of Reprobation, then on the contrary, foreseen grace of Election; but the Epistle to the Ephesians showeth the contrary hereof: 
See Eph. 1. 4. & 2. 11.  Faith and Sanctification followeth upon Election, as fruits thereof, therefore go not before as any causes; so do Infidelity and impenitency follow after Reprobation: If foreseen sin had been the cause of Reprobation, 
john 9 3.  than we should all have been refused, for he could not see us, but all sinners: But as the blind man was not so born for his own or Parent's sin, but that the work of God in curing him by a Word might be seen, so was it in this business. Thus of the second.  
The third is this, 
Doctr.  That  
The Lord hath done this most justly: 
The Lord hath done this most justly.  His will is a rule of Righteousness, and he can do nothing but most holily and justly; Is there unrighteousness with God? 
Rom. 9  God forbid; Though we cannot see into the justness of it, yet we ought to acknowledge it: The Sun may shine, and that brightly too, though a blind man see it not: Man was made holy, and having freewill, by his willing sin lost his state, and still sins willingly.  
It seems cruelty in the Lord to appoint most part of mankind to Destruction. 
Object.   
He did it not, 
Sol.  as aiming at their Damnation, but at his own glory, which is more to be regarded then all the World: And shall the Clay say against the Potter, Why hast thou made me thus, and thus? may not he do as he list? So may not the Lord get glory by his own creatures which way he will? And do men for their pleasure hunt the Hare and Partridge, or kill, not only Flies, and base creatures, but also Fowls with their grins, in like manner appointing Sheep, Oxen, etc. for the slaughter, and shall not the Lord have as much Sovereignty over men, the work of his hands? we cannot make a Fly or Flea; yea, it's more reason that the Lord should be glorified, if he would, with the Damnation of all mankind, then that the kill of a Hare, nay a Fly, should serve to the honour or pleasure of the greatest Potentate of the world: What if he had ordained none to Salvation, who had had cause to complain? Besides, with what patience bears he with them, and their blaspheming of him every day? What marvellous benefits, and comfortable good things, bestows he upon them, houses, lands, wealth, health, peace, who might destroy and send them to hell at the first? 
Rom. 9 22.  He suffers the Vessels of wrath with patience. Thus though there had been no sin in the World, God might justly have appointed most men to Damnation, and cast them away also for his glory; but now God doth not cast any man away, but for his own willing falling away, and sin, for he made man Righteous, but now sin comes in, and for this is every one condemned, that is condemned. Besides, is God cruel to them? He never makes their finger ache, till they have deserved Hell, never condmns man or woman, till they have deserved it a thousand times, and in the mean time ceaseth not to bestow manifold blessings on them.  
But as it were tyranny in a King to appoint many of his Subjects to punishment upon his will, 
Object.  so were it in God, said a Papist.  
It's a most unequal comparison; 
Solut.  they be not the King's creatures, though his Subjects committed to him to rule, not as he will, but as God commands; but God hath power, because they be his creatures. As if a Potter having made many pots, commits them to a servant to be looked to, if he burst any of them, at his peril he doth it, because they be not his own, but if the owner should break any, who shall blame him?  
But its partiality in God, 
Object.  and respect of persons, to take some, and refuse others, being all equally guilty, and in estate without difference.  
Not so; 
Solut.  respect of persons is, when many being in one case, one is preferred: For what? for something in their own person; as a Judge having two Malefactors equally guilty, executes the one, and spares the other, because he is his Kinsman, Countryman, etc. But a Prince hath two Traitors equally deserving death, and he without respect, but because he will, pardons one, and cuts off the other, as it may be Pharaoh did by his Butler and Baker; or a man hath two Debtors, and without respect he requires it all of the one, and forgives all to the other, Who shall let a man so to do? This is no respect of persons: But if a man be to adopt a Child out of five or six, and chooseth one, because he is Witty, Fair, Proper, etc. this is respect of persons; but so it is not in the Lord, for he respects nothing in them that he elected, nor in the other, but because he would. Thus of the third.  
The fourth is this, 
Doctr.  That  
The Lord hath done this unchangeably. 
The Lord hath done this unchangeably.  Those that are ordained to destruction, cannot possibly be saved, as it is not possible for the elect to be deceived: 
Mat. 24. 24.  The foundation of the Lord remaineth sure, His decrees are as himself, 
2 Tim. 2. 19  without alteration; for if it should be otherwise, it must needs be, either that he seeth further now, and so wanted wisdom, or that he is inconstant, whereof to think but a thought were blasphemous, or else that he were overruled by some power which he could not resist, which were as horrible. Balaam could say, That God was not like man, that he should lie or repent: It seemeth to us sometimes as though God did change, as in Nineveh and Hezekiah, but it's not so, for though he concealed it, the threatenings were conditional: His secret will is ever the same, firm and fast, and no contradiction between it and his revealed will, though there may seem so to be; yet not so, as if Gods decree put a necessity upon man of offending: for as Adam, so every man sins willingly without constraint, and yet necessarily: God's decree binds to a necessity of condemnation, but man's sin comes in of his own will: O the infinite and unsearchable wisdom and righteousness of God  
Seeing they whom God hath ordained to destruction can never be saved (who yet may be enlightened, 
Use.  go far, and have many gifts and outward benefits) we should never be quiet nor sleep good sleep till we can prove we are no Reprobates: O it's a most fearful state, able to make the heart ache, yea, the thought of it to torment a man; therefore we must labour to know we are not such: Hence is that of the Apostle, 
2 Cor. 13. 5.  Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith: prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? Know ye not, if you have not Christ in you by Faith, ye are Reprobates? and would be content to be so or so counted? Nay, can you be content till you know you are otherwise? Therefore shake off, and be sure to be rid of all the marks of Reprobates; 
Marks of such as are Reprobates.  Namely, 1. Ignorance, whether enforced (for want of means) or affected, for knowledge is the ground of faith and other graces; 
john 3. 19  Therefore its condemnation▪ that light is come into the world, 
See 2 Thess. 1. 8.  and men love darkness: 
john 10. 4.  Christ is known of his, and knoweth them again. 
1 john 5. 20.  2. Unbelief, Whosoever believeth not, is condemned already: Through this were the Israelites excluded out of Canaan, 
john 3. 18.  and perished; 
Heb. 3. 19  and through this were they broke off: 
Rom. 11. 20.  As many as are ordained to eternal life believe. 
Mat. 7. 23.  3. Disobedience to the Word, 
See Rom. 1.  to such shall Christ say one day, 
2 Tim. 3.  Depart from me all ye workers of iniquity. 4. To stumble at Christ and at the Word, upon occasion picked, as we see in this Text. So Apostasy, impenitent living in any known sin, especially after much warning and means, hatred of God's servants, hardness of heart, security, and the like. Now is it not fearful that men can go on, and are not troubled about this? that they can carry their black marks about them, and yet be merry? O fearful and desperate mirth! If one should be condemned to be hanged drawn and quartered, and had an iron hanged on him as a mark of it, and were let go up and down for a few days, if he were merry and jocund, what would we say? yet thus doth the world: O awaken yourselves! Doth not this concern you? O come out of your ignorane and unbelief, and never give over till you get something that a Reprobate never had, cannot have! 
See Mat. 7. 22.  I tell you they may go far, and have so gone, therefore look well about you: A number have not gone so far as a number of Reprobates (in Knowledge, Utterance, Profession, hearing the Word with joy, reverence to the Preachers thereof, Reformation in many things, etc.) who yet think well of themselves: O fearful, that men can be so wretchless in so weighty a matter! Awaken yourselves, I beseech you, 
Rom. 13. 3●  and know one thing is needful; as the Apostle, Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good: So if thou wouldst not be afraid of reprobation, live godly, for such cannot be Reprobates. Faith, true and particular, and Sanctification throughout, make a man a Christian; this an Hyprocrite hath not: So an humble and contrite heart, a vehement longing after Christ, an high prising of him, a vehement desire to turn to God in all things; these an Hypocrite hath not.  
But if it be unchangeable, 
Object.  then what shall I do? I'll never stir and trouble myself, but take my pleasure, etc. for if I shall be damned, I shall so be whatsoever I do; I'll never hear Sermon more while I live, for all the Sermons of the world will not help me, if I be ordained to Damnation.  
O the folly and falsehood of this blind and desperate rage! 
Solut.  It's not possible for him that is ordained to life to live as he list: If thou give thyself so to do, thou hast then indeed a mark to thyself of thy Damnation; yea, what a desperate wretch is he to resolve himself to live like a reprobate, before he know whether he be one or no? as if one should run to the gallows, and put the rope about his neck, before he know whether the Judge hath any purpose to condemn him. Again, know you not that whom God ordains to the end, he ordains also to the means? Therefore these must be used. As for God's decree towards you, the Preacher knoweth not, therefore he must preach and call all to Repentance; neither do you know, therefore must you hear and follow the revealed will of God, and by obeying that, you shall in time come to know his secret will: We must not live by the secret, but by the revealed will of God; and we must not stand upon that desperately and blindly at first, If I be ordained, etc. but meekly hear the will of God in his Word, which being followed of us, it will be in time an Argument that we not are only no Reprobates, 
See a Sermon of Mr. Newhouse, on 1 Thess. 5. the Epistle to the Reader.  but such as are ordained to Salvation: But if thou wilt desperately shake off the revealed will, and only run upon the secret, and cast off all means that should do thee good, and run into sin and means of destruction, than thou hast a bad sign of Reprobation: Whoso stumbleth at Christ, and at the Word, and live in disobedience, and so continue to the end, its certain they are Reprobate; and so long as any continueth in that state, they can have no other knowledge of themselves. Thus of the fourth.   

Verse 9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.  
NOw he returns to the Believers again, and having spoken grievous things of the wicked, that they stumbled at Christ and the Word, and should perish; lest they should be dismayed, as if this also might be their case (some of them having been very grievous sinners) he now endeavours to prevent this their fear, But ye (saith he) are a chosen generation; as if he should have said, They stumbled, because they were ordained to it, but you shall stand, because you are elected of God: Thus he comforts them, and reckons up a number of privileges, whereof God's election was the ground; as, that they were a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; in all which he opposeth them to the Unbelievers; You are a chosen generation, they a reprobate rout; You a royal priesthood, they a profane and base company; You an holy nation, they (whether Gentiles or Jews) an unholy company; You a peculiar people, they the servants of sin and Satan: Then sets down the end of all.  
In general observe we two things, 
Observ.   
1. That the Apostle not only divides the people into good and bad, 
Ministers must speak comfortably to the good, contrarily to the bad.  and sends the Sheep to their fold, the Fox to his den, but he speaks exceeding comfortably to the good, exceeding terribly to the wicked; setting forth the ones happiness, and the others misery; and so must the Ministers of God do.  
2. That he delivers the Word so warily, 
Observ.  that the godly might not be dismayed at the threatenings against the wicked: 
They are warily to deliver the Word, that each may take his due portion.  Hence may Ministers learn wisdom, to give every one their portion; and this is to divide the Word aright, to cut and part it, not to rend it. Thus the Prophets having vehemently threatened, by and by, lest the godly should be cast down, add comforts and promises: When they deliver comforts, they must bid the wicked stand off; so when they speak of judgements, they must so speak, that the afflicted in Conscience may not be troubled, for people are ready to misapply that they hear: Wicked men when they catch hold of the Doctrine of God's mercy, they snatch that which no way belongs to them; and for humble ones in affliction of Conscience, Oh, all terrible things they can apply, and they work on them, but the promises and comforts they cannot fasten on.  
In particular consider we the privileges here mentioned, and the end of them.  
A chosen generation,] 
What election is.  This is the first privilege. Election is the decree of God, whereby in himself, and for his own glory, he hath unchangeably ordained some men to Salvation and life Eternal: Where consider,  
1. That God before the world hath ordained some men to Salvation: 
Doctr.  This is plain from these Scriptures, 
God before the world hath ordained some men to Salvation.  Luke 10. 20. Eph. 1. 4. Phil. 2. 12. 1 Thess. 5. 9 2 Thess. 2. 13. His election is compared to a Book, and the Lord to a General, that books his Soldiers names, or a Corporation where they book all the Freemens names. Again, we see some men be saved, therefore were it so decreed; for whatsoever is, was eternally decreed of God.  
1. This sets out the infinite love of God to mankind, 
Use 1.  who might have been glorified in the Damnation of us all.  
2. This confutes that Opinion, 
Use 2.  That God elected none before the World, but that he generally appointed all to be saved alike, and therefore gave Christ to die for all, and when any receive grace, than God elects them: Doth every wise man set down certainly his end, before he begin his work? and only the God of Wisdom go uncertainly to work? And did Christ lay down his life for any other but his sheep? vouchsafeth he intercession for any other? nay, excludeth he not all others? If Christ had died for them, than they should have been saved, for his death is infinitely meritorious: If he died for any, and they not be saved, he should miss of his purpose.  
Adam and Christ are two common persons, 
Object.  and roots; therefore as Adam lost all, so Christ restored all.  
They are indeed alike in many respects, 
Sol.  as namely in this, That they communicate to others that which was in themselves; Adam, sin, and death; Christ, righteousness and life, but not to both alike: Adam lost all, Christ recovered but some.  
Then Adam's sin was of more force than Christ's death and obedience. 
Obj.   
Not so, 
Sol.  for its easier to destroy, then to build: If Christ had saved but one, it had argued more force than Adam's sin to destroy all: A child can break a glass, which all the men in the Town cannot make up again, yet the child hath not more force than they.  
Why then is Christ preached to them? 
Obj.   
Christ must be offered to all, 
Sol.  for we know not who they be for whom Christ died; let us take knowledge of God's Ordinance, all be not saved, for there is no Election where all are taken. Besides, if he did Elect all, and all be not saved (as we know they are not) then is God hindered of his will, 
Psal. 115. 3. & 135. 6.  which were impious to imagine: He doth whatsoever he will, and man cannot overrule his will.  
2. That the cause why God ordained some men to Salvation, 
Doctr.  was, 
The cause hereof was because he would  because he would; I will have mercy, saith he, on whom I will have mercy; It's according to the good pleasure of his will, nothing out of himself: 
Rom. 9 15.  He saves no man but by faith in Christ and new obedience, 
Eph. 1. 5.  but this was not the cause of Election, but the will of God only; for we must put a difference between the Decree of God and the execution thereof.  
1. This confutes that opinion of foreseen Faith and Works; 
Use 1.  Faith and Sanctification are the consequents of Election, 
See Eph. 1. 4. and 2. 10.  and not any thing precedent: God could not see any difference between men, that some would of their own accord receive grace, believe and obey; for there is no such thing in our nature, we are all alike: And could no● the Lord as well choose men to Salvation freely before the World, as in the World to bestow grace upon them, denying it to others: and hereof not man's Salvation, but his own glory is the further end.  
2. This aught to bind us to thankfulness and duty to God for ever, 
Use 2.  that of Free grace hath loved us, and to walk humbly before him, acknowledging nothing in ourselves but wretchedness, and that all our welfare, past, present and to come, is of his free and especial grace; By grace we are saved. 
Eph. 2.   
3. That the number of Elect is small; 
Doctr.  Many called, few chosen: Christ calls his A little flock that shall have the Kingdom. 
The number of the Elect small.  True, by themselves they are numberless: The true Israel of Jews and Gentiles that already are, 
Mat. 22. 14.  or hereafter to be gathered by the Preaching of Christ and the Gospel, 
Luke 12. 32.  is to man without count, 
Rev. 7. 4.  yet if compared to the wicked, 
Hosea 1. 17.  they are only an handful: As may appear before Christ, when only the little handful of the Jews was God's Church, and among them most Hypocrices and Idolators, few true worshippers of God: Since Christ's coming, and at this time, what vast Nations know not Christ? What a breadth under Antichrist, that know him corruptly? and among ourselves that have him truly Preached, and offered in the Word and Sacraments, yet how few believe and obey, and have the inward calling which should make Election known? And its certain and determined, the number can be made neither less nor more.  
How ought this to whet on our care and diligence to know ourselves of this number? 
Use.  That which all have, no man greatly esteems; but that which few have, most strive after, as Wealth, Honour, Offices, etc. so should we in this: If of Twenty Traitors a Pardon were but for six, what earnestness would be in all to know whether they were of that small number? Is it not therefore fearful to see how desperate the world is, that this being so, yet so few lay it to heart, but rather are so secure, as if very few were appointed to miss of Salvation, and as if all men's names were written in the book of life? 
2 Pet. 1. 10.  But we must give diligence to make our calling and election sure.  
4. That they which be Elect cannot but be saved, 
Doctr.  they cannot perish: God will certainly call them out of the world and their bad estate, 
They that be Elect cannot but be saved.  and being effectually called, he will keep them to Salvation that they shall never perish: He will not lose one, but call them either ordinarily by his Word Preached, if it be in the Church, or by some extraordinary means, if it be among God's enemies: Among ourselves they that belong to God shall at one time or other be brought to the Word, or the Word to them; and hence comes the removing of the Gospel from place to place. How many have been brought to the Word upon occasion of a Marriage, or to see their Friends, or to wait on their Masters, or to speak with some body at Sermon, or to make their Market, or being provoked by some Neighbour, & c? And hence it is also that when the Word is Preached, some have their hearts opened, humbled, converted; others remain blind and impenitent, namely, because God hath elected those, not these. True it is, that the Elect before their calling are as other men, 
Rom. 6. 17.  as bad as the worst; yea, commit any sin that a Reprobate doth, 
2 Cor. 6. 11.  save that against the Holy Ghost: What were Abraham and Paul? 
Acts 13. 48.  the one an Idolater, the other a Persecutor? 
Rom. 8. 30.  Hence the World lasts still to gather up the Elect behind; 
2 Pet. 3. 9  Whosoever belong hereto, shall certainly be called.  
1. This confutes that blind and desperate speech of them that say, 
Use 1.  If they be Elect they shall be saved howsoever they live: This cannot be, for whom God hath Elected, he will call, they shall have the means, and they shall be effectual; therefore thou must come to the means, and pray they may be effectual: If thou contemnest the means, and wilt not be obedient thereto, it's a certain argument of no Election; for whom he Ordains to the end, he Ordains also to the means; so also having once effectually called them, he will never lose them: 
2 Tim. 2. 19  His gifts and calling are without Repentance: The foundation of God standeth sure, having the Seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his: They may indeed stumble and fall, but by virtue of God's Election they shall rise again, as did Peter and David; Their falling shows their own weakness, their rising the unchangeableness of God's Election.  
The Apostle speaketh to whole Churches, 
Object.  that they were Elect of God, and yet many fell away.  
1. He so speaks in respect of the better part, 
Sol.  the true Elect among them. 2. In the Judgement of charity, for that they did outwardly profess the Word of God and live within compass, and so we do, and must esteem of such till they show the contrary.  
It's said, 
Obj.  Him will I blot out of my book.  
It's no more, 
Exod. 32. 33.  but declare by my Judgement, that they were never written therein, 
Sol.  by discovering them to be but Hypocrites.  
But Moses his wish was, 
Object.  To be blotted out of the book of life; and Paul's, To be accursed from Christ. 
Exod. 32. 32.   
These were but to show their fervent affection to the people, 
Rom. 9 3.  and exceeding zeal to God's glory, 
Sol.  not that they could so be.  
But saith our Saviour, 
Object.  I have chosen you twelve, and one of you is a Devil.  
This is meant of an outward choice to the office of Apostleship, 
Solut.  and not the eternal decree of God's Election. And  
2. This is matter of exceeding comfort to all that can prove themselves of this number: 
Use 2.  They must not be dismayed, though they be weak, and see great ones for gifts revolt and come to nothing: They fell, being ordained thereunto; thou shalt stand, though weak, by virtue of Election: This also comforts when we consider our own frailty, Satan's subtlety, malice, and diligence, and his great conquests in the World; though there be matter from hence to make us humble, and fear, and stand on our watch, yet no cause of despair that we shall fall finally. True, if we were in Adam's case, and our Salvation were in our own hand to lose, we might so fall; but we are kept of God the Father, he Elected us, and committed us, and gave us to the Son to be Redeemed, and the Son having so done, commits us back again to the Father to be kept by his power: 
john 17. 11.  Therefore we are in a strong hand, and none can pluck us out of it; This heartens in the service of God, to go on cheerfully in duty. 
Doctr.   
5. That a man may come to know, 
A man may know and be assured of his Election.  and to be assured of his Election. Hereof see downham's Spiritual warfare, page 186. where the point is handled. This bewrays the wicked cruelty of the Papists, 
See Luk. 10. 20.  who for their own gain keep back this comfort from the people, 
2 Pet. 1. 10.  making them believe, it were presumption to be assured: but they must be of good hope (say they) and for the effecting of it, they must go on Pilgrimage to such and such Saints, do such Works, make Vows to build such a Monastrey, repair such a Church, and give thus much to the Priest for Trentals, Masses and Dirges, that if they come into Purgatory, hereby they may be speedily holpen out: O what thanks owe we to God that we are delivered from such Tormentors! And if any of our Consciences be wounded, we we are led to the Freegrace, and all-sufficient Merits of Christ, and so are bound up and sound comforted, finding that whereon firmly to rest; whereas they leave any in as bad or worse case than they found them, who having done as they were by them enjoined, are at as great uncertainty as they were before: So that we under the Gospel save the extreme toil of our Bodies, the robbing of our Purses, and that which is worst of all, the discomfort of our Souls (which they under Popery and Popish Teachers undergo) and are faithfully dealt with by the mercy of God and Merits of Christ: God hath not appointed his Servants to wrestle with Flesh, World, and Devil, and all opposites, and left them only a blank and uncertain hope, but an assurance of their Election past, and Salvation to come, which carries them through all, and is the foundation of a good life.  
The Notes of Election are 1. Faith. 
Notes of Election.  2. Sanctification. 3. Obedience to the Word. 4. Love to the Saints, as may appear in these Scriptures following; Acts 13. 48. Romans 8. 1. Psalm 15. 2. 2 Peter 1. 5. John 10. 27. with John 3. 14. Epistle the first. These, though some imagine they have, but have not, as one may dream of great Wealth, yet waking is Poor; yet as a Rich man may know he is Rich, they that have them, may and do certainly know they have them; Every of which is required to Salvation.  
1. Seeing the Lord hath left this to be obtained by the Sons of men here on Earth, 
Use 1.  how should this provoke every man with more carefulness than can be expressed to find out this Pearl? If we upon trial of ourselves can prove by these and the like infallible arguments that we have found it, then may we rejoice above all rejoicing, yea, more than if we were Crowned Kings to day, for the privileges of the Elect are most sweet and admirable.  
2. O be thankful to God highly, 
Use 2.  stand and wonder at the greatness and freeness of this favour all thy days, that he passing by so many thousands as good as thyself, should yet choose thee!  
3. Yea, 
Use 3.  Covenant to give thy Body, Soul, Life, and all to glorify him in a most zealous and faithful manner: As a man choosing carefully an Arrow out of his Quiver, looks it should go right, and fly far over another. O let us do so in the service of God, and all good works: O what shame is it that such persons as have this assurance, should be dull and slow If upon trial we cannot find these notes of Election, What then? Why, what hast thou upon trial? O saith some poor soul, if there be no notes of Election but these, I am in a woeful case, and yet I have been labouring hard about this matter, to make my state good if it might be possible! Well, you say well, that is a good sign. Are you utterly lost in yourselves? 
Mat. 5. 3.  Blessed are the poor in spirit: Dost thou mourn under the heavy burden of thy sins? Blessed are they that mourn: Hearing of Christ, dost thou highly prise him, & earnestly long after him? Blessed are they that do hunger and thirst after righteousness. And dost thou desire to take up Christ's yoke, though yet thou findest little power? Why, these be good signs and marks of Election as well as the other; every thing must have a beginning: Never leave till thou come to such a pass, that thou canst prove thine effectual calling, and show it by good fruits: But if thou hast none of these at all, no sight of misery, no burden of sin, no purpose to come out thereof, but hopest to do well, though thou livest after thine old lusts: O hang down thy head, go mourning all the day, as one that hath lost his only Son! Thou hast no mark of Election, but of the contrary: we pity them that have Tokens of the Plague upon them, but these are infinitely in a worse case; these have Gods Tokens upon them, even of God's Enemies and Reprobates: whether these have cause to be jolly or no, judge you.  
Q. Whether can we be certain of another's Election, or not?  
A. Certainly we cannot by the same certainty that we may be of our own; 
Whether we may be certain of another's Election.  but probably we may, and very strongly of some, as we may be sure in every true visible Church there be some Elect, also we may know particular persons, 
Phil. 4. 3.  as John the Elect Lady, and Paul, Clement with others: But for certainty we cannot, as we know our own by the witness of God's Spirit to ours, and by the assurance of Faith; therefore they are proudly conceited; that think they have so much discerning, as if they be in a man's company a few hours, they can judge whether he be the child of God or not; fie upon this arrogancy: The Disciples could not do so by living with Judas a good while together, 
Mat. 26. 22.  but asked, Is it I? There have been some have gone so far, and carried it so smoothly, as for sundry years they have deceived many, not only of the people, but of wise and faithful Ministersts; God knoweth the heart certainly, we may guests, and the more godly wise any is, the better he can discern; but very probably, and by the judgement of charity, we may judge more strongly of some than others, according to the grace of God, and continuance in one duty as in another, at home as abroad, in prosperity as adversity, yea, suffering for the truth, abiding constant in a godly course: They that have experience and knowledge what is necessary to Salvation, will look for these, and rest in nothing else: This we may have of others, and this every man ought to labour to lay up in the hearts of his Neighbours. A man must not only lay up good evidence in his own conscience of his Election, but give as full a Testimony to the conscience of others as may be: This is a Crown to a man while he lives, an Honour when he is dead, better than a good ointment, than silver and gold, 
Prov. 22. 1.  a comfort to his Friends, a credit to them that are left behind.  
1. This condemns them that so walk, 
Use 1.  as charity itself cannot speak well of them, or esteem them in the state of grace, or any of God's Elect, What shall be said of these when they be dead? There's an old bibbing carnal man dead, a proud young man, a wicked woman of a very malicious heart, etc. To speak well of these were to sin against conscience and the truth itself.  
2. Them also as walk so oddly, 
Use 2.  as though in some things they give good hope, yet they are either suspected to abide in some known sin, or take their liberty so much in gaming, or give such way to some notable corruptions, be so unreasonable hasty, so covetous and worldly, as men have no sound persuasion; but being asked of them living or dead, they that are of understanding can give no confident or comfortable, but a lame and imperfect Testimony. This is indeed a pitiful thing: O leave something to comfort thy Wife, Friends, Kindred, when thou art dead, that they may not mourn excessively, as without hope, but may with others be persuaded thou art gone to God O leave behind thee a sweet memorial of thyself!  
A royal priesthood, 
Observ. ] Here's a second privilege of Believers, cited (as it seemeth) out of Exod. 19 5, 6. By Christ they are made Kings, 
Christians through Christ are made Kings, Priests and Prophets.  Priests, and Prophets: O what a privilege and admirable advancement it is, that being by nature servants of sin and Satan, they should be made Kings, and so profane, that they had nothing to do to draw near to God, may now be Priests, and offer Sacrifices to God? where may be noted by the way, that even in the time of the Law, Christ and the Gospel was also Preached to the Jews, 
Christ and the Gospel preached in time of the Law.  for they could not come to these privileges, by the legal Sacrifices, but by the Lord Jesus: And therefore wickedly do they, that imagine God fed the Israelites only with outward benefits, and that they had no spiritual things, 
1 Cor. 10. 1, 2.  which is contrary to the Scriptures: 
john 8. 56.  Abraham saw Christ's day, and the godly also among them saw the Messias, though darkly. Again,  
What Moses spoke indefinitely to all the people, 
Observ.  the Apostle here applieth the same particularly to Believers, 
The promises and privileges laid down in the Scriptures belong only to Gods Elect.  Gods Elect, to whom only the promises and privileges appertain, and they ought to apply them and make them their own, wherewith the wicked are not to meddle. To a wicked man there's not a comfortable word spoken in all the Scriptures, while he so abides: Methinks he should be weary of his part, 
Acts 1. 25.  and begin to turn in truth to God; for than begins he to come within compass of these blessed promises and privileges, not before: Nothing belongs to the wicked, but sin, and thereby the curses of God here, and Hell hereafter; as it was Judas his own place. 
Observ.   
This privilege flows from our Election, 
Election is the foundation of all the good which comes to us.  which is the foundation of all good that comes to us here and hereafter: And to become Kings, Priests and Prophets, who were by nature slaves of sin, abominable to God, and altogether darkness in matters of Salvation; we obtain by the means of the Lord Jesus, 
Christ how our King, Priest and Prophet.  who was our Mediator, and anointed King, Priest and Prophet, and discharged by the fullness of the Spirit, which was in him above measure, these offices for our Salvation: Our King, to gather, guide, defend us, and overthrow our Enemies, Men and Devils: Our Priest, to offer up himself a Sacrifice to God for us, and to make continual Intercession on our behalf: and our Prophet, to teach us all that is necessary to know to Salvation; and not this only, but he was King, Priest and Prophet, to make us such by conveying a measure of that Spirit which is in him above measure, to enable us hereto. As Aaron being anointed with the holy oil, it ran down on the skirt of his Garment, so did this from Christ to all his Members; 
on Rev. 1. 6.  But of these three dignities I have elsewhere spoken.  
Only see what kind of persons believers be, 
Observ.  other manner of ones then the world makes account: 
Believers are others than the world thinks for.  They are Kings I tell you, Heirs of a Kingdom, as meanly as the world thinks of them; and as little as they be in their own eyes, and as Kings they conquer and overrule those that conquer and overrule the Devil, the World, and the Flesh: They are also Priests, and may come with confidence into the presence of God, and bring Sacrifices that through Christ Jesus shall be well accepted of God▪ and show their Faces where the wicked may not come, though never so mighty; They are also Prophets to teach, and their lips feed many.  
1. Therefore they are to be highly thankful for this high advancement, 
Use 1.  and labour to walk worthy of it, not in any carnal pride, but in all godly humility, but yet with notable courage and all true thankfulness to God: 
See Calvin on this place.  This yet remember, that though Kings, yet its Spiritual, and therefore hinders not subjection and obedience to civil Kings and Magistrates; which I speak, because Anabaptists do by such colours elude and take away the authority of Magistrates, and exempt themselves from them: 
1 Tim. 6. 1.  So Servants are to be obedient to their Masters, though not yet godly; and to walk humbly, christianly and wisely, so every Christian is to give men their titles, and their due according to their place, yea, though they be bad.  
2. Let all take heed how they meddle with these: 
Use 2.  Reproach not, rail not on them: He that defends them is mighty: Abuse not them whom God hath so highly advanced; If thou knewest what they were, thou wouldst fall down and kiss the ground on which they stand: Be not an Ishmael, lest thou be cast out of the house; I tell thee its an ill mark: Saul, Saul, why persecutest (said Christ) thou me: many shall be condemned at the last day for not doing them good, what shall then become of thee, if thou do them any hurt? I'll tell you a far better way, Take knowledge of their happy estate, and labour to be one of them, though despised in the world, yet of account with God and Angels: 
Prov. 12. 26.  It's well said, The Righteous is more excellent than his neighbour, etc. on the contrary, consider the woeful estate of the wicked; For what be they? be they Kings, Priests or Prophets? no such matter, Believers be so: They be Kings, Priests and Prophets, but the wicked are the slaves of sin and Satan, slaves to the flesh, to their own lusts, to the world: What though they be rich, yea, though they be Emperors, and not Believers, they are the vassals of Satan, and have nothing but their drudgery in sin, and Hell for their own place as their desert: Neither are they Priests, but profane ones, let them stand off, for the holy God cannot abide unholy persons; they and their Sacrifice are abomination to the Lord: They offer no Sacrifices at all of Prayer, Praise or Alms, or if they do, its abominable, because they offer not themselves soul and body to God first; but they offer themselves to the Devil, and him they serve with body and soul, might and main: Neither are they Prophets, but dumb beasts, not savouring of the mysteries of God's Kingdom, or if uttering any thing thereof, yet their ill lives disgrace it again: O that such considering their own base, and the others happy estate, would have an holy emulation to be as they; and indeed nothing in this world is worthy to be envied but a Christian: Humble therefore thyself for thy sin past, turn to God for thy pardon in Christ, and labour to have thy part in him, and by him, and by Faith in him, thou shalt attain to be a Christian, and so consequently a King, Priest and Prophet, and be enabled to the duties of the same.  
An holy nation, 
The jews why termed an holy nation. ] Here's a third privilege, not meant of all the Jews, but of the elect among them (and of all believing Gentiles, as Acts 2. 38, 39) so called, 
Psa. 147. 19, 20  1. Because they had the Oracles of God, the Word and Sacraments, 
Object.  which no other had.  
This belonged to all the Jews. 
Solut.   
True, but it might be said, that they only had them, which had the power of them to the conversion of their souls and Salvation; and others had them not, which had no fruit and benefit by them. 2. Because they were sanctified and set aside by special grace to be holy ones to the Lords use.  
Note then, That  
All that be the Lords, 
Doctr.  are holy persons; that is, Not only having Christ's holiness imputed to them, 
All that be the Lords company o'er holy persons.  but in whom God worketh inherent Righteousness and Holiness by his Spirit, conveying virtue from Christ's death to kill sin, and from his Resurrection, to raise them to newness of life, 
See Ephe. 1. 4.  to alter and change them throughout in soul, spirit and body: 
1 Thess. 4. 2. & 5. 23.  This though not perfect in any, yet is sound and upright in them all, therefore he gives them his holy Word, and holy Spirit to work this, and holy Sacraments to increase it; and its requisite, 
Heb. 12. 14.  that as God is holy, so also all his should so be; and these be they shall see his face with comfort, 
Acts 20. 32. & 26. 18.  no other, and for these only is Heaven prepared.  
O let every man examine himself, whether he be a sanctified person or not; if yea, Then  
1. To thy comfort know hereby, 
Use.  thou art one of the Lords number, a greater privilege then to be written among the Potentates of the earth: 
Comfort and Counsel for sanctified persons.  There's Consolation to thee, thou wert elected, and shalt be glorified.  
2. Seeing thou art set aside for the Lords use, and sanctified in body and soul, never defile thyself again, or put any part of thy body and soul to any common or unholy use of sin or Satan. In the Law it was ever most fearful to take any Consecrated thing, as the Holy Oil, Shewbread, or Vessels, and put them to any common use; so is it that we should put Hand, Foot or Tongue to any use of sin or corruption, for any part of our souls or lives: Oh, many contrarily can let loose their tongue to impatient, proud, and most unseemly speeches, yea and their bodies and minds; some to excessive following the world, as they were wont, and as worldlings do; and some after their pleasures and vanities: O that we would grow and abound in Sanctification, that here having our fruit in holiness, we may have the end everlasting life.  
If not, but contrarily you either live in profaneness, the open breach of some of the Commandments, or be only superstitiously holy in some odd devotions, 
The misery of those that are unsanctified, with advice to them to come out of this condition.  and lose in other things; as Papists, and a number of old Folks, or such as have a counterfeit holiness in the first Table, and make no conscience of the duties of the second; or contrarily civil persons, that seem very just in the second Table, but savour nothing of the duties of the first Table: Know you are yet unsanctified persons, and therefore out of God's number; you may be members of the visible Church, 
Psal. 15. 1, 2.  where good and bad, chaff and corn are, but not of the invisible who only are sanctified ones: Let such be what they will be, having Wit, Learning, Wealth, Wisdom, Civility, all skill of Languages, yea, if they could measure the Heavens, number the Stars▪ etc. and be not sanctified, they are of the Devil's rabble, 
Rom. 6. 21.  and shall perish everlastingly: O that you would awake out of your courses; What fruit have ye had, or look ye to have therein? The end of these things is death: Come to the Word, crave the Holy Spirit, desire Pardon and Sanctification; till this be, you are not out of the state of Damnation, and all things are impure to you, 
Tit. 1. 15.  Word, Sacraments, yea your Meat, Drink, Apparel, etc.  
A peculiar people, 
Obs. ] That is, a people proper to the Lord, which he himself hath purchased, 
The Church God's peculiar people.  and which he now takes as his own, and sets great store by, called therefore his secret ones, whom he keeps under his protection, 
Deut. 32. 8, 9  to whom also he reveals his secrets, his Beloved ones, his Spouse, his Love, his undefiled, as the Apple of his eye, the Signet on his right hand, 
See Isa. 49.  whom he cannot forget. In the flood he saved his Church, when all others were drowned; he saved Lot, when Sodom was destroyed; he makes more account of one Christian, then of thousands of others: If one of them pray, it's so forcible, that he says, Let me alone; and if thousands of wicked, it's but as the howling of Dogs, an abomination: They are his glory, all the world are dross to them, 
Isa. 4. 5.  vile persons, and base: The wicked though never so many, are but servants to the Church, as the seven Nations were to make the Land of Canaan fit for the people of God; yea even then, when they seem to domineer most over them, they are but their drudges: They as a wisp scour the Church, to make it bright in the eyes of God, but the wisp is to be cast into the fire; they are God's rod to bring it to obedience; when that's effected, the rod is to be flung into the fire. And  
No marvel though the Lord set such store by his Church, 
No marvel though he set much by it  seeing he hath been at such cost therewith; as to Redeem it with the blood of his Son, and to give his Spirit thereto to graft and unite it to Christ, and to sanctify and make it like himself: How dear are our children to us? God hath made us sons, nay heirs; the Lands we purchase be dear to us, we are Gods purchase; our members be dear to us, God hath made us members of his Son.  
1. Oh, 
Use 1.  if we be so peculiar and choice to the Lord, how choicely should we walk? how should we set as great store by the Lord and his Commandments, as he hath done by us? He hath chosen us for his inheritance; we should choose him for our portion, and make him so, and his Word our Heritage as David did: O how warily should we walk! 
Zech. 12. 8.  Every Christians ought to be one of a thousand, the least as David, and the greatest of the Angel as God: we should shine so among others, as Moses his face shone when he came down from the Lord, that we may strait be discerned by our conversation, who and what we are: O how doth this tax the coldness and carelessness of many Christians, in whom who can view any singular thing? but we ought to be singular persons: They omit duties in their Families, or slubber them over, as many Hypocrites, who can upon any occasion be as froward, impatient, worldly, as any other: Is it not requisite that such as the Lord hath been at such cost with, as to Elect them, Redeem them, call them by his Word and Spirit, Sanctify them, etc. should be extraordinary persons? we should be much in those duties that the World and Hypocrites do not meddle with, as private Prayer, Examination, Watchfulness, yea, against secret corruption, and in those we do, we must perform them after another fashion then heretofore.  
2. This is a comfort that God makes such special reckoning of his; 
Use 2.  therefore though we have many and mighty Enemies, yet we need not fear: God is on our side, he is about us, as the Mountains about Jerusalem; they must dig down God ere they can come at his, overcome God ere they can conquer his.  
3. Terror to the wicked; 
Use 3.  How dare they meddle to hurt or persecute any of these little ones, 
judges 5. 23.  lest their Angel be let loose to destroy them? If Meroz were cursed for not helping them, what shall they be that harm them? They that rail on them, mock and misuse them, would do further if opportunity served.  
4. The wicked are of no reckoning with God, 
Use 4.  for they be like the Devil, and do nothing but sin against God, and are his Enemies; The wicked are as chaff and darnel, the godly as wheat; the good as the fish in the net, the wicked as weeds and frogs; the good as the vine, the bad as the nettles and brambles; the good as the tree planted by the rivers of waters, 
Psal. 1. 3.  etc. the wicked as barren, nay, hurtful trees; the godly be like good ground, 
Heb. 6. 8.  the wicked like that which bears thorns and briars: This should make them see their base condition, and set less by themselves, seeing God sets nothing by them, and join themselves to the Lords people, and labour to be such.  
That ye should show forth the praises of him, etc.] The end of all these privileges and this cost is, that we might show forth by word and deed all the virtues of God, his Mercy, Patience, Wisdom, Goodness, etc. showed in our Election, Redemption, Vocation, Sanctification, etc. Where note.  
1. That God hath not bestowed this cost on us in vain, 
Obs.  but that we might both sound out his praises with our mouths, 
God's glory the end of all the privileges bestowed on us  and throughout out whole life show forth the same: O how infinitely stand we indebted to him; But where is our zeal any thing answerable to the least of these unspeakable mercies vouchsafed unto us?  
2. That he did not Elect us, 
Obs.  because he foresaw we would show forth his virtues, 
We were Elected of God, that we might show forth his praises.  but that we might so do; If he had foreseen any works in us, we might then have showed forth our own Merits, as his Virtues, but that's contrary to this Text and the whole course of Scripture: 
Eph. 1. 4.  Therefore we may say herein, Not unto us, but unto thy name give the glory. 
2 Tim. 1. 9   
3. That he Elected us, 
Obs.  not to be idle, but to show forth his Virtues; 
We were not Elected to be idle, etc.  and this confuteth the Opinion of those that hold the Doctrine of Election, and the unchangeableness thereof to be a Doctrine of Liberty, 
Use.  and a gap to all licentiousness: But he chose us, that we should be holy, 
Eph. 1. 4.  and that not in show to please men, but before him, even so as he requireth and accepteth.  
4. That the furthest end of our Election is God's glory, 
Obs.  not our Salvation. 
God's glory the furthest end of our Election.  True, he propounded that too, but not as the furthest end: So he ordained some to Damnation, not that simply he takes pleasure in their destruction, 
See Prov. 16. 4.  but to set forth his glory, even the glory of his power and justice in their just condemnation; 
Rom. 9 23.  so would he be glorified in his mercy in the Salvation of the Elect. 
Eph. 1. 5, 6.  Hence learn we  
To make the glory of God the end of all our actions, 
Use.  and nothing else, not profit, not pleasure, not preferment, no not the Salvation of our own souls; we must not Hear, Meditate, Pray, keep the Sabbath, fly from Sin, do good to save our Souls, (for then we seek ourselves) but that God may be glorified; the other must be minded in the second place.  
Who hath called you,] He describeth God by a special benefit bestowed upon them, namely, their effectual calling from sin to grace; and this he doth to confirm them in their Election, whereof he had spoken before, 
Doctr.  by which they might prove the same.  
Note then that effectual calling is a certain argument of our Election; 
Effectual calling is a certain argument of Election.  I say effectual calling, because there is 1. An outward calling common to the Reprobate (as many are called, but few are chosen) and 2. An inward and effectual calling, 
Two sorts of calling, outward and inward.  when the Spirit goes with the outward means, and boars through the ear of the heart, and opens the eyes, and breaks through all lets, and enlightens and changes a man admirably, who before was not at all moved when he heard the very same things: when God deals with the Reprobate, he calls them outwardly, but when with his Elect, he goeth to work with his Spirit, 
james 1. 18.  which passeth the power of Man or Angels; the work is the Lords.  
The outward instrument of effectual calling, 
Obs.  is principally the Ministry of the Word; 
The word the outward instrument hereof.  other things may prepare (as the fire heats the iron, but the hammer fashioneth it) as affections, the good conversation of others, and the like: Thus the Jailor was by an Earthquake, 
1 Pet. 3. 1.  some are gastered, and first smitten (yet rarely) by some fear in the night, 
Acts 16. 26.  or at some other time fearful thoughts lay hold on them: But this is not conversion (it's no other than may be in a Reprobate) after they are brought by counsel to the Word, where it may be they receive conversion, and even that terror of conscience though it were occasioned by some outward thing, yet it is the Word that indeed works it, as which tells them both of their sin and danger.  
The parts of it, 
The parts of effectual calling.  are 1. An enlightening of the understanding, with a distinct knowledge of the principal points of Salvation. 2. The opening of the heart to believe. 3. The changing of the whole man from that ill nature that was in him to a quite contrary: The Law prepares and make them see their deadly danger, and by the Spirit, makes to feel it grievously, and then the Gospel works by little and little, hope to comfort, and so a change.  
The cause that moves the Lord to do this to any, 
Obs.  is his mere mercy, and no desert, 
God's free mercy the cause hereof.  as is Election and Redemption, so is our effectual calling free: And this inward effectual calling is an infallible argument of Election past, 
2 Tim. 1. 9  and glory to come: They are links of the golden chain of man's Salvation, 
Rom. 8. 30.  that cannot by all the Devils be sundered, 
2 Pet. 1. 10.  but have one and have all.  
Hereupon me thinks every man's heart should burn within him to prove his calling, 
Every one must endeavour to prove his calling.  that hereby he might have a mark of his Election: They that can prove it, may have exceeding comfort; and they must also beware, 
Rom. 12. 2.  lest being calling out of the world to God, they look any more back, 
Eph. 4. 1.  or be more and more defiled with the fashions and manners thereof; and every day in hearing the Word, obey every part thereof, and walk worthy of your holy Calling: Much are they to be blamed that do no more honour their Calling, but drop into things like men of this world, yea, are overcome of the world and covetousness.  
But haply thou doubtest of thy Calling, because thou findest not these fruits, or not so plentifully as thou wouldst; be not discouraged, though thou be'st dull, and full of infirmities, and strong corruptions, yet unfeignedly hating and resisting them, and being grieved at them, and using the means against them, thou art not to call thy foundation into question; yet must thou humble thyself, and as occasion requires, set on more earnestly, use the means more carefully, and daily renew thy repentance. But for those that show no fruits of their Calling, but though they have had the Word, and been Hearers, yet remain profane and impenitent altogether, or seeming to go some steps, yet are not changed throughout through Faith, they are not yet called; for never imagine that every one that hears Sermons, yea usually, and with joy, and mends many things, and lives in some good fashion, is strait truly called: not only the highway ground, but even the stony, yea thorny, which went far, and beyond most in Congregations, yet were not effectually called; and numbers among ourselves, that think well of themselves, are not truly called, are not Believers, nor turned to God: Well, let every man examine himself throughly; being not called, I dare not speak a word of comfort to you in this case, you have not only no mark of Election, but the contrary, when God hath by all means called, as by promises, threatenings, etc. and none have prevailed: O now use the means with all diligence, and though hitherto you have disobeyed the words of Gods calling, yet let them now open the doors of your hearts! If you do, 
Prov. 1. 28.  God will be merciful and blot out all; if you will not, when you shall hereafter call, you shall not be heard: and you which would not obey this gracious voice of the Gospel, to believe and repent that you might be saved, shall one day hear another kind of voice from him, which you shall obey, nill you will you, to your own confusion.  
Out of darkness into his marvellous light.] Here are the parts of calling, both from whence and whereto. 
What to understand by darkness.   
By darkness is meant ignorance of Christ Jesus, and sin, which are the works of darkness, and tend to utter darkness; In this case they were.  
How could these Jews be said to be in darkness which had the Law, 
Obj.  and were skilful therein, 
Rom. 2. 17.  and stood not a little upon it?  
They had knowledge of the Law, 
Sol.  but Christ Jesus, 
john 17. 3.  the accomplishment of the Law, they knew not, to know whom aright is life everlasting: All knowledge without this is nothing but darkness still; so that he means not, that they were without the means of knowledge, as the Gentiles were, for one may have the means, and yet be in darkness; nor that they were called out of ignorance to some knowledge by the means, for one may have much knowledge, and yet be in darkness; but that they were called out of darkness, that is; out of ignorance of Christ and Salvation by him, out of the state of corruption and sin, and working the works of darkness, and going to utter darkness.  
To his light, 
What by light.  that is, to know Christ by a saving particular, and effectual knowledge to Sanctification and Holiness of life, which are the works of the light, and so to the hope of the eternal light of happiness. Hereunto they were called out of the state of unbelief and sin, which tend to death; for so sin is called darkness, and holiness light: Sin is termed darkness, because it comes from the Devil the Prince of darkness, loves darkness, and goes to darkness: Holiness comes from light, even God the Father of lights loves and can abide the light, and goes to light, 
1 john 1. 5.  and God the Fountain of Holiness is called light. Here note▪  
What every man's estate is till he be called, 
Observ.  even that we are not only darkened, 
Every unregenerate person is darkness.  but darkness itself: We were all made light in Adam, full of knowledge and holiness, since the fall we are all darkness, and when God means to save any, 
Eph. 4. 17. & 5. 8.  he pulls them out of darkness: Darkness hath a power indeed, 
Acts 26. 18.  which were it not for the Almighty power of God delivering us therefrom, 
Col. 1. 13.  would hold us under for ever; and as long as we be in this darkness, 
1 john 1. 6.  we have no right to the Kingdom of God, nay we have nothing to do with God, we are neither his sons, people nor servants: The man that is not effectually called and sanctified (what gifts soever he hath) is yet in darkness, and never wrought other than the works of darkness: He may do good things, and the works of light, but they be not so in him, being darkly performed by corrupt nature, without Faith or the Spirit, neither tending to the right end: This may be said of every unregenerate person, though never so old, civil, or of good parts.  
1. This confutes the Papists, 
Use 1.  that teach that there are some such pure Naturals left in man, some freewill to goodness, which if God stir up a little and help, can work; and that they can merit of Congruity, which crosseth both this and other Scriptures, as, That the thoughts of man's heart are only evil continually; 
Gen. 6. 5.  That the wisdom of the flesh is enmity with God; 
Rom. 8. 7.  and, 
Eph. 2. 1.  That we are dead in trespasses and sins.  
2. This should make the world weary of their part: 
Use 2.  O that a man had but wisdom enough to persuade all ignorant persons that they be in darkness, and going to Hell; nay, all persons of what parts soever, that being void of Faith, and not sanctified, they are in this case: It's not because they are not so, but because they are so deep in darkness, as all that can be said to them from God about the same, cannot so persuade them, but that they love darkness more than light, cannot away to be called out of it, think their case as good as others; Awake thou that sleepest, and stand up, Christ shall give thee light. Who would abide in a dark Dungeon, that might be abroad in the light? in Egypt, when he might be in Goshen with God's children? Men think because they have the light of the Sun, and their eyes to see, they think that they be not in darkness, but their Souls be in most woeful darkness: Never think to work the works of darkness, and yet come to the light of Heaven.  
Into his marvellous light. 
Observ. ] This is opposed to darkness; therefore hereby is meant saving knowledge of Christ, 
Every true Believer is brought into the saving knowledge of Christ.  which is life Eternal, and true Light, Holiness, and Sanctification, the hope of Heaven, and the inheritance of the Saints in light: This is not only light, but marvellous light, either in respect of the contrary darkness, or in respect of itself. This is the estate of every Believer, of every sanctified person.  
1. This shows the infinite odds between the true Christian, 
Use 1.  and those that be not so; and that not only between Pagans that have no means, who be deep and every way in darkness, but even between Christians, and them that have both means, and it may be knowledge, yet are still unconverted and unsanctified persons: The one is in light, 
1 joh. 1. 7.  the other in darkness; 
john 8. 44.  the one have fellowship with God, the other with the Devil: O that men saw the odds! they would not only not judge their own case so good, and despise the servants of God as they do, 
Zech. 8. 23.  but would reverence them, and take hold of their skirt, and say, We will go with you.  
2. It teacheth Christians brought into this marvellous light, 
Use 2.  how to walk as children of the light, and to have nothing to do with the unfruitful works of darkness, but to reprove them, nor with the workers of iniquity; But how few thus walk▪ O let our conversation be honest, and our light so shine, that we may lighten others: Being herein like God, we may be assured we are going to everlasting light.   

Verse 10. Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God; which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.  
HE adds to the heap another mercy to stir them up to the thankfulness he speaks of; and to the end the mercy and benefit may be seen to be the greater, he sets it out by the contrary, comparing the time present with the time past, when it was far otherwise with them; and as he compared them with others before, so he compareth them now with themselves.  
Which in time past, etc.] Here the Apostle alludeth to Host 1. 10. where the Lord setteth out both the sins and punishment of the ten Tribes under a Typical marriage of the Prophet with a notorious Strumpet, which was not a thing verily done, but to set the more lively before their eyes their Sins and Idolatries; as under the name of those supposed children, were set out the punishments that God meant to send upon them for the same; as, That they should be scattered abroad, That God would have no mercy on them, and lastly, which was worst of all, That they should not be his people; all which were accordingly fulfilled: For first they were carried Captive of the Assyrians, and there retained some remnants of the Worship of God in a corrupt manner, and kept together; but after when the Medes and Persians prevailed over the Assyrians, they were then scattered over the Nations so far and wide, as they had no part of God's Worship remaining among them, but were so mingled among the Heathen, as they became no people of God at all, but altogether wrapped in all the manners of the Heathen Nations with whom they lived: This is that here meant, when he saith, They were not the people of God, etc. And lest the good among them should be altogether dismayed, as though God had broken his Covenant, he promiseth, That the time should come, that he would receive them into his favour again, which was now accomplished, as the Apostle saith, When by the Gospel they were gathered to the Faith of the Lord Jesus.  
In that he sets before them the time past, and what they were, Note, That for a people or particular persons to look to their beginnings, 
Observ.  is of good and singular use: 
For a people or particular persons to look to their beginnings is of good use.  As for us, who since Christ's coming are admitted to the same privileges with the Jews, have the Gospel Preached, Christ Jesus offered, Grace given to receive him, the Word and Sacraments to assure us of him, Heaven opened to us as well as they; for us, I say, being thus, and having the truth, and only way of Salvation Preached to us by Jesus Christ: To consider what we were will be of great use, as that we were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, Strangers, drowned in Idolatry and all Sin, without knowledge of the true God, but woshiping the Devil in stead of the true God; that in the days and under the Tyranny of Antichrist, we were held in blindeness, made to worship Images, taught to believe that we must be saved by Masses, Man's Merits, Pope's Pardons, scared with Purgatory, thinking that then we did God high service, when we most dishonoured him: So to consider with ourselves what we were before our Calling, Ignorant, in Unbelief, Profane, the servants of Sin, slaves of Satan, in Darkness, loving Sin as our lives, hating the Word and all goodness, etc. and what we are now through God's mercy, will be of great use. For  
This serves, 
Reason 1.  1. To make us humble, and take down our pride: Therefore, when the Israelites would so brag of Abraham, and Jacob, or Israel, that they were their Seed and Posterity, the Lord by his Prophets would tell them, and what was Abraham, but a poor Idolater in the Land of Ur of the Caldees, and a loan man, a dry stick, and Sarah barren? and what was Israel? was he not a fugitive, as it were, fain to fly for his life into Mesopotamia, and so poor, as he went only with his staff in his hand, there served for wages, following the sheep, at his return ready to be devoured by Esau? what great cause then have you to brag of your Progeny?  
2. To stir us up to thankfulness, 
Reason 2.  when we see we were most wretched, and miserable, poor, and blind, and naked, having no dram of any good in ourselves; this is a great cause of thankfulness: whereas if we think we have ever been as now, or that we had some goodness in us before, as the Papists teach, we cannot be truly and heartily thankful to God as we should: Therefore the Doctrine of Rome, That man is not so miserable, 
See Rom. 6. 17.  but that he hath some good in himself, 
1 Cor. 6. 10.  etc. 
Tit. 3. 3.  will never humble a man as he ought to be, nor make him so thankful as he should be: David was put in mind that he was taken from following the Ewes with young, that thereby he might be the more thankful.  
3. To strengthen our faith to believe in God for afterwards, 
Reason 3.  and for all blessings needful to Salvation: 
Phil. 1. 6.  He that hath already done thus much for me, 
1 Thess. 5.  will not now fail me.  
1. Therefore we should do well oftentimes, 
Use 1.  especially when we feel our hearts lifted up with pride, to enter into a deep consideration of our former estate, and what we were before God showed mercy to our souls in enlightening, converting, and effectually calling us; for we are ready to be puffed up, as though we had not received it, and lift up ourselves, and contemn others; now alas we should consider, such were we, and once as far from Salvation as they, and so pity them.  
2. When we find ourselves dead or dull to duties, 
Use 2.  do but consider what he hath done for us, and from what a base condition he hath pulled us, and into what dignity he hath advanced us, and this will make us shake off all laziness.  
3. When our faith is weak, 
Use 3.  and we begin to fear the time to come, consider, He that freely before the world chose us (passing by most others) gave his Son to die for us, his Word to tell us thereof, his Spirit to assure us thereof, and so Sanctify us, he will not now leave his work imperfect.  
O but our sins be so many, 
Object.  and we be so unworthy!  
If thy sins could have turned away God's favour, 
Solut.  he would have kept his mercy away at the first; but seeing they could not keep God from showing thee mercy at the first, they shall never take away the favour of God from thee, now that he hath vouchsafed the same, they shall never take it away wholly and for ever.  
Here the Apostle alludes (as ye heard) to Hosea 1. 10. 
Observ.  God there threatened to cut them off from being his people, 
No privileges can exempt the contemners of the Word from God's wrath.  which after fell out. Whence learn, that  
No privileges can exempt men from God's wrath, but if they contemn his Word, he will take it from them, and cast them off: Thus he did with the posterity of Abraham; a very lamentable spectacle to see the ten Tribes carried into Assyria Captives, thence by the Medes chased into many Nations, and dispersed, that had sometimes been the people of God, and now nothing less, but became no people, were as the Heathens; thus hath it fallen out to many Nations since our Saviour Christ, as to the Churches that the Apostles Paul and John wrote to, and divers others.  
This may terrify us, 
Use.  and hereby we may learn to stand in awe: If God did not spare them, 
Rom. 11. 21.  will he spare us? we stand upon our good behaviour; the sins of our Land be many, not only Bribery, Oppression, Whoredom, Drunkenness, Pride, Covetousness, but horrible profanations of Sabbaths and Sacraments, fearful contempt of the Word, and abuse of God's Servants, and with most, Religion grown to a mock, and a reproach to those that be any thing forwarder therein than others.  
If any shall say, 
Obj.  We have enjoyed the mercy of God, and the Gospel, a long time.  
Not so long as the Israelites did. 
Sol.   
But what then should God do for a people? 
Object.   
As when God cast off the Jews, 
Sol.  he took us Gentiles in, which they thought could never have been, even so can he find him out a people among the ignorant and wild people, which are no worse than this Nation sometimes was, though he should utterly cast us off.  
In making them a people again, see both the mercy, power, and truth of God.  
1. His mercy in receiving them in again: 
God's mercy in making the jews a people again.  Where learn, That Though God should forsake some of the seed of a godly man, yet he will extend mercies on others for their father's sakes, and remember the next or third Generation for the good old father, or Grandfather.  
Let Parents be godly, 
Use 1.  that all their children may be so; or if the Lord should frown on any of them, that yet he may remember his Covenant to their Posterity.  
Again, 
Use 2.  though God be angry with men for their sins, yet if they unfeignedly turn to him and humble themselves, he is gracious and merciful.  
As this should provoke God's Servants when they have offended, 
Use 3.  not to fly from him and despair, but come humbly to him, remembering that though they have shaken off the nature and part of Children, yet he retains still the nature of a father; so this may provoke lewd Wretches to come unto God, 
Apply 1 King. 20. 21.  hearing he is so merciful. But contrarily, they abuse the same, and go on in their sins.  
2. His power: 
His power.  Though they were thus scattered, and so unlikely ever to be gathered again, yet did the Lord effect it. If men say a thing, or have a mind to a thing, they may hap to do it, but if God mind a thing, he will do it, neither shall any, or any thing let him.  
This may comfort us in all God's promises of protection of his Church, 
Use.  against the proud adversaries of the same: 
See Psal. 74. 12.— 18.  And let such take heed how they oppose God in his Church, or stand in his way, lest they receive that which they shall never claw off again. Though the Jews at this time be so scattered, as that they be in all Nations, yet God will find a means to gather them under the knowledge and sceptre of Jesus Christ.  
3. His truth: 
His truth.  That was verified and came upon them, which God had threatened in the time, and by the ministry of Hosea; and whereas there it was foretold, that yet afterward they should be called home again, and be made the people of God: See the truth of his promises as of his threatenings; 
Use.  for his promise to Abraham he took them in again.  
Were not a people] He saith not, 
Observ.  they were not the people of God, but, 
Impenitent persons not worthy the name of people.  they were not a people; What then? heads of Swine, not worthy the name of a people or of men, but of Beasts; for such are they which live without the knowledge of God and Christ; nay, evil Beasts, as Horse and Mule without understanding, Oxen and Asses may teach them wit: 
Tit. 1. 12.  The Sork, Crane and Swallow know their times, 
Psal. 32▪ 9  which they do not, nay worse than Beasts: Hence the Scripture compares them to Dogs, 
Isa. 1. 3.  Lions, 
jer. 8. 7. & 50. 27.  Foxes, Tigers, Cockatrices, etc. as wicked rich men to fed beasts. If a Horse have drunk his fill, let him come through the clearest water that is, 
Amos 4. 1.  and he stays not; but numbers having already drunk too much, must needs drink at every Alehouse they come at. It's grace that puts excellency in a man, without which he is worse than a Beast, for he is degenerate from his Creation, hath understanding, but serveth not his Creator, but rebelleth against him, and his end will be a thousand times worse than a Beast: A wicked man is called in Latin, Nequam, which signifieth no body, and so he is indeed in God's account, No body; and happy were it with him, if he were indeed no body, but he hath a being here to sin, and hereafter to be tormented.  
Do not we therefore rest contented with our natural state, 
Use  but labour for grace in our hearts.  
But are now the people of God] Though scattered, 
Observ.  yet became they the people of God: 
No outward affliction doth nullify God's Church.  So that no outward affliction doth nullify God's Church, as no outward pomp nor living together in wealth make a Church; God's Church scattered, is yet one Household, one Sheepfold. Further, in that he reckons it for a great privilege and blessing, that they were the people of God, Note, That  
It's the greatest blessing in the world for a Nation to be the people of God, 
Obser.  even to enjoy the Word and Sacraments, 
To be the people of God a choice blessing.  and other Ordinances of God, the means of Salvation: so for a particular person to be one of God's true people; 
Psal. 147. 20.  for as for all outward things, they are common to the wicked, yea the Beasts partake of many of them, but the means of Salvation they are happy things: It's the fearfullest thing in the world not to be the people of God; for if we be in Poverty, Trouble, Captivity, under Tyrants, yet it's nothing, so we enjoy the means of Salvation; and if a Nation have all Plenty and Peace, yet want the knowledge of God and Christ Jesus, it's nothing: So for a particular person, if he be never so Poor, Sick, Imprisoned, Hated, yet if the knowledge of God in Christ Jesus be in his heart, and true holiness, he is not misrable; and if all Wealth, Honour, Health, whatsoever can be put upon a man, if he be not the child of God, it's nothing. St. James bids the poor Christian rejoice, because he is made a Christian, exalted; and the rich man to rejoice, because he is by the grace of God made lowly, not because rich.  
1. This may stir up in us thankfulness to God, 
Use 1.  that hath vouchsafed to make us his people in this Land, for which we cannot be sufficiently thankful: But most regard not that which makes the Land happy, namely the Gospel; This is that which makes this Land the people of God, and nothing else.  
2. It teacheth us particularly to labour to be of his true people effectually Called, 
Use 2.  Justified, Sanctified, Zealous of good Works, loving the Word, affecting it, and finding it sweeter than the honey, and the honey comb, more precious than gold and silver, delighting in the Sacraments and Prayer, walking in true Holiness, etc. thus shall we be happier than Kings without it. He that is one of God's true people is dear to God, he will protect him & provide for him, that he shall want no good thing here, and be glorified with him hereafter; every one will be challenging this to himself, the worst of all will take the best names to themselves, and be termed Christians, but let them win it and wear it.  
Which had not obtained mercy] What then? were under God's Wrath and Justice; and why not under Mercy? because of their sins. So that Sins, 
Observ.  especially unrepented of, are a wall of brass to keep God's mercy from us. 
Sin unrepented of lets God's mercy.  Therefore repent of them, for without God's mercy we are utterly undone for ever.  
But now have obtained mercy. 
Use. ] This is the same for substance with the former words, and there remain no several Doctrines our of these, besides those there handled, excepting this; Namely, that  
What God did for them in making them his people, 
Observ.  was of his mere mercy: 
What God did for the jews was of mercy; and so all that we have.  He had no need of them, they deserved no such matter. Learn then, that  
All that we have or have had, is of mere grace; That we Gentiles are called to be the people of God, 
john 3. 16.  That this Land hath the Gospel, That ourselves particularly were Elected, 
2 Tim. 1. 9  was of mere mercy; So were we redeemed, 
Eph. 2. 4.  so effectually called: Nothing in us to move him to show any mercy, 
Tit. 3. 3.  first or last, 
1 Pet. 1. 3.  nay, all to move him to the contrary, nay, it was not only mercy, but abundant and wonderful mercy.  
1. This confuteth Popish arrogancy, 
Use 1.  that teach man's Merits to be in part the cause hereof.  
2. It teacheth us to walk so much the more thankfully and obediently in all things; 
Use 2.  as we especially take kindly the good turns of a Stranger: O say we, I am exceedingly beholding to him, thus and thus he did, I never saw him before, I shall never forget it! What thankfulness then owe we to God for his love towards us, who were altogether ignorant of him? The less desert Mephi●●●heth found in himself, 
2 Sam. 19 28.  the more he found himself bound to David, so may we to God.  
3. We must learn to imitate the Lord, 
Use 3.  to be merciful as he is, and to do good to those that never deserved aught of us, 
Matt. 5. 44.  nay, to do good to those that have deserved ill of us, and this men can hardly be brought to: O say some, and those not of the worst, I could be content to yield and to do any thing, but he hath thus and thus abused me with his tongue! But have not we done so by the Lord?   

Verse 11. Dear beloved, I beseech you, as strangers and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.  
HAving laid Doctrine for his ground, he follows now with Exhortation; both these go necessarily together to the doing of good, and may not be sundered: The Doctrine was about the great things that God had done for them, and therefore hereupon he Exhorts them to holiness, and purity of heart and life; before he showed what God had done for them, now he shows their work; before he showed that the end of those privileges, was, that they should show forth God's virtues, now he shows how that should be done, namely, in labouring to be pure in heart and life in token of thankfulness, and so that being advanced to such dignities, they were not to be idle, but work for God, and walk according to the benefits bestowed: In this verse he exhorts to purity of heart, in the next to holiness in conversation, and these he joins together. 
Holiness in heart and conversation must accompany one another.  Holiness in general, is and must be the life of God's people: These two parts of it, in heart and conversation, must go together, one as the Mother, the other the Offspring, that as the Root, this as the Branches; like two Twins that are born and die, weep and laugh together. In vain doth any man boast of purity of heart, whiles his conversation is naught; In vain doth any man strive to have a good conversation, whiles his heart is suffered to boil with corrupt lusts: First, he begins with cleansing the heart, as from whence must come good conversation, the only true discerner of the purity of the heart.  
The parts of this Verse are two: 1. An Exhortation, where we have both the manner wherein it's delivered, namely, by way of beseeching, and the matter exhorted to, namely, To abstain from filthy lusts; whereby we are to understand, not such sins as be acted by the body, but the lusts of the heart, for even body and soul is flesh naturally, that is, sinful and corrupt. Fleshly lusts, that is, sinful and carnal corrupt lusts; such as have place in the heart, ere they break out, from those we are to abstain, even to take heed they prevail not in us, but resist and mortify the same. 2. The Reasons thereof, 1. Because they fight against the Soul. 2. They were and we are Pilgrims here; not of this world, therefore not to follow the lusts of this world, but to mind Heaven and be Spiritual.  
Dear beloved] We must know he dissembled not, but spoke as he thought, and meant, and felt. Hence note,  
What affection of love Ministers ought to bear to the people they have taken charge of: 
Observ.  If people have chosen one, 
Ministers must love and affect their people.  and entrusted him with their souls, he is then to be between God and them: O what a near conjunction, and what great love must there be! The Apostle writeth to the Corinthians, 
1 Cor. 4. 15.  That he was their Father; and to the Galathians, 
Gal. 4. 19  That he traveled in birth till Christ was form in them; 
1 Thess. 2. 7, 8.  and to the Thessalonians, That he was affectioned towards them, as a nurse cherisheth her children: He loved them at the heart root, and was content not only to take any pains for them, but to lose his life for their good, 
john 10. 11.  as a good Shepherd.  
Love also being so necessary a duty in the people, as without which nothing can go aright as it should, and that most are full of self-love, but very cold in love to their neighbour; Ministers must be very much and often in persuading hereto, and the several parts thereof, consisting in giving, forgiving, patience and forbearance, and doing all good both to their souls and bodies, and that both by word and deed, and that not only by precept, but also pattern.  
But chiefly this is the Reason he should be so full of love to the people, 
Reason.  that they may be moved the more by his Ministry, and it may prevail the more effectually with them; when they see that whether it be admonition or rebuke, yet it cometh from one that entirely loves them in the Lord, and is hungry of their souls, and desires above all to win and gain them to God, which would be above all riches to them; if not, our nature is sickly and full of self-love. If we think ourselves not to be loved, we make little use of whatsoever we are taught, though this be indeed a fault in us, for the matter itself ought to move us: But as if the sick person knew the Physician to be one, that besides his skill, bears him good will, it will make him willing to take physic of him; whereas if he thinks he bears him no good will, he cannot be brought to meddle with him, or take any thing of him; so it's with them that are well or ill persuaded of their Pastor's love towards them: Therefore the Minister ought to provide for this; for what is the joy of a Minister, but to see the fruit of his labours, and that he does good, and gains men home to God, sees knowledge and conscience wrought, and people converted? Oh, what man sows, and looks not to see it come up, grow, and have a crop? who plants a vineyard, and looks not for the fruit thereof? and shall we only lose the most precious labour, and seed, and study, and preach as we care not whether it do good or no, and never look after it? God forbid.  
1. This teacheth Ministers their duty to love the people tenderly; 
Use 1.  them, 
2 Cor. 12. 14.  not theirs: By reason of the contrary, there's so little good done; some live altogether from them, others live with them, but so, that it were better they were further off.  
2. It teacheth people to profit by that which they hear, 
Use 2.  though not delivered haply with such hearty affection as it ought (for its God's Word however) but especially look, that being delivered in love, and unfeigned care of your good, you take heed that you despise not the same, lest one day it rise up in judgement against you.  
He had before described them as Believers and excellent ones, now here he calls them Beloved, yea, Dear beloved. Hence note, That  
The Saints, 
Observ.  or they that be endued with Grace and the Image of God, 
The Saints are to be the objects of our love.  are to be the objects of our love: This is worthy love, commands love wheresoever it be seen.  
True, we must love all, because we know not who may be the Lords (haply even such as are yet bad) and love that part or parts of the Image of God we see in any; but where we see the true Image of Grace and Sanctification in any, they be the parties which are chiefly to be beloved: we are to do good to all, but especially to the household of Faith; we must love all, but brotherly kindness is to the godly as our Brethren, yea fellow-members; yea, among Christians we must love them most, where we see most Grace, and be most familiar with them, affect them most, and most regard them.  
1. As they be led by an ill Spirit, 
Use 1.  who love either all alike, or those worst which show most tokens of towardness in Religion, making as much or more account of a civil person, then of one truly Religious.  
2. So let people strive to grow and exceed in grace, 
Use 2.  that they may get the highest and largest room in their Minister's heart which be faithful, which howsoever the world makes little account of, yet they that are wise know, that their sentence and love is to be regarded, as the Testimony of the Church is a great matter, either for a man, or against a man; so of a Faithful Minister: and if such a one give a full and large Testimony of a man, it's a Crown to his head above all his wealth; if his Testimony be against a man, or a weak doubtful Testimony, it's an hard case: If a Minister have joy of a people, and may give a cheerful account of them to God, its profitable for the people; 
Heb. 13. 17.  The contrary is grievous.  
I beseech you,] He had power to command them, being from God, in a thing for their own good, and so necessary, but he saw their toward disposition, therefore chose rather to use entreaty. Whence note, That  
It's the duty of God's Ministers to be wise in their delivery of the Word, 
Wisdom requisite in the Preachers of the Word.  and when they see that loving beseechings and entreaties will be as profitable, and prevail as much, then so to do, rather than use any other course. True it is, the Minister hath power to command the people being in the person of God, and for their own good to fly from things hurtful, and follow things profitable for themselves: Paul might have commanded Philemon, 
Philem. 7, 8.  but being persuaded of his forwardness, 
See 1 Tim. 5. 21.  he rather entreated; so must we, as they that set in a joint in a tender body, 
2 Tim. 4. 1, 2.  stroke, 
Acts 13. 10.  and struck softly, and anoint the place, and so put it in the place ere the party be aware; 
Mat. 3. 7. and 23. 13. 2.  yet upon occasion we may both command, and threaten, as the same Apostle elsewhere: and John the Baptist, and our Saviour himself; as when we have to deal with stubborn and disobedient persons, or such as have fallen into foul sins, or are secure and dead-hearted, or are revolters and backsliders, then, I say, are we to deal more roundly and severely; knotty logs must have many and hard strokes, as a rough horse an hard rider; when we have to deal with toward and well disposed tender hearted ones, or afflicted, then are we to deal otherwise: and here is required the wisdom of the Spirit of God to discern what is mere, and this must be considered of before hand.  
Abstain from fleshly lusts, 
What meant by fleshly lusts ] Now of the matter of the Exhortation. By fleshly lusts are meant not only acts of sin breaking out in the body, but the inward lusts that are in the heart, though they should never break out, for even the heart and soul is flesh as well as the body, and fleshly, even corrupt and sinful, as the sinful lusts of unbelief, impatience, hardness of heart, hypocrisy, rebelling against that which is good, weariness in well doing, pride, anger, envy, self-love, covetousness, uncleanness, uncharitableness, and the like: These we must abstain from, even labour against, that they prevail not in us, yea to subdue them quite. Now in that he gives his Exhortation to such as they were, whom he before described, We may learn, That  
There are remnants of sin abiding in the best of God's Servants, 
Doctr.  and will be while they be here; 
There are remnants of sin in the very best.  They shall not lay down sin wholly, till they lay down this flesh: They are sanctified, but in part; through out, 
1 Cor. 13. 9  but not perfectly; corruption is not in one part, and grace in another, but grace and corruption joined in every part and faculty of body and soul, and thus it hath ever been. Hence it is, that we scarce read of any in Scripture, but taxed for some infirmity and weakness, as Abraham with some little shifting for himself, when he said Sarah was his sister; Sarah for her unbelief, Moses for speaking unadvisedly, Job for cursing his day, Paul and Barnabas for being stirred the one against the other: And this the wise and good providence of God hath so appointed, for he could sanctify us perfectly at the first, but it's not meet, for then righteousness should not come only by Christ; for if we were not only perfectly justified by Christ, as we are, but also perfectly sanctified by his grace, than might we stand before God with confidence, and boldness in our own righteousness, and need not to have the righteousness of Christ continually imputed to us. Besides, the Lord would hereby humble us, that we should not be proud of any gifts or graces that he bestoweth on us, more than we had or others have, but be kept still humble: when we see these corrupt lusts sticking in our nature, which may more justly provoke wrath against us, than our good actions procure favour; as Paul, lest he should be lifted up through the abundance of revelations, had a prick in the flesh, 
2 Cor. 7. 12.  even Satan working upon his corruption, and strongly tempting, and as it were boxing him to humble him: Therefore no man hath cause to be proud of any grace, not only because he hath nothing but the mere mercy of God, but also because (if he consider) he hath such remainders of sin still in him, as if they be laid in the Balance with his graces, might be of more force to condemn him, than all his graces to procure favour to him. Further, hereby we are held continually in exercise, and made see our need of the Word, Sacraments, Prayer, and the help we have one of another while we live.  
1. We are not to expect the perfection of any here; 
Use 1.  though God's Ministers are still to call on the people to grow towards it, yet they must rejoice even in their proceedings to it, and bear with some weakness and wants; and people must not think their Ministers can be perfect without blemish, either knowing or suspecting some infirmity in them, to esteem meanly of them, or their Ministry, or gifts, so drowning all their graces, God forbid: It's well, 1. We know no sin our Minister lives in: 2. No corruption he yields to, but that he is in strife with his corruption, and counts it his burden; this we should cover with the lap of our love: The contrary is in the world; If a Minister have any imperfection, though strove against by him, and seldom or never showing itself, and have never so many good graces, yet the same shall still be cast in his face, and tossed from one to another, and all his gifts neglected, and that oftentimes of those that live in soul sins, or are an hundred times more foully overtaken of the same, or some other: Husbands, look not for perfection in your Wives, nor Wives in your Husbands; thank God they be godly, hating all foul sins, and striving against corruptions, look for these, and cover them, else lovingly help to cure them in time convenient, but look on their graces: some man that is himself carnal, and hath a professing wife, so narrowly views her, as if he spy the least imperfection, it's cast in her teeth, as if she should be perfect, though he be never so far off from perfection: Let none look for Christians that profess the Gospel, that they can be altogether without blame; yet let none take up this as a good excuse and shelter for them; yea, say they, It's true as the Preacher said to day (which I liked well) that we are all sinners; some make themselves so holy, and profess such zeal, as if they were without sin, or wiser than all their neighbours, when they be no less sinners than others: Well, let not these carnal or profane and civil persons, think to scape away with this, or be hid in the number of sinners, 
Two sorts of sinners.  and scape as well as others; God will find two sorts of sinners, such as live and lie in sin, indeed workers of iniquity, and such as having been unfeignedly humbled, and obtained pardon of sin, and truly repent, have yet corruptions which they hate and strive against, and are heartily sorry when they have been at any time overtaken thereby; and yet the world bless themselves herein, What, are not all sinners I pray? yea, and you shall have them that will dilate of any infirmity that a Christian hath, and stretch it on the tenters, when themselves are polluted with foul sins.  
2. We are to labour altogether against these corruptions of ours; 
Use 2.  against our pride, self-love, unbelief, hypocrisy, earthliness, weariness of well-doing, 
Rom. 8. 13.  and the like: All that are Christ's, have crucisled the, oer; flesh with the affections and lusts; 
Gal. 5. 24.  We must mortify our earthly members, and by the Spirit mortify the deeds of the flesh; 
Col. 3. 5, 9  These things become not us that are set at liberty from sin, 
Rom. 6. 2.  and be eudued with the Spirit; 
Gal. 5. 25.  If we live in the Spirit, let us walk in the Spirit: For us that are Christians to be led and overcome of our lusts, is base, as for a Prince to be led of a base person; and here is the power of Religion, and proof of a Christian, that denyeth himself and crucifieth his lusts, that not only keepeth his hand, but purifieth his heart, that hath it at command in some measure: We must labour to know these corruptions, and our own hearts, and which of these we are most prone unto, and discern of them, which many do not, but are most strangers at home, and have many corruptions which they discern not, for the heart is deceitful: Know both the ugliness and danger of them, then repent of them, be humbled for them, crave pardon heartily, unfeignedly, seek to mortify them, apply the edge of the word against them, even any thing we read or hear out of the Scriptures to this purpose: Apply also the benefits of God, as means to subdue them, so also afflictiont; put on the whole Armour of God, and on every occasion set against them, pray against them also, especially when we humble ourselves upon occasion of the Sacrament, etc. always be baiting at them, hacking at the roots of them, grieving we can prevail no further, crying and making our moan to God to help us; so shall we get mastery more and more (dealing faithfully) even over those that we thought sometimes we should never have prevailed against: In the mean time le's not be dismayed that we can get no more mastery, be humbled and yet comforted that we strive: But here is the great fault of many Christians, that suffer their corruptions to bear such sway in them, as they break out shamefully, and often to God's dishonour, their own shame, and the Gospel's infamy; where is our Christianity, when we be so proud, that we will contend, and being out, will never be reconciled, but break out into bitter speeches? so being so covetous, so lazy also in goodness, that either we neglect duty wholly, or slight it over carelessly.  
Fleshly lusts,] Hereby are yet further meant all evil thoughts, and the least rebels of this nature of ours, against the holy commandments of God: These are fruits of this concupiscence and evil nature of ours, 
Evil thoughts cast in by Satan or from ourselves.  and of the flesh, and are sins against God. But here know that evil thoughts be of two kinds, 1. Such as be cast in by Satan, as into Judas. 2. Such as arise from our own corrupt nature, as Christ said to his Disciples, Why do thoughts arise in your hearts? For the former, they either fasten upon our nature, and tarry to tickle us with a kind of pleasure, or else are immediately cast out with deep detestation: If they tarry never so little to parley with our corrupt nature, they are our sins, as well as Satan's; but if cast out immediately, they are not, then are they our crosses, not our sins, but the Devils, and shall also be laid to his charge, not ours; for so he cast in thoughts into our Saviour Christ's mind of distrust, presumption, idolatry, etc. but they fastened not at all on his nature, therefore he was never the worse; so for us: for if any shall come and entice me to Murder or Treason, and I detest the very first motion thereof, Shall I be counted guilty? This is needful to be known, lest we be too much overwhelmed with grief, for these the Devil troubles every one withal at all times, and no man alive is free from many of them daily, if he did take notice thereof; but some men are troubled extraordinarily this way: God lets Satan lose at some time, and for some space to buffet them most grievously, and cast in bad thoughts of all kinds, but especially against God, most foul, unholy, profane, and blasphemous thoughts not to be named; as that God is not holy, just, good, or deals hardly with some men, cannot do this or that, with other more vile than is meet to be named, which is sometimes the state of civil persons, sometimes of the true children of God, which are cast into their minds as thick as hailstones, and are by some called the foul Temptation, by some the Temptation of Blasphemies: This doth so wonderfully perplex the parties, that it fills them not only with fears, but even drives them almost to despair, makes them weary of their lives, that they could wish themselves as far under ground as they are above; yea, many to think of making away themselves, haunting them in all places, night and day, that they cannot rest, so weakening their body and mind exceedingly; concerning this state, we must know it comes to pass by God's providence, and permission to Satan thus to torment them.  
The cause may be either to humble them to repentance for some coldness or slackness they are fallen into in the worship of God, 
The causes of evil thoughts from Satan.  and their course which God thus punisheth, or else he punisheth the barrenness of their hearts, and idleness of their minds, that care not how they spend away their time, 
How to be rid of them.  their minds roving unprofitably, which God often chasteneth: the way for these to take, is 1. To examine themselves if there be any sin lies unrepented of, or not throughly repent of, to confess and crave pardon of it, and repent of it from the heart: If any coldness or slackness, or declining in care, or idleness of mind, and unprofitableness, then are we to pray against them, and keep our hearts still in hatred and detestation of them, and therein comfort ourselves, that the Lord knoweth our hearts, and will not lay them to our charge. 2. Set light by them, let them go as they come, for the more we strive with them, the more we snarl and trouble ourselves, and if we make a great matter of them, the Devil will still delight to vex us, but if we set light by them, he will the sooner be weary. 3. Let them avoid solitariness (which yet they so much desire) and keep in company rather, wherein the time may be spent in holy conference, singing of Psalms, and the like; but if they be alone, they must be very earnest in doing something that's good. 4. Though some may come after all those means used, yet we are to comfort ourselves that God will not lay them to our charge; as if our Child should be about our business, and some unhappy Wretches would not let him alone, but throw stones at him, pluck him away, trip up his heels, and he cry and complain to us he cannot do our work, will we be angry with him? 
How to discern them from those which arise from own nature.  The Lord is much more equal and wise. Now to discern these foul temptations from those which do arise from our own nature, these notes may be observed, 1. That they come suddenly. 2. Violently, being even forced into us. 3. By their multitude, being as thick as hailstones. 4. That they come with such fears, as often cost sickness, faintness, and the like, which things usually be not of them that come of ourselves, which also come more leisurely, and with more moderation. 5. Such as be in such a degree of blasphemy against God, 
See Perkins Cases of Consc. pag. 163.  usually rise not of ourselves, and seldom but in a Reprobate, or one that hath sinned against the Holy Ghost, as the Devil hath. 6. Such as are against nature, as to kill ourselves, our wives or children: For the latter that arise from our nature they be sins, whether they tarry so long, as that they have got consent of will or not, or so much, as they have but inveigled the mind with some bait-like allurement, yea, but so as that either they do presently vanish so soon as they do arise, or be cast out by us, yet these I say be sins; if with consent against other Commandments, if without consent against the Tenth, which ransacketh the heart more narrowly than any of the other: It's true, the longer they stay, and the further they have prevailed, it's the worse; but the least and first thought against the Law of God is a sin, and deserves the wrath of God; as all Impatient, Blasphemous, Unbelieving thoughts, all wandering thoughts when we be at the Word, Sacraments, Prayer, or any good duty, or any such on the Lords day: all ill thoughts, as that its in vain to serve God, etc. so also Disobedient, Angry, Revengeful, Unclean, Uncharitable thoughts; God made us pure without any, and may justly punish the contrary in us: These first of all come from Original sin, and who can bring good out of evil? These bring forth bad effects, and withdraw the heart from God, to consent to and commit evil: These are forbidden in the tenth Commandment; else what? This the heathen Philosophers never knew, nor Paul himself a learned Pharisee, till he was instructed in a more Spiritual understanding of the Law.  
1. This confutes Papists, 
Use 1.  which teach, That ill thoughts with consent, be the least sins, and that without consent, they are none: What is that than which Paul said, 
Rome 7. 7.  I had not known that lust had been sin, but by the Law; he knew that ill thoughts with consent were sins: This Doctrine of Rome doth derogate from God's glory, and doth not humble a man to the purpose as it ought, neither letteth it him see a multitude of such sins for which there's cause he should be humbled.  
2. This sets out the absolute perfection and purity of the Lord, 
Use 2.  who requires the purity of the heart and thoughts, he made us perfect, and requires that we should love him with our whole hearts.  
3. It serves notably to humble us on our knees every day to God, 
Use 3.  for who knows how oft he offends this way? O the innumerable vain, foolish, idle, and bad thoughts that arise in our minds in a day? how in a Sermon or Prayer-while, and on the Sabbath? O if God should deal with us in justice, he might condemn us for the least of these; we should repent us seriously of these, as of ill deeds: This is that made Paul cry out, O wretched man that I am; and that makes the dear servants of God hang down their heads, and humbles them continually; and when others think highly of them for their graces, they have matter to abase their vile nature and rebellious thoughts, whereof some tickle the mind, some get consent, and are then cast out as, some presently are repelled: But how infinite numbers of them come through our heads as motes in the Sun, as sparkles from a Furnace? The want of the knowledge of these, makes many a Christian when they look back at night, see little to repent of, which if they marked, they might find: This is the Reason why civil persons be not humbled, even because they take no knowledge of these thoughts, whereof they have thousands on the Lords day, in the times of Duties, and against every Commandment, whereof they take no knowledge, or scarce of one of twenty; and those whereof they take knowledge, they think to be no sins, as long as they break not out into words and actions. Thought is free, as the world thinks, and judged at no Bar, pay no Tribute: True, not in men's Courts, because they cannot know them, but before God they are and will be called in question, who knows the thoughts, and requires to be loved with the whole heart.  
4. This sets out the wonderful patience and abundant mercy of God, 
Use 4.  that upon our repentance pardons so many thoughts.  
5. It's our duty to prevent them to the uttermost of our power; 
Use 5.  and to this purpose we must labour, 
How to prevent evil thoughts.  1. For the Spirit of God to be more and more abundant in us, to mortify this corrupt nature of ours, that so this root being more and more killed, may send forth fewer shoots; this brand more and more quenched, may send forth the fewer sparkles. 2. To be ever doing some good, to be in our Calling or some thing answerable thereto; for if we be idle, the mind will be ranging: An idle person must needs have a corrupt heart, swarming with ill thoughts, for if the mind be not occupied about good, it will be about evil; its like Quicksilver, ever stirring: if we be riding, working alone, walking, waking in our beds, let our minds be on some good: And in duties we must keep our minds earnestly bend thereto, that being full already, there may be no place of by-thoughts; as when a vessel is full, no more can be poured in: Let's covenant with our eyes and ears, that they let in no ill thoughts, especially in holy duties, and on the Lordsday, shut up all windows and doors; so in praying, whether conceived, or read by ourselves, or heard of another, our hearts must be set thereon, that to every Petition they may say, Amen. So in hearing the Word, we must be earnestly bend, and fix our eyes on the Preacher; and for the Lordsday, be wholly in doing good, and that earnestly: In the time of the Sacraments both join with the Prayers then used, and withal, have holy thoughts by way of preparation, and in the mean time have holy meditations about the matter present, as long as we can, then join in singing; it must needs be a weary toil to them that cannot. 3. To pray earnestly to God for his assistance, but labour what we can, all will not be prevented; therefore must we grieve for those that come, casting them out, and that speedily: They are as a flock of birds, that we cannot let from hover over our heads, but may hinder from lighting on our heads; if we nip them betimes, than we prevent evil actions: The worst action was at first a thought, which if it had then been resisted and cast out, would not have proved so deadly, as we now find by woeful experience; for want of this, sin grows from one degree to another, till it be ripe: If we thus resist and cast them out, though they be our sins, God will not impute them, but pardon them in Christ, and this may comfort us; but yet because it were best not to be troubled with them, or commit them at all, we should even long to be with God, when having laid down our bodies, we shall be wholly freed from them: But in the mean time, let us thank God in Christ Jesus, and say, It's not I, but sin that dwelleth in me; when we do to the uttermost of our power prevent them, and those we cannot, yet we resist earnestly: The world make little account of thoughts, but let them fly out, and the heart range whither it will, whether on the Lord's day, or at other times when duties are performed; and no marvel, for they make no conscience either of their words or actions, even on the Lordsday: But they shall one day be called before a Judge that knows them all, and made them without them, who will condemn them for them.  
Which fight against the soul: The first Reason, and that of greatest force; that which fighteth against our principal part, we had need resist manfully, but thus do fleshly lusts: for 1. They hinder the good thoughts we should have in stead of them, 
How fleshly lusts fight against the soul.  and so make us do duties untowardly. 2. They egg and entice us to evil, and steal away our hearts from God and his obedience; as an Adulterer enticeth and draweth a man's wife out of her husband's company, so do these draw us from God; and so pollute our souls, which made the Apostle to complain, 
jam. 1. 14.  That they rebelled against the law of his mind, and led him captive, 
Rom. 7. 19  he was yoked, and made to do the evil he would not, and so on the contrary. 3. They fight against the peace of our Consciences, for these make us guilty, and so hinder our quiet; for as well-doing breeds peace, so evil-doing disquiet. 4. They seek indeed the ruin and destruction of the soul, 
Rom. 6. 23.  for the wages of the least of these is death: These not resisted, or not repent of, will surely cause damnation, and these in themselves deserve no less.  
1. How ought we then to watch against these with all diligence, 
Use 1.  as they keep watch that be besieged by Enemies?  
2. Take away from them all means of nourishment, 
Use 2.  and starve them, as besiegers do by their besieged adversaries.  
3. Mortify them all we can, 
Use 1.  else they will destroy us: If we live after the flesh, 
Rom. 8. 13.  we shall die; It will not spare us, we therefore must not spare it, we must admit of no reconciliation, no ransom; this is holy and lawful revenge: But contrarily, there are not a few Christians 1. Which do not watch against their lusts and thoughts, but let them come and go at their pleasure, and take little or no notice of them, or not as though they sought their destruction; nay, how few once regard their thoughts, especially such as have no consent? How many come and go, and no account taken of them? 2. Which rather minister mat●er to their lusts for their nourishment, as to their pride, to anger, to wand'ring thoughts, by letting their eyes and ears be at liberty? 3. Which do not mortify them, nay, bear with them, and speak favourably of them, and not as if they were deadly Enemies? Oh, people little think of the danger of these lusts, else they would otherwise do! If any lie in wait to hurt us in our bodies, we watch to resist them, and its wisdom; or if any come to rob us, we cry out, Oh, he seeks to rob me and get away my goods; or if one should sue us for part of our Land, What a stir and opposition do we make? What a madness is it then, that these which fight against our souls, we suffer to go in and out at their pleasure without any check, entertaining them rather as friends than enemies? If one should strike at our leg, we would fence it if we could, but if he drive at our head, then much more; If one would thrust us into the arm, we would avoid all we can, but if he go about to stab us at the heart, then much more; so should we most of all for our souls: These lusts pretend friendship, but they are Enemies, fight Enemies, an Host (as the word imports) against our souls: O let us be wiser, and deal with them as deadly Enemies! O our fault herein! If some come and tell us, this night some be pointed to rob us, or there is one lies in our field armed, threatening to kill us as we come that way: O I thank you good Neighbour, say we, that you would tell me, I shall love you while I live; but if any come and tell us of a Lust, Pride, Covetousness, Hastiness that is in us, he had need behave himself wisely in the doing of it, that shall have any thanks for his labour, nay, not one of many but will take it ill, and snuff, and think the worse of him: O what folly is this to bear with such deadly foes!  
4. If these inward lusts fight against the soul, 
Use 4.  if these ill thoughts, yea the least of them be enemies to the soul, and must be resisted, What then do the ugly sins and abominable speeches and actions of the wicked? These wound and pierce the soul most deeply; their Oaths, Cursing, Drunkenness, Profanation of the Sabbath, Whoredom, Oppression, Lying, gash the soul most fearfully, and kill it at last eternally: What mad people then be most of the World, which love and live in the practice of these, thus murdering their own souls? As the man that was possessed of a Devil broke all fetters, 
Mark 5. 4, 5.  so do these; kept among the graves, so do these in Alehouses; cut himself with sharp stones, so do these with ugly sins: If a man seek to make away himself, stab himself, or cut his own throat, we say, He is beside himself, its time to bind him; when the World therefore gash themselves, and stab themselves with their vile sins, are they not mad, yea so much more than the others, as the soul is better than the body?  
As strangers and pilgrims,] The second Reason. Hereby are meant such as are out of their own house, out of their own Nation▪ which he speaks not because they were out of Canaan, and dispersed in other countries (in that sense he called them Strangers in the former Chapter) not in a worldly, but in a Spiritualsence, namely, in respect of the Kingdom of Heaven, which was their Country, and from which, wand'ring here in this world, they were absent. Hence Note, that  
All God's Servants and Believers are Pilgrims here in this world; 
Doctr.  This is not their Country, 
Believers are here strangers and pilgrims.  They have a far more excellent one that they are going to: Thus the Patriarches counted themselves, and thus David; 
Gen. 47. 9  They are not of this World, Here they have no continuing City, 
Heb. 11. 13.  They look for a building made without hands, 
Psal. 119. 19  They are Passengers going through a strange Country where they be not known: 
john 15. 19  Here is but the beginning of their happiness, 
Heb. 13. 14.  which they have mingled with much sorrow, 
2 Cor. 5. 1.  but they have a fullness of happiness prepared, 
1 john 3. 2.  where they shall rest for ever without sin and sorrow, in the perfect fruition of all that's good. True, the wicked shall not tarry here ever, neither yet can they not be called Strangers here, because they have no better country nor place, for they shall go to Hell: Here therefore is all their hope, all the good that ever they shall have, that which followeth is fearful: Therefore no man needs envy at the prosperity of the wicked, their's that have most, seeing they have all here they are like to have: But God's Servants after they have waded through this world, they shall come home, where they shall be with their Father and all their Brethren and Sisters in all happiness, and more than can be uttered.  
If we be strangers in this world, 
Use.  and Heaven our country, than our duty is to behave ourselves so as strangers, for so do all true Citizens of Heaven walk in some measure: Many lay claim to Heaven, having no right thereto, as by their very walking in this world may appear. To discern the one from the other, consider these Notes:  
1. A Pilgrim follows not the fashion of the Country he is in, 
Properties of Pilgrims.  nor runs after every thing he sees other do; He observes some ride to Markets and Fairs, some running to Plays, others sitting in Alehouses drunk, others running to Bear-baiting, Bull-baiting, and the like; he regards none of them, but keeping his own Country fashion, goes on his way homewards; and if he happen to be drawn away by the sight of them, and linger a while, he reputes himself, and saith, 
Applied.  What a fool was I? I have cast myself behind; so do Gods Servants, 
Rom. 12. 4.  they follow not the evil guises and manners of this world: The world swear, contemn the Word, and Ministers thereof, profane the Sabbath, Rail, Curse, Whore, be Drunk, Backbite, Cousin, Dissemble, Lie, be Proud, and the like; these they will none of: These be proper to the men of this world, we may not meddle with these; and this is the Reason in the Text, We must abstain from fleshly lusts: Why? These be for worldings of this world to follow, we that are Spiritual may not follow fleshly lusts, but leave them to them that be but flesh; but our conversation must be Spiritual, Holy, according to the Laws of our Country, Zealous, Fervent, Pure, Chaste, Innocent, Merciful, Patient, Godly, and the like; To Love, Fear, Trust in God, Worship him, Delight in his Word and Saints, These be the fashions of Heaven our Country; therefore these we must follow, 
Tit. 2. 11, 12.  and so the Gospel teacheth us to live.  
2. A stranger lays not out his stock on House and Land, but trafficks in things transportable, that he can send home before, and carry out of the Country with him into his own: It were no wisdom to lay it out and spend his time about things he must leave behind him: 
Applied.  So the true Christian Pilgrim, he spends not his time, nor sets his heart on things of this world, all which he must leave behind, but trades in Grace, and purchaseth Pearls of Knowledge, Faith, Repentance, 
Mat. 6. 19  Patience, Peace, Joy, and the like, and Trafficks in the fruits of Faith, 
john 6. 27.  his good works, which he sends before him into his Country, 
Rev. 14. 13.  and in such Graces as he shall carry with him: Oh, how many have taken much pains for belly, and back, and earth, but never prized the Pearl with the wise Merchant, 
Psal. 17. 14.  nor the means how to come by it? These have the portion here.  
3. Pilgrim's will take and use all that may further them in their journey, as their Meat, Drink, Sleep, and whatsoever else; but what would hinder them, 
Applied.  they cast away, or meddle not with: So a true Christian useth all that will help him in his journey, the Word, Sacraments, 
Luke 21. 34.  Prayer, and all such Spiritual Repasts, good Company, and such baitings and refresh as God offers him in his way; 
Heb. 12. 1.  as for worldly cares, or whatsoever presseth down, he avoids, as all sin which hinders in the way: He takes the benefit of the things of this life indeed, but sets not his heart on them, neither overloads himself with worldly businesses and cares, which might hinder him from good duties, or a right performance of them, much less that make him run into evil: For a man then goes on his journey to Heaven, when he awakes with God in the morning, assoon as it is convenient goes to Prayer, then to his calling in Faith, and through the day neglects no Spiritual duty, much less runs into evil of any kind, but walks on uprightly, and with a good conscience useth the world as if he used it not: 
1 Cor. 7. 31.  Such as regard not these, have no meaning to come to Heaven; For how should they come there? As men cannot go on in the earthly way without baits and refresh, so neither the heavenly without these: They overload themselves so with worldly business and cares, that they cannot go one step towards Heaven. O how simply do many Christians walk in these days of Peace, not hasting at all to Heaven! for if they did, they would not take such loads on their shoulders, as make them go so stooping and staggering, as they can scarce go a right step all day long.  
4. Pilgrims travelling towards their Country, will be ask the way, 
jer. 6. 16.  and desirous to know marks and notes, 
Applied.  whereby they may know when they are in their way, 
Luke 3. 10.  upon the view whereof they are very glad. 
Acts 3. 37.   
So Christians that mind to go to Heaven indeed, will be ask the way there: They will go to godly Ministers, and experienced Christians, and ask how they might know the way, and whether they be in the way, and then finding these and these marks in them; as, an hatred of all sin, a true desire in all things to please God, seeking God in secret, as well as openly, with a true love to God, his people and Word, they are not a little glad, but rejoice therein above all riches: O how many deceive themselves, The way to heaven is strait, and few find it: Most never ask the way, but go on at a venture; if they be in the way, so it is, if not, they shall shift as well as others; and most please themselves that they are in, without ask the way, as if it were a very hard matter to miss the way to Heaven, and which but few do miss.  
5. Pilgrim's will in a long dangerous way, through a Wilderness, where the path is narrow, where there are many by paths, little company to beat the path, and dangerous for wild beasts, not only be ask the way, but because they know themselves apt to go astray (though they fare the harder) have and hire a guide continually to go along with them in the way, to be sure that they may not lose any time, 
Applied.  or grieve themselves by going out of the way at all, if it may be: So will every wise Christian besides ask, get a continual guide, which is the Word of God, to go along with him, to direct him in every particular through the day, yea his whole life: This David desired, and therefore did so often study and meditate in the statutes of God, 
Psal. 119. 11.  That they might be a light to his paths, and a lantern to his feet, and his Counsellors: This therefore we must read, hear, study, that it may dwell plentifully in our hearts, in all wisdom, that we step not awry for want of knowledge, or knowing the way, go contrary to our guide's direction: we cannot in every particular action and our dealings go and ask counsel, therefore we must have the guide and counsellor within us, to teach us to Buy, Sell, Let, Hire, to deal with our Neighbours in Peace, Equity, Mercy, Truth: Therefore David prays, Led me in thy way, 
Psal 25. 4.  O Lord, and let thy good Spirit lead me into the Land of righteousness; 
Psal. 27. 11.  as one that would not go a step, but as he was led by God's Word and Spirit. The common sort therefore that dare do any thing, and never look for guide, hereby show whether they are going: Gods Servants also herein are wonderfully to blame, that sometimes for want of knowledge, sometimes for want of care, go grossly out of their way; one step in the way, another out; in some things like Christians, in some things like worldlings; some actions good, some nothing less, When will such come to their journey's end? What travelling is this, backward and forward, and then backward again?  
6. A Pilgrim, if he be told he is out of the way is glad, being grieved at his mistaking and loss of time, and returns with speed, and thanks him that told him; so also must Christians in their journey to Heaven: 
Applied.  They that cannot at all endure to be admonished, nor haste to amend, are not in their way.  
7. Pilgrims make much of their Fellow-travellers and Countrymen; if any be out of the way, they call them in again; if any faint, they stick to him and rub him, and with the Aqua vitae bottle that they carry along with them for such purposes, they comfort him, and go not from him, and leave him behind them; they also cheer up, and encourage one another, What cheer my masters? go we merrily? etc. So do true Christian Pilgrims, 
Applied.  they love all that set their faces to Heaven-ward with them, they call in any wand'ring out of the way; If any be afflicted in Conscience for sin, or in Body, or otherwise with any cross, or hath met with hard measure from the world, and begins to be discouraged, when Landlord or some great men frown, or is fallen into some troubles, they encourage and hearten him with words of gracious consolation out of the Word, the Aqua vitae of God's promises; But the world cannot abide them that go that way.  
It's a great fault in Christians that they walk no more Pilgrim-like, love not one another, are not able or careful to admonish others, but let one another alone till the wicked cry out on them and the Gospel; and for Consolation, few are able, few careful to look thereto. The rich encourage not the poor, one heartens not on another, but every man goes by himself, and so are the weaker; as when the Brands are plucked one from another, the heat departs: O we should cleave together as Burrs, for we have both Devil and World against us!  
8. A Pilgrim bears his troubles quietly, looking for no other whilst he is thus from home; though he be stopped here, stocked there, mocked at as he goes, yet he comforts himself with this, that he shall ere long be in his own Country where he is known, and loved, and shall meet with no more such, but all good usage that his heart can desire; So true Christians bear their troubles patiently, 
Applied.  if from the hand of God, or for his sake, sickness, losses, crosses, they look for no other in this vale and Pilgrimage: This comforts them that they shall one day come to Heaven, their resting place, where they shall live with God in all blessedness for ever; and if other troubles come one after another, they think them no other than they made account of, its God's wisdom that it should be thus, that Heaven might be the sweeter, we might long the more for it, and be weaned from hence: If an Englishman should be highly advanced in a strange Country, he would the sooner forget his own; but in trouble, longs for his own, and is so glad of it, as many Soldiers having met with much hardness in other Country's have fallen flat, when they arrived and set first foot in England again, and kissed the very ground, with O welcome sweet England! If Christians meet with hard measure from the world, they bear out in hope of Heaven; 
john 15. 19  If they were of the world, the world would love them: They will not deny, but confess Christ, here suffer for him, that hereafter they may reign with him: Thus did the Prophets, Thus did the Apostles suffer; Therefore for those that being put to, and in danger of displeasure, or trouble, flinch, join with the world, and give over, they be no Pilgrims, they mean not Heaven in good earnest, for if they did, they would not lose it for a few troubles: It's therefore a sign they doubt whether they have any resting place or country provided for them or not, for else they would not lose it, and men cannot have Heaven both here and hereafter: 
2 Cor. 5. 1.  But the true Pilgrim is confident he undergoes troubles constantly and boldly, as knowing that he hath a country which will pay for all.  
9 A Pilgrim longs to be at home; So doth and must every true Christian; 
Applied.  we are taught to pray, Thy Kingdom come; and the Church prayeth, 
Matth. 6. 10.  Come Lord Jesus; & St. Paul, I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ; and old Simeon, Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace: Then they shall be free from sin, from sorrow, shall be with God in perfect happiness for ever: O if we were in Heaven but one minute, we would not be here again to have every one a Kingdom; nay, if we knew what Heaven were, and that it were for us, we would be sick till we came at it.  
The best and precisest are not of this mind for aught I see, 
Object.  but if they be sick they send for the Physician.  
We may, 
Sol.  nay dare do no other, though we were never so willing to die, we may not break the Lords prison by doing any ill to ourselves, or neglecting any good to ourselves, or the use of any lawful means; If he set open the door, than we may go out, but not break away, but be content so long here to stay, as God shall see meet: The world cannot abide to think of death, or of the day of Judgement, would buy them off, yea but to be deferred, with much money, an ill sign; nay, many of God's Servants be much to blame, some so addicted to the world, as not willing to part with it: O ye be of little faith! It's base that any thing here should take up our affections from longing to be with our true Inheritance: Nay, thus some Christians are held lingering indeed, and that for wife and children's sake especially; namely, to see them brought up, and kept from evil courses, seeing often the contrary, through the want of Parents, the wrack of many children.  
As for the most part, this argueth weakness of faith in God's providence, especially if their desire be excessive, for God can provide for them without us; moderately to desire life for this cause, or only to do God some other service, is tolerable; always provided, that it be the love of nothing here below that detaineth our affections, but that we so esteem of the world, and all that is in it, as we see no cause in it, why it should take up our hearts, and make us linger here: The causes that should make us desire to be hence, should be sin, and the desire to be with God; sin to chase us hence, and the love of God and Heaven, the excellency of that place and state should allure us thither: Some desire to be gone, but it's most ignorantly and desperately, for its only because they be in trouble, full of pain, have many crosses: Thus many make away with themselves, others impatiently wish to be gone; poor mad fools, not knowing what is a coming, only looking to be eased of the present grief: O our poor folly also, and the earthliness of many of God's people that are not wearied hence by sin, and by their corrupt nature, and continual spring of sin, that they cannot be rid of, but annoys them daily and continually! Therefore God is pleased to send them sorrows and pains, and with a week or fortnight's pain, they are made willing to die, that were not so before: A great fault of sundry Christians that have their hands and heads so full of business, as they cannot desire to be gone, nay, had need of a twelvemonths warning to set their matters right: This is not Pilgrim-like, they may hap not have a week; 
2 Cor. 5▪ 2.  therefore so walk, as you may ever be willing to be gone, and be ever of this mind, 
Phil. 1. 23.  that to be gone is most happy, and most to be desired.  
10. Pilgrims, the nearer their Journeys end, they are the gladder; So ought Christians that have passed many years and are grown old, 
Applied.  to thank God highly that now their salvation is nearer than when they first believed it, & that they would not their time were to begin again, and that they were young again, etc. but thank God they draw nearer the shore, where they shall arrive at the Haven of rest: Ancient Christians near their end, have this advantage, that they have almost past the Pikes; young ones know not what remaineth for them; yea, every day a Christian at night should thank God, that hath brought him safely one days journey nearer his end then in the morning: Many think they grow old too soon, too fast; if they could make their years stand still as Joshua's Sun, they would be glad.   

Verse 12. Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles, that whereas they speak against you as evil doers, they may by your good works which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.  
Unto the former Exhortation of purging the heart, he adds this, of looking to our outward behaviour and conversation among men; namely, that it be honest, good, godly, and every way such as may not only not be offensive, but may be of good example, yea to the very wicked, that though for a time they speak evil of us (as our nature is to do of every one that differs from us, thinking our own courses still to be best) yet at last they looking more narrowly, and seeing our constancy in well-doing, may be enforced to think well of us; and whensoever God shall touch their hearts with his grace, they may glorify God, and say, This is the only true way of worshipping God, and thank God for it, and all the means that have brought them to the sight of it.  
The parts are two, 1. The Exhortation. 2. The Reasons thereof. The Exhortation is to godly life, and that is enlarged by the circumstance of persons or company, before whom, namely the Gentiles, that is, the Idolatrous, Wicked, and Unbelieving. The Reasons, 1. That they may be prepared to their conversion, by beholding our good life, which is set forth by the contrary in former time, namely, their speaking ill of us. 2. That they may glorify God, which is set out by the time, namely, when God shall please particularly and in a special manner to bestow his grace upon them, so that by our innocent godly life led among the wicked, we shall provide for our own credit, their good, and God's glory, which is the thing we should chiefly aim at in all our actions.  
Here observe we first our Apostles order: He begins at the right end; as a wise Builder he lays a good Foundation, then builds on it; as a skilful Chirurgeon he first purgeth out dead flesh, then heals; which else would heal, and break out again.  
Reformation (if ever if be good) must begin at the heart: 
Doctr.  No man can have a good conversation whose heart is Unregenerate, 
Reformation must begin at the heart.  and Unsanctified, for from the heart proceeds the life; if sin and lusts be nourished there, they will break out as fire hid in straw or dry wood; for our bodies are as apt to execute, 
See jer. 4. 14.  as our hearts to broach evil: For one to purge the Channels, 
Mat. 12. 33, 34 & 15. 19 and 23. 26, 27.  and leave the Fountain foul, were to lose his labour; for one also to pull off the tops of the weeds, and leave the roots still, 
2 Cor. 7. 1.  were to no purpose: 
Tit. 2. 11, 12.  The heart must be washen, kept, cleansed from inward lusts, else no godly life.  
1. This confutes the Papists that talk of good conversation, 
Use 1.  and yet regard not the heart, 
Acts 15. 9  either seek after true justifying faith whereby to purge the same. 
Use 2.   
2. This shows and rebukes the folly of those that think to frame a good life as civil persons, and yet never knew the corruptions of their hearts, nor what Faith means that purifieth the heart, nor make Conscience of their inward lusts: Hence it is, that they shamefully deceive themselves, especially in the first Table, and in the sight of a true Christian, that can tell what belongs to good conversation. Numbers think upon occasion they will never do as they have done, but promise great amendment; as upon hearing something out of the Word, or after some affliction, or after they have been ashamed with some sin, O they will do thus and thus, who alas never labour with their heart; Some say, Give me but a shilling from you, and I'll never come at such a place, never game more, etc. but alas, it's not so soon done as said: They dig not deep enough, they work not under ground, the heart's let alone all this while; they think to cut off the sprouts, but while the root is whole, they shoot our again. Many at variance are made friends, and promise, and think for the present so to continue, yet not conscionably looking to the beginning and root, Pride, Self-love, Wrath, and such lusts, but suffering them to abide there still, alas they break out again presently: 
Mat. 5. 22.  Our Saviour saith, He that is angry with his brother unadvisedly, shall be in danger of the judgement, etc. Hence comes Racha (fool) and murder; now if a man think to keep his hand from murder, and his tongue from Racha, and such distempered speeches, and yet suffer wrath in his heart uncontrolled, unrepented, and unpurged, the other will break out. Hence is it, that many make such fair promises, but perform nothing nay while together, because they have not the grace to seek the washing of their heart from all sin.  
3. It teacheth Christians to be much occupied in searching and knowing their hearts, 
Use 3.  and the corruptions and lusts thereof, and still be purging out of these, so shall we do much work at once; else though we covenant not to be so worldly, etc. as before, yet if the root of Covetousness, Unbelief and Pride be let alone, we will to it again: So if one should say, I will not break out, but live peaceably with my family and neighbours, yet if high mindedness and anger continue, we shall be deceived, and shame ourselves; and thus do many Christians.  
Having your conversation honest, 
Tit. 2. 12.  etc.] This is all one with that of St. Paul, To live holily, righteously, and soberly. So that  
It's not enough that we have or pretend to have a good heart and pure conscience, 
Obser.  but we must also have a good conversation outwardly; 
Christians are also to have a good conversation.  we must not only approve ourselves before God and Angels, but also before men; we must have a good outside, as well as a good inside; 
See Mat. 5. 16.  we must so walk, as men may see by our actions, speeches, and our whole behaviour, 
Rom. 12. 17.  that we be the servants of God, 
2 Cor. 8. 21.  and mind to go to Heaven: 
Isa. 4. 3.  Thus walked Abraham, Job, Zachary, Elizabeth, with others; we must thus walk both for the winning of others on, and for the good report which we should be careful to procure to ourselves, 
Prov. 22. 1.  it being better than much silver: 
Eccles. 7. 1.  not that we must do good Pharisaically for the speech and praise of men only, which is base and hypocritical, 
Phil. 4. 8.  for we are first to aim at God's glory; yet we may desire also so to live, as we may give good example, and get good report while we live, 
1 Cor. 6. 20.  and a good memorial when we die; and again, God will be served both in body and soul, 
Tit. 2. 1●.  as we look to be glorified in both.  
1. This stoppeth the mouths of carnal men, 
Use 1.  that being dealt with for faults in their conversation, either ill done, or good not done, they strait rid themselves with this answer, and blind them that deal with them that they cannot see to take them as they think, O we have as good an heart as you or any, and God knows my heart, and I have a good conscience, God knows all, and he shall be my judge; yea, he will indeed so be, and that too soon, except thy conversation be better: for deceive not thyself by thinking thy heart is good, which affords an ill conversation, a merciful heart, that hath a niggardly hand, a chaste heart, that hath a wanton tongue and behaviour, a godly heart, that can profanely spend the Sabbath in worldly matters: But what if one should grant your heart were good, is that sufficient? Is it not meet your hand and whole conversation were so? Did not he that made that which is within, make that which is without also? Numbers care little for their conversation, are not over nice and curious about that; so that they be none of the worst, they think their condition good enough.  
2. This rebukes those that blame men, 
Use 2.  and reproach them for their profession of Religion, O you are of these Professors! O what a wretch art thou, that darest control another man's, nay God's servant, for doing his master's Commandments? Hath not he enjoined us, that our light should shine, and that we should confess him in our several places? If thou be'st not also a Professor, be it known to thee, the Lord will one day profess he never knew thee, and bid thee depart as a worker of iniquity: And what dost thou profess thyself, that railest on him for professing himself the servant of God? The servant of the Devil, and one of the Malignant company, the son of the Bondwoman, even persecuting the children of the Promise, therefore one that shall never be heir with them, but shall one day wish to be shrouded under any of them, but shall not be able: And what is his fault? 
Tit. 1. 16.  he is a Professor; The Apostle saith, They profess they know God, this he blames not, and take heed thou dost not; but the latter part, 
2 Tim. 3. 5.  By works they deny him, blame that if thou knowest it; Having a show of godliness, this is praiseworthy, and every man must have it; But have denied the power of it, if thou know this, blame it; but I would wish you to take heed that you meddle not with their Profession, to discourage them from it.  
Conversation] Not some few actions where and when they list, 
Observ.  but our whole conversation must be good, 
Our whole conversation must be good.  in one thing as in another suitably: We must have respect to all God's Commandments, else shall we be confounded; 
Psal. 119. 6.  God spoke all as well as some, 
Htb. 13. 18.  and so joined them together, that they may not be broken asunder: God can abide no halving, 
james 9 10.  though the Devil be so reasonable and mannerly; Whatsoever we do in word or deed, 
1 Cor. 10. 31.  must all be done to his praise: This includes our general and particular callings, 
Col. 3. 17.  duties of the first and second Table, all places, all times to serve God in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life. 
Luke 1. 75.   
This rebukes those that would be counted honest men, 
Use  and yet do but what they list: Some will yield in all great matters, but in some small things as they take them; as when they say, By their Faith and Troth, they must be born with, especially if true; so a game or two at Tables or Cards, and if it be on the Lordsday, in company of their equals, especially of their betters, talk thereon of worldly businesses at their pleasure, 
Mat. 5. 19  But he that breaks the least Commandment, shall be little counted in the Kingdom of Heaven: Some again will yield in little things, the Word shall so far prevail with them, but in some great beloved sin, 
Mark 6. 20.  they will not, as Herod; Some cry out against Covetousness, 
Mat. 23. 23.  and be Proud and Masterful; and so on the contrary, Some seem very devout and forward in the first Table, and make little conscience of the second Table; Some in their Shops and Dealings deceitful, hollow, and unjust; Some in the state of servants, that show some forwardness to good duties, hearing, good company, and the like, who yet fail exceedingly in the duty of subjection, diligence, trustiness, and the like; Some profess the like also, and men say, they be honest persons of good gifts, but they follow no calling, borrow here and there, and never mean to pay, deal hardly with poor work-folks, etc. A man must show his Religion in his particular calling: no man is a good man, that is not a good Minister; if he be a Minister, so a Magistrate, Father, Husband, Dealer: Some contrarily seem very smooth in the duties of the second Table, and yet have no savour of the first; as 1. Papists, which are professed Idolaters, and make no conscience of an Oath, nor of the Sanctification of the Lordsday, who yet keep a good house, and seem merciful and liberal, which yet they do corruptly to merit by; and hence they get the commendation of a company of carnal people, that measure all by the belly, and can look no further: It's not possible for an absolute Papist, to be an absolute Christian. 2. Our civil persons that give men their due, but God can have no part of his in any Spiritual performance of duty, either on the week days or Sabbath days: Let all that know it's thus with them, know themselves but hypocrites, and let them halt no longer, but if God be God, serve him altogether, and let him be whole, and not either quarter or half-master, yet many men be good at plots: Would we like in our field to have here a taste and there, and a great breadth after nothing? No, but to stand so as we may spread a sheet and receive the fruit; when men's obedience comes by fits, such aguish obedience Gods likes not: But if we would approve ourselves sound, and have true peace, let there be some proportion between our actions; not some very forward, some quite another way; in some things hot, in some as cold as ice; else like Nebuchadnezars Image, 
Dan. 2. 33.  Gold, Silver, Brass, Iron, Day, these things hang not together; le's not be hot and cold, but the same in prosperity, adversity, at home, abroad, in all companies, and the like. 
Doctr.   
Among the Gentiles] That is, 
Christian's ar● to live godly even among the wicked.  the wicked; Where note, That  
It's our duty not only to live godly among the godly, but even among the wicked so to do; we must not follow a multitude to do evil, 
Exod. 23. 2.  but shine among a naughty and crooked nation; 
Rom. 12. 2.  we must not be made crooked by them, 
jer. 15. 19  if we can straighten them, so it is: If we see any go crooked or halt, 
Phil. 2. 15.  we will notwithstanding go as strait as we can, 
Gen. 6. 9, 12.  and not go crookedly as they: This is a commendation of Lot, That he continued just in that filthy City; so of Noah, that when it's said, That all flesh had corrupted their ways, yet he was found Righteous, when they were in security, he continued in zealous worshipping of God, and sincerity of life; 
job 1. 1.  so of Job, That even in the Land of UZ he feared God, and eschewed evil: It had been no such matter to have lived well in abraham's or jacob's Family, but in such places a great mastery, and yet required of us: God hath appointed we should live among the wicked; 
In the worst places God will have his, and why.  though some places be worse than some (lets choose the best we can) yea, even the very bad ones God will have his people, 1. That his power in gathering and keeping them may be seen. 2. That their Faith and Patience might be proved, and exercised, and increased. 3. That they might convert the ungodly, as through God's mercy it falls out sometimes, 
Heb 11. 7.  or if not, condemn them, as Noah condemned the old world: 
Gen. 13. 7.  In such places we must walk squarely, 
Neh. 1. 9  as Abraham; and as the fishes retain their fresh taste, though they live in salt waters, so must we our goodness in bad places, and among them that are set on evil. True, it's no easy thing with the cruel to live mercifully, with the hurtful to live helpfully, with the profane to live holily, yet it is to be attained unto, and we must labour for it.  
1. This rebukes such Monks and Friars, 
Use 1.  as severing themselves from all company (because they would not be tainted nor troubled with men's ill manners) betake themselves to a solitary, Hermit's life. Truly, if a man were only born for himself, it were a good, wise, and safe way, though not most praiseworthy; But we are not born for ourselves, but for our Parents, Country, God's Church, therefore we are not to m●w up ourselves: Besides, it's no such mastery for a man to avoid all occasions, as to live among occasions, and not be tainted with them; but let men seek no occasions, but those that they must necessarily meet withal, and yet not be hurt by them, this is most worthy: It's not so much commendation for a man to fly from his Adversary, as to encounter and overcome him, or come away unhurt.  
2. It rebukes those that be for all companies: 
Use 2.  In good company they will be sober, in ill as the company is, drunk with their friends for company, will swear with swearers, lie also and dissemble when they be with such, so thinking that they may hold with the Hare, and run with the Hound; like the Chameleon they change themselves into all colours, but these are none of God's honest men, they are not for his turn, as if he were not the God of all places and times; let such know they have rotten and unsanctified hearts.  
Q. But how should a man do to live well among such? 
How to live holy among the wicked.   
A. As they that live where the Plague is, take and use preservatives; So must we daily pray to God next our heart to keep us in a continual hatred of sin, considering often of the happiness of them that hold out: Think of Noah, Lot, Abraham, and their commendation; observe the judgements that fall upon bad men, and think what will be hereafter. Again, avoid private familiarity with them, be kind to all, but familiar with no open bad man; we cannot touch pitch, and not be defiled, walk on coals, and not be burnt; for so we shall be brought either to like their manners, or at least cooled in our goodness; let them not breath on us, from them there's great danger of infection. 
2 Pet. 2. 3.  Lastly, mourn even for their sins as Lot.  
3. It rebukes such Christians as living among such, 
Use 3.  walk not so holily as they should, but if they do not approve of, yet consent to their bad behaviour, without dislike, especially being with their betters: But he that is not with me, is against me, and though often we cannot do good as we would, no nor stop evil, yet at least let our righteous souls always grieve thereat, yea, and as much as may be show our dislike, by hasting out of the company, and silence if we may not speak, and if we be asked our minds, le's speak, though wisely and humbly; lets not dare to turn our backs upon God and his cause, for any mortal man's sake, whether our Landlords, betters, or otherwise; le's come as little in such dangerous places as may be, but being there, le's take heed we deny not our Master with Peter; and hear goodness, or God's Servants railed on, or slandered, and we consent, or not show our dislike.  
4. If God would have us live well among the wicked, 
Use 4.  what would he then in the midst of all good means? what then is their sin, and where shall they appear that break out, and live badly in the midst of the means of good, the Ministry of the Word, good company, and the like, wherewith they are shoared up on every side? what would these do, if they were far from such means?  
5. It rebukes those that professing Religion more than ordinarily, 
Use 5.  yet remember not with whom they live, but as if they were only among the good, which would hide all their frailties, or interpret them to the best, not as if they were among the wicked, that seek occasion against God's Servants, Canaanites and Perezites that desire no better booty than the fall of a Professor, that not regarding this nor the Gospel, by their careless and ill life, and the bad actions they break into, set open the mouths of ill men, not upon themselves, that were the less, but upon the holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus; for that they will fly upon strait, when alas the Gospel is not in fault: the contrary was in Abraham, 
2 Sam. 12. 14.  Woe be to the world, 
Gen. 13. 7.  because of offences, but especially, 
Matt. 18. 7.  woe to them by whom they come: For hereby the good are grieved, the weak hindered, the wicked strengthened in their dislike of the Gospel, and some of whom there might be some good hoped, by this means held off: O you that have thus done, thus hurt, repent heartily, and labour to make amends; and you that are as yet free, pray God that ye may never live to that day (if it be his blessed will) wherein ye should shame yourselves, blemish the Gospel, and grieve the rest of God's faithful Servants; but that living and dying, ye may credit it.  
That whereas they speak against you as evil doers,] 
Reasons to provoke to a godly life.  Now follow the Reasons to provoke to godly life; 1. We shall cause the wicked to speak well of us, and of the Gospel of God, yea, though they have spoken ill of us and it before, yet upon a serious consideration of our innocent and constant conversation, they will change their minds. 2. They shall by that means be brought to glorify God, and both like, and speak well of the truth, which they shall then do, when God shall graciously visit their hearts, and work by his Word and Spirit true conversion in them; then being prepared before by our good life, they shall be made to glorify God for his truth, and for us, and for opening their eyes, and moving their hearts to embrace it: Forcible Reasons. We shall by our constancy in a good life, 1. Provide well for our own credit, the credit of the Gospel, and the wickeds conversion. 2. Which is the main, we shall provide for the glory of God.  
In the first place is set down the nature, 
Observ.  disposition, and practise of the wicked towards God's children; 
The wicked speak ill of 〈◊〉 truth of Go● Religion, a●● the professors thereof.  as they speak evil of the truth of God and Religion, so do they of those that truly profess the same: It's in men's nature to mislike all that be of another Religion and Practice then themselves, for such is our inbred pride, we think best of ourselves and our own Religion, and all others to be in error, and to be deceived: The Crow thinks her own bird the farest; But though men mislike all differing Opinions, yet none so much as the truth, that we naturally hate; as black, blue, and green differ, yet not so much as black and white which are opposite; so wicked ones hate the truth especially, for that is our nature to do, and the more sincere any is in professing the truth, the more the wicked naturally hate him; Thus have Gods children ever been ill spoken off: 
Matt. 5. 11.  Ishmael mocketh Isaac, 
Gen. 21. 9  as his brood yet do: 
Gal. 4. 30.  Elias was reputed, A troubler of Israel; One of the children of the Prophets counted a mad fellow: 
1 King. 18. 17.  Micaiah smitten on the mouth, as one that spoke without God: 
2 Kings 9 11.  Jeremiah, with them is as one that raveth, and fit to be put in the stocks; yea, they speak ill of the truth and goodness itself: 
Ezr. 4. 5, 6. ●17.  The Jews were accused for nothing but doing that which God required, and Cyrus had permitted; namely, 
Neh. 6. 5, 6.  to build the City and Temple, 
Ester 3. 8.  wherein to worship and serve God; and they were a poor contemptible company in the others eyes: 
Acts 24. 14.  So we read of them that called the Gospel Heresy; sore eyes cannot abide the light: 
Matt. 11. 19  Thus was our Saviour Christ, 
Luke 11. 15.  the most innocent and blessed Son of God, 
john 8. 48.  reproached and spoken ill off, as if he had been a glutton, a winebibber, 
Acts 2. 19 and 6. 11. & 16. 20, 21.  was a Samaritan, and had a Devil: So the Apostle Peter and the rest, were termed drunk; and Steven, that he had blasphemed God and Moses: They cannot endure the wrath of God, because it crosseth their humours and vile lusts which they set so much by, See Acts 17. 18. and 19 13. and 19 6. and 24. 5. To come down to the Primative Church, were they not most horribly slandered, as if they had been Cannibals, and lived of man's flesh, and eat their own children, That they met in caves in the night to worship, and that then the candles being put out, they committed filthiness promiscuously, without respect of Kindred, etc. and if any plague came, as that Tiber did overflow to great hurt, and that Nilus did not overflow her banks as it used to do, or any the like, it was because of them, and by their means, thereupon they fell upon them, and killed them like Dogs: Thus have they used always to incense great persons against God's servants, with such false suggestions, and to make them odious to the common people: It hath ever since been the manner of the Church of Rome, which hath a mouth that speaketh blasphemies, to call the Truth, Error, and the Gospel, Heresy; and with them, we that profess it be all Heretics, cursed to Hell, and who should have nothing but fire and faggot if they could help it; and the sincerest Professors, and godliest men, they hate most, and have ever particularly devised horrible lies against the great men in the Church, whom God hath raised up to be hammers of their false Religion, and defenders of the Truth, as of Luther, Calvin, Beza, Junius, and others; so in the powder Treason, they had devised and purposed to spread it abroad by Proclamation (if their detestable villainy had taken effect) That the Puritans blew up the Parliament House, 
This sin rise in these days.  etc. Among ourselves also Gods Truth and servants especially have enemies enough; and none that hate the faithful Ministers and Christians worse, than such as be in the bosom of the Church; How are they traduced, ill spoken of, railed on universally in great places, in mean places, 
Note.  on Alehouse-benches, where not? If they can find any fault of theirs, its that they rejoice in above anything, and they lie in wait for the same: If they can observe no sin, but understand of any infirmity, which yet they strive against daily, yet this shall be set abroad and increased, as some ugly thing, when themselves and theirs have many filthy sores running on them, horrible sins, which yet they account nothing: If any of themselves have never so many faults, if he have but a little odd good quality, as to be somewhat courteous, a Good housekeeper, and the like, O he shall be magnified as a right honest man indeed: If any of God's children have never so many graces, and but one infirmity, this shall be set on the tenters, all the other hidden: If they can know nothing, they will devise something; if not, yet if they do but hear any thing flying, though never so unlikely, and from no ground, yet it goes for good wares with them, and is received; nay, though they turn their own vices into virtues, yet the virtues of God's servants they make vices, for want of other matter: If they be courageous in a stout cause, they be stout and stomackful; if they be patient and gentle, than they be blockish; if wise and prudent in handling their matters, crafty, subtle fellows; if diligent, very officious; if they take pains in the offices they be called to, they be busy fellow, medlars, and trouble their neighbours; If they differ from others upon never so good ground, they be schismatics, Proud, Singular, Humorous, Giddy; If they dare not run with others into the same excess of riot, then precise fools, Puritan; Oh, we must have a new world made for you, you are so holy, a company of proud peevish fellows, etc.  
1. seing the wicked are so apt to speak evil, 
Use 1.  and lie so in the catch, we should give all diligence to look so to our ways, as we give them no just occasion so to do, 
2 Cor. 11. 12.  but take away occasion from them that seek occasion (for is it time for us to be heedless, and our Enemies as it were lie in wait?) that they may look till their eyes dazzle, and they be weary of looking, ere they have that they would, and that if they speak ill of us, it may be unjustly, falsely, as none can escape their ill tongues, 
See 2 Cor. 6. 8.  not our Saviour Christ, innocency itself; therefore we may look for it, but let it be without cause; as Hypocrites, yet such as labour for sincerity; hating Hypocrisy, as troublers, yet such as seek the peace of Church and Commonwealth.  
2. That we think it not strange to be ill spoken of; 
Use 2.  it's the nature of the world thus to do, as for the birds to fly, and we must not be discouraged at it, and say, I have striven to do as well as I can, and yet I am ill spoken of, I cannot tell what to do, and so faint and melt as wax, as some do: O no, but let it be as a whetstone to sharpen you on more, 
2 Sam. 6. 22.  as David said to Micol, I will yet be more vile; if spoken ill of falsely, study innocency the more; being thus used, thou art blessed: Thus were the Prophets served, 
Mat. 5. 11.  thus Christ himself; And if they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, much more will they them of his household.  
3. This might make men not too ready to believe reports, 
Use 3.  and think ill of men by and by upon flying reports, seeing the world are so apt to speak evil wrongfully, especially of God's children.  
4. For them that be ill speakers of God's Servants, 
Use 4.  they cannot bear a worse badge, as ill a sign as can be of any; for if he be translated from death to life that loves the Brethren, 
1 john 3. 14.  what then he that hates them? 
Psa. 15. & 16. 2.  he is no true member of the Church, nor led by David's Spirit; but is of Ishmaels' generation, and will be cast out as he; worse than Balaam, nay, of Satan's brood, who is the accuser of the brethren: How shall they escape the curse threatened, 
Num. 33. 8.  Isaiah 5. 20. Prov. 17. 15? The Lord hath prepared a day, 
Rev. 12. 10.  when he will judge them of these things: 
jude, verse 14.  Therefore if you will not join with them, yet cease to speak ill of them: The time will come when you would be glad to join with them, but it will be too late.  
They may be your good works, etc.] These words show the inducement whereby we shall bring these ill speakers to think and speak well of us, 
Observ.  and of God's truth, 
Good works the best way to put our adversaries to silence.  and so glorify him, namely, when they shall see us constant in good works. So that  
The strongest defence of ourselves, or confutation of ill speakers, is not by words, but by good works; for the world will not much regard words, they think they be cheap, and themselves will speak any thing, and therefore think others will do so too, and what can words do while the works are not seen, or are contrary? Thus David confuted Saul, and quitted himself a good Subject: How? not by telling Saul he meant him no hurt (he might have said so as long as he would, it should never have been regarded) but by his good works, and innocency towards him, that he never sought his hurt, no not when he might, as when he cut off the skirt of his Raiment, and took the pot of water from his head; 
1 Sam. 24. 17.  This made Saul say, Thou art more righteous than I, and for the time broke his heart: This often doth good, The constancy of men's carriage, overcomes them that have thought and spoken ill: Many are carried away easily to think and speak ill of God's Servants, that know not why, as upon false suggestions, that after having observed their lives, have changed their minds; as a Papist having heard that Junius had a cloven foot (as it was currant among them) coming to the sight of it, and that it was contrary, he began to suspect their Religion, and it was one means of his conversion therefrom.  
This rebukes them, 
Use.  that being evil spoken of will take it very hotly, and by great words or protestations clear themselves, or shift, when it may be they are faulty, and give glorious speeches, when deeds answer not; and such as will be very angry, and rate others, even before company.  
Now if it be a matter of great weight, and that the Gospel hear ill also, we may so do; but yet that is not all nor the most, we must confute them quietly by a good life, and by all contrary good conversation.  
Which they shall behold,] 
Observ.  Though the wicked will do no good works, yet they look we which profess Religion more zealously, 
The wicked have an eye on the godlies actions.  should, and herein we are beholden to them: If any be forward in profession, the world looks they should be very innocent in life, and it ought so to be; and seeing not only God, Angels, and good men, look for good life, 
Use.  but even the very wicked, let's look to it, they may have that they look for, and see what will come of it.  
Good works,] 
See downham's Warfar. part. 2. p. 53. cap. 7.  Here's occasion offered to speak of good works, but I cannot at large; consider we only briefly,  
1. What good works are; 
What good works are.  namely, Things commanded of God, done by a Regenerate man in faith to the glory of God in our Neighbours good. 
Col. 2. 23.  1. They must be things commanded; God's Word being our rule, and that which makes things good, what is forbidden then is vile, and what's of our own heads, what show soever it hath: Popish Religion stands most in such. 2. Done of a Regenerate man, For who can bring a clean thing out of that which is unclean? 
john 14. 4.  we had need look whether we be Regenerate, else we did never good in our lives, whether in thought, word, or deed. 3. In faith, not only of a man that hath faith, 
Rom. 14. 23.  but in a particular faith, that that action is lawful and warrantable by the Word of God, let's look to ourselves, I doubt many run to those Games, and to Usury, which they have no warrant and Faith for. 4. The end whereat we must aim, must not be ourselves, nor our own merit, credit, profit, but God's glory in our neighbours good; and thus done, not only the duties of God's Worship, which indeed are principal, and duties done to our neighbour's bodies and Souls, be good works, but even our eating and drinking, and following our calling are good works; though Papists make no good works, but such as maintain their Religion by gifts, and such as fill the belly.  
2. How necessary they are: 
How necessary they are.  They are of absolute necessity to Salvation, 
Eph. 2. 10.  the path to Heaven, yet not as causes of our Salvation and Justification before God, as the Papists hold, but effects of our Justification to declare the soundness of our Faith, and that we are persons justified. Papists cry out of us, That we renounce good works, profess liberty, and set open a floodgate to sin, because we teach that works merit not; but we establish works better than they, even true good works: 
They merit not.  We dare not yet say they merit, for 1. They are not done by our own power. 2. They are but our bounden duty. 3. They are imperfect. 4. We are perfectly justified, before we can do any good work, for we are justified by the Righteousness of Christ, which is absolute and perfect, then follow good works to declare we be persons justified, by true Faith, apprehending the Righteousness of Christ; to declare our Election, our Faith to be living, ourselves justified persons, and in the way to Heaven: And are they so necessary to Salvation? le's examine our lives; they that can witness to themselves before God, that they unfeignedly hate all evil, and love God and his Commandments, endeavouring in all things to be obedient thereunto, 
Eph. 1. 4.  let them be of good comfort, it's a sign of Election, 
Rom. 8. 1.  a mark of true Faith, 
Eph. 2. 10.  and one in Christ, and of one in the highway to Heaven: Therefore rejoice what pains soever you have taken to come to this state, and proceed cheerfully: This way will bring you to Heaven, may comfort you in assurance of Faith.  
Glorify God] That is, may change their minds to think well of you and of the Truth, be prepared to their Conversion, and when God shall work withal, break forth into his praise. Hence note, That  
If we continue in innocency of life, 
Observ.  we shall be the means that God shall be glorified, 
A Christians perseverance in well-doing, procures glory to God from others.  not only in ourselves by well-doing, but also that others shall so do, and so we shall prepare them to Conversion, and make them like the better of the Truth, and think they will be hearers too, and doers of Gods will; whereas on the contrary, if we do contrary to our profession, we shall dishonour God doubly, both in ourselves, and move others so to do, and so set them further off from the Truth which be too far already, and make them speak evil thereof: O this aught to be the greatest spur to godliness that may be, we shall hereby win our neighbour's soul, as it were, and provide well for God's glory, the two greatest things that can be next our own Soul, & the latter far above it: O who would not look to himself, when the Soul of our neighbour, and the glory of God lieth upon it, and the credit of the Gospel? so that the life of Christians is not a little to be regarded, but great things depend upon it; and what joy may we have of ourselves to live to win our Neighbours, and bring glory to God?  
O this rebukes the wonderful fault and negligence of many Christians, 
Use.  that partly falling into foul things, partly yielding unto their own affections, are carried by their lusts, living as others, as froward, as proud, as hard, and worldly, some loose of promise, some idle, some living in every body's debt, etc. do dishonour God, and beat others back from Religion! O if there were no more but the single dishonour to God, it were too much, considering what God hath done for us! but, Oh! when so many lies are upon us, that shall take hurt or good, what a fault is this to be careless? What a fearful thing is it to live to set men further off from Religion, or open their mouths against Religion? for they will not think ill or speak ill of you only, but they will fly upon the Gospel, 
Gen. 13. 7.  and the name of God which is innocent: O therefore awaken yourselves: welfare Abraham, that knew well the Canaanites and Perizzites dwelled then in the Land, therefore walk the more watchfully. O beloved, if ever we took good, it was by the Gospel, and shall we thus require it? and do we profess Gods holy name, and yet cause others to reproach it? O grievous!  
In the day of visitation.] 
To visit taken two ways.  That is, when God shall in mercy look upon them, and work the grace of Conversion in their hearts (visitting here is taken in good part, as Luke 1. 68 Isa. 24. 21, 22. as elsewhere in an ill part, as Exod. 20. 5.) when God shall in his goodness turn his eye toward him that is in the snare of the Devil, and by his Word and Spirit work Conversion in his heart. Whence note,  
1. That Conversion is the work of God: 
Obs.  All men and Angels cannot change the heart of a man; 
Conversion is the work of God.  it's a work surpassing all Christ's miracles, and as great or greater than making the world of nothing, and we ourselves have no power, but lie dead in sins; no, all the means in the world cannot do it without God: but we go on and on in the Devil's service, and hasten to destruction; and when we are thus going, God saith, 
jer. 31. 18.  I will go visit yonder poor creature, who will else perish. We are Patients, Convert thou me, and I shall be converted: No Minister, the best in the world, hath any power of himself; O see how they labour and sigh to do good to their own Wives and Children, and yet see no good thereof; 
1 Tim. 4. 16.  they only save as the Lords instruments, not otherwise.  
Let them therefore which have felt this work, 
Use.  acknowledge God in it, and give him all the glory.  
They that be yet without it, let them not defer it, as a small matter to the last, as if they could couvert themselves when they list, as most men's behaviour is, but that they humbly seek it of God, in attending on his Ordinances appointed to that end.  
2. That its Gods great mercy to convert a sinner, 
Obs.  Oh, it's the greatest mercy that can be bestowed; 
It's of God's great mercy.  a mercy to be delivered from sickness into health, from Prison into liberty, from poverty to riches, from death to life; as of Israel out of Egypt, Joseph out of Prison, etc. But alas, 
Col. 1. 13.  these be but toys to this; To be delivered out of the power of darkness, and translated into the Kingdom of his dear Son; to have his eyes opened that was blind, raised out of the grave of sin, delivered out of the slavery of Satan and bondage of sin, from being a limb of Satan, to be a member of Christ, O the most happy change that can be expressed! This is the happy day for a man; then Salvation comes to his house, where none was before: Thus was Zacheus, thus three thousand at one time, thus the Jailor, thus many among us are visited; 
Mat. 18. 3.  O happy visitation, and day to be remembered! We never see good day, till this day come; we may see merry days, sinful days, but never good day till this, without this undone.  
Let those that have felt it and obtained it, 
Use.  for ever give glory to God.  
3. That a man can never glorify God, 
Observ.  till God thus visit and convert his Soul; 
No man can truly glorify God till he be converted.  for so saith the Text, That they may glorify God, When? when God shall visit them.  
Therefore labour for this, for what can we do without it? nothing but dishonour him, 
Use.  do not at all glorify him: O that this were considered!  
4. That when a man is converted, 
Obs.  than he will glorify God; 
So soon as a man is converted he will glorify God.  yea, he cannot choose but in heart admire God's goodness, and love him; in tongue, break out into his praise of his truth and service; and in his life seek to glorify him: 
Luke 22. 32.  Then will he also do all he can to gain others, as Christ to Peter; as good hide fire in straw from breaking out, and hold oil in your hand, as not thus glorify him when once converted: They see their case so happily altered, as they never took so much pleasure in sin, but now it vexeth them as much, and they are as desirous to glorify God.  
Therefore when men in heart are not moved, 
Use.  have no tongue to praise God, speak of his Truth, call upon others, nor in lives study to please God, let such know they are yet in their sins, and not in the number of converted persons.  
5. That even such as have been ill speakers of the Truth and Gods servants, 
Obs.  may yet be converted, 
Even the slanderers of the Truth may become Converts.  and prove good Christians; for why? God draws his number out of the Devil's rabble, for so we are all by nature: So was Paul, yet proved an excellent Christian, so no question there are some in this company, 
Acts 2. 13.  that would not now do that they have done for all the world. 
Rom. 6. 17.   
1. Never despair of them that be very bad, 
1 Cor. 6. 9  but pray for them, 
Tit. 3. 3:  give them good counsel; 
Use 1.  Who knows what God will do, especially being come of good Parents? Above all, lead an innocent life before them, which may so work with them, as in God's good time they may be happily changed.  
2. This may be an exceeding provocation to the worst, 
Use 2.  that they may prove good and be saved, as unlikely as it is: Me thinks it should wonderfully move vile wretches to fall down and humble themselves before God, and never cease till the Lord do as much for them, as for the Jailor, and others, seeing it is a thing that may be, and God hath set down such examples to that end: 
1 Tim. 1. 13. 16.  Thy disease though grievous, yet is not irrecoverable, so thou seek to the Physician of thy soul in time; 
Isa. 1. 18.  therefore despair not: They that seek earnestly, labour, strive, give all diligence, study, call for wisdom, cry for understanding, and that early, to day while it is called today; (and when God call men to repentance, and points no time, he means the time present, as in writings between man and man) They that thus seek, shall find.  
3. Yet let none in stead of good take hurt by this, 
Use 3.  and heart to go on in sin, seeing vile persons, and the worst may become converts, and saved ones (so they may, as they may handle the matter, seeking the Lord humbly and speedily) for if any think they have not done enough already, and therefore will go on to add new sins unto their old, and that it's too soon, and will put off, and presume that they may repent when they will, and so shall at last; let such know, they shall find God a just and severe revenger of all such proud contemners and presumptuous persons: O many such shall rounce at God's mercy-gate, that shall never come in; 
Matth. 25. 12.  as the five foolish Virgins; and Esau, that sought the blessing, 
Heb. 12. 17.  though with tears: how many be now in Hell, that had thought to have repent before their death, and so enjoyed Heaven? No, men shall know, they shall not despise his mercy at their pleasure, and yet have it at command: 
Prov. 1. 28.  Then shall they call upon me (saith the Lord) but I will not answer, 
Isa. 55. 6.  they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: Therefore, Seek ye the Lord, while he may be found; call ye upon him, while he is near.   

Verse 13. Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake, whether it be to the king as supreme, Verse 14. Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him, for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well.  
NOw followeth the second part of this Chapter, 
The sum of the second part of this Chapter.  containing Exhortations to certain kinds of men, according to their particular and special callings and places, (as the former have been Exhortations to duties of Sanctification, belonging to all Christians) and chiefly of the duties of Inferiors towards their Superiors, namely, of Subjects to their Magistrates, Servants to their Masters, and in the beginning of the following Chapter, of Wives towards their Husbands.  
These Verses, 
The parts of these Verses, and that which followeth.  with that which followeth, contain the Subjects duty towards their Magistrates; wherein we have  
1. An Exhortation, in these words, Submit yourselves to every Ordinance of man, 
1. An Exhortation.  That is, whatsoever kind of Government you shall live under, (for all Kingdoms, Countries, Provinces, Cities, be not governed after the same sort) termed the Ordinance of man, not because it's ordained by man, (for its God's Ordinance) but because its proper to man, and is so much for his benefit: This submission consists as well in our willing bearing their Superiority over us, and patiently bearing our inferiority under them, as in doing all the duties of our places to them, and that whether they be worthy of it, or not: Those are distributed into the Principal and Supreme, the King, or those that are Subordinate by him, Governors.  
2. Reasons to enforce the same: 
2. Three reasons to enforce the same.  1. The Lord is the Author of Magistracy, and requireth our subjection, therefore we ought to yield thereunto. 2. They are appointed for the great good of Church and Commonwealth, the punishment of evil doers, and praise of them that do well, without which no Society or Kingdom can stand. 3. It's God's mind that hereby we should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.  
Before I come to the words in particular, consider we two things in general; The first from the Coherence: As before he would have them in their whole conversation to behave themselves as Christians, and exhorted them to a godly life; so he doth now require them to show the same in their particular callings, and in those special places wherein they were put. Whence note, That  
Every man's duty is to show his godliness in his particular calling; 
Doctr.  As the General of a Field appoints every one their places and stand, 
Every man must show forth his godliness in his particular calling.  Horsemen, Footmen, Gunners, Pikemen, etc. accordingly requiring and expecting of each the performance of his duty in his several place: So hath the Lord appointed some Superiors, others Inferiors; and accordingly every man must show his goodness as in all things, so in his particular calling especially, and be faithful in the trust reposed in him therein, as one friend should be to another, especially in great and weighty businesses: Every place whereunto a man is called, as to be a Husband, Magistrate, Minister, Housholder, etc. hath a special trust going along therewith; so that whoso will show himself godly, if he be a Magistrate, he must be a godly Magistrate; if he be a Minister, he must be a godly Minister, etc. Thus Abraham was a godly man, which he showed in being a godly Housholder; So Joshua, in being a godly, zealous, courageous Captain; So David, Jehoshaphat Hezekiah, Josiah, in being godly Kings, suppressing Idolatry, and setting up the true worship of God.  
1. This showeth and unvizardeth many to be bad which would be counted honest men; 
Use 1.  They being Magistrates, do (alas) either take against goodness, and defend evil, or at least like Gallio, care for nothing: So being Ministers, have no will, nor skill, gifts or ability to teach the people, nor give example of true godliness: So Householders, if they be not ill examples of swearing, idle-talking, profaning the Lordsday, and the like, yet make no account to govern their Families aright, in reading the Word, instructing them therein, Praying with them, and the like: Therefore let none so think of themselves as of honest men and godly, which be not godly in their special Calling; neither let others commend such for such, though haply endued with some good qualities: O he is a very honest man! It's a foolish and lying commendation, whosoever is a godly man, will be good in his particular Calling: Before they enter thereinto, they will find themselves fit for the same, or if they must needs take the same upon them, they will labour to fit themselves, and therein (for all are not fitted alike) do their utmost endeavour: So if a man be godly, he will be a good Housholder, and where Gaming and the Devils Books were wont to be rife, there have God's Books read, and Prayer exercised: Therefore whereas the godliest Preachers and Christians are wont to be blamed, as men that cannot abide Government, and would pull the Sceptre out of the Magistrates hands, (as Korah with his companions) this must needs be a foul slander; for be they godly men, yea in the conscience of their adversaries, then can they not but be good Subjects, and are indeed the best Subjects, who pay to the King according to their ability most willingly, that pray for the King most often, and heartily, that break fewest of his Laws, and they lead a godly life, to keep God's wrath away from the King and Realm, whereas others live badly, and thereby provoke God against both.  
2. It's necessary that men labour first to be godly, 
Use 2.  ere they enter into their particular Callings: O then would they be godly Magistrates, Ministers, Householders; and the contrary is the cause of so much wrack in Church and Commonwealth. Why be there so many wicked Husbands, and lewd and disobedient Wives, so many careless Householders, that care not for the souls of their Servants and Children, and why so many bad Ministers? even because they be bad men, and have not first endeavoured to be holy.  
The second, The reason why the Apostle is so earnest with them for duty in the place of Inferiors; Its twofold, partly upon a conceit that was in the mind of the Gentiles, that Christ's Apostles and their followers were Enemies to Government, and could not abide Caesar (which came to pass as well through wicked men, raised up by the Devil) which feigning themselves to be holy men, did rebelliously set themselves against Caesar's Government, 
Acts 5. 37.  and drew the people away; as Judas of Galilee, who feigned himself to be Christ, and was an Enemy to Caesar, and persuaded the people, that seeing he was an Heathen Emperor, they needed not pay him tribute: Hereupon when Christ came, 
Matt. 22. 17.  he was asked, Whether it was lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not; 
Luke 23. 2.  and notwithstanding of his wise and Subject-like answer, yet at his arraignment he was accused as an Enemy to Caesar; and because he said he was a King (as indeed he was, though no worldly King, and his Kingdom and Caesar's might well enough stand together) they thought he could not but be Caesar's Enemy; as for that the wicked and Heathen Emperors would try their obedience in unlawful things, as by commanding themselves or their Images to be worshipped (so were Daniel and the three Children tried) which they not daring to obey, though they yielded patiently in the punishment inflicted on them, were therefore counted Rebels (though to try men in bad things, be no true trial of believers) and partly, because of a disease of the Jews, whereof they were somewhat sick, and in part faulty (which notwithstanding was not occasioned either through Christ, his Apostles, or the Gospel) even that they thought they should not obey these Heathen Magistrates, and the Roman Empire under which they now were, and that not only for that they came in wrongfully, ruled wickedly, and besides were bad men, but by misconceiving of the freedom purchased to them by Christ: They were made free, therefore (thought they) ought not to be bound; were the children of God, and heirs of HEAVEN, therefore not to be subject to bad men: For those causes, I say, the Apostle is so earnest, even that hereby he might remove as well that conceit of the Gentiles, as cure this disease of the Jews. Hence note,  
1. That its the duty of Ministers to prevent offences, 
Doctr.  or remove false conceits out of men's minds; 
Ministers must labour to remove false conceits out of men's minds.  and in this particular to teach the people subjection, to provoke thereto, to practise it in all lawful things; for the world still hath this conceit of God's Ministers and Christians, and that upon the very like grounds (some having risen up from time to time, that have either had ill causes, or if good, handled them very ill, and have been of a railing, scoffing spirit) but let it be known to all that be so minded, that the faithfullest Ministers and Christians usually thus slandered, are as true lovers, & as much subject to Government, as any other whatsoever, and so teach the people, by whose Ministry people are both brought to be good Subjects, and likewise to continue in subjection.  
2. Ministers must speak to the purpose, 
Obs.  and apply themselves to the state and necessity of the people they live amongst, 
Ministers must apply themselves to the state and necessity of their people.  observing what duties be most neglected, and what sins be rifest among them, accordingly persuading to the former, and dissuading from the latter.  
Submit yourselves to every Ordinance of man,] He saith not, Love, that had been too familiar, 
Rom. 13. 1.  nor Obey, that had been too strait, but Submit (as elsewhere, 
The duties of Subjects to their superiors  be subject) which comprehendeth both, and all other duties of Subjects: Those may be referred to these four heads, Reverence, Obedience, Thankfulness, and Prayer; of every of which I have heretofore spoken at large. These we had need to hear of, for whose heart must not needs accuse him, that he hath failed much in them all? needful they are to be known and practised, that we may procure honour to our Profession, when we declare it by subjection in all parts thereof, and herein exceed those that know not God, nor have had the like means of Salvation, as we have: And had we done our duties better to our Magistrates, no question we might have enjoyed more good by their means, and so shall for the time to come, if we make more conscience hereof; yea, it's necessary that women should hear these things, that being Widows, they may pay such deuce as are required of them, or Wives be helpful to their Husbands in persuading them hereunto, and that willingly and cheerfully: This condemneth the Anabaptists, as flat opposite to Magistrates and all these duties.  
For the Lords sake,] 
The first Reason to move us to subjection, God requires the same.  The first Reason to move us to subjection, God will have it to be so, who hath ordained Magistracy; therefore though there be nothing in the person to deserve it (yet are they very bad Magistrates that be not better than none) and though they abuse their calling, yet do the forenamed duty, for God's sake who hath appointed them: Neither must we do the same, either for fear of punishment on the one side, or hope of reward on the other, but for the reverence we owe unto God; we must not only do good things, but do them on a good ground, and in a right manner.  
This rebukes the most part, 
Use.  who, were it not for fear of after claps, and that they should hear of it, would do nothing, but this is not thankworthy; Slaves do thus, and they that thus do, their service may be beneficial to the Magistrate, but themselves shall have no benefit of their doing, as not proceeding from a right mind: We ought not to curse (or speak ill of) the King or Magistrate in our thought, 
Eccles. 10. 20.  or in our bedchamber, which yet they cannot come to know, for God knows it, who will revenge it: We must submit ourselves for conscience sake. This is indeed right obedience, and whereof we may have comfort.  
Further, 
How the Laws of Magistrates bind us.  Magistrates Laws bind us by virtue not of them, but of God; we must obey them, and all their good Laws bind our Consciences; But why, and how? because they be men's Laws? No; for no man hath power over the conscience, but by virtue of a Commandment of the Lord, who hath set them, and given them power to make Laws for his Worship, and for Civil things agreeable to his Law, and bid us obey them; so that their Commandments bind not our conscience by virtue of them, or any power they have over our conscience, but by virtue of God's Commandment, and not otherwise. Again, when any that have no authority from God, shall give Laws, they bind us not, as not being the parties allowed of God to make Laws: Thus are not we to obey the Pope's Laws, we are not to obey the Laws which a company of Rebels gathered together under some great man (as say, Absolom) do set forth, they touch not the conscience; yea, if even right Magistrates that may make Laws, make wicked ones, contrary to God's Law, those their Laws do not bind the conscience.  
Whether it be to the King as supreme], 
A distribution of Magistrates.  In these and the following words is a distribution of Magistrates, whereof the King is Superior and chief in his Realm, as were David and Solomon Kings of Israel. The King here meant was Caesar, that came in unjustly, ruled Tyrannously, and was an Idolater, to whom notwithstanding they were to do the forenamed duties, as amongst the rest to pray for him; How much more than are good Kings to be prayed for?  
A King in his Dominions, 
A King is supreme Governor over all in his own dominions, and in all causes.  and as far as his Kingdom reacheth, hath Sovereignty and Power over all, and is the principal: None is above him in his own Kingdom, not is any exempted from his Government: He is under God the chief, it's so with no other; Constables have Justices above them, they Judges, these the King's Counsels, above them the King, above him none, as none were above David and Solomon: He is over all persons, and in all Causes the chief; Persons, whether high or low, rich or poor, men or women, Ministers or people: He may Tax them, Censure them, Depose them, Imprison them, yea put them to Death, Ministers (if they deserve it) as well as others: 
Exod. 32. 21.  Moses rebuked Aar●n for the golden Calf; Joash found fault with Jehoiada and the Priests, 
2 Kings 12. 7.  for the money no better employed; Solomon deposed Abiathar, 
1 Kings 2 27.  and set up Zadock in his room: Causes, not Civil only touching men's goods, lands, lives, and right and wrong, but Ecclesiastical also, as to make Laws, and take Order for the worship of God, the Preaching of the Word, Administration of the Sacraments, the behaviour and maintenance of Ministers, and the like, and accordingly to see them done, as did Asa, Jehosophat, Hezekiah, and Josiah: So that a King may be well and truly said to be Supreme Governor over all persons, and in all Causes, yea, and Supreme head in a borrowed speech, as the Husband is the Wife's head, not to make new Laws not agreeable to God's Law, but to be keepers of the two Tables of God's Law, and to rule according to them.  
1. This condemneth the monstrous pride and arrogancy of the Pope, 
Use.  that challengeth and taketh upon him to be Supreme head over the Church, and that he may set up and depose Princes, he may Curse and Excommunicate, and command to go to War at his pleasure, and that he may exempt Subjects from their allegiance, etc. He is a Liar, Usurper, and a Thief, What hath he do in England? who gave him his Authority? He is a Minister if he be Saint Peter's Successor, and hath the Spiritual Sword to fight withal, but he challengeth both Swords, Temporal and Spiritual too, too much in conscience for one man; for one hand to hold and handle two Swords, whereas each will take up the whole man.  
But how came he by them, especially by this Temporal Sword, and civil Authority, as to kill, imprison, and do what a King may do?  
Oh, 
Object.  Christ gave him the Spiritual Sword, which is the greater, therefore did give him the Civil, which is the lesser.  
A sound argument: 
Sol.  The King gives a Nobleman a great Office, therefore hath given him one that is lesser, Doth this follow? Yea, to maintain this his usurped Power, they do so woefully abuse the Scriptures, that it would grieve any heart; as where Peter was bid, Arise, 
Acts 10. 13.  kill and eat; Peter might kill Beasts, therefore the Pope may kill men, a goodly argument; This would rather authorise the Pope to play the Cook, 
See Dr. Hillet, Mr. Wiggons and W: Barclay, on this Subject.  than the King: So Peter's dealing with Ananias and Sapphira, and Paul's, with Elimas' the Sorcerer are alleged, but was theirs with the Temporal Sword? was it with force or violence? was it not with the Word of God? This makes nothing for his Civil Power, Christ refused it, when they would have made him a King, and when he was desired to divide an Inheritance: So these speeches of our Saviour, 
Luke 22. 26, 28.  He that hath no Sword, let him sell his Garment and buy one; and when they said, Lord here are two Swords, he said unto them, It is enough: But hereby our Saviour doth only put them in mind of the danger of the ensuing times, and that they should prepare themselves for troubles, not that they should otherwise resist then with the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God; for afterward when Peter used his material Sword against the Officers, 
Mat. 26. 52.  our Saviour willed him to put up the same: Whatsoever therefore the Pope, or any for him can allege, we may safely take the Oath of Supremacy; They that will not, are not to be trusted for good Subjects.  
2. This condemneth the Clergy of Rome, 
Use 2.  that exempt themselves from all Prince's Authority, 
Rom. 13. 1.  whereas God hath said, Let every soul be subject to the higher powers: If they have souls they must be subject; But how do they exempt themselves? 1. As they say, Jure Divino, 
1 Cor. 2. 15.  from that of Saint Paul, He that is Spiritual, judgeth all things; yet he himself is judged of no man: An horrible abuse of the place, which aims at no Civil Judgement, but only at judging by the Spirit of God of things Divine, which a natural man cannot attain unto; meaning, that as a Natural man cannot judge of Spiritual things, so none can judge of a Spiritual man, but he that is endued with the same Spirit. 2. By the Donation of Constantine; but it's not in the power of Princes so to do: They may exempt them from Tribute, if they will, 
Gen. 47. 22.  as Pharaoh took not the Priests Lands to gauge for Corn; but to exempt them from subjection, they cannot. This were to make themselves wiser than God, who hath put them under their Authority, yea, the too much indulgence and favour of Emperors, hath been the bane of the Church, and helped up the Pope into his stirrup; Therefore its wisdom in them to hold their Authority which God hath given them.  
Or unto Governors, 
Subordinate Magistrates are also to be obeyed. ] A King is but a man, and cannot rule a Kingdom by himself, and therefore must have others under him for the same purpose; in War, Generals, Captains, Lieutenants, etc. and in Peace, 
Exod. 18. 21.  Judges, Justices, Majors, Baliffs, Sheriffs, Constables, 
Deut. 16. 18.  etc. accordingly was Jethroes Counsel, 
Prov. 8. 16.  questionless by God's direction; accordingly was Gods own prescription, and by him do they also rule: Such did Jehoshophat set throughout all the Cities of his Land, 
2 Chron. 19 5.  City by City: These be the Prince's eyes to see, and hands to execute Judgement, who therefore must be obeyed, even the meanest of them.  
This condemneth them that are afraid to commit Treason against the King, 
Use.  but for other Magistrates, they care not for them, set light by them, sometimes outface them: An Officers gown hath been heretofore more feared, than his person now, so proud and insolent are youth grown in these lewd times, that with the Judge in the Gospel, 
Luke 18. 2.  they neither fear God nor man: In Jobs time, the wicked would fly from him, 
job 29. 8.  when they saw him; but now tell a company of drunkards in an Alehouse, that the Constable comes, what care they; yea, they will not only sit still there, but with vile speeches outface him: This comes to pass partly through the coldness and remissness of Magistrates, whereby they lose their authority, which is God's judgement on them, and partly through the boldness of youth, over in times past: Let them look to it, they resist not only the King in the meanest Officer, but even God and his Ordinance, and shall receive to themselves judgement, whom God will pursue, though men connive at them: Such contemners of Magistrates for the most part come to the gallows, or such fearful ends.  
As unto them that are sent by him,] 
Both the Supreme and Subordinate are sent of God.  This is in effect the same with the foregoing Reason. There is a nature in us contrary to this subjection, but we must submit ourselves to them, for they be sent of God, both the highest and the lower ones: 
Prov. 8. 15.  The powers that be, are ordained of God. 
Rom. 13. 1.   
1. This teacheth all sorts of Officers and Magistrates, 
Use 1.  to be careful in the performance of their duties, remembering that they are sent of God, that they bear his Name, and that he will call them to an account: They that are faithful in this trust reposed on them, shall receive a good reward; as contrarily, they that do his work negligently, 
Mat. 25. 26. 30  and are unfaithful, shall hear this doleful sound, O evil and unfaithful Servant, etc. take and bind him, etc.  
2. It teacheth them to do their duties courageously: 
Use 2.  They have a sure back, 
2 Chro. 19 6. ●●  he that sets them on work, is able to defend and maintain them.  
3. People must submit themselves to them, 
Use 3.  they are sent of God; if they do not thus, they shall answer the same at their uttermost perils.  
For the punishment of evil doers, 
The second Reason.  and for the praise of them that do well.] The second Reason of the foregoing Exhortation,  
It's taken from the end of Magistrates, 
The end why Magistrates were ordained.  appointed for the great benefit of a Commonwealth, even to punish evil doers, commend and defend the good, without which no Kingdom could stand; as there could be no garden, if all the Hogs in the Town were suffered to root it up; no orchard, if cattle were suffered to eat it off the buds, and bark of the trees, etc. so that unless we be vipers, and seek the ruin of our Country, we cannot but acknowledge the benefit we get by Magistrates, and accordingly perform our duties towards them.  
As they are to make good Laws, 
Use.  both for the worship of God, tending to his glory, and the Salvation of their people's Souls, and the preservation of Justice and Peace (wherein Mercy and Judgement are to meet together) and are to justify the Righteous, 
Psal. 101. 1.  and condemn the wicked (as good gardiner's pull up the weeds, 
Deut. 25. 1.  but cherish good herbs) whereby virtue may flourish by due encouragement, and vice may be suppressed by due punishment: So must we accordingly behave ourselves towards them for their encouragement.  
For the punishment of evil doers,] God is a just God, who both hates and punisheth sin; 
Exod. 34. 7.  so must Magistrates do, they have not the Sword for nought: 
Magistrates must punish evil doers.  It must not be as a child's Dagger, never drawn out, or rust in the scabbard, as those hanged up in our houses in the times of Peace: Samuel hewed Agag in pieces, Joshua put Achan to death, Moses was zealous this way: 
Exod. 18. 21.  Magistrates must be men of courage, 
Deut. 25. 2.  and must punish the wicked according to their fault; 
Prov. 20. 30. and 29. 15.  This is the ready way to bring them to repentance (as the rod and correction gives life to a child) and keep others from the like faults. 
Deut. 21. 21.  Thus was the stubborn son to be stoned, that all Israel might hear and fear: Hereby also they stay the cry of sin, and so provide for God's glory, and safety both of Church and Commonwealth: If they smite not, God will, as Elies sons and Agag.  
1. This rebuketh the wonderful coldness of most Magistrates, 
Use 1.  that care not whether they have any ill doers brought before them, if they can shift it off; or if they be brought, yet handle them so gently, that not only that are not the more reform, but the more emboldened in their wickedness, and such as complained of them quite discouraged; 
See Eccle. 8. 11  a fearful thing. Thus under colour of mercy, sin is increased, God dishonoured, the Commonwealth marred: Thus whereas they might do much good, they do much hurt to others, they hurt also themselves; as Saul in sparing Agag, and Ahab in sparing Benhadad: How will Magistrates answer this? God calls, Who is on my side? 
Psal. 119. 126.  Who? he looks who will help him against the mighty; assuredly it's now time for him to work: O let Magistrates look to this, they shall provide well for themselves against the time of need, they may look for help from God, and say as Nehemiah, Remember me, 
Neh. 13. 22.  O Lord my God, in goodness, according to all that I have done: This is also the sin of Headboroughs and Constables, that are not zealous to find out such, and complain of them, but rather cold, loath to stir for being counted meddlers, 
jer. 9 3.  etc. so that we may say, men have no courage for the Truth, 
Isa. 59 4.  and no man calleth for Justice: And thus they make themselves work while they eat it, for so sin increaseth, and will set them on work whether they will or not.  
2. This rebuketh also all such as take part with persons and causes; 
Use 2.  There's no Town but hath vile persons in it; there's none so vile, but lightly one rich man or other that should join to punish him, taketh part with him: If they cannot scape the curse that help not the Lord against the mighty, 
judg. 5. 23.  what shall become of them that help the mighty against the Lord, and all that seek to punish them? a threefold curse waiteth for them, and where shall they appear?  
And for the praise of them that do well.] 
Magistrates should stand for well-doers  God loves and rewards well doing; so should Magistrates, they must defend and advance such; their eyes must be upon the faithful in the Land, 
Isa. 32. 1, 2, etc.  and with Cornelius, 
Rom. 13. 1.  they should have such wait on them as fear God. 
Psal. 101. 6.   
1. This rebukes those that hearten not good persons, 
Acts 10. 7.  when they come with complaints to them, 
Use 1.  neither show any countenance to such.  
2. Much more them that set themselves against those: 
Use 2.  O it's a sickly time, when the best be most afraid and punished! As Micaiah imprisoned by Ahab, Eliah feign to fly from Jezabel, and Jeremiah put in a Dungeon, Mephibosheth deprived of his means, Daniel cast into the Lion's Den, etc. Magistrates should not be feared of them that do well, yet it's often so; so it was in Queen Mary's time, the godliest hid their heads in Woods and Dens, were Imprisoned, put to Death, whereas Idolaters were in request: In such cases we had great need to pray for redress.   

Verse 15. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.  
A Third Reason of the foregoing Exhortation; 
The third Reason.  Its God's will that we submit ourselves, that by this means we may stop bad men's mouths that would, 
It's God's will that we should obey.  if we did not obey, speak ill of Professors, and of the name of God, and the Gospel itself.  
For so is the will of God,] That Gods will ought to be that which should lead and bind us, I have heretofore proved at large on the third Petition of the Lords-Prayer; which as it should upon all other particulars, so ought to prevail with us in this duty of obedience.  
That with well doing ye may put to silence, etc.] Of good works what they be, and how needful they are, I have spoken on verse 12. add we here one end more; Namely, that  
Good works, 
The godly through their good works stop the mouths of bad minded persons.  or a godly innocent life in obedience to Magistrates, and all things else is of necessity to stop up the mouths of bad minded persons that wait for offences: Every one that professeth, must know that he hath many eyes on him, that watch him narrowly, and some very badly minded, our duty is to take away all matter of ill talk from them; as if the wood be taken away, the fire goeth out; and if the water run not, the Mill goes not: By well-doing we stop up their mouths, as David did Saul's, and Daniel his accusers: Or if we cannot stop their mouths, but that they will needs talk, yet that they may have no just cause to speak ill of us, but though in general terms they make a railing, yet being urged in particular to tell what we have done, or with what they can chargeus, or what sin we live in, or what corruption we yield to, which we strive not against, they may be driven to silence.  
This rebukes the wonderful carelessness of some Christians, that walk so loosely, and lie so open, as the wicked have their will, even matter enough to talk of their covetousness, of their wonderful impatience, and the like; such had need to repent much, and by the contrary to labour by their well-doing to stop their mouths, which they have justly opened against Religion and the professors thereof: O how far are some to blame, who by too severe and sudden censuring, cause many to loathe the professors of the Word, as if they were all such proud fellows, 
They are ignorant and foolish which speak ill of the Gospel and the professors thereof.  and did condemn all but themselves: O its good to have charity, yet I mean not that we are to call black white, etc.  
The ignorance of foolish men.] Here is showed what they be that are ready to rail and speak ill of Religion, and open their mouths against the Professors of the Gospel, even ignorant foolish men.  
Oh, 
Obj.  but many be great men for Wit, and Parts, and Learning, that do thus.  
It's all one, 
R.  such they be, and no other; They that will rail at a Trade for the fault of a Tradesman, and condemn all of a Trade, for the fault of some one of that Profession, might they not be taxed of ignorance and folly? So what ignorance and foolishness is it in a number to speak ill of the way of God, and of the Word Preached, and of the Preachers thereof, and all for the fault of some that profess Religion: It's true, that some speak evil of God's people, not of ignorance, but of hatred and contempt of the Gospel; A good life will stop all cavils of the former, not of these.  
Ignorance] Whoso speaketh ill of God, of his Truth, of his Servants that profess his Name, are ignorant, know not what they do, as our Saviour said of them that Crucified him; 
Luke 23. 34.  As the Sadduces, They err, 
Matt. 22. 29.  not knowing the Scriptures: 
john 8. 19  Had the Pharisees known the Father, they would not have hated and persecuted Christ the Son; Had the Jews known, 
1 Cor. 2. 8.  They would not have Crucified the Lord of glory: When men rail on God's people, O they know not what they say, nor whom they despise, for if they knew them, and whose they be, and their great Glory and Dignity, they would catch them about the neck, and earnestly desire that they may be like unto them! But they know them not; one brings Religion thus complaining, I Religion am a mere stranger in the world, therefore I do not wonder that the Dogs of this world do bark at me, which I do not greatly regard, my Pedigree, my Father, my Brother, my Country is above, yet I wish that while I stay among you, you would not speak evil of me, because you know me not: And assuredly if men knew Christianity and the revenues thereof, they would not only not speak evil thereof, but all the good they could; yet this is not simple, but affected ignorance, therefore their judgement will be the more just and fearful.  
1. If therefore we hear any, 
Use 1.  whosoever they be (rich or poor) reproaching the way of Salvation, and calling it preciseness, and niceness, and railing on the best Preachers, and most zealous Christians, let us not be much troubled at it; It's but the speech of ignorant men, that know not what they say; blind, that cannot judge of colours, but through the darkness that is in them, they call good evil, and evil good, who will one day see otherwise, though it may be when it will be too late.  
2. While any is of this mind (let him be what he will be, 
Use 2.  have what knowledge he will or can have) he is but an ignorant man, that speaks and does he knows not what, and walks in darkness, and knoweth not how soon he may fall.  
Foolish men.] 
Every natural man is a fool.  Every natural man as long as he so continueth, is but a fool, even till God the fountain of all true wisdom, do give him his Spirit of grace into his heart, and make him wise unto Salvation, whose fear is the beginning of wisdom: Let men have wit to rule a Country, to compound Controversies, contrive businesses, and to be so deeply fighted in the world, as no man can go beyond them, yet if they be in their natural and unregenerate condition, they are fools, the greatest fools that are; such is Solomon's fool throughout the Proverbs, not he that wants wit, but true wisdom; nor one that wants natural parts, 
Reasons.  but grace: For, is not he a fool that prefers toys and babbles, before matters of great and good worth? such are they that are careful for the world, for Profits, Pleasures, Honours, and such transitory toys, never regarding what shall become of their souls, having no care of the pardon of their sins, to escape from Hell, and to obtain the Kingdom of Heaven; 
Luke 12. 20.  such was the rich man in the Gospel: Were not he a fool, that in the Summer would neglect to prepare his Winter provision, as having then no use thereof? such is he that hath no care in the Summer of the Gospel, and in the time of his health, to lay up against the stormy time of sickness, temptations and death: Is not he a fool that runs on in the score, and takes no care to discharge it? such are they that go on in sin, and in the abuse of God's creatures: 
1 Pet. 4. 4.  Is not he a fool that will wallow himself in mire, and think and speak ill of them that will not so do? such are the wicked that wallow in their sins, even wondering that others run not with them into the same excess of riot: A fool will play with firebrands, arrows, and mortal things, so the wicked make a sport of sin: He is a fool that being condemned of Treason, and yet in possibility to get a pardon, defers to sue for it till it be too late; such are the wicked that put off their repentance: He is a fool that will laugh, being in extreme danger, or being told he is going to execution, doth jest at it, yea, if it were but to the stocks, or house of correction; yet thus do the wicked every day go nearer and nearer the place of their torment: A fool hates those that tell him he is in danger, and would help him out of it, and can sleep sound, though it be told him the house is on fire over his head; yet thus do the wicked, being told of their sins, and their danger thereby.  
Thus are we to repute ourselves, 
Use.  being unregenerate, and to labour by all means for the fear God, which is the beginning of true wisdom.   

Verse 16. As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.  
HEre the Apostle prevents an Objection that they might make, 
The prevention of an Objection.  whereby he would cure the disease they were sick of, even their not yielding subjection willingly; and that both in respect of their badness which ruled, and of their own liberty, which they misconstrued and stretched beyond the bounds: We be freed (might they say) by Jesus Christ, therefore we know no Reason we should be subject to them: He answereth, you are free indeed, I confess, Christ hath purchased, and that dearly, a happy and blessed freedom for you, but this (as every other good thing) may be abused and stretched beyond the reach thereof, as you do this; for it's not such a freedom as sets you at liberty to do what you list, or to shake off Government, and live at your pleasure, and which is not to be used as a cloak of naughtiness and carnal liberty, but you must use it, as those that be freed from sin and the Devil, but not from God and your obedience to him, but to be his servants, and so to obey him, as in all things, so in this amongst the rest, even in obeying Magistracy, which is one of his Commandments.  
Here three things are considerable; 
The particulars laid down in this verse.  1. The liberty of Christians, As free. 2. The abuse of Christian liberty, not using your liberty as a cloak of maliciousness. 3. The right use of it, but as the servants of God; all needful to be known, that in a right manner we may use our Christian liberty to the glory of God, our own good, and the benefit of our brethren.  
As free,] 
Naturally we are in bondage  Freedom presupposeth bondage: By nature we are all bound till we be freed through Christ.  
1. We are all guilty of Adam's sin, 
Reas. 1.  born in Original sin, infinitely defiled with actual rebellions, whereby we stand under the wrath and curse of God, and all evils in this world, and that which is to come for ever: There is no curse in all the Scripture threatened or executed, or any other that God hath in his infinite store-house, whereunto we are not liable and daily subject: God is just, and no whit of this can be called back; a fearful condition.  
2. We are all the very vassals of Satan, 
Reas. 2.  and slaves of sin, taken prisoners of him in the fall, and we have no power of Soul, nor part of body, but are all fast bound to his will, our understanding darkness itself, our will altogether averse and rebellious to that that is good, carried forcibly to all evil, as are also our affections and other parts. 
Rom. 6. 17.  The Devil holds us, as a Captain doth his Castle, naturally he rules in our hearts at his pleasure, 
Eph. 2. 2.  till through Christ we be delivered out of this power of darkness: 
Col. 3. 13.  He is the strong man that keeps the house, till a stronger than he comes, which is Christ alone: We have no power to think a good thought, to stir a finger in any good, though about the matter of our Salvation; 
Rom. 8. 7.  Our wisdom is enmity against God, All our thoughts are only evil continually: 
Gen. 6. 5.  It's as impossible for a natural man to do any good, as for a bramble to bear grapes or figs; nay, which is worse, and makes up our bondage, we cannot see we be in this case, believe when we be told it, desire to come out of it, as being weary thereof; nay, we delight in it, think it the only liberty, spend body, goods, name, soul, and all in the service of it, the basest master, and most cruel, the basest work, and most woeful wages, and this yet is worst, that we like of it, and liberty being offered, we loathe it. No vassal among the Turks that hath been there never so long, but yet retains a free mind, he would be gone if he might or could tell how; but such are not we, we have no desire from Satan or sin; our bondage being thus made known unto us, we are a little the fitter to listen to the freedom here spoken of, we being in this most woeful bondage, 
john 8. 36.  God of his infinite mercy found out a way, a strange way to free us, 
Gal. 5. 1.  and that was by Jesus Christ, who hath procured our liberty and makes us free.  
This is called Christian liberty, 
Believers are made free by Christ.  because it's purchased by Christ for Christians, namely Believers, and no others: Its a Spiritual and holy freedom, not Civil, such as the Jews looked for (even great advancement in an earthly Kingdom) or the Anabaptists dream of, which shake off Magistracy; nor Carnal, such as that of the Libertines, which live as they list in all silthiness; 
Wherein Christian liberty consists.  and procured it is by Christ alone, no other could do it: It stands in these four things, 1. Through Christ we are freed from the wrath and curse of God, and all the punishment of our sins here, and hereafter; and this he hath done by his precious blood, 
1 Pet. 1. 19  having redeemed us, and became also a curse for us: 
Isa. 53. 4, etc.  He was arraigned before a worldly Judge, 
Gal. 3. 13.  that we might not be arraigned before the Judge of the whole world; He was condemned, that we might be absolved; He died, that we might live; He hath become our surety, and so freed us from the wrath and justice of God, and his payment was most royal, because he was God, and by his Resurrection he declared that it was full and perfect; 
Rom. 8. 1.  So that now to all that believe in him, there is no condemnation: It hath nothing to do with them; for though God be just, and will have it once paid, yet not unjust to require it twice. 2. We are freed from the service of Sin and the Devil, which he hath done by the virtue of his Word and holy Spirit, working faith in our hearts: So Regenerating and Sanctifying us, washing us in his blood, enlightening our understandings, renewing our wills, reforming our affections and whole man, working a quite change from that was before, an hatred of the sin that before was only loved, a love to the good that before was not regarded, yea of all sin, and of all good, with some power to resist and overcome the one, and perform the other; so that though Satan tempt us, yet shall he not have us at command as before, though our heart and flesh lust after evil, yet the Spirit resisteth it, and provoketh to good, and sin reigneth in us no longer: Thus were Zacheus, the Jailor, and Mary Magdalene quite altered from that they were before: So among ourselves, through God's goodness, they that understood nothing to purpose, are now enlightened and ashamed of themselves in respect of their former conversation, hate their sins and old companions, and are turned to love God, and to delight in his Word, Saints, Prayer, good Duties, have tongues that cannot now speak for their liyes as before, but are ready to speak gracious words, which before they could not; 
Isa. 32. 3, 4. & 35. 4, 5.  and where before they were lame to any good, now they are active, and can find their legs now to carry them to goodness; but we are only thus freed in part: we cannot do what we would, & as we would, and oftentimes also we do also what we would not, yet shall we draw virtue from God by his Spirit in the daily use of the Word, Sacraments, and Prayer, to be more and more freed therefrom, till at last we shall attain the same, even perfect freedom in glory for ever. 3. We are freed from the rigour of the Moral Law, and the uttermost extremity of it, which of the unbeliever is exacted, but on the behalf of Believers is taken away by Christ, so that though in them there be many wants, yet God in Christ Jesus will accept the will for the deed; he will accept of their hearts, and of the truth of their actions, pardoning their infirmities: Hence it is that now they flee not from the Law as a cruel Tyrant, but come thereto, as to a Schoolmaster to instruct them in Gods will. 
Gal. 3. 24.  4. We are freed from the Ceremonial Law, whereof the Sacraments, Sacrifices, Rites, Purifying, etc. were mere shadows till the body came: So from bondage, 
See Gal. 5. 1.  in all things indifferent, as meats, drinks, days, and the like, which were rudiments serving for the minority of the Church: 
Col. 2. 16.  There is now no indifferent thing we are bound in for Religion's sake, or from which we are to abstain for conscience sake; much more are we freed from all men's Traditions, which serve not to bind the conscience, wherewith notwithstanding the Church of Rome endeavoreth to hold people in base and deadly bondage (as the Scribes and Pharisees of old) and that for Conscience and Religion's sake: The Kingdom of God is not meat nor drink, 
Rom. 14. 17.  neither if we eat are we the more acceptable, or if we eat not, the less.  
1. This is a wonderful consolation to every Christian; 
Use 1.  whoso can prove themselves Believers, they are the only happy persons in the world, they only are free: Art thou such a one? be of good comfort, there's no condemnation to thee; though thou hast been stung with sin, yet seeing thou hast had grace to look up to Christ Jesus, thou art cured, Christ hath died for thee, thou shalt not perish, but have life everlasting, Who shall lay any thing to thy charge? Christ hath paid thy debt to the uttermost farthing; when therefore the conscience of thy sin troubles thee, with the danger thereof, and the Devil pursueth thee with temptations, O then look up to thy Surety, stick to him, he hath perfectly discharged thee! Though there be a Hell wide and large, and the burning thereof as it were fire and much wood, which the breath of the Lord as a River of Brimstone doth kindle, and wherein thou hast deserved to have thy portion, yet there thou shalt not come, Christ hath given a discharge for every one that believeth in him: Thou art humbled, the Spirit of God beareth witness to thine, that thou art Gods, and thou findest in thyself the fruits of faith; be of good comfort, God can as soon deny himself, as that thou shalt perish: O what cause have we to thank God for Christ Jesus, and all the means whereby we came to faith, and to be Christians! we can have no curse in this world (crosses for good, are no curses) death shall do us no hurt, yea turn to our especial good: Art thou a Believer? then art thou no longer the Servant of sin, to be at the command, and follow it in the lusts thereof; though thou canst not do as thou wouldst, yet having thine understanding enlightened, thy will and affections reform, and thine heart changed, etc. thou hast a blessed freedom, a pledge indeed of that perfect freedom thou shalt have in Heaven; yet labour every day to be more freed from the bondage of thy corruption, and set at liberty to serve God; And is it not a wonderful comfort, that we may offer up Spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ? and that we are enabled in some measure to do the will of God, and that with delight; and that our works, though imperfect and done in weakness, yet being done in Truth are accepted of God, 
Psal. 103. 13.  who hath compassion on us, as a father on his son: He that is indeed a true Believer, is the only free person in the world, so free as nothing can make him otherwise; let him be bound with sickness, with poverty, with imprisonment, let him be tied hand and foot, let him be chained about the neck to a prison wall, etc. yet is he free; free from sin and damnation, free from the bondage of the Devil, is a conqueror over temptations, hath a free mind to serve God, and even then with Paul and Silas, and the three children, can sing and laud his name: O praise God for this, walk thankfully and joyfully, love the word, and search it, where these blessed prerogatives and privileges be enroled: It's a great fault we rejoice no more herein, especially considering the price that our freedom cost.  
2. For them that cannot prove themselves Believers; 
Use 2.  O let them labour to have a part in this freedom. 
Acts 22. 28.  Rome had great privileges, therefore many sought and that with great sums to be free of it: When the Jews were freed from Hamans' conspiracy, 
Ester 8. 17.  and had the King's favour, many become Jews; O so, me thinks, many should desire to become Christians, that they may partake of this freedom, which is more to be desired then the whole world: Till you be freed by Christ, you are in woeful bondage; 
john 8. 36.  When the Son shall make you free, then shall you be free indeed, till which time you are bound indeed, and that in a fearful manner; the curse of God follows you whithersoever you go or ride; you go not over a stile, but you may break your neck; get up on your horses, but you may receive some deadly blows to send you to Hell; take tools in your hands, but you may mischief yourselves thereby, you may be swallowed up as Korah, drowned as Pharaoh, burnt with fire from Heaven as Nadab and Abihu, eat up with worms as Herod: Being unbelievers, you have no warrant to the contrary, every minute you hang over the pit of Hell, for whom it gapeth: You are also slaves of the Devil, at his command, and do base work for a woeful master, whose wages will be accordingly: But this the world will not believe, they dream not of Spiritual bondage, neither consider that their hearts are fast locked in unbelief; were they sensible hereof, they would seek by all means to be rid of the same, they would be afraid even to sleep this night, lest Hell should catch them ere they awoke, lest their souls should be fetched from them being in this condition: O never be quiet till you know yourselves freed by Christ; to this end humble yourselves, confess your deadly bondage, bewail it to God, cry for pardon, rest not till you receive a gracious answer; never leave waiting on God in his Word, and craving his Spirit, till he change your hearts, and make you free, whence will spring peace of Conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost: What are Riches, Wit, Civility, yea the gifts of Knowledge, Utterance, and hearing of the Word with joy, and the like, without this? This is to be known by Faith especially; But how do most content themselves to hold the hope of Heaven by sleight conceits of their own, rather than seek by sound arguments from the Word to be assured thereof? Is not this fearful? It's time for us to awaken ourselves, and to ransack our Evidences; weak holds will vanish when strong temptations come: 
〈◊〉 16. 16.  O get we the shield of Faith, which will quench all the fiery darts of the Devil: He is such an adversary, that we had need be throughly armed, being to encounter with him.  
And not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness,] Here's the abuse of Christian liberty: They were freed indeed, but he would not they should stretch their liberty further than was mere, or abuse it any way as a cloak and cover for any licentiousness or naughtiness whatsoever. Here note, That  
Through the evil heart and corrupt nature of man, 
Through man's corrupt nature even the most holy Ordinances of God, and best things are subject to be abused.  not only the creatures of God, but even his holy Ordinances, and the very best things are subject to be abused: The Gospel was foolishness to the world, and Christ Jesus himself a stone whereat many did stumble: Thus the Doctrine of Predestination, many turn to a desperate course of doing what they list: The Doctrine of God's great mercy most take as an emboldening to sin; so is the Doctrine of Justification by Faith only, and of Christian liberty abused unto licentiousness: Even the Apostles writings were by some wrested to their own condemnation. 
2 Pet. 2. 16.   
1. Seeing our nature is so apt to abuse such things, 
Use 1.  it behoves the Ministers of God to pray to God for wisdom, that they may deliver wisely and warily as all points of Doctrine, so especially those that are most apt to be abused: They must so handle the Doctrine of God's judgements against the wicked, that the godly humble be not dismayed; and so comfort the godly, that the wicked be not emboldened, but each have his portion that's due to him.  
2. This rebuketh as in general all such as shall thus abuse any holy things of God, 
Use 2.  so in particular all abusers of Christian liberty, whether such as turn it into carnal licentiousness (as the Familists and Libertines, and too too many in this Land, in solemnising the Feast of our Saviors Nativity) or such as turn it into civil liberty, and freedom from civil subjection, 
Acts 1. 6.  as of old the Jews (which looked for earthly privileges and immunities by Christ) and of late the Anabaptists: How many hearing that we are freed by Christ from the rigour of the Law, make no more account of it, as though a believer freed from the curse and rigour of it, were not yet under it while he lives? How many make Religion a cloak for their naughtiness and whoredoms, being very diligent at Sermons, and outwardly very devout, that they might be the less suspected? as the Scribes and Pharisees, which devoured widows houses, 
Mat. 23. 14.  and under colour made long prayers? How many hearing that the Ceremonial Law is abrogated by Christ, will not therefore read any part thereof; nay scarce any of the Old Testament, shaking off the Testimonies cited out of it, ignorantly saying, O the old Law is abolished. How many now hearing that we be not under the bondage of any thing indifferent, rush out into all excessive and vile abuse of the same, without keeping any bounds, or going by any rule? They will eat and drink excessively at all times, wear what apparel they list, without respect of their degree for the matter of it, or the fashion for the manner: So for recreations, they dare run unto those that be unlawful, and use those that be lawful without all bounds of moderation.  
But of the use of things indifferent, 
Three restrainers of things indifferent.  there be three restrainers, Gods Words, The Laws of Magistrates, and the rule of Charity: God's Word, where are rules whereby to guide us in the use of things indifferent, as that they be decent, of good report, done to edifying, used in sobriety and modestly, tend to the glory of God; and to make us fitter for duties.  
The Laws of Magistrates, whether Civil or Ecclesiastical; for if they command in things indifferent, and be so in their use also as well as their nature, and be according to the rules of the Word, than they are by the Magistrate's commandment made necessary, 
Acts 15. 28.  as for abstinence from flesh not for Religion, but civil respects: So if they forbid men to wear silk upon some special causes, or to hunt within such a compass; these were before indifferent, but now necessary.  
The rule of charity; we must not use indifferent things to the offence of our weak brother, 
Rom. 14. 13, 15, 19  or to cause him stumble, or hinder him any way in the course of his Salvation: Indeed for obstinate ones that will not be persuaded, 
Rom. 15. 2.  we are not bound to respect them; 
1 Cor. 10. 28.  as Paul, that was content for the week Jews to circumcise Timothy, 
Acts 16. 3.  would not after, 
Gal. 2. 3.  because of their obstinacy, consent that Titus should be circumcised.  
Our Christian liberty is an holy thing, precious indeed and dear: O let's not abuse it, let's not suffer ourselves to be entangled again with sin, or the works of the Devil, and fashions of the world, from which Christ hath freed us! Neither let us suffer ourselves to be made the Servants of men, 
1 Cor. 7. 23.  or to be brought into subjection of men's Traditions, or the superstitious use of things indifferent (as the Papists thus hold poor people in bondage) it cost Christ a dear price to purchase our freedom: 
Col. 2. 16.  Contrarily, 
Gal. 5. 1.  Take heed we abuse it not to wantonness and licentiousness, but use it to the glory of God, our own good, and the benefit of our Brother: Remember we also, that our freedom by Christ doth not exempt us from subjection to Magistrates: Christian liberty, and civil subjection may well stand together; 
1 Cor. 7. 25.  Even Christ himself and his Apostles were subject unto the higher powers, neither hath he purchased liberty for any to do hurt, or cross his Father's order.  
But as the servants of God.] Here's the right use of Christian liberty, we must use it as God's servants, that are freed from sin to serve him in obedience to all his commandments, and this of subjection among the rest.  
A Christian though he be free, 
A Christian though free, yet is still a Servant.  yet is he a Servant still; He is freed from Sin, Hell, Damnation, and the Devil, to serve the Lord of Heaven and Earth; an happy service, a most blessed change: A Christian is of all others the most free, 
Luke 1. 74.  and yet the greatest Servant: The greatest Christian, 
Rom. 6. 22.  the greatest Servant; He that will be greatest, let him be servant of all: We must serve God in the duties of his worship both privately and publicly, and that zealously, and we must serve men to the good of their souls and bodies, by Admonition, Exhortation, Consolation, Example, and Prayer: This is no bondage, but the happiest liberty that may be; Comfort and joy accompanies this service for the present, whereof the end will be life everlasting: Not to serve thus, but to be under the service of sin, is of all others the basest bondage.  
As therefore we would serve the Lord with all our might, 
Use.  and shake off all tediousness and wearisomeness that comes upon us in the performance of any duties, whether private or public, and would zealously and cheerfully run the way of his commandments, do we consider our freedom (who were sometimes the lackeys of the Devil) from what, and by what price are we freed; let's remember what service we have done for sin in the days of our vanity, and now as much, or rather more for the Lord; we thought it no burden to sin all day long, and must not now to be godly all the day long; we have forgotten our meat for play, and yet thought the time short; yea, have sat up whole Nights at Cards and Dice, and have spent a good part of our Goods, and taken great pains to do evil, and should it now be irksome unto us to serve the Lord? far be it from us.   

Verse 17. Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the King.  
THis Verse consists of four Branches; whereof the former two concern the duties which we owe each to other, which following upon that which we are to perform towards Magistrates, implieth this much; That  
To reverence and obey our Governors is not sufficient, 
They are good Subjects which not only obey their Magistrates, but live well one with another.  no not to make us good subjects, except we also live well one with another; for as the members both of the Natural and Spiritual body are not only coupled and joined to the head, but also each to other, so accordingly are we in duty bound to both: Not only do Children obey their Parents, Servants their Masters, and Subjects their Governors, but they must also live orderly and respectively between themselves one with another: 
Prov. 14. 28.  He that doth not thus, cannot be a good Subject; He that shall deal injuriously with his fellow-subjects, wrongeth his Prince (whose welfare dependeth on the multitude and flourishing state of his Subjects) whether it be in body, goods, name or life; he wrongeth his Prince, I say, if the party whom he harmeth be but an ordinary man, much more if he be a true Christian, being therefore one of his best Subjects.  
This therefore condemneth all such as will stand in awe of Magistrates, 
Use.  and keep out of their hands, but for others, they care not how much they wrong them; How will some profane desperate wretches of brazen faces, by their songs and lying Libels misuse both rich and poor, Ministers or others, which cross them in their vile courses? And are there not others close fisted (like the rich man in the Gospel) that will be careful to keep out of danger of the Magistrate, 
Luke 12. 20.  and do their duties to them, but despise all others; partly blessing themselves in this; that they live of no body, are beholding to none, have no need of any, and partly of a base mind, only seeking themselves, and regarding no body else, oppressing and gripping whomsoever they catch? Neither of these be either good Christians or good Subjects.  
Honour all men.] 
See 1 Cor. 12. 26.  That is, have regard, and give due respect unto all (whether they be Jews or Gentiles, 
1 Pet. 3. 7.  good or bad) according to their places, and that which is lovely, and to be regarded in them; contrary hereunto, is contempt, which (as a thing not to be endured) we are to avoid by all means.  
Touching those whom we ought to honour, 
We are to honour.  they may be considered both as they are to us, and as they are in themselves: As they are to us, they are either Superiors, Equals, or Inferiors, all which we are to honour, yea our very selves also.  
Our Superiors, 
Our Superiors in six particulars.  whether in Wealth, Wisdom, Years: This we must show in these and the like particulars, 1. To rise up before them. 2. When they are coming towards us, 
Leu. 19 32.  to go and meet them, as Abraham did the three Angels, 
Gen. 18. 2.  and Solomon rose to meet Bathsheba. 
1 Kings 2. 19  3. To bow, 
Gen. 23. 7.  as Abraham to the children of Heth, and the rich man to our Saviour Christ. 
Mark 10. 17.  4. To give them the highest seat or place if we sit, 
Luke 14. 8.  or the wall and the right hand if we walk: 
Gen. 43. 33.  joseph's brethren sat down according to their age. 
job. 32. 4.  5. To give them liberty to speak in the first place: Thus did Elihu, 
1 Pet. 3. 6.  we must not be full of words in the company of our Superiors. 6. To give titles of reverence that we owe to them; so did Sarah to Abraham, 
1 Sam. 1. 15.  Calling him Lord; 
Matth. 19 16.  as Hanna did to Eli, and the young man in the Gospel coming to our Saviour Christ, called him, Good Master: 
Rom. 13. 7.  We must give every man his due, honour to whom honour belongeth.  
Our Equals: 
One equals in two particulars.  1. In esteeming them better than ourselves, without contention or vain glory: This is indeed one of the hardest things in the world, 
Phil. 2. 3.  because of the pride that is naturally in us, but if we look for this grace of humility, it may be obtained, even by seeing others virtues and our own frailties and infirmities, we shall come to this in truth, esteeming others better than ourselves. 2. We must in giving honour go one before another; 
Rom. 12. 10.  modesty is a great cherisher of love, neither is there a more deadly poison to peace and agreement, nor greater mean to stir up contention and hatred, then when any shall think themselves despised: What a folly and madness is it in numbers that so strive for seats and places, or that sometimes they cannot contain even in the public and holy place, to justle for the wall, or the way? What deadly hatred ariseth between many about such things, that they can never be reconciled? Alas, This is not the way to honour, as which flieth further from those that do most run after it: If in modesty we would yield, rather than contend, either our adversaries would yield to us, or if not, yet the wise would commend us, and disallow them.  
Our Inferiors; 
Our Inferiors, and why.  we must without all contempt, in meekness of Spirit respect them as Brethren, as our own flesh; one God made them and us, and of one mould and matter, they may belong to God, and be heirs of glory as well as we. Besides, as the meanest member of the body could not be spared, so could not we be without them; they toil, dig, delve, card, spin, etc. Thus will they do their duty the more cheerfully, and bear the place of their Inferiority, when they shall see themselves, though mean, yet not despised, which else might occasion in them discontent and impatience, and increase their burden, which they do already think to be heavy enough; we must be so far from being harsh, cruel, or strange to them, as that we ought to hear them speak, and regard their counsel; if they be persons of understanding and good carriage, as often as the Lord-will, let an Inferior see that which the Superior doth not, that the one may regard the other: 
2 King. 5. 13.  Naaman the Syrian harkened to the counsel of his Servant to his great good; 
job 31. 13.  neither did Job despise the cause of his Servants, when they contended with him: True it is, Superiors are not to lose the places God hath set them in, neither are bound to set up their Inferiors in them, yet are they to use them kindly and with respect.  
Yea, 
Ourselves.  a man is bound to honour himself, for he is the workmanship of God, he may not therefore defile or abuse himself at his pleasure: He must therefore keep his hands free from cruelty and oppression, his tongue from lying, swearing, railing, mocking, as his whole body from evil and filthiness: 
1 Thess. 4. 4.  Its God's will that we should possess our vessels in holiness and honour, we must not disgrace or deface the work of the Lord; 
Rev. 21. 27.  they that thus do, shall not enter into Heaven, for no unclean thing shall come there: And as we desire to procure honour unto ourselves, we must labour in all things to honour God, and in all our doings aim at his glory; them that thus do, God will honour: Contrarily, they that seek themselves, and not God, in that that they do, living even openly to his dishonour, and not regarding at all to glorify him, disgrace and shame shall be cast on them; the honour they seek flies furthest from them, yea, such have often fearful and shameful ends: Dishonouring God, he dishonoureth them; and as we are to labour to be approved of God, 
Heb. 11. 2.  so also to have good report in the Church of God; 
Prov. 10. 7. and 22. 1.  for a good name is greatly to be respected, is of much worth, and an especial blessing of God. Thus as men are to us.  
As they are in themselves, they are either good o● bad, both which we are to honour: 
We are to honour both good and bad according to their places.  Honour all men (saith the Apostle) good, bad, Jews, Gentiles, Believers, Unbelievers, Regenerate, Unregenerate, Christians, Pagans, etc. for the good there is no doubt, and that is to be spoken of in the next Exhortation, but the doubt and difficulty is of the bad, how and why we must honour them: We must have a good respect to all, 
Even in them that are most bad, there's something to be regarded.  though not to all alike; and there are none so bad, but there is something in them to be regarded, some scratch of God's image; if ancient men, an image of God's eternity, reverence that, and speak to them as to aged men; if wealthy, an image of God's infinite abundance; if wise to manage matters of the world, reverence God's wisdom; if a Father or Master, an image of God's Fatherhood and Authority: Besides, they have many active parts of good use, for Peace or War, by Sea and Land, are skilful in the Tongues, in Arts and Sciences, are Civil, Kind, Courteous, Pitiful, and the like; for every of which we are to honour them, to reverence them, to give them their due, 
Rom. 12. 18.  so much as in us lies living peaceably with them: In their prosperity we must use them friendly in all points of Neighbourhood, Lending, Borrowing, Commercing, Dealing Justly and Righteously with them, to bring them to the love of Religion; in their adversity we must be helpful to them; if hungry, give them meat; if thirsty, drink; if naked, raiment; at all times give them a good example, pray for them, and give them their due for any thing that's in them, 
james 3. 16.  that they may see themselves regarded, not despised, and so keep peace, holding out contention, which is the floodgate of all evil: Thus dealing well with them, and walking wisely towards them, we may bring them in time to a liking and love of Religion.  
1. Therefore for Christians, 
Use 1.  let them not reject men altogether whom they see to be bad, but give them their due, we know not what good may come by our amiable and wise carriage towards them; but if we shall despise them, we do thereby harden them against us and Religion too.  
2. For them that be yet carnal, 
Use 2.  let them labour for grace, which deserves true and large honour: If God will have you regarded for your natural parts, how will both he himself honour you, and cause you also to be honoured of others, having grace? ye see Christians use you kindly and respectively for your common and natural gifts, O how should they embrace you, if they saw the lively image of God in you?  
Love the Brotherhood.] More especially he now teacheth our duties to godly men, to the true servants of God: These we must embrace with an entire and hearty affection; we must love all, and do good unto all, but especially unto the Brotherhood; brotherly kindness, which is a very natural and entire inward affection, is due to the children of God. Speak we first of love to their persons, then to their fellowship and Company.  
For their persons; 
We are to love the persons of God's children  We must love them with a more than ordinary affection: The more lively we observe God's image to be in any, the more we must love such; 
1 Thess. 4. 10.  others we are not bound to love with the like affections: 
Psal. 16. 3. and 101.  Those did David love, in such did he delight, a fit pattern for our imitation. We must love such,  
1. Because of their nearness to us if we belong to God; 
Reas.  They are our Brethren, we have the same Father, God; the same Mother, the Church of God; born of the same immortal seed, nourished up with the same sincere milk of the Word, have the same Sacraments, the same Saviour, our eldest Brother Christ Jesus, and look also for the same Inheritance in Heaven, and is not this very near? They are also members of the same body that we be, fellow-members with us, and of the same Household and Family, even the Household of Faith.  
2. In respect of their excellency; They are washed in Christ's Blood, 
Isa. 4. 3.  covered with his righteousness, are more glorious than the Sun, 
They are termed, The glory.  endued with the sanctifying Spirit, have Angels to their attendants, all the Creatures theirs, they live under the hope of eternal glory, the world was made for them, and abides for their sakes: If a man saw the honour of a Christian and Child of God, he would fall down before him, and kiss the ground he stands on.  
3. For that they are in great favour with God; He loves them dearly, 
Zech. 2. 8.  and hath rebuked even Kings for their sakes; He that toucheth them, toucheth the apple of his eye: Now those whom God loves, we should also love, yea whatsoever is done to them, good or ill, he counts it as done to himself.  
1. This rebuketh those that are so far from thus affecting them, 
Use 1.  as that of all persons they cannot away with them, but mock them, as Ishmael did Isaac, and Michol, David, but rail on them as Shimei, tell Tales of them as Doeg, persecute them as Saul, seek to entrap them, as the Scribes, Pharisees, and Herodians, yea and like Judas betray them; of this sort all places are full, neither is there any so base in a Town, or so ignorant that he cannot say the Lords-Prayer, but he can mock and rail on them that make conscience of their ways; yea, the Devil is such a cunning Schoolmaster, as that though we can beat nothing into some men's heads they be so blockish, yet the Devil can teach them to be very expert to jest at them that fear God; and this hath ever been the fashion of the world: They hate men for their goodness, and the better they be, the worse they like them; whom whilst they were profane, companions with them in disorder, they were the only men with them, Why were Abel, David, our Saviour himself hated, but for their goodness? If they pretend that they mislike them, and speak against them for this or that fault, it's but for a colour, for why then do they like and nourish the same things in themselves, and those like themselves? Neither can such things be found in God's people, as are daily palpable in them and their companions; It's therefore because the light of the godlies good conversation discovers their ill deeds, which (were the others like them) would not be seen, or taken knowledge of: O the fearful condition of such! If he shall dwell in God's Tabernacle, 
Psal. 15. 4.  in whose eyes a vile person is contemned, but he honoureth them that fear the Lord, where shall they dwell that honour vile persons, 
1 john 3. 10, 14.  and contemn them that fear the Lord? Such 〈◊〉 not of God, are not translated from death unto life: As Ishmael was cast out of the Church, God will for ever Excommunicate all ou● of Heaven, that continue to be Enemies to his people: Though ye have no mind to be as they are, yet misuse them not, for he that loveth them and will take their part, is mighty, and hath been revenged of Kings for their sakes: But if you will be wise indeed, labour to be such, who are therefore set up, either that you should follow them, or else that they should be your Judges, as Noah in condemning the old world: If you will needs continue to despise them, yet know that the time shall come, when you shall desire to be as they, but it shall be far from you: Haply even in this life, when you shall be visited with sickness, 
Num. 23. 10.  or in some other extremity and misery, you may with Balaam wish this; but howsoever, on the great and terrible day of Judgement, when they shall stand on the right hand, and you on the left, they be received up into everlasting glory, yourselves cast out into eternal torments, you would be glad hereof: But you must not think to be as Dives in this world, and as Lazarus in the world to come: O then, love ye the grace of God, wheresoever ye see it, and the people of God, though never so poor and mean, yea, more than them that are in gold Chains without grace! Show your inward affection towards them, by rejoicing in their welfare, grieving at the contrary, living peaceably with them, doing them all the good you can, or they stand in need of, whether in soul or body.  
2. This rebuketh such as break this near knot of love for toys and trifles, 
Use 2.  not worth the speaking of; 
Gen. 13. 10.  welfare Abraham, that would rather yield to his Inferior, then thus do: Many wax hollow, and strange, and conceited one against another, and live at odds in heartburning, even with them whom they cannot, they dare not but think to be God's people; Is not this monstrous wrong to Christ, to pull one member from another? and is it not a great distemper, when one member of the body will hurt another? O that these days of peace should produce such an effect! If God should send days of trouble, we would be glad one of another: O that wicked pride and covetousness (the main causes hereof) or any thing else in this world should be of such force, as to sever those whom God by his Spirit hath joined together! Thus of their persons.  
For their fellowship and company; This follows upon the former, for that which we love, we desire as much to enjoy as may be, as the Husband the Wife's company, and she his; so Parents their Children, one Friend another's: They therefore love not the people of God (whatsoever they say or pretend) that care not for their company.  
But whose fellowship are we to love? 
We are to love the fellowship not of the ungodlies.  The brethren's, even the people of God; we are to honour all, even bad men, but are not to have society or keep company with such: Enter not into the way of the wicked (saith Solomon) and walk not into the way of evil men: 
Prov. 4. 14.  I wrote unto you in an Epistle (saith the Apostle) that ye should not company together with fornicators, 
1 Cor. 5. 9  etc. 
2 Thess. 3. 6.  and again, We command you, Brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
See also v. 14.  that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh inordinately, 
2 Tim. 3. 5.  and not after the instruction which he received of us.  
Reasons. 
Reasons:  1. We shall hereby make them a●●●●●ed, and so be a means of their Repentance: When they shall see themselves after a sort excommunicated out of the society of the people of God, 
2 Thess. 3. 14.  they will begin to take notice of the ground thereof, namely, Their sins, and thereupon thus question with themselves, If for these and these sins I am thus rejected of men, how much more will God reject me? otherwise we shall strengthen them in their sins.  
2. We shall provoke others by our example, not to have any fellowship with them, who else might continue therein to their destruction.  
3. Lest we be defiled, for who can touch pitch, and not be defiled therewith, or walk in the Sun, and not be tanned? A companion of fools shall be afflicted: 
Prov. 13. 20.  Their company is like an east wind, to blast the tender plant of the grace of God in us: If we shall use the same, they will soon rob us of our good qualities, as Hamor did Dinah of her chastity; we shall quickly lose our good name, quickly learn their works, A little leaven, leavens the whole lump: Sin is of an infectious nature, the infection thereof far worse than the plague; Solomon the wisest man, yet was wonderfully carried away and defiled thus; and David with being a little among the Philistines, learned to dissemble, making as if he had been willing to fight against his own people; Peter being but a while in the high Priests Hall, fell foully; Lot having sojourned in Sodom, did so far forget himself, as that he proffered his two daughters to be lain with, and they learned to be monstrous unshamefast; 
2 King 8. 27.  Ahaziah did evil in the sight of the Lord (saith the Text) like the house of Ahab for he was the son in Law of the house of Ahab: He was unequally yoked, had the company of an ill wife, and ill friends.  
4. Lest we partake of their punishments: The curse of God is in the house of the wicked; 
Rev. 18. 4.  They are cursed abroad and at home, and in all they put their hands unto: 
Prov. 3. 33.  It's dangerous to be in their company; 
Deut. 28. 16, 17, 18, etc.  Lot being in Sodom, was at first taken prisoner, and afterward (if he had not been plucked away by the Angel) had been there burnt; Jehoshaphat hardly escaped his life for going with Ahab; St. John would not enter the bath where Cerinthus was, Lest (saith he) the bath fall upon us, where this wicked enemy of God is.  
This rebuketh the monstrous wickedness of our times, 
Use.  wherein there are none so bad, but others will keep company and join with them in all kinds of Societies; yea, oftentimes even Professors will match their children with such, especially if they be wealthy; but what a woeful yoke is it to have an honest or well minded person, or one of good towardness, to be yoked with one of an ungodly and vile life, one that's both loose in manners, and corrupt in judgement, whether Atheist, Papist, or any other? So men care not where they dwell, nor with what Neighbours, if the ground like them, and it be for their profit: Our young Gentlemen are scarce complete, if they go not over to Italy to learn some of Machiavels villainy; A number of our Merchants care not where they buy or trade, so it be for gain, though they live amongst all God's enemies, and often defile themselves with bowing their knee to Baal: Many care not how vile Servants they have, so they do their work, which yet proves oftentimes the poisoning of their Children: Most are for all companies; if good, so it is, they will frame themselves accordingly; if bad, they are also for them: This is the cause of so much overflowing and overspreading evil in the world, for one infects another; O how many Youths of good towardness, falling into vile company, have been spoiled! How loath are we that our Children should look asquint, or be deformed? Ill company will quickly make them look quite awry from God; therefore saith David, 
Psal. 119. 115.  Depart from me ye wicked, for I will keep the commandments of the Lord. As we love ourselves, as we would escape the Judgement of God upon us, such as Pain, Sickness, Poverty, and such like here, with everlasting Torments hereafter, keep we ourselves far from the wicked, depart we from them in whom we see not the lips of knowledge. If we be to choose our dwellings, do not we dwell in Mesech, 
Psal. 120. 5.  as we would not cry with the Psalmist, Woe is me, etc. If already we dwell in such places, yet be we watchful over the pollutions there, lest we be defiled: Haply the wicked will hereupon tax us for pride; but better it is that they should speak ill of us falsely, then that God should hate and punish us justly: If one should wallow himself in a mire, and term another in new and clean garments proud, for not wallowing as he did, or rubbing upon his dirty clothes, whereby he might be defiled, 
But of the godly.  who would not account him a fool? Those, I say, we must not love, neither frequent their company, but we must love the Brotherhood, 
Psa. 16. & 101.  frequent the company of God's people: David made choice of such; 
Acts 10. 7.  so Cornelius, even of such as did fear the Lord: We must love to have fellowship with them both publicly (in hearing the Word, joining together in Prayer for a blessing thereon, and offering up the sweet perfume of Thanksgiving; where thousands have found such comfort and refreshing, as they would not give for a world) and privately, conferring one with another, Admonishing, Exhorting, Edifying, Comforting and Encouraging one another; Thus we shall strengthen and confirm one another (for he that walks with the wise, 
Prov. 13. 20.  shall be wise) Thus stir up and provoke one another to good works, whereof (considering our dulness and weakness) we have great need; Thus we may open our temptations one to another, and accordingly receive both comfort and counsel. The wicked meet to strengthen one another in evil, hereby making others twofold more the children of the Devil then themselves; and should not we be as wise in our generation? Oh! How many have cause to thank God highly for good company, by whom, upon the discovery of their temptations, they have received both comfort and strength? by whom (being formerly much daunted by Reproaches, and other harsh measure used against them for their Profession) they have been notably heartened; yea, even the wicked themselves have been the better for good company, as Joash whilst Jehoiada lived, and the Sodomites whilst L●t was amongst them: Two are better than one, and as iron sharpeneth iron, so good company proveth beneficial unto such as make use of the same.  
1. This rebuketh the Brownists, 
Use. 1.  that separate and rend themselves from us, and our both public and private Societies, as if we were no Church, 
See B. Balls 1. Epist. of 3. Decad. and 5. of Dec. 6.  but an Antichristian company, having neither Sacraments, nor Ministers: But we have not only a true, but a worthy Church, that maintain all Principles of true Religion as sound, as any Church in the world, as in our Articles of Religion appeareth. We have also Ministers inwardly called of God, with competency of gifts, and graced of him by the fruit of their labours, in the Conversion of thousands of souls, which is a good seal of their Ministry from Heaven; and if these have any good in them, where had they it, but from those Ministers, and that Church from which they now separate, and on which they most unchristianly rail as Antichristian? to whom our Church may say indeed, Give me that which you have had of me, and then go your ways, and see what will become of you: What an ungracious part were it in a Son (if being grown to some years, and able to shift for himself) he should turn, and miscalling his Father, spit on his face, call also his Mother Harlot and Whore, and then running away from them, when he should show his thankfulness to them? No less ungracious are these men.  
2. It rebuketh those profane ones, 
Use 2.  that cannot abide the company of God's people, think an hour there as long as a day elsewhere, account such a Family a prison, wherein there's reading the Word, Catechising, Prayer, and the like duties; yea, when they should be in the house of God, they will be at home, or in some Alehouse, or walking abroad in the Fields, or loitering in the Churchyard; or if they come, it's to no purpose, as being against their minds: such stragglers are in danger of the Devil, out of God's protection, and may fall into any evil; What blind beasts be these, that count that a prison, that is comfort and joy, true and sweet liberty? Well, if they will not walk with them while they live, their end shall not be like theirs; severed in life, severed in death.  
But what? have they no company then? Yes, to swagger, swill, swear, game, and to all manner of disorder, as well on the Lordsday, as other times: There's a great deal of such fellowship in this Land, falsely called good fellowship; indeed hellish fellowship, whereof not God, but the Devil is the Author, and Master of the meeting; little brotherly fellowship, except it be as Simeon and Levi, brethren in evil: O the drunken fellowship of these times! Some are mad and beastly drunkards, 
Isa. 5▪ 22.  others (to whom there's also a woe) strong to pour in strong drink, glorying in making others drunk, but their glory is to their shame, and their end will be damnation. How few gentlemen's houses can you come to, wherein it's not the glory of Servingmen to make those drunk whom they can get into the Cellar, and thereupon rejoice? Poor woeful Creatures, that little think, that for this they shall one day come to Judgement, and their jollity be requited with everlasting torments in Hell: If they must answer for every idle word, and for such pleasures (though in themselves not unlawful) wherein they have regarded neither time, place, person, measure, nor end, how much more for their wicked companionship, in Swearing, Blaspheming, filthy talking, Profaning the Lordsday, and the like? Such would one day give the whole world, if they had it, for one hour to repent, but in vain: They now treasure up wrath to themselves, and as they now delight in evil company, so shall it be said unto them, Go ye cursed of my Father, etc. There, there shall they enjoy their company in whom they have so much delighted, but to their further Torment.  
3. It rebuketh a marvellous fault in Christians, 
Use 3.  that so little regard one another, so seldom meet together, or when they do, spend the time to small purpose, not edifying one another as they should do: Some through Pride are so conceited of their parts, as if they did not stand in need of any, as others think themselves too good to converse with any, and others through covetousness, will not spare any time this way: But time was, when Christians made much one of another, and often in simplicity and plain-heartedness, met together to talk of good things, and to further and strengthen one another, and then Religion prospered, and people grew in grace; but now, though there be more knowledge, there is less zeal, and true-heartedness, and this is the cause of the decay of goodness amongst ancienter Christians; when the brands are pulled in sunder, and the heat decays, the fire goes out: Welfare our younger Christians which cling together. Beware, you that have been long professors, lest they that set out after you, outstrip you, and go far before you, which many may see to your shame: O is it not pitiful that when Christians meet, the time should be spent in worldly talk without ne●d, or in vain idle frothy talk of News, or other folk's matters, and things of no edifying! This comes to pass sometimes through want of matter, their hearts being barren of good things; sometimes for that their hearts and minds are earthy, and delight not in those things: Hence it cometh to pass that Christians become the worse one for another's company, not a few leaving an ill example and savour behind them to the poisoning of others; this is hard in Christians, let us strive by all means that this may be amended.  
To this end these Rules are to be observed by Christians in their private meetings:  
1. That they do not hereby neglect their Callings to the hindrance of their families (except it be an extraordinary case of heaviness of mind, 
Rules to be observed by Christians in their private meetings.  when a poor soul for a while will borrow a little of the body, as he hath beguiled the soul before, so to procure comfort) for thus shall they open the mouths of bad people against Religion, as if it made men idle.  
2. Break up at reasonable times, and that for avoiding of offence, especially if there be other than our own Family, yet as often we sit up till midnight at Cards, etc. so at some times we may take more liberty herein.  
3. Keep within bounds for the business in hand; they must not meddle above their reach, as some in expounding the Scriptures, plunge themselves over head and ears; they must wade (as the Lamb) as far as they see ground, to presume further is dangerous, and leadeth into Error, besides the abuse of Scripture: Neither must they meddle with Church-Government, and matters of controversy; it's the Devil's policy to set such things abroach, to hinder more profitable matter, and that there may be jangling, no godly edifying: In stead of these, they must confer about points lately heard, or about their own spiritual conditions, doubts, temptations, and the like, or about the lets and means of faith, etc.  
4. Though there should fall out some differences, yet they must not fall out in wrangling and contention, but (though they are in the right) break off for the time to avoid contention: Neither must any be so conceited, as to stand upon their own wit and skill, but refer themselves unto those which have their senses exercised to discern between truth and error.  
5. That none desire to have all the speech, but be willing also to hear others, for some that are not so forward in speech, may yet put in his part to as good purpose, as they that think well of themselves.  
6. That they avoid meddling with other folk's matters, or censuring others (this is an ill use of meeting together) especially their Ministers Sermons, wherein they should take every thing well that may be so taken; and before they blame any thing, they must be sure they understand, and are not deceived or mistaken; yea, and then it must rather be humility to inform one another, then to censure them with overmuch harshness and boldness, and to blaze the same abroad to their disgrace: Many through their indiscretion do their Ministers much hurt, and put them into strange courses of invectives (whom in meekness they might easily win) and so mar a good cause with ill handling. Thus of their Fellowship.  
Fear God.] 
See hereof on verse 17. of the former Chapter.  This is the fountain whence as well the forementioned duties flow, as those which follow, and all other must be performed: They must be such as will stand with the fear, service, and duty we owe unto God.  
But God is perfectly good, 
Obj.  and we are to fear nothing but that which is evil.  
We must fear to offend God, 
R.  and stand in awe of him: This is not slavish, 
How God is to be feared.  in respect of punishment either inflicted or threatened, such as Ahabs, Belshazzars, etc. but Filial, which cometh of love especially, yet with consideration also of his Majesty, Glory, and Greatness: This is often commanded, and throughout the whole Scriptures highly commended, 
Prov. 1. 7.  as being the beginning of wisdom, the whole duty of man, 
Commendation and signs of God's fear.  a spur to obedience; whereof these are infallible signs, To hate sin and depart from evil (every sin, the inward as well as the outward, secret sins as well as open, such as might seem advantageous as well as others, unlike those which will say thereof, It's nought indeed, and we should not do it, but flesh and blood is frail, God help, and so living in it) To keep the Commandments (all the Commandments, all the Commandments always, yea always with delight) To tremble at the Word, as also at his judgements: The want of this is the floodgate of all Iniquity, Profaneness, Security, Hypocrisy, and hardness of heart, utter. Enemy's hereunto: This is the preserver of the heart against evil and temptations, a main provoker unto that which is good; when we would yield unto this or that temptation, commit this or that evil, slubber over this or that duty, up starts the fear of God, and saith, Nay, that must not be yielded to; O the marvellous privileges and sweet promises annexed hereunto: Such as fear God, need fear neither Hell, Death, Devil nor Judgement; they need not fear Poverty, Sickness or Persecution, for either they shall not befall them, 
Use.  or be sanctified to them: O how should we labour to increase herein, by considering God's greatness, and our base poverty, together with his justice against sin throughout all ages? yea, considering his wonderful goodness in himself to the Land, to ourselves both for soul and body, who is not to fear such a glorious, such a merciful God? but notwithstanding both of his mercies and judgements plentifully manifested, who doth truly fear him? There's indeed little fear of God in the world, in England, in most of our Towns; O the fearful condition of such! they have cause to fear all things they see, as if all did conspire their ruin, which also sometimes falls out, 
Deut. 28. 65, 66, 67.  as the Lord threatened by Moses: Were not people hardened, bold, nay desperate, they would not thus shake off God's fear; O let such haste out of this case! O labour to get assurance of the pardon of your sins, and so turn to God, and walk in his fear! Go not away hence to live loosely any more, as heretofore you have done, but fear the great Lord of Heaven and earth, who is able to plague you both in Body, Minds, Goods, Children, here and hereafter; rear him that hath made thee, fed thee, and kept thee out of Hell, and hath been so good to thee every way, yea, and will yet do more to thee if thou turn to him.  
Honour the King.] 
The duties of the first and second Table accompany one another.  For the coherence of these words with the former, Note we,  
1. That the duties to God and our Neighbour, the duties of the first and second Table, are to accompany one another; they must not be sundered, 
1 john 4. 21.  God hath knit them, and they must go together; He that loveth God, must love his brother also: The second is like the first; promises are annexed to the performance of both, punishments threatened for the breach of either: He that commandeth the one, enjoined also the other.  
1. This rebuketh such as make show of great zeal in the duties to God and of his worship, 
Use 1.  but in the mean time make no conscience of Deceiving, Oppression, Falsehood, Backbiting, Idleness, and the like; break their word and promises, wrong men in their bodies, goods, chastity, 
james 1. 26.  good-names; whatsoever such make, their Religion is vain: The Prophets cried down such hypocrites in their times; there's now no less cause so to do: Let men join both duties together, and justify the truth of the one by the other; else as we commonly say, He that will swear, will lie; he that will lie, will swear; he that makes no conscience of his duty towards his Neighbour, makes no conscience of his towards God.  
This rebuketh also such as are very civil and just in their dealings, 
Use 2.  sure of their word, and kind neighbours, and yet make no conscience of the duties of the first Table, regard not the Word, Sacraments, Prayer public or private, the observation of the Lordsday, and the like; O they delight not in these, they savour not of such things: Howsoever the world count such right honest men, yet is God little beholding to them; What though they give men their due, if they defraud God of his? what though they steal not from men, if they rob God of his Sabbaths and times of worship which he challengeth as his, converting the same to their private uses? Let the world think as well and as highly of these as they will (wherein they do well, they are to be well thought of) they are not such as can abide the trial of the Word, neither shall be able to stand before God on the great day; but as they have sundered that which God hath coupled, so will he (if they repent not) sunder them for ever from his Kingdom.  
2. That the knowledge and fear of God is the fountain of all our duties to men in their several places; 
The knowledge and fear of God is the fountain of all the duties we perform towards men.  none can be a good servant indeed, a through good servant, one to be trusted with business of weight, with hope of blessing and success (as Eleazar Abraham's servant) but such a one as feareth God; So (according to the Text) no man can truly honour the King, and be an absolute good subject, except he fear God; no man will honour him from his heart as he ought, nor obey him for conscience sake, nor pay duties cheerfully, venture his life for him faithfully, and pray for him heartily, but such as fear God: This is the only sure bridle (all others of credit, fear, etc. will break) to keep people in duty; where this hath been wanting, there have been mutinies and risings, yea, what else can be expected where this bears not sway? 
Gen. 10. 11.   
1. Let all that fear God, 
Use 1.  show it in their several places, by the performance of their duties to men, especially of subjection to their Governors, that so they may bring the same in esteem, and procure credit thereto.  
2. Would any be good Subjects, 
Use 2.  let them begin at the right end, perform their duties in the right manner, even for conscience sake, as being required of God: Thus shall the Prince be much the better for them, and they themselves have comfort in the performance of the same: Thus shall not they dare fail herein for fear of the highest, whereas worldly men perform theirs merely for fear of men.  
3. Magistrates are to trust those most, 
Use 3.  which do most fear God, and accordingly to use them kindly and countenance them, as being indeed their most loyal Subjects; yea, to further the Gospel what in them lies, whereby people may be brought to fear God, that so they may prove true and loyal to themselves, and so add strength to the Kingdom: Thus of the coherence.  
For the words themselves, Honour the King, I have already spoken at large of the duty contained herein: Know we only, that by the King here, is meant Caesar, who was an Heathen Emperor, one that intruded himself, ruled tyrannously, and was an Idolater; and by Honour, not Divine and Religious honour (for that is due to God alone) but Civil worship and honour. 
Difference between Religious and Civil honour.  The difference between those is not in the outward gesture of the body, or bowing the knee, but in the intention of the mind; Divine is, when we bow both knee and heart, and soul to God, and that for his own sake, as the Lord of Heaven and Earth, and the Author of all good to us, to whom we pray when we want it, and whom we praise as the Author of any mercy for soul or body: 
See Mr. Perkins Cases of Consc. p. 357.  Civil, is when bowing the knee, yea and the affection of the mind to men, we do it yet for the Lords sake, and as the Lords instruments, 
Mr. Allen on Command. 5.  and whom he hath set over us for good, as excelling us in gifts and graces, to whom we present Supplications, as the instruments of God to convey many good things to us, and accordingly tender thanks for the same; yet must not we attribute to them any thing proper to God, as Herod's and Nebuchadnezars; flatterers did, which the three▪ Children and Daniel refused. As our duties to them must flow from the fear of God, so must the same Rule direct and square them, so that they neither come too short, nor go too far.  
Under this honour is understood, 
What honour comprehendeth.  the inward reverence in heart to be declared outwardly by obedience to all their godly Commandments, cheerfulness in payments, prayer and thanksgiving, etc.  
Now if all this be due to a wicked King, 
If honour be due to the bad, how much more to religious Kings?  as here, and now to be performed of us, if we had a wicked King, what then is to be done of us to such a King as God hath bestowed on us? a natural Prince, and of our own Nation as it were, lineally descended of the ancient Kings of our own Realm, and a Christian King, that maintains the Gospel, and sets against Popery, a King honoured of God with so rare gifts and virtues, with so peaceable an entrance, and such an hopeful Posterity, etc. O do we honour him, reverence him, be thankful for him, pray for him, cheerfully pay such Taxes and Subsidies as shall be imposed on us (for the maintenance of his Royal Pomp and Charge) to the encouragement of others.   

Verse 18. Servants, be subject to your Masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.  
NOw of the duties of another sort of Inferiors to another kind of Superiors, namely, of Servants (all Servants, whether Man-servants or Maidservants) to their Masters (Dames and Mistresses too) they must be subject to them; that is, not only content themselves with the place of Inferiority they are in, giving them the place of their Superiority, but to perform all duties to them which they may justly challenge, and that from a reverend respect of them and of their place; and that not only if they be good and gentle (of the best natures, and that use them well) but also if even they be froward, or such as use them ill.  
Before I come unto the words in particular, note we two or three generals:  
1. The exactness and absoluteness of the Word of God, 
God's Word teacheth us in all things how to carry ourselves.  It teacheth us in all things how to carry ourselves: No man's place so mean, no action so common (eating, drinking, sleeping, etc.) none so mean in the meanest calling, but the Word reacheth thereto, and giveth direction therein; It's a Schoolmaster, able to convince, teach, instruct, correct all; It's as an Apothecary's shop throughly furnished; It's like a pure Fountain, that sends water by pipes, not only into the chief rooms, but even into the meanest; It doth noth only instruct us in our duties towards God, but towards ●o our Neighbours also, towards our Superiors, towards those that are set over us, though in an inferior degree.  
This teacheth every man to search the Scriptures, 
Use.  and to labour to be acquainted therewith, and to make them their Counsellors and Guides, A light and lantern to their feet; They must also hear them opened by Preaching, for their fuller understanding thereof: If any shall say, What shall I do at Church? I am a poor Wench in the Kitchen, I am a poor Plowboy, its fit for my Master to go, etc. Know, that its fit and needful for thee also so to do, not only because thou hast a soul to save as well as thy Master, but that thou mayst learn to become thy place, and do thy duty aright.  
2. How Ministers ought to have a care of, 
Ministers must stoop to the lowest and meanest of their charge.  and stoop to the lowest and meanest of their charge: The Apostle Paul, in the midst of all his great businesses, travels and cares, yet in no Epistle lightly forgets to teach Servants their duties towards their Masters, that so doing their duty, they may adorn the Gospel. Thus doth our Apostle here, and thus must we do in our places. A faithful shepherd will not willingly lose any of his sheep, but tender them all; and we must be so careful, 
Acts 20. 26.  as to be free from the blood of every one.  
True it is, 
Master's must not turn this off themselves.  that Masters must not turn this off from themselves, and put it wholly on the Ministers; but do their duty to the uttermost, pressing upon them at home what they hear publicly taught, both which are little enough; yet must the Ministers also speak to the understanding, and apply themselves to the capacity of the meanest, accordingly taking care that they come not to the Sacrament hand over head.  
3. That not only the Church and Commonwealth, 
Even particular families are to be well ordered and looked to.  but even particular families are to be well ordered and looked to, as from whence will flow either good or ill: They that be good in their families, will be good abroad in what place soever they be set; if the Master be godly at home, he will be a good Parishioner, a good Subject, so their Children and Servants? What's the cause of so much disorder abroad every where? even for that there be so few families in any good order and government. Thus in general.  
Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, etc.] Here three things are observable: 1. The duty to be performed. 2. The manner. 3. Towards whom; where's the removal of a secret Objection, showing that Servants must be subject even to them that use them hardly, and deal most injuriously with them.  
Touching the duty to be performed, 
Servants must be subject to their masters.  and the manner thereof, I have heretofore spoken at large, in handling the fifth Commandment: It proceeds from that reverend respect which they have of their Masters, 
See Eph. 6. 5.  and the parties set over them by God in his wise and merciful providence: 
Col. 3. 22.  If they do inwardly reverence them from their hearts, 
1 Tim. 6. 1.  and see God in them, and the face and image of God in their face, they will also outwardly declare the same by their obedience, faithfulness, care, diligence, and the like.  
1. This condemneth the monstrous insolency of youth in these our days, 
Use 1.  which can abide no yoke of good Government, daily bewraying their want of inward reverence, by the fruits thereof, in their countenances, gestures, words, behaviour, blazing abroad their Master's infirmities, and the like: How many even of professors, set light by their Masters, vilifying their persons, slighting their gifts, and use them basely, especially if they be poor?  
2. Let Servants repent for this want of reverence, 
Use 2.  & know, whatsoever is done against their Masters, is against God himself, whose Deputies their Masters are; yea let them amend this, and learn to reverence their Masters, so shall they perform all the other duties they owe them: have you failed: heretofore? make more conscience for the time to come, and do your duties cheerfully without grudging; for your state is by far better, then their's to whom the Apostle wrote (of whom many were bondmen and slaves, whom their Masters might have almost used at their pleasures) or theirs now in other Country's, who besides their want of the means of Salvation, live in woeful toil and misery: You have the means of Salvation, and for the most part outwardly live but at too much liberty; your lots have fallen in pleasant places, walk thankfully, obediently, and cheerfully.  
3. Let such as are Masters and Mistresses of families, 
Use 3.  learn here what duties their Servants owe them, that they may the better instruct them therein, and look for their performance thereof: And if they have now ill, stubborn and unfaithful Servants, let them call to mind whether when they themselves were Servants, they were not such, that so they may repent thereof, in the mean time acknowledging God's justice, in paying them in their own coin, and deal with them, as they dealt with others.  
4. For those that are yet young and in their Parents houses, 
Use 4.  let them mark these things, that when they shall go to service, they may not be to learn their duties; but ready and apt therein, skilful in the several branches thereof.  
Not only to the good and gentle, 
The prevention of an objection.  but also to the froward.] These words are a comparison between Masters, or the prevention of an Objection, that might quickly be made by some, to shift off the foregoing Exhortation: I would be content to do my duty, if I had a good Master, or served such a Master as some that I know; but my Master is so cursed, that one cannot tell how to speak to him, and in correcting, cruel without all reason, and that as well for no fault, as for a fault, yea, sometimes I am beaten for well doing, and for my forwardness in serving God: Well, saith the Apostle, you must be subject, and do your duties in all points, even to such.  
By good is meant liberal Masters (so indeed Masters ought to be to their Servants, 
What we are to understand by good, gentle and Deut. 15. 13.  both while they be with them, and at their departure from them;) as by gentle, such as care not what they do to them by Law, but what they may do in equity and good conscience. By froward, 
Froward Masters.  are meant such Masters which will be pleased with nothing, 
1 Sam. 25. 17.  to whom (such was Nabal) one cannot tell how to speak; yea such as will afflict their Servants without cause, or colour of cause. Whatsoever they are, 
Servants must be subject even to their bad and froward Masters.  Servants must be subject to them, must reverence them from their hearts, must obey them, serve them faithfully, and pray for them: They must thus do even to the worst Masters, of the very worst conditions, God will have it to be so, and they represent God's person and place, 
Reasons.  though they are of such bad qualites: Hereby they shall show forth their Christianity in a work of such difficulty (for to serve and do duty to good, kind and courteous Masters, is no great mastery) which is indeed worthy of a Christian: If they do not their duties to us, but be bad, we must not meddle with it, God will call them to an account, we shall not answer for their sin, but if we do not our duty, we sin also, and make ourselves guilty; if in humility and patience we do our duties, God will take our part in his good time, as he did jacob's, 
Gen. 31. 42.  who served a churlish, harsh, and covetous Master twenty years together: If we do our duties, though they consider it not, nor deserve it, 
Col. 3. 24.  yet do we it to God, who accounteth thereof, and before whom it shall not be forgotten: Are they froward? It's the cross God hath laid out for us in his providence, which we must take up and bear; to shake it off by unlawful means, were to resist the hand of God: It may be its greatly for our good, even to tame and subdue our stout, sturdy, proud and rebellious nature; knotty logs must have hard Beetles, and a rough horse, a rough rider. Besides, it may make us fitter to govern others another day; for as none prove worse than those that have been Cockneys, and have known no hardship, so they that have met with much, will be the better to others, as having loathed it so much when it was their case; yea, this may be a means in time to persuade the mind of such a Master to a better course, and make his heart to smite him, 
1 Sam. 24. 17.  when he seeth his own unreasonableness, and his servants patience; as Saul, who upon this ground acknowledged, that David was more righteous than he.  
1. This rebuketh the common sort of servants, 
Use 1.  which if they meet with a little hardship this way, murmur, shake off the yoke, deal unfaithfully, or run away; What's their plea? Oh, my Master is such an unreasonable man, my Dame so unquiet, as that there's no living with them, etc. Well, well, your Master or Dame is unreasonable, who shall be Judge? If a number of servants (they are so lazy and ill-minded) that if their Masters do but call them to good duties, rebuke them for their ill speeches, or for their tarrying abroad at unseasonable times, and using bad company, few Masters but will be counted unreasonable, and such as are not to be endured; yea, to be held to their business, and kept in, with the licentious youths of these days will be counted unreasonable: But grant they be somewhat unreasonable, see whether you by your negligence, crossness, and unfaithfulness have not made them so (as some do) if so, you can do little if you cannot bear what you have deserved: But say they be unreasonable, and you have not deserved all you meet with, yet for all that, it's your duty to remember your place, you must not sin for company; O who can do it? why, is God so unreasonable to require of you that which cannot be done? best charge God with unreasonableness by and by: True, it's no easy matter, but servants must labour for grace, 
Phil. 4. 13.  that they may be able to say as Paul, I am able to do all things; But alas, when we provoke servants to mind goodness, and to spend their time well, they think this unreasonable; they work hard, and they must have their pleasure, and they may be godly all in time, and so they be void of goodness: Hence arise such stirs in families, which were there grace in servants, might be prevented: Oh! no body can please them, say they; no careless body it may be, whereas a little more than ordinary diligence and carefulness would please indeed. But though servants must do their duties to such froward Masters, yet this is no justification of them that be so, or encouragement toothers to be such; for though their servants must put it up, God will be revenged of it, They have a master in Heaven: If therefore they shall abridge them of their necessary food, apparel or rest, hailing them to work beyond their strength, or shall curse and ban them, shall beat them without cause, shall be cruel in their correction, smiting them with what comes next to hand, throwing things at them to spoil them; or if with things fitting, cruelly, unmercifully, and without measure, not regarding the offence against God, nor the quality of the fault, not the best way to bring them to amendment, but following the rage and fury of their own hearts, God will call them to an account for the same: He forbiddeth cruelty against beasts, much more against those that are made according to his own image: They were or are the children of others, though now your servants, to whom being fatherless, you had need be the more merciful; and may not your children also be servants: Do you to other men's children, as you would others should deal with yours; are they not also your own flesh, and it may be as dearly bought with the blood of Christ as yourselves? Though you are to keep a good straight hand over your servants, yet must it be with moderation.  
2. If servants be bound thus to carry themselves towards bad Masters, 
Use 2.  how much more than to the good and gentle? to such as are careful of their good every way, to such as give them good counsel, instruct them, bring them to good duties, give them that's fit for them, teach them their trade, and govern them with moderation? What shall we say then to the servants of our times, that have such Masters and Dames, and yet be unfaithful, lazy and negligent? Where shall these appear? assuredly, it's no small favour to be under such Governors; the times we live in are grown to a strange pass: In times past, about twenty or thirty years ago, when the light, alas, was dim, what diligent and painful servants were there, who would tarry at least seven or ten years in an house, whereas now they are so unruly, that no house can hold them long? they find fault for the most part when there's no cause: Formerly servants were careful to please their Governors, and glad if they could and would accept of their endeavours, and be pleased with them; but now, Masters and Dames are fain to please their servants, if they can do any thing, they be so teachy and masterly, as they may not be spoken to; belike the course of things must be turned, the order of nature perverted, Masters must be as servants to please, and servants as Masters to do what they list: Hath God honoured the servants of these times with the Gospel denied to former ages, and do they thus requite God, and profit by it? will it not be to their further condemnation? The monstrous pride of youths is the cause of all this disorder; the peace and plenty that God hath given us, hath so lift them up, as they have forgotten the ancient simplicity and plainnefs that was heretofore, and have their minds so high set, as their study is to prank up themselves brave, and get gay clothes, to keep company, and have their swing; this they mind, and not their business: If they thus continue, they shall never be worth a servant themselves, or else shall be plagued with such as themselves were, nay, who knows whether for their pride and unconscionableness, they may not come to rags, and a bit of bread?  
3. Now what is here required of servants towards bad Masters, 
Use 3.  must also be performed by us to those we have any way to deal withal: Thus Subjects are to do the duties of Subjects towards their Princes, though they should be Tyrants, or deal hardly with them: Thus, though we live by neighbours that be untoward and contentious, 
Rom. 12. 18.  we must live quietly; Thus must husbands & wives live together; We must not be overcome of evil, 
Rom. 12. 21.  but overcome evil with goodness: God hath no where bid us do to others, as they do to us (that's the leaven of the Scribes and Pharisees) but to love our enemies, 
Mat. 5. 43, 44.  and to do good to them that hate us, etc. yet must not this hearten any to be bad, but every man must make his Neighbour's yoke as easy as he can, not laying too much upon him: They must not say (as some husbands to their wives) they must do their duties to us, whatsoever we be: What! are you so cunning indeed? know you so well other folk's duties, and your own no better? you should know your own duties best: How great then is their sin, that cannot live with good Neighbours? How great that wives, that having a kind and careful husband, is ever fretting, complaining and vexing him? How great that husbands, that having a loving, dutiful, careful wife, doth not use her kindly, but hoggishly, yea it may be loveth others better? He that cannot live with bad ones, and do his duty, is scarce a good Christian; but he that cannot do his duty to good ones, is not so good as an Heathen and a Publican.   

Verse 19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.  
NOw follow the Reasons to persuade to patient suffering of the hard dealing of unconscionable Masters (and needful it was to use a great many Reasons to persuade to such a duty, being so hard to nature, which accordingly he doth) If you do so, and do as you ought, you please God, and its acceptable to him (as the word is translated in the following verse;) for being referred to God, we can do nothing thankworthy to God (when we have done all, we are unprofitable servants) but we may do that which by Jesus Christ may be acceptable to him. This is the first Reason: Whence may be noted, That  
To enforce the performance of any duty how difficult soever, 
To be incited to the performance of any duty, its necessary to know that its pleasing to God.  this is enough, that its pleasing to God, that's to be looked at of us in all our life and actions.  
Hereby the Apostle exhorts Children to perform their duties to their Parents, as all to do good, and to distribute: What Tenant would not be glad to do that which will please his Landlord, 
Col. 3. 20.  or a Subject that which will please his Prince? 
Heb. 13. 16.  And should not we readily do such things as will please God, yea, if it should be to the laying down of our lives? Is not he the Sovereign Lord of the whole world, that made us and all things? Hath not he (as he is most holy, pure, and good in himself) been admirably merciful to us? Is not his will a right will? Is he not pleased with that which is good? Doth any thing displease him but sin? Should we not do that which is pleasing to him, though difficult? Should we not fly from that which displeaseth him, though we might get thousands by it? If we please him, 
Heb. 12. 29.  hath he not a Kingdom for us? If we displease him, is he not a consuming fire?  
Oh! 
Use.  this may make us hang down our heads, that we are no more careful to please such a great and good God. Alas! if a thing have any difficulty, we pass it off, though the doing thereof would please God never so well: Oh! why do we not pray oftener, and with better affection? why hear we not the Word more diligently? why are we not more heavenly minded, more patient, more liberal? would not God be pleased herewith? and is there any thing better becoming us, then to please God with all our might? Hath he not made us? and chosen us to life before the world? given his Son to die for us, and save us? given us his Gospel and Spirit? hath prepared a Kingdom for us, and will we not please him? yea, if a thing stand with our profit, though we know it will displease him, can we be content to do it? O that we should offend so good a God, and so merciful a Father as he hath been unto us! O do we endeavour to please him, whosoever be thereat displeased, whatsoever we lose, or whatsoever trouble we bring upon us! But, O the monstrous course of this world, that of all things cannot abide what pleaseth God that so live, as if God had nothing to do with them, as if they were neither in his debt nor danger, as if they were not afraid of them, or he could do them no hurt. Are you not woeful creatures that thus abuse God? Are you not in his debt? Who gave you these Bodies and Souls? who fashioned them? whence was it that you were not Toads, Monsters, mad persons, and fools? who hath maintained your lives? who hath kept you, that you have not been ere this consumed, or are not now in hell? Art thou not in his debt, who hath let thee live under the Gospel, the means of saving thee, denied to most of the world? Should you not then please him? Art thou not in his danger? Cannot he make the earth to swallow thee, the worms to eat thee up? Can he not smite thee with an incurable disease in thy bowels? Can he not strike thee with madness, cast thee upon thy bed, and there forsake thee, and give thee up to a desperate mind? Is he not able to send thee to Hell ere night? Can he not make every joint of thy body, every tooth of thy head so to torment thee, that thou shalt be weary of thy life? Canst thou promise thy meat shall nourish thee, or that when thou liest down thou shalt have one wink of sleep, for pain of body or vexation of mind, or shalt ever rise again? When there is the greatest hope of fruit, cannot he in one night by a Frost destroy it all? Do we not stand at his courtesy for every shower of Rain, for the Bread we eat, and every thing else? and should we not then please him? If he smile on us, whose frown need we regard? If he frown, whose smiles can do us good? Who can stand before him when he is angry? He rendeth the rocks, and maketh the mountains to tremble: O that any through fear, or to procure the favour of any, or for any other by-respects, should displease him!  
For this is thankworthy, or acceptable,] Whence note, that  
The actions of God's Children, 
The actions of God's Children, when pleasing to God.  done as they ought and may be done, are pleasing to God; howsoever, they are not (as the Papists from this and the like places affirm) Meritorious: They are pleasing to God, as being done by such as are justified by Faith in Christ, the weaknesses of their actions being covered in his Death and Obedience.  
1. This is a great comfort unto all such as can prove themselves Gods Children, 
Use 1.  and strive to do their duty in the best manner they can; though the same be done weakly, yet being done in truth, is pleasing to God; than which, what greater joy, comfort and encouragement unto any duty can be wished?  
2. This may be a terror to all that cannot prove themselves justified persons; 
Use 2.  they never did that thing throughout their whole lives that pleased God: A carnal man can no more make a good action, than a Painter or Carver can make a living man. The actions of unregenerate men want a soul. Till a man's person please God (which is not till he be justified through Christ) his actions cannot but displease him; Even the sacrifice and prayer of the wicked, 
Prov. 28. 9  is abomination before him: What joy can a man have, when being old and full of years, he cannot truly approve that ever he spoke, thought, or did that which was good: Did men believe this, they would endeavour with all speed to come out of their unregenerate condition.  
If a man for conscience towards God endure grief, 
Why servants must do their-duties to unconscionable Masters.  etc.] Here he shows the manner how servants must do their duty to such unconscionable Masters, even for conscience towards God, because God so requires the same; for if servants should bear quietly with such a Master, and do their duty, because they know no remedy, know not how to help themselves, or know, that though he be wondrous hasty and boisterous, yet to them that can bear with him, and let him alone, he will be good and bountiful; whoso do their duties, I say, for such respects, please not God, neither shall have any reward with him: what we do for conscience towards God, 
See joh. 6. 26.  is pleasing to him, not otherwise; whoso looketh asquint at profit, pleasure, honour, credit, favour of this or that man, or the like, is far from pleasing God; whoso doth for conscience sake, 
See Isa. 38. 3.  may with comfort look up to God in life and in death.  
This rebuketh the common sort, 
Use.  which do many duties, and abstain from many sins, but not in a right manner; for carnal and sinister respects, and not for conscience towards God: Such hypocrites shall have their portion with the hypocrites.  
Q. How may we know whether we do our duties for conscience sake, or not?  
A. By these Notes: 
How we may know whether we do our duties in conscience.  1. If we make most conscience of the greatest things first, and then of less in their place, and so of the greatest sins; for God hates greatest sins most, as in D●●id, of whom it's said, He walked in uprightness all his days, saving in the matter of Uriah: He had other faults, rashness towards Nabal, pride in numbering the people, rashness to believe Zibah, 
1 King. 15. 5.  yet that against Uriah was the worst of all. Greatest sins rob God most of his glory, do most disgrace the Gospel, make greatest wounds in our souls, procure most numbness and hardness of heart, and greatest outward punishment; we must make conscience of all, but especially of the greatest: Such as seem very earnest against some small things, and make no account of greater, are Hypocrites, 
Mat 23. 24.  like the Scribes and Pharisees which strained at a g●at, but swallowed a Camel: 
Mat. 27. 6.  Such were the high Priests, they made conscience of putting the thirty pieces of silver into the treasury, which Judas returned to them, but made no conscience of putting Christ to death: They made Conscience of going to the Common-Hall, 
john 18. 28.  lest they should be defiled, and made unfit for the Passover, who yet made no conscience of shedding innocent blood.  
So the Papists stands altogether upon meats, days, and such trifles of their own devising, making no conscience of God's great Commandments, of the 2, 3, 4, etc. So many among ourselves will speak very hardly of some small blemishes in a Professor, and, Oh! is this agreeable to God's Word? etc. who do yet live in foul sins. Again, some one hath deceived them or wronged them, and they can speak very hardly against falsehood and ill dealing, who yet can see foul faults in others (but such as have not touched them) and not speak against them at all: Some make great account of their truth and honesty, and, Oh, they would not deceive their Neighbour, nor carry away any thing out of his house, and why? fie on it, hath not God forbid it? who yet will rob the Lord of a great part of his day, which he saith is his: Some also make conscience to give their Servants victuals enough, but make no conscience to give them any good instruction, or to pray for them, and with them, etc. These things they ought to have done, and not left the other undone. 2. If a man have a care of all God's Commandments, hate all sin, and do all good, always endeavouring to keep a good conscience in all things: He hath an ill conscience that nourisheth any sin; He that bears with himself in one sin, shuns none for conscience: Some are very forward to the Word, Sacraments, good Company; ask why, Because, say they, God requireth the same; 
Isa. 1. 15.  but why follow they not their calling, pay every man his own, deal justly? doth not God require these also? He is an Hypocrite that doth the former, but makes no conscience of the latter: Contrarily, some follow their calling, pay every man his own, etc. who yet robs God of his due and the times of worship, Requireth not the Lord as well these as those? Again, such a man dares not do such and such a sin, rob, kill, steal, etc. Why? because of God and his Word, who yet will swear, lie, rail, break the Sabbath, hate their Neighbours, etc. Why? hath not God as well forbid these as those? 3. If a man be careful to do his duty zealously, as in Prayer, not to bow the knee only, but the heart also; at the Word, not to hear only with the outward ear, but from the heart to reverence the same, with a purpose to be ruled thereby; He that slubbers over duties coldly, it's a sign he looks only to men, not God. 4. If a man be as careful to do his duties in private, as he is in public, as in private to pray, as he is in public to hear, so to meditate, to be oft making moan for sin, begging mercy and grace, wrestling against his corruptions, etc. Every Hypocrite doth outward duties, true Christians are in secret the same: How many froward husbands will show much kindness to their Wives before company, whereas he that makes conscience of his ways, is most kind in private? So a man must make as much conscience of secret sins, as of open sins▪ of private sins in a corner, of secret corruptions, pride, hypocrisy, distrustful, impatient and lustful thoughts; so of wand'ring thoughts in Prayer, and at the Word and Sacraments, and of worldly thoughts on the Lordsday; He must be grieved for them, pray against them. 5. If a man be not for a brunt, but hold our constantly, and continue, yea and that in persecution; as well where wind and tide is against him, and he meets with ill will and hard measure for so doing, as when he hath good countenance, and may so do without control: Thus David, Daniel, and the three Children, though Princes both spoke, sat, and did against them; most part do contrarily: Some make a show a little while, but quickly through love of the world, through fear or favour fall away; as questionless if Religion should alter, most would go with the strongest side, and many which now come to the Gospel, would as readily go to Mass, yea, carry a faggot to burn them that now sit with them in the same seats: These be they that know not the truth, that receive not the love of the truth, that live as they list, and will not obey the truth.  
Examine yourselves by these Notes, 
Use.  and as you are to repent, and ask mercy and pardon for all that's past, even your best actions, and the manner of your performance thereof, so for the time to come do not any duty in Hypocrisy, but all for conscience unto God's Commandment.   

Verse 20. For what glory is it, if when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.  
THat which the Apostle said in the foregoing Verse, he doth in this amplify by the contrary; and then repeats in the end of this, that he said in that.  
In the first clause, speak we first of suffering for faults, then of patient suffering for the same.  
For what glory is it, if when ye be buffeted for your faults, etc.] Here note, That  
All suffering is not commendable nor comfortable, 
All suffering is not commendable nor comfortable.  to suffer for faults is a shame and matter to hang the head, for all sin hath shame belonging thereto: 
Matth. 5. 11, 12.  Therefore when our Saviour saith, Blessed are ye when men revile you, he addeth, for my name's sake, and falsely; and Blessed are they that suffer persecution, he addeth, for righteousness sake: Whoso suffereth deservedly for his faults, is herein a companion with the Devil and Reprobates, a companion of the old world, Korah, Achan, Gehazi, etc. who were deservedly punished.  
1. This condemneth them that boast of their sufferings without cause; 
Use 1.  The Papists keep a book of Martyrs, executed here in England in the days of our late Queen and King; Woeful Martyrs, the Devils Martyrs if they be any, like those which be hanged with us every Assiz, for Murder and Robbery, and the vilest things; they suffer for high Treason, for their bloody and devilish conspiracies against their Prince and State: They might be ashamed of such, if they were not devilishly impudent; it's the cause, not the punishment, makes the Martyr; and as one saith, None can die the death of a Martyr, but he that beforehand hath lived the life of a Christian; so did they never, they put to death hundreds, yea thousands in former times, both here and in other Country's, only for not yielding to their blasphemous lies, but not one of these hath suffered for Religion, but for their Treasonable facts; who if they had suffered for their Religion, 
Note.  yet had been no Martyrs (for their Religion is lies) and it had not been for Christ and the Gospel's sake; and its possible for an Heretic to be as stubborn and impudent in maintaining a lie, as the child of God can be constant in the Truth, yea, to die also for a lie, though not with the like comfort as the other for the Truth.  
2. Among ourselves some will say, 
Use 2.  I think I have as many troubles as any body, and have been as ill spoken of; but if it was for thy faults, thou hast no cause to boast: Hast thou got an ill name for a Company keeper, for suspicion of uncleanness, for an oppressor, for an unquiet man with thy wife, for a proud person, rash, censorious, idle, and one that followest not thy calling (especially being a Professor) and hereof causest the people of God to speak with grief, thou hast cause to grieve and shame for giving them such cause, who would gladly they had not the cause to speak thus of thee: Yea, but the wicked speak ill of me, wilt thou say; But why? If it be justly and deservedly, whosoever they be, that's no matter, more shame that thou hast discovered thy nakedness to the Chams of this world to scoff at, and at the Gospel withal; fie upon it: It's too usual in these days, Christians give too much cause of offence; howsoever, the wicked speak not thus out of any hatred of the fault, but of ill will to the Gospel: 
1 Pet. 4. 15.  O therefore take heed, let us not suffer as evil doers; look we so warily and narrowly to our conversation, that if they should watch us as narrowly as the Nobles did Daniel, 
Dan. 6. 5.  yet they might find nothing against us but in the cause of our God; yea, might be enforced with Saul of David, 
1 Sam. 24. 17.  to acknowledge our innocency: If they will needs speak ill of us, let it be falsely, and for well-doing. If any should be smitten by Sea or Land travelling on the Sabbath, 
On June 16. 1611. being the Lords day, there was such a grievous tempest of wind, as cast away many Vessels at Sea, amongst others, one Passage-boat toward Ipswich, with almost twenty persons; and on the 18. day were thirty two persons trodden to death and bruised at a Play in Norwith.  or any lose their lives at a Play, no cause to rejoice, no comfort in it. Note further, That  
If there be no patience in suffering, 
Patience in suffering for faults, hath no reward with God.  but when it's deserved, its counterfeit patience, and hath no reward of God; it's in comparison nothing, it's that which reason teacheth; but to bear patiently for well-doing, is a lesson for an high scholar: Howsoever, being simply considered, its good and commendable; as for any being justly afflicted or punished by God or man, 
Mic. 7. 9  meekly to submit themselves, to confess their faults, 
jer. 10. 19  and be desirous to amend thereby: Aaron held his peace, Eli and Hezekiah were submissive in theirs, 
See also Dan. 9 7.  the Thief at the right hand acknowledged that he suffered deservedly: 
Neh. 9 33.  Thus when Delinquents are punished by the Magistrate, people be rebuked of their Ministers for their sin, servants and children are of their Masters and Parents corrected for their faults, they must take it patiently, and learn to amend.  
But if it be no great matter, 
Use.  having done a fault, and then being punished justly, to bear it patiently; are not those to be condemned which be impatient under deserved corrections? 
Rev. 16. 9  Some being afflicted of God, fret, rage and boil, curse, blaspheme, run to Witches, or use other unlawful means to get out: What a beast art thou? hast thou not deserved the same, and yet wilt not thou be patient? Is not this in effect to say, What hath the Lord to do to punish me? I have not deserved the same; if I can get out of his fingers any way, I will not abide to be thus used: thus take they the rod by the end, and pull it out of God's hand; What do those but desire there were no God to see them, or that hated sin, or that would punish sin? Belike they would have God like, but he will be like himself, who at the beginning joined punishment and sin together, and so will do to the world's end; you will not get any thing by resisting, by humble confession, hearty Prayer, and promise of amending, you may. Again, there are others, who being punished of the Magistrates for their faults, do as well curse and rage against those their Rulers, as those that informed against them: Thus when honest men tending the glory of God, and good of the places where they live, knowing that Alehouses for the most part are Pest-houses, Devils houses, Breeders of all mischief, Receptacles of the scum of the earth, and means to increase the number of sinners, complain of such riotous persons, as would there keep Revel-rout, and endeavour to suppress the same; O how do drunkards and such others, 
See Eccl. 8. 4, 5  the friends of sin, rage and fume? would not such wish that there were no Law nor Magistrate to punish, but that all might do as the list? but this would bring all to confusion: Are there not some also who being reproved by their Ministers, fret and rail at them, 
1 King 2. 20.  fall out with them, and with Ahab, account them for their Enemies? nay, sometimes will sue them at Law to their utter undoing? And are there not also such servants and children, which being corrected by their Governors, will murmur or resist, or run away, a sign of a proud mind, of a lewd heart, and far from grace: Such resist God, and shall receive to themselves condemnation; they provoke the Lord to take the rod, nay scourge in his own hand, or give them over into the hands of the Magistrates: whence it cometh often to pass, 
Prov. 29. 15.  that not a few despising the rod and correction, which giveth life and wisdom, have been whipped, burnt in the hand, imprisoned, yea hanged up, and that justly: Thus daily too many seek their own ruin.  
But if when ye do well, etc.] Here's the praise of patient suffering for well-doing: There's a suffering wrongfully, and without cause, which yet differeth from that which is here laid down, namely, suffering for well-doing.  
Suffering wrongfully, 
What it is to suffer wrongfully.  is when men are accused of that they are not guilty of, or are punished without a fault, whether it be only in words, or proceed to deeds: David was unjustly censured of his brother when he came to the camp, Hanna unjustly censured of Eli, and John the Baptist of the Scribes and Pharisees; so Mephibosheth, Naboth, and Stephen were wrongfully both slandered and punished. Thus in these days days monstrous lies and slanders are raised, especially against Christians and godly Ministers: It's an unrighteous world, calling the best of God's servants, Proud, Hypocrites, and laying vile things to their charge, which they never deserved; as, that they are enemies to the State, would put down Kings, etc. Hence sometimes men are punished by Magistrates without cause, as also Children and Servants of their rash and inconsiderate Parents and Masters. In this kind Papists are exceeding expert; what lies have they spread of Luther, Calvin, Beza, Junius, and such others? And had their horrible villainy in the Gunpowder Treason taken effect, the blame would have been by them laid on the Puritans. But as God hath at no time done wrong, but judgeth the world with righteousness, giving every man according to his works; so will he be revenged of them that wrong others: For them that sharply censure others, let them know, that what measure they meet to others, it shall be measured to them again. For Magistrates that punish any wrongfully, if it be wittingly, they profane the sacred seat of Justice, and what in them lies make God a wrong doer: for nothing should be there done, but as God would; and lest they should fail of ignorance or through negligence, with Job, 
job 29. 16.  they must search out the matter diligently: For slanderers that devise lies of men, 
Prov. 10. 10. & 25. 18.  they are fools; they are a Hammer, a Sword, and sharp Arrow; they are like the Devil, who both slandered God to Adam and Eve, 
Rev. 12. 10.  and Job to God, and to this day is the accuser of the Brethren: Such shall not be established on Earth, 
Psal. 140. 11. & 15. 3.  neither shall they come into Heaven, no place fit for them but Hell; yea, not only the devisers, but spreaders of Lies (so common a thing) is fearful. Thou shalt not walk about with tales among thy people, 
Leu. 19 16.  saith God by Moses: The receivers also of a false report are excluded out of Heaven, 
Psal. 15. 3.  and they that love lies. 
Rev. 22. 15.   
Oh! let none wrong their Neighbours any manner of way, Magistrates, Informers, or whosoever; Let none devise or spread abroad lies, no nor truths to their Neighbour's discredit, without a calling: But alas, what more common (all folks talk) then to talk of other folk's matters, and many times of their faults, not at all of any good that's in them. We must not rashly believe what we hear against any, especially having before given good testimony of their goodness; yea, as we would have God deal with us and ours, we must not wrong any, do right even to our poorest servant.  
For them that suffer wrongfully, 
What those must do that suffer wrongfully.  it's their duty to behave themselves patiently, looking up to God (as David did when Shimei railed) not fretting, or raging, or saying (as its usual) It would never have grieved me, if it had been so; rather say, It grieves me much less, because it is not so; I thank God for the same, it might have been, if God had not kept me; it was of him, and not for any goodness in me, more than in others; I'll bear it patiently, for though I have not deserved it of men, yet of God I have, even to be made a threshold for all to tread on, and a byword; and though I have not deserved it of men in this, yet in some other things I have; I have been faulty towards my Neighbour's good name, and now it's come home to me, I pray God I may make a good use of it. Besides, it may be the Lord sees I might have fallen into that or some other sin, and hath sent this to prevent it (preventing Physic is good) blessed be his Name, or he doth it to keep me humble, etc. Thus God, that brought light out of darkness, teacheth us how to bring good out of evil: Thus we may make use of a slander. Neither must we think, that because it is wrongul, we may fret and rage, and make a stir, and rail (so should we make ourselves guilty, who were innocent before) but may open our innocency, and clear ourselves, as Job; yea, if it should concern us nearly, but especially the Gospel, then may we have recourse to the Magistrate for redress. Thus of suffering wrongfully.  
Touching suffering for well-doing, 
It's common to God's people to suffer for welldoing.  Abel, Isaas, Joseph, Micaiah, are pregnant Examples hereof: So David met with enemies, because he followed goodness; so our Saviour Christ, so suffered the Prophets, 
john 7. 7.  Apostles, Martyrs: Thus many at this day, even for their goodness they are hated, 
1 Pet. 4. 3.  and the better they be, the worse they are hated; 
john 17. 14.  They are not of the world, and the world hateth them: As sore eyes cannot abide the Sun, so cannot the ill lives and consciences of worldlings, who wallow in their works of darkness, abide the light of God's Word, or the good conversation of godly men; it makes their wickedness the more seen, and they must mislike either themselves or the others; but themselves you are sure they will not, nay, so wretchedly minded are they, as to hate those that they know not, but as they have heard of their goodness, and rail on them; and its pity they live, or are suffered, will they say, who notwithstanding, if they were put to it, were unable to say one word justly against them. By this time the Gospel ought to have been so beloved, as that all that have showed any good countenance thereto, should have been the better thought of; but now (Oh fearful!) that's become a Reproach which should be every man's glory, Oh, you are a Professor of the Word, & c!  
For those that thus hate men for their goodness, 
How fearful their condition is that are hated of others for their goodness.  it's as dreadful a sign as can be: They be like the Devil, are in darkness, shall not enter into Heaven; they are of cain's generation, and Ishmaels' brood. God loves men because of goodness, and the Angels rejoice at a sinner's conversion; but these hate them for their goodness, and so are unlike unto God. If such as give but a cup of cold water unto a disciple, in the name of a disciple, shall not lose his reward, shall not they be extremely punished which mock and despise them, which hate and persecute them, and that for their goodness? They that do the least wrong to them in that respect, or eo nomine, shall not go unpunished: For they that will smite with the tongue now, would with the fist if they might, yea carry to the Prison, and to the Stake, if times would give leave: Well, let them know, the persecutors reward belongeth to them, and how hath God from time to time dealt with such? The examples of Cain, Ishmael, Ahab, Jezabel, Herod, etc. witness the same. Besides, when they would be glad to have part with the Children of God, they shall be banished, and have their portion with Devils and Reprobates, and that in a fearful manner: For if they shall stand on the left hand, 
Mat. 25. 42.  and hear that dreadful sentence, Go ye cursed, etc. that have not given them meat and drink, etc. What shall become of them, and what place shall they have in Hell, that take away their meat and drink, that cast them into Prison, and do there deal cruelly with them? The Papists are notable in this kind, 
2 Thess. 1. 6.  who have even been drunk with the blood of the saints: God will recompense tribulation to them that thus trouble his.  
For those that are hated and punished for well-doing, 
Such as are hated for well-doing must bear the same patiently  let them learn to bear the same patiently; It's not without God's will, that hereby they might give glory to him, and a seal to his truth: We must not flinch away when trouble comes, as many and most have done, and so save themselves whole, and leave Christ and his cause to shift for itself; the world count them fools that will suffer any thing for his cause, and themselves wise that can carry themselves so as they will be for all assays; but Moses was not of that mind, He chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, 
Heb. 11. 24.  then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season: These will prove fools at last, that for a few days of short life in pleasures and profits transitory, have sold away their part in that which is eternal: 
John 12. 25.  For he that saves his life, shall lose it, and they which deny Christ before men, them will he deny before his heavenly Father.  
When we suffer for well doing, we must not suffer frettingly, with raging against them, and with ill speaking, as it were with revenging ourselves, but in meekness commend ourselves, and the cause to God: It's a fault in some Christians that being hated at some hands for their profession, and forwardness (and yet some need not be so much if they would walk more wisely and discreetly) they then fall to taunting of them again, & calling them by● names, and thus use this carnal weapon of the world; this becomes not Christians: what would they do if they should suffer great matters? The Martyrs gave no ill language, Christ and Steven prayed for their Enemies, we must (abating our ranco●) imitate them: neither must we write bitter & enveighing things against them in a carnal, scoffing or railing manner, as Martin Mar-Prelate; but behave ourselves patiently, yea joyfully, we are Gods witnesses, an high honour, few called thereto: Is not the Gospel the truth? Is not the Word of God the only true Religion? 
Acts 5. 41.  we must then testify the same to the world, 
Rom. 5. 2.  and set our seal to it, yea to die for it: O it's a great advancement, 
1 Thess. 1. 6.  and so have Gods children acknowledged it! 
Phil. 1. 29.  It's a token of Salvation to them that thus suffer, 
Mat. 5. 12.  Great is their reward in heaven: 
Rev. 6. 9  The souls of them that are slain, lie under the altar: The holy Martyrs went singing to the stake, and thought that there they were as in a sweet bed of roses; and St. Paul boasted of his Chain, and of the marks of the Lord Jesus.   

Verse 21. For even hereunto were we called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.  
FOr even hereunto were ye called:] 
God hath ordained his to undergo troubles in this world.  Another Reason taken from the Ordinance and wise disposition of the Lord, who hath so ordained that all his shall suffer troubles, therefore we are to look for them, and bear them patiently: 
Acts 14. 22.  Through many afflictions we must enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, here in this world we must undergo manifold troubles and sorrows: All God's Servants find the truth hereof (as the Patriarches Prophets and Apostles did in their days) less or more, 
Deut. 32. 15.  some one way, some another: God knoweth how ill we can bear prosperity, but are ready to surfeit thereof, as Children do of sweetmeats: Who can long enjoy prosperity, and not be the worse? David, that in all his troubles spent his time so holily, and made many Psalms, in his prosperity foully forgot himself; so Solomon: Standing waters gather mud; as the Israelites in their journey to Canaan suffered much, so must we in this wilderness, before we come to Heaven; thus is God pleased to exercise us for his own glory, and our good. Therefore  
1. We must not think the worse of any, 
Use 1.  because of their afflictions, or conclude them to be bad men and hypocrites, which was the fault of Jobs friends, and of the Disciples of Christ.  
2. We must not think the better of ourselves, 
Use 2.  for prosperity, God can afford the dogs the bones, the things of this world; Of hated Esau came twelve Dukes; the fatness of the Earth, and the dew of Heaven is but a Reprobates portion, the Legacy of Ishmael, nay, no worse sign then to prosper in an ill course.  
3. We must not dislike ourselves for our afflictions; 
Use 3.  It's an argument of God's love, 
Heb. 12. 6.  and not of his hatred, Whom he loves he chastens, and they are Bastards that be without affliction; to have afflictions, and to profit thereby, is the sign of an happy man.  
4. We must prepare for afflictions, 
Use 4.  not dreaming for ease or continuance of Peace, but looking for troubles in this valley of Tears; they are the better born, when they be looked for, and be the more grievous, when they come unexpected: In the midst of prosperity, its good to think of affliction, as in health, how we shall do if sore, or long sickness, or pain come upon us; so in wealth, of poverty, whilst we enjoy our liberties, of Imprisonment and banishment, yea, after our affliction we are to look for another: If we be spared for a while, we must take it for an advantage, and labour to be better prepared against it comes.  
5. We must bear them patiently, 
Use 5.  as being of God: They come not only from him that hath Sovereignty over us, but from the hand of a merciful father for our good: They are far less than our deserts, or than others have had, and we have many comforts mingled therewith.  
6. We must bear them thankfully, 
Use 6.  as whereby we are furthered in holiness: Hereby we are was●ed and purged; the Cross is physic, though not toothsome, 
Isa. 4. 4. and 27 9  yet wholesome: We thank and reward the Physician for loathsome pills and potions, that have even for the time made us sick at the heart, as being the means of our recovery: Our fault is, that we look upon our troubles, not to the benefit that comes thereby; our greatest losses are oftentimes our greatest gains.  
7. We must bear them joyfully, 
Use 7.  in respect of the eternal happiness and immortal glory we shall be shortly brought to: Because we look not at this end, we are so unwilling to undergo troubles; as one that would go over a water without fear, must fasten his eyes on the shore over against him, so must we in affliction fix our eyes on Heaven.  
8. If the children of God get not to Heaven but through many sorrows, 
Use 8.  and are often so grievously afflicted in this life, 
1 Pet. 4. 18.  what shall then become of the wicked and ungodly? 
jer. 25. 29. & 49. 12.  Have those been chastened with rods, and shall not these be tormented with scourges? Those have been afflicted for a time, that they might live for ever, and not die eternally; These shall perish eternally in Hell torments; If they that serve God night and day with all carefulness, and are zealous in his service, and yet are grieved that they can do no better, nor as they would, what shall become of those that blaspheme him daily without ceasing, and their grief is, that they cannot dishonour him more, and rejoice when they most despite him.  
More particularly and most specially in this place the Apostle meaneth of sufferings that are for well-doing, 
In this world the godly suffer for well-doing.  and for a good conscience, of the men of this world: Hereunto hath God called us; He that will be his Disciple, 
Luke 9  must take up his cross; 
2 Tim. 3. 12.  All that will live godly in Christ Jesus, 
john 19 33.  must suffer persecution; They shall be hated of all men for his name sake: In the world we shall have trouble; If we be not of the world, the world will hate us: This way hath the Lord sanctified, as the way to glory, and herein have the Prophets, Apostles and Martyrs gone before us. 
Reason's hereof.  It's impossible it should be otherwise, considering the implacable malice of Satan, and of the seed of the Serpent; God also will have it so, 1. That his true servants may be distinguished from hypocrites and time servers: Every body will serve God in prosperity, a man is not tried till affliction comes; as a Soldier in the battle, a Mariner in a tempest, a friend in adversity, so are the godly known in adversity: As the Apostle speaks of Heresy, so may I of afflictions, They must needs be, 
1 Cor. 11. 19  that they which are approved, may be made manifest among us. 2. To confirm his Truth, not in respect of itself, but of men, and to whet on others, as the seed of the Church is the blood of the Martyrs. 3. To make a way for his judgements on his enemies, and persecuters of his Saints, whereof though the perfection be to come, yet even here God suffers them not to escape his hand in a notable manner, which doth not a little strengthen his servants. 4. To prove the faith and patience of his own children, and to increase the same: Spices smell best when they are bruised, and graces appears most when most tried. 5. To scour off their soil that they gather in the world, 
Isa. 26. 16.  and make them bright. 6. To stir them up to every duty the more fervently. 7. That they may be like to their head Christ Jesus, who by suffering entered into glory. 
Rom. 8. 29.   
1. When we enter into the profession of Religion, 
Use 1.  we must beforehand sit down and cast up our accounts, what the same may cost us▪ which if many had done, they had escaped the horrible sin and foul shame of Apostasy: Most profess Religion in the time of peace, but when trouble comes, they will be gone; one would sit at Christ's right hand, another at his left in his Kingdom, but will not be batized with the baptism wherewith he is baptised, neither with him will drink of the bitter cup of affliction: They will save themselves from any hurt, yea, they think themselves wise persons that can shift off sufferings, and them fools that suffer for the Truth; but they will prove fools in the winding up.  
2. When troubles come, bear we the same patiently and joyfully; 
Use 2.  we have the Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, and all the troop of Saints for our companions: 
Phil. 1. 28.  To us its a sign of salvation, 
Mat. 5. 12.  and great is our reward in Heaven; 
2 Thess. 1. 6.  It's a righteous thing with God, to recompense tribulation to them that trouble us; 
2 Tim. 4. 7. 8.  And to us that are troubled, rest with him; When we have fought the good fight, we shall enjoy a Crown of Glory.  
Because Christ also suffered for us.] Another forcible Reason from Christ's example, 
Christ's sufferings an incitement for us to suffer.  which was done also for our imitation: If Christ hath suffered, why should not we? If he that was God suffered at the hands of wretched men, how much more may we men, of mortal men like ourselves? If he for you, then good reason you should suffer for him: That he did, was for a pattern for us to follow, and that patiently as he did, his whole life was no other: Though our salvation come cheap to us, and of God's mere gift, yet it came not so to Christ, he paid full dearly for it; God's Justice, which would be satisfied, required the same: There was an infinite wrath due for our sins, which Christ did undergo.  
1. If Christ hath suffered, 
Use 1.  are not we to pledge our Master? if the servants do but what their Master hath done before, they have no cause to complain.  
2. If Christ the Son of God most holy suffered, 
Use 2.  is it such a matter for us poor miser sinners to suffer?  
3. If he suffered for us his enemies, 
Use 3.  should not we be much more willing to suffer for him, and think ourselves happy, as who hath delivered us from the everlasting sufferings in Hell, by his suffering for us▪ and from reproachful sufferings that we might have had for some foul offences in this world, and hath turned them into a few glorious sufferings for his name.  
4. Consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, 
Use 4.  lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds: 
Heb. 12. 3.  Consider who he was, and what thou art, and it will much take away the bitterness of affliction.  
For you] (so some read) even for servants, for the meanest, with him is no respect of persons: 
Christ suffered even for the meanest.  No rich nor poor, bond nor free in Christ; the one have as good right as the other, nay (though God have some of all) yet most of the mean are Christ's, 
james 2. 5.  they receive the Gospel.  
This may make the mean of the world to bear their condition the more patiently, 
Use.  and comfortably; they have part in Christ if fault be not in themselves, and may be heirs of grace: but for the most part, the poorest of all exclude themselves, and I know not how, the hand of God goeth out heavily against them.  
Leaving us an example, etc.] We must not set Christ before us, and consider him as a Mediator and Saviour only, 
Christ a pattern for our imitation.  but as a pattern and example to follow, and that a most perfect one; we must labour to imitate him, 
Matth. 11. 28.  and if we belong to him, we must walk as he walked; we must thus think with ourselves when we are about any thing, 
1 john 2. 6.  what would Christ Jesus do if he were in my clothes? So do thou and not otherwise; so do in thy calling, in patience, forbearance, etc. And in a doubtful case, ask what would Christ do in such a case? That may we know by the rule of the word, for accordingly would he do; this is a good image of Christ, better than Popish Pictures, and Crucifixes: Get we an image of Christ out of the Gospel, and accordingly live we thereby, 
2 Cor. 3. 18.  and be we more and more changed thereinto.   

Verse 22. Who did no sin, neither wus guile found in his mouth.  
THe example of Christ's sufferings is illustrated, 
An illustration of Christ's sufferings.  1. By his innocency. 2. By his admirable patience: Innocency, that he had no sin, no not so much as ever slipped in his tongue, and so was perfect: Now if he had no sin, suffered patiently, much more should we that are sinful Creatures, and do one way or other deserve a thousand times more than that we suffer: His admirable patience set forth by that he suffered, and his bearing the same sufferings in word and deed, where's showed both what he did not, and what he did: He requited not only not ill words, with ill deeds, but not the worst deeds that were done to him, with an ill word again, and he committed his cause to God, knowing that he knew what was to be done, and would judge righteously between him and them.  
Who did no sin, 
Christ was free from sin.  etc.] He had no Original sin, but was conceived by the holy Ghost; 
2 Cor. 5. 21.  The matter whereof he was framed, which he took of the Virgin was freed from all spot of sin, 
1 john 3. 5.  and filled with fullness of grace, yea from the first moment of his Conception, was united into one Person with the divine nature: So did the Angel declare to his Mother, 
Luke 1. 35.  That holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.  
1. Then he suffered not for his own sins, 
Use 1.  as they wickedly imagined that put him to death, 
Isa. 53. 4.  as was foretold, but from ours altogether, which should make us loathe ourselves, that put the innocent Son of God to such things, which we had justly deserved: Oh! How should we hate sin, and love God and Christ Jesus for ever and ever?  
But how could it stand with God's justice that he should suffer, 
Ob.  being every way innocent, and we which were guilty persons should go free?  
Christ was an able surety to die, and overcome death, and he was willing, 
R.  and the Father could not refuse one in our own nature to undertake for us to satisfy his justice, and free us.  
Here also we may see how we stand righteous before Almighty God, 
How the godly stand righteous before God.  though we be not perfectly righteous, though not at all till we be sanctified, and then but in part; How? even by the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and reckoned, and made ours by Faith, which is not an imaginary thing, as the Papists scoff at it, but a true and real righteousness: for as Christ was no sinner, yet was counted as a sinner, and being so accounted, bore the intolerable weight of our sins; so we by his righteousness imputed, stand verily and truly just before God, and shall be saved.  
2. This should teach us to labour for innocency of life: 
Use 2.  The more means we have, and the more show we make, we must be the more careful to walk warily, as they that have many observers; some that will be grieved if we do ill, and many, as the Devil and the wicked, that will rejoice: Let the forwardest Towns and persons take heed to themselves that they be innocent in their example; you may do much good this way, else much hurt, look to yourselves, you are watched; and that narrowly.  
3. If he suffered, 
Use 3.  and that patiently, who never offended God nor man, but was the most pure and innocent Son of God, how much more should we, who never suffer, but our hearts can tell us we have deserved the same, and ten thousand times more through our sins against God? we have small cause to be impatient, but must submit ourselves hereto; yea, we have not only sinned against God, and so deserved all evil, and that God should make us a Reproach, a Byword, a Scorn of men, and a Threshold for all to tread on, but we have sinned against our Magistrates, against our neighbours, yea against them that misuse us, whosoever they be, for want of reverencing them, praying for them, doing our duties to them, not carrying ourselves so innocently towards them, nor so wisely, patiently, & unblamably as we ought; so that though we deserve not to be thus dealt with for this that we are punished for, yet in many other things we do: Submit we ourselves therefore in all humbleness of mind and patience: What, are we sinful creatures too good to suffer, when as the Lord of all, and he that was the Son of God did yet suffer?   

Verse 23. Who when he was reviled, reviled not again, when he suffered, he threatened not, but committed himself, to him that judgeth righteously.  
HEre's our Saviors admirable patience, 
Christ's admirable patience in his sufferings.  both in what he did not, and what he did; being reviled (and called a Samaritan, a friend of Publicans and Sinners, a glutton, a wine bibber, yea, said, that he had a Devil, that he was a blasphemer, that he cast out Devils through Beelzebub the prince of Devils, that he was a deceiver, and an enemy to Caesar; being, I say, thus reviled, and his Enemies having shot such arrows of most vile, slanderous and cruel words against him, and such as might not only raze the skin, but pierce him to the very heart, yet) he reviled not again, he required them not like for like, thereby to be revenged of them. True it is, in his public Ministry, he told them plainly of their sins, and called them Blind guides and Hypocrites, and denounced Gods judgements against them, but that was from conscience of his duty, and of love to win them to repentance, if it might be, not upon spleen to revenge himself; as the Ministers of God may rebuke sin severely, and denounce Gods judgements against them that live thus and thus, and yet not out of any malice or ill will, but from an earnest desire of their amendment, and therefore they do wickedly that call that railing; yea, when they posted him from the place where they took him with swords and staves, 
Matth. 26. 57  & brought him to Caiphas the high Priest, 
Luke 22. 66.  and then led him into their counsel; and then when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the Governor; 
Matth. 27. 2.  & from him he was sent to Herod by whom being mocked and set at naught, 
Luk. 23. 7. 11.  he was sent again to Pilate; where he was mocked, smitten, scourged, and misused beyond all measure, yet when he thus suffered, he threatened not; He could have commanded fire (as Elias) to come down and consume them, or Legions of Angels to destroy them; He could also have served them as Corah and his Company were served, but he did patiently put up all.  
Here's a fit pattern for our imitation, 
Why we must not revenge.  we must take heed of revenge; The Heathens are accustomed hereunto, but Christians must not be like to them: 
Rom. 12.  This is often forbid; 
1 Thess. 4.  say not, I will do to him as he hath done to me, 
Prov. 20. 22.  give word for word, taunt for taunt, blow for blow, etc. 
Gal. 5. 20.  For 1. This is a work of the flesh. 2. God hath a hand in whatsoever is done against thee: 
Amos 3. 6.  Job acknowledged it, 
job 2. 10.  so David; To use revenge, 
2 Sam. 16. 10.  were to resist God, as the dog that bites the staff, would be willing to bite the man if he could; It's as if a Child should pull the rod out of his Father's hand, and break it before his face, What would we say of such a Child? The Magistrate indeed may take revenge for wrongs done us, we ourselves must not. 3. It were in vain to fight with the world with the world's weapons, they will be too hard for us; Prayers and patience are our proper wepons, whereby we shall be too hard for them. 4. Thus we hurt ourselves more than them; them a little in body, goods or name, ourselves a great deal in our souls, as the Bee, by stinging loses her own life; we have our wills a little, but the wrath of God withal, and that's dearly bought. 5. It proceeds of great weakness; If we had Spiritual strength, we would pass by great things: we do therefore but proclaim our own weakness, when we revenge. Moses, David, and others of God's dear servants, would not give way hereunto, especially, beyond all comparison, our Saviour Christ, who suffered so monstrous things of such base persons, and that so unjustly, as one that had never the least ill thought against God or man: 
French Academy, pag. 301. cap. 30.  O this aught to move us to great patience, yea of the Heathens themselves, there were not a few which were admirable in patience.  
This condemneth the monstrous practice of the world, 
Use.  that is set upon nothing but revenge, give taunt for taunt, blow for blow, etc. He is no body that will not revenge himself to the uttermost, from the least to the greatest: Much is spent this way in Law, only for men's wicked wills upon stomach and to revenge; Some profess, and are not ashamed to say, I'll be revenged on him, I'll not leave him worth a groat, I'll fit in his skirts once in the year, I'll be even with him; who, that they may have their will of a man, care not what they spend, though they have the curse of God withal; If they be told thereof, what's their defence? Had he not begun with me, he should have gone long enough before I would have wronged him, but seeing he hath thus done, I'll serve him as well: He is counted an honest man that doth not begin to wrong another, but he that doth but requite wrong with the like, O that's very reasonable, and it were no reason to require the contrary: Thus most have no ears to hear any persuasions to put up wrongs, a certain sign that they are fleshly, and that the Devil bears sway in their hearts.  
What? 
Obj.  Shall I put up abuses? then I shall be counted a fool.  
Not of God who bids thee so do, 
R.  nor of Angels, nor of good men, who count them wise that so do: He that is slow to wrath, is of great wisdom: For the contrary, none but fools and bad men will count you wise, neither are they fit Judges, yea, their dispraise is a praise: He is not strongest that can revenge, but that can up most and overcome himself; It's beastly power to subdue others, but Christians must subdue their own rebellious affections and lusts. But alas, even God's Servants, and they that have good things in them are yet greatly taken herein, as appears in their writings about matters in controversy; they break out into personal disgraces, and bitter invectives one against another, a very unseemly thing, me thinks, not savouring of the Spirit, but of the Fesh, yea the way to exasperate, and so to increase sin: The truth may be sufficiently maintained, and error gainsaid and confuted without such things: That Christians should be stirred one against another, that they should not bear one with another, that they should rip up one another's faults, that they should disgrace one another, that they should either fall flat out one with another into bitter terms, or biting them into worse purposes, not forget wrongs, true or seeming, for a great while: O this is wonderful, yea monstrous pride; where is love that suffereth long? and where is the example of our Saviour all this while? And where's our forgiving one another, as we would God should forgive us? This hinders not but that Magistrates may execute justice upon ill doers, so it be upon no private grudge; and that Parents and Masters may correct the faults of their Children and servants, so it be chiefly in regard of the sin against God, and for the good of the party: And a man may take the benefit of the Magistrate, if the matter be of weight, and cannot be well ended otherwise; yea, if he be set upon, and violence offered to him, he may be a Magistrate for himself, if he cannot shift off his enemies, and by defending himself he may be freed of the danger; and if he must needs wound or be wounded, kill or be killed, than no doubt its lawful rather to kill then be killed, and yet to be as free from revenge, as full of pity.  
But committed himself, etc.] Our Saviour would not revenge himself on his adversaries, as knowing that his Father was wise enough, and knew what to do to them, and being just, would also do right judgement. 
They that revenge themselves, call into question God's wisdom and justice.  Whence note, That  
They that revenge, think that God either is not wise enough, or just enough to requite the wrongs done them, or to determine of their cases; for if they so thought, they would leave it to him whose office it is, and who will do it to the purpose: He that revengeth, puts God out of his place, 
Deut. 32. 35.  and sits down therein; 
Psal 94. 1.  Should any having no Authority, 
Rom. 12. 19  Calling or fitness, intrude himself into the place or seat of a Temporal Judge, would he not be accounted a Fool or a Madman?  
Let us therefore beware of revenge, 
Use.  seeing it concludes so wickedly on our parts against God, and know we, that we do always provide best for ourselves, when we commend our cause to God, for he knows how, when and which way to defend his, and revenge them on their Enemies: 
Num. 26. 9, 10.  When Moses bore quietly the abuse of Corah and his company, how did God right his cause? The like may be said of david's, 
1 King. 2. 24.  in respect of the wrongs done by Saul and Shimei: If we revenge ourselves, we turn God's revenge against ourselves, and as we become partners with them that have wronged us in sin, so shall we in punishment.  
To him that judgeth righteously.] 
God is a righteous judge.  God is the Judge of the world, he daily judgeth, and hath especially prepared one day wherein he will judge the world, 
Acts 17. 31.  and give every one according to that they have done: His judgements are always righteous, as between Moses and Corah, yea, Moses and Miriam, David and Saul, Ahab and Naboth, etc. they committed their cause unto God, who accordingly righted them; so did he right Hezekiah on Senacherib, Peter on Herod, the Holy Martyrs on their bloody persecuters: Thus doth God revenge himself of the wicked enemies of Gods faithful Ministers; and thus for our weakness, he keeps as it were petty Sessions, but this is nothing to that he will do: He reacheth out his hand as it were from behind a Curtain, and gives now one, now another of his Enemies a rap, thereby to relieve our weakness, and strengthen us, and to curb the wicked that they be not too outrageous; but here's a day coming wherein he will throughly judge between his servants and their enemies: Things seem to go crooked now, when the wicked tread under foot the poor Saints like clay in the streets, and insult over them; but as a Turner or joiner with crooked tools will make strait and even work, so hereby in God's wise providence is set forth, as well the constancy of his Saints, as the malice of their Enemies, the one being thus prepared to glory, the other to Destruction, both which shall evidently appear on the great day.  
O how notably may this comfort God's servants, 
Use.  and make them patient in their sufferings? 
jam. 5. 6, 7.  And how may this terrify the wicked, that dare meddle with any that belong unto God? 
Prov. 22. 23.  He that defendeth them is mighty, and he will spoil the soul of them that spoil them.   

Verse 24. Who his own self bore our sins in his own body on the tree, that we being dead to sin, should live unto righteonsness, by whose stripes ye were healed.  
OUr Apostle having had occasion to speak of the passion of our Saviour Christ, 
Christ's passion set out by the ends thereof.  thought it too bare to have spoken of it, as an example to move us to suffer, and that patiently, but continues his speech of it, and sets it out by the ends thereof, and the many benefits that come to us thereby: 1. That we be thereby delivered from our sin, and the punishment thereof. 2. Enabled to die unto sin, that we might live unto righteousness: Having fallen into this argument, he sticks in it, and cannot easily get out, but is like a friend that holds his friend long by the hand, being loath to part with him.  
Who] Even Christ himself, 
Heb. 1. 2, 3.  the Son of God, Lord of Angels and of the whole world.  
His own self] In his own person, not by a Deputy, without any help in the business.  
Bore] That is, suffered the intolerable and infinite wait of God's wrath due to our sins, bore our sins, and all that was due to them, which would have swallowed up men and Angels.  
Our sins] Even the sins of the Elect, all of them, and the punishment of the same.  
In his own body] Not but that he suffered in soul, and therein his chiefest sufferings were, but because he speaks of his putting to death, the cruel usage of his body was evident.  
On the tree,] Namely, the Cross, which death he died by the especial providence of God being that kind of death, 
Deut. 21. 23.  which God had pronounced accursed; and so fittest for our Saviour Christ to endure, that he might bear what we had deserved, which was to become accursed, that we might escape the curse which we had deserved, by the breach of the Law: 
Gal. 3. 10.  For, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law, to do them: The foregoing words set forth the passion of Christ. The following,  
That we being dead unto sin, etc.] The fruits that come to us thereby.  
As a child that hath a piece of Sugar in his mouth, is loath to let it go down, but would keep the sweetness still; so doth our Apostle by the Doctrine of Christ's passion, so sweet, comfortable, useful, & admirable, he cannot get out of it, but doth as it were dwell on it, which teacheth us not to be weary in meditating hereon, 
We must not be weary in meditating on Christ's passion, and hearing thereof.  or hearing hereof: it should be still fresh and new to us, as the song of the Saints and Angels, though the same, yet is ever new: The Angels themselves desire to see further into this mystery of God's love to his Church in giving his Son; They saw somewhat by the Prophets, 
1 Pet. 1. 12.  some more when he was come, especially when crucified, and risen again from the dead, but most of all, when they saw the Gentiles called, and the Gospel Preached so plainly by the Apostles; yet it's said, They be not satisfied, but stooping down as it were, they pray and desire to see more, yet is the benefit more to us then unto them, and therefore how much more unwearied should we be? Herewith our Apostle was so taken, as that he desired to know nothing else but Christ crucified, 
Phil. 8. 9  and esteemed all privileges and advantages that he had of being a Pharisee, an Hebrew, etc. as dung in comparison of Christ: The Israelites were often told by the Prophets of their deliverance out of Egypt, how much more should we be content to hear of our deliverance through Christ, whereof that was but a small resemblance and type? But alas, how quickly are we weary of this argument? Because we have heard often of it, it's now stale, and people have no more mind to hear it, than the Israelites could be contented with the Manna which God allowed them, but lusted after other Food: As they that go to Sea, think it strange, and for a day or two admire the wonderful works of God, but afterward cease therefrom; so do we in this matter, though most sweet, comfortable, admirable, and of daily use to make us grow in hatred of sin, and love of God, and would also be a spur to our dulness.  
But to come to the passion itself; 
A brief of the sufferings of Christ, set down at large by the Evangelists.  It's usually referred to that he suffered on the Cross, as here, because that was a great part, and the most visible to all, and the end of all; but there were also infinite sufferings before and besides his death: His whole life was a continual suffering, from his birth to his death, from the Manger to the Cross, all full of Crosses: His abasement to take our nature was much, and to become subject to all our infirmities, sin only excepted, and to be in a poor condition, persecuted as soon as born, living obscurely with his Parents till about thirty years old, in the exercise (as is supposed) of a mean Trade, strange abasement for the Son of God; as soon as he entered into his Office and was baptised, the Devil set sore on him: After this as a recompense to his continual toil and travel for men's Souls and Bodies, he was not only content to live in a mean condition without any House of his own, etc. but he was so vilely railed on and slandered (as is set down in the foregoing Verse) as none have been more, or so much, yea, as sometimes in policy they sought to entrap him, so at other times they laid wait, and used means to kill him; At last, they plotted by one of his own Disciples to take away his life, as burning with an irreconcilable hatred against him: 
See Luke 12. 50.  But ere he was betrayed, 
john 13. 27.  he entered upon his sufferings in a most grievous manner, yea no doubt even before he thought thereof at sundry times, which did not a little trouble and perplex him; as a woman thinking sometimes of the pains of her travel before they come, is set on a sweat, and quakes for fear thereof: But after he had finished the Passover, and instituted the Supper, he knowing that the time of his death approached, went into the Mount of Olives, and there entered into his most bitter Passion, taking with him Peter, James and John, the beholders of his transfiguration and glory, and therefore the fitter to behold his abasement; but alas, pitying them, he left them, only giving them a charge to watch and pray, and went from them a stones cast, for they were not able to behold his agony, nor hear the grievous dolour that he could not but make, and then began his pains as of a woman in travel, save that they were a thousand times greater, he fell on his face grovelling, and cried out, His soul was heavy unto the death, and was in such an agony that he shed drops of blood (a thing never heard of) and that through the extreme force of his pain: O it was the intolerable weight of his Father's wrath due for all our vile sins, which was so grievous, as it made him pray to his Father for help, and to remove that cup, if it might be; which was but the frailty of his humane Nature, without sin, desiring help, feeling itself almost swallowed up, and having that which would not only have taken away the bodily life of all men, if it had been on them, but even have sunk them for ever. Thus he went too and fro to his Disciples three times (they being in the mean time asleep) and here in the Mount drunk three draughts (as we may say) of this most bitter cup of his Father's wrath, which was infinitely beyond all torment his body was or could be put to: Then comes his betraying, treacherously betrayed of one of his own Family, whom he had used kindly; thence carried away with clubs and staves, as a Malefactor, unto Annas and Caiphas, where he was in the high Priests Hall all night misused in most shameful manner, some smiting him, others spitting on him; and because he said he was a King, they pulled off his clothes, and arrayed him in purple, and crowned him with thorns; and because he was counted a Prophet, having blindfolded him, and smitten him, they bid him prophesy who had hit him: But because they have not the power of death in their own hands, they make use of the secular power, laying many things to his charge, and arraigning him at the Bar as a guilty person, a mover of Sedition, one that denied to pay tribute to Caesar, and who said he was a King: But Pilate seeking to rid his hands of him, because he saw it was nothing but the malice of the Priests, sends him to Herod, who, as if he had been some Juggler to play feats, was glad to see him; whereof failing, he and his followers misused him notably at their pleasures, and sent him to Pilate again.  
Before him he was again arraigned, and Barrabas preferred unto him, the Jews in the mean time crying out against him, that he might be crucified: Then was he condemned to be scourged, to be carried away and crucified, was made bear his own Cross, till he could bear it no longer; then were his hands and his feet nailed thereto, himself hanging between to Thiefs, many in the mean time mocking him (as did one of the Thiefs also) and wagging their heads at him, he being as a But for all to shoot at, and a common Mark for every man's wicked tongue to aim at; On the Cross he was about three hours: All this while besides bodily pains which could not but be grievous, he had again a most bitter cup given him to drink, and he had it poured in so fast, and such load laid on him, as that he cried out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Though God did secretly sustain him, yet his Humane frailty felt himself almost overcome and gone: Oh! it must needs be so, for it was that wrath we should have suffered in Hell, though not with the same quality that the wicked feel Hell pains, namely, with being utterly forsaken of God, and despairing and blaspheming on their parts: Oh, this was most grievous, that the Son should have the Father's wrath poured out upon him! Oh, it was more than all the pains that were ever upon all men together in this world: And from the sixth to the ninth hour the Sun was darkened, and our Saviour all that while abode in a most grievous perplexity, during which time he uttered but seven Sentences, and in this while he drunk up this bitter Cup to the very bottom, dregs and all: Then he gave up the ghost, and died, was buried, and held under death for a space. Behold a little poor draught of the lamentable Sufferings of our Saviour Christ; to express it as it was fully, no tongue of man or Angel is able: And all these things he endured for our sakes, and for our sins, for he had none of his own. They were our sins that brought all this upon him, and had it not been for this, we had all been damned for ever, as the evil Angels that fell, of whom none shall be saved: He was arraigned before the Bar of an earthly Judge, that we might not be arraigned before God's Tribunal Seat; He was condemned, that we might be absolved; He was mocked and spitted on, that we might escape shame here, and confusion of faces hereafter; He was scourged, that we might escape the stripes of God's vengeance; He died, that we might live; died a cursed death, that we might scape the curse and be blessed: and thus he had the smart, and we the benefit; our sins the cause of all his sorrow, and his sorrow the mean of all our welfare; for by this means we are discharged, our Surety hath paid every farthing: Neither could there be any other course taken with our sins, but that a death must be suffered; for God's Justice had pronounced Death the punishment of it, and so required it: He could not remit our sin, but upon a satisfaction; therefore they that look for Salvation any other way, or by their good meaning, good Prayers, good serving God, etc. shall miss thereof, for none but by a payment paid, and death and infinite wrath suffered, can enter into Heaven: No other person or persons could have undergone this; all men were in our case, none able to help himself, much less others; all unable to suffer, and to overcome the least part of this wrath. And for Angels, alas, it was far beyond their power, for it was an infinite wrath that we had deserved, by sinning against an infinite God, but their power is finite. This also was a sufficient satisfaction, being performed by the Son of God; it was more that he should suffer one moment, than all men and Angels for ever and ever: He like a rich Creditor paid that in a few hours, that we poor Creatures could never have overcome; and though the time of his Passion was but short, and that in respect of the dignity of his person, and for that he was enabled through his Godhead to perform this great work in so short a space, yet he suffered so much in that short time, as would have held us work, and kept us under for ever and ever.  
1. This sets out the ugliness of sin, 
Use 1.  and that most woeful case wherein we had plunged ourselves by our sins, that if God had not put forth all his wisdom, as we may so say, we must all have perished.  
2. This setteth forth the most unspeakable love of God and of Jesus Christ towards us vile wretches: 
Use 2.  That Christ should abase himself so low, 
joh. 3. 16.  to all that he suffered in body, in soul, from men, from his Father especially, and for us Rebels his enemies, who had no need of us, nay, might have been glorified in our destruction, O the infinite depth of his love! And doth not this call for wonderful and unspeakable love and affection from us to God again, to do and suffer whatsoever he shall at any time require of us, to serve him night and day, on hands and knees, with the whole might both of body and soul (not a thought being out of his Service) yea, if it were to die every day for him? 
Psal. 116. 12.  Should we not say with David, What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits? this above all others? Oh! it rebukes our cold serving him, which will scarce lay down our lusts at his request, who yet laid down his life for us, our proud lusts, revenging lusts, covetous and worldly lusts, unclean lusts, etc. O fearful unthankfulness! And how hardly are we brought to do duties? No forwardness therein, negligence every way; and when we do them, how cold and careless are we? O lamentable! Is a cold drowsy service suitable to such a love as this? we may be even ashamed herein: And for suffering, alas, we have no will, no not to endure a mock, a frown of a great person; we will make friendship with the world, rather than to endure the least disgrace; we will forbear many duties, nay, to keep company with God's servants, only lest we should be counted Puritan; How shall we then be able to go to Prison and death for the cause of Christ?  
3. To all that mourn in Zion, 
Use 3.  to all that are heavy laden, hungering after Christ Jesus, and willing to take up his yoke, and to all other Believers, this is matter of most unspeakable consolation: Their sins be gone, and all the punishment due to them; no punishment shall befall them here (as on the ungodly) no wrath or condemnation hereafter: Their afflictions are merciful corrections to further their Salvation; To them death is no death, but a passage to life, that whereupon their Souls are received into Heaven, their bodies committed to the earth, both which at the Resurrection shall be joyfully reunited; O how should we walk worthy of this in all holiness and honesty! But to all that shall not have part in Christ, there remains unspeakable misery, it had been good for them they had never been born; they must bear their own burden, and sink to Hell, there to be for ever and ever: This will be the portion of most, because so few receive Christ, so few are humbled, so many through pride and profaneness refuse to be guided by him; O how few will cast away their lusts, and yield up themselves to be ruled by him and his Word! It will be most woeful to the Turks, Jews and Pagans, that shall perish without Christ; but yet of all others, their judgement will be most fearful, which have had him preached daily, and by the Ministers of God have been so often besought to embrace him, and yet have despised him, would none of him; Oh, it will increase their torment, to consider that they had offer of Christ, and many believed in him, and were converted by the same Sermons, whereat they themselves were no whit moved: O this will fret hearts! O le's consider this, we that live in this happy time! One would think every man should receive and embrace Christ Jesus, but alas, how few do this? for them that do not, it will be their undoing: O give no rest unto yourselves, till you can get a discharge in and by Christ, confess, bewail, crave pardon, cry to God, and resolve to turn to him: The water is now stirring, step into this Pool of Bethesda. 
john 5.   
4. This condemneth all false ways for Salvation, 
Use 4.  for other than Christ never was any, neither is or shall be; therefore all that reject him, as Jews and Turks, or embrace him only to halves, as the Papists, are in a fearful case, as all among ourselves that trust to any thing else besides him.  
That we being dead to sin, etc.] Another main end of Christ's death, and another great benefit redounding unto us thereby, namely, That he died for us, not only to free us from sins, and wrath, and damnation deserved thereby, but also to kill sins in us, to deliver us from the power thereof, and to dissolve the works of the Devil in us, that being dead unto sin, we might live unto righteousness: Of the words, first in general, then in particular.  
In general note we thus much, that  
For whomsoever Christ died, 
For whomsoever Christ died, he died to kill sin in them.  he died to kill sin in them, for he died not to free us of half our misery, and leave us in the other half; nor to be at a great deal of cost with us and for us, and yet leave us in a case fit to do him no service (as if one should ransom a man out of the Turks galleys, and leave him in the midway) but hath done all this, that we might be fit to do him service, thereupon giving us his Word and Spirit to humble us, and so to change us, that sin may be mortified in us, 
1 Cor. 1. 30.  and we made live: He is not only made of God unto us Redemption, but also our Sanctification; as he hath redeemed us, 
Tit. 2. 14.  so hath he purged us to be a peculiar people unto himself: Christ affords both, 
See 1 Cor. 6. 20.  and from him we may as well look for the one as the other; 
2 Cor. 5. 15.  yea, whosoever hath indeed his part in the one, cannot be without the other, 
Luke 1. 74.  and in token of our thankfulness, we ought to labour by all means to show forth this latter. 
Eph. 5. 25.   
1. This confutes that wicked slander of the Church of Rome: 
Use 1.  We talk (say they) that we must be saved by Christ's death, and by Faith in him only, and not by any thing we can do, and therefore that we set men at liberty to do what they list, and open a gap to all licentiousness; but as the Gospel is not a Doctrine of liberty, so neither do we by preaching give way unto licentiousness: 
See Rom. 3. 31.  The Gospel requires as strict obedience as the Law doth, to every of God's Commandments (though not in extremity) neither freeth it us from any duty to God or men, yea teacheth us, That denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, 
Tit. 2. 12.  righteously and godly in this present world, and that none have nor can have part in Christ, 
Eph. 2. 10.  which give not themselves to good works.  
2. This setteth forth the wonderful goodness of Christ Jesus, 
Use 2.  that hath not only freed us from God's wrath, and the punishment of our sins (which is unspeakable goodness) but hath appointed to give us his Spirit to free us from sin (for if we should all our life here have lived after our own lusts, or under the power of Satan, what a base and woeful life had this been?) that we might both in heart and body serve him in the works of holiness, and a godly life.  
3. This condemneth all those that lay claim to the death of Christ, 
Use 3.  and yet live in their sins, and old lusts: Numbers in these days have got this by the end, They hope to be saved by Jesus Christ; They be no Papists, that look to be saved by their works, but they believe in Jesus Christ with all their hearts, and yet they are not washed from their old filthiness, but abide still in security in all or some of their lusts: But let such know, they speak impossible things, God hath joined these two ends of Christ's death, and they divide them, yea blasphemous things, that Christ died to set men at liberty to live as they list: O woeful wretches, that can say, They hope to be saved by Christ, and that he died for them, and yet can follow every vain pleasure and wicked lust, to redeem them from which, it cost even the blood of Christ (more worth than a thousand worlds) what is this, but to set light by Christ's death, which none can do, who hath his part therein? yea, what is it but to crucify him again, and to make a mock of his death? what beastly unthankfulness is it, for any to say Christ died for me, 
Acts 15. 9  and yet to live in sin? nay, whosoever have faith to believe their pardon in Christ, 
1 john 3. 3.  it purifieth their hearts, and the assurance of such a love to us, must needs work love again in us, and that love will constrain us, yet who useth not this shift? who flieth not hereunto, as Joab unto the horns of the Altar? 
1 Kings 2. 28, 34.  but as there he found no shelter from the Sword of Benaiah, so they that fly to Christ as their refuge, having nothing to do with him, they shall be cut off, and cast down into Hell for ever: O that the death of Christ, which ought to be the greatest corrasive to eat out sin out of our hearts (as which cost such a wonderful price) should be made a bo●ster for sin! As beggars go with their licences boldly from place to place, so do worldlings sin boldly, because they can say, O they believe in Jesus Christ, and he hath died for them, etc. but as most of their licences being found counterfeit, and made under a Bush, are taken from them, and they themselves cast into Prison; So when God shall come to examine those, this shall not free them or serve their turn, but they shall be cast into utter darkness. If you live in your lusts, or have the love of any one ●in in you, as yet ye have no part in Christ's death.  
4. This may be a great comfort to those that can find and feel sin dying in them, 
Use 4.  and themselves dead to all sin, and the love of any one, and that they are renewed to live the life of God, and yield obedience to all his Commandments: Though this be not as they would, yet if their hearts can bear witness with them that this in truth, let them be assured they have their part in Christ's death. Having their part in the latter benefit thereof, it's an argument of the former; For how come they to be now so changed into an hatred of all the sins, which before they loved, and such a true and earnest care to please God? 
Rom. 8. 1.  Flesh and blood hath not so taught them, but God's Spirit, and that's an argument we are his, even his Spirit that he hath given us.  
But many that would not willingly offend God for any thing, and having failed in the least thing, are more troubled than most be at great matters, yea, and study and strive for nothing so much as to please God, yet cannot be persuaded that Christ died for them.  
Oh! 
Obj.  I fear that Christ died not for me, will such a one say, because I feel such a corrupt and rebellious nature within me, and I am often overcome of sin and Satan.  
It's not the mark of such as Christ died for, 
R.  that they are freed from sin altogether, but that they hate all sin, that they resist it, and often prevail against the same; whereof if at any time they be overcome, yet they rise again by unfeigned repentance, and stand up upon their watch; for in the best of God's Servants, there will some of the Canaanilist brood remain, as pricks in our sides, but so long as we keep them Tributaries, we must not be discouraged; though our corruptions sally out upon us sometimes, yet if we make war upon them, and chase them home, and so weaken them, they shall not prevail over us: The Church is not in this world without spot, except it be by imputation of Christ's righteousness, 
Phil. 5. 25.  for in respect of Sanctification, it's but begun to be cleansed, and shall be perfected in the world to come. Thus in general.  
In particular, 
The two parts of Repentance  the two clauses here mentioned, contain the two parts of Repentance, or Sanctification, namely, Mortification and Vivification, or dying unto sin, and living unto righteousness.  
Dead unto sin▪] It's the duty of every Christian in token of his thankfulness to God that hath delivered him from this most woeful state, 
Christian's must endeavour to mortify their lusts.  to set himself to mortify his lusts, and all manner of evil, and that every day more and more: Though we cannot be dead to sin at once (it being a work of our whole life) yet must we be dead to the love of all sin, open or secret, outward or inward, and so die daily; as Christ died, so should we labour, and be more and more dead to our lusts; as he was crucified, so should we crucify them, etc. And can we live in sin, that cost the price of the blood of Christ? Who would not abhor and cast from him the knife that killed his dearest friend? Thus did sin to our Saviour Christ, it was that which brought him to his death.  
1. The thing then that best beseems a Christian, 
Use 1.  is to mortify his vile lusts, to find them out, to hate and pursue them to the death, to apply all means to the weakening and killing thereof, ever hacking at the roots thereof, by continual Prayer and Meditation, applying the Word, Mercies, Corrections, all to the throat of our Corruptions; for as nothing is more unbeseeming a Christian, then to be carried away of any lust, so this should be our continual exercise, to be continually weakening our Corruptions. This is true Religion, it stands not in hearing Sermons, but in mortifying our lusts, and bringing our rebellious hearts in subjection to the will of God. And as we are to labour for the subduing of all, so are we especially of our strongest corruptions, that have most foiled us, most broke our peace, most dishonoured God, and have been of worst example.  
2. This rebuketh a wonderful fault in most Christians, 
Use 2.  that howsoever they have general purposes to resist sin and to do well, yet think that they are not continually to labour for the mortifying thereof; wherein failing, they do sometimes yield and give way to their lusts to break out into open evils, vain speeches, slight oaths, worldly talking on the Lord's day, gaming, and the like: So for their inward lusts of pride, covetousness, frowardness, security, dulness to duties, unbelief, coldness and customariness in the service of God; Alas, these they look not after, but almost lay the reign on the neck of them, so that if they reign not in them, yet they break out at every turn, and are very rank in them, and show forth themselves grossly to God's dishonour, their own discomfort, and the continual breach of their peace, with much evil example to others. 
Gal. 5. 24.  As we would prove ourselves Christ's, let us labour to crucify the flesh, with the affections and lusts thereof; let us deal with our sins, as the Jews dealt with Christ, kill them, bury them, lay a great stone upon them, set a watch over them.  
Should live unto righteousness.] 
As we must be dead unto sin, so must we be alive unto God.  It's not enough to be dead to sin, but we must be alive to God, and to his Commandments in doing all good. By righteousness is meant, the whole duty of man in all godliness, throughout his whole conversation to God and Men: When it's joined with holiness, 
See Luk. 1. 75.  than it stands for the duties of the second Table, 
Tit. 2. 12.  but alone, it stands for all, as in that of the Apostle, Being then made free from sin, 
Rom. 6. 18.  ye became the servants of righteousness; and to this end hath Christ died for us, even that we should not live after the lusts of the flesh, but after the will of God, serving him in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life: And what should we else do? how else express our thankfulness? we aught to be exceeding thankful, even for earthly benefits, how much more for this, Christ dying for us? O happy change! We that were sometimes the slaves of sin, and drudges of Satan, doing base work for woeful wages, are now become the Servants of God, employed in holy works, whereof here the fruits are, peace of Conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost, and the end everlasting life.  
We ought therefore to give ourselves to an holy life in all things, 
Use.  showing hereby whose we are, and to whom we belong, as it's said of the Merindolians, That they were known by their godly behaviour, wheresoever they became. It was a custom among the Romans, that every one should carry some note of his Trade or Profession as he went in the streets, a Carpenter his Rule, a Tailor his Yard or Measure, etc. So ought we to carry a badge of our Profession every where about us, whether we go to Church, be at home in our Families, go to Market, to our Shops, or Workfolks, etc. even holiness throughout our whole conversation. In prosperity we must show forth sobriety; in adversity, patience; at all times the fruits of love, faithfulness, uprightness, etc. Are we in company? our speeches must be gracious and godly; 
Luke 1. 75.  if alone, holy and heavenly minded: And this we ought not to do a little by fits in a good mood, and when we list, but we must walk in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life; we must be continually ready to every good work, we must be a peculiar people, 
Tit. 2. 14.  zealous of good works: If these things be in us, and abound, great profit will redound unto us, and hereunto must we employ all our endeavours.  
By whose stripes ye were healed.] Now he returns again to Servants, applying the benefit of Christ to them. By stripes, or wales of the stripes, he means not only the stripes he had of men, but all his sufferings; he useth the word stripes, in respect of Servants, because they suffered stripes of their Masters, and that for their especial comfort, as who did not suffer alone, and whose stripes were healed through the stripes which Christ suffered.  
All that Christ suffered for us, 
All that Christ suffered was for our profit.  was wholesome and saving, his shame, our glory; his condemnation, our absolution; his curse, our blessing; his strokes, our peace; his death, our life. The most grievous stripes that he suffered, have healed the most ugly and deadly sores of our sins, which otherwise had been incurable: We ought therefore to be content to suffer some stripes for him and for his sake, and for the profession of his Name; he was mocked and reviled for us, may not we then be content to suffer the like for him? What are we to him? He became poor, to make us rich; if we be cut short for his sake, shall we not endure it? Dost thou suffer any thing for Christ? bear the same patiently; and great reason, Christ suffered much for thee. 
Christ died even for poor servants.   
Note further, that Christ died even for poor Servants, and that therefore the meanest are to labour after their part in Christ (and yet who are more negligent than the poor are for the most part?) and those poor that have their part in him, are to be highly thankful, and bear their outward wants patiently, and think that God hath dealt wonderfully for them, having passed by so many great, wise and learned ones.  
In the words also these particulars are implied,  
1. That sin is a wound or disease; 
Sin is a disease.  as a disease weakens the body, so doth sin every faculty of the soul: As the former also brings deformity on the body, causeth pain, and thereupon followeth death, so doth the latter on the soul.  
2. That our bodies are subject to many sicknesses, 
Our bodies are subject to many sicknesses.  and the diseases thereof are oftentimes very grievous; and if those be such, what are the diseases and pains of the soul? the one may put us in mind of the other.  
3. That Christ is our Physician, 
Christ is our Physician.  both for body and soul; He hath both skill, will, compassion, healeth us freely, and is ever near us; he hath by his Passion purchased all good for us; he wrought many cures and miracles in the days of his flesh, now he worketh by means, and his blessing thereon.  
4. That sin is hateful to God, 
Sin hateful to God.  as for which Christ suffered stripes.  
Seek we therefore help in Christ, 
Use.  we are sick of many diseases, we cannot help ourselves by any Medicine we can devise, Christ only can cure us: This Faith apprehends, for that the wounding of one should heal another, is above Nature. Oh! how will men being sick in body bestir themselves, that they may be cured; but being inwardly diseased through sin, how slack are they? how do they defer it to the last, when it's too late? There be but certain seasons to be cured in, as the man at the Pool of Bethesda observed; miss we not our opportunity, 
How we may speed in our suits to Christ.  lest we perish altogether. And that we may speed at the hands of this our Physician, 1. We must feel our disease, and be humbled, confess also and bewail the same to him. 2. Earnestly beg of him to heal us. 3. Hurt ourselves no more as near as we can. 4. Believe he will heal us. 5. Suffer the words of Exhortation, the preaching of the Word being the means to cure our sinful Nature. 6. Take heed of dawbers, that cry Peace, peace. 7. Take heed of all false cures, as by ourselves, Masses, Pilgrimages, Indulgencies, etc. 8. Abide the Lords leisure in the use of the means, though we should be cured by threatenings of the Word, or by afflictions; yea, being once cured, do we acknowledge the same to his glory, and be we thankful; 
Psal. 103. 3.  for it's he alone that hath satisfied for our sins, he alone through whom our sinful Nature is cured.   

Verse 25. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the great Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.  
THese words are a confirmation of those immediately going before, that they were healed by Christ, by comparing their former state wherein they were, with their present state: They were once in a poor case, in a piteous taking, in a miserable and dangerous case; but now through God's mercy they were come home to Christ, who most carefully did and would protect them to their Salvation: Before they came to Christ, their case was woeful and dangerous (as is the state of all unregenerate persons) but now having taken hold of Christ, their condition was safe & happy, as it's with all believers and penitent persons.  
For ye were as sheep going astray;] Speak we first of the miserable state of all unregenerate men, of all men without Christ, they are as sheep going astray.  
1. Every Natural man is like a beast, 
Every natural man is like a beast.  who is therefore in Scripture compared to several sorts of beasts, for one ill quality or another; as to Dogs, 
Psa. 22. 12, 13, 16, 20.  for their malicious barking and biting at them they live with; to Wolves, for their greedy devouring of the poor; to Lions, for their cruel tyranny; 
Psal. 32. 9  to fat fat Bulls, for their proud abuse of their prosperity; to Hogs, for their rude and unreverent base esteeming of Spiritual things, 
Isa. 1. 3.  as the Word and Sacraments, and Gods Ministers; to Foxes (as Herod) for their craft; 
jer. 8. 7.  so to Horses and Mules, for their ignorance and unruliness; 
Prov. 6. 6.  yea, sometimes the beasts are preferred before them to shame them, and sometimes they are sent to school to them: nay, all God's Creatures are more serviceable than Man, they obey God in their kind, and abide in their first estate; the Sun, Moon and Stars obey God in their courses, the huge Sea rageth, and is calm at his bidding; if he command it to stand as a wall, it doth so, to let Israel go through, and will return again upon the same warrant and drown Pharaoh; if God bid the Whale swallow Jonah, and cast him up again, it obeys him in both; if he forbid the Lions to touch Daniel, they stir not, though very hungry, as the fire did not burn the three Children, etc. But man, that should be best of all, and for whom all were made, as he for God, yet walk stubbornly and rebelliously, omitting what's required of him, and doing what's again and again prohibited: therefore God calls all Creatures to witness against man; 
Isa. 1. 2.  yea, they are many times to set themselves against us (as when the heavens become as brass, 
Deut. 32. 1.  and the earth as iron, etc.) and to groan because of us, as being weary of doing any further service to such as we are.  
O how ought this to humble all that be such, 
Use.  that know no mark of conversion or change in themselves from their unregenerate condition, small cause hast thou to be proud; the Horse thou ride on is far better than thou art, it doth that for which God did ordain it, but thou dost not that which the Lord requireth of thee; nay the Dog that keeps thy Yard, and ears bones under thy table is in a better case than thou art, its serves God in its kind, thou never didst any thing that God set thee here for.  
O humble thyself before God, 
Isa. 11. 6. 7, etc.  & crave of him to work an alteration in thee, for he only can do it, and that by the Ministry of his word: Thus can he bring it to pass, delivering thee from thy brutish nature, & turning thee into a Christian man, renewing in thee his image, and working of grace, that so thou mayest serve him in a better manner than other creatures either do or can do; so shalt thou be more happy than they, for they as they have no pain, so they shall have no glory, but thou shalt go from hence to everlasting glory in the Kingdom of Heaven.  
But as for all that continue in their Rebellion, as they are worse than beasts in their life, so shall they be in their end, for their death is but a beginning to eternal misery: O how happy were it for every man that shall die in his sins, if he were turned this day into a Dog or Toad, and no further account to be taken of him!  
2. As a Sheep that wandereth is out of his way, 
Every unregenerate man is out of his way.  so is every natural and unregenerate man quite out of his way, out of the way to Peace and Happiness: 
Isa. 53. 6.  We were created in the right way, but in Adam all went astray; 
Rom. 3. 12.  we have no mind but of wandering and roaming further and further the longer we live, till God take us into the right way; so that whosoever dies in the way he was born in, and lived in first, must needs perish; it's the way of ignorance, of sin, the broad way to destruction: Some go out of the way by ignorance, some by superstition, some by profaneness, by hypocrisy, by trusting to civility, etc. naturally we do all go from God and Peace, to Hell and the Devil. Abraham was out of his way whilst he was an Idolater, 
Psal. 58. 3.  so Paul whilst he was a Persecutor: The wicked they go astray even from the womb, they wander from every good work, and do nothing well or pleasing to God: They delight to wander and take pleasure in their sins; yea, that they thus wander, may appear by these signs, 
Reasons.  They refuse instruction and reproof, whether public or private, whereas the regenerate account those to love them indeed which tell them of their faults; they live even in known sins, they are altogether for the world, having no communion with God in holy duties; they have no love to good company, but associate themselves with others like themselves, and of their own stamp: If they do good duties, 
How they come to be misled.  it's for sinister respects, not out of conscience: Thus the Devil misleads some; Antichrist seduceth thousands by false Doctrine and miracles, as wicked Ministers by seldom or erroneous teaching and bad lives: So is the world a great deceiver by bad examples, by false reports of the servants of God, and by the profits and pleasures thereof; yea, a man's own heart is a great deceiver, as whereby many think they are in the way to Heaven, when they be in the way to destruction: Ignorance also of the Scriptures is a great cause of being deceived; Ye err (saith our Saviour) not knowing the Scriptures; nay, God in justice gives some over to believe lies, as Ahab was seduced by false Prophets to his destruction: 
Psal. 95. 11.  they may provoke God so long by their wandering, that he will never reclaim or bring them home, but swear in his wrath, they shall never enter into his rest; they may despise the means so long, as no Sermon shall do them good: These are in a fearful state, marked to destruction, as Trees to be felled.  
This also should humble men (for what are they but straggling creatures?) and make them desire to get into the right way: But how few will take knowledge they be out of their way, thinking still their case to be good enough, 
● jer. 8. 6.  as the Lord complained by Jeremiah, I harkened and heard, but none spoke aright, no man repent him of his wickedness, saying, 
Prov. 14. 12.  What have I done? etc. There's a way that seemeth good in a man's eyes, but the issues thereof are the issues of death: To those whom God means to save, he sends his Word and Spirit, and so opens their eyes to see that they be out of their way, and that not only profane persons, but also some hypocrites, that have contented themselves with some common things, as Herod did, and sometimes civil persons, that thought their state very good, that God opens their eyes to see it to be woeful, and make them hasten out of it, saying as those in the Acts, What shall we do to be saved? 
Acts 2. 37, & 26, 18.  we find we are in the way to damnation; but most men will not be persuaded of this, but go on with a liking of their way, though it be to their destruction: To this end Ministers must preach the Law, and show men that be out of their way, & people must take out this lesson; and this is the first, till this be, nothing is.  
3. As the sheep is most subject to wander, 
No natural man can of himself come home to God.  but of all Creatures hath least wisdom to find the way home again; so no natural man can come home to God alone: we can go further and further from God, but to come home one step we cannot; we are blind and cannot see a step of the way, have no mind but to wander, All the thoughts of man's heart are only evil continually, 
john 6. 44.  & we cannot think a good thought; No man can come to me (saith our Saviour) except the Father draw him.  
If any be come home to God from his wand'ring state, 
Use.  let him give all the glory to God, and know, that there was no difference between them and those that yet wander, if God had not sought them, and as it were fetched them home on his shoulders; if God had not thus done for us, we had wandered to this hour, yea to our dying day, as well as others, therefore wonder and praise God: And for those that yet wander, let them not bless themselves, as if they could turn to God when they list, as many think, Oh, they will cry God a mercy at their end, etc. but while you have life and time with the means, entreat God to bless the means from Heaven to be mighty, to open your eyes, and to bring you home from straying, into the way that leadeth into eternal life.  
4. As the sheep that is wandered is in manifold dangers, 
The natural man is in continual danger.  so and much more certainly is every natural man in inevitable danger, if he so continue: He is out of God's special providence, as the stray sheep is from the tendance of the Shepherd, his eye is not over him: He hath no certain abiding, as Cain, knows not what to do; he is separate from the company of God's people, and what evil may not then befall him? As a sheep is in danger to be carried away by divers Lords, into whose several grounds he cometh; so is a natural man in danger of the Devil, the World, his own lusts, in danger to fall into every sin (what hath he to stop him?) into any plague or punishment that ever fell upon any (what promise hath he to the contrary?) yea, as sheep are apt to fall into the mouths of Dogs and Wolves, so may the natural man fall into the paws of the Devil, and be turned into Hell, he knows not how soon: Is not he in danger that is naked in a field, and beset with Bills, Bows and Guns, all bent against him to destroy him? 
Prov. 4. 19  so is it with every wicked man, as being subject to all the plagues of God: Is not he in danger that hangs over a pit by a twig? so is every wicked man by the thread of his life over Hell: When a wicked man riseth in the morning, doth he know what may befall him ere night? can he tell but he may fall even into the foulest sins? can he tell but that the earth may swallow him, a thunderbolt may strike him through, he may have any curse befall him or his? can he tell but he may be in Hell ere night, and at night, ere morning? and is not this danger enough? Thus hundreds of this Land drop into Hell every day, and in every corner some, at one time or another, by one means or another the Devil lays hold on them.  
This may make every wicked man weary of his condition, 
Use.  and to have little joy of himself, till he be out of this state, who can abide to live in a continual danger? For them that be gone, and of whom Hell hath already caught hold, there's no hope or help: You that are alive, look to yourselves, were you out of this condition, you could not be overcome, you could not be plucked from God by Angels or Devils, all the world could not prevail against you, being under Christ's keeping, he would keep you unto the end.  
But are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.] Here's the safe state of Believers: They are now converted, not by any power or goodness in themselves, but by the mighty power and goodness of God, to the Shepherd and Bishop of their souls, Christ Jesus, who having redeemed them, will not now lose them, but safely preserve and keep them to life eternal both in body and soul. So that  
All that are come to God in Christ Jesus, 
All Believers are in a safe condition.  be in a most safe state; for besides that they have pardon of sin (the Robe of Christ's righteousness being put on them) they have the Spirit to sanctify them from the power of sin, and to enable them to please God in a new life: Neither can they fall from this estate, nor can fall into any sin unto death; there's no condemnation to them, neither the Devil nor World shall be able to draw them to their old state, Christ that hath redeemed them will never lose them; Who will lose a purchase dearly bought? but so are we to Christ; Who will not keep his Limbs? we are made Members of Christ; Will he suffer one to be pulled off? God forbid: 
john 17. 11.  Christ having redeemed us, commits us to his Father's keeping, and who being under his protection, is not in a safe Castle or impregnible Fortress? Not only they are sure they can never, fall finally, but also Christ hath a care of every sheep, to keep him in the right way, to fetch him in when he wanders, to comfort him being heavy, 
See Psal. 43. 1. and 46. 4.  and to bind him up being broken: What Christian finds not this by daily experience, that God preserves him daily by his grace from many falls, comforts him in many heavinesses, reduceth him from many wander?  
1. Here's matter of unspeakable comfort for those that be come into Christ's sheepfold; 
Use 1.  If we look to ourselves, or our Enemies being so strong, we have cause to fear, but as Elisha said to his Servant, There are more on our side, 
2 Kings 6. 16.  than they that be against us: We have much opposition against our good and standing, but we are not left to ourselves; Our Salvation now is, not as it was in Adam, but it's in Gods keeping, and we are by him kept as in a Castle, we are kept by his power, which is Almighty, above all power, but how long? for a few years, and then left to ourselves? O if we were left the last year, last day, last hour, we would fall from God if occasion were offered, but kept we are by the power of God to Salvation, till we come to Heaven. O let us be thankful to God for this safe and happy state, and keep ourselves close to him, and continually seek him, and commend ourselves to his keeping, and then we be safe. Here is no cause indeed of security or boldness, for though we cannot fall finally, yet dangerously, and to our heart's smart we may, if we wax careless, as many times even Christians come to the sheepfold, yet keep not so close to their shepherd's voice as they ought, but are bold to be straying into one by-way or other; as of pride, covetousness, contention, and the like, and this costs them dear, who if they would have been ruled by their shepherd's voice outwardly in his Word, or inwardly in his Spirit, no question they might have spared this.  
2. Let those that be yet wand'ring, 
Use 2.  hasten to come home to Christ, and be in this most safe and happy estate; let them confess, and humble themselves, and seek for pardon, and listen to the voice of their blessed shepherd Christ Jesus, who calls them to him; if they so do, they shall make a happy change: But when we require this of a number, they set light by it, and think they are well enough, and better already; now they may have their will, and be merry, and speak what they list, and do what they list, and get gain as they can, but if they should be convert, and be ruled by the Preacher, they should then be tied too short, as they should do nothing, have no liberty, but be in bondage, etc. O poor Creatures, that think that liberty which is deadly bondage; little do those consider, that their sweet meat (Sin) will have with it a great deal of sour sauce: And the service of God is perfect freedom, tying from nothing, but from sin, and to nothing, but that which is good and holy, to our comfort here, and Salvation hereafter, and doth not this shrewdly hurt us? Do not therefore let the foolish and beastly pleasures of sin keep you from turning to God, for it will be woeful in the end: If we saw a man going to Execution in brave apparel, with music, and his companions bringing him bowls of wine, would we delight herein, or count him happy? would we not rather pity him for all this? more need have they of pity that will needs run on in sin, and following their lusts and pleasures, refuse to return unto Christ the Shepherd and Bishop of their souls.  
Shepherd, 
The Ministers of the Word are Shepherds under Christ.  etc.] Christ performeth the office of a Shepherd and Bishop to his people, outwardly by the Ministry of his Servants, the Ministers of the Word, and inwardly by his holy Spirit: His Ministers be the inferior Shepherds, under the chief Shepherd Christ Jesus; He useth them to feed his people with green Pastures, to lead them to the still waters of comfort, to fetch home the wand'ring, etc. who are therefore called Watchmen, 
Ezek. 32. 7. 34, 8.  and Shepherds. It's the duty of all Ministers that have the charge of souls, 
Their duty.  to be most vigilantly watchful, and exceedingly careful over the people committed to their care: As watchmen must be careful in keeping the City from their Enemies; as those shepherds to whom the Angels appeared in the Gospel, were watching over their Flocks by Night; yea, as Jacob in tending his Flocks, endured both the cold by night, and the heat by day; so much more must they, 
See Act. 20. 28.  in Preaching in season and out of season, praying, holy living, and by all means seeking to gain men to God, fetching home the stray ones, binding up the broken, comforting the feeble, etc.  
1. This rebuketh those Ministers, 
Use 1.  that in stead of watchmen, are blind, and careless, sleepers, that delight in sleeping, in stead of shepherds are wolves, devouring the flock, eating the fat, & clothing themselves with the fleeces: Those as either they cannot feed, or come not at their flock to feed them; so do they not care to fetch home them that are astray, but rather by their ill example keep them from returning; and so far are they from comforting the weak, and binding up the broken, as they have no skill herein, or list hereto, but rather set themselves against such: There are but few that make Conscience to hear the Word abroad, when they have it not at home, yet those are more baited at for going to the Word, than all they that sit in Alehouses, or are gaming or rioting on the Lordsday: Those are also to be reproved that feed with froth in stead of sound meat, as those that are negligent in feeding, feed them to halves, and half starve them: O Lord, what shall become of those, when the great Shepherd Christ Jesus shall come to Judgement? where shall they stand? for even they that have been most careful, yet are far short; of all men's answers that I know, I would be loathest to have the answer of a wicked and unfaithful Minister to make.  
2. As the Ministers must do their duties, 
Use 2.  so ought the people like sheep that wander, suffer themselves to be brought home into Christ's flock and sheepfold, and not let the Minister's labour with them year after year, and yet they never the nearer being brought home to Christ: And those that be brought home to Christ, must be careful that they be led out still, and fed in the green Pastures, that they listen to their shepherd's voice, and follow it carefully, that so the Ministers may yield up their account with joy, and not with grief, and that is good for the people, Heb. 13. 17. Thus if we do, God shall have the glory, Ministers the comfort, and the people shall save their own souls; And the great shepherd shall say to us, Come ye blessed of my Father, and set a crown of immortal glory upon our heads.    

CHAP. III.  
THe Apostle proceedeth in his special Exhortations, 
The Contents of this Chapter.  belonging to special persons, namely, to Wives and Husbands, showing the duties which they owe each to other, from the beginning unto the eighth Verse: Thence unto the eighteenth, he heapeth up divers general Exhortations to sundry Christian duties, belonging to all Christians: Thence unto the end he entreateth sweetly of the Passion and Sufferings of Christ, with the benefits redounding thereby, not only to us, but to the Church in former Ages.  

CHAP. III. Verse 1. Likewise ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands, that if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives.  
IN this and the following Verses, unto the eight, the duties of wives and husbands are laid down, and enforced with many fit and weighty Arguments. Whence note,  
1. That Marriage in God's account is an high and honourable state; 
Doctor.  all things prove it, 
Marriage in God's account is an high and honourable state.  Author, Time, Place, Persons, etc. God hath said it; and who can tell the worth of things so well as the Author and Maker of them? Such are blame-worthy that disgrace it, 
Heb. 13. 4.  as they are that live basely and dishonourably in it.  
2. That both husbands and wives must learn to know their duty, 
Use.  How else shall they teach their children and servants? 
Doctor.  God puts children and servants to us as Apprentices, 
Both husbands and wives must learn to know their duty.  to be trained up in the trade of Christianity, whom we teach very much by our good Example. If husbands and wives should not learn their duties, they may live like a pair of Creatures, not like a pair of Christians.  
Touching the wife's duties, 
The duties of wives.  he exhorteth them, 1. To subjection, ver. 1. 2. To chastity and reverence, ver. 2. Then having dissuaded them from curiosity, and over much setting out themselves in apparel (fault's whereunto naturally women are too much addicted) ver. 3. he persuadeth them on the contrary to deck themselves rather with grace, especially meekness and quietness, as not only being in the sight of God of great price, but that which will hold out; whereas the outward adorning is corruptible and vain, ver. 4. Those he further presseth by the examples of ancient godly women, ver. 5. and particularly of Sarah, whose daughters they were if they did perform their duties to their husbands as she did to hers, in a right manner, namely, for love and conscience sake, and not moved thereto out of any slavish fear, ver. 6.  
Herein our Apostle insisteth the more largely, 
Why the Apostle insisteth so largely about the duties of wives.  for that upon his and the other Apostles preaching, That Believers were not to marry with Infidels, and that some wives which were converted to christianity broke off society with their husbands because of their beastly and strange lusts; a slander arose, that the Apostles taught, That wives were not to be subject to their husbands, especially if they were Infidels; against this our Apostle here cleareth himself and his Doctrine.  
Thus hath it been with God's Ministers from time to time (even Christ himself was slandered) and therefore when the like befalls us, 
Obs.  we must not be discouraged. 
God's Ministers have been at all times liable to be slandered.   
But let people take heed how they slander a Minister; for if it be a wicked part to bear false witness against any man, 
See 2 Cor. 6.  how much more against a Minister, 
Use.  being a public person, and whereby much hurt may redound? Such slanderers work Journeywork for the Devil in an high degree; take heed that you slander them not out of ignorance, but especially out of malice: Neither censure before you know the matter fully; 
Prov. 18. 13.  for, He that answereth a matter before he heareth it (that is, advisedly considereth thereof) it is folly and shame unto him.  
Likewise, etc.] There's subjection required of Inferiors towards their Superiors, so of Servants towards their Masters, and here of Wives towards their Husbands; 
The prevention of an objection.  but this must be considered according to their places. This I note, because some base minded husbands do insult over, and abuse their wives in most tyrannous manner, looking for as much subjection of them, as of any servant or drudge, which is not the mind of the holy Ghost.  
Ye wives, 
Doctr.  be in subjection to your own husbands,] Here's required of wives, 
Wife's must be subject to their husbands  subjection towards their husbands; though God made them in many things equal, yet in wisdom he thought meet to make some little inequality, and appointed the husband to be the Superior and Head, and so to rule, 
1 Cor. 11. 8, 9  and the wife to be subject to him; yet not so, but that he hath his Rules to bond his rule, 
1 Tim. 2. 13.  that it exceed not. It was Gods will even in the state of innocency, that the wife should have been subject, though it should have been more willing, free and pleasant, than it is now (for now it's not done without difficulty) but after the Fall, 
1 Tim. 2. 14.  God laid it on her as a punishment, for being deceived, she was first in the transgression.  
This is often required, 
Eph. 5. 22, 23.  and hence it is that the husband is called the wife's Head, 
Col. 3. 18.  and for this cause was the vail, betokening her subjection. Neither is this without Reason; 
Reasons.  for if all were equals in the Commonwealth, there would be confusion; and if all Bells were of a bigness, and all the strings of an instrument of one size, there would be a harsh sound, and no melody: So were there not some small inequality between husbands and wives, there could not but be contention. It's God's order that wives be subject, as it's his order the Sun should shine, the Earth bear fruit, the Heavens cover us: If these things should not do thus, it were monstrous; so, unless wives will be Monsters, they must be subject. Accordingly God hath provided to make man the stronger, the woman the weaker vessel, that he might be the fitter to rule; she (feeling her own weakness) the more willing to be ruled. This she ought to account an especial mercy, as having a Head to guide her, who else, having had the rule in her own hand, had been unable to manage it aright; yea, as this is no servile or base subjection, but joined with equality in many things (which is signified in her making, not of man's head, lest she should be superior, nor of his Foot, lest she should be much inferior, but of his Ribs, to show equality:) So hereby they are freed from all other subjections, as of Parents, Masters, etc. yea, in many things are not subject as it were to Law, as for whom their husbands must answer.  
This subjection must guide the whole Conversation, 
Wherein their subjection consisteth.  besprinkle the speech, and cause a right Affection and quiet Spirit. This stands in reverencing their husbands in their hearts, and showing it in words and behaviour, as it's in the following Verse: She must also submit herself to the advice, counsel and direction of her husband for her diet, apparel, etc. not doing things of her own mind, but with his counsel.  
As the Moon hath all her light from the Sun, 
Simil.  so must she have her direction from her husband; and as the great Wheel of the Clock must guide about all the rest; so must he be to her, and she must not have a proper motion by herself: If he do any thing, she must take liking, and not thwart or control the same; nay, if she should know a thing to be better than that he is about (as concerning removing to this place ot that, buying this, or selling that, etc.) yet being not in a thing simply unlawful, she must not cross him (gently persuade him she may) much less stand upon her own wit and will contrary to his mind: And if she should see him impatient, yet is it not her part to requite like for like, neither to carry herself unreverently; nay, though she see he doth that which is unlawful, she must not check him at her pleasure, but by fair means endeavour that he may see and leave the same; she must also be obedient to all his lawful commands, and frame herself to his nature and liking, so far as she may with a good conscience: Indeed to consent to his evil, or to do evil at his command, 
Acts 5. 29.  that she may not by any means (for God is to be obeyed rather than man) yet even in these she must refuse with humility and due respect to her husband: Though she have a good cause, yet she may handle it ill.  
This rebuketh the contrary unreverence and base esteem which too too many wives have of their Husbands; 
Use.  O how unseemly and stout is their behaviour towards them? Not a few having many good qualities in them, yet are cursed, snappish, stand too stiffly in their own conceit, will carry away the day, and have the last word, especially if they have a good cause; such do grossly forget themselves: Whatsoever parts a woman hath, yet if she be not subject and dutiful to her husband, 
Simile.  they are nothing, she is as a cursed Cow that gives a good pail of milk, and kicks it down with her foot: Let such endeavour to see this fault in themselves, and repent thereof from their heart, striving against their froward nature; let such know, that as subjection is God's Ordinance, 
Simil.  so it's the very being of a wife. What's an hand, if it have no power of handling? or any eye, if it see not? so a wife without subjection: Though there may be Parentage, Portion, Beauty, Housewifery, etc. yet if this be wanting, there is nothing of a wife: There are also others which be so unreasonable, so froward, so mad, and bedlam-like, which do so scold and brawl, as they care not what they say, 
Prov. 12. 4.  being a vexation to their Husband's hearts, and corruption to their bones, that are as it were a whipping stock and house of correction to them continually: the contention of such is a continual dropping, 
Prov. 19 13. and 21. 9  and it is better to dwell in the corner of a house top, then with such in a wide house: But hereof I have heretofore spoken at large.  
That if any obey not the Word, 
Doctr.  etc.] Not only must wives be subject that have good Husbands, 
Wife's must be subject even unto bad husbands.  but even they which have infidel husbands, cross, unkind, and most irreligious Husbands; for they are their husbands whom they have chosen, and are now in covenant of God withal, and which God hath laid out for them as a blessing or cross: 
See Mat. 5. 41.  if any shall say, This is very hard, let such know, that Christians mnst do difficult things, and such as no other can do, whether Papist, 
Simile.  Hypocrite, or Civil persons; every Bungler can make good work of good strait Timber, but he that can make good work of that which is crooked and knotty, is worthy commendation.  
1. This rebuketh those that except against their husbands: 
Use 1.  Oh, will some say, if my husband were as such a woman's husband, kind, courteous, religious, etc. it would not grieve me to do any thing for him, I could lay my hand under his feet, but mine is thus and thus. Ans. Ye must not look what others be, but what your own is; though they fail in their duties towards you, yet must not you in yours towards them, stoppage is no payment, God's Word must be your rule.  
2. If they that have such ill husbands, 
Use 2.  yet must do their duty willingly, how much more they that have loving, godly, careful husbands? How great is their sin that do not their duty to such, but are ever finding fault, complaining, murmuring, unquiet? such may justly fear, lest God take away those, and send them such as will be a cross to them: If any have found it so, let it lead them to repentance, and let others take heed by their example.  
But howsoever it be necessary for wives to do their duties to unbelieving husbands, 
Doctr.  yet it follows not that they may lawfully match themselves with such: 
Wives are not to marry irreligious husbands.  This were an unequal match, which is often spoken against in the holy Scriptures; This were to make league with the wicked and Gods enemies, 
See Gen. 6. 2, 3  This were the way to pollute ourselves; 
Ezra 9 & 10.  Thus was Solomon himself beguiled: This is the means of a corrupt and sinful generation, 
2 Cor. 6. 14.  for commonly children do follow the steps of their parents; 
2 Chron. 19 2  Such as were thus born, 
Neh. 13. 24.  spoke half the language of Canaan, and half of Ashdod: When both Parents be godly, their children for the most part prove gracious, God vouchsafing to draw the thread of his election through the loins of the faithful; when both be wicked, their children are for the most part ungracious; yea, if but one of them be wicked, most children prove after the worse side.  
Let therefore Parents as they regard their own comfort, 
Use.  and the welldoing of their posterity, be careful with whom they match them; and those that intent to marry, let them in their matching not so much regard wealth, beauty, birth, etc. as Gods fear; yet how many are carried away with those, not caring to please God herein, matching themselves even with such as are most irreligious?  
But how doth our Apostle decipher an unbeliever? 
Doctr.  by his fruit, disobedience, 
Such as live in disobedience are unbelievers  he is such a one as doth not obey the Word: Whosoever he is that liveth in flat disobedience to any of God's Commandments, is yet an unbeliever, and without Faith.  
In vain therefore do they boast of Faith, 
Use.  whosoever they be, that live in open disobedience and known sins.  
May without the Word be won by the conversation of the wives.] 
Doctr.  In general note we, 
Good examples are excellent preparatives to conversion.  that  
Although the work of conversion is to be ascribed to the preaching of the Word (For faith cometh by hearing, and its the Interpreter one of a thousand, 
Rom. 10. 17.  that must declare unto man his righteousness) yet are good examples excellent preparatives hereunto (as fire that heats the iron, 
job 33. 23.  and makes it fit to be fashioned) by them a man may be brought to a better liking of Religion, 
Simile.  and of the Word, 
See Deut. 4. 6.  and so to the hearing thereof, 
Mat. 5. 16.  whereby he may be converted. 
james 3. 13.  David's constant and true carriage of himself towards Saul, 
1 Pet. 2. 12.  made him confess he was more righteous than himself. 
1 Sam 24. 17.   
Do not we then content ourselves with forwardness in profession and other good gifts, but look that our conversation be such, so holy, modest, godly, etc. as that we may stop the mouths of the bad, and draw on the backward, 
Doctr.  so much as in us lies, and thus shall we adorn the Gospel; 
Wives professing religion, must show it by their behaviour towards their husbands for their conversion.  but the contrary in most is every day too too manifest.  
In particular, that Wives professing Religion show it in all meekness, subjection and good behaviour towards their Husbands, according to the rule of God's Word, may in time be a means to bring home their Husbands to God (What knowest thou, O wife, whether, thou shalt save thine Husband? 
1 Cor. 7. 16.  saith the Apostle) If not, yet they shall so restrain them, as that they shall be nothing so bad as else they would be, or at least they shall procure their own liberty to hear, read, pray, etc. when their Husbands shall observe, that no hurt comes thereby, but rather that all things prosper well.  
O therefore let wives labour to be humble and meek; 
Use 1.  that as David was renowned for delivering Israel out of Goliah's hand, 
1 Sam. 18. 7.  they may be much more, by delivering their Husbands through their godly conversation out of the hands of Satan and Hell: O this is the happiest gains, to gain men unto God Thus to put out our talents, will be to our Master's greatest advantage, and turn most to our glory: some Christians scatter away from God, through whose ill and undiscreet carriage, God and the Gospel lose much; Assuredly, such can have but little joy of themselves.  
And for Husbands that have such good and godly Wives, 
Use 2.  let them be careful to be bettered by them, and won to God, else they shall be brought against them as their Judges; yea, and against such also as live near them, 
Heb. 11. 7.  and yet are not bettered by them: They shall condemn them, as Noah did the old world.   

Verse 2. While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.  
THis Verse is an exposition and opening of the former, 
How bad husbands may be won.  showing how their Husbands should be won, even by beholding their behaviour and life, to be pure, holy, honest, and good, and that not at some times, nor in some things only, but at all times, and in all things (the neglect whereof doth occasion that their Husbands do often despise their forwardness and profession of Religion, even because they do not observe them alike conscionably in every thing, and at all times) as also that they are of them reverenced and regarded, and that there is in them a loathness at any time to displease them; These things considered, do much prevail with them: So then, our Apostle requireth two things of Wives, Chastity and Reverence, and that for that their Husbands would look into these things, and that diligently.  
While they behold] A good reason to persuade wives to those virtues; 
Chastity and reverence why required of Wives.  they professing Religion, may be sure their Husbands which do not profess the same, will look narrowly into their behaviour, measuring their Religion thereby: Thus they that be of divers Religions, look into the lives one of another, as the Papists do into ours, and we into theirs; we disliking their Religion, because they make no conscience of an Oath, of the Sabbath day, of soundness in any duty, etc. as they ours, for that they see many that profess our Religion, to be dissolute and notoriously wicked (yet have there been at all times some professors, 
2 Tim. 3. 5.  which have denied the power of godliness) so the common sort among ourselves, pry into the conversation of those which seem more forward and eminent in duties than others.  
1. Therefore, 
Use 1.  It behoves us all to look well to ourselves; We are as a city set on an hill, 
Matth. 5. 14.  many eyes be open upon us, the eyes of all the Canaanites and Perizzites in the Land; when such observe our conversation, not to be answerable unto our profession, it sets them quite off from the love of Religion, which though it be their fault, yet we give the occasion.  
2. Let Wives that have ill Husbands look to themselves; 
Use 2.  Their Husbands observe them at an inch, and pry into their conversation, to take them tardy, for want of subjection and reverence, for want of patience, or of careful looking to household affairs, etc. that so they may reproach them for Profession, and cut them short of their liberty: But when after long looking they find them sound and careful every way, it overcomes their hearts, and makes them have a reverend opinion of them, and thereupon by little and little they are wrought upon, and come to the Word, and through God's blessing grow unto a love thereof: Happy are those Wives, thrice happy those Husbands that have such.  
Your chaste conversation] Chastity is a part of temperance, 
What Chastity is, and by whom it is to be observed.  whereby we keep our bodies and souls pure and undefiled Temples of the Holy Ghost, and Members of Christ Jesus; This is to be observed through our whole life, whether in single or married estate: In single estate there must be abstaining from all uncleanness, not only of the outward act natural or unnatural, but from all uncleanness of the ear, delighting to hear beastly speech, of the tongue to utter it, of the eye, so to behold any object as to lust after it, as also a diligent use of all good means to preserve from these, till God call to Marriage, and then to embrace that holy and honourable remedy, which God hath appointed for many good uses and ends: In married estate, Chastity must also be preserved; Wives must be chaste, not only avoiding all outward and detestable acts of uncleanness with strange men, but even of tongue or heart, and all the least shows and appearances of immodesty in Countenance, Gesture, Apparel, Speech, Company, or the like, which might cause suspicion or jealousy.  
This condemns, 
Use.  as all immodest behaviour in Wives, rolling eyes, naked breasts, laying out the hair, painting the face, wanton talk, and delighting to be in company of strangers at home or abroad, etc. so especially that foul and odious sin of Adultery; when the Wife breaking the Covenant of God, and forsaking the guide of her youth, gives herself to Strangers, O how do such wrong God, God's Church, their Husbands, their own Souls! O the Judgements whereunto such are liable here, and which shall be inflicted on them (if they repent not) hereafter! As they have burnt in vile lusts against God and his Commandments, so they shall burn in Hell for ever and ever: 
Prov. 7. 25, 27.  Their paths tend to death, their houses to Hell and destruction.  
Coupled with fear.] 
How wives ought to fear their husbands  Not a base fear, as to do what she doth for fear of his anger, who else would do as she list, and cross him if she durst (this is forbid in the end of the sixth Verse) but a reverend regard of her husband, as being her Head, and from the love she bears to him, being loath to grieve him in any thing, but willing and careful to please him every way.  
This rebukes those wives that set lightly by their husbands, 
Use.  neither regarding how much they themselves do grieve them, nor how much their servants do, affording as it were continual matter of grief and unquietness unto them: Well, be the husband rich or poor, wise or unwise, the wife should so carry herself, as whereby he may receive most content.   

Verse 3. Whose adorning, let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or putting on of apparel. Verse 4. But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.  
INasmuch as those that be given to pride and excess in apparel be none of the most dutiful wives, but rather are so puffed up with a conceit of themselves, as they often fail in the duty of subjection, and are none of the chastest; 
A preservative of subjection and chastity.  therefore as a preservative of subjection and chastity, our Apostle forbids excess and pride in apparel, commanding (for so much is included) modesty and sobriety in attire. They must not set their minds on plaiting the hair, wearing of gold, etc. so setting out themselves as it were to sale to the eyes and view of others, but endeavour to have their souls garnished with grace, adorned with a meek and quiet Spirit.  
Whose adorning, 
What apparelling it is that the Apostle forbids.  let it not be that outward adorning, etc.] What? doth the Apostle forbid apparelling themselves, or decent clothing themselves, and would he have them go carelessly and sluttishly, no matter how? 
2 Tim. 2 9  No: he allows decency and moderation in attiring; it must be comely and decent, how plain soever, but withal, forbids to set their minds too much thereon, or to be too curious and acquaint, or too costly therein.  
Of plaiting the hair,] For curled hair, laying out the hair, setting it up aloft, going naked in it only, and using others hair, not ones own, I leave the same to be handled and discussed by others, who do daily view the same: In Country Parishes these are unusual, and rare.  
And of wearing gold, 
Quest.  etc.] Why? is it not lawful to wear costly apparel?  
Ans. No doubt its lawful to wear costly apparel, 
Ans.  Gold, Silver, Pearl, Silk, Velvet, etc. these be the good creatures of God, not made in vain, 
Gen. 24. 23, 30  but to be used and worn. Abraham sent Rebekah an abilement, and bracelets of gold, and she beware them: The Israelites had jewels and golden earrings. 
Exod. 3. 22.  and wore them by God's appointment, which they afterward pulled off, and made a golden Calf thereof, for which they were condemned: 
Psal. 45. 9  The Queen is brought in a vesture of gold of Ophir; 
Mat. 6. 29. and 11. 8.  and our Saviour doth not blame, but approve of the Royalty of Solomon, as also of costly garments in them that be in King's houses; for as God hath ordained divers Degrees and Callings, Kings, Nobles, Judges, etc. so that their apparel should be answerable.  
Neither doth the Apostle Paul in the forementioned place, 
How far costly apparel is forbid, and to whom, and when.  or our Apostle here, simply forbid costly apparel, but the setting of their minds so much thereon, as that it causeth a neglect of decking the soul, as may appear by the opposition which the Apostle here useth; they set more by outward apparel, then inward grace, and for this were condemned. Again, they wrote to Christians which were for the most part but of mean estate in the world, 
1 Cor. 1. 25.  and therefore in them it was riot to wear costly apparel. Besides, these were times of persecution, when costly apparel did no ways fit; for than their humiliation was to be declared, as in other things, so even in their attire, and they were not superfluously to spend what might profitably be bestowed on the poor members of Christ, whereof there they were great store.  
But doth not the Prophet Isaiah in his third Chapter condemn the same? 
Obj.   
The Prophet reckoning up their knacks, 
Sol.  doth not simply condemn them all (whereof as there were some mere toys and vanities, so there were others both good and lawful) but cryeth down the abuse of them, their curiosity therein, together with their excessive setting their minds thereon, where he particularly mentioneth their pride, haughtiness, stretched out necks, etc. So that costly apparel of itself is not a sin; 
Note.  nay, if some should not wear such, according to their ability and degree, they should sin; as some miserable Misers that go basely, out of covetousness not affording themselves good clothes: So they that out of Superstition affect to go raggedly and slovenly, as the Cynics of old, and the Friars of later times, who notwithstanding were no less proud than others; as Socrates said to Antisthenes, I see pride through the holes of thy Cloak. Excess then in apparel is that which is here forbid; which that we may find out, and what it is, let us lay down some general Rules about apparel, and that will direct us, and be a ground for that we shall say against excess.  
1. We must wear our apparel for necessity, 
Rules about wearing of apparel.  in respect of the weather.  
2. For honesty and comeliness, to hide our nakedness.  
3. For honour of the body. 
1 Cor. 12. 24.  Our apparel also must be  
1. According to our Sex; 
Deut. 22. 5.  a man must not wear a woman's, nor a woman a man's apparel.  
2. According to our ability; we must cut our coat according to our cloth, so as we may have whereby to maintain our Families, and relieve the poor.  
3. According to our Office and Calling, both to distinguish us from others, and grace our Calling.  
4. Such as may express the virtues of our minds, especially our modesty, 
1 Tim. 2. 9  frugality, and shamefacedness.  
5. Framed not after the lighter and vainer sort, but after the example of the gravest and most sober of our order, 
Phil. 4. 9  call and degree; briefly thus, 
The matter thereof considered.  it must be for costliness, according to our ability, and as may stand with discharging all other duties: But even they that may wear rich apparel, yet ought not to do it daily, because it savoureth of too much pride and vanity, and disableth the more to do good; it was the Gluttons fault, 
Luke 16. 19  That he went gorgeously every day. The manner hath been, to use some more costly apparel at special times of solemnity or public rejoicing (hence was the wedding garment) yet therein men must rather keep under then above their degree. 
Mat. 22. 11.   
For the manner and fashion of our apparel, 
The manner.  it must be sober and comely; women's must not be too near the fashion of men's apparel, nor whorish, nor garish: we must not affect this or that country fashion, whether Italian, Spanish or French, etc. God thereatens to visit all such as are clothed with strange apparel; 
Zeph. 1. 8.  they that will not cover their naked breasts, but lay them open to the view of all, seem thereby to publish and make known the unchastity of their hearts.  
This condemneth the monstrous excess of these times, 
Use.  wherein all in a manner have forgot themselves, Gentlemen going like Noblemen, Yeomen like Gentlemen, Farmers like Yeomen, Cottagers like Farmers, the Maid like her Mistress, Subjects like Princes: All are out of order, as if pride had dazzled every one's eyes, whereby mistaking their own, they put on other folk's apparel: This is not the sin of the profane only, but even of professors, (who with their wives and children are tainted herewith) not of Harlots only, but even of honest women, who attire themselves like strumpets, so that you can hardly discern the one from the other: How many spend all they have on costly attire? yea, numbers pinch their belly to go gay clothed; and now in a manner, the meanest do in attire exceed the wealthiest in former ages.  
And for the fashion (though it be scare lawful at all to take up another Country fashion, except it be upon some special Reason, and that not too suddenly, and then to hold it so constantly, as to make it our own by continuance) what new-fangledness is there? now the French is in request, within one quarter the Italian, not long after the Spanish, Dutch, Polonian, etc. so that one were as good make a garment for the Moon, as for our Country women: How garish also and gaudy are most in their attire, thereby declaring the vanity of their minds? How immodest are some, going so mannishly, that they can scarce be discerned from men? as others by their naked necks and breasts, do as it were set their own honesty to sale. And whereas costly apparel should be used but seldom, with most its made their every days wearing: 
Isa. 2. 11, 12. and 3. 24.  And thus hath our plenty and peace bred a great deal of pride and wantonness, and that is the recompense which the Lord hath at our hands, 
Ezek. 16. 49.  which may justly make us fear some heavy hand of God against us (this being one of the sins of Sodom) as every one that thus sinneth in particular may fear Beggary, Deformity, 
See Christ. Warfare, part. 2. c. 15. p. 375.  or some grievous sickness: Let us therefore repent of that is past, and labour to reform ourselves herein, and for those that be as yet free, let them so keep themselves.  
For 1. God hath forbidden garishness and excess in apparel, 
Reasons against excess in apparel.  and therefore except we will show ourselves not to regard his word, we must take heed of it: A grievous thing it is, that people can come into the very house of God, and there sit and hear what is said against it, and yet are not moved, but still continue in this vice, which is as if they should say, We will do it whatsoever is said against it: They come to be reform, but will admit no Reformation.  
2. If we consider the coming in of apparel, we shall have little cause to be proud of it, for we had none in the state of innocency, nor none needed; neither hear nor cold could annoy us, but now by reason of sin both do: 
Gen. 2. 25.  Besides, we were naked, and not ashamed, when apparel would have been to man's body as a cloud to the Sun, not to deck, but to darken it (for the beauty of God's workmanship had been better than the Tailor's workmanship) but when we by sin had wounded ourselves, God was fain to cover it with a plaster; our apparel then is a badge of our sin, and aught to humble us in the remembrance of sin: 
Simile.  It's as a plaster, that shows there's a sore underneath; now who is proud of a plaster, but rather humbled upon the sight of it? A grievous thing it is to turn that into sin, that is given us to put us in mind and humble us for sin. 
Simil.  If any were adjudged to wear a halter all the days of his life, would he be proud of it, thought it were of silk; or boast, if he were to wear a silver or gold shackle? Apparel is a badge of sin, small cause have we to wax proud thereof how gorgeous soever: They that thus do, are proud in their own shame.  
3. It's a most unseemly thing for Christians to put excellency in apparel, and to be so careful in these outward toys: It becomes the the world well enough, that know no better clothing, neither looking for grace here, nor glory hereafter; but for Christians thus to do, its base: The other have their portion here, and know no better thing, therefore no marvel though they be very careful about this, and as the Gentiles, 
Mat. 6. 32.  seek after the same, and the like; but Christians should think themselves best when they are modestly and lowly attired, attired with grace. We professing ourselves Pilgrims hear, aught to live as Pilgrims, and not follow the fashion of this or that Country in every fangle or garish apparel, and so live as Citizens or Courtiers of this world: We professing ourselves to be travelling to Heaven, 
Maa. 7. 13.  must be humble, and stoop low, for the gate is strait, we must not load our bodies and minds with these things, for they will hinder us in our journey.  
4. It's absurd to place excellency in such a thing as apparel, for we borrow it of poor creatures which be far inferior to ourselves: The best silk is the excrement of crawling Worms, the finest cloth but of the fleece of the silly Sheep; so we borrow the skin of one, the bones of another, the hair or fleece of another. Will any Nobleman borrow apparel of a mean Yeoman, 
Simile.  or if he were put to such a shift, would he be proud of it, or not rather be ashamed? seeing we be put to borrow of the creatures (so far our inferiors) for our clothing, having nothing of our own but nakedness, we should not be proud of it: Besides, when we have done all we can, there be sundry Heathens have better than we, and many Players, Dancers and Strumpets have as good and better; 
Mat. 6. 28.  yea, there's put upon Horses, velvet, gold, etc. and when all is done we are not so fine as the lily of the field.  
5. When the outside is so much decked, commonly the inside is neglected, lightly both are not well looked to; but the soul the inside should be best clothed, the body is but the case of the soul, and the apparel but the case of the body, we never make the case of a thing so good as that we put up therein. 
Simile.  Presents of good worth are often leapt up in papers, and so sent: They that give themselves most to gay clothes, have no leisure nor care to deck themselves inwardly, therefore are like painted vessels, having a fair outside, but an empty and mean inside; 
Simil.  like a Jade with a velvet saddle and gilded trappings: Will any man esteem the Horse because of them? or will he not rather pull these off him, and then try what metal he is of? In many men and women their outside is fairest; but if an house were neatly painted without, and like an Hogsty within, who would not mislike it?  
6. Whereas such as set their mind so much on brave apparel, look to be hereupon highly esteemed, regarded and reverenced: God notably crosseth their pride, so as they miss their aim; some laugh at them, some envy them, some are angry at them, some speak against them, O there's a notable proud woman; yea, those that crouch to them, yet in heart mislike them, and the poor say, Since gay clothing came up, they could get but little relieve: So, whereas hereby they thought to please all, they please none, neither God nor man.  
7. It betters not them that wear it, whether they be beautiful in body, or deformed, virtuous in mind, or vicious; If beautiful, what needs such a deal of stir, which doth indeed hinder their natural beauty? If deformed, hereby their deformity is not hid, but rather made more known, then else it would; If virtuous, it's not gay clothes, but their virtues that sets them out, no more than a candle light, giveth light at noon day to the light of the Sun, neither shall you lightly find any truly virtuous, and industrous in their Calling, that give their minds to costly apparel; If vicious, its cost ill bestowed, and so will all say, and this will not make them the less, but the more vicious, for it will make them more proud, ambitious, lustful, covetous, etc.  
8. They that give themselves to constliness in apparel, Sin 1. Against God, abusing his Creatures to Pride, and in neglecting his worship public and private, or coming unprepared thereto, while they are providing and putting on their knacks, and gew-gawds, dressing themselves by the hour, and praying by the minute. 2. Against themselves, by neglecting the inward clothing of the soul, which is of most worth, and by procuring a great deal of envy and ill speech, and many censures upon themselves: Many Maids also of small Portion deck themselves beyond their degree, as that no man of wisdom, or that's careful to live, dares meddle with them; and so where they might have been honestly and well bestowed if they had gone decently, their garishness hath made them stay without Husbands, till being ashamed and wearied hereof, they have at last cast away themselves upon some swaggeres. 3. Against their Neighbours, in provoking them to the like by their bad example; for when some begin, others quicklyly follow after, and Pride once begun spreads quickly, especially where Religion keeps it not down: Hereby also themselves become so disabled, that their rich Neighbours are not so often invited as before, nor their poor Neighbours in any good sort relieved.  
9 It's a sin, and the cause and increaser of much sin; It comes from pride, and a high conceit of ones self, and it doth increase pride greatly & cherish it; It hinders much good, much service to God, much good to our souls; It breaks the neck of hospitality which hath been in former times; for though our Forefathers would for festival times have good apparel, yet they wore it so seldom, as it was still new, and lasted so long, as they were still able to do good, but now it's both costly, and almost every day put on wears out apace; The buying of such slight Stuffs, and changing their fashion so often, is very chargeable; besides that, this hinders one great good that ought to be, and that comes of old apparel, namely, to clothe the poor Saints and Members of Christ: Now most wear such thin slight Stuffs, as that they are quickly in pieces, and not fit to keep a poor body warm; It causeth also much evil, racking of Rents, enhancing of Fines in great persons, oppression in Farmers, in Shopkeepers, falsehood, deceit, swearing, and all to hold up bravery, yea, it causeth also lust in the wearers, and provokes it in others.  
Seeing then that excess in apparel is so dangerous and prejudicial, 
Use.  let all such as are faulty this way, endeavour to see their folly and silliness herein, and accordingly reform themselves; and for those that are modestly attired, let them so continue: Thus shall they bewray more virtue in their minds, have more time to serve God, and have better ability to do good upon every occasion, with more peace to their consciences.  
Here I may add such defences as some women make. 
Objectious answered.   
1. Say they, 
The 1.  We are not proud, though we delight to set out ourselves in apparel as others do, we are as humble as others, and so we would pray you to think of us.  
A. I would we had cause to think so, but how shall we judge of that which is within, but by the outward fruits? but say it were so, we must not provide for things honest before God only, 
Rom. 12. 17.  but before men also; 
Acts 24. 16.  and the Apostle witnesseth, that he endeavoured to have a conscience void of offence both towards God and men: 
Matth. 5. 16.  Our light must shine outwardly, that others may behold it.  
2. Herein we please our Husbands, they will have it so.  
A. If any Wives have such vain and foolish Husbands, 
The 2.  somewhat more is to be yielded to them then to others, but let none make this their excuse, especially doing the same to please their own minds, neither go too far, lest they displease God, but rather let them please their Husbands by their low and dutiful subjection, their modest and sober carriage.  
3. We do, 
The 3.  but what most do. 
Exod. 23. 2.   
A. We may not follow a multitude in evil.  
4. We would be content to lay it aside, 
The 4.  if others would so do.  
A. We ought not to tarry for others, we must begin, though none would follow, which in likelihood they will by our example.  
To conclude, as we are to cast away this folly of priding ourselves in apparel, and learn to be modest herein; so let us take occasion of good by putting on and off our apparel, accordingly making a Spiritual use of the same: 
A useful meditation upon the putting on of our apparel, and putting off the same.  When we put it on, think we of our Spiritual nakedness, and of putting on Christ; and when we put it off, of putting off the old man, and laying away our filthy corruptions.  
But let it be the hidden man of the heart,] Having forbid carefulness and curiosity for outward apparel, now he tells them, what they should be careful to clothe, namely, their inward man, the hidden man of the heart. 
A remedy for excess in apparel.  This is a remedy and cure for the former disease; such as set themselves about this, will spend but a little time for outward babbles and toys; Grace will make them see the baseness of these outward things, and excellency of the other; yea, this Exhortation is also profitable for those which through covetousness are not addicted this way, and are ready to cry out against fineness and pride, who in the mean time being tainted with other sins, have no less deformed and naked souls; 
Inward purity required.  the Apostle doth not only forbid costly apparel, but requires the inward purity of the heart, not only that we should leave evil, but do good.  
His exhortation is, To deck and cloth the hid and inner man with grace, whereof he names one, A meek and quiet spirit: The Reasons, 1. It's incorruptible and lasting: 2. In the sight of God of great price.  
The hid man of the heart] Our chief and principal care must be, 
Our chief and principal care must be to cloth and adorn the soul.  for the soul to cloth and adorn the same; the soul is the principal part: To cloth the foot in costly apparel, & the upper parts with rags, were absurd; so to bestow cost in clothing the body, but none on the soul: The soul is immortal, 
Reasons.  must live for ever, either in joy or misery; it was created according to God's image, which shined most of all in the soul, and now the soul is most deformed and ugly with sin, and so hath need of clothing, especially seeing God who is of pure eyes cannot behold it, but with detestation. The Church is all glorious within, and such as would be indeed members of Christ, and heirs of Heaven, must look for inward Sanctity. Naturally our souls are defiled with sin, neither can any thing cover them from the sight of God, but the white raiment of Christ's Righteousness; 
Rev. 3. 18.  if we put on this, then shall not our filthy nakedness appear, then shall we abound in knowledge, wisdom, zeal, humility, patience. This is Royal apparel, this will keep us from the Storms and Tempests of Gods heavy wrath and displeasure, that will break out like a whirlwind against the ungodly, who will be found naked; The more we have of this, we shall appear the more comely and beautiful before God, his Angels, and all good men; This is the most costly apparel that can be, of Gods own making, and which none but his children wear; This is apparel for all Sexes, ages, degrees and callings whatsoever, and which doth well become and fit each of them; neither are great ones to despise it, for that mean ones wear it, for this doth not derogate from its worth, only they that are God's people wearing it; This is never out of season, (as serving both for Summer and Winter) never out of fashion: It fits in Youth, in Age, in Life, in Death, and is to be worn as well by night as by day, in sickness as in health, yea, is then in great account, when other apparel is laid aside, and not regarded; yea, this apparel we carry with us out of this world, when we leave our gay Robes behind us, and this apparel lasts ever, being the better for the wearing.  
1. This rebuketh those, 
Use 1.  that though they go plain enough outwardly, 
The covetous reproved.  yet have no care of their soul, their minds being altogether led away with covetousness; there be more ways to Hell then one, even these shall no less perish, than those which are wholly addicted to costly apparel: 
As also  This will not serve their turn, Oh, we be not proud, we go plainly; What then? if thou be'st covetous, if thou art not careful for the decking of thy soul, what art thou the better?  
It rebuketh also those that are very curious and careful for outward attire, 
The curious.  but are altogether careless of this inward. How many wear brave clothes, which have no inward adorning? They savour not of this, they have no leisure for it; it's the inside, and so not seen, but God seeth it; men also see it by the outward, and it will be seen and found naked, when God shall come to Judgement; such, though outwardly brave, be inwardly base; their souls are not only void of good, but filled with all evil and noisome lusts; they are like a dead Corpse stuck with flowers, 
Simil.  and like painted Sepulchers; yea, like the Heathen Temples, especially the Egyptians, whose Proches were curiously carved, painted and engraven with gold, and all the bravery that might by, but within nothing but the base Picture of a Cat, Crocodile, or some ugly Serpent: How gorgeous soever they are outwardly, they have not inwardly in their souls the image of God shining in Spiritual graces, but rather Crocodiles and ugly Serpents, even noisome and beastly lusts, and so are like a dunghill covered over with Snow: They wanting the inward beauty of grace to commend them, set out themselves as gorgeously as they can in apparel; as the Painter's servant, 
Simil.  who being set to make the Picture of a very beautiful woman, and wanting skill to make the face beautiful, daubed on a great deal of gold on her clothes. Those, howsoever they please themselves herewith in their prosperity, yet in sickness their deep Ruffs must be laid aside, and all their costly toys, and then what shall comfort them? O their misery at death, but especially on the day of Judgement! Then shall they for ever be clothed with shame and confusion, as not being here clothed with grace.  
2. Let all therefore be wise, 
Use 2.  and moderate themselves for outward apparel; if it be comely, and according to our degree, it's well. Herein le's be careful, even to advance and enrich the soul: This becomes us well, and will assuredly afford comfort in sickness, in trouble, in death, and on the day of Judgement.  
In that which is not corruptible,] 
Grace is of an incorruptible nature.  Grace is of an incorruptible nature, and abides for ever, and is not taken away from any that is possessed thereof; it abides in sickness, tarries with us at death, and we shall carry it with us into Heaven, and wear it there for ever and ever. This he lays down by way of opposition to outward apparel, that is vain, transitory, subject to Moths, to be stolen, lost, burnt, worn out, worn by them that are corruptible, who know not whether shall last longer, themselves or their clothes, so vain a thing is man.  
Such as prefer Grace, 
Use.  take hold of the substance; as they that prefer costly attire thereunto, embrace the shadow, take hold of vanity.  
The ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit.] 
A meek and quiet Spirit the proper ornament of a good wife.  This is a particular virtue most fit for wives: The very proper ornament of a good wife, is a meek and quiet Spirit; This is the mean to comfort any husband, and to draw on those that be backward, to a love both of their persons and profession.  
Oh! what a comely thing is it in a wife, not only not to provoke her husband, but not to be easily provoked by him, winking at small unkindnesses, and bearing with their natural infirmities; passing by some occasions of grief with silence, as others with a soft answer? O how pleasing is it for an husband to have such a wise? how comely is it also for them to be quiet with their neighbours? no medlars, no tale-bearers, or talehearers, void of contention, gentle & peaceable? so with their family and servants, not to be always chiding and complaining to their husbands, but governing them in as mild and peaceable a manner as may be, and especially to be peaceable and quiet with them in their husbands hearing: They that are thus by grace (for some are of a soft and still disposition by nature) and so slow to wrath, are of great wisdom: They are endued with that wisdom which is from above, 
james 3. 17.  and their meekness is out of the fruits of the Spirit; Then this, nothing becomes them better, 
Gal. 5. 23.  if they were clothed with beaten gold and pearls, it were nothing to this.  
This reproveth those that be cursed, 
Use.  cruel and vexatious to their husbands, through their continual unquietness: Such are fit to keep Bridewell, or be Dames of some house of correction, there were fit objects for their chiding and fight: Some there are who having no children or servants to bait at, work their teen upon their husbands, and weary them not only out of their houses, but out of their lives: Wives were appointed helpers, but these help their husbands no way, except to their grave: These certainly have no goodness in them, not refraining their tongue, 
james 1. 26.  their Religion is vain: They are right fools, for anger resteth in the bosom of fools: 
Eccles 7. 9  Let them therefore fight against this vice, mourn under it, and endeavour to be of a meak and quiet spirit.  
Which is in the sight of God of great price.] Here's the main Reason of the Exhortation: 
1 Pet. ●. 4.  A meek and quiet spirit is of greater value than all the gold of Ophir; its precious in the sight of God, and therefore must women endeavour for it: 
The worth of grace.  None makes or gives it, but God only; no Preacher, Prophet nor Angel can give grace, can bestow a meek Spirit, it comes from above, whence all other graces come; it's bestowed on none but the Elect people of God. Gold and Pearls are bestowed on Heathens and profane people, enemies of God, but grace on none but King's sons and daughters, and such as shall be heirs of Heaven: As for other (outward) apparel, it's of no worth, trash, dung to this; such is of no account in the country we go to, no such base stuff enters in at Heaven's gate.  
But with whom is it of great price? 
It's of great price in the sight of God.  even with God, and before him in his account, who can rightly value things: Costly apparel indeed is of value with men (vain and carnal men) but grace is in account with God, Angels, and all good and wise men: God seeth not as man seeth; God beholds all our actions, we must therefore so carry ourselves in our places, as that what we do, may be pleasing in God's sight, and accepted of him.   

Verse 5. For after this manner in the old time, the holy women also who trusted in God adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands. Verse 6. Even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord, whose daughters ye are as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.  
HEre are Reasons to enforce the former Exhortations unto subjection, sobriety in apparel, and attiring themselves with grace, 1. From the examples of godly women of former ages and times, 
Reasons of the forementioned Exhortation.  who were thus qualified. 2. From the example of Sarah, who thus behaved herself toward her husband, whose daughters all such women shall be accounted, as do imitate her, and that for conscience, doing their duties in a right manner as she did; such shall be counted among the Saints of God in this life, and in the life to come shall have the reward of such.  
The former is amplified and strengthened by sundry circumstances: 
The amplification of either reason.  1. Of the number that so did, not one, but many women. 2. Such as are worthy to be imitated, as not being of the common sort, but holy women. 3. Their antiquity, not of yesterday, as though it were new, but ancient, in times past.  
In the latter is set forth the manner how this duty is to be performed, namely, Not for fear of displeasure, but for conscience towards God, and love to their husbands.  
For after this manner, etc.] From the force of the Reason, holy women have done so, therefore so must you. Note, that  
The examples of God's servants are to be followed in all their virtues: 
The examples of God's servants are to be followed in all their virtues.  The way of God's Precepts is like an uncouth and bushy way, the way of examples a beaten way; and herein by setting up his servants as lights to direct us, God hath condescended to our weakness: Were it not thus, 
See Luk. 7. 32  we would say of precepts, It's true, we should do thus, 
1 Cor 10. 6.  but who ever did so? God shows us every where who they were: 
Heb. 11. 4, 5. and 12 1, etc.  All examples are written for our good, the examples of the godly (as Abel's offering in Faith, enoch's walking with God, Noah's obedience, Moses his mildeness, Jobs patience, etc.) for our imitation; the examples of the ungodly and their punishment for our evitation; yea, even in our own times God presenteth divers unto us, that they which belong unto him may be drawn on by the light of precepts and examples together, as others left without excuse, who do not such and such duties, which are to their knowledge by others performed.  
This rebuketh those that follow the evil, 
Use.  but do not imitate good examples, neither are any whit moved by them: Those can make use of the frailties of God's children mentioned in Scripture, to encourage themselves in evil; Did nor David commit adultery? was not Noah drunk? and did not Rebekah cause Jacob to lie? etc. will they say: Such wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction. So among ourselves, if any be bad and licentious, they shall have enough to follow them; but as for the examples of the godly, they little prevail, nay, people are so far from following them, that they mock and disdain them, yea, term them Hypocrites, Precise fools, and the like: Well, let such make as light of them as they will, God will not lose his labour, and his light set up: They that make them not now their pattern for imitation, shall find them one day their Judges to condemn them, 
Heb. 11. 7.  as Noah did the old world: As the Ninivites against the Israelites; 
Mat. 2. 41.  so many a husband shall rise up against his wife on the day of Judgement, and many wife against her husband, as many a man against his neighbour; and justly, for its clear that those love darkness and to wander, which will neither be guided by precept nor example, whereas God might only give us precepts, and yet require obedience: It's true, all shine not alike; some have their light dimmed for a time, through some unbeseeming act; howsoever, there's not the example of any whereby we may not receive some profit.  
In the old time,] The Antiquity of the examples, are an enforcement or inducement to follow them; but how, simply because they be ancient? No: but holy men did thus, and well they did, and that long ago; He doth urge them to follow examples only upon Antiquity, but because they were good also. Note then, That  
Antiquity joined with verity, 
Antiquity joined with verity, is reverend, and to be followed.  is reverend, and to be followed: If a truth in judgement or practice of life be ancient and gray-headed, it's the more honourable, and to be followed; but if an opinion or practice be wicked, though never so ancient, its vile, and to be detested, and is not the better, but much the worse for the antiquity of it: The older, the more time it were quite banished out of the Land, Town, House and Heart.  
This condemneth the Church of Rome, 
Use.  and all such as plead bare antiquity only, it hath been thus and thus long, will they say; ours is the old Religion, and yours is the new: No, ours is ancientest from the beginning, whereof were the Patriarches, Prophets, Christ and his Apostles: Their stories mention when and how theirs began, increased and grew, out of an heap of Ceremonies of the Jews and Gentiles mingled together, one Pope devising one thing, another adding another; Though error and wickedness may be very ancient, yet truth and goodness hath the start of it, the truth was before sin entered into the world, this therefore is no good rule; this is ancient, therefore it's to be followed, nay, is it also good? It's else nothing: Many Papists have nothing to say, but thus did our Fathers and Grandfathers, etc. but they never inquire by the Word, whether they did well or not, 
1 Pet. 1. 18.  whereas our conversation may become wicked through the tradition of our Elders: So among ourselves, if any be reproved for this or that, they will answer, It hath been done thus these forty years; It was so ere you came, and will be when you are gone; If it be a wicked and unlawful custom, why plead you for it? It's more than time it were banished, it stinks; because thus they did in darkness, therefore we should so do in the light, what folly were this? They will not do so in worldly things, as apparel, diet, building. They were wont to go in hose and stockings all of one, and have no chimneys in their houses, who will now do thus? yet better retain those, then bad and unlawful customs.  
Holy women] There hath always been a company of holy women in the world as well as of men, 
There have been always holy women in the world as well as men.  and why not? both were made after God's image, at first equally good, and in the fall, both are equally corrupt, and the children of wrath, and in the recovery have equal right to Christ, to the Gospel, to Grace, to Sanctification and Holiness. 
Reasons.   
Men have no privilege this way; Grace had been as well bestowed on them, (as in the Old Testament, on Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Deborah, Jael, Hannah, Naomi, Abigail, etc. and in the New, on the three Maries, Elizabeth, Lydia, Dorcas, with sundry others) as on men.  
Women also were as forward to maintain Christ, to follow him, to bury him, and Christ after his resurrection first appeared to them. Our own experience also  
showeth, 
Why women are as forward as men.  that in most Congregations women be as forward as men in frequenting the Word and Sacrament: And why not? 1. They are of a timorous nature, and so more easily wrought upon by the Word, and by God's Judgements. 2. They keep at home, not seeing or hearing the abominations that be abroad. 3. They have many crosses and pains, sicknesses, and Childe-bearings, putting them in mind of death, and drawing them near to God, and so furthering their Salvation.  
1. This serveth to stop the mouths of such idle heads as take pleasure to disgrace women. 
Use 1.   
2. It serveth to encourage women and to comfort them: 
Use 2.  There have been ever good women, women therefore must stir up themselves to increase the number, especially having more means than those had in former times.  
And needful it is that there should be good women as well as good men; 
It's needful there should be good women.  1. For their own sake, who have souls to save or destroy. 2. That there might be an holy seed to make up the number of the Elect; good Mothers bringing up their children well, and good Wives being helpers to their Husbands both in soul and body.  
As for those women that be wicked, unclean, profane and ungodly, notwithstanding the fearfulness of their nature, their keeping at home, and their manifold crosses, What would they have been if they had been men? They would have been monsters, and of such women-monsters, Hell is as full as of men-monsters.  
Note further, 
Holiness is that which commends one  That he saith not, wealthy women, fair women, but holy women; Here's the ground of his commendation: A little holiness is better than a great deal of riches and beauty; 
Prov. 31. 30. and 20. 15.  That that is to be desired of a man, is his goodness; Beauty fades with sickness, wealth hath many ways to take it away, but grace holds ever to life eternal, and commends before God, Angels, and good men: Therefore when God threatened to take the wealth from the rich men of Jerusalem, 
Isa. 4. 3.  and gay clothes from the women, yet saith, he will make them amends, How? Every one shall be called holy; They shall so profit by their affliction, as where it might have been said, Yonder goes a rich man, yonder goes a fair woman, a woman in costly apparel; now, Yonder goes a godly man, a virtuous gracious woman: This is commendation indeed, and for this we ought to labour, that we may have our part herein.  
Again, 
Marriage no hindrance to godliness.  He calls them holy, though they were married; Marriage hinders not holiness, nor is single life more holy than it: It's the holy Ordinance of God, 
Heb. 13. 3.  and the bed undefiled: The gift also of continence and single life, is sometimes given to carnal worldlings, and profane persons, but denied to God's dear Servants, by whom he will increase his Church and Kingdom.  
This condemneth the Church of Rome; 
Use.  Oh, they extol single life, and disgrace Marriage, as if it were a living in the flesh: O their vile hypocrisy! they would seem holy, and yet maintain Stews openly; yea, some of them have written in defence of Sodomy, and for Fornication and Adultery; the infinite skulls of murdered Infants (the fruit of their Whoredoms) found near the Dens of their abode, witness how unholy they are. The Pope would be Peter's Successor, yet was he a married man: Till God call us to marriage, we are to live in single estate purely; 
Luke 4. 39  when we are married, soberly and holily: If we be single, we are not the more holy, or if married, the less holy.  
But how could they be holy in those days? 
Holiness cometh by Faith in Christ.  By Faith in Christ, whereby their hearts were purified, they severed from the world to the Lords use.  
There's no Sanctification, no Salvation, but by Christ: Now Christ is more clearly revealed then he was in those days, more holiness is therefore now expected; all ignorant, unbelieving, impenitent, and unholy women are in a fearful case, especially considering the means. The Lord will one day present these holy women, Look you here, here be women, that in the dawning of the day saw Christ, and you have lived in the Sun shine of the Gospel, and have not believed.  
He calls them holy, 
Holiness may be where there are weaknesses.  though they had their weaknesses, as Sarah had; so that we are not to account those as not holy that have imperfections, for God accepteth of Believers in Christ, and pardoneth their imperfections.  
This therefore correcteth the over harsh spirit of those, 
Use 1.  which cry down our Church as unholy, and a Synagogue of Satan, and no Church, because of some blemishes: Our Saviour did not so, but more charitably calleth Jerusalem, 
Rev. 11. 2.  The holy City, which indeed was the Church, though stained with many blots of error and bad life.  
It comforteth also those that be truly sanctified, 
Use 2.  and upright in heart, notwithstanding their imperfections and failings, God accounts you Saints and righteous persons.  
Adorned themselves, etc.] Of those duties which they did perform, I have already spoken; observe we only this, how they came to do their duties thus; he showeth they were holy and godly women, and so performed the same. Note then, that  
Wives cannot perform their duties aright, 
Wives cannot perform their duties aright, unless they be holy.  unless they be holy; no being a good wife, till a good Christian; no building of a godly life on any foundation, but upon Faith in Christ: Whoso would do their duties aright, to God's glory, their own comfort, and another's good, they must fetch and draw grace from Christ by Faith; they that think to do otherwise, build in the Air, build that which will fall on their heads, and which will never hold or continue.  
Even as Sarah] He speaks of many, 
Why more good men be mentioned in Scripture, then good women.  and yet names but one, yet such a one as they could not but acknowledge worthy of imitation: Though more good men be mentioned in Scripture then women, that was, because of Genealogies, and their public places, not that their number was greater than the others; yet of neither of both are so many named by multitudes, as were in all those ages: God said, he had Seven thousand which had not bowed their knee to Baal; and it's said, That at our Apostles Sermon Three thousand were converted, yet none are particularly named. 
Heb. 11. 32.  In Heb. 11. some are named, with their actions and commendations, but that there were multitudes of others, is there also employed.  
When therefore we read the Scriptures, 
Use.  we must not think that there were no more good people than we find there named: Oh! there were many thousands more; only so many are Registered as might be for our good, 
Simil.  all could not: As when we come out of a City or great Town, looking back, we see the tops of a few Steeples and great houses, but when we were near we saw a great many more; so when our backs are turned upon an Age, alas, it's but a few we can see then, in comparison of them that lived in that age: Howsoever, be we of men remembered or not, if we be holy men and women, we shall not be forgotten of God; our Names are Registered in Heaven, whether one day our bodies shall come, as well as our souls.  
Obeyed Abraham, 
Gen 18. 6.  calling him Lord,] That she obeyed him, the story shows; for whithersoever he went and flitted, she went with him; and when she was bid make ready for the strangers, it was done, and that speedily, not a word against it; and her calling of him Lord, is here mentioned as an usual thing done by her, proceeding from a reverend regard she had of him, as her husband appointed her of God.  
In all things lawful, 
Wife's must imitate Sarahs' obedience and reverence.  wives must be like Sarah, therein (though haply somewhat against their mind) they must frame themselves to their husband's disposition: They must not speak to them snappishly, currishly, curstly, nor over familiarly, calling them by their Christian Names, but respectively and reverently.  
Whose daughters ye are, 
Reason's hereof  as long as ye do well,] Such women as live godly, purely, be subject, adorn themselves with grace, and are patient and meek, they shall not lose by it, but shall have peace to their Consciences, and a good Name in the Church, as Sarah, and be heirs of Heaven, as she is; being like her, they shall speed as she did: As men Believers are called, The Sons of Abraham, he being the father of the faithful; so all godly good wives, The Daughters of Sarah that holy Matron, that had a good Name in the Church while she lived, 
Use.  and is now in Heaven.  
Let this be a provocation to women to perform these duties: I hope we give you no bad counsel, neither wrong you, in requiring of you but what Sarah did, and to do what may make you like her here and hereafter; what answer shall those make that are no whit moved hereby? ungodly, impatient, immodest women are not daughters of Sarah, 
Neh. 7. 64.  but of that wicked one the Devil, and with him shall have their portion: As they that could not prove their Pedigree had no portion in Canaan, so they that fetch not their Pedigree from Sarah, and be not her daughters in subjection, pure conversation, sweet speech, quietness in spirit, are not good wives, nor shall have the blessing of such.  
And are not afraid with any amazement.] It may be Christian wives were afraid, that if they did not set out themselves in bravery of apparel, their unbelieving husbands would not care for them, but seek after others: For this the Apostle prescribes a remedy; let them not yield to do evil for avoiding that, but trust in the Lord, not being afraid with any amazement. 
It's not enough to do duties, but we must do them in a right manner.   
It's not enough to do duties, but we must do them in a right manner; that makes or mars. Hence many in doing duties to God, do them not; in praying, they pray not; hearing, they hear not, because not from the heart, in Faith, but out of custom, and in ceremony and formality: Wives must not be dutiful, because else they should lead a woeful life, their Husbands would cut them short in their will, etc. These are carnal respects for Heathens to be moved with; but Christian women must be dutiful, out of conscience towards God, and love to their Husband, as they whom God hath appointed to be their heads.   

Verse 7. Likewise ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered.  
NOw he comes to the duty of Superiors, particularly of Husbands, whom he only nameth; for that he that is a good and godly Husband to his Wife, will be also a good Magistrate, or Minister, if he be called to those places. 
Superiority exempts not from duty.  And in that he teacheth Superiors their duties, we may note, That Superiority exempts them not from duty; every honour carries a burden along with it: The more high any is in place, the more is expected of him, as more was of him that had the five, then of him that had the two talents; as they look for much duty from others, so not a little is required of themselves: Every Superior should make his Inferior more beholding to him, than he can possibly be to his Inferior, even Inferiors may be as dear unto God as themselves are; 
Col. 4. 1.  And they themselves have a Lord and Master in Heaven to call them to an account: The Word also doth no less ininstruct them in their duty, than the others in theirs: No man holds his place to be idle, but the greater it is, the more is required of him; The Word must guide them in their places, they must not do as they list.  
Likewise ye Husbands, 
Wherein the husband's duty consisteth.  etc.] In other places the Husband's duty is set forth by love (no love, no husband, a man, not an Husband) but here by the fruits, which are, 1. To dwell with their Wives. 2. As men of knowledge and understanding. 3. To give them honour; and that, 1. Because they be the weaker vessel. 2. Heirs with their Husbands of Grace and Salvation. 3. The contrary would breed unquietness, and so interrupt and hinder their Prayers together, which were grievous.  
Herein he instructeth Husbands (as before he did the Wives) they standing in no less need of instruction, 
Husband's stand in no less need of instructions than Wives.  and no less failing in their duty then Wives, who therefore must humbly, patiently, and christianly hear their duties, with a desire to be ruled accordingly.  
Dwell with them] The Husband must forsake Father and Mother, 
Husband's are to dwell with their Wives.  and cleave to his wife; they must keep together for all the marriage ends, the procreation of Children, the avoiding of sin, and keeping themselves chaste, and for the continual comfort they ought to have each of other in prosperity and adversity, for body and soul; and this is for the continuance and increase of love. True it is, 
In what caces they they may be absent.  the Husband may be absent from his Wife, either by the commandment of his Prince, being employed in any service, whether in Church or Commonwealth, or upon his own necessary affairs, as Merchants and Mariners, or upon mere necessity, as many dwelling in one place, do yet work in another, yet must not he fail in his absence to pray for her, to keep himself chaste, to have her as it were still present with him, sending to her as often as he can, and returning as speedily as he may: Also if any contagious disease should be, they may (with mutual consent) part for a while; It must be matter of weight must keep them any time asunder, not any unkindeness, yea, though both be willing to dwell asunder; 
Matth. 19 6.  For whom God hath joined together, no man must sunder: And as they may keep in one house, so one bed and board must hold them; therefore it is that she is said to lie in his bosom, and, Let her breasts satisfy thee at all times. 
Prov. 5. 18, 19   
1. This condemneth all unlawful partings of Husband and Wife, 
Use 1.  as of the Jews which put away their Wives when they took dislike of them, 
Matth. 19 8.  by giving them a Bill of divorcement; This came of the hardness of their hearts, but was not so from the beginning: Of sundry in our times which live asunder, as have been married young through some sinister respects of their Parents, or rashly or inconsiderately, though come to years of discretion, which afterwards they have disliked, neither party loving the other according to God's Ordinance; of those Husbands that idly give themselves after marriage to travel to see Countries and Fashions, thus exposing as well themselves as their Wives to Satan's temptations: 
1 Cor. 7. 5.  Of those that for the most part haunt Inns, Alehouses, and Taverns, Gusling, Gaming and Whoring, being but seldom at home; If the Husband is to leave Father and Mother, much more such places, to cleave to his Wife: Of those which following their Recreations and Pleasures, put all upon their Wives, chiding them for whatsoever is done amiss by Servants or others; those prove cruel taskmasters to their Wives, like Pharaoh's to the Israelites: were it not better for such (their businesses being over) to read, confer, and lovingly converse with their Wives? and should not their company be better to them then all companies in the world?  
2. This condemneth those that part boards (the Husband being either so proud, 
Use 2.  as he thinks his Wife not good enough to sit with him at Table, or she so unquiet, that he eats by himself, each Hog in his own Trough) yea and beds too, and that either continually, or upon discontent for some time, or upon surliness, and overmuch coyness; when the Husband will not be troubled with the child's crying, etc. as if he were not sometimes to bear such marriage troubles, but lay all upon his Wife.  
3. This condemeth the marriage of Children, 
Use 3.  who must be kept asunder many years; This comes from the excessive haste of Parents, which dare not trust God for a marriage rich enough, till they come of years, but thus prevent the Lord: Such think they work wisely, but for the most part, it's but foolishly: They think thus to build their houses, but for the most part it proves their ruin, such seldom loving one another. 
Husband's must be men of understanding.   
According to knowledge,] Husbands must be men of understanding and knowledge in the Scriptures, and grounds of Christian Religion, that they may do good to their wives and whole family: They are the head, therefore must be able to guide; the eye, therefore must see: 
Mat. 6. 22.  If the eye be dark, all must needs be dark; as the ointment on Aaron's head ran down on his beard, 
Psal. 133 2.  and thence to the skirt of his garment, 
See 1 Cor. 14. 35.  their knowledge must be exercised for the good of their wives, and the meanest in their family. 
In what particulars the same will appear.  They must be men of knowledge: 1. To instruct them in the ways of God, to pray with them, and (especially when through weakness or sickness their wives have been forced to stay at home) to inform them of such Points as were publicly delivered by the Preacher. 2. To comfort them in their heaviness of mind, affliction of body, loss of children, and the like, and that from the Word of God, being able to assuage the bitterness of their grief. 3. To advise and counsel them for the best. 4. How to admonish and reprove them: They must not do it without cause, nor when there is cause in an ill manner, before company, or with carnal bitterness, but rather in the terms of the Scriptures, and in love. 5. When to yield to their requests or persuasions: Herein Adam, Samson and Ahab failed, but Job in rebuking his wife, showed he was a man of knowledge. 6. To bear with their weaknesses and infirmities meet to be born with. 7. Not prescribing them to do any unlawful or unreasonable thing, whether on the Lord's day, or at other times, as to say, They are not within, when they are within, etc. 8. Not keeping such a number of Dogs, as may be both loss and continual vexation to their wives, or removing up and down till they have wasted all they have: Thus bad wives may be brought on to goodness, and good wives made better.  
1. This condemneth the common abuse of this Land; 
Use 1.  How few husbands be men of knowledge, able to instruct, comfort, advise, govern or admonish their wives? how few able to pray with them, repeat a sermon to them, or comfort them in any of their heavinesses? Hence it is, that they burden their wives with needless things; Hence many women of some good parts and towardness, matching with such Worldlings and Ignorants, have been undone; Hence so many jars and contentions in families: How many wives would perform their duties, if their husbands would go before them in performing theirs? O what evils might be avoided if husbands had but discretion! but most are void of understanding, cannot give a reason of their Faith, cannot pray in their families, scarce give thanks for their meat, check and discourage their wives from goodness, if they have any inclination thereto: Alas, in these days, if they get a little hair on their faces, and their portion into their hands, they think themselves fit to marry, though they have neither wit nor understanding; or if they stay some years, it's to get goods to set up with, not that they may be furnished with knowledge. Parents inquire after wealth, and how their daughters shall live, but do not much regard their living with men of knowledge.  
2. This condemneth the Papists, 
Use 2.  which forbid the Laity to read the Scripture: But where's knowledge to be learned, if not by them? It's enough with them that their Priests have knowledge, yet must not they marry.  
3. For those that are married, 
Use 3.  and have failed herein, let them redeem the time: 
1 Tim. 5. 8.  If he be worse than an infidel that provides not bodily maintenance for his family, than what is he that provides not spiritual?  
For those that are to marry, let them beg for wisdom, and labour for knowledge, that being married, they may live Christianly, and according to knowledge.  
For parents, let them instruct their sons in knowledge, and before they provide them wives, let them know indeed that they are men of knowledge; and for those that have daughters to marry, let them not so much aim at wealthy husbands, as with those which may live with their daughters according to knowledge.  
Giving honour unto the wife,] 
What honour the husband is to give to his wife.  The honour which is here prescribed, is not Divine honour (Peter would none of it at Cornelius his hand, nor the Angel at john's) nor that honour which an Inferior is to give to his Superior (whereof we may read in the fifth Commandment) but such as a Superior may give to an Inferior (so is the wife in some things) but as anunequal to his equals, 
Acts 10. 26.  so is the wife in many things. 
Rev. 22. 9  This comprehends divers things:  
1. That the husband is to respect and esteem his wife, 
Sundry particulars employed herein.  as of a most comely, necessary and profitable instrument, appointed of God as a meet help for him for the comfortable passing of his life, and such a one as he could not be without; profitable to the increase of posterity, to the building up of his house, for the bringing up of his children, for the ordering of his family, and disposing of things within doors (wherein he himself hath no skill, and which being left to servants are but sorrily done) profitable also to converse with in prosperity, to take comfort from in adversity; yea, by joining with him in every good duty to further his souls salvation: She is every way a necessary (not evil, as the world faith, but) good, an help meet for man, both in respect of body and soul; who more careful, painful, faithful, comfortable to her husband, than she? If God take away the wife, alas, how lame and maimed is the husband, his one hand is gone: When husbands do not thus esteem of their wives, they discourage them, occasion unquietness in them, if they be women of Spirit, or otherwise make them foolish.  
2. That the husband is to ask his wife's counsel and advice in businesses: God hath made her of his privy council, and two eyes see more than one, 
Gen. 31. 4.  yea oftentimes (that he may not despise her) she more than he: Jacob sent for his wives into the field, and conferred with them about his journey: Many husbands have confessed, that if they had taken their wife's counsel, it had gone better with them. Naaman heard his servants advise, 
1 King. 5. 14.  and followed it, much more should the husband the wives: 
Gen. 21. 14.  Abraham heard, and yielded to Sarah about Hagar and Ishmael; such are indeed injurious to their wives, that will never make them of their counsel.  
3. That according to his ability he is to allow her competent maintenance for herself, children and family, not spending all abroad, as too many do.  
4. That he is to give her a fit employment for her place: It were a foul wrong for her to sit in a chimney-corner, or set about some base employment, a servant in the mean time carrying the keys, and having the whole disposal of the house: And as he is thus to give her a fit employment, so therein to let her alone, not prying narrowly into every thing, and following her from room to room, and taking account of every thing, and every penny made of it, as distrusting his wife's thrift, wisdom or faithfulness.  
5. That he do not over burden his wife, or require more of her than she is well able to go through: He must not be a taskmaster to her, lest she cry unto God, and he hear in his anger, especially not when she is sickly or child-bearing, when she is big, or after her delivery, for than he is to bear much with her: Such as fail herein, whereby either their wives or children are cast away, have they not a guilty conscience, and an hard answer to make?  
6. That he must not reprove her before company, no not before her Children or Servants; for as this provokes her, so it weakens her authority, that she shall prevail the less with her Family in her husband's absence.  
7. That he ought not to take part with Child or Servant when she rebukes or corrects them, though haply she be in a fault; he must tell her thereof in private.  
8. That he is to use her lovingly and kindly, 
Reason's hereof  not proudly, tyrannously, or cruelly, abusing his authority; for though God hath given him preeminence, 
Eph. 5. 25.  yet is he not to use it as he list, but as God prescribes.  
What may not incite husbands hereunto? God requires it, they are their own flesh; 
Col. 3. 19  Christ loved his Church dearly, as accordingly they are to love their wives; She hath forsaken all for him, and he hath chosen her from all others; Her Friends entrust her with him, and expect kindness at his hands; He promised the same at the time of his Marriage, before God and the Congregation: This also will provoke her to her duty, and so further a comfortable living together. Whoso then regards the Commandment of God, and will suffer it to bear ●way with them, or their Covenant and Promise, must thus honour their wives.  
This condemneth 1. Those Monsters which not only lad their wives with Curses and Rail, 
Use 1.  but abuse them also with blows and heavy strokes, 
Sundry sorts of husbands reproved.  oftentimes in their drunken fits shurting them out of doors; these be bruit beasts (when knew you the Cock spur the Hen?) Devils in the shape of men: Its marvel their Neighbours take them not and bind them for mad men; for none but mad men beat themselves and their own flesh, whom Bedlam or Bridewell would fit better, then to be at liberty, unless they could use it better. 2. Those (though not altogether so bad as the former, yet) can lend their wives a box on the Ear, or a dowse on the Neck, or a spurn with their foot. 3. Those which though they can rule their hands, yet are so hoggish and churlish to their wives, as they know not how to please them, ever unquiet, 
1 Sam. 25. 17.  and like Nabal, so wicked, that one cannot speak to them, yea, will both rail on them, and revile them. 4. Those that sometimes be pleasant, and use their wives well, who yet at small things will be so hot and angry, as they break out into unseemly, harsh and bitter words, that vex and grieve the spirit of their wives: This argueth much weakness in the heart; 
Eccles. 7. 9  Anger resteth in the bosom of fools; and, He that is hasty to wrath, 
Prov. 14. 29.  exalteth folly, as, He that is slow to wrath, is of great wisdom. Such sharp and unkind speeches fall out sometimes between those that love well, and be good Christians, but it's their fault, and matter of humiliation. Neither let any please themselves with this, that they are quickly pleased again, for they may speak such words in their fits, as can hardly long after be forgotten, they may pierce so deep, that the wounds made thereby are not soon healed, and when healed, 
Objections answered.  not without scars; yea, it's a matter of reproach among men, to be counted hoggish and unkind to one's wife.  
Obj. Oh, but my wife is froward, and speaks to me otherwise then she should; thus and thus provoketh me, not without cause I do thus and thus to her.  
A. If our wives had no infirmities, 
The 1.  they were worse than beasts that would misuse them (and yet there be some who have very good wives, whom notwithstanding they use but untowardly) and if they had no imperfections, what need had we of patience? Having imperfections, shall we take hold of every little frailty? It's presupposed that husbands should be stronger than so; and doth not Christ bear with the infirmities of his Church? Beside, wives have many times occasions to distemper them, as frowardness of children, untowardness of servants, sickliness, etc. and they are otherwise good wives, love us well, be careful for our state, bring up our children well, and so should be born with; nay, have not we ourselves some one or other infirmity that they are feign to bear with?  
Obj. Oh, than we shall have enough of it, we shall never have done; therefore better hold them to hard meat, and make them smart for it, etc.  
A. This lesson was not learned in Christ's, 
The 2.  but in the Devil's school; for God bids us bear with one another's infirmities; 
Gal. 6. 2.  and, 
james 3. 17.  The wisdom from above is peaceable and gentle; mildeness also and loving usage shall prevail more, and do more good, than cruelty and severity: Many a good man that hath had an impatient wife, by his grave admonitions, godly life, patience and Prayers, hath obtained, that she hath proved a very good woman.  
Obj. Oh, but my wife will not yield to any good order, cares not for prayers, neglects her Family, brings up her children idly, etc.  
A. Here's wisdom, 
The 3.  as not to see God dishonoured by suffering evil, so, not to break love, or disturb peace: We must in God's matters hold our authority and Gods right, though in all our own matters we yield; 
Exod. 4. 14.  the contrary had like to have cost Moses dear: We may not buy peace on such hard conditions, yet in such cases we must rather persuade then enforce, show what the Word of God saith, use Reasons and Arguments to this purpose; yea, if need be, denounce God's wrath and judgements, which notwithstanding aught to be done in private and love, without carnal bitterness: We may be earnest, yet not impatient; and if we perceive any little amendment, take knowledge of it, and thereupon encourage them, pray for them, instruct them with meekness, waiting while God give them an heart to repent, and in good sort to comply with their husbands.  
As unto the weaker vessel,] 
Wives are the weaker vessels.  Here's the first Reason to enforce the former duty, Wives are the weaker vessels: They are weaker in body than men, weaker also in mind, timorous, and fearful, soon discouraged, soon provoked, quickly take hurt, and are quickly out of temper.  
God hath done this a purpose, 
Reasons.  it was so from the beginning, that the wife might the more willingly submit, and its necessary for peace and order, that one rule, and the other submit, which that the Wife may do, and be glad of an head and guide, she is made the weaker vessel; yet are not Wives so weak, but God hath given them competent ability of body, and mind to go through with their duties, and as they be the weaker, so they have the weaker works (except bearing of children, which they brought on themselves by sin) than men, theirs being for the most part within doors.  
1. Hereupon let Wives submit themselves the more willingly, 
Use 1.  and the weaker they find themselves, let them trust the more on God, that they may be strong in him.  
2. For Husbands, 
Use 2.  let them use their Wives kindly, being weak; they must not grieve them, nor disquiet them to their undoing; they be good, costly, and very profitable vessels, for excellent use, but easily cracked, therefore had we more need have the more care of them, as we have of some choice glass. 
Simil.  A Gentleman will not put his Watch or Clock into the hands of Children or Fools, nay, he thinks that he is scarce wise enough to handle it himself, What discretion then and wisdom is needful in Husbands about their Wives?  
3. This rebukes those that use their Wives ruggedly, 
Use 3.  and curstly, sometimes railing at them, other times beating them, whereby many good Wives are spoiled. 
Simil.  A Venice glass well used and looked too, may last long, so may a good Wife, but some use them so hoggishly, as they are not like to last long; some vex and grieve their Wives, that they pine away with sorrow, What an account have these to make? justly may God punish such, by taking away their good Wives, and sending them such as may be scourges to them.  
And as being heirs together of the grace of life.] 
Wives be no less heirs of the grace of life than their Husbands.  The second Reason, from the honour whereunto God hath advanced them; They be Kings daughters, Heirs of eternal life no less than men; They have the same right to Heaven that men have, and so to the means, Christ Jesus, the Word, Sacraments, Prayer, Faith, Repentance, Sanctification: God hath herein made them equal, so as that there be holy women as well as men; so all believing women be the daughters of God, and so his Heirs, Heirs of the grace of life: Among men, sons (not daughters, if there be any sons) be Heirs, and not all neither, but one; but God, though he hath many sons, yet doth also make all his daughter's Heirs. But of this on verse 5.  
1. This should make women content with their state, 
Use 1.  and thank God highly; though they be appointed to be subject to their Husbands, and be also the weaker, yet seeing God hath made them equal in the greatest matters, they may rest satisfied, especially seeing even those things also, wherein they might seem abused, are much for their good.  
2. It may provoke them to labour for their part in grace, 
Use 2.  and means of glory, God hath not excluded them, they must not exclude themselves: A grievous fault it is in a number of women, that they regard not goodness, as though being poor women especially, little were required of them; But have they not souls to save as well as others? must they not come to Heaven the same way as others? and as they be wives and mothers much is required of them.  
3. For husbands, 
Use 3.  let them use their wives exceeding respectively, seeing God hath so honoured them: To abuse God's daughters, his heirs, is grievous. If a man had an Heathen woman to his wife, he ought to use her well, much more being a Christian: The more grace any woman hath, the more kindly must she be used; such are Kings daughters, heirs of the King of Heaven.  
That your prayers be not hindered.] The third Reason: Using them ill will breed Contention, and so make them unable to pray at all, or pray amiss. Here note,  
1. That the husband should pray with his wife (God takes it here for granted) and that also constantly; 
Husband's should pray with their wives.  the course of their prayers must by no means be broken off.  
This is their daily homage to God; 
Reasons.  they have daily need of pardon, grace, protection, direction in all their affairs, all which must be prayed for: This hath promise of blessing, and herein all Religion is contained.  
This condemneth most husbands, 
Use.  that never pray with their wives; they have no skill nor will hereto, 
Psal. 14. 2.  an argument of a profane man, void of all Religion, dead in sin; for where there is the least spark of grace, there will be crying to God. How do these live? as much Religion in their Hogs-coats, as in their houses, they live like Swine; most Families, in stead of being little Churches, be Herds of Swine, which live as if there were no God: How do these look for a blessing? God hath promised none but to them that ask it; what common blessings they enjoy, they enjoy not as fruits of their Prayers; If we desire to be accounted religious, and would have any blessing of God, let's learn to pray.  
2. That whatsoever would interrupt our Prayers, 
Whatsoever may interrupt our prayers is to be avoided.  is carefully to be avoided: Thus as we are to avoid worldliness, an ill conscience, and the like; so also contention and wrangling, both with our neighbours, and wives: That party is unfit to Pray, whose heart is poisoned with wrath and malice; the Prayers of such are loathsome, being thus, our Sacrifices will not be accepted at God's altar: O what a grievous thing is it to lose our prayers? What else have we to help ourselves with? What judgements doth not prayer remove? What blessing doth it not obtain? greatly doth he lose, that loseth the benefit of his prayers.  
Therefore let us beware of contention and strife, 
Use.  especially with our wives: Let us always keep our hearts calm and fit to pray; Who knows what need he may have of prayer, and that more than ordinary? As men keep their Horses for service in plight and breath, so keep we our prayers in good tune; 
Simile.  keep we them as a Pinnace ready to send out speedily, and come home laden, else we may miss many a good purchase.   

Verse 8. Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous, Verse 9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing; but chose blessing, knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.  
NOw he comes to certain general Exhortations, that concern all sorts and states whatsoever, and they tend to love, and a peaceable and comfortable living together one with another.  
Be ye all of one mind,] Not that he would have these Jews to be of one mind with the Idolatrous and profane Gentiles amongst whom they lived, but that being converted and believing Jews, they would all consent and agree together, in the matters of Faith, and Religion of Christ, that they would all embrace the Lord Jesus, the only Foundation; and that some only should not look for Salvation by him, some by the Law, and some by both, but that all should seek unto him alone: And as they were thus to agree in matters of Faith, so also in their Civil affairs, avoiding contention and strife. The virtue then which is here exhorted unto, 
See 1 Cor. 1. ●0  is Unanimity, a joining together in one mind, and one heart, in one judgement, and one affection.  
For Unity in Religion, 
There must be between Christians unity in Religion.  though Errors be many, yet there's but one Truth, which every one must know, believe, and walk in to Salvation: Other foundation besides Christ there's none; all that believe in him shall be saved, 
1 Cor. 3. 11.  as they that miss of him, building beside the foundation, fall to the ground, shall be ashamed and confounded: We were all created in the Truth, 
john 14. 6.  but since the fall become prone to error; 
Prov. 23. 23.  Christ is the Truth, the Way and the Life, and this are we to buy; this is contained in the Scriptures, for which we are to search: Some foolishly imagine, that every one shall be saved by his own devotion, but its life eternal to know God, 
john 17. 3.  and Christ Jesus whom he hath sent.  
To be thus in one judgement in Religion, 
Reasons.  is a great mean of peace, as the contrary a great cause of dissension; even disagreement in small matters, makes alienations of affections, much more in Religion. This Jeroboam knew well, 
1 King. 12. 27.  he would not suffer the ten Tribes to come up to Jerusalem to worship, as God commanded, lest agreeing together, they should fall from him, but chose to set up a new kind of worship at Dan and Bethel, thereby to set them at odds.  
It's lamentable that so many are distracted into divers and innumeral Heresies, 
Who disagree from the truth in the foundation.  and but a very handful have the Truth, and be of one mind: Some disagree from the Truth in the very foundation, as, 1. Heathens and Pagans, living in strange kinds of idolatry, being altogether ignorant of God and Christ. 2. The Jews, that look for another Saviour, 
1 john 2. 23.  acknowledging the Father but not the Son; but he hath that not the Son, hath not the Father. 3. The Turks, that acknowledge the Old, not the New Testament, the Father, not the Son. 4. The Papists, that hold some (not all) points tending this way, as in the matter of our salvation, parting the same between Christ and our selves. 5. The Arrians, and that base Atheistical Sect of the Family of Love, etc.  
Some, 
Who holding the foundation, do yet err from the truth.  though they differ not in foundation, yet err from the truth; Such were the Donatists, Novatians, and such like of old, as in our times, the Lutherans beyond the Seas, and amongst ourselves, the Separatists; Those are led with a Spirit of pride and preposterous Zeal; They were bred up in the Church, and as soon as they were able to shift for themselves, they spit in their Mother's face, and call her Strumpet; These be ungracious children, they were never thus taught of Christ or his Apostles: As we are to pity and pray for the former, and that the Lord would deliver his poor people from the tyranny of the Turk and Antichrist, giving the Gospel a free passage among them, that with one mind and mouth they may glorify God in Christ Jesus; so for these: Seeing there is little to prevail with them, as having a proud conceit of themselves and their opinions, le's take heed we be not led away with them; for herein they hazard their souls greatly, that they forsake the means, the Ministry of the Word, and so may revolt, or at least stand at a stay: Whiles they be so quarrelling about matters of Controversy, they neglect matters of Sanctification and Government of their lives.  
Besides, even among ourselves that tarry in the Church, there is odds and difference, and thereby carnal worldlings and profane persons excuse themselves from embracing Religion, but this shall not serve their turn: 
1 Cor. 13. 9  There is odds indeed, and no marvel, For we know in part, and believe in part.  
But wherein is the difference, not in the grounds of our Religion, but in matters of Ceremony and Circumstance: 
Difference amongst ourselves for matter of Ceremony.  So far as the Ministers of the Church of England agree, let them embrace, believe and obey, and it shall be sufficient to bring them to Heaven; as for the things about which they differ, they little concern them: we are to desire God that these controversies were at an end, and that we may be all of one mind about these things; till which time we are to desire, that there might not be such Separation of affections for these things, 
Note.  but as both may be saved and be good Christians that be of either of both minds, so there might be a consent and agreement, and not one rend asunder in affection from another; for as it were extreme uncharitableness for any to judge any for these things, whom they see to live godly, and Preach diligently, so to censure those over sharply that are not altogether of the same judgement. 
The evils which ensue hereupon.  This doth much hurt, for as it was said, The war of Heretics, is the peace of the Church; so it is now too true, That the contention of the Church, is the peace and increase of Papists among us: Hereby also many fall to Brownism, and sundry no doubt hereupon shake off all care of Religion, and are little better than Atheists.  
Some there are even also amongst private Christians, 
Differences amongst Christians about private opinions.  that having somewhat better gifts of wit and memory, and some more knowledge than others, fall to curious questions, and maintain strange and singular opinions, as, That they can discern Spirits, and in an hours talk with a man, know certainly whether he be a child of God or not, etc. whereby they draw parties to themselves, fall into wrangling and strife with such as oppose their fancies, becomes strange unto them, discharge them behind their backs; whence the godly are grieved, and profane ones take occasion to exclaim against the profession of Religion, yea, their Ministers become ill thought of as teachers of such Novelties: Such are of a proud Spirit, as who take up Opinions not grounded in the Word, and maintain them also to the breach of unity and love: If any scruple arise in our minds, we are in humility to resort to those, 
Mal. 2. 7.  whose lips are appointed to preserve knowledge.  
For unity in civil affairs, 
There must be also unity between us in our conversation.  or outward conversation: We ought to be of one mind in every good thing in our families, and places where we live, husbands and wives, neighbours with neighbours, must be likeminded one towards another, 
Eph. 4. 2.  according to Christ Jesus; any other is a conspiracy, 
Rom. 15. 5.  no true agreement. In Towns men ought to join together to suppress evil persons and places, and set up goodness so much as in them lies; where two or three thus consent, there is God in the midst of them: But in most places, men set themselves to cross one another, and Baal hath them which plead for him, and against God and goodness; 
Simil.  as if one Horse were set at the one end of the Cart, and another at the other end, and each put to draw, they would trample the ground, tyre themselves, and do no good to the owner: so is it in many Towns, where dissension beareth sway, nothing is done to the glory of God or good thereof. 
Acts 4. 32.  And for particular persons and neighbours, they must be of one heart, and live lovingly together, not offering occasion of offence, nor readily embracing any, but forgetting, 
Eph. 4. 26.  forgiving, and passing by injuries, not giving place unto wrath, nor suffering the Sun to go down thereon. We are brethren, members also of one body, 
Isa. 11. 6.  we must live like Lambs one with another: O how good and comely a thing is it thus to live! 
Psal. 133. 1.  but alas, how do men wrangle and contend for every trifle: 
Gen. 13. 8.  Welfare Abraham, he would rather yield to Lot then contend, we are his children if we follow his steps; What a shame is it, that they which are baptised with the same Baptism, profess the same Faith, and say that they are guided by the same Spirit, should yet be at strife and variance? O fie upon it, How do these slain their Prayers, hinder themselves from the Sacrament? How canst thou look God in the face, who thus break his Commandments? Hereof pride and covetousness are the main causes: Take we heed to these duties, 
2 Cor. 13. 11.  that living in peace, the God of love and peace may be with us.  
Having compassion one of another,] 
Christian's must be of like affection each to other.  Another virtue required, is to be of like affection each to other, in their prosperity rejoicing with them, and desiring the continuance thereof, as in their heaviness to be grieved; 
Rom. 12. 15.  yea, we are to rejoice in their prosperity, though we ourselves were in affliction, 
Psal. 122. 6.  to rejoice, I say whether in respect of the Church in general, or of the particular Members thereof: Such shall not prosper that have ill will to Zion, that envy the prosperity of the Church, nor such as are envious at the good estate of particular Christians, or Ministers, their welfare, credit, peace, liberty; nor such as have an ill eye at their Neighbours thriving in wealth, credit, gifts, or any other blessing: Through the Devil (justly styled the envious man, as being the author of envy, they become thus envious: What, shall we have an ill eye, because God is good? what is this but to find fault with God? 
Gal. 5. 21.  How was envy punished in Cain, 
Psal. 37. 1.  in Esau, in the Edomites, etc. It's a work of the flesh, which God cannot away withal; nay, we are not to envy at the prosperity of the wicked, for they shall pay full dearly for it: Naturally we are addicted hereunto, but we ought to hate it, and strive against it: And for them whom God blesseth above others, they must walk very warily in all humbleness and care to do good, and kindly use their Inferiors, else they put them upon a temptation of envy, whereas on the other part people will say, His wealth and place is well bestowed on him, he is loving, affable, doth good, etc.  
And as we are to rejoice with them that do rejoice, 
Gal. 6. 2.  so must we mourn with them that mourn, we must help to bear their burden; we must pity them in our hearts, pray for them, visit them, and otherwise relieve them if need be; we must not be altogether for ourselves, as those who were not born for ourselves alone. 
Heb. 13. 3.  In the natural body, 
1 Cor. 12. 26.  if one member suffer, the rest suffer with it, much more should it be so in the spiritual: If the foot get a thorn in it, the back bows down to it, the eye looks upon it, the hand searcheth it, the heart grieveth, the tongue complaineth; should not we be thus affected at the hurt of our fellow-members? 
See Acts 9 4.  Our head is a living feeling head, and accordingly we should be feeling members: If we shall do thus for others, shall not they do the like for us? Herein Nehemiah may be our pattern, though he were in great prosperity, 
Neh. 1. 4. & 2. 1, 2, 3, etc.  yet hearing of the miseries of God's people, he so mourned, that it was seen in his face; he used his best credit with the King, and by his permission undertook a painful journey with much hazard to remedy the same.  
1. This rebuketh those which rejoice at the destruction of the Church and members thereof, 
Use 1.  as the Papists would have done had their Powder-treason been effected, and as carnal people do when the godly fall either into any trouble or sin: 
Psal. 137. 7.  Thus did the Edomites in the day of Jerusalem, 
Prov. 17. 5.  but he that is glad at calamities, 
job 31. 29.  shall not be unpunished: Job rejoiced not at the destruction even of him that hated him; 
Pro. 24. 17, 18.  who so thus doth, the Lord will not turn away his wrath from him.  
2. It condemneth those which instead of grieving at the afflictions of their Brethren, 
Use 2.  are the only authors thereof, by Oppression, Bribery, Extortion, and such cruel dealing; so was Pharaoh unto the Israelites, as Paul a cruel persecuter till he was converted: Now if they that grieve not with them, and help them not in their miseries will be found guilty, and condemned at the last day, what shall become of those men of blood that have been the cause of their overthrow? The cries of Gods poor servants ascend against them, and will bring destruction upon them, as the Israelites upon Pharaoh.  
3. It condemneth those that whatsoever be the case of the Church, 
Use 3.  or Christians, or Neighbours, have no regard thereof, but give themselves over to Ease, Pleasure, Belly cheer: Thus did Ahasuerus and Haman, 
Amos 6. 4.  thus the rich Glutton in the Gospel, but there's a curse prepared for such; others are like stocks and stones, neither grieve in heart, pity in tongue, nor afford any comfort to those that are in distress, they may sink or swine for all them: They think it well if they hurt no man, but this will not serve their turn, O what comfort can such look for either from God or men in their extremity! yea, it's also a great fault amongst Christians, that they mind so much their own matters, that they are little affected this way, seldom pray for such as are in distress, slowly visit them, and slenderly relieve them: Who knows what temptations they may meet with? It's no easy thing to go alone through trouble without help; it's an Argument such have shrewd obstruction by Self-love and Covetousness, wherewith they are much benumbed, half dead through want of Spiritual moisture: We must labour to put away those, to be purged and rid of them, and labour to find our souls to be in a good state and plight, by our sensisible sympathising at our brother's miseries: Are we guilty herein? It concerns us to be much humbled for the same, and to labour for Reformation; then shall we with comfort look up to God in our afflictions, and may be assured, that if God shall lay his hand upon us, not a few will help shore us up, and that's no small comfort in affliction.  
Love as brethren,] Love as children of the same Father, love each other as it becometh Christians, love one another with a brotherly love. Hereof I have spoken on Chap. 1. ver. 22. 
That Christians may love one another.  Here only consider, wha● Christians are to do, and what to avoid, that they may love one another.  
1. We are 1. 
What they are to do.  To provoke one another unto the duties of love. 2. In all we do to or for the Saints, 
2 Cor. 16. 14.  we must strive to do the same in a loving manner. 3. We must hide our brother's infirmities, not blazing them abroad to their disgrace, not estranging ourselves from them for wrongs they do us, but gently rebuking them for the same. 4. If our brother trespass against us, we must show ourselves easy to be entreated upon his acknowledgement thereof.  
2. We must avoid, 
What they must avoid.  1. Familiar society with the wicked of the world. 2. Take heed of such as sow discord. 3. Not desire worldly greatness, whether in Church or Commonwealth. 4. Not be wise in our own conceits, but esteem of others judgement as well as our own. 5. Not be altogether addicted to our own worldy affairs, thereupon affecting retiredness from the society of others.  
1. This reproves those that love, 
Use 1.  like, and use all alike; the loose and profane, give them as good content, as the good and virtuous.  
2. It reproves them, 
Use 2.  that like the godly worst, or could like them well, were they not so precise.  
3. It reproves the contentions between Christians; 
Use 3.  we should love one another with brotherly affection, and show the same by brotherly actions, but how do many fall out for trifles? What a fearful thing is this? How monstrous and prodigious for one member to offer violence unto another? To see brethren contend before God their Father, in the face of the Church their Mother, and before their fellow-brothers and Christians in Christ that grieve at it, yea, before the wretches of the world that laugh at it, how strange is it? When two Christians fall out and be at variance, do they not unchristian and unbrother each other? O the strength and violence of our corruption breaking asunder this band! What shall tie men together, if the Spirit of Love be not strong enough? 
Gen. 13. 7.  O that we could remember with Abraham, that there are Canaanites and Perizzites in the land! O that the unregenerate would labour for Sanctification, whereby they may begin to love God and their brethren, and the regenerate labour to pull out all these weeds of Pride, Covetousness, Envy, Frowardness, etc. that this tender plant of Love taking root in their hearts, may so thrive, 
See 2 Thess. 1 2.  that it may fructify in their lives and conversation, and they may abound more and more therein.  
Be pitiful,] 
What pity is.  Pity is an holy compassion of the heart, whereby we are ready to relieve them that are in misery, whether ourselves or others.  
Herein there must be both the affection of the heart, and help of the hand.  
For ourselves, 
We must pity ourselves.  we are by nature in a most woeful and fearful condition, we are sinners, and so under the curse of God, and subject to eternal condemnation hereafter, and therewithal the vassals and slaves of Sin and the Devil. Now we are bound to love ourselves first, therefore to pity ourselves in any misery: If we be in any bodily misery, as pains, poverty, or the like, we moan ourselves, complain, and grieving, seek to relieve ourselves, so ought we to take knowledge of the miseries of our souls, and labour to get ourselves out of the same: We must not be quiet till we have got the assurance of the pardon of our sins, and that there is no condemnation unto us; we must give no sleep to our eyes, nor slumber to our eyelids, till we find ourselves thus delivered: And considering that of ourselves we have no strength to any thing that is good, we must endeavour to live under the Ministry of the Word, where we may know the will of God, and be thereby directed unto Salvation.  
This condemneth the most unmerciful hardheartedness of the world, 
Use.  that have no pity on themselves for their Spiritual miseries, nay will not take knowledge of them, but hate those that would help them out of them, or knowing them, yet are content either to abide in the same without any regard, or bless themselves in their condition, as if either it were not so bad as it is, or they might come out of it when they would: Would we not pity ourselves if we were blind, lame, naked, diseased in our bodies? Such are we in soul, but where's our pity? Who would live in a place where there were no bread? or in a Town besieged by Enemies, wherein there were no Watchmen to give warning? 
Simile.  but not a few live where there are neither Preaching nor Preachers. As Peter bade Christ favour himself, so may we bid these pity themselves. O consider of the worth of your souls, and of the misery wherein they now are, and (if not now prevented) hereafter shall be: How do we take on if our finger be but a little burnt with a Candle? Should we not therefore stand in fear of the everlasting burning in Hell? Who will pity you, if you pity not your own souls? or who will commit unto you their souls to be cared for, that have no pity of your own? If God cast you into eternal torments without pity, yet you must needs blame yourselves, as those who had no pity of yourselves: O pity yourselves, though it be with some pains to your bodies: If your bodies do your souls a good turn, as by bringing them to the Word, being profited thereby, they will requite them a thousand fold.  
Pity towards others, 
We must pity the souls of others.  is either in respect of their souls or their bodies.  
In respect of their souls, It must be our care and labour to help them out of such miseries and bondage as they lie under: 
Isa. 49. 23.  Thus must Princes be careful of their subjects souls, 
Psal 78. 72.  be unto them as nursing fathers and nursing mothers, feed them, guide them, and with Asa, Hezekiah, Josiah, Jehoshaphat, etc. provide that they may be instructed in their duties: 
Rom. 13. 3, 4.  Thus must Magistrates of the people among whom they live, encouraging the good, and punishing the bad: Thus Ministers, as Watchmen, tell people of any danger; as Shepherds, feed them; 
See Eze. 34. 4.  and as guides, lead them: They must preach to the capacity of the meanest, 
2 Tim. 2. 15. and 4. 2.  going in and out before them by an holy example: Thus Patrons must have a care in bestowing their livings in pity of the people's souls; 
1 Pet. 5. 2.  Thus Parents of their Children, bringing them up in the narture and fear of the Lord; Thus Husbands of their wives souls, 
Eph. 6. 4.  Masters of their Servants, all of us each of others: Help them that live in ignorance out of it in what you can, bring home the impenitent, comfort them that are afflicted; yea, we are even to pity those that are further off, or dwell in other Countries, who are yet without the knowledge of God and Christ, as also to pity their souls, who do not yet pity themselves. 
Reasons.  What may not induce us hereunto? God is full of compassion and mercy: 
Psal. 103. 13.  Such an account made he of our souls, 
john 3. 16.  as to save them, he gave the blood of his own Son: Christ Jesus so pitied us, as he was content to abase himself to the state of man, 
Phil. 2. 8.  taking upon him the form of a Servant, yea, to undergo the ignominous death of the Cross: O how he wept over Jerusalem! How moved he was with pity, 
Luke 19 41.  when he saw the people scattered as Sheep wanting a shepherd? 
Mat. 9 36.  and as he himself Preached most diligently, so as the Doctor and Prophet of his Church, he furnished the same with able men, as the twelve Apostles, and seventy Disciples. Add hereunto, 
See Mat. 16. 26.  that the soul is of more worth than the whole world, and that if the soul be lost, it must lie in unspeakable and endless torments, and thither also will it draw the body.  
This condemneth the unmercifulness of the world towards souls, 
Use.  as of those which establish false Religion, and bind their people thereto, 
1 King. 16. 26.  as Jeroboam, who made the people sin; such poison and murder the soul: So of ungodly Magistrates, who hinder the preaching of the Word in what they can; So of ignorant, Heretical, corrupt Teachers, ravening Wolves, such starve or poison souls, They cloth themselves with the fleece, but care not for the flock; So of wicked and unconscionable Patrons, that for kindred, favour, or money, put in such as God never called, being no way fit for that weighty calling, utterly unapt to teach, having neither ability nor willingness thereto, being such as seek their ease and pleasures; So of wicked Fathers, that buy livings for their Sons, though never so unsufficient; So of careless and ungodly Parents, that have no care of the education of their Children, providing for them food, gay clothes, and great Portions, but no good instruction. 
Simile.  If they were taken Captives of the Turk, they will mourn, but are no whit moved with pity, though they be indeed Slaves unto Satan; If but their finger ache, they are grieved, what should they then be, seeing so many ugly sores of deadly sins running upon them? So of Neighbours that little regard those they live by, though ignorant, impenitent, etc. they are not troubled at it, show little mercy this way; So if any be afflicted in conscience, few take the same to heart, few do either regard or pity them. Assuredly such as show no mercy to the souls of others, especially them that be under their charge, shall have of God no mercy showed on their souls, but as it was said, 
Exod. 21. 24.  Eye for eye, tooth for tooth; so will he make them pay soul for soul; their blood shall be required of them: There shall be judgement without mercy, 
james 2. 13.  to them that show no mercy, yea, God will especially unconscionable and unmerciful Ministers, 
See jer. 20. 6.  not only in themselves and their goods so gotten, 
Host 4. 6.  but also in their children. Contrarily to those that have pitied souls, 
Matth. 5. 7.  God will show mercy: Godly Kings and Magistrates, 
1 Tim. 4. 16.  with Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, and Nehemiah, God will bless and remember them in goodness: 
Dan. 12. 8.  Also godly, painful and merciful Ministers, shall both save themselves, and them that hear them; They shall shine as the Stars, and receive an incorruptible Crown of glory: 
2 Tim. 4. 8.  Being careful in their places, they are (what effect soever their labours have) a sweet savour to God. 
2 Cor. 2. 15.  The like may be said of Parents, who are careful in their children's education, and of godly Neighbours, which seek the good of their souls with whom they live, God will requite it into their bosoms, as having done a great work: O let us be provoked to have more regard and pity of the miseries of souls then ever! If we be careful of our own, we will also be careful of the souls of others; when we have once felt the misery of our own souls, and found mercy of God to be delivered therefrom, then will we know the worth of souls, and be pitiful over others. No marvel though so few be careful of the souls of others, being there are so few careful of their own; whensoever you see any negligent in their places, its because the work of grace hath not been as yet wrought on their souls.  
In respect of their Bodies; 
We must pity the bodies of others.  To those that be sick, in pain, poverty, debt, prison, or any outward distress, we ought to be inwardly compassionate, 
See Isa. 58. 6.  and outwardly relieve them as we may; we must have bowels of mercy, 
Luke 14. 13.  right bowels towards them; we must have such tenderness of affection, 
Rom. 12. 15.  as if we were in the same case; 
Heb. 13. 3.  we are not born only for ourselves, we are but Stewards: God sends poverty on them, as for the trial of their faith and patience, so of our love; we have cause to thank God, who hath thus honoured us to be givers, what have we deserved more than others? 
Simil.  God as a mighty Prince and Housekeeper, hath called us all to his Table, setting some at the upper end, others at the middle, as others at the lower end thereof; It were no manners in them that sit above, to keep all for themselves, they must distribute to them that sit lowest of that that's set before them: 
Reasons.  God is merciful, and so should we be, yea, this is the note of a good man, 
Psal. 112. 9  and such were Job and Cornelius, such Dorcas; yea, how pitiful was our Saviour this way, when he fed the hungry, gave sight to the blind, healed the lame, etc. God hath also made gracious promises hereunto, all which may induce us to the performance hereof. 
Signs.  And thus are we affected indeed, when we are ready to hear the cries of the poor, and to relieve them cheerfully; wherein notwithstanding we must not look for too much beholdingness, we must show mercy to those that have most need, and of those to the household of Faith; we must give out of goods well gotten, laying aside somewhat thereof for such uses; we must abound more and more, being full of mercy, and not weary of well doing: So when we lend freely, not looking so much to save ourselves, as to pleasure them to whom we lend, and in buying and selling, do unto others as we would be dealt withal: Whereunto may be added, our dealing mercifully with those which fall into our danger, by forfeiting their Bond, not fulfilling their Covenants, and the like.  
1. This condemneth all unmerciful men, 
Use 1.  whether such as will part from nothing but even by constraint, hardhearted, having no bowels, giving no more than needs must, not lending at all, or for their own advantage to the undoing of the borrowers; or such as do hurt, oppress, gripe by Usury, by cruel letting of Leases, selling after unreasonable Rate to the poor, buying of them half for nought, grinding their faces, and flaying their skins by Forfeitures, etc. so feeding themselves on them, and working on their necessities; Let all such know, That they have no grace in them at all, 
1 john 3. 17. and 4. 20.  no soundness in Religion, no true love of God, 
james 1. 27.  God also will shut up his mercy from these, neither shall they partake of blessedness; 
Prov. 21. 13.  Though they cry unto him, he will not hear them, 
Matth 5. 7.  he will be revenged on them in their goods, names, children, souls, here and hereafter: See Job 20. 10, 15. Prov. 22. 22, 23. Jer. 17. Mat. 25.  
2. This may be a comfort to all merciful minded, 
Use 2.  and liberal handed men: They are herein like to God, who is merciful, and requires of us so to be, 
Luke 6. 36.  because he is so; as good and faithful Stewards, they shall be made Rulers over much: They shall be blessed every way, for they cause many thanks to be given to God, 
Pro. 11. 24, 25.  and they have also many Prayers; 
Eccles. 11. 1.  they are blessed in their goods, as which not only increase more and more, but descend from them to their posterity; they are blessed in their names, they live in credit and reputation, and being dead, 
Acts 8. 2.  they are much lamented for; they are blessed in their children, they are blessed every way, outwardly, inwardly, in body, in soul, 
Psal. 37. 26.  here and hereafter: 
Matth. 5. 7. and 25. 21.  The merciful shall obtain mercy, The good and faithful servant shall enter his Master's joy.  
3. For those that be not cruel, 
Use 3.  yet withal not so merciful as they should be, let them labour for this grace of pity; and to this end both remove the lets and impediments thereof, namely, Prodigality (whereby they waste all, become unthrifts, unfit at all to do any good) and Covetousness (whereby they think all lost that goes besides themselves, which is indeed the cutthroat of pity) and use the means conducing hereunto, 
Means conducing hereunto.  namely, 1. Labour for a feeling of God's mercy to themselves. 2. Visit the poors houses, look into their Cup boards, observe their cold fare, their thin and hard lodging (this cannot but affect them, as the Samaritan upon his view of the man fallen among Thiefs, 
Luke 10. 33.  had compassion on him.) 3. If they themselves cannot see them, let them take informations thereof from others. 4. When they are in any affliction, as in pains, or sick, let them consider the means they have for their recovery, as a warm house, a good bed, wholesome Diet, the Physician's advice and direction, etc. all which the poor want: Whoso doth thankfully acknowledge those, cannot but be pitiful. 
We must be pitiful to our beasts.   
There's yet one further branch of pity; We must be pitiful to our Beasts, 
Prov. 12. 10.  we must use them mercifully, and keep them sufficiently, yea be pitiful not only of our own, 
Exod. 23. 4.  but our Neighbours, nay our Enemies. God is pitiful this way, 
Psal. 104. 21. and 147. 9  He feeds the young Ravens that cry unto him; and, The Lions seek their meat from him: 
Deut. 25. 4.  He openeth his hand, and filleth all things living with plenteousness: He will not have the mouth of the Ox to be muzzled; 
Exod. 20. 10.  and will have the beasts also rest on the Sabbath day.  
This rebukes those which (though they pamper them not as some do their Hounds, 
Use.  giving them that which many of the poor want, and others their Horses) are cruel persons to their Beasts, as rank Riders, which are all on the spur (yet in Prince's Affairs, or cases of necessity men may take liberty this way) covetous Misers, that keep their cattle bare and poor, Servants that deal unconscionably, through their idleness and laziness suffering poor dumb creatures to perish; all which hurry up and down by unnecessary journeys, or by their journeys on the Lord's day, whether for profit or pleasure.  
Be courteous,] 
What courtesy is, and that Christians are to be courteous  Courtesy is an affable, mild, and lowly carriage of ourselves towards our equals and inferiors (for its reverence and duty we owe and do perform to our superiors and betters) this is in countenance, 
How it shows itself.  gesture, words and deeds; our countenance must be amiable, not too cloudy and austere; we must kindly and lovingly greet one another (Greet one another (saith the Apostle) with an holy kiss; 
Rom. 16. 16.  and in another place, 
1 Pet. 5. 14.  with the kiss of charity, 
Psal. 129. 8.  both speeches be to very good purpose:) This hath been of ancient standing, even to greet one another at meeting or passing by, 
Rom. 12. 10.  and hereof we have examples in the holy Scriptures: 
Luke 14. 8.  We must also give the upper hand, and highest seat in our Meetings, which also our Saviour doth require: We must also be affable in our speeches, whilst we be in company, not too strange or dark, but free and cheerful; this is required in Scripture under the name of Meekness (even the smallest duties that we owe one to another are here set down) & for this is Moses commended; 
Ephes. 4. 2.  so our Saviour Christ, 
Col. 3. 12.  he was so affable, 
Num. 12. 3.  as poor ones, yea poor women durst speak to him; his disciples also asked him questions from time to time, which he refused not to answer; yea, even unto him that smote him he spoke courteously, 
john 18. 23.  If I have evil spoken, bear witness of the evil.  
This tends greatly to peace, and to procure love: What force was in Absoloms' courteous speeches, 
2 Sam. 15. 6.  to steal away the hearts of the people? The contrary breeds heart-burnings, evil surmisings, contentions, what not? Our Nature can abide nothing worse, then to see ourselves contemned or neglected by others; what can we do less, then greet and use them kindly? If they be our equals, is it not reason we should use them as courteously as we would be used of them? If our inferiors, its noble for us to use them kindly, as its a point of a base mind to insult over, or trample them under. Thus would they murmur against God, and envy us, whereas our courteous behaviour would be a means to make them contented with their place; yea, though we are not to be familiar with the wicked, or open our hearts to such, or join ourselves in near communion with them, or bear with them in their evil courses, but speak earnestly against the same; yet are we to carry ourselves courteously towards them, that thereby we may win them the more.  
This rebuketh those that fail in either extreme. 
Use 1.   
On the one part, there are some 1. Which are proud, scornful, and disdainful in their looks and carriage towards others, passing by them without saluting them, or once speaking to them; such have base minds: And what can be more strange, then that any mortal man which is but a Worm, should thus deal with one that is his own flesh, the image of God, yea haply one better than himself? 2. Which strive and justle for the highest rooms, wall, or seats in the Church, and elsewhere, which strive for the way upon the Road, etc. Hereby they display their pride, and in stead of honour, bring disgrace upon themselves. 3. Use cursed and cruel speaking, like Nabal, who was so wicked, that none could speak to him, or carry themselves so high, as their inferior cannot speak to them: Hence is the common Proverb, They had rather speak to the greatest Gentleman or Nobleman in a Country, then to such a mean man, and have a better answer; Naaman and Job would hear their Servants speak. 4. Such as for frowardness and heartburning cannot speak when they meet, nor salute each other, but pass by each other, as if they were dumb and tongue-tied; a goodly matter, if they could wound and kill one another as good cheap, would they not do it? and is not this sin before God? doth not God behold the same?  
On the other, there is 1. Counterfeit courtesy, in low crouchings and greet, etc. wherein (being void of love and kindness) men do altogether seek themselves, 
2 Sam. 15. 6.  as Absolom did. 2. Treacherous courtesy, when men salute kindly, but intent devilishly, under a fair vizard bearing mischief in their hearts; Thus Joab in killing Abner and Amasa, and Judas in betraying Christ; thus many will speak very friendly to them against whom behind their backs they will by and by rail, and plot mischief. 3. Excessive courtesy, when men be too full of it: If some in humility and true simplicity, show a great deal more courtesy towards their Superiors than they would have, it's not much amiss; but when men exceed in it towards their equals, it doth often carry much falsehood with it, according to the old Proverb, Much courtesy, much craft; it's also seen often, that there are none more hollow, than they that seem most courteous; God for the present seeth their hypocrisy, and man in time will, and loath both it and them: It's a fault among Christians, that at their meetings they stand striving who should take the place, or sit down first, etc. to the great disturbance of the whole company; modestly to refuse the place at the first is commendable, as it's also in them that offer it, but for either to stand long complementing about it, ridiculous.  
Not rendering evil for evil, 
Christian's must not revenge themselves on their enemies.  or railing for railing,] Now of our carriage towards wicked and injurious men: They are naturally bend to speak evil of us, especially being the servants of God, but we must not requite them with the like, we must not revenge ourselves on them: They that make a trade hereof, are but carnal, and have naughty hearts: It's also a vile thing, fittter for Turks and Heathens, than such as know God; as we would be forgiven of God, we must for give one another. But of this already on Vers. 23. of the foregoing Chapter.  
There's lawful revenge on ourselves, 
Lawful revenge on ourselves.  as in Zacheus the Publican, Marry Magdalene, the Apostle Paul, the Incestuous person, etc. Thus we are to revenge our covetousness by more large giving; our riot, by more sparing from the body; our earnestness and pains in evil, by the like or greater in hearing the Word and holy Exercises. There's also an holy revenge upon others, 
On others.  which is rather upon sin then their persons, being zealous against the same in whomsoever we find it, whether our children, servants, or others, accordingly avenging the glory of God, by bringing those to punishment that hinder or hurt the same.  
But chose blessing,] 
God's children in respect of their outward conversation, must differ and be contrary to the wicked.  The lives and language of God's children should not only be differing from the world, but in many things they must be quite contrary, for they are led by contrary principles, the one by the flesh, the other by the spirit; the one minds only earthly things, the other heavenly: This is a step higher, an harder lesson than the former, to requite evil with good: The wicked render evil for evil, so must not we, as light and darkness, Christ and Belial, we must be herein contrary to them: Some weak Christians there are that come too nigh the fashions, behaviour and speech of the wicked; many too much set upon the world as the wicked are; fie upon it: To be easily provoked, and hardly entreated to be reconciled, is the fashion of the world, but such must not ours be.  
By blessing in this place we are to understand praying for our enemies, 
We must requite evil with good.  speaking kindly to them, giving them kind answers, and doing them all the good we can.  
Observ. It's not only our duty to be free from revenge of evil, 
See john 31. 16, 17, 18.  but we must requite evil with good: 
Rom. 12. 20, 2  If our enemies speak ill of us, or to us, 
1 Thess. 5. 1●.  we must speak well of and to them; if they do ill to us, we must do well to them.  
Obj. But did not David and Jeremiah pray against their enemies, and Elisha cursed the children that mocked him?  
Ans. Enemies be either private to us, 
Mat. 5. 44.  or public to God and his Church, 
An Objection answered.  and these either curable or incurable: For public incurable enemies, if we knew them, we might hate their sins directly, and their persons indirectly, as the Devil, which these holy men of God did know by an extraordinary measure of the Spirit wherewith they were led, and not otherwise, and so they were rather prophecies of the destruction of bad men delivered in the form of Prayer: But we have no such warrant, therefore may not we do so; but for private enemies, or for public that be curable (as who are not for aught we know?) we must love their persons, and wish well to them, and do them good, though we hate their sins.  
Obj. God commanded to kill the Amalekites and Canaanites, and how stands that with this Precept of loving our Enemies, and doing them good?  
Ans. We must love our enemies in God, and for God, and not against God; 
Another Objection answered.  therefore he having commanded to kill them, they were bound so to do, who yet in the mean time might wish well to their souls: 
Exod. 17. 14.  Thus if we war against God's enemies, and be enforced to kill them, we must yet pitying their souls, do the same with a kind of pity, hating the bad cause they maintain, and wishing there were no such occasion against them; we must must, I say, in an holy revenge, as of God's enemies, and set on work by the Magistrate, oppose ourselves against them.  
Quest. 
Reason's why we are to requite evil with good.  Why are we to requite evil with good?  
Answ. 1. God requires it, Christ also who hath done so much for us, doth enjoin it, But I say (saith he) love your enemies, etc. 2. We have God's example as our pattern, 
Mat. 5. 45.  his Sun shines as well on the unjust as the just. 3. This is to do some thing worthy of a Christian, even the Heathens and Publicans can love those which love them. 
Mat. 5. 46.  4. We must not be still in the lowest forms, in easy lessons, but labour for perfection. 5. God every day requites our sins and naughtiness with his loving mercies, as when we sinned in Adam, he found a way to save us. 6. This is the way to stop contentions and strife, 
Prov 15. 1.  and to melt the heart of our adversary, 
1 Sam. 24. and 17.  if he belong to God, or leave him without excuse; yea, cause them to speak well of us, as Saul did of David. 7. This is a good argument of our love to God in truth; for even many other duties which God requires of us, are of men also commanded, but what law enjoineth this? 
2 Sam. 1. 24.  8. We have for this the examples of Joseph toward his brethren, 
See Psal. 35. 13, 14.  Moses and Aaron praying for the people, David mourning for Saul, 
Acts 7. 60.  and provoking others so to do, so of Steven, but above all of our Saviour himself, 
Luke 23. 34.  who even on the cross prayed for his enemies.  
1. This may humble us in respect of the vile corruption of our hearts, 
Use 1.  that count this an hard saying, and have in our practice been so far from it: Most are scarce free from revenge, much less can be brought to requite good good evil; Oh, it's an hard thing! but doth it not become Christians of such standing as we are to do hard things? and have we not been told, that the way to Heaven is strait? O but he hath deserved nothing of me but all ill, will some say: but so have we of God, who yet doth not thus requite us; and though he have deserved nothing, yet God hath deserved all love of us, for his infinite love to us; Well then, he sets us to pay over some of that love we owe to him, to our enemies, and is it not reason that we should pay the same? He may assign over his debt or part of it to whom he will; If our Creditor bid us pay some part of that we owe him to another, will we refuse, and say, He is a stranger to me, I owe him nothing, I'll pay him nothing, etc. much less should we herein; yea, when we are bid to do good to our enemies, it's but as we make our children do, even to kiss the rod, and this is but to pull down our stomaches, and we have more blows sometimes with the rod than we need, would we yield sooner, and kiss the rod: This to a natural man is impossible, but to him that is truly assured of God's love, and seeth his daily goodness, contrary to his ill deserts, and is endued with some measure of Faith, it's easy: And if we are to requite good for evil, how much more ought we to render good to them that do us good? 
2 Sam. 9 7. and 19 38.  David was notable in this kind, he required Jonathans' kindness and Barzillai's on their sons, 
Gen. 40. 23.  for the contrary, Pharaoh's Butler is branded for ever.  
2. This condemneth those that requite not good to them that have done them good, 
Use 2.  as Children that relieve not their Parents in their age, much more those that requite evil for good; Thus do many ungracious Children, Servants, and people, to their Parents, Masters and Magistrates, as the Israelites to Moses and Aaron, the People to Jeremiah, 
See john 7. 7. and 10. 32.  Ahab to Elijah and Micaiah, Joaesh to Zechariah, Herod to John the Baptist: Hereof also our Saviour had experience. So in these days, even of those that have some show of goodness in them, yet not a few being faithfully dealt withal by their Ministers, and told of their faults, they think the worse of them, and cannot well away with them.  
Knowing that ye are there unto called,] 
Whoso finds himself effectually called, what will he not be willing to do for God?  Here is a reason to enforce the forementioned duty; It's one thing that God requires of all his, when he takes them to his favour, even to take up his yoke, whereof this is one part, than which nothing more yokes our flesh and corrupt nature; He that will be Christ's Disciple must deny himself: 
Luke 9 23.  If we perform this, we have hereby an argument of our effectual calling, and who would not desire to know indeed that he is in the way to Heaven? An unregenerate man cannot possibly do this, at least not aright, but he that hath tasted and felt abundantly of God's love to him, he will so love God, that for his sake he will do this, or any thing which he commands: God chooseth whom he pleaseth, and refuseth others; He calleth by the voice of Christ in the Gospel, He calleth from darkness, sin, this evil world, He calleth to the state of grace, and all the privileges thereof here, and to eternal glory in the world to come, He calleth especially the weak and despised ones, for the further manifestation of his glory. 
The excella●●cy and worth of effectual calling.  This is an high and honourable calling, taking hold of election before the world, and of glorification after: we are called to live holily as well as to be saved, never happy hereafter, except we be holy here: This a Christian may know, and is bound to labour to make it sure; It's our best riches, it gives us a right unto all God's promises, it furthers our Sanctification, it stays our heart in the evil day, it enables us to suffer persecution, to set light by the world, and cheerfully to do such duties as God requires of us; but this is no idle thing, 
How to discern hereof.  it hath hard work belonging thereto. He that is called, must requite good for evil, being cursed of others, bless; He that doth not thus is not called: Thou art effectually called, if thou groanest under the burden of thy sin, and desirest more to be rid of it then of affliction; If thou receivest the Gospel in the power of it, if thou art inwardly quickened in thy spiritual senses, if thou forsakest the society of the wicked, if thou art renewed throughout thy whole man, 
Why many Christians are often unsettled herein.  and become a new Creature. And though a Christian may be assured of his calling, not a few notwithstanding are often unsettled; the grounds are, for that either they are false Christians, or as yet but weak, or careless and lazy, or for that they are doubtful and full of unbelief, or for that they be too worldly, or for that they give way to some corruptions, or for that they conceive afflictions befall not God's people, and the like.  
That ye should inherit a blessing.] Another Reason, It's for our profit, we shall be so far from being losers hereby, as we shall be great gainers; If we shall lay aside our own wills, and do good to our Neighbours according to Gods will, we shall have God's blessing both here and hereafter. 
The Word always persuades us to our good.  The Word ever persuades to our benefit, and will be so found in the winding up, howsoever, for the present we can hardly believe the same: O that we should lose our part in God's blessing, rather than yield up our will, and obey God O who would not hereby treasure up blessings to himself! Note further, That  
Christians are a blessed people, 
Christians are a blessed people.  none like them; Therefore should Christians rebuke themselves when they be discouraged, or think basely of themselves: The blind world judgeth Gods Servants miserable because of trouble, but they are of all others blessed. Hereunto they are called, being by nature children of wrath; neither shall any partake of this blessedness, but they that are called, and such are heirs of blessing: The godly bless them for their graces, pray for them, and praise them; The loins of the poor bless them for their liberality: Their own consciences also comfort them; They are also blessed of God, which may swallow up all the crosses they meet with. This in a restrained sense may be his comfortable speaking to them, 
Psal. 85. 8.  He speaks unto his Servant's peace; and as God speaks thus unto his, so should Gods Ministers thus speak unto them; and as God speaks not only comfortably to them, but well of them, so should we also. In an enlarged sense, They have Gods blessings on themselves, on theirs, on all they take in hand; He blesseth his Ordinances for them, he blesseth them with grace: Many a poor Christian carries more Treasure in his heart, than all the great ones in the world have, being without grace: The Church is glorious within, though black without by reason of affliction; for his blessings in the life to come, who can express the same?  
Wouldst thou be blessed of God? 
Use.  attend on God's house, let the rain of the Word soak into thine heart; Turn from thy sins and evil ways, fear God truly: Art thou now blessed of him? walk so as thou mayest enjoy it, make high account of it, endeavour that thy children and servants may fear God, and so partake of it.   

Verse 10. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile. Verse 11. Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace and ensue it.  
ANother Reason in these and the following verse to persuade to patience and requiting ill with good, 
Why we ought to be patient, and requite ill with good.  We shall procure to ourselves a longer and a more comfortable life in this world; besides, it will be the way to eternal life in the world to come. This he proves by a testimony out of the Psalms, 
Psal. 34. 12.  which is here by the holy Ghost very fitly applied to this special, which is first affirmed, then proved; Affirmed. That if any man desire life, with comfortable and peaceable days, he must refrain his tongue from evil, etc. Proved, For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open to etc. their prayers. So we have 1. A Proposition, 
The parts herein considerable.  That the patient and loving man shall live and see good days: 2. The proof thereof, from the care that God hath of such: 3. The same illustrated from the contrary disposition of God against the wicked. In the Proposition, we have the blessings to be desired and obtained, Life and good days, with the means to compass the same, A Christian and patient conversation, consisting partly in the shunning of evil, and partly in the doing of good. In the Proof we have the love and care of God towards such, set out by two actions of the Lord, His looking to them, and hearing them; the contrary being affirmed of the ungodly. We will speak first of those in general, then of the several branches thereof in particular. In general, Note, that  
A patient and peaceable man shall live the longer and the quieter; 
A patient and peaceable man shall live the longer and the quieter.  See for the proof of this, Prov. 21. 21. Isa. 29. 19 Mat. 5. 5. Such take the way to stint strife, and as wood being kept away, the fire goeth out, so by this means contention ceaseth: Thus also are the parties vanquished who would contend with us, therefore we see, that of all sorts of men, such have fewest to trouble them. Besides, God takes the care of such, hath an eye to them, preserves them, notwithstanding all their enemies can do, as may be seen in Jacob and David: On the contrary, such as are not thus, they do either shorten their lives, or at least make them full of trouble; for thus they stir up strife, and make more work for contention, and so shorten their days, as is seen by quarrellers, and such as vex themselves by Law Suits, Evil hunts the violent man, 
Psal. 140. 11.  to overthrow him; 
Isa. 29. 20.  The terrible one is brought to nought, etc. 
Gen. 16. 12.  whoso hath his hand against every man, every man's hand shall be against him; yea, if men would let such alone, God will not, he will set his face against such quarrelsome and shameless persons, to destroy them.  
1. This confutes the common Conceit of the world, 
Use 1.  which is, That thus to put up wrongs, were the way indeed still to have more and more wrongs put upon us; as if they should precisely follow the Rule of the Word in their dealings, poverty and beggary could not but quickly come upon them, both which are and have been found contrary.  
2. Whoso desires to live, 
Use 2.  and that peaceably, let him take this course, hating and avoiding trouble and vexation so much as in him lieth: Let us learn to be wise, and thus provide for a quiet life, that we may be the fitter to serve God, and do good to ourselves and others; if we do not believe and practise the same, we shall do him less honour than we do a Physician, whose prescripts we use for procuring health, and when trouble comes upon us, we may justly blame ourselves for the same: O be guided by the Word, how else shall you live a comfortable and quiet life? David and Peter, who here urge the same, knew this by experience: What is herein required of us, hath been throughout all ages, long taught, though not much learned. Thus in general.  
For he that will love life,] 
Life and long life are blessings of God, & which Gods children may desire.  Life and long life are blessings of God, to be desired and delighted in of God's children; See to this purpose Gen. 25. 8. Exod. 20. 12. Job 5. 26. 1 Chron. 29. 28. Psal. 128. 6. Prov. 3. 16. yea, the Apostle counts it a mercy of God that Epaphroditus was restored to health. 
Phil. 2. 27.  To be taken away untimely, is as an apple pulled from the Tree before it be ripe; 
Reasons.  by living long, we shall get to our souls an assurance of God's love, with more and more evidences thereof, to the increase of our joys; hereby also we have time and means to grow in grace and sanctification, and to have the image of God restored in us more clearly and fully; hereby also we shall do God much service in Church and Commonwealth, and that better at the last then at the first, as being bettered through experience; and hence it is that God's servants have sometimes prayed against death, and desired still to live, as David and Hezekiah.  
Quest. How is this to be counted a blessing, seeing many of God's dear servants go without it, and are taken away betimes?  
R. It's but a Temporal blessing, 
An objection answered.  and so God's people may be debarred thereof, 
Why the godly are at sometimes taken away by death.  as of health, wealth, and such like, and that sometimes for correction of sin (howsoever God saveth their souls) as on the Corinthians for their unworthy receiving of the Sacrament; so good Josiah going to war without God's command, 
1 Cor. 11. 30.  was killed in the battle; so many a Minister is taken from his people, for their making no better use of him, 
2 King. 22. 19  as many a husband from his wife, for not regarding him, 
Isa. 57 1.  or trusting too much on him; the like might be instanced in other, sometimes in mercy, that they may not see the evils to come, and thus also amends is made them; they are paid weight in gold, for weight in silver; in stead of long life in this world, they have longer time in Heaven.  
Q. How is long life a blessing, 
job 21. 7.  seeing even many of the wicked enjoy it?  
R. Though it be in itself a blessing, as whereby they enjoy many good comforts in this life, 
Long life unto the wicked might prove a blessing, but doth not.  and are not so soon in Hell as they deserve, and besides, have space and time to repent, yet as they handle the matter, it's no blessing, but contrarily proves a means of the increase of their sin, and so of their condemnation.  
Quest. How is life and the continuance thereof to be desired as a blessing, 
Phil. 1. 23.  seeing it hath been the desire of God's people to be dissolved, and to be with Christ?  
R. We must not desire to live, 
In what respect it may be lawful to desire to live.  because we would live, but because we would live to God's glory, our own and the good of others; neither must we desire to die for itself, for that is against nature, nor because of our crosses and troubles, but that we may cease to sin, and be with God in his heavenly Kingdom, perfectly both holy and happy: We must desire to be with God, but yet we must not be so importunate, as though we would prevent the Lord, and make away ourselves wittingly, or negligently shorten our lives. Again, we must not so love our life, as that we should be unwilling to yield it up if God will, or to redeem the continuance thereof with an ill Conscience, and denying God, for he that so loves his life, shall lose it, and his soul too: Both than may be desired, but because we know not what is best, we must not be our own carvers, but commend ourselves to God to be disposed of: It's a base thing to desire life, to be great, enjoy pleasures, be revenged of our enemies, and the like.  
Q. Whence is it that most men are strongly carried after long life.  
R. 1. Through the corruption of nature: 
Whence it is that most men are desirous to live long.  To love life is natural, but to love it so exceedingly, is of corruption. 2. Through ignorance and unbelief of the things of a better life. 3. Through the love of worldly profits, 
1 john 2. 15.  pleasures and prefermentsses: That such fail herein, may thus appear we should not love the world, nor the things thereof: 
job 14. 5.  The whole world cannot satisfy the soul; our life is but a breath, a blast, our days are determined, beyond which we cannot pass; we are here but strangers and pilgrims: So long as we live we are liable as well to sin, as crosses by reason thereof: Of the things here wherein we place happiness, what certainty is there? friends may forsake us, fail us, remove from us, die, wealth also and honour are uncertain: There's no small labour both in getting and keeping them, as there cannot but be grief in parting with them; yea, for the most part they prove hurtful, and drown men in perdition: In a word, the commodities of a better life are infinitely beyond all those in this life.  
1. Seeing long life is a blessing, 
Use 1.  we ought to be heartily thankful to God, that we have lived thus long, and do yet live.  
2. When we crave of God the continuance thereof, 
2.  we must so use it, as that it may be a blessing to us, wherein we may get the assurance of our Salvation, grow in grace, and do good: They that do thus, may account their life a blessing, for those that do otherwise, it had been good they had died long ago.  
3. We must take heed that we do not shorten our lives, 
3.  and so deprive out selves of this blessing, through Whoring, Drinking, Gaming; too too many thus do, as if they should not be ni Hell time enough.  
4. We ought to use all good means for the continuance of their lives that be dear to us, 
4.  be careful especially not to provoke God to deprive us of them; so should Subjects of their Prince and godly Magistrates, People of their faithful Pastors, Husbands and Wives each of other, etc.  
And see good days,] 
What we are to understand by good days.  That is, enjoy here in this world prosperity and welfare, inward and outward, in body and soul.  
Quest. In Heaven indeed there shall be days, without night, good without the least mixture of evil, but can good days be enjoyed in this world?  
R. In comparison we may, but not absolutely good without evil; for as the best man is not without sin, 
In what respects days may be said to be good here.  so he cannot but have inward sorrow of heart, and likewise be subject to afflictions, every day bringing grief enough with it; yet in comparison of worse days of horror of conscience, of troubles outward in the Land, of miseries and vexations that may befall us, we may see good days, that is to say, Inward peace of Conscience in the assurance of God's love, and our care to walk faithfully before God; also we may enjoy Peace in the Land, Plenty, the Gospel, Health, Wealth, Friends, Wife, Children, etc. and when these are, there are good days, days freed from calamities and sorrows, and wherein we may plentifully enjoy comforts and blessings. The day also of a Christians conversion is a special good day, so the days wherein we do enjoy the purity of God's Worship in the Word and Sacraments, so the days wherein we see God's Church flourish, so when the Sabbath is duly sanctified, it's a good day, so when a Christian after sin comes to repentance, so the days wherein a Christian walks with God, and hath recourse unto him.  
And as thus days may be termed good, 
In what and to whom evil.  so may they in other respects evil; evil to the ungodly without exception, to whom even in their greatest prosperity their days be evil; evil also to the godly, when they cannot enjoy the means of salvation in the life and power of it, when God seems to hide his face from them, when they have conflicts with spiritual wickednesses, when the wicked prevail over them; such, I say, (and are there not such now?) are evil days: yet withal, there's great difference between the ill days of the wicked and the godly, for the godly are even in the worst times blessed, even then blessed when they are chastened; 
Psal 94. 12.  God also will deliver them in due time, 
Host 6. 3.  yea, will make them glad according to the days they have been afflicted. Here note,  
1. That men's days be usually evil, 
men's days be usually evil.  and that both in regard of sin, and the effects thereof.  
2. That our life is short, 
Man's life short  set out here, not by years, but by days, which is elsewhere compared to a post, grass, a vapour, a Weavers shuttle, etc. Thus is it to the godly in mercy, God will not have them to be long here in this wicked world; Thus is it to the wicked in justice, as spending the time here allotted them to God's dishonour. 
Good days are a blessing of God.   
That good days are a blessing of God to be delighted in, and desired of God's Servants, 
Deut 29. 9  God hath promised it, as an encouragement to obedience, 
Psal. 119. 165.  they have also prayed for it, Psalm 118. 25. and 122. 7. and it's made a sign of God's favour and presence with his servants. 
Gen. 39 2, 23. 2 Sam. 5. 10.   
Obj. But the wicked often enjoy the same.  
1. Sol. 
The wicked may live long, yet have not good days.  Outward prosperity they have, not the inward assurance of God's favour. 2. Though they abound in the outward blessing, yet wanting the right hold, and the right use of it, nay, abusing it to contrary ends, it will prove in the end through their own sin a curse to them; Their table will be a snare to them, and their prosperity their ruin; the more outward blessings they enjoy, the more have they to answer for.  
Obj. Why is it often denied even to God's children, who go through many sorrows?  
Sol. 
Prosperity why denied for the most part to God's Children.  Though prosperity be in itself a blessing, yet through the corruption of our nature, it often turns to our hurt; for whereas hereby we should be made more mindful of God, to love, praise, and serve him, 
See Deut. 32. 15.  and walk more obediently and carefully, through our poysonful nature we are usually made forgetful of God, proud, secure, worldly, 
2 Chron. 12. 1. and 26. 16.  contentious, and not only untoward to goodness, but apt to any ill: 
Isa. 1. and 5.  The fattest ground is most slippery, fed Horses fling their riders, full bodies are subject to the Pleurisy: 
Prov. 1. 32.  Adversity hath slain some, but prosperity many thousands more: In great Houses, there's swaggering, swearing, drinking, gaming, etc. whereas in mean places, there's Reading, Praying, etc. nay, in adversity you shall have the same persons humble, which in prosperity forgot themselves, as David and Hezekiah: So that adversity is of singular profit, to drive us to a sight of our sins with joseph's Brethren, to keep us from sin, as an hedge of thorns keeps cattle out from spoiling the Garden, to abate our pride, and mortify our corruptions, to wean us from the world, to show us that we are not to look for our portion here, but set our affections on Heaven, 
Isa. 5. 17.  where our inheritance is indeed reserved for us. Hereupon the Scripture pronounceth them happy that be afflicted; yet doth not this prove, that adversity in itself is better than prosperity: To us indeed it may be better through occasion of our corruption, as blood-letting, or the taking of loathsome Physic may be to diseased bodies.  
1. Be we greatly thankful to God that hath given us to see so many good days in the enjoyment of peace, 
Use 1.  plenty, 
See Deut. 8. 10.  the Gospel, 
job 62. 9  particular favours, etc. Our sins have deserved all ill days, and assuredly such we shall see, if we be not thankful for good days.  
2. Crave we of God to continue his goodness towards us, 
Use 2.  as also grace to use it well, else it will be no blessing, will not abide with us; we are at all times to walk warily, but more heed is to be taken in time of prosperity, than adversity, then are we to suspect ourselves, lest abusing the same, we prove unthankful.  
Q Whether may we pray for riches, 
Whether we may pray for prosperity.  and great prosperity, or not?  
A. We have no such Warrant in God's Word, neither commandment, promise, 
Gen. 28. 20.  nor example; of moderation we have, as in Jacob and Agur: 
Prov. 30. 8.  And for great wealth without admirable grace, it's exceeding dangerous: 
Mark 10. 23.  It's hard for a rich man to enter into Heaven, not many such are called; to be thus is no mark of a child of God: If God send it, we are not to refuse it, but to be thankful, and crave great grace to govern it, and our hearts therewithal, but we have more cause to fear it, then desire it; but for competent prosperity we may pray, yet conditionally, because being an outward thing, we know not but it may prove hurtful, we are to leave it to God that knoweth what's best for us; therewith we must also crave the right use thereof, and to be bettered thereby.  
3. When God shall be pleased to lay his hand upon us any manner of way, 
Use 3.  let us bear the same with patience, God sees the same to be needful for us, as launching for a sore, blood-letting or purging to a full body; If God take away our prosperity, be content, it's but one of God's common blessings, and that which the wicked have as well as the good, yea, rarely doth any man enjoy very great prosperity in this world, and happiness in the world to come; yea, be we thankful to God, that (seeing need doth so require) he will rather chasten us, then suffer us to perish in our sins; we are thankful to our bodily Physician, how much more should we express our thankfulness unto the Physician of our souls? Neither must we grudge at the prosperity of the wicked, though we be in trouble; for its better to be here held in awe, thereby that we may rest with God for ever, then prosper a while here to our minds, and perish hereafter. A thief on the ladder with the halter about his neck hath elbow room, and sits aloft at his ease, whereas the people below stand crowded and sweeting, but which of the two is in the best condition, who knoweth not? Thus is it in this particular.  
Q. May we then pray for afflictions?  
A. No: 
Whether we may pray for afflictions.  we have no commandment nor example for it; we may and aught to pray when a cross is on us that it may be sanctified, but to desire that a cross may befall us, we must not, as being in itself evil: God turns our sins to our good oftentimes, yet may not we pray to sin; If God send adversity, we may know that its needful, which yet through care we might have prevented, as through profiting by one, we may prevent another trouble. Besides, adversity hath no power in itself to do us good, neither are we very fit to bear the same.  
Let him refrain his tongue from evil, etc.] Now of the duties to be performed, for the compassing of the forementioned blessings, they are eschewing evil, and doing the contrary good, both in tongue and hand: By evil we may understand, blasphemy, mocking, lying, cursing, swearing, etc. and thus even God's children out of humane frailty, and through the remainder of sin in them, are subject at some times to sin: Moses spoke unadvisedly, Job cursed the day of his birth, Peter swore and cursed, etc. but it's not their practice, it's not their mind so to do, they are heartily ashamed thereof; Therefore must not their example be urged for the justification of the wicked, whose continual practice is to use their tongue to evil. The point from hence observable is this, That  
Whosoever would have a good conscience, 
Whosoever would be happy here and hereafter, must refrain from evil speaking.  enjoy God's blessing, and partake of good days here, and eternal life hereafter, he must refrain his tongue from evil, we must labour to have a good tongue; The Law of God binds the tongue, as well as the hands, neither can a bad man or ungoverned tongue enter into Heaven; If any man seem Religious, 
james 1. 26.  and bridleth not his tongue, 
Rev. 21. 8.  his Religion is vain. Again, no unsanctified person can enter into Heaven (the inheritance there is for the sanctified ones) but whoso is not sanctified in tongue, is not sanctified in heart.  
1. This condemneth the most horrible abuse of the tongue, 
Use 1.  by the most of the world that make no conscience what they say: 
Psal. 12. 4.  Their tongues are their own, who should control them? Multitudes abuse their tongues to Blasphemy, quarrelling with Scripture, jesting out of the Scriptures, Swearing, Forswearing, Cursing and Banning, idle, vain and wicked talking on the Lord's day; so in railing, reviling, brawling, miscalling, in ribaldry, filthy talk, singing bawdy songs; so in backbiting, 
Matth. 12. 34.  slandering, 
See Prov. 10. 20. and 23. 33.  talebearing, guibing, mocking, etc. Such declare unto all, that they have rotten and unsavoury hearts (for out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh) their Religion also is vain, they want a good conscience; 
jam. 3. 6.  Their tongue is set on fire of hell: By their words they shall be condemned, 
Mat. 12. 36, 37  for even of every idle word that they speak they must give an account, 
See jude 14, 15  and therefore much more of their blasphemous oaths, etc. yea, even in this world they may look for some fearful judgement, 
See of these examples in the Book of Martyrs.  as befell Denis Benefield for blaspheming, the Gentleman of Cornwall for swearing, the Sheriff's man for slandering James Abbs, one Leaver for railing on Mr. Latimer, etc. They that have any spark of grace, let them lay to heart all their rotten vile communication which God hath registered, say not, Words are but wind; true, in some sense they are wind to blow up the fire of God's judgements against us; otherwise, think not they vanish, but know they are all upon record, and repent, that they be not laid to your charge, else as the tongue is set on fire of Hell, so will the whole body go thither, as sure as God is in Heaven. If any have been such evil tongued persons, as, Swearers, Mockers, Blasphemers, etc. but now from their hearts truly repent thereof, and do wholly abstain from such speaking, it's a good sign that all that is passed is forgiven: O repent of all thy vile words, and for the time to come, use thy tongue as a Trumpet to sound out God's praise.  
2. As we desire to enjoy God's blessing and good days, 
Use 2.  with a good conscience, 
Means whereby to bridle the tongue.  let us have great care of our tongues and words: To this end 1. We must get a good heart, for what the tongue speaks, the heart indites. 
Psal. 141. 3.  2. We must pray unto God with David, To set a watch before our mouths, 
Psal 39 1.  and to keep the door of our lips. 3. We must take heed thereunto, 
Reason's inducing thereto  and watch over the same, for speech is a goodly blessing: The want of it in any declares it, no creature hath it but man, therefore ought it not to be abused, to the dishonour of God, the hurt of our neighbours, or damning of ourselves; God made our tongues good at first, and fit to praise his name, therefore must we labour that they may be brought to their first plight: By our words also we shall be justified or condemned; yea, if we look well to our tongues, it's a sign we have good hearts, and that our Religion is not vain, but powerful. Again, our tongue, though a little member, yet can do a great deal of good if well looked to, as, To praise God, Instruct men, Pray, Counsel, Advise, Admonish, etc. therefore it should be well employed, as the Rudder for the Ship, and the bit for the Horse; contrarily, if not well looked to, 
james 3. 3, 4.  it can do a great deal of hurt, as fire or poison: Oh, it can dishonour God, hurt, poison, vex men, damn our own souls, and was our speech given us to such ends?  
O let none make a small matter of words, for God doth not so account of them, neither let any say, There's no need of such persuasion to look to the tongue, it's but a little member, therefore easily ruled: 
james 3. 7.  No, it's an unruly evil; Lions and Bears have been tamed, but never man ruled the tongue, God only can rule it by his Spirit: It will do prodigious and monstrous things, bless and curse God and men; it daily affords such contraries: He is a wise and happy man that can hold it in any compass, look to it narrowly, carry we a strait reign over it, as over an unruly Horse: If at any time hasty, vain and unsavoury speeches have passed from us, le's make conscience, and repent hereof; neither rest we herein to keep our tongues from evil, but let our tongues be ready instruments to praise God upon all occasions, as also to instruct our families, to give good counsel, to speak plainly, lovingly, and faithfully, to utter gracious words, tending to God's glory, and the edifying of ourselves and others: So shall we make it appear, 
Mat. 12. 35.  that our hearts are good, For a good man, out of the good treasure of his heart, 
See Psal. 37. 30, 31.  bringeth forth good things; So shall we not only escape many evils from God and men, that an ill tongue would procure, but we shall see good days, have peace to ourselves, glorify God here, and be glorified with him for ever in his heavenly Kingdom: This God enables us to do, that thus doing we may enjoy the blessing.  
And his lips that they speak no guile,] Hear that evil of the tongue is prohibited, which is more close and covert, when the words agree not with the heart nor deeds.  
It's not enough to keep the tongue from notorious and open evils, 
We must abstain from such evils of the tongue as be close and covert.  but even from guileful, from false deceitful speech: Such as are addicted hereunto, can have no good conscience, but a guilty heart, and they cannot prosper, for God setteth himself against such, neither can such (so continuing) come into Heaven.  
Of this guile there be many kinds, all naught, yet some worse then others:  
1. In Religion towards God: 
Guile to be avoided in religion toward God.  When men pretend great zeal and forwardness, talk well in good company, and to be well thought of speak against ill, professing that its the only thing to be in the favour of God, and that we ought in all things to be ruled by God's Word, whose hearts notwithstanding are false, and who dare do many things contrary, when they can carry them away close: This is an argument of a false heart, which God hateth, for he loves a true Nathanael, and his eyes are upon the truth, 
Psal. 51 6. and 32. 2.  and he loveth truth in the inward parts; a certain argument that their sins are not forgiven them: All their fair words will not serve their turns, they do merely blind their eyes, their saying Lord, 
Mat. 7. 21.  Lord, will not save them; their fair goodly words will be but a Rod for themselves: 
Deut 5 28, 29.  O evil servant, out of thine own mouth I will condemn thee: They say well, but O that there were an heart in them so to do! 
Psal. 78. 36, 37  They do indeed but flatter with their mouth, and lie with their tongues, for their heart is not right.  
2. In their carriage towards men; 
In carriage towards men.  as 1. When through fear, favour or advantage they soothe up and flatter their Neighbours and Superiors, making their faults small or none at all, nay haply terming them Virtues, 
Acts 12. 22.  and extolling them beyond measure; thus did the people to Herod: 
Prov. 27. 14.  But he that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him. These speaking against their knowledge, as they wrong themselves, so do they much hurt to the parties flattered, keeping them from reproof, and puffing them up, by showing them a false glass wherein to view themselves; therefore one being asked which were the worst Beasts, answered, Of wild Beasts, the Tyrant, of tame, the Flatterer; and that such were worse than Crows (which feed not on the living Beast, but dead Carrion) preying on them which were alive: If such may be gainers, they will set their tongues to sale, the Devil may use them to what speech he will. To speak truly and plainly (men are so proud and impatient) often breeds hatred; 
Veritas odium parit.  if we dare not thus speak, yet rather than flatter, le's be silent and say nothing. 2. When men speak others exceeding fair, and make great promises of kindness, but its only for some advantage, or merely in show; for being put to it, they forget their fair proffers: thus do many wicked Usurers smooth men. 3. When men speak very fair, and courteously salute others, and yet mean not well, nay ill in heart; salute them kindly, and as soon as their back is turned, flout at them, rail on them, slander them, yea do them any mischief, of which the Psalmist complains, 
Psal. 28. 3.  The poison of Asps in under their lips. 4. When men speak fair, but intent mischief, as the Devil when he spoke to Eve, 
Mat. 22. 16.  Joab when he spoke to Abner, the Pharisees when they spoke to Christ; 
Psal. 55. 21.  of such both David and Jeremiah complained. 5. When men speak falsehood, 
jer. 9 8.  and lies in stead of truth, and thereby deceive their Neighbours. 
See Down. on Psal. 15.  But hereof I have spoken elsewhere at large.  
Obj. I have a great charge, therefore I must do thus and thus.  
Sol. 
Two objections answered.  A man's house cannot be established by iniquity.  
Obj. Plain dealing is good, but it brings beggary.  
Sol. 
Psal. 34. 13.  A speech of a profane and unbelieving heart.  
As therefore we love life, 
Use.  and would see good days, let us refrain our tongues from evil, and our lips that they speak no guile.  
Let him eschew evil, etc.] The things to be performed of them that would enjoy the forementioned benefits:  
Evil is of sin or punishment, 
Amos 3. 6.  of this last God is the Author; called Evil, 
Isa. 45. 7.  partly because it came in with sin, as a punishment thereof, and partly because (being tedious, howsoever God turneth it to the good of his) it seemeth so to us: This we are ready enough to eschew, without bidding (though we be not wise enough to avoid the cause thereof) yea eschew it by unlawful means, 
What sort of evil is here meant.  being rather willing that sin should rest on us, than a cross: But the former is here meant, whereof not God, 
jam. 1. 17.  but the Devil and Man is the Author; for he is that Fountain from whence cometh all good, 
1 john 3. 4.  and out of one Fountain cannot come good and evil.  
What is this evil of sin? 
What the evil of sin is, and that we must avoid it.  It's the transgression of the Law of God, For his Law is a perfect Rule of Righteousness: Whatsoever he requireth, is good, whatsoever he forbids, as contrary to his Law, is thereupon wicked and evil; so that whatsoever is contrary to God's Commandment, either by way of Omission or Commission, is evil and sin: This we must eschew, as the Bullet shot out of a gun, or to be stricken with a sharp Sword, we must abhor it, as a Toad or Poison; we must hate it as the Devil, and Hell fire, we must hate and abhor it with a deadly, an utter hatred, and accordingly avoid it most carefully.  
Reasons. 
Reasons.  1. God is thereby dishonoured; Rebellion is as the sin of Witchcraft: When his Commandments are obeyed, then is he glorified; 
1 Sam. 15. 23.  and who should not glorify him, our Maker, Redeemer, Preserver, 
Psal. 106. 29.  Landlord, Lives-lord, Lord and King? 2. God's wrath is provoked, 
jer. 7. 19  and that must needs be dangerous: Who would stir up a fierce Lion? Who can stand before the Lord when he is angry? 3. God hates it, 
Psal. 5. 4.  and such as commit the same. 4. It brought misery into the world, 
Deut. 28. 15.  with shame and confusion upon us all, 
Leu. 26. 14.  and hath always been the cause of all evils: For this the Angels were cast out of Heaven, Adam out of Paradise, the old world drowned, and Sodom burnt, etc. yea, it wounds the Conscience, which God hath set in us as a Monitor, Notary, Accuser, Judge and Tormentor. 5. It bringeth eternal destruction both of body and soul: 
Rom. 6. 23.  O who would not hate that Mother which brings forth no better children? Besides, we eat lesser things, therefore should shun this much more; we eat crosses exceedingly, which yet are so far from hindering our Salvation, as that they further the same, but sin is the destruction of our souls.  
That sins is worse than all crosses, 
The evil of sin worse than the evil of punishment.  appears by the Devil's practice, who is that subtle one; he had rather draw Job to commit sin against God by impatiency, then have power to take away all his goods: he did this, to bring him to that; and its true, if a man should break an Arm or Leg, or lose all he hath, it were not so bad, or so much to be shunned, as is sin. 
Psal. 97. 10.  To eschew this, is the note of a man that loves God, of a man that fears him; 
job 1. 1.  for eschewing this are Gods Servants commended in Scripture, as on the contrary, the wicked branded for committing the same.  
We are to Eschew all evil, 
All sins are to be eschewed,  even the least; we must not give way unto any one, 
Mat. 12. 36.  no not the least idle thought or word, even one is able to destroy us, yea, and he that breaks one is guilty of all: Yea, and  
All persons are to eschew the same, 
Of all persons.  not the greatest excepted; God's Law binds them, be they Princes, Magistrates, Ministers, Householders, etc. They should eschew it most, for by their example they do most hurt; and as no man's greatness will bear him out, so will not any man's meanness excuse him in doing of evil. And as all persons are to eschew it, so must they shun it.  
At all times: 
At all times.  amongst all the times which the Preacher setteth down, 
Eccles. 3. 2, etc.  there's none for sin; we must serve God in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life: 
Luke 1. 75.  Some things be in season at one time, some at another, but sin is never in season. Many make the Lords days the times of disorder; and they that will be orderly all the year, yet at Christide they take liberty to riot, gaming, drinking, etc. as if those times were not to be as well, if not better employed than others. We must also eschew it.  
In all places: 
In all places.  God is the God of all places, neither can any place change the nature of sin; thou must eschew sin as well abroad as at home, in thy House, Chamber, Shop, as well as at Church.  
All kinds of sin are also to be avoided, 
With all the kinds thereof.  Error in judgement, and wickedness in Conversation, evil against God, our Neighbours, or ourselves.  
We must also shun and avoid evil, 
Under what colour soever it comes.  under what colour or pretence soever it comes (as Usury is pretended to be lawful on the behalf of Orphans, to kill one's self to preserve Chastity, to separate from the Church, 
Dan. 3. 16. and 6. 10.  lest they partake with the wicked, etc.) whosoever doth command it (as appears by the examples of the three Children, Daniel, 
Acts 4. 19 and 5. 29.  Peter and John) whose example soever we have for it (for we are not to follow even a multitude (though of great learned men) in evil) though it be never so gainful (What got Achan, 
Exod. 23. 2.  Gehazi, Judas by their booties? Our Saviour would not listen to the Devil's proffer, that of feared him All the Kingdoms of the world; 
Mat. 4. 8.  and we should be losers, 
Mat. 16. 26.  if we did gain the whole world with the loss of our souls) never so pleasannt (for though it be sweet in the mouth, it will be gall afterward, by't like a Serpent, and sting like a Cockatrice; for a vain short pleasure to sell our souls to everlasting pain, were folly indeed:) yea, though we could bring to pass some good thereby, (we must not do evil that good may come thereof; better that good be left undone, then that it should be purchased with God's dishonour, as to steal, or take usury, that we may do good to the poor, etc.) nay, we must so hate and eschew evil, 
With the appearance thereof, and Occasions leading thereunto.  as we may eschew the very appearance thereof (as to go to a place that is of ill report, though having no ill purpose, etc.) and must avoid the occasions leading thereunto (as going in the twilight by the Harlot's house, anger, multitude of businesses, the company of angry persons, multiplying of words, etc.) yea, if even things good and lawful in themselves be an occasion of evil, and cause us to offend, we must forbear them (as some in using their recreations, break out into impatience, and anger, and others cannot leave the same in any time, better for such to pluck out this their eye, cut off this their right hand) and to eschew this, we must eschew the persons and places, where in likelihood we are to be drawn thereunto (as the company of bad persons, and private familiarity with wicked doers) and that not for any sinister respect, but because its evil (though haply we may be hated for our labour) eschewing especially those sins that be most incident to our nature, complexion, and calling, and whereunto we have been most accustomed.  
1. This condemns them that be so far from hating and eschewing evil (though it be as poison, 
Use 1.  as the Plague) that they love it with their hearts, live in the continual practice thereof, drink it down like water, running thereunto, as the horse rusheth into the Battle: This is the state of most, they are workers of iniquity, the whole world lieth in wickedness, they love not the means nor persons whereby they may be pulled out of their sins, but eschew them and goodness, as much as they can; What Rebels be these against God their Maker, Preserver, 
Deut. 32. 6.  and Sovereign? Being made to honour him, will they do nothing but dishonour him, and so requite all his blessings? will nothing serve those to play with, but swords, and firebrands, and mortal things? nothing please them, but to cross God? and nothing like them but their own poison? Have they sped so well formerly that have done thus? Do they provoke the Lord, and not themselves to the confusion of their faces? If they have vowed, they will have their pleasures and lusts, whatsoever comes of it, than it must be so, what remedy? These have no love of God, neither is there any fear of God in them: They are profane and godless persons, which may look for wages answerable to their work, shame and the wrath of God in this world, and eternal destruction in the world to come; For life is in the way of righteousness, but death is in the way of sin, and the paths thereof tend to Hell: O that these persons would hear the counsel of Daniel to Nabuchadnezzar, 
Dan. 4. 27.  even that they would break off their sins by repentance! O turn ye! why will ye die? acknowledge I beseech you all your rebellions and treacheries against God, and that you have deserved hereby to be cut off, entreating yet for pardon and mercy through Jesus Christ: Turn to God with your whole hearts, and learn to know that sin is odious, bringing dishonour to God, and destruction upon yourselves: O eat all evil, little and great, eat it at all times, in all places, how gainful or pleasing so ever, and whosoever commands it, or whomsoever you see practise it, together with all the appurtenances and occasions of the same.  
Means to evil may be these, 
Means whereby to eschew evil.  1. Labour to understand the ten Commandments, and so what is good and what is evil. 2. Labour for faith, which purifieth the heart from evil, even the assurance of God's love to us, which may work in us love to his Majesty, and so an hatred of all evil. 3. A sanctified heart, the inseparable companion of true faith. 4. Attend on God's ordinances publicly, the Word and Sacraments, and in private use meditation, conference, prayer, etc. 5. Watch and pray, 
job 31. 1.  that we enter not, neither be led, into temptation. 6. Make we a Covenant against evil, 
Psal. 39 1.  as Job and David. 7. Call to mind the fearful wrath of God, and the wages of sin, and the examples thereof on many, both in Scripture and our own experience, as also the hour of death (when it will trouble us and lie heavy on our conscience) and the day of Judgement, when and where we would be loath to meet with it.  
2. This also rebukes them that eschew some evil, 
Use 2.  but not all, nor at all times, or in all places: Being commanded, what will they not do? What not, for profit, pleasure, preferment? The sins of their complexion and trade they will in no wise leave; they run upon things, because lawful, though they cannot use them lawfully; If they can sin secretly, they make no conscience thereof.  
3. This may serve for instruction, 
Use 3.  with rebuke to most Christians, and to us that be most ancient professors, that though we have a general purpose against evil, yet we neither hate it so deeply, nor shun it so carefully as we ought, nor are so much humbled when we have been overtaken, and have fallen thereinto, as we ought; we complain of our crosses, 
Simil.  but grieve not so much that we have fallen into sin. If one should threaten to run at us with a naked sword, or shoot at us, whensoever he could find an opportunity, we would be wary and watchful upon our going abroad, having an eye in every corner, etc. O do we thus against sin, which watcheth but an opportunity to do us mischief: If we would thus do, we should not be so often overtaken as we are, we should see better days, scape numbers of crosses, have more peace to our consciences, more joy in our death, and a freer passage to Heaven. But alas, we judge even that which is a great evil, to be but a little one; it pleaseth us, if we have any colour for the same, as that we have but once committed it, that others do so and so, etc. Thus do we profane the Lordsday, despise his Ministers, and run upon all sorts of evils.  
4. This affords consolation to all such as do indeed eschew evil, 
Use 4.  and that out of an unfeigned hatred thereof, rejoicing in nothing more than when they prevail against it, grieving at nothing more than when they are overcome thereby; such do indeed love God, such fear him in truth, and so are beloved of God, and shall be everlastingly blessed; these shall live happily here, in joy and bliss hereafter: O go on in this Christian course, though the world hate you, because ye do not as they do, though they call you precise fools, because ye dare not swallow such goblets as they do, yea, though hereupon ye pull danger upon yourselves, yet must ye eschew evil, and so let us; It's no matter though we have the world's frown, as long as we have God's favour; and what if we shall miss many a sweet morsel of profit, pleasure, and promotion, if we be free from the gripes and vexations of conscience, and the wrath of Almighty God? they that now have their sweet meat, would one day vomit up their morsels, if they could, as Judas did; who though he rid himself of the money, yet could not be rid of his wound of Conscience, nor of the Judgement of God upon him; were they ever the worse, or had they any cause to grieve, that they had not a share with him in the thirty pieces?  
And do good,] 
Whoso avoids not evil, cannot do good.  This necessarily followeth on the other: No man can have his heart truly nor aright set to do good, whose heart is not first purged of the love of all evil, for they cannot stand in one heart and at once; and that man that lives and bears himself in the practice one sin, never did good aright in his life, neither ever pleased he God; Who can serve God in one thing, that serves the Devil in another?  
This may serve to rouse up some, 
Use.  that fain would do well, and many good things they do, but some one old accustomed sin, which they know is a sin, they cannot leave: Well, there's no hating sin, it will not do well; the end will not be good, it's but to be almost Christians: 
Acts 26. 28.  Some will say, Such a Preacher hath prevailed much with me, and done me much good, but as long as one known sin is lived in, all is nothing worth to Salvation. It's true, a child of God through strong temptations, may be overcome of the same evil which he hates, but he both covenants against it, is careful that he may not fall into it, having fallen, he is much grieved: He that is not grieved, but doth again upon the next occasion fall to it, is indeed in a grievous condition. Thus from the order.  
To do good is sometimes taken in a strict sense, for the performance of the works of mercy, 
Acts 10. 38.  whether for body or soul, 
Heb. 13. 16.  or both: Here more largely for that good we are to do to our neighbour, 
Isa. 1. 17.  enemies that do us hurt, 
Rom. 2. 10.  or yet more largely, for whatsoever God hath commanded in his Word, Whose will is a perfect rule of Righteousness, and makes that good which he requireth.  
Whosoever would see good days here and hereafter, 
Doctr.  must set himself in body and soul to the obedience of Gods will in doing good: 
Christian's must be doers of good.  No other shall be saved; good is the way leading to this end: To come to this end, 
john 5. 29.  we must walk in this way.  
Reasons: 
Reasons.  1. It's good and amiable of itself, as the Lord is. 2. God commands it who is our Sovereign Lord and King: Thou shalt do thus and thus (saith he often throughout the Scriptures) for I am the Lord thy God. 3. All promises in Scripture of good things, here or hereafter, are made to well-doing; as in Levit. 26. and Deut. 28. may appear. 4. This brings us peace of conscience in this world: How did David rejoice when they offered willingly to the Temple? 
Isa. 38. 3.  Hezekiah, when such care was used in keeping the Passover? and the Eunuch, when he was baptised? 
Mat. 7. 21.  5. This brings us to eternal happiness in the world to come. 
john 5. 29.  6. It's the glory of a man when he is dead: The godly Kings are yet commended, 
Rom. 2. 10.  That they did that which was good in the sight of the Lord; this was their Crown, and that which is to be desired of a man, is his goodness.  
For the extent of this, we must do all good that we can, and our places require, 
Psal. 119. 6.  having respect unto all God's Commandments: Thus did Josiah, 
Luke 1. 6.  He did according to all the Law of Moses; 
2 King. 23. 25.  He that commanded one, 
We must do all the good we can.  commanded another: Whoso doth willingly pass by any one duty, declares himself an hypocrite, And who so lives in any one sin, is guilty of the breach of the whole Law.  
We must do good at all times: 
At all times.  Aguish fits of goodness, as before the Communion, or in afflictions, etc. God cares not for; he will have us to be ever doing some good, and ever fitting ourselves to do more.  
We must do good in all places; 
In all places.  not in the Church only, but at home in our Houses and Shops, yea, when we are furthest from home.  
So in all companies we must do good, 
In all companies.  or take good; if we cannot do what we would, we must do what we can; it's some good to keep away evil.  
We must do good to all persons, 
To all persons  all duties towards God, publicly, privately, on his Sabbaths, on other days, so towards our Families, Neighbours, Friends, Superiors, Inferiors, Equals: We must do good as occasion offers itself, 
1 Thess. 5. 15.  yea, towards our enemies that do us hurt, as to ourselves also, 
In our general calling.  and that in respect of body, soul, goods, good name: We must do good in our general callings as Christians, 
In our particular calling. Though it be hard and difficult.  by our holy conversation agreeable to our profession, and by our Counsels, Exhortati●ns, Admonitions, Reproofs, Prayers: We must do good also in our particular callings, as, Magistrates, Ministers, Husbands, Wives, Parents, Masters, etc. This is so necessary, as that he which doth not good in his special calling, is no good man: We must do good also, though it be hard and difficult so to do; naturally we are prone unto evil, and it comes off hand easily, but to do good is harsh; God's Commandments are as a yoke to the flesh, though easy to the Spirit, a burden to the flesh, but light and comfortable to the Spirit: To pray, read, instruct our families, is painful; so to study, preach, hunt out disorder, set up goodness, see the poor set on work, and the like; but as we would partake of the reward, which is indeed great here and hereafter, we must not shrink at this labour: If one way will not serve the turn, whereby to bring to pass our Religious purposes, we must set upon another, 
Luke 5. 18.  as they that carried the man of the Palsy, not being able for the preass to enter in at the door, uncovered the roof of the house, and through it let him down: We must do good, though we have no thank for our labour (as Moses and Aaron on the people's behalf whom they conducted out of Egypt, though they were unthankfully dealt with) yea, though we have ill will and hard measure, as they that seek to punish sin shall have of evil doers; 
Dan. 6. 10.  nay, though the greatest be against it, as Daniel prayed to God, though the King forbade it, and danger was to follow upon it: Thus the Prophets spoke the truth, though with danger of their lives, Elijah, Micaiah, John the Baptist, etc. Thus the Martyrs confessed the faith boldly, though with loss of their lives: 
josh. 24. 15.  We must do good also, though we have few encouragements, and small company (such was Joshua's resolution) nay, though we be as it were alone, as Noah in that generation, Lot in Sodom, Elias, etc. we must preach still, though we see but little fruit of our labour: We must do good, 
Eccles. 9 10.  while we may, 
Gal. 6. 10.  while life and means last, yea, and constantly; 
Rom. 2. 7.  and to that end (many take up Prayers in their Family, but quickly leave them off) neither must we only do good, 
And in a good manner.  but we must do it well (for even the best things in the world may be marred in the doing, 
Isa. 1. 11. and 58. 2.  as Alms and Prayer by hypocrisy and opinion of merit) and therefore we must be regenerate persons, and by Faith be reconciled to God in Christ: We must also do the same in a particular Faith, 
josh. 24. 14.  and in uprightness of heart, 
1 Chron. 28. 9  declaring the same by the reformation of our lives; and this must be in obedience to God, aiming at his glory, 
1 Pet. 5. 2.  and not seeking ourselves, 
2 Cor. 8. 12.  either in our profit, pleasure or credit, etc. all which must be done willingly.  
1. This showeth the wretchedness of our corrupt nature, 
Use 1.  that good being in itself so lovely, and there being so many great Reasons to persuade us thereto, yet our nature is most averse therefrom.  
2. This condemneth those which are so far from this, 
Use 2.  that they be enemies to goodness: The more Spiritual and holy any duty is, the less they can away therewith; as Prayer, Meditation, Conference with the godly, etc. nay, they hate goodness in others, whether Magistrates, Ministers, or private Christians; yea, are so wholly opposite to good, as they are wholly given over to evil.  
3. This condemneth those, 
Use 3.  who though they be restrained, and break not out into evil, yet have no heart nor love to that which is good: They be no swearers, nor disordered persons in their Families, yet they do not pray, instruct, and do good in their Families; they neither profane the Sabbath, nor yet keep it holy; they keep not bad company, yet love not the company of the Saints; they spend not on wicked purposes, and yet do no good with that they have; they be no enemies to Religion, but they be not zealous friends; they be no maintainers of disorders in Towns, yet do not zealously set themselves against such.  
This is not sufficient to make a good man, nor to see good days; for, Every tree that bears not good fruit, 
Mat. 7. 17.  shall be hewn down; and, 
Mark 11. 21.  the barren Figtree was cursed; 
Luke 19 22.  and, the Servant that did no good with his Talon (in the mean time he had done no hurt therewith) was cast out; It will not go for payment, nor bear out any, that they have done no hurt, but what good have they done? even we ourselves will scarce keep a Cat or Dog, merely for this, that they do no hurt, except they do some good; neither will we think well of those Servants, who being negligent in our absence, shall say, We have done you no hurt, have not robbed you of your goods, railed at you, wronged your children, etc. for that which they should also have been diligent in their work; It will be demanded of us, whether Magistrates, Ministers, Householders, or others, what good we have done.  
4. This condemneth all those that fail in the doing of good, 
Use 4.  or in the manner thereof, and so lose their labour, and have no comfort of themselves; as they that will do some good duties, not others; as Read, not Pray; come to the Word, not to the Sacraments; come to both, but omit Family duties: They that do not good duties at all times, but take liberty to shake them off and banish them (so did not David) nor in any places (haply devout at Church, 
Psal. 119. 20.  careless elsewhere) nor in all companies (doing good only as Saul among the Prophets) nor to all persons (some will seem to give God his due, in the mean time dealing unjustly with men, as some (with civil persons) are careful in this, careless in that: Others also will do well to strangers, but not to their Families; as others to their friends, but cannot away with their enemies; and others though submiss to their Superiors, yet are harsh to their Inferiors;) so they that will then only do good, when they find it easy to be done, who yet in the mean time take great pains to do wickedly; so they that will not do any good, except when they may be commended for it, and have good will for their pains; so they that still say they will, and they will do good, but defer the same so long, that death takes hold on them; so they that think to do good in their end, who should do it in their life, the present time is indeed the time wherein to do good; so they that do good for a while, but after break off; 
See Isa. 1. 11.  so they that do good things, but in a corrupt manner, without Faith, and seeking themselves therein, or merely in hypocrisy: All these (mark me well) that make their practice of doing good in this fashion, it's as good never awhit, as never the better. I deny not, but a good man may herein at some times fail through weakness, or by reason of some temptation; but whosoever usually thus doth, doth bewray himself to be but an hypocrite, and as he thus worketh, so accordingly shall he have his reward with hypocrites.  
5. This serves for consolation to all those whose hearts are unfeignedly affected to good, 
Use 5.  and which are ready to every good God requires of them in their general or special callings, at all times, in all places, towards all, even in things most difficult and dangerous, desiring unfeignedly to do them in a right manner; 
3 john. ver. 11.  they do what's good in the sight of the Lord, hereupon they shall have comfort for the present, and hereafter life everlasting: Such are indeed of God.  
6. This is also for instruction to us all, 
Use 6.  that we give ourselves with greater diligence to that that is good, and to do much good in our general and special callings, taking pains thus to do both publicly and privately; such as join not with us herein, shall want their part in our comfort: This shall be our Crown, and will accompany us to life eternal; the more good we do, the more joy shall we have in our lives, the more comfort in death, and the greater glory in the world to come.  
Let him seek peace and ensue it.] Another duty to be done of all those that would live long, and see good days, They must seek peace and ensue it. 
Christian's must seek after peace.  Men that seek not peace, shall not find it; and without peace, what comfort can any have of their life? Neither can any enjoy eternal life, that seek not after peace; for God is that God of peace, and all that are his must love peace, and therefore hath God given us his Gospel of peace, as to reconcile us to himself in Jesus Christ, so also to teach us to live in peace one with another: We must therefore not only keep it when we have it, 
See Acts 4. 32.  and accept it, being offered, but wanting it, 
1 Cor. 1. 10.  seek after the same, 
2 Cor 13. 11.  seek after it, as covetous men do after Money, 
Gal. 5. 22.  the hungry after meat, Hunters after their prey; if it run or fly from us, 
Eph. 4. 3.  we must run and fly after it: 
1 Thess. 5. 13.  This is again and again both commanded and commended, 
james 3. 17.  is a fruit of the Spirit, and of the wisdom that comes from above.  
Now we must seek after peace, 
How we must seek peace.  1. By living innocently and harmlessly with our Neighbours (such as harm them either in word or deed, are enemies to peace.) 2. By living helpfully, and doing good in our places, as Magistrates, Ministers, etc. 3. By passing by such small wrongs as are done unto us, not so much as taking notice thereof, and for others of more moment, to compound them of ourselves, or refer them to indifferent neighbours, which notwithstanding (if they must needs be determined by Law) must not break off peace, or occasion the omission of any neighbourly duty. 4. By parting with some of our right to have peace: Herein we must not stand upon terms, though haply it were fit our adversary should come to us, as being Younger, Inferior in place, or who first gave the cause of offence, yet rather than contention should continue, we must pass by all those, and go to him; 
Gen. 13. 8.  even Abraham yielded to Lot: And this we must do, nor with some persons only, but even with all; not with the rich only, but the poor also, as being our fellow servants, members of Christ, as we are, and such of whom we may stand in need both in prosperity and adversity; neither with the meaner sort only, and not with the rich and wealthy (as if it were of a brave mind to stand out with them, and not to regard them) but with the one as well as the other; yea, nor with the good only (though with them chiefly) but with the bad also (even Abraham maintained peace with Abimelech) yet so, 
Gen. 21. 32.  as that we may keep our peace with God, not consenting with them in their evil, nor doing evil, or neglecting our duty for their good will. A just War is better than an unjust Peace: 
2 Chron. 18. 1. and 19 1.  A Nation may have with Infidels a League of Peace, though not of Amity; so we must have peace, 
See Rom. 12.  but not with ill conditions, to yield to unlawful things: Woe be to that peace that makes partition with God, 
Heb. 12. 14.  and breaks the peace of our own Conscience; 
Mat. 10. 34.  our Saviour Christ came not to bring such peace, but the Sword. It will be better by being faithful, to have favour with God, and peace in ourselves, though we reap the ill will of our Neighbours, then that God should curse us for our unfaithfulness, and the wicked▪ also in Hell for following their ways. Thus must Husbands and Wives, Ministers and People, etc. keep peace one with another, otherwise we must be contented rather to be counted troublesome, 
jer. 15. 10.  and breakers of peace.  
This we must seek after, 
Reasons.  1. Because it's so pleasing to God, he is the God of Peace, and by the Spirit often so called in the Scriptures; he gave his Son to make our peace with him, and loves that we should live in peace one with another, and therefore gives us the Gospel of peace, and Spirit of peace; yea, he so likes it, that he pronounceth them blessed that helps it forward: 
Mat. 5. 9  On the contrary, the Devil delights in contentions, and he only gains thereby. 2. This shall be a sign that we are taught of God, and whereby our Prayers will become the more acceptable, 
1 Tim 2. 8.  Our hands must be lifted up without wrath, whosoever is addicted hereunto, can neither pray aright, nor duly partake of the Sacrament, neither rightly perform any other duty. 3. This is most comely, 
Psal. 133. 3.  like the ointment which was poured on Aaron's head (which was made of most fragrant sweet things) and to the dew upon new mowed grass: O how sweet is it to them that do enjoy it! how sweet to the lookers on? what a comely thing is it, to see a Land agree in itself, so a Town, a Family? It's as an instrument, whereof all the strings be in tune: 
Prov. 17. 1.  Better is a dry morsel with this, than an house full of Sacrifices with strife: 
and 15. 17.  Better is a dinner of herbs, where love is, than a stalled Ox and hatred therewith: 
Prov. 21. 9  Better to be in the corner of the house top, then with a contentious woman in a wide house. 4. Great is the profit hereof, as the rain makes the mown grass shoot out and grow, 
See jer. Lam.  so is peace exceeding fruitful: O how doth a Land increase by peace, and how do Wars, 
Concordia parvae res crescunt, discordia magna dilabuntur.  whether civil or foreign, waste and consume the same! little things by concord wax great, great things through discord come to nothing; when there's peace in a Town between the Pastor and People, what good may be done? what evil avoided? where there is not, neither can evil be suppressed, nor good established. A Town knit together in peace, is like a faggot fast bound, that cannot be bend, but divided, like the several sticks of the faggot, which may easily be broken; the like may be said of Husbands and Wives, Masters and Servants, 
Mat. 12. 25.  Parents and Children, A Kingdom, City, or house divided against itself cannot stand. 5. If we live in peace we are fit to do good one to another, else we can do no good, but all evil.  
1. This condemns all contentious and quarrelous Spirits, 
Use 1.  that regard not peace, but their own will, are never well, but when they are contending, are so far from seeking peace, as they cannot keep it when they have it, 
Psal. 120. 7.  nor accept it when it's offered; and so far from following it, as they fly from it, as those of whom the Psalmist complained: Others regard it not as they ought, will fall out and break the peace even for trifles, offer the occasion of strife, and harm their Neighbours both by words and deeds, in goods and good name; yea, if the least wrong be done them, they will hear of no reconciliation, but break off all love, 
1 Cor. 3. 3.  quarrel, go to Law, etc. Every place abounds with such: These bewray themselves not to be led by God's Spirit, 
jam. 3. 15.  nor endued with the wisdom from above; nay that they are carnal, and filled with devilish and fleshy wisdom; these either never pray, or lose their labours, for as good not pray at all, as pray in wrath: These in stead of good days here, shall have vexation, neither shall they hereafter inherit the Kingdom of Heaven, 
Rom. 2. 8.  but shall meet with indignation and wrath.  
2. This rebuketh those that live at peace, 
Use 2.  but it's after this manner; they will have peace with some, but not with others; whereas we ought to be at peace with all, not with the poor only, but with the rich also, nor with the good only, but with the bad also; some there are that fail every of those ways, as a number that will be at peace with the bad, 
See Prov. 1. 10, etc.  not with the good, and have peace with the wicked in their wickedness (which is indeed fearful) yea, buy peace with hard and ill conditions, as consenting to evil, or neglecting good: Some that they may be counted peaceable men, will not stir against any disorder; woeful peace! let men give of their own right for peace, but not of the Lords.  
3. This serves to comfort them that love peace, 
Use 3.  and desire it with all their hearts, and can be content to seek it in any honest and lawful way, and that for conscience, and that they may serve God the better, and for that God requires the same, in the mean time being careful to avoid wrangling, and jarring, etc. assuredly such are at peace with God, and howsoever the world deals with them, enjoy the peace of a good conscience.  
4. Let this encourage us all to set more by peace then pearls, 
Use 4.  to seek it diligently, and to be content rather to lose any reasonable thing, than this: This is pleasing to God, is also comely; so shall our Prayers be accepted, so shall we be strong to all good, and against all evil, so shall we see good days here, and eternal peace with God hereafter. To this end we must avoid all the enemies of peace, 
The enemies of peace to be avoided.  and labour for the contraries, as, 1. Pride, which breaks peace many ways, as when men have not more honour than is indeed their due, 
Pride.  as Haman, or when any is honoured besides themselves, as Saul, when David was commended in the dance; Pride also makes men think so highly of themselves, and meanly of others, as they will be ready to offer injury, and yet think it small, and if the least wrong be done them, think it so heinous, as no recompense can be made for it: They must forsooth by no means be blamed in any thing, else they swell, break peace, and part company; this we must avoid, and labour for humility, 
Covetousness.  which is contrary hereunto. 2. Covetousness, the covertous man is angry if he have not every good bargain, or if the least trespass be done him: If but a Goose of their neighbours graze in their ground, O it's such a loss, such a wrong, that they must not put it up: 
Frowardness.  They will part with no piece of right for all peace. 3. Frowardness, 
Prov 16. 28.  For a froward man soweth strife, we must labour for a meek and patient spirit. 
Talebearers;  4. Talebearers; A whisperer separateth chief friends: They be the Devils Pedlars, let them not open their packs, nor unlade their wares in our ears, thereby to infect our minds; He that listens to them, shall never have peace: The world is full of such, yea, such as on both sides are Tale carriers, which with some few truths intermingle numbers of lies, they are the Devils seedsmen to sow strife: If God pronounce the Peacemakers blessed, 
Mat. 5. 9  than woe to those Make-bates; of this number we are not to repute those which inform Parents and Masters, of some abuses in their children and servants, unknown unto them, provided it be done in love, and that for the redress of the same.  
5. If we must labour to have peace with men, 
Use 1.  then much more with God, who is at enmity with us because of our sins, and that through Christ alone, who is our Advocate with him: This will afford more true joy, 
1 john 2. 1.  than the world either knoweth, or can: Till we procure this, we can have no true peace with our neighbours, no true peace of conscience.   

Verse 12. For the eyes of the Lord are over the Righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.  
THat those which perform the forementioned duties shall have long life and good days here and hereafter, and that the contrary shall befall those that do not thus do, our Apostle here proveth: Such as thus do, God will have a care of them, and watch over them for good, and for the others, God will set himself against them; where an Objection is prevented.  
Oh, 
The prevention of an Objection.  might some say, that such as live most harmlessly, and do most good, and be best disposed, and love peace and quietness, should of all others be most hated, and lie open to manifest dangers, and they that will scamble and shift for themselves by right or wrong, not caring whom they wrong, do yet wax great, and prove rich in the world: True, saith the Apostle, If peaceable and good men were here left to themselves, they would be soon thrust to the walls, and be as sheep among wolves, ready to be spoiled; but God doth not so leave them, but hath a continual care over them, to defend them from dangers, as much as shall be fit for them; and if they fall into any, he is ready to hear their prayers, and to help them: and for the others, they may prosper a while (which yet some of them do not) but it shall not always so continue, God will set his face against them, and his fury root them out.  
By Eyes we are to understand the diligent and watchful care that the Lord hath over his people, 
See Deut. 11. 12  as the mother whose eye is over the young child that it take no hurt.  
And by Ears is meant, his great readiness to hear their Prayers, and grant their requests.  
By Face is meant, 
Psal. 25. 16. & 27. 9  sometimes his favour and love, as in the Psalms; sometimes his wrath and displeasure, as here; for a man's favour or displeasure is seen by his countenance: Thus are other parts of man ascribed to the Lord, as, his Hand, Right hand, Arm, etc.  
Q. But why are these attributed to the Lord, not being in him?  
A. Because if the Lord should speak unto us weak men of himself, 
Why Eyes, Ears, Face, etc. are attributed to God.  and as he is in himself, we were utterly unable to bear it, but being willing that we should understand him, he speaketh according to our capacity, as the nurse to the child. Because we know not how one should see without eyes, or watch over any for good, therefore God ascribeth eyes to himself; and because our power lieth in our right hand, therefore doth he ascribe a right hand to himself, the like may be said about his ears, etc.  
1. This should greatly provoke us to the reading and exercising ourselves in the Scriptures; 
Use 1.  for that we may so do in them, the Lord vouchsafed to stoop very low for our understanding: If we do it not, it must needs be great neglect and unthankfulness, wherein notwithstanding too too many fail.  
2. Ministers, 
Use 2.  whose office it is to teach the Lords people, must be careful to frame themselves to their understanding and edifying, and not to soar aloft, thereby stirring up admiration in their people without profit: If God stoop so low, must any so far seek themselves, as not to follow such a pattern? O it's a greater mercy to edify and convert one soul, then that a thousand should go away merely commending them for learning and eloquence.  
By Righteous we are not to understand such as be so in their own conceit, 
Whom we are to understand by Righteous, and why they are so called.  but such as are in God's account truly Righteous, perfectly by imputation of Christ's Righteousness, and imperfectly by inherent here begun and increased, but which shall hereafter be perfected: Righteous, I say, 1. By imputation of Christ's Righteousness to us by Faith, For Christ which knew no sin, 
2 Cor. 51. 21.  became sin for us, that we might be the Righteousness of God in him. 2. By inherent Sanctification of the Spirit conveyed from Christ, which though it be imperfect, yet is of the better part of their Righteousness, and the rather, because they are desirous to do well, and do it willingly, but sin against their will, as an heap of corn is so called, though it be not without chaff. 3. Because of their endeavour to be more and more Righteous, as a young Apprentice is called by the name of his Trade, 
Simil.  because of his endeavour and purpose, though he can do but a little in it; so that they which be such, may be of good comfort notwithstanding their imperfections remaining, God accounts them Righteous and holy persons, howsoever the world esteems of them.  
By them that do evil is not meant, 
Use.  such as fall into sin through weakness and infirmity, 
Whom we are to understand by them that do ill.  but such as give themselves thereto, and make a trade thereof, living and lying therein without repentance, against such doth the Lord set himself.  
The eyes of the Lord are over the Righteous,] 
The Lord careth for the Righteous.  That is, God hath an especial care of his righteous servants; he loveth them dearly, and watcheth over them for their good; 
Deut. 11. 12.  They are his portion and inheritance, 
Psal. 33. 12. & 146. 8.  they are his Spouse, they are his children, whose care exceeds both the fathers and the mothers; 
Psal. 103. 13.  when both these forsook David, the Lord did not leave him, 
Mat. 6 9  Psal. 27. 10. He causeth all creatures to do them good, 
Isa. 49. 15.  and serve their turns: He appointeth the Angels to preserve them, as Elisha; destroy their enemies, as it befell Senacheribs host; bring them good tidings, as to the Shepherds; defend them, etc. 
judges 5. 20.  The very Stars in their courses must fight for Israel, the Hailstones slay his enemies, 
Iosh 10. 13.  Frogs, Lice, Caterpillars, etc. plague the Egyptians for Pharaohs disobedience; yea, he will cause all things to go contrary to the course of nature, rather than they shall miscarry, the waters must divide themselves, the Sun stand still and go backwards, the stony rock yield water, the fire must not hurt the three children, nor the Lion's Daniel. He that cared for man, and provided all things necessary for him before he was, is now no less careful for his reconciled ones; his care is effectual, continual, he both preserves them from evil, 
Psal. 33. 18, 19 and 121. 8.  and provides for them good things; the very hairs of their head are numbered, and he that toucheth them, toucheth the Apple of his eye: 
Mat. 16. 30.  How did he preserve Noah, Lot, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, 
Zech. 2. 8.  Elijah, Peter, etc. which of us also hath not escaped thousands of dangers through his eye over us?  
But do not the righteous fall into many troubles, 
Obj.  as the examples of Abel, Micaiah, Jeremiah, the Apostles and Martyrs clearly show.  
Gideon indeed by reason of the troubles of God's people in his days, 
Sol.  thought that God was not with them, 
judg. 6. 13.  but it was otherwise: God's eye is not so over them as that he promiseth to keep them out of all danger, but so to dispose, as that nothing shall fall out to their hurt; he keeps them from man, and disposes so, that when any do befall them, the same tends to their good: Thereupon they become humbled, thereby their Faith and patience tried, in the mean time they are enabled of God to bear them, 
See Psal. 32. 6.  and through him delivered in due time therefrom, 
Isa. 45. 2.  if not, thereby the sooner they enter into Heaven.  
God doth preserve the wi●●ed also, 
Obj.  and provide for them.  
Though they are preserved from some, 
Sol.  yet into how many do they fall? especially how do they fall into sin daily? and how soon they shall fall into Hell who knows? 
Psal. 37. 19  The Lord also provides for his own, as for the Israelites in the wilderness, for Elias in the time of famine, for Jacob in Padan-Aram, etc. many have had experience hereof, beyond that they could have looked for.  
1. This serves to comfort all those which can prove themselves righteous; 
Use 1.  such may safely depend on God, 
Psal. 23. & 27.  in the very midst of dangers: How many or great soever they may be, 
1 King. 6. 16.  had we but the eyes of faith, we might perceive that there are more with us then against us? He that is Almighty and All-sufficient careth for us; He also taketh our cause in hand, so that being wronged, we need neither be impatient nor revenge ourselves, but commit it unto him that judgeth righteously; He also will provide for us things needful, and therefore must not we murmur, grudge, or use unlawful means; He that feeds the Ravens, and clothes the Lilies, will assuredly be careful of us, only we must not be wanting unto ourselves, through neglect of our callings, or trusting too much therein, but commend ourselves therein unto God by Prayer.  
2. Let such as are not as yet righteous, 
Use 2.  get into the number of righteous persons; till then, they lie open to all danger, are outlaws, have no right to any promise, neither are under God's care or protection: Oh! could they see their condition, they might perceive it to be most fearful; but happy is the state of the righteous, happy are they whom God loveth and careth for.  
And his ears are open unto their prayers,] Hear note,  
The readiness of the Lord to hear his Servants prayers, 
God hears the prayers of his Saints readily.  and to grant their requests; the like is elsewhere often expressed. They are acceptable to him, 
Psal. 145. 18.  as incense and sacrifice; yea, he prefers them before those: 
Isaiah 65. 24.  They are available before him; 
Psal. 141. 2. & 50. 15. and 69. 31.  the Examples of Abraham, Jacob, David, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Daniel, etc. manifest the same: They are available to prevent dangers, as Hezekiah's Senacheribs Army: Available to remove dangers entered, 
jam. 5. 16.  as the prayers of Moses and Aaron stayed the Plague; therefore when God was not purposed to grant a thing, he bade his Servants that they should not pray; as Jeremiah, 
jer. 7. 16.  Pray not for this people; yea protested, that though Noah, Job, and Daniel should pray, 
Ezek. 14. 14.  yet he would not hear them; he is a Father, merciful, 
Matth. 7. 11.  gracious, full of pity and compassion: If earthly fathers can give good things unto their children ask them, how much more will the Lord unto his? He cannot deny the prayers of his own children, indicted by his Spirit, and offered in the Name of the Lord Jesus, who sitteth at his right hand; yea, he heareth not only the eloquent and large prayers of his Servants, 
Isa. 38. 14.  but even their stutting, as Hezekiahs; and when there is no voice, 
1 Sam. 1. 13.  but sighs and groans, as hannah's, and Jonahs' in the Whale's belly: 
jonah 1. 2.  For prayer is the labour of the Spirit and Heart; and God delights in such prayers, though he will have the voice when it can be, and looks that men should pour out their hearts and wants at large, yet he will accept of such prayers as come from the sincerity of upright hearts.  
But every kind of prayer will not pierce the clouds, 
What prayers prevail with God.  and come into God's presence, and prevail with him, but such as are according to his own will; prayers made in understanding, not like those of the Papists in an unknown tongue, or those amongst ourselves which use the Creed and ten Commandments as prayers, or theirs which mark not what they say, whose Prayers are mere babble; Prayers also in sincerity, Prayers in faith, knowing that we are reconciled unto God through Christ, Prayers in repentance, in love, fervent Prayers, continued Prayers, with fasting, not prescribing the Lord either the time, means, or manner of our deliverance; See Psal. 145. 18. Jer. 29. 13. John 5. 15. Mark 11. 24. Psalm 66. 18. Proverbs 28. 9 2 Tim. 2. 19 John 9 31. Isa. 58. 9 1 Timothy 2. 8. Isa. 1. 15. Psalm 51. Daniel 9 James 5. 16. Luke 18. 1. Romans 12. 12. This hath been the strength and defence of this Land, and if it were not for Prayer, and the remnant of the righteous, that cry to God night and day both publicly and privately, and stand in the gap to avert his indignation, we could not but have looked for some heavy judgement on this Land ere now, the iniquities thereof do so fearfully abound, and that in every corner, such as are the contempt of his Word, Sacraments and Servants, horrible Blasphemies, Sabbath-breaking, and the like; yea, which of us having prayed aright, have not had experience of the truth hereof, even that God hath many a time, and in many particulars, given ear unto our desires, 
Psal. 73. 25.  and granted our poor Prayers? There is none that can hear or help but he, and it's his honour to right the cause of his poor Saints and Servants. 
How it may appear that God hears their prayers readily.  This his readiness to hear their prayers, appears diversely, as that 1. He makes a way for them by his son's blood to come to him, which else they durst not. 2. He gives us his Spirit, to work faith in us, and to wash us clean, and to embolden us to call him Father, 
Rom. 8. 26.  and to pray aright, who knew not how to pray of ourselves; It's a sign that he hath a mind to hear us, 
Host 14. 3.  who puts a Supplication into our mouths. 
Prov. 50. 15.  3. He commands us, 
Matth. 7. 7.  and sets us on work so to do. 4. He hath also promised for our better encouragement to hear us, and grant our requests.  
Obj. 
Psal. 22. 1.  But have not Gods Servants, with David, complained that the Lord hath not heard them? 
Why the Lord hears not nor grants not sometimes the prayers of his children.   
A. True, But not in respect of any unwillingness in him, but sometimes because they pray not aright, or that they pray the more carefully, or to try whether they will continue, or break off by and by (as our Saviour did by the woman of Canaan) or for that he would have us set the more short by it, 
Matth. 15. 23.  when we have it, and be the more thankful, and use it the better, else soon gotten, and soon forgotten, lightly come, and lightly gone; sometimes also because the time is not yet fit. 
Simil.  A Child would have the milk, though but newly come scalding off the fire: The unruly Patient would have the Plaster taken off, as soon as it begins to smart; such are we, but God will hear and help in the due, in the best time: Sometimes the Lord grants not at all what his righteous servants crave, Why? because he cannot, or is not willing, nay, because it's not good for us; as if a child should ask a knife of his Father, he would deny it: If for matters of soul, as deliverance from temptations, the Lord answereth not our petitions, 
2 Cor. 12. 9  he yet gives strength to resist them (as to the Apostle Paul) which is far better; for it's no mastery to have no temptations, but to overcome temptations, and to have no hurt thereby: If for outward things, craving freedom from crosses, sicknesses, loss, etc. the Lord doth not free them, but gives them some Spiritual grace, profitable for their souls, 
Simile.  this is far better than that they asked. If one should ask silver, and have the weight in gold given him, what wrong were done him? So if one in stead of health and long life here should soon die, yet to be translated into Heaven, and there to live for ever; sometimes we ask a greater measure of outward things than the Lord grants, but yet gives us a contented mind, and assurance of eternal riches in Heaven; either than he grants the thing we desire, or gives us a better in its stead, and so not break promise with us.  
1. This sets out God's wonderful goodness and mercy, 
Use 1.  that will vouchsafe to stoop, to look so low, as to look to such poor unworthy Creatures as we are, what are we? dust and ashes, sinful men and women; and what is he? The infinite immortal God, the Lord of the whole World, most holy and most pure: This comes by the means of our Lord Jesus Christ, in whom we are accepted.  
2. This is a singular comfort to the righteous, 
Use 2,  that God hath not left us in this world of trouble, without any means to help ourselves; No: he hath left a mean in our hands, to help us in whatsoever distress; he sets us on work to pray, and hath promised to hear and help. Hereunto hath God annexed his promises, neither is there any case, wherein prayer cannot help us: O this is a wonderful encouragement to us in all times, & in all necessities! If by prayer we fly unto God, there's remedy; If we need any grace (as we do continually) God upon our ask hath promised to give it: The like may be said of patience, meekness, humility, a tender heart, and the like; O that we should be so often wanting unto ourselves! how much grace, and how much good have we lost for want of ask? God hath infinite store, neither is he loath to part therewith, he hath it to bestow, and it's his glory to bestow it: He hath made the way, offers to teach us to pray, and promiseth to hear us, and yet what dulness is in us? how seldom pray we? Many of us can go out in the morning without prayer, neither have recourse unto God all the day long: He is more forward to give, than we to ask, and yet who hath the benefit? not he, but ourselves; we shut out ourselves, when God hath opened the door; we know not what we have lost, when we have lost a prayer, when we have neglected it upon every trifling occasion: We feel not our wants, we prise not grace, we consider not the worth and excellency of prayer. We trade to the Indies, and other dangerous places for gain, and that with great hazard; there's no hazard to Heaven, send but out a well prepared prayer, it never returns empty: If we be in sickness, we rest too much on the means, and too little in prayer: so for our callings, as also for deliverances out of dangers, we make friends, but pray not at all.  
3. Be we hereupon stirred up to be more frequent in this duty, 
Use 3.  and to make more account of it, for Grace, for Wisdom, for help in danger, for a Blessing in any thing we go about, what other means soever we use, let prayer be one, let not that be left out: This can do as much, much more than any other, only keep our prayers in good tune, as horses be kept in breath: If we thus do, we shall assuredly obtain, only we must wait God's good leisure; if we obtain not that we pray for, we shall have better in the stead of it: If we find them granted, we must, 
Dan. 2. 20.  with Daniel and his fellows, return praises; yea, besides our own prayers, we should have a stock going in sundry godly friends hands, to get their prayers for us always, but especially when we are in extremity: If any thing in the world help, it's this; But need we go seeking to Saints departed? 
Simil.  If the King should call us to him, and encourage us by promises, were it not folly in us to seek up and down for a Nobleman to help us to speech with him?  
4. This setteth forth the difference between the righteous and the wicked: 
Use 4.  Those are dear to God, his Favourites, near, great in the Court of Heaven: 
Pro. 15. 8, 29.  These he cannot away with, their persons are odious, 
Psal. 14 4.  and so is their service; they either pray not at all, which is usual with profane wretches, or pray without understanding, as Papists and ignorant persons, who do not mind what they pray (and how should God mind their prayers, if they do not mind them themselves?) 
Isa. 29. 13.  or come in hypocrisy, their hearts being in the mean time far from God; 
john 9 31.  or come in their sins, and so God abhors them, for he hears no sinners; or never come but in their misery, and that neither out of love to God, 
Host 7. 14.  or hatred of sin, but fear of punishment, or delay the time so long, 
See Prov. 1. 24.  that it's too late ere they come, as Esau, and the five foolish Virgins: These be Rebels, they live at staves end with God, stand out, and will not come in to the pardon; How should God hear them? nay, their prayers (if they make any) are abomination: Whatsoever befalls the wicked (as evil enough may befall them every day) yet they have no help; What shall they do in their misery? They may murmur and rage against God, bear out for a while by head and shoulders, as it were, or lie like blocks and languish, or run to Endor to the Devil for help, but God they have none to go to, nor prayer that will be accepted, whatsoever become of them.  
Contrarily the righteous cannot be miserable, 
God's wrath and the fruits thereof are always bend against the wicked.  as long as he can pray; put him down into a Dungeon, and chain him by the neck to the ground, yet as long as he can pray, he is happy, and shall have comfort, and that deliverance which shall be best for him: He hath God's promise for the same, and that will not fail him.  
But the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.] The point is this, That God's wrath and the fruits thereof are continually bend against the wicked that live in their sins, Levit. 20. 3. and 26. 14. Numb. 11. 1. and 22. 22. Deut. 28. 5. and 32. 21. Josh. 7. 13. Isa. 42. 24, 25. and 57 17. Jer. 5 9 Ezek. 14. 8. Zech. 7. 13. Luke 14. 21. John 3. 36. Col. 3. 16. 1 Thess. 4. 6. To these Testimonies divers examples might be added, as of the Angels cast out of Heaven, the old world drowned, Sodom and Gomorah burned, Corah, Dathan and Abiram swallowed up quick, the houses of Jeroboam, Baasha, Ahab rooted out, etc. so of God's judgements upon the bloody Emperors, Nero, Domitian, Julian, etc. so of God's judgements upon the persecutors of his children, largely laid down in the Book of the Martyrs; so of God's judgements daily inflicted on several sorts of sinners, which are as it were real sermons, and justifications of God's Word and our preaching, 
1 Cor. 10. 6.  and are for our admonition, and of especial use to us: This must needs be so, for sin is against his nature, 
Reasons.  against his commandment, yea, it were against his nature, 
See Psal. 9 8, 16.  to let the wicked go unpunished, and he is as much known and glorified in his justice, as in his mercy: He that teacheth and commandeth Magistrates to reward well-doers, and not to bear the Sword in vain, 
Rom. 13. 3.  but to draw it out against the wicked, will not suffer his own Sword to rust in the Scabbard.  
Obj. Many notable wicked men go on in their sins, and be not plagued.  
A. True, 
Why the wiced are not always plagued here.  God keeps but his petty-Sessions as it were, here in this world, bringing now and then some few unto judgement, and reserves multitudes to that dreadful day, wherein it shall be rendered to them according to their works. Again, if he plague them not outwardly, yet are they plagued with a worse judgement; He gives them up to the blindeness of their minds and hardness of their hearts, and will of the Devil, which is the most fearful thing that can be, and at the day of Judgement he will avenge them all at once, when he shall come in flaming fire to this purpose, 
2 Thess. 1. 8, 9  who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.  
1. This may terrify and awaken all those, which (as if there were no God, 
Use 1.  or no God which did regard or were able to revenge himself on them) make a trade of sinning; whilst they are thus, the wrath of God is upon them, and he sets his face against them, and how can they then prosper? he hath throughout all ages found out and plagued others for their wickedness, and do they think to escape? The mightiest and proudest hath fallen before his wrathful vengeance, and are they privileged? It were their wisdom to send forth messengers of peace, and to humble themselves in time, lest he tear them in pieces, when there's none to deliver them; they should fear and be wise by other folk's harms: But O the monstrousness of the times, and hardness of men's hearts! that seeing their companions plagued before their eyes, yet run on in the same excess of riot. And for those that are as Lions and Foxes, subtle, and shifting by unlawful courses, though haply they may think to get up and wax mighty, yet assuredly, God will set his face against them, as he daily doth against Oppressors, Couseners, Shifters, Covetous and Troublesome persons: Then shall the Lambs be quiet, when those Lions are killed; the godly be refreshed, when they shall be rid of their cruel oppressors.  
2. This may persuade us to avoid the ways of the ungodly; 
Use 2.  though they seem pleasing for a while, yet are they most dangerous: Be advised in time, especially you young ones, that are now to choose your way: walk not in the way of the wicked, for believe it, you may else peradventure repent thereof (as others) when it will be too late.   

Verse 13. And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?  
TO requite evil with goodness, is a weighty and difficult point, many reasons have been already laid down about it: Here's also another reason to enforce the same, It will be the way to save us from may harms in our life, which he takes from experience, and sets out by way of interogation, that none almost, not one of a thousand will be so vile, or so without all grace, and good nature, as to hurt us, if we follow ever that which is good, that is, if we live profitable towards our brethren in all the duties of love, with relation to their bodies, souls, goods, goods name, places, callings, and the like, and when any wrong is offered us, not only we do not revenge it, but on the contrary, overcome it with well-doing, none almost will be so wretchedly minded as to harm us.  
Note then, That  
Patience and innoceny of life, 
Patience and innocency of life, are the way to escape harms from men.  are the way to escape harms and wrongs from men; This must needs procure quiet to those that are endued herewith, Who can harm such a one? As grievous words stir up anger, so a soft answer turneth away wrath: Thus Gideon pacified the Ephraimites, 
Prov. 15. 1.  and thus did David overcome Saul: Contrarily, 
judg. 8. 1, 2, 3.  such as requite word with word, wrong with wrong, suit with suit, 
1 Sam. 24. 18. and 26. 21.  etc. they do but stir the coals, and blow the fire of dissension, and may look to be harmed of every one; experience showeth that if any shall harm the innocent, there's none almost but cries against it (as Jonathan blamed his Father, 
1 Sam. 19 4, 5. and 14. 45.  for setting himself against David; and the people the same Saul, when he would have put Jonathan to death, 
1 Sam. 24. 18. and 26. 21.  for tasting the honey, yea, he himself was convinced of his own Conscience for wronging David) but that the covetous, contentious, hasty, and hurtful, and that in wrongs are impatient and given to revenge, are continually talked of, ill spoken of, and railed on; yea, meet with adversaries, that do and will oppose them, so that most of the ordinary wrongs that come to us from our Neighbours, have their beginning from ourselves, who do not that good in our places which we might, or are impatient when we are wronged: None is hurt but of himself, whatsoever others do to us, we are not hurt thereby, so we be innocent and sin not; yet doth not this justify them that do harm us, but teacheth us by what means especially we may avoid being harmed.  
1. This rebuketh our folly, 
Use 1.  that would fain live without harm, and yet cannot be wise enough to use the means to bring it to pass, but take the contrary course: either we do not perform our duties to our neighbours as we should, and so catch harm and are evil spoken of, which is the case of some, or we be impatient in wrongs, apt and given to revenge, which is the case of some others; we must therefore labour to do our duties in our places, and live profitably, endeavouring withal for such humility, meekness, and patience from the Lord, as we may be able to overcome evil with goodness; Hereupon must ensue much good.  
2. When any have harmed us, 
Use 2.  and the same proves grievous unto us, let us examine ourselves, whether we may not justly lay the blame on ourselves: If we have been in fault, then are we to be patient, to humble ourselves, and to acknowledge God's hand on us, to teach us more innocency, and more patience, and not to stand out so bitterly against them that have done us wrong; thus shall we find comfort in afflictions, which else (bringing the same upon ourselves) we cannot expect.   

Verse 14. But and if ye suffer for righteousness sake, happy are ye, and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled.  
NOw the Apostle makes an exception, that howsoever for the most part the course prescribed will save us harmless, yet some there are that be so wicked, as they will wrong a man, though he be never so innocent and godly, nay, will wrong him the more for his goodness, and for that alone: They will injury men for righteousness sake, that is, wrongfully and without cause, or for Religion and godliness sake; yet be not you (that meet with such wrongs when you be innocent, nay for your goodness) dismayed or faint concerning this, for this shall not turn to your hurt, but to your great good, for you are blessed if you suffer any thing whatsoever in this kind.  
But and if ye suffer for righteousness sake,] Hear Note, That there are  
1. Some which are so bad, 
Some are so bad that they wrong the innocent.  as that they wrong the innocent, even them by whom they have been at no times wronged, from whom they have received no harm: Thus was Abel hated and killed of Cain, Moses misused by the Israelites, 
Prov. 22. 22. and 23. 10.  David railed upon by Shimei, and persecuted of Saul: This is against all equity, and that which the Lord must needs revenge, for it's his honour to defend the innocent; yea, if he will not bear doing wrong to them that have wronged us, much less will he endure that the innocent should be wronged.  
O take heed of wronging such, 
Use.  whether in words, by slandering them, backbiting them, or bearing false witness against them; or in deed, by oppressing them, gripping, grinding their faces, and the like.  
2. Others which are worse, 
Some hate the godly merely for their goodness.  even such as hate God's servants for well-doing and their godliness: Thus Ishmael persecuted Isaac, for that he was the son of the promise: 
Gal. 4. 29.  Thus Ahab hated Micaiab, as both he and Jezabel Elijah: 
Numb. 23. 8.  Thus was Jeremiah hated, so John the Baptist, the Apostles, Christ himself: How many thousands of such were persecuted unto the very death, under the bloody Emperors of Rome? and since hath not Antichrist been drunk with the blood of God's Saints; 
See Rev. 17. 6.  yea, amongst ourselves there be, that hate men for their forwardness and zeal; Some Ministers think their people too forward, some people their Ministers, O they could love them well, were it not for their preciseness: 
Psal. 16. 3.  These be not led by David's spirit, nor can have any mark that they are translated from death unto life, 
1 john 3. 14.  or that they are true members of the Church: 
Psal. 15. 4.  They are of the brood of Cain, of Ishmaels' generation, worse than Balaam, yea of Satan's company, who is the accuser of the Brethren.  
O be not of this number, 
Use.  add not unto the measure of your sins, by hating those whom God loves, and esteems as the apple of his eye! O what fearful judgements have been inflicted on such, especially having thus done against their own knowledge! Neither only will the Lord be revenged on bloody and hateful persecuters, but he will not suffer the least of their disgraceful and hard usages to go unpunished, but as a cup of cold water given to a Christian, in the name of a Christian, and because he is so, shall not go unrewarded; so shall not their small indignities go unpunished: 
Matth. 18. 6.  If whoso shall offend one of these little ones, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, & that he were drowned in the depth of the sea; then how fearful is their condition that misuse them, abuse them, backbite them, persecute them, & c? If men do not like and approve of such, yet may they let them alone: Cannot they be content to follow the world, Alehouses, Whore-houses, etc. but that they must hate and trouble them that do not? you like your course, so do they theirs; you should rather love them that will take pains to do good and be good, whereas yourselves will not.  
Happy are ye,] Such as suffer wrongfully, or for Religion and Conscience sake, are happy.  
1. Such as suffer wrongfully or without a cause; 
Such as suffer wrongfully, or for Religion and Conscience sake, are happy.  for 1. To suffer justly, is an hundred times worse, sin giving more cause of grief than the cross. 2. In such case we have our conscience on our side, and that is a feast. 3. We may go to God and make our moan to him. 4. God will make a good end, he will make our innocency break forth as the light, and our righteousness as the noonday, which will be the more taken knowledge of, then if it had never been oppugned. 5. God will take the matter into his hand, and requite to them according to their works, ridding us out of their hands.  
It's then our duty not to be dismayed, 
Use.  if we meet with hurt without cause, for the innocent to be harmed, it's no new thing; le's be thankful for the same, say not impatiently, What a vile thing is this, that one should be so misused? as if we were too good to be served; or, If it were true, and I had deserved it, I would never have cared; for then shouldest thou have had much more cause of shame and grief, as having deserved the same: O let us keep our innocency still, so shall we either have no harm, or at least, not such as whereat we need be much troubled.  
2. Such as suffer for Religion, good conscience sake, for the whole truth of God, or any part of it, the profession or practice thereof, the omission of evil prohibited, or performance of duties enjoined, etc. Such, 
Matth. 5. 10.  I say, as thus suffer, are happy: So saith our Saviour, so the Apostle Peter. 
1 Pet. 4. 14.   
For 1. This is an argument we are not of the world, 
Reasons.  but are chosen out of the world. 
john 15. 19  2. That we love the truth, as who can be content even to suffer for it: Many will profess it in fair weather, but how few stick thereto in adversity? 3. It's to be made like unto Christ our head. 
Phil. 3. 10.  4. All the Prophets and Apostles have walked in this way to Heaven; 
Acts 5. 41.  we are shrewdly hurt to be companions with them. 
Phil. 1. 29.  5. Thus to suffer is no small honour. 
Matth. 5. 10.  6. Their reward is great in Heaven: Herein flesh and blood can see no happiness, 
Luke 12. 32.  such as live at ease, or in wealth and pleasure are with them happy indeed, 
james 1. 12.  but Moses had respect hereunto, 
Heb. 11. 26.  and did clearly discern the same.  
Q. May we then offer ourselves to trouble?  
A. Ordinarily we must not; 
We must tarry till God call us to suffer:  If any in extraordinary times should feel an extraordinary zeal, and desire hereto, as it seems the Apostle Paul had, 
Acts 21. 13.  when he would needs go to Jerusalem, questionless they should have joy in their sufferings; we must tarry till God call us.  
Q. May we flee persecution?  
A. If God make make us a way, 
Whether we may flee from persecution.  we may, as who haply are not as yet so fully fitted and resolved to suffer, as were meet, or who know not whether God will have us scatter his truth further, or remain to be as feeds thereof for afterwards, but if we see that its God's mind we should be s●ffer, then it's our duty willingly and cheerfully to put forth ourselves.  
This confuteth the foolish world, 
Use.  that judging it to be a most miserable thing thus to suffer, will therefore never come at it, either not professing Religion at all, or else revolting therefrom in time of trouble; yet would they be happy, but they take a contrary course, they being ashamed of Christ here, he will be ashamed of them hereafter: In saving a transitory life, 
Mark 8. 38.  they lose life everlasting; yea, how do we ourselves eat sufferings, as if they were miserable which do suffer? whereas the Spirit of God hath pronounced them blessed: Happy are they that suffer for a good cause, for righteousness, for Religion, for conscience sake; such as stick fastest to the truth, provide best and most wisely for themselves, what can their enemies do to us? If they take away our goods, 
Mark 10. 30.  we shall have a thousand fold more in this world, and in the world to come life everlasting; If they mangle our bodies, God will raise up the same gloriously; If they separate our souls from our bodies by death, the Angels will carry them into Abraham's bosom; 
Matth. 5. 10.  If our cause be good, we have cause to rejoice in our sufferings; 
Acts 5. 41. and 16.  so are we enjoined, so did the Apostles in their sufferings, 
Heb. 10. 34.  so also the holy Martyrs. I might to this purpose allege the story of Alice Driver, of Priest's wife in Exeter, of the Christians in Edessa, etc. but that they may be read at large in the Book of the Martyrs: O that we should be so discouraged at a mock, at a frown of our betters! O that we should be as soon ready to give over, as to begin to do well! though the more religious we are, the more we esteem of the word, the better both God, his angels, and people like us; yet is it not so with the world, they liked us better before, but do not now approve of our course: howsoever, this is our duty, hereof shall we have the benefit; yea, to be disliked, to suffer for this, will be our honour, our advancement: 
2. Sam. 6. 22.  As David being mocked of Michol, resolved to be yet more humble, so should we be so much the more for goodness, as we see the world oppose it, and set themselves against us because of the same: We must not be discouraged at the very greatest, much less at small trials: 
Heb. 12. 4.  We know not what we shall suffer, For yet we have not resisted unto blood; only let us be careful that we suffer for Righteousness, and for a good cause; for though we have some good things in us, yet haply we may be brought to suffer for some fault in us, and therein we can have small peace: Beware we suffer not as Separatists, that fly out against and from the Church; that we suffer not for contempt or usual neglect of our Ministers, if they preach the Word truly; that we suffer not for rash, heady, hasty and violent carriage of ourselves; that we suffer not for our censuring, for our meddling with things or persons wherewith we have nothing to do; or for passing our bounds in things beyond our reach. Servants must beware that they suffer not for their carelessness in their places, as those which having liberty granted them to hear the Word, upon their not profiting thereby, are restrained therefrom; so if they shall suffer for being negligent, untrusty, slothful, stout in answering again, etc. they suffer deservedly, not for righteousness sake; yea, this their carriage makes the godly householders to grieve, and those that be not so well seasoned, to think ill of the profession, and it makes the name of God and his Gospel ill spoken of; and hereupon many say, Oh, I'll never meddle with these Bible-wenches, etc. fie upon it, what a fearful thing is this? The like may be said of the poor which neglect their callings, and are caraless of their Families, etc. Note further, That  
A godly man is blessed, 
A godly man is happy in what condition soever.  happy in what condition soever: He is happy not only in prosperity, but even in sufferings, even in the very lowest abasement, nothing can make them miserable; having God and a good conscience, 
See Psal. 1. 1. & 32. 1. & 112 1. & 126. 1.  though they meet with affliction from God, or persecution from men (as here) yet are they happy: Imprison him, fetter him, let no creature come at him, put Lions to him, etc. yet he is still, and shall be the child of God, the member of Christ, the heir of Heaven, a King's son, etc. and how can he be miserable that hath the Comforter within? For the wicked, nothing can make them happy; let a wicked man have Sampsons' strength, Absoloms' beauty, Ahasuerus his wealth, Nebuchadnezars stately Babel, Dives his costly apparel, etc. yet is he miserable, he is under the curse of God, there's but a step between him and Hell: 
jonah 1. 6.  As Jonah was asleep whilst God was offended with him, the winds raged against him, the Whale was ready to swallow him, so do the wicked eat, sleep and are jovial, while God is offended, Heaven is shut up against them, Hell gapes for them, and the Devil waits on them as his prey: Their security will end in a fearful wakening, they shall be snatched from their beds of ease, and cast into everlasting torments.  
1. This may encourage God's servants to suffer for righteousness: 
Use 1.  They shall not be the less happy; let the world do its worst, it cannot make them miserable: They are every way happy, in poverty, sickness, persecution, and the like; O who would not labour to attain this honour and happiness?  
2. It may dissuade the wicked from their mischievous plotting against God's servants; 
Use 2.  For why do they pursue them? To make them miserable, its impossible: They may indeed make them the more to shine forth through their constancy in Faith, and increase their glory in Heaven, and so make them more happy, but to make them miserable they cannot: O that they would break off this their course, and be weary thereof! for so long as they be wicked, how rich soever, or how high a pitch soever of honour they have clambered to, they are miserable; yea, these and the like make them more miserable, as being fuel to their lust, being to them occasions of sinning; cease therefore to be wicked, else shalt thou never cease to be miserable.  
Be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled.] To comfort them in their sufferings for Christ, he removes the enemy of constant and patient suffering, namely, Fear: Be not (saith he) afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; 
Fear is an enemy to constant suffering.  that is, Either be not afraid with the fear of ungodly men, and such as have no hope in God, who in the very lest danger are altogether dismayed (as the words in Isa. 8. 12. (whence these seem to be taken) do imply, or, Fear not the things wherewith they seek to affright you, the Apostle using the words but to his own sense, Fear not their faces, big looks) threats prisons, censures and tortures) neither be dismayed at them; fear is an enemy to constant suffering (as a coward can be no true Soldier) and therefore are we often dissuaded therefrom: 
Matth. 10. 28.  This hindered Nicodemus from coming unto Christ by day, 
Luke 12. 4.  and multitudes from confessing him, 
Rev. 2. 10.  even for fear of the Scribes and Pharisees; made Peter deny his Master: and because of this, in all alterations of Religion, most turn with the time: And would not many be more forward in goodness than they are, if it were not for fear of displeasing.  
O strive against this fear, 
Use.  and be courageous; so were Daniel, the three Children, the Apostles, Moses, the holy Martyrs, etc. Their Faith overcame their fear; we need not fear men, or what they can do to us, for God will stand by us, we must fear him, fear to sin against him; for unbelievers and fearful, they shall have a fearful portion: such as fear man more than God, 
Rev. 21. 8.  fly from the stroke of a child, and fall into the hand of a Giant, from a straw to a sword.   

Verse 15. But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.  
HEre's the true means of constant and patient suffering, even faith resting itself confidently on God.  
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts,] 
What it is to sanctify the Lord God.  We sanctify God, or his name (as it's in the first petition of the Lords prayer) not when we add any holiness thereto, which is holy beyond comparison, but when we acknowledge and give that holiness which belongs to it: Particularly, herein we sanctify the Lord in our hearts, 
john 3. 33.  when we believing his faithfulness in his promises, 
Rom. 4. 20.  do thereupon rest on him in time of our troubles, and this is to glorify him.  
Faith is the mother of constancy in suffering; 
Faith, the mother of constancy in sufferings.  I know thy faith and thy patience: Be thou faithful unto the death, etc. By faith, those worthies mentioned in Heb. 11. did undergo all their sufferings: This is the victory that overcomes the world: 
Rev. 2. 2.  The want of faith makes the world fly from God and his cause; 
1 john 5. 4.  weakness of faith causeth fear to overflow us, as in Peter and Cranmer, as soon as we see some trouble to arise, 
Luke 8. 24.  then are we ready to say with Peter, O Master, we perish! If we do believe ourselves to be the Lords, and that our cause is just and good, and that he hath all power in his hand, and that none can stir further than he pleaseth, and that he will strengthen his servants to endure, and after this transitory life, translate us unto life everlasting: O this will encourage us indeed.  
Labour we therefore for a good stock of Faith now in this time of peace, 
Use.  and let us in our daily trials, reproaches, and afflictions, exercise the same, and make good use of it: If in these we can give glory to God by depending on him, we may trust our Faith will not fail us, when greater trials shall befall us: to believe God of his Word, is to give glory to God; as on the contrary, to faint, tends to his dishonour, and as to believe on him is great ease to ourselves, so not to believe but faint, very troublesome.  
And be ready always to give an answer, etc.] He proceeds to another duty, as a fruit of the former trust in God, exhorting us in token of our Faith in God, that we be ready with courage to acknowledge and make confession of our Faith, to those that shall demand a reason thereof: This we must be ready at all times to do, and so often as we shall be called thereto, and to all men that have authority to call us, and to any that shall demand it with a desire to learn, or whensoever and wheresoever we shall see it meet and requisite so to do (as the Spirit of God will direct his servants where, when and to whom) yet so as we do it with courage, meekness, and godly reverence.  
Our duty then is, 
As we must believe God's Truth with our hearts, so must we profess it with our tongues.  not only to believe the truth of God in our hearts, but we must be ready outwardly to make profession thereof, and confess the same with our tongues, when God shall call us thereunto: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob walked as Pilgrims here on earth, professing themselves Gods servants; and Joshua professed, That he and his would serve the true God: 
Rom. 10. 9  Accordingly must we, both by our speeches and actions declare whose servants we are, so walking, as that men may see we are not ashamed of God, or his Word and way, whatsoever others do, most do, yea rich and wise men do, the great ones of the world do, yet do we thus walk, daring do no otherwise, and not caring who know our carriage and behaviour; and though they scoff at it as scruplous, too strict, and precise, and call us fools for our labour, and ask us, Why we do not thus and thus as we see most men do, yet need not we be dismayed, as being warranted by the Word of God: So in all Companies we must make known what we are; If we hear any rail at goodness, speak ill of good duties, oppose any part of God's truth, reproach the professors of Religion, whether unknown or known unto us, we must take the cause in hand, standing for the defence of God's truth and servants: If by our timely answer any good may come to the Gospel, we must not through our silence betray the same; but if we be among scorners and dogs, we must show our dislike by departing from them: Thus must we do being in company with profane ones, so if we be among Papists or other adversaries to the Truth, we must have the zeal of God in us; so if it be in the times of persecution, that we be called forth by Magistrates, or their authority, we ought not to flinch, nor be ashamed or afraid, but show what our Religion is, what our Faith and Hope, giving a Reason thereof out of God's Word; or if they demand us about any point of Religion, we must in the defence of God's cause speak our consciences freely: Thus if the Jews or Turks should call us to know, through whom we did hope & look to be saved, we must acknowledge Christ Jesus, and our Faith and Hope of Salvation in him, as of whom the Prophets foretold, and who did every way for time, place, manner, etc. fulfil their prophecies of him: This we must believe with our hearts, and confess with our mouths, in this Faith we must both live and die: The like might be instanced about Justification, if by Papists we should be called to an account. Thus Moses came often before Pharaoh to justify his demand; thus Elias did acknowledge and maintain the true God, and his pure worship, against Ahab and his false Prophets; so Daniel and the three Children, so the Apostles, so the Apostle Paul, 
Rev. 2. 13.  so the Church of Pergamos, so the holy Martyrs, they could not be drawn from the truth, either by promises, threats or torments; so in this Land in the days of Queen Mary, God's servants showed good skill in the Word, and made known their Christian courage.  
Reason's hereof may be these: 
Reasons.  1. That it may appear God hath some that know and love, and will defend his Truth, as the Devil also the contrary. 2. That we may declare we be not ashamed nor afraid of men, to confess the cause of God. 3. That we may confirm our own consciences, 
Acts 26. 18.  and may also (if possible) win others to the truth, as Paul had almost done Agrippa: No doubt many standers by were won by Paul's defences, and the Martyrs, and not a few weak ones confirmed, the rest being left without excuse.  
1. This condemneth that horrible wicked practice of the Church of Rome, 
Use 1.  in keeping the people in miserable blindeness, and holding it a deadly fin for them to read any part of Scripture, in a tongue they understand, or any book touching the true Faith and Religion, nay, read both Scriptures and Prayers to them in an unknown tongue, and lock up all knowledge from them, and means thereof, like the Scribes and Pharisees, that took away the Key of Knowledge: How shall they then be ready to give an account of their Faith? They must believe as the Church believes, and that is all they can get, only they preach to them in their own language, which yet is but lies and errors for truth: This is most gross robbery of the people, Christ bid Search the Scriptures, 
john 5. 39  they charge the contrary, and curse them that do: It's cruel tyranny and murder of their souls; they take away their weapons that they may make a prey of their souls, 
1 Sam. 13. 19  as the Philistines did from the Israelites, to keep them under: Those are not of Moses his mind, that wished, 
Numb. 11. 29.  That all God's people might prophesy; 
Col. 3. 16.  nor of St. Paul's, That the Word of Christ might dwell in them richly in all wisdom, etc. None have need to be discouraged from seeking knowledge, for most be too careless and lazy.  
2. This rebuketh the gross ignorance of most part of people, 
Use 2.  that notwithstanding this light that we have, and so many helps of preaching, liberty of reading, and so many Books of all kinds, and of the grounds of our Religion, yet know not what they hold, nor what be the points of their Religion; but as Market news, they hear they must serve God, and come to Church, and must be saved by Jesus Christ, but to prove that he is the true Christ, or that they must be saved by him, and by no other, in whole nor in part, or that the Scripture is the Word of God, they are altogether ignorant, and so might be carried away to any Religion: This is an horrible sin, especially considering the helps and liberty which we enjoy; What notorious carelessness is this? must we not buy the truth, prise the truth, know it, hold it fast, not part therewith? Most have such skill in worldly businesses, that they are altogether unskilful in the Word, regard not the means of their Salvation: 
john 3. 19  This is condemnation, 
Host 4. 6.  that light is come into the world, and men love darkness more than the light: O how many perish for want of knowledge? yet are there some which having knowledge, but not the love of the truth nor Faith in God, will flinch from it if ever they be tried, for there is no hold of him that loves not the truth, though he have never so much knowledge, as we may read of Dr. Pendleton and others in Queen Mary's time: Such, if they be in company of Papists, of Cavillers or Railers, they can stand or sit still and say nothing; How would these confess the truth with peril of their lives, 
Matth. 12. 30.  when they be affriad of a great man, & c? Let such know, 
Mark 8. 38.  that Christ esteems them as his enemies, For he that is not with him, is against him; they being ashamed of him in this world, he will be no less ashamed of them on the last and great day.  
3. O then let all of us labour for knowledge, 
Use 3.  and to be grounded in our Religion, and to know the points of Catechism, and be able to prove them by some place of Scripture, so as we may be bold to believe them, and stand to the defence of them: To this end, we must give ear to Catechising, read the grounds of Religion, and study the Scriptures in humility and with Prayer, having a care to know the will of God, and to be guided by it, and to stand in the defence of it to God's glory, against such as oppose it: This is the glory of a man, of a Christian, to make confession of his Faith in Christ, and stand to the defence of it; this God may justly expect of us, it hath been performed by them which had not the hundredth part of the means which we have: O let us both love and live in the Truth, sticking close thereto, whatsoever it cost us! And if at any time we shall hear it spoken against, we must have the zeal of God in us to stand in the defence thereof: 
Luke 12. 8.  Thus confessing Christ here among men, he will confess us before his Father in Heaven and his holy Angels.  
Of the hope that is in you,] 
We must believe with our hearts before we can confess with our mouths.  Faith and hope must be rooted in our hearts ere we utter the same with our tongues; In vain do we talk of things whereof we have not the inward feeling.  
With meekness and fear,] Here's the manner (for good things must be done in a right manner) we must temper our courage and zeal, 
Our speeches must be accompanied with meekness and fear.  in setting out the truth with meekness and fear; we must avoid pride and insolency by forgetting our places, or those we have to speak to, or breaking out into violent speeches, mockings, gibes, or such like, for so we may do much hurt, and this is unbeseeming the Spirit of God's Servants. Besides, the things we speak of, being the matters of God, our speech and behaviour must be suitable thereunto.  
This rebuketh the preposterous zeal of some, 
Use.  which defending the truth and a good cause, forget duty and respect to their Superiors, and break out into violent and unseemly speeches, and be at defiance by and by, and strait condemn all that are not as they should be, whereas they should by a wise, meek, and moderate defence, and kind persuasions win credit to the truth which they defend, and so do good; they on the contrary cause them to speak evil, and to think that it's but a preposterous hate and pride of heart in them so to speak, and so do hurt: Some sober Christians do much good, and win on many that at first were opposite, when they hear the wait of their reasons, rather than the bigness of their words, and seeing they do it in the fear of God, and for conscience sake: Some are not so mild as others, but of an hotter nature; this must in any wise be tempered with wisdom, yet are not we to part from any part of the truth, but to stick as close thereto as we may.   

Verse 16. Having a good conscience, that whereas they speak evil of you, as of evil doers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.  
TO our constancy in the confession of our faith, we must have a good conscience, not so only as it may be known to ourselves, but we must so walk, that others, even our adversaries may perceive the same, that thereupon changing their minds, and being ashamed that they have spoken so evil of us, they may cease to blame such as walk in so good a conversation, as becometh the Servants of Christ: Before I come to handle the points particularly laid down herein, I will show, 1. What conscience is. 2. The offices thereof. 3. Resolve some questions about it: and 4. Treat of the kinds thereof.  
For the 1. Conscience is a faculty or power, 
What Conscience is.  placed by God in the soul of a man, which determineth of his thoughts, desires, words and deeds, either with him or against him in the sight of God: I say, It's a faculty or power, not a bare act, for many actions are ascribed thereto, as to accuse, excuse, comfort, terrify, etc. Placed by God; for God being the creator of the soul, he must accordingly be the creator of all the faculties of it: In the soul, called also the heart, and the Spirit of a man: Herein there be divers faculties, as the understanding (whereby we conceive what is true and what is false, what is good and what is evil) the will (whereby we will or nill, choose or refuse any thing, whereto are joined the affections, joy, grief, love, hope, fear, etc.) and the memory, whereby we hold fast things conceived, or else call to mind, and remember things past: So also is conscience another faculty thereof, whereby the soul reflects upon itself, whereby I know that I do know such a thing, that I think this or that, that I affect or desire, love or hate this or that; for its one thing to know a thing, think a thing, remember a thing, etc. and another to know that I know it, think it, remember it: Now in which part of the soul it hath its place, as whether in the understanding or will, or in every part of the soul, I will not stand; it's enough for us to know that there is such a faculty in man's soul. True it is, it not only gives witness of all the faculties, & tells what I think, desire, affect, etc. but it useth and worketh upon all the faculties as the understanding; for by it, it directs, and according to it, it doth accuse, so as if the judgement be well informed, the conscience will give right witness, if ignorant or ill informed, than it gives wrong testimony: So the memory, accusing or excusing for things past; so it worketh upon the will, by provoking it to choose or refuse this or that; so it worketh upon the affections, raising up in us comfort and joy upon well doing, fear and grief upon ill-doing: Now though it have to do with all, yet it may have its proper place in the understanding and mind, according to the judgement of most Divines: Of a man, for no Creature on earth hath Conscience, but man. True, the Angels are not without it, the good having a good, comfortable, excusing, joyful Conscience; the evil, a woeful, ill, accusing, and tormenting Conscience, which is so much the worse, for that they know so much, and be so maliciously bend against it, so that even when they be not in the place of torment, but have leave to range the world, yet they carry Hell with them, even a tormenting Conscience, whereof their trembling (according to Saint James) is an evident testimony: 
james 2. 19  But no other Creature hath it, for having no Reason, they have no Conscience; therefore we say in our speech of a bad and unconscionable man, he hath no more Conscience than a Dog, or as much Conscience as an Horse, whereby we mean none at all, for these Creatures have none: Man then hath a Conscience, yea every man, yet as the use of Reason may be lost, by folly, frenzy, etc. so the use of Conscience in such: So by notorious wickedness, a man may lose the use of his Conscience for a time, whereupon we say of such a one, he hath no Conscience: yes, every man hath a Conscience, though as the use of Reason is taken from one deeply drunk; so custom of sinning hath taken away use of Conscience, so that it doth not admonish him before he do ill, nor check and accuse him after, or hath such an erroneous judgement, thinking good evil, and evil good, that he hath also an erroneous Conscience: But this benumbed or beguiled Conscience will be awakened at one time or other, in life or death, or at the day of Judgement; 
Rome 2. 15.  for no man's Conscience dies, but lives, and shall meet him at the last day: and though his sins be now as words written with the juice of Lemons, nothing to be seen, yet when their Conscience comes to the fire of God's Judgements, than every little dash, idle words, vain thoughts, etc. will be perceived: Though men choke and smother Conscience, though they strangle it, or so drown it in their cups, yet it will and doth abide still; what made Joseph's Brethren troubled in Egypt, but Conscience, which told them of the sin committed by them twenty years before? So Conscience told Pharaoh that he and his people were wicked, which determined of his thoughts, desires, words, and deeds, or more briefly, beareth witness either with us or against us in the sight of God: It meddles not with other folk's actions, for that is science or knowledge, but with our own, and that is Conscience: Conscience, that is knowledge with another, that is, either another knowledge, when I knowing any thing, do know that I know it, and so know myself and what is in me, or another person that knows with me what I know, and that as well as I, or rather far better, namely, God, who made the Conscience, and will judge it, and is privy to all that is in it; for so is no other, neither man nor Angel, 
Acts 24. 16.  and accordingly the Apostles Paul and John join both together: Great is the force hereof: 
1 john 3. 20.  as both being within us, and so more able either to comfort or terrify us then any other thing (as the wind that gets within the earth, shakes it most terribly) and likewise so inseparable, that a man cannot get from it.  
1. This showeth plainly that there is a God, 
Use 1.  who hath set Conscience on work thus to admonish, warn, comfort, accuse, terrify, etc. Having done evil, why should a man's Conscience accuse or terrify him, but that God hath ordained it should so do? and accordingly it doth cite him before God, and judge him before hand; for not man or Angel can take the accusation of Conscience, it bears record in the sight of God: Why have the most unbridled despisers of God, when any token of God's wrath hath appeared, run into holes and cellars under the ground; yea, and such wicked monsters after some foul offence, though so secretly done as that they needed not to have been afraid of men, yet been so much vexed and disquieted, but that their Consciences informed them of God against whom they did sin? and that his wisdom and knowledge did far surpass that of men or Angels, as knowing not only what is done and spoken in the world, but what is in every man's heart.  
2. This confuteth those which affirm, 
Use 2.  That we cannot be assured of our Salvation, and why? because we cannot know whether we believe or not, etc. But as we may know a Tree by the fruits, so may we our Faith: 
james 2.  God gives us not grace, that we should not know whether we have it or not: 
1 john 2. 3.  wherefore serves Conscience but to witness what is in us? 
1 Cor. 2. 12.  Thus what Conscience is.  
For the second, 
The Offices of Conscience.  The Offices of Conscience, they are to bear witness, and to give judgement.  
First, 
To bear witness.  I say, To bear witness, and that 1. Of our thoughts, whether they have been proud, distrustful, unclean, wandering at the hearing of the Word, or in Prayer, worldly on the Lord's day, etc. for the understanding hath two faculties, one whereby it conceives or thinks this or that; the other, whereby it doubles upon itself, and knows that it did think it: The mind thinks a thought, the Conscience goes beyond the mind, and knows what the mind thinks; so that if a man would hide his thoughts from God, his Conscience can bear witness of them: 
jer. 17. 10.  Thus it discovers the very bent and sway of our hearts. 
1 Cor. 2. 11.  2. Of our will and affections, whether the same be set on good, or that which is evil. 
Rom. 9 3.  3. Of our speeches, whether they be agreeable to God's Word or not. 4. Of our actions, though never so secret: Thus David's Conscience told him that he had sinned in numbering the people, 
1 Sam. 24. 10. and 24. 15.  but that he had not conspired against Saul, 
Psal. 7. 4, 5.  howsoever he was by him persecuted; 
job 42. 3. & 31. 5, 7, etc.  so Jobs Conscience witnessed against him, that he had spoken somewhat impatiently, but for him, that he had not eat his morsels alone, etc.  
1. This setteth out the great mercy of God to man, 
Use 1.  God hath not here left us alone, but besides his Word and Ministers, every man hath a keeper still going along with him (who is to pry into our actions, and to bear witness of them all, and when we have done amiss, to tell us secretly thereof, that so we may ask pardon and amend, and may not complain that we had none to tell us of our faults, etc.) and that is our conscience: Hereby such as belong unto God are stirred up to have recourse unto God for mercy, and thereupon are pardoned; after their conversion, they are also hereby kept from many evils, and through the checks of Conscience we are driven to repentance: Happy are they that have tender Consciences, and turn not the deaf ear thereto: Doth our conscience tell us of any thing amiss? if we do thereupon amend, we make good use thereof; but if we do not, whereas it now speaks softly between it and us in our ear, it will roar out one day, when it will be heard, whether we will or not, namely, Both at the hour of our death, and on the day of Judgement. Most men count their conscience a common Barretor, one that troubles them (as Ahab said Elias did Israel) therefore is it just with God to give them benumbed consciences, that they go snorting to Hell.  
2. It setteth out the Equity and Justice of God, 
Use 2.  that condemns no man till he hath given him both a law to guide him, and a conscience to admonish him, 
Psal. 51. 4.  yea, to accuse and condemn him: When God judgeth, every man's conscience shall justify God for so doing; when God shall awake the conscience, than it will speak true, give a righteous verdict, and condemn the civilest for want of Faith in Christ, and not performance of the duties of the first Table.  
3. It teacheth us to beware we sin not, 
Use 3.  whether in thought, word or deed, either out of hope that none shall know it, or that we shall scape for lack of witnesses, or that we may allege that we knew not that so and so to do were sins: Thus we should but deceive ourselves, for there be witnesses enough, thine own conscience is as a thousand, and God as ten thousand: Le's do no other thing but that whereof we would hear again, for conscience will bear witness; do not we bless ourselves for our sins done in secret, as if none saw them, or could witness any thing against us: The bird in the breast knows, and God knows; hang down thine head then, and ask mercy of God, and confess thyself to him; if not, even thine own conscience may break it out in this world, as Judas' in accusing himself, whereas he was not taxed by others, and many have confessed Murder, Adultery, Theft, etc. some with repentance, others in hellish horror: Do not any thing in hope of secrecy, unless you can keep God and your consciences from being present, neither be we careful for eye-witnesses of our well doing in the performance of duties: It's enough if our conscience tells us we have done well; yea, if we be taxed for Hypocrites, 
See Acts 23. 1.  or otherwise be slandered, its sufficient that God and our own conscience can bear witness of our sincerity and uprightness; 
2 Cor. 1. 12.  it's more than if every one should speak well of us, 
Heb. 13. 18.  excepting our own conscience: Thus was Job, thus Hezekiah comforted. 
Isa. 38. 3.   
2. To give judgement, and that whether things be good or bad, 
To give judgement before our actions.  whether they be well done or ill done, and this judgement is given either before our actions, or after them; before, Conscience gives judgement thus, it tells us what is good, and what bad, and not so barely, but with some furtherance, This is good, therefore do it; This is ill, therefore do it not; so Pilate knowing Christ to be innocent, his conscience moved him to seek to lose him; so Reuben when his brethren would have killed Joseph, apprehending that to be ill, and that from his conscience, he dissuaded them therefrom; so David's conscience told him that he should do ill to kill Saul, and thereupon would not give ear to those that persuaded him hereto: Thus being tempted to Lie, 
See Isa. 30. 21.  Deceive, Swear, Profane the Lords day, etc. the conscience tells us that its evil so to do; 
Psal. 16. 7.  Again, being called upon to any good duty, the conscience tells us its good, and provokes us to do it.  
Why, 
Obj.  then Conscience is a Puritan if it do thus, is not this corrupted as well as the other faculties?  
O yes, 
Sol.  therefore it gives judgement very weakly and imperfectly in all, but especially in the unregenerate, and especially in the most ignorant and most wicked, yet it retains some part of her office and power, and will be doing as its enlightened, and therefore it will give this judgement in foul and gross things in the worst of all, as when they go to commit Murder, Adultery, etc. or tell them on the other side, they should go to Church, etc. but in the regenerate it doth much good work, it's as a guide to conduct us in our way, and whereby we eat all by paths; It's a bridle to keep us from sin, and a spur to goodness, it's joined in Commission with the Spirit of God, they are obeyed or rejected together.  
1. Our duty then in token of our thankfulness is, 
Use 1.  That we listen to the voice of Conscience, and be ruled by it; we must take advice thereof ere we do any thing: If we will not be ruled thereby, but do contrary thereto, it will one day exclaim against us, when God shall judge us for our disobedience; Why, did not I give thee a Conscience to tell thee of these things, will God say? Yes, Lord, shall Conscience answer, I told him it was naught, and yet he would do it; I told him such and such a thing was his duty, and urged him to it, and yet he would not give ear, but put off the time from one day to another; he would not repent, have prayers in his family, etc. such shall then be stricken speechless: Most are so eagerly carried after their passions and unruly affections, as that they do not hear the voice of their conscience, the noise of those drowns the voice of this.  
2. Even natural men have a light of conscience urging them to good, 
Use 2.  and restraining them from evil: None so evil, but they have in them some light, by which conscience is set on work to advise or counsel to the doing or avoiding this or that good or evil; it's therefore no note or sign of grace in any, because their conscience doth thus and thus: This is in mere natural men, from the light and knowledge that conscience hath of things good or evil, yea, oftentimes so forcible are those stir of conscience in them, as that it keeps and restrains them from many sins which they are inclined to, and would otherwise commit, and puts them upon many good things which it urgeth them to, which of themselves they have neither will nor power to do; not from the love they have of the good, or hatred of the evil, but because they would please Conscience, which will not suffer them to be at quiet till it be obeyed; this they may do, and yet in the mean time may be only in the state of Nature; for though here they obey Conscience, yet they do it not for Conscience sake: Their obedience ariseth not from the purity and holiness of the Law of God, but from fear of men, from discredit or shame, from hope of reward, desire of ease or the like: If there were no other cause to move them to enter upon good duties, or to restrain them from doing evil, but the Law of God, they would not yield that obedience to Conscience, which now they do: And thus conscience gives judgement before things be done.  
For its judgement after our Actions: 
After our actions.  It than gives sentence, This was well done, This was ill done, and not so only, but with an Absolution or Condemnation: This was well done, therefore you are innocent in it, and deserve neither guilt nor punishment; This was ill done, therefore you are guilty, and have deserved God's wrath hereby: 
1 Sam. 12. 3.  samuel's Conscience spoke for him, 
Exod. 9 27.  Whose Ox have I taken, etc. Pharaohs against him, 
Prov. 28. 1.  I have sinned, etc. Thus is Conscience as a Judge acquitting or condemning us, 
2 Cor. 1. 12,  yea, 
1 john 3. 21.  a little God as it were in the midst of man, giving sentence beforehand, as it shall be at the Tribunal seat of God on the last day: If it acquits us, than it worketh Peace, Joy, Comfort, Boldness; if it condemn us, especially forcibly, O then it causeth shame (as in Adam, when he fled and hid himself in the thicket after he had offended) so also fear, yea, in the midst of all jollities, as in Belshazzar, and at small things, as the shaking of a leaf; so also sorrow (which the world judgeth to be melancholy, whereas it is far otherwise, and yet both may and do often meet together) yea, desperation as in (Cain and Judas) and an universal distraction of body and mind: 
Isa. 57 20.  the accusation of conscience are wounds to the heart; 
Acts 2. 37.  David's heart smote him: 
Prov. 18. 4.  A wounded Spirit who can bear? 
Mark 9 48.  They are as the gnawing of a Worm that never dyeth, but lieth continually gnawing at one's heart.  
1. If our consciences do excuse and acquit us, 
Use 1.  bearing witness of the truth and integrity of our hearts, of our hatred of evil, our delight in God's word, and endeavour to please him above all things, etc. then may we rejoice and be of good comfort, the same being an infallible mark of our Salvation, and may be bold in believing the same against Satan and all his discomforts: There's a great fault in many Christians, though (as the Apostle saith) They know nothing by themselves, 
1 Cor. 4. 4.  but that their hearts bear witness with them, of their care and faithfulness in all things, yet are never the more comforted, but are still cast down through Satan's suggestions and lies, and their own unbelief: If thine own conscience well informed according to God's Word acquit thee, why shouldst thou not be of good comfort? you may be humbled for your failings, yea, deeply for your strong corruptions, & yet for the main, be of comfort; if in any particular we have done well, we may be comforted.  
2. Let us always keep ourselves in well-doing, 
Use 2.  that we may hear our consciences speak comfortably, so may we keep a continual feast.  
3. If we have any thing lying on our consciences, 
Use 3.  for which they boil within us, and accuse and pronounce judgements against us, let us not make a slight matter of it; but seek to God for mercy, and to be discharged of it, that so we may still conscience, which then may be done, not before: Stop not the mouth of conscience, as many do by mirth and toys, this is but to delude thyself and delay time; others let it alone, and think to wear it out in time: O no, conscience will still cry louder! 
Simile.  What if one should make the Bailiff drunk, and so get away, the debt is never the more paid, he will come again; though the evil Spirit in Saul went away by the Minstrels playing, yet it returned to him again; the like may be said of conscience: I wonder at the horrible madness of some people, though their consciences do already accuse them and condemn them for many things, yet are so far from seeking to disburden them, that they daily add more and more thereto: How justly may these fear, lest the terror of conscience come so fiercely on them, as even to weary them out of their lives? But howsoever they sleep now, there will be a time when they will awaken and cry to the purpose.  
4. Let us take heed that from henceforth we do not burden our consciences, 
Use 4.  they will be Witnesses, Accusers, Judges, Tormentors, If this be against us, what shall be for us? and if this condemn us, who who shall clear us? 
Simile.  If we have eaten too much, or some unwholesome thing, and it lie on our stomach, we cannot be at rest, till we be emptied thereof, and accordingly thenceforth are more careful to abstain from the like; so should we do in respect of sin, yea, in our places, as Magistrates, Ministers, Husbands, Parents, Masters, etc. we must discharge our duties, and for the same have the testimony of our conscience, and enjoy the peace thereof; than which, what's more to be desired? & which not gain, pleasures, honour, etc. can procure: Because thy conscience doth not now accuse thee, thou dost haply conceive that als well, but assuredly hereafter it will, though it may be twenty years hence, and that when thou shalt be least able to undergo it, as in sickness, etc.  
5. This cleareth God's justice, 
Use 5.  he will nor needs not bring other witnesses or occasions against us, than our consciences; they will testify with us, or against us on that day. Before I leave this Point, consider we, that the Word of God is that which tells us what is to be done, and what left undone, and that this binds the conscience to obedience; when any thing is done agreeable to the Word, the conscience saith, it's well, and excuseth; when any thing is done contrary to the Word, the conscience saith, its ill, and condemneth: As for them that have not the Word, their consciences judge by the light and Law of nature, which was left man after the fall (for there remain some general notions in man's heart both of the first and second Table, as appears by the Laws which the Heathens have made about the worship of their Gods, and against perjury, murder, theft, adultery, etc.) 
Rom. 2. 15.  These I say, are judged by this: It's true, that men's Laws, an Oath, a Vow, do bind the conscience, but it's by virtue from the Word; now if the mind be enlightened with the true knowledge of the Word of God, then will the conscience give right judgement, but if it be ignorant of the Word, than it may make the conscience erroneous, or scruplous and doubtful.  
An erroneous conscience, 
An erroneous conscience, what it is.  is when it accuseth where it should excuse, or excuse when it should accuse, which comes from an erroneous judgement, which judgeth good to be evil, and evil to be good; hence the conscience of some men excuse them in doing things that be flatly bad, 
See john 16. 2.  and accuse them for doing good things: Thus a Papist thinks he doth well to go to Mass, 
Gen. 30. 18.  and that he should do very wickedly to come to Church with us.  
A doubtful conscience is, 
A doubtful conscience what it is.  when a man is not persuaded of the lawfulness of a thing, or the unlawfulness of it, but is as a man that holds a Wolf by the ●ars, he knows not whether he should let him go, or hold him still, 
Rom. 14.  whoso thus doth any thing, sinneth; both this and the former proceed from the want of the knowledge of God's Word.  
We must therefore labour to be well instructed in the Scriptures; 
Use.  ignorant persons must needs fill their lives with swarms of offences and sins, for they not knowing many things to be sins which be, swallow them, and never accuse themselves for them; as we say, the blind cats many a fly, and do many things which they have no faith of the lawfulness of, but do them for custom, example of others, and the like, and so sin in them; people think if they be free from murder, whoredom, theft, etc. they be in a good case, but being ignorant, 
Psal. 119. 105.  their lives abound with sins: O therefore let the Word be a light unto our feet, and a lantern unto our paths: Thus of the offices of conscience.  
For the third, Three questions here offering themselves, require resolution.  
Q. 1. Whether doth a man sin, 
Whether a man doth sin that doth according to his conscience.  that doth according to his conscience: As a Papist thinks he serves God highly well in going to Mass; one in the Primitive Church, thought Fornication a thing indifferent, and so committed it; A man thinks he may lawfully travel homeward on the Lordsday, being in a journey.  
A. He doth ill that doth any of these, or the like; for his erring conscience cannot make that good, which God hath before pronounced to be evil, by forbidding it in his Word; our conscience is not our rule, but God's Word: Thus every one should be saved by his own devotion, and it were lawful to go to a cunning man, to sell as dear as we can, to deceive them that deceive us, to use the Creed and Ten Commandments as a Prayer, 
See Acts 26. 9  etc. which who can justify? 
Whether a man do any thing against his conscience being erroneous,   
Q. 2. Whether it be lawful for a man to do a thing against his conscience, I mean, though his conscience be erroneous and deceived: As if a Papist be persuaded that its a sin to come to Church with us, and yet for fear comes; an Anabaptist holds it unlawful to take an oath before a Magistrate, and yet through fear he doth?  
A. They do ill, not simply for doing these things, as being good, and such as God requires, but for doing them with an ill conscience against their conscience; so that if they do not these things being required, they sin; if they do them, they sin, what then? They must labour to be informed, and persuaded of the lawfulness of them, and then do them: So that though (as in the former question) our persuasion of the lawfulness of a thing being indeed unlawful, makes it not good; so the doing of a good thing against one's conscience, makes it unlawful: If a man think himself bound in conscience to pray three times in a day, he ought so to do, though God hath left it indifferent: An erroneous conscience must be followed till it be better informed, 
Rom. 14.  but how vile is it to commit an evil against the checks and light of conscience, 
1 Cor. 8. 7.  and yet what's more frequent?  
Q. 3. Whether is it lawful to do a thing with a doubtful conscience. 
Whether it be lawful to do a thing with a doubtful conscience.   
A. By no means, a particular faith must be had for all our actions; we must forbear a thing till we be persuaded, and such aught to be born with that seek resolution: A scruplous Conscience is, when a man is inclined to think a thing lawful, and yet hath some scruples and doubts, by reason of many difficulties that he hath heard of, which he knoweth not how to answer or resolve: Here our rule is to labour to suppress all difficulties that make us doubt; but if it cannot be done, than its lawful to follow conscience notwithstanding those doubts and scruples, as Deut. 13. when the people were settled in a true way of serving God, if one should come and teach them a contrary way, confirming the same by a sign, this must needs breed some scruples in the people's minds; nevertheless, conscience inclining to the truth of the former Doctrine, they are bound to stand to it: Thus of these three Questions.  
For the fourth, 
The several kinds of conscience.  There are good and bad consciences; Man's conscience was only good in the Creation, since the fall all men's consciences are corrupted and perverted, whereof some are renewed and sanctified from Heaven, and so become good, though not perfectly, because of the remnants of corruption: 
Tit. 1. 15.  Whosoever is not sanctified, hath an ill conscience of one kind or other.  
An evil conscience is either a still and quiet evil conscience or stirring, either by accusing, or excusing wrongfully; for the true property of a good conscience, is to excuse altogether for well-doing: Now when the conscience is either numb and dead, and lies still, or otherwise accuseth for sin, or excuseth wrongfully, this is an ill conscience.  
Of a still quiet ill conscience there be three kinds, 
The kinds of a still quiet conscience.  namely, sleepy, secure, and seared.  
The first, 
Drowsy.  a sleepy drowsy conscience, that lives and lies in many sins, and yet accuseth not by reason of ignorance in the Word of God, as the common sort neglect many a duty, and commit many a sin, that conscience never checks them for, because they be ignorant of God's Law, for which another that knows the Law of God is humbled, with them are omnia bene; they hope to be saved by their good meaning, and crying God mercy at last; they are not troubled at wand'ring thoughts, worldly talk on the Lord's day, to go to bed without prayer, 
Simile.  and the like: They are like one that comes into a sluttish house in a dark night, and sees nothing amiss, but when the Sun shines perceives the foul corners, yea, the very moats that fly in the Sunbeams: Some such have come under a lightsome Ministry, and have wondered and been ashamed of themselves, and have been humbled and converted; Thus was it with Paul before and after his conversion.  
The second, 
Secure.  A secure conscience, that is stirred only at foul and staring sins, hates murder and fight, but in rash and unadvised anger is not moved at all; is somewhat troubled at swearing by wounds and blood, but makes nothing of By my faith, truth, this bread, fire, Sun that shines, and the like; such have wide throats, that can swallow all small things: So there are that make conscience of oppression, cruelty, in justice, but none of neglecting the Word, Sacraments, and Prayer, or profaning the Lordsday, which be greater than the former, though they do not so think; and partly the commonness of them makes their conscience not accuse in them, or that they be never awakened for their sins, till some great cross do befall them, or after some rousing Sermon, than their consciences work; therefore they cannot abide such Preaching, though it were happy for them, if they might hear such still, till they were wearied out of themselves.  
The third, 
Seared.  A benumbed, brawny and seared conscience; benumbed, as a member in the dead Palsy; brawny, as a labouring man's hand; seared, as with an hot iron, which is worst of all: when men go on and make conscience of nothing, but do what they list, and their hearts scarce smite them, being (as Nabal) like blocks and stones, daring do any thing, and committing most horrible foul sins, and yet not being troubled thereat: This comes by the custom of sin, and refusing the checks of their conscience, and Gods giving them up to a reprobate mind, and an hard heart, to work wickedness, and that with greediness: 
Eph. 4. 18.  great sins also lain in without repentance, do harden and benumb the conscience, as a part of the body that is seared is past feeling: They not only doing against the light of God's Word, but even against the light of nature, and their natural conscience, God gives them over, and so they go on in sin, without sense of any thing.  
The cause of these, especially the two first, is chiefly the want of a faithful Ministry, for where this is, though they be not converted, yet they be convinced, and sin not so quietly as others; or if they live under such a faithful stirring Ministry, and yet have drowsy and secure consciences, it's because they come not to the Word, or regard not what they hear, or understand it not, or sleep thereat: But there are some more notorious, which will not lightly abide a zealous or powerful Ministry, but will get away from it, else if they tarry, through long contempt of the Word, and hardening their hearts, they grow past feeling, having set down with themselves, they will never be moved with whatsoever is said: This is a great plague, it takes from a man the only means under God of his repentance; he is as one under a grave stone, that cannot rise: These are lusty and merry, they think their case happy, they say, Peace, peace, they thank God they were never troubled in conscience, and marvel at them that be, thinking them out of their wits, or else that they have been some great offenders, etc. but they are troubled, not because they be out of their wits, but because they now begin to come into their right mind, as it's said of the Prodigal, 
Luke 15. 17.  They be troubled not because they be greater sinners than the others, but because they see that the others see not, which if they saw (as it were happy for them if they did) they would see cause enough to be wounded to the purpose: But do they think their conscience will ever lie thus still? No, let them be assured God will set all in order before them, and their benumbed conscience will prove a raging conscience. A Bankrupt makes a great show at first, afterward breaks, and is arrested and imprisoned; many make fair promises unto Delinquents, that they will speak to the Judge for them, etc. 
Simile.  but do indeed prove their chief adversaries, such are the consciences of these men: If it be once awakened and stirred, it will roar as a Lion, and tear out their throats; a sleepy conscience is like a starched Ruff, that stands up brave in fair weather, but falls quite down in a storm: The peace of such a conscience is naught, it comes not after humiliation, nor proceeds from apprehension of God's love, but from a false imagination, having no true reformation of life accompanying it.  
Now that the consciences of such may be awakened here, 
See joh. 3. 20, 21.  whilst there is help (though usually most shun the same) they must 1. Labour to be acquainted with God's Law, 
Means whereby the conscience may be awakened.  wherein they shall as well see the smallest as the greatest sins: Therein they shall perceive their own error, as who thought that they did love God above all, and their neighbours as themselves; that they did ever serve God, and put their whole trust in him; that it was lawful for them to swear, so it were true; that it was lawful to go to wizards, that on the Lord's day they might walk about their fields, and do their other businesses, and yet serve God as well as they that went to Church; that they might do with their own what they list, etc. 2. Labour to know and believe that the least sin is damnation (yet do most bless themselves in their evil courses, 
See Deu. 29. 19  and are not a whit moved by all the threatenings of God's Word) that thereupon they may be humbled and terrified, and fly out of themselves to God for mercy, which is the only way to come to good: To this end let them make use of the most stirring sermons, meditate of God's judgements, go to such as are afflicted, or lie on their death beds, consider that there be thousands in Hell which have not committed the tithe of their sins, and that if they themselves should die suddenly (this night) their condition were miserable: If any shall say, My conscience hath been quiet all this while, I do not mean to call my estate into question; let such know, that many go snorting to Hell, and that a troubled conscience is better than a drowsy secure conscience, for that may come to good, the other is out of all possibility of mercy: 
See Acts 2. 37 and 16. 29.  Indeed, to stay in terror of conscience is fearful, yet not worse then to have a benumbed conscience; there's hope of them that be troubled, 
Simile.  of the others but a little. Physicians prescribe their Patients sometimes to go to sea to be sea sick, and that to purge away some ill humours, for the health of the body; no less needful is it to be soul sick for the welfare of our souls; yet is it a common speech of most, at the visitation of the sick, Oh, I pray do not trouble him, he is in a very good mind, etc. but the Prodigals condition (though he had ragged clothes and a rend heart) was better than his elder brothers; and the Publican justified, not the Pharisee: Thus of the quiet ill conscience.  
The stirring ill conscience, 
The stirring ill conscience.  is either when it stirs by excusing, or by accusing.  
Excusing, 
Excusing.  upon the doing of some evil, whereof John 16. 2. or the omission of some duty, as the hearing of the Word, Prayer, and the li●e: Thus was it with Saul when he was questioned by Samuel, for not obeying God's Commandment; thus hath it been with some Papists, when they have practised Treason against their Prince and Country. A good conscience doth excuse indeed, but rightly, not amiss, in all things, not in some only, for the manner as well as the thing itself.  
Accusing, 
Accusing.  and that 1. When it should not, as an Idolater is troubled in conscience for leaving undone some piece of idolatrous service. 2. For trifles, and not for matters of weight, as the Pharisees made great conscience of going to meat with unwashen hands, but not of murdering Christ; as Papists make great conscience of eating flesh on a fasting day, who yet make no conscience of Whoredom, Swearing; so Civil persons would be much troubled if they should be but accused for wronging their neighbours, who yet are no whit moved for profaning the Lords day, not coming to the Sacrament, neglect of Prayer and the like. 3. When it is forcible and violent, causing horror and fear, gastliness, terror in the dark, or at the sight of any of God's Judgements, trembling at the rattling of a leaf, yea, and desperation itself: This, though it be not good of itself, yet turns to the good of the godly; God brings them this way, only he leaves them not here, but by the voice of the Gospel doth relieve their minds, and persuades them to seek mercy, upholding them with the hope thereof: Some have checks of conscience, but so, as they can bear them out; some again, so as they cannot endure them.  
Who so find their consciences accusing them for their sins, 
Use.  and know no pardon, but their consciences still tell them of their sins, and that their course is bad, let such know, that they have evil consciences, which being let alone, will accuse them worse: If their consciences accuse them, God is greater, and knows more: Therefore let them seek to pacify God and their consciences too. To this end, consider, That God hath provided in his infinite mercy an all-sufficient remedy in the death and bloodshed of Jesus Christ, 
1 john 3. 20.  than which there is no other way to satisfy God's displeasure, nor to staunch the terrors of conscience; let such bewail and lament their state to Almighty God, confessing their sins, and judging themselves as the Prodigal for the same, 
See Psal. 32. 5.  thereupon craving of him with strong cries and humble prayers, 
Prov. 28. 13.  the pardon and forgiveness thereof: To such as thus come in the truth of their hearts, 
Isa. 1. 18.  God hath made many gracious promises; 
Ezek. 33. 16.  Thus suing to him, 
Mat. 11. 29.  he will in his own good time send down a comfortable answer: This is the only course to come to good (to still conscience with forgetting our sins, and mirth, is but to deceive ourselves, to wear it out by head and shoulders; it's but as the putting away of the toothache with cold water, which will still it for a little, but after it reboundeth more violently) this is the way to get peace: After this will our consciences begin to be quiet, and thereupon excuse and comfort: Then will Faith purify the heart, and work an hatred of all sin, with a continual care to please God in all things: Then shall we be quite altered and changed from that we were. I cannot but wonder at a number of men, whose consciences witness against them, who yet seek not to pacify them by assurance of pardon, but add more daily unto their sins; whose consciences bear witness, That they have no care to please God, but their way and works be naught, assuredly their consciences will one day cry louder; O lay up no new matter of accusation, all the profit and pleasure that comes of it will be dear bought: 
Simile.  It's as to drink pleasing poison, it goes down pleasantly, but afterward wounds the bowels: If a man had never so much wealth, yet if he have an ill conscience, what shall it profit him? It were as if a man had a costly banquet, rich apparel and attendance, etc. and one with a sword drawn were standing ready by him to kill him: This is a Bailiff to arrest, a Jailer to keep safe, a witness to accuse, a Judge to condemn, an Executioner to torment, etc. It's of all foes the worst, they accuse to men, this to God; one may go from them sometimes, but not from this: It's an evil help in adversity, which like Jobs friends troubles us more than all the rest; It will be a woeful companion at the hour of death, and day of Judgement: It's like a woeful contentious wife, when a man hath had trouble enough abroad, coming home, he finds more there: O their life is no life, that live with a worm gnawing within! Thus, what joy will there be of health, wealth, or whatsoever else? yea, as we are to take heed of this, so also are we of a benumbed conscience, the end of both being bad, the one no less dangerous than the other; Thus of a bad conscience.  
A good conscience, is an excusing and comforting conscience, that speaks on one's side, and that for well doing: Thus have the Angels in Heaven a perfect excusing conscience; So had Adam in his innocency, and we shall one day have in heaven: Now our conscience is but so in part, as all our other faculties; Some corruption remains therein, even in the best, and therefore doth sometimes accuse, or excuse when it should not, but for the most part it excuseth and witnesseth comfortably on our sides; this is either a good quiet, or a good troubled and trembling conscience.  
A good quiet conscience hath these two parts, 
A good quiet conscience.  an heart witnessing to us, 1. The pardon of our sins passed in the blood of Jesus Christ (for as Jonah's casting into the Sea, 
Heb. 9 14.  stilled the same; So believing in Christ, 
jonah 1. 15.  stills the most troubled conscience; if we be justified through him, 
See Act. 16. 30.  who shall condemn?) and 2. Our unfeigned uprightness and care to please God in all things, detesting all evil, and bearing true love to his Word and Saints; of the former read these Scriptures, Job 19 25. Romans 8. 16. Psalm 4. 6. and 32. 1. Gal. 2. 20. Cant. 2. 16. Of the latter these, Psalm 26. 2. and Isaiah 38. 3. Acts 23. 1. 2 Cor. 1. 12. Heb. 13. 18. They that believe most assuredly the pardon of their sins, and walk most steadfastly with God, they have the good quiet conscience, at least so far as is here to be attained: This is a wonderful Jewel, 
2 Cor. 1. 12.  a continual feast; 
joh. 30. 20, 21.  This causeth joy; This causeth boldness to come to the Word, 
1 john. 3. 21.  boldness before God, boldness also towards men (let men say what they will, 
Acts 23. 1.  we care not, if our consciences witness truly on our sides) yea, boldness against the Devil, who will lay much to our charge, sifting us to the full: O thou art a damned Creature, will he say: No, Satan; yes, an horrible sinner, and who hast deserved Hell fire: I grant (Satan) but Christ Jesus hath paid my debt, and delivered me; If thou shalt scape Hell, yet thou shalt never get to Heaven (will he say) for none come there but such as keep the Law: O Christ hath kept it for me! But he hath died but for a few, whereof thou art none; yes, I am: He died for none, but such as truly believed in him, so dost not thou: Yes, I do believe, and do lay hold on his gracious promises: But Christ dies for none, to whom he gives not power to become new Creatures, so art not thou: Hereunto will a good conscience answer boldly, and so put Satan to flight.  
This differs from a bad quiet conscience, 
Wherein it differs from a bad quiet conscience.  that comes from ignorance of their danger (as a blind man standing before a Canon) this out of knowledge of God's Word; This is quiet upon examination, that because never examined; This is quiet upon good grounds, that upon nothing but upon bear conceits; This hath joy adjoined therewith, which that hath not: That leaves one in deadness, this quickens the heart to every good duty; This holds at all times, that driven away by the terror of the Ministry of the Word, or by afflictions, especially it fails at death and Judgement day.  
A good troubled and trembling conscience is, 
A good troubled conscience.  when one is persuaded of God's love, and the pardon of sin through Christ, but cannot hold it firm and fast; and this not in the beginning of their conversion only, but after they hold it with a wavering hand, so doubtful and full of fears, because of their unworthiness, and the greatness of the mercy, so that ever anon they are to seek, and ready to faint: And for the other, their heart witnesseth the true hatred of all sin, and care to please God in all things, but herein they think they do nothing as they should, and that they can do no good, and even when they have done duties very carefully, yet are they still troubled, as if they did all for fear of pain, and Hell, and not for the love of God, or out of self-love in hope of Heaven, and to save their souls: And because they find some corruptions and rebellions, they think that these spoil all their duties, and that they themselves are vile wretches, yea, though they hate them deadly, yet this doth not satisfy them, they hate them not so much as they should. Again, they are so timorous and fearful, whether they may eat this or that, or thus much, wear such good apparel, do this or that, go this way or that, all which notwithstanding are lawful for them, but they are so afraid to offend God, that they often accuse themselves, etc. This is a good conscience, though not so settled as were to be desired, and as the other is: This may appear by these Notes;  
Such would not part with the comfort they have for the world, 
Signs declaring the goodness thereof.  nor be utterly out of hope, and are glad when they can believe best: They resolve to trust in God, and serve him, though he would kill them; They are humble, and both much and servant in Prayer; They hang upon the Ministry of the Word, hunger after the Sacrament, long for the Sabbath, delight in the Saints: There's no Physician more welcome to a sick body, than a godly Minister to them in time of trouble; They walk usually more strictly, than they that have more comfort, and are more zealous, and more afraid to sin, and more grieve at sin in others; So that this is a good conscience no less than the former, Both go to Heaven, the one in sharpness, the other in sweetness run the way of God's Commandments; 
Simile.  They be like to two Travellers through a Wilderness, or in a dark night, one of good courage, afraid of nothing, the other of a fearful nature, afraid of every thing, both which get well through: So do these, the one hath experience of God's goodness in not being troubled and tempted, the other of his power in being upheld, that he is not swallowed up and overcome of fear and grief: O that there were many such consciences! And yet it cannot be denied, but that the other is better, as having more comfort in themselves, and being more fit to do good unto others, and yet they may scape some checks the others may meet with, as Peter; yea, God seems more to tender these then those; as a Father having two Children, both beloved of him, the one sick, the other in health, is most careful of him that is sick, that he may recover: To have a tender conscience, checking us for the least sin (idle words, vain thoughts, and the like) as David's, for curting off the lap of Saul's Garment, 
1 Sam. 24. 5.  is a singular blessing, and therefore to obtain it, we must both see the odiousness of sin, judging aright thereof, and must bring our hearts to mourn even for the smallest sins.  
1. Let every man examine himself whether he hath a good conscience or not, 
Use 1.  whether art thou assured of the pardon of thy sins? whether doth thine heart bear witness that thou hatest all sin, and art truly desirous to please God in all things, as well great as small, secretly as openly? at least in the deep sense of thy misery, art thou wearied under it as an intolerable weight? hearing of the only remedy, dost thou long after it above all the world? art thou as willing to turn from sin, as to have sin forgiven; to take up his yoke, as to be refreshed by him? If not, thy case is fearful; What have we, if we have not this? 
The great benefits of a good conscience.  It's our duty then to labour for it, and not rest till we obtain it; What may not incite us hereto? It procures Joy, Peace, Comfort, Boldness before God and men; such are bold to pray unto God, bold to crave others to pray for them: 
See Pro. 14. 10  It's comfortable in prosperity, 
Heb. 13. 18.  a sweet companion at home and abroad, night and day; it's a sweet companion in adversity, like a good wife by her kindness cheering her husband when he comes home, who hath been much turmoild abroad, another Simon to bear a piece of our cross, yea in the greatest crosses, this assureth us, that yet God is our Father: he visits us in love, he will assist us, and at last deliver us: It's a Castle of comfort, an armour of proof, a continual feast, an Heaven upon earth: It makes a man embrace the flames, kiss the stake, and being in the fire, accounts as if he were on a bed of Roses: In death its comfortable when all things else forsake us; then when our eyes are shut up, yet through this we shall with Steven, 
Acts 7. 56.  see Christ Jesus ready to receive us, and shall say, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace: In the day of judgement it will make us lift up our heads with joy, when we shall see our Saviour Christ come to receive us into his heavenly kingdom: O they that have a good conscience should make much of it, as of their jewel, and labour to keep it: It may be easily lost, and is hardly recovered, as may be seen in David and Peter.  
The first part of it, 
How it is kept  namely, The assurance of our Salvation is kept by daily renewing our Confessions, Supplications and Thanksgivings: To this end we must labour to know the will of God, and daily to grow in knowledge, by our diligent perusal of the Scriptures.  
The 2 part of it, namely, our care to please God is kept & maintained by a daily and constant resolution not to offend God, and so we must both strive and watch against our frowardness, worldly-mindedness, etc. and covenant and vow to do the will of God to the uttermost of our power: Hereupon we must walk carefully, as in the presence of God, avoiding all occasions of sinning, & using all good means to keep us in a good course publicly and privately, being diligent and careful in our particular calling, to the glory of God, and good of our brethren.  
2. This reproveth those that having a good conscience, fail as much in labouring to keep it, 
Use 2.  as the World doth in not labouring to obtain it: How do Christians go on carelessly, without renewing their exercises of Faith and Repentance, and so their assurance is to seek, or else hold it at a venture, and coldly? our worst day in the week might be better than our Sabbath, had we but the grace to use our time aright: O how many are careless, watch not, give way to their lusts? therefore fall into many evils, and so wound their consciences very often, which is dangerous. A place often wounded or hurt, will not at last be healed: We dishonour God much, disquiet our consciences, give evil example to others by our frowardness, impatience, worldliness, hard dealings, etc. Hence it cometh, that the Word pincheth us, evil tidings amaze us, we are loath to die, and the day of Judgement is fearful to us.  
3. This may encourage and comfort those that have good consciences, 
Use 3.  though they be timorous: What, God shows mercy, even to men unworthy, and though thy sins be many and great, ye● hast thou to deal with him that's able to pardon them: Lose not that thou hast; when we lose good consciences, all God's graces diminish and vanish away, neither can we thrive any whit, as is seen by daily experience: But nothing can do us hurt as long as our consciences hold good; then are we fit to live, and fit to die; fit for the Word and Sacrament, fit for death and judgement: Thus of the kinds of conscience, and so of conscience in general.  
Having a good conscience, 
A godly conversation is to accompany the zealous profession of our Faith.  etc.] Now of the Words in particular, whereof I have laid down their coherence with the former, and from whence may be noted, That a godly conversation in all things, is to be joined to a bold and zealous profession of our Faith; to our knowledge and profession, 
See josh. 1. 8.  gifts, utterance, and the like, we must add a good life; 
Mat. 5. 16.  these two be two Twins (St. Paul often joins them together) neither must they be parted, 
john 13. 17.  saying and doing, 
jam. 1. 22.  the tongue and hand must accompany one another.  
Reason's hereof may be these: 
Reasons.  1. God expecteth of us, that where he reveals the knowledge of his will, that we add obedience, or else we shall be beaten with more stripes: 
Luke 12. 47.  Where God finds this, 
Isa 41. 8.  he delights in it, as in Abraham, who is called, The friend of God; in David, 
1 Sam. 13. 14.  whom he calls, A man according to his own heart; so in Joh, in Zachary and Elizabeth, 
Isa. 1. and 58.  etc. we find the same commended: The contrary God loathes, 
Ezek. 14. & 33  as in his own people, whom he did again and again advertise hereof. 2. This will prove our profession sound, and not hypocritical (for hypocrites go a great way, 
Acts 15. 9  but its only Faith that purifieth the heart) and that our knowledge is not swimming in our brain, 
james 2. 18.  but sound and saving knowledge, purging both heart and life, when we dare compact with any other, and say, Show me thy Faith by thy works, as I can. 3. This not only Gods children look for, when we have got knowledge, and come forward in profession more than before, than we should live answerably, that they may boldly converse with us, but the common sort of the world also, they expect it, for though they will take liberty themselves, yet they look that we Ministers and Professors of Religion, should lead a strict life in all things: If we do otherwise, we shall hear of it; and surely we are beholding to them for this (though they do it of no good mind) and may make good use thereof to look to ourselves, as questionless Abraham did, when in the matter of variance which arose between him and Lot, 
Gen. 13. 7.  For that the Canaanite and Perizzite were then in the Land. 4. It's an honour to our profession, when with Job, we dare bid our adversary write a book against us; 
job 31. 35.  and the contrary is a disgrace, 
2 Sam. 12. 14.  not to ourselves only, but to our profession, yea, our Religion itself in the account of the wicked, whereat they blaspheme, yet ought not they to judge ill of all for the fault of some, but especially of Religion itself, though the professors thereof were naught: No man blames the Trade for the fault of the Tradesman, nor all for the fault of some, yet here they do it, when they see men make a show of Religion, but denying the power thereof: If professors differ not in their lives from others, it makes the world think that there's nothing in profession, and yet they may perceive some few walk without exception.  
1. This rebuketh some, 
Use 1.  that having good knowledge, and are very ready to speak, yea, and to censure and blame that that is not good, and are very forward in profession, yet halt foully in their lives; as the Brownists, that are very hot, and so holy, as they not only censure others, but condemn the Church itself, not only as impure, but as no Church, and yet themselves, besides that, they are Proud, Scornful and Obstinate (not to speak of their living out of any Church, and their spending their Sabbath) they foully sin against the second Table; they borrow what they can, not caring to pay again, are breakers of their Word and Promise, think to live of other men's labours, and yet that herein they should be born with, as being extraordinary persons, they would say, in being idle and negligent in their callings; yea, there are some of them which will swear, steal, and break the Sabath: A woeful Generation.  
2. It reproveth such among ourselves, 
Use 2.  which place all Religion in hearing Sermons, and talking, as some servants do, which yet perform not the duties of their calling, are idle, untrusty, lazy, stubborn, disobedient, as if all should be born with because of their hearing sermons, whereas on that very ground more is to be looked for at their hands: And this is grown to such a pass, that many of the common sort of people say, of all they will not meddle with these Bible-wenches (of which before) Is not this a good report you have brought upon the Word? yea, many godly Christians are weary of such (not but that I know there be godly servants of both Sexes, that have learned to show the fruit of their hearing by all good carriage in their particular calling, and are as jewels to them they be with, but these be rare) Do these things agree? as well as Harp and Harrow: Doth God take pleasure in this, that you should hear his Word, and yet not mind to be guided thereby? How can you approve that there's any more in you then in Hypocrites and Reprobates? can you show your Faith by your works? Dare you bid your adversary write a Book against you? Do you not set men off from Religion, and make them speak ill? You all that usually resort hither to the Word, I bescech, to show the fruits of it when you come home; your neighbours look for it, your lives be pried into, it may do you good; we see your faces only, and think well, that you will hear, but your neighbours they see your lives, and God seeth your hearts; and if your faces were like Angels, and your hearts corrupt, and lives unreformed, you shall have your portion with Devils. And here I think it requisite to speak of an abuse amongst us, that they which bring in here (because of the concourse of people) their commodities to sell, raise the prizes, and sell dearer than in any of the Market Towns round about us, whereby they wrong the poor here, and raise the prizes elsewhere (for if a price be up, it's a precedent strait) yea, and also raise an evil name on the Gospel: I do not mean yet that Christians going to Market are bound to sell at lower rates, than the ordinary, though I take them so bound at home in dear times to their own poor Neighbours, yet is it not the part of a Christian to be the raiser of prizes, especially in dear times; It's indeed a note of a wicked worldling.  
3. This rebuketh even good Christians that walk not so wisely towards them that be without as they ought, 
Use 3.  nor yet so strictly in their lives, but are too forward, hasty, strict in their dealing, slack in paying their work-folks, are careless of their words, etc. O let all such professing themselves the Servants of God, show forth the same by all good conversation in their particular Callings: Thou must not be a zealous woman, and yet an unquiet wife; a zealous man, and yet a cruel husband; a zealous young man or maid, and yet an unfaithful Servant; a zealous man, and yet a false dealer in your Shops and Trades.  
Good] This is fitly added, 
A godly man will stand by the truth.  and well required, for one of wicked life will never stand to the truth, but fall from it, for Heresy is the punishment usually of foul sins, but a godly man will stand most to the truth.  
They that speak evil of you, as of evil doers] Here note, That  
The wicked are very apt and much bend to speak ill of God's Servants: 
The wicked are apt to speak ill of God's servants.  Thus Elias was said to trouble Israel, Elisha termed a mad fellow, and called bald-head; Micaiah said, that he never prophesied good; and Jeremiah, that he raved; so Steven was said to have blasphemed, as Paul to be a pestilent fellow; nay, the perfection of innocency, Christ himself was most foully spoken of, termed a Samaritan, a friend of publicans and sinners, one that had a Devil, etc. Thus was it in the Primitive Church; thus is it still: If the godly do any thing amiss, how do they toss and increase it? If they do but groan under an infirmity, they will be sure to set that abroach against them; if they know nothing, they will devise some evil of them, or if they hear of any from others, though never so unlikely, or on never so a bad ground, yet shall it go for payment, and currant; yea, though they can make their own vices go under the name of virtues, yet they will call their virtues by the name of vices: If zealous, then hot and rash; if courageous in a good cause, then stomackful; if patient, then blockish; if wise in their matters, then subtle fellows; if diligent in their place, very officious, busy, meddlers, troublesome; if they run not to the same excess with others, then precise fools, etc. Thus even for their godliness do they speak evil of them, and so call light darkness, and darkness light.  
1. Therefore, 
Use 1.  God's people must walk wonderful warily.  
2. They must not think it overstrange, 
Use 2.  nor be discouraged, if notwithstanding all their care of well-doing, they be ill spoken of.  
3. 
Use 3.  We must not readily believe of men that have carried themselves well, all that we hear; but try it out, ere we censure, or change our mind.  
4. For ill speakers; 
Use 4.  It's a woeful badge of Ishmaels' generation, that shall be shut out of Heaven, 
Isa. 5. 20.  and of Satan's brood, 
Prov. 17. 15.  who accuseth the Brethren: Cursed are they, 
jude, verse 14.  God hath appointed a time to judge them for their cruel speakings.  
Nay, the world will not only speak ill of God's Servants, but do ill to them, slay them, as Cain dib Abel; imprison them and pinch them, as Ahab did Micaiah; cast them into a dungeon, as the people did Jeremiah; into the Lion's den, with Daniel; spoil them of their goods, as those in Heb. 10. 34. rack them, torment them, torture them; even such as the world is not worthy of, and that for their good works; so Herod dealt by John Baptist, and thus were the Apostles served, and after, the Martyrs in the Primitive Church, and since, multitudes under Antichrist.  
If therefore we meet with hard dealing, and doing as well as speaking, we must not think it strange: If we can hardly bear a few ill words, how shall we bear stripes? how Imprisonment, and loss of all, yea, toturing and death? ye have not yet resisted unto blood, or undergone the fiery trial: 
Heb. 12. 4.  we have infinite cause to be thankful together for our governors, for if they were so minded as many particular persons, there would be no peace for any zealous Christian: If I had authority, will some say, I would hang up all these Puritan knaves, etc. Neither must we think the worse of those that be troubled, for the the very best have been thus dealt withal.  
They may be ashamed, 
A godly conversation stoppeth the ungodlies mouths.  etc.] The best way to stop the mouths of the world, and to make them think well that they have done otherwise, is not by goodly great words, but by a good and constant godly conversation: Thus David convinced Saul, for he spared him, when he could have once and again killed him: Thus have many who have thought very hardly of such and such upon reports which they have heard of them, upon the view of their godly and innocent carriage been much grieved that they were so far abused: 
See Acts 16.  Thus were the Martyrs thought well of by the common people, yea, by great ones, yea, by their very Jailers.  
1. As therefore we would muzzle and stop the mouths of our adversaries, 
Use 1.  that they may have nothing to say against us, nay, may be brought to acknowledge and love the truth, and be converted and glorify God in the day of their visitation, let us live holily and innocently; else if they find us halting, we set open their mouths to speak ill, continue them in their ill mind and hard conceit, and set them further off from all goodness: Too too many professors fail this way, either they fall into foul sins, or live not so christianly, or else at least, with zeal they are very rash and indiscreet, by every of which, much hurt hath been done from time to time.  
2. This showeth them to be odd persons, 
Use 2.  that knowing and seeing the innocent conversation of God's Servants, yet cannot be satisfied nor quieted, but still speak evil of them; a sign of a very bad heart, who therefore will hate them, because they be good, whereas those that be but indifferently minded and civil, seeing their good conversation, 
1 john 3. 12.  will think and speak well of them: Cain had no other cause to kill Abel, 
Gal. 4. 29.  but for his godliness; nor Ishmael to mock Isaac, but because he was the Son of the promise; nor these to speak evil of those, but because they are godly: Assuredly, a life agreeable to their profession should stop their mouths.   

Verse 17. For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well-doing, then for evil doing.  
NOw follow some reasons to persuade to willing suffering for righteousness sake (which was then common, 
Why we ought willingly to suffer for righteousness.  and the profession of the faith dangerous) 1. For that this being a world wherein we must suffer, its better a great deal to suffer for well, then for ill doing. 2. Because the Lord will have it so, to whose will we must be subject.  
For its better, 
It's better to suffer for well then evil doing.  etc.] Naturally we will choose the better, if we know it, so should we in this, seeing we are subject to suffering, and that we are apt by nature to evil, and so to suffer for it; we must choose rather, as being far better, to suffer for well, then for ill-doing: It's every way better; 
Reasons.  better, as being more pleasing to God, he delights in the one, 
Mat. 5. 10, 11.  not in the other; pronounceth those blessed, these accursed: Besides, 
Acts 5▪ 41.  it's no credit to suffer for ill doing, but matter of shame and reproach, 
Phil. 1. 29.  whereas its honour to suffer for a good cause: That of the penitent Thief seems to import so much, we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds (and so have cause to be humbled) but this man hath done nothing amiss: 
Luke 23. 41.  Again, there's no comfort in suffering for ill-doing, as there's for well-doing. Suffering of itself is ill and grievous, therefore there had need be somewhat to mitigate it, but if it be for well-doing, a good conscience will bear it out; it's for God's sake, it's that wherewith all his servants have met, and hereof the conscience takes notice, and that to this there's a reward, none at all for the other.  
1. This rebukes those that suffer for their foul offences, 
Use 1.  Theft, Adultery, and the like; howsoever they be punished, yet have they cause of hanging down the head, not for the punishment, but for the cause: O how many refusing to be ruled by God and his Word, bring misery upon themselves and ruin? The Gaols are full, the gallows catch many: It's a fearful thing when they go to their punishment impudently, and be not ashamed and humbled, it's but the forerunner of fearful judgements: When therefore men have brought themselves into trouble justly, their best way is to be humbled, and repent, so shall they find favour with God and men: We must avoid evil, as we would avoid suffering for ill-doing, avoid the sin, if we would avoid the punishment: We are also to be careful that we suffer not for Railing, Slandering, Backbiting, Meddling with other folk's matters.  
2. This may comfort them that suffer for well-doing; 
Use 2.  its pleasing to God, they are fellows to the Saints, Prophets and Apostles; the honour is great, the cause is good, how base or grievous soever the punishment be: Both John the Baptist and Barrabas were imprisoned; Achan and Steven stoned; and Witches and Martyrs be burnt; the cause was not the same, and in the cause the shame lies: If a Christian (as Paul) be a prisoner, and have chains on him, and being demanded why he came there, and is there so used; if he can truly say, It's neither for Treason nor Felony, I thank God, but for preaching the truth of God to the world, then it's well; yea, this will quiet his conscience, when he knows its God's cause, who will take care of him, strengthen him, and receive him to glory.  
If the will of God be so,] Here's the other Reason: We must be patient and comfortable in suffering for well-doing, for its Gods will it should be so. Here note, that  
No affliction or persecution comes to us, 
No affliction comes to us but by Gods▪ will.  but by the will of God: Whatsoever was done to our Saviour Christ, was done by God's determinate counsel; not an hair falls from our heads without our heavenly Father: 
Acts 2. 23. and 4. 28.  Christ foretold Peter of his bands before they came, and so Agabus forewarned Paul of his, 
Mat. 10. 17, 18.  which showeth that they came by the will of God. 
Acts 21. 11.   
Obj. How can this be by the will of God, seeing its a wicked thing, and displeasing to God that his servants should be persecuted for well doing, and he hath both forbid it, and will punish the same.  
Answ. As it comes from the Devil and persecutors, 
How far God hath an hand therein.  it's a sin, and they do wickedly, and it's forbid, but God hath an hand in it so far forth as it is good, and he that brought light out of darkness, can and doth bring good out of the evil of the wicked: They intent evil, but God good, as in Jobs losses; so in crucifying Christ, Judas, the High Priests, the Jews, Soldiers and Pilate did evil, yet all this was by the will of God, even so far forth as it was the mean of our Salvation, and thereupon Peter that gave counsel against it, 
Mat. 16. 23.  was rebuked sharply; so in the affliction of God's children by the ungodly, the devil and they of spite punish them for their goodness, and to discourage them quite, but God wills this for many good reasons; 
james 1. 12.  as, to try his, that they which be approved might be known, 
Rev. 2. 10.  and to exercise and try their faith and patience, and show, that they serve not in show, and for wages; to confirm the truth, not for itself, for their sakes which are weak ones, and to leave the others inexcusable; to manifest the wickedness of the wicked, and make way for the manifestation of the glory of God's justice in plaguing them, as the glory of God is made manifest by the constant and patient suffering of the Righteous, which they could never have done of themselves.  
1. Here's a comfort to God's servants, 
Use 1.  that we are not left here to the will of the Devil and wicked men, to do what they list against us: O no, they are set their bounds, beyond which they cannot pass: The Devils could not enter into the Swine without permission, nor go one whit further with Job then God gave Commission: A Sparrow falls not to the ground without his providence, 
Mat. 10. 31.  and we are of more value than they: The Lord appoints out our troubles, and measures them; they shall not be as little as we would, for than should they be too little (our tender nature loathing troubles, and being unwilling to undergo the same) nor so great as our adversaries would (for then would they be too great) but as God will: 
Simile.  The wicked are but the Lords drudges to scour us and make us bright; They are his Laundresses to wash us white, not so little as we should be never the better, nor so much as should rend the Lords linen.  
2. When we be ill dealt with in word or deed by the men of the world, 
Use 2.  we should sit down quietly and bear it: It's the will of God it should be so, and he doth all things in infinite wisdom, and lovingly for the good of his; accordingly when Paul would needs go to Jerusalem, 
Acts 21. 15.  where he was to be in great danger, his friends said, The will of the Lord be done; thou mayest say, If the Lord hath sent this to try me, I pray God strengthen me; if to chasten and purge me, then to awaken me out of security and love of the world: I thank God for it, if he will any way have glory by me, I am glad, blessed be God, it's his will, I am content to wait upon him; not but that we may with our Saviour and the Apostle Paul, plead our innocency, as also use lawful means for our freedom, if God see it good.  
3. But yet let the wicked think never the better of themselves, 
Use 3.  nor look ever the more to be freed from punishment, because its Gods will, for they do it to no such end, and therefore he will cast the rod into the fire when he hath chastened his children, as he did by Ashur, and the enemies he used to punish his people: Did Judas, or the Priests and Jews, aim at the Salvation of the world in Christ's death? Nothing less; Covetousness drove on the one, malice the other: If God brought good out of it, what thanks to them? He is to be praised for his goodness, they to be plagued for their sin.  
4. We must not bring trouble upon ourselves, 
Use 4.  for in that we can have no comfort, but if God bring us into it, we may comfortably look up to him.   

Vers. 18. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit.  
ANother Reason to persuade to courageous suffering for righteousness sake, from the example of Christ, Christ suffered, therefore need not we shrink or think much: He that was just, yea, that just one, therefore much more may we that be sinners, and by infinite degrees deserve more grievous things than we suffer: He for the unjust, for us wretches, and to take away our sins, and reconcile us to God, therefore ought we to bear somewhat for his cause, that is most just, and hath done so much for us. Speak we first of the words briefly, as they are the reason of the point in hand, and then more particularly and largely of the matter contained therein, namely, The Sufferings, Death and Resurrection of Christ.  
Christ suffered] Suffered every way, 
Christ's sufferings an encouragement for Christians to suffer.  in Body, Mind, Name, at the hands of men, wretched and base persons misused him, railed at him, slandered him, spit on him, smote him, scourged him, crucified him between two Thiefs, 
john 13. 16.  etc. Now, The servant is not greater than the master; If they misused Christ so, what may we look for? In thy sufferings, help thyself with this meditation, Christ Jesus suffered, and what am I to him?  
The just] He is the just one, 
Acts 3. 14.  as God, 
How Christ was just, how we.  holiness itself, as man filled therewith, above Men and Angels. Just, not as Job, Zachary and Elizabeth; They were Righteous by his Righteousness imputed to them, as Abraham also, but he by his own; they by Sanctification imperfectly Holy and Righteous, he most perfectly; nor as Adam, who though perfectly Holy and Righteous by his own Righteousness, yet was mutable therein and lost it; not so in Christ, but immutably so: There was no guile found in him, none could accuse him of sin; nay, he was the light and glory of the world, yet suffered he gross things: We then, though never so just and innocent, must not think much if we suffer altogether without cause: It's the better, it's but as Christ did.  
But alas, 
Use.  we are very faulty before God, and deserve far greater things than we meet with, yea, cannot be innocent towards men, how much less towards God? The meditation of this point, will much help us in our sufferings.  
For the unjust,] 
Another help in our sufferings.  That is, for us wretched and miserable sinners, and his enemies, who could do nothing for him to deserve such kindness: How much rather ought we to suffer for him that just one, and for his sake, especially considering our sufferings are nothing to his; The meditation of this also, will much help us in suffering.  
For sins, 
Christ suffered for our good.  that he might bring us unto God,] Christ's sufferings were altogether for our good, and if it had not been for them, we had been utterly lost: But for ours, they be nothing to him, he is never the better for them, neither be they for his benefit, but for our own, even the purging of our souls, the trial and proof of our faith and patience, and the preparing of us to the greater glory in Heaven.  
Let's think of this also, 
Use.  and it will make us suffer the more willingly and patiently: Lastly, as he after his sufferings and death rose again, and entered into glory, 
The godly sow in tears but shall reap in joy.  and sits at the right hand of God; So if we shall sow in tears, we shall reap in joy, having fought the good fight, we shall receive an incorruptible crown of glory.  
1. This reproveth our notable tender daintiness, 
1 Tim. 4. 8.  that can endure nothing for Christ, 
Use 1.  but as if we were too good to suffer▪ though in company we should hear never so much spoken against God's Servants, and sincerity of Religion, we can be silent and pass by the same; and there are many that would be forwarder, but for fear of being counted Puritans: O cowardly fearfulness! No wonder if such be never called to that honour to suffer for Christ, What if to please the world we be lukewarm, and God vomit us out of his mouth? What if for our zeal the world hate us, and God approves of us? what do we lose? 
james 4. 4.  Shall we make friendship with the world? Know we not that its enmity with God? 
2 Cor. 10. 18.  He is praised that is allowed of God.  
2. Let us take heed of all preposterous zeal, 
Use 2.  and rash unwarrantable causes, whereinto some run●under colour of zeal, and be zealous for God; we cannot hate sin too much, nor love goodness too much, nor the Word too much, nor keep the Sabbath too carefully, nor govern our families too religiously: Let us go on in a zealous godly life, and if this offend any, let them pardon us, we would do no other than God requires, and for this we must pray our Landlord or whosoever to give us leave, we have served the Devil a great while, tell them, Its time now to begin to serve God, and to look about us for our souls good; thus in suffering for welldoing, we may be comforted, and by these reasons kept from being discouraged. Now of Christ sufferings, death and resurrection, particularly.  
Christ hath once suffered for sins, 
Particulars hear laid down about Christ's sufferings.  the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God,] In handling the sufferings of Christ, observe, 1. The circumstance of time, or how often he suffered, once, 2. Who he was, or the quality of the person suffering, Christ the just. 3. For whom he suffered, for the unjust. 4. Why he suffered, even for sins; and 5. To what end, that he might bring us to God; and hereinto our Apostle is again willing to fall, as we should be to hear and often meditate thereof, as hath been already showed in the end of the last Chapter; namely, from verse 21. to verse 24. Much profit follows on it.  
For 1. It sets out a notable mixture of justice and mercy. 
Profit arising from the meditation hereof  2. It shows what a mighty Saviour we have, in whom we may trust, and to whom we may have recourse. 3. It may wound our hearts for sins past, and make us hate sin for the time to come. 4. It sets out God's infinite love, 
2 Tim. 1. 12.  and accordingly of all that have assurance of their part therein, requireth unspeakable love. 5. It's a comfort to all that mourn in Zion. 6. It shows that all that miss of Christ must bear their own burden. 
john 3. 16.  7. It provokes us to labour to know whether Christ hath died for us or not, 
Eph. 2. 4.  and for our assurance thereof, 
1 Pet. 1. 3.  to find that we are truly humbled, hunger after Christ, and are ready to take up his yoke.  
O that all ignorant persons which do not in any measure know the grounds of Religion, 
Use.  that all civil persons which trust to their own righteousness, that all worldlings, whose hearts are altogether glued to the things which are here below, and do not so much as mind those things which are above, the same being out of their element, that all profane persons which go on in open notorious lewd courses, and that all Hypocrites (not to speak of Turks, Jews, and Papists) which content themselves with shows and common gifts, would but duly meditate on Christ's sufferings, that so they might have part in Christ! Assuredly, all they that believe not, shall be condemned, but of all others, they that have lived under the Gospel, shall have greatest judgement; and to make up all, it will increase their torment, to think that they had offer made of Christ, and yet had not the grace to apprehend it; that they were so near, and yet miss, and that some that sat with them were converted and are now in Heaven, and they careless or wilful, are now in irrecoverable damnation: This will make them gnash their teeth, gnaw their tongues, & curse themselves and the day wherein they were born: Let such see, feel, confess, and fly to Christ, there being no other way of Salvation besides him. I come to the particulars propounded.  
The first concerneth the time, 
All Christ's sufferings make up one perfect suffering.  how often he suffered, Once: It's true, Christ suffered throughout his whole life, and that diversely, but all make up one perfect suffering; and he suffered so, as at once he finished all, never to suffer again, wherein his suffering is opposed to the sacrifices of the Law, which were continually renewed, because of their imperfection; 
Heb. 9 26.  whereas he suffered once for all, for being God as well as man, he both endured the infinite wrath of God, and besides, his person was of such infinite worth, as gave such value to his sufferings, as fully satisfied the justice of God.  
1. This confutes the Papists, 
Use 1.  who make Christ's sufferings imperfect two ways, namely, by teaching that we ourselves must suffer the punishment of our sins (hence are all their masses, penances, pilgrimages, alms-deeds, and charitable Works, to take away the punishment of their sins after Baptism) and by their renewing of Christ's Sacrifice in the Mass, which is (as they say) a Propitiatory Sacrifice for the sins of the quick and dead: Their distinction of bloody and unbloody is but a shift.  
2. This is a wonderful comfort to all God's children, 
Use 2.  that our debt is so fully dischaarged, that there's nothing remaining for us to suffer. Thus of the first.  
The second concerneth the quality of the person which suffered: 
The quality of the person that suffered.  He was that just one, the Lamb of God, which was undefiled and without spot, 
Heb. 7. 26.  conceived by the Holy Ghost in the womb of the Virgin; had he not been such a one, he could not have been our Saviour: Though he was innocent, yet were our sins imputed to him; and though we have not suffered, neither of ourselves have Righteousness, yet as verily as he had pain and sorrow, we shall have mercy and Salvation through him: what can be more comfortable? Thus of the second.  
The third concerneth the persons for whom he suffered, 
For whom Christ suffered  The unjust, not the Devil nor Reprobates, but for the Elect, which yet are by nature unjust and wretched, servants of sin, and children of wrath, as well as others: He hath suffered for them that be never so unjust, provided they feel their misery, and have course unto him for help.  
1. Then, 
Use 1.  for them that be in great distress for their sins, and think they be so many and so great, that they cannot or shall not be forgiven, let them be comforted, Christ came to die for the unjust, to call sinners to repentance, to seek and save that which was lost: If being weary you will come unto him, 
Matth. 11. 29.  as he invite you, you shall be refreshed: 
Isa. 1. 17.  Though their sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool: Paul was a great sinner, yet forgiven.  
2. Let such, 
Use 2.  as bad as they be, yet come to Christ, and be truly humbled; He came to save such as thou art, as Mary Magdalene, Zacheus, the Jailor, and such others: His mercy on them, may put thee in hope, and provoke thee to seek unto him. Thus of the third.  
The fourth, 
Why our Savisuffered.  Why he suffered for sins, for our sins, to take them away, for they only are our woe; our sins caused all Christ's sorrow, and his sorrow is our happiness. Thus of the fourth.  
The fifth, 
To what end he suffered.  To what end he suffered, that he might bring us to God: Ever since Adam's fall we are gone from God, and born strangers, nay enemies to God, and therefore further and and further off from God, and are gone to the Devil indeed: Now Christ by his death reconciles us to God, and him to us, and makes a blessed peace, so as we may look up to him as to our Father, and come into his presence with comfort: He also gives us grace by his holy Spirit to be renewed, sanctified, and so to do works pleasing unto God, and when we die, brings our souls to God, as afterwards possesseth both body and soul of Heaven.  
1. Then how infinitely are we bound to God? 
Use 1.  how welcome should Christ Jesus be to us all? One would think all should flock unto him, for as none are with God, but such as came by him, so neither shall there be: All that mourn for their sins, come to him, believe in him, and obey him, he will bring them to God; such as continue in their enmity against God, shall for ever be separated from him: Many hope to go to God, that were never reconciled to him through Christ, nor sought after it, but it's as possible for a dog, for the Devil to enter into Heaven, as for us, without being reconciled to God by faith in Christ: Is it not lamentable that Christ should have so few that inquire and search after him, nay, that reject him, being offered again and again!  
2. How welcome faithful Ministers should be to the world; 
Use 2.  The worst hurt we wish you, is but to bring you to God, we are appointed Christ's instruments herein, we must Preach him, and persuade you to embrace and believe in him, by whom you may be brought unto God; we have a worthy task and work, and so must not either be idle, or by false teaching, and wicked living, drive you from Christ, but be faithful, that your Salvation may be our Crown; yet of all persons and kinds of people, the world thinks we may be best spared, and are unto most, 
Isa. 2. 2.  of all others most unwelcome: 
john 1. 40, 45.  But not alone Ministers, but even every private man, must help men to God as much as he can: They that by vile counsel, bad example, or otherwise, drive men from him, are not Christ's, but the Devils instruments and Factors. Thus of Christ's sufferings.  
Being put to death in the flesh,] This clause concerneth his death, as the following his resurrection: He was put to death concerning his Humane nature; for as for his Godhead it could not die, and he was quickened and raised again by his Divinity and Godhead: 
john 1. 14.  By flesh is meant his whole Humane Nature, 
1 Tim. 3. 16.  as in the following; By Spirit, his Divine Nature.  
Our Saviour suffered not only in body and soul things intolerable, 
That Christ must have died, and so did.  but he also died, gave up the ghost, as all the Evangelists set down, and other Scriptures testify, as they also that speak of Christ's blood, of his offering himself a Sacrifice for our sins, of his bearing our sins on his Body on the Tree, 
Isa. 53. 9  and the like: 
Dan. 9 26.  This was prefigured of all the Sacrifices of the Old Law; The Prophets also foretold that he should be slain: Neither could it have been otherwise, or otherwise he been a Saviour for us, for our sins deserved death, and God had pronounced that death should be the reward thereof: This his death was voluntary, 
Rom. 4. 25.  accursed (as we had deserved it) for our sins, and for a common good.  
Which meets with that wicked opinion of the Jews, that neither think it voluntary, nor that it is a propitiatory Sacrifice for sin, as it is indeed, and wherein our happiness lieth, and without which we must all have perished for ever.  
The benefits ensuing to us hereby are divers: 
The benefits ensuing by Christ's death.  1. We are delivered hereby from all kinds of evil, from the first and second death, and all forerunners of both, 
1 john 1. 7.  and from our sins the cause of all; It's the blood of Christ that cleanseth all our sins: 
Rev. 1. 5.  So from all Spiritual enemies; See Luke 1. 71, 74. Col. 2. 15. Heb. 2. 14. 1 John 3. 8. So from the second death, Rom. 8. 1. Gal. 3. 13. as from the first, so far forth as its a punishment and piece of the curse, and the nature of it is changed to believers, for whom Christ hath died; it's become a Serpent without a sting, yea a blessing, as being hereby freed from sin, and not before: Hereby the soul is let out of the prison of this body, into the liberty of God's Servants, and put into the possession of life: Hereby also the body is freed from all toils, labours, infirmities, and pains, waiting in the Grave for an happy and glorious resurrection: In which respect death is termed a sleep, an advantage to the Saints, and is better in the day wherein they were born: So from all forerunners hereof, which are curses, plagues and punishments, in body, mind, goods, and name, all which Christ hath born; what crosses we meet withal, they are to further our Sanctification and Salvation, but not punishments for sin, or parts of God's judgement, as they be to the wicked. 2. We are hereby made partakers of all good, God is reconciled to us (which is more than to have our sins and punishments quite removed) yea, and showeth us the light of his countenance; not as David, who though he stayed his wrath from Absolom at his return home to Jerusalem, yet was not fully reconciled to him of two years: 
See Rom. 3. 25.  The Creatures also are at peace with us; 
Col. 1. 21.  The Angels become Servants and ministering Spirits for our good, 
1 john 4. 10.  in life, to direct us, 
Hosea 2. 18.  protect us, comfort us, etc. and at death, to carry our souls to Heaven; 
Psal. 91. 13.  so all other Creatures: the very Devils and wicked men shall do us no hurt, we have also right and title to this life, we lost it in Adam, but have it restored in Christ. 
1 john 3.  3. Hereby he conveyeth power into the hearts of all that believe in him, to enable them to die unto sin, and to mortify their lusts more and more.  
This is a singular comfort to all that believe in Christ, 
Use.  who only partake of the benefits of his death; we need not fear Hell, condemnation, nor any enemy of our Salvation, nor any curse or punishment in this life, all shall be for our good; we need not fear the first death, but rather have cause to desire it: O the happiness of such! God is at peace with them, all Creatures in Heaven and Earth are their friends, they have right to whatsoever they have, little or much, therefore may they rejoice: O happy that ever we were born, what pains soever we have taken to come to the knowledge of Christ Jesus, by whom we obtain such unspeakable things! whatsoever the world esteemeth of believers, they are the only happy persons in the world, yea, we shall have power to mortify our strongest corruptions and lusts, fear it not, beg it, and use the means, if all these be put together, O how happy is a Christian! who can value his riches? On the contrary, they that have not their part in Christ's death, are most miserable; their sins are not removed, they lie under them, so under the curse of God in this world, and the world to come; so in danger of the first death, which will rend the soul and body asunder, that the soul may be cast out into Hell; so also of the second: O that such would labour for their part in Christ, Christ came into the world, Christ is now Preached and offered unto us, men be in a woeful case, and are told of it, and yet how few regard to embrace Christ, how few customers hath Christ? one would think that all that hear of Christ, should be heartily glad of him, and embrace and fly unto him; but alas, most men for profits, pleasures, or love of their vile lusts, are content to let go Christ, and he lies as a dead commodity, and they that bring him to the world be unwelcome, and so indeed few have part in Christ.  
The consideration hereof, might make us mourn for our sins, the cause of Christ's death, might be a corrasive to eat our sin, and make it odious to us, might make us serve God zealously and faithfully all our days, yea, to suffer for his sake, and rather to die with the Martyrs, than any way to dishonour him; and besides, to labour to find the virtue of Christ's death, working mightily in us the death of sin, and sinful lusts. Thus of his death.  
But quickened by the Spirit,] Now of his Resurrection: His body and soul that had been sundered, were by the power of his Godhead reunited, and he made alive, so continuing with his Disciples until his ascension into Heaven.  
Touching it, consider, that it was so, the Reasons thereof, the place, manner and time, with the benefits flowing from thence, and the duties thereupon to be performed.  
That Christ rose again, 
Christ rose again from the dead.  is so plain, that none needs doubt thereof: The Angels that rolled away the stone, the Soldiers that watched the Sepulchre, Marry Magdalene and the other Marry that came to see the Sepulchre, the two Disciples going to Emmaus, the eleven Disciples being together, etc. all were witnesses hereof: So his appearances were many, as to Mary Magdalene, then to her and that other Marry, then to two Disciples going to Emmaus, then to them all save Thomas, then both to Thomas and the others; another time to Cephas, another time to seven of them at the Sea of Tiberias, 
1 Cor. 15. 5.  as at another to Five hundred Brethren at once; so when he was to ascend, he was taken up in the sight of all those there present; all which are so many evidences of his Resurrection.  
Reasons: 
Why he rose again.  1. That it might appear he had fully discharged our debt. 2. Because being the Son of God, and Author, and Lord of life, it had been unmeet, nay, it was impossible he should be held under of Death. 
Acts 2. 24.  3. By reason of the second part of his Priesthood, which was yet to fulfil: One part was, to offer himself a Sacrifice Propitiatory to God, for the sins of his people, this he did by his death; now the other is, 
Rev. 1. 28.  to make intercession for his Church, and to apply the virtue of his death to those for whom he died: This he could not have done, if he had not risen again.  
The manner: 
The manner of his Resurrection.  When they had rolled a great stone to the door of the Sepulchre, sealed it, set Soldiers to watch, yet he rose: They could as well have hindered the rising of the Sun in the Firmament, as his rising; An Angel was sent that caused a great earthquake, and rolled away the stone, etc. No counsel or strength can hinder the work of the Lord.  
Place: 
The place from which he rose.  The same where he was laid, which was by God's providence to avoid cavils, in a new Sepulchre hewn out of a rock, wherein never man had been laid.  
Time: 
When he rose.  It was the third day, early in the morning, on the first day of the week, the third day, as was foretold by Christ himself, for he was buried the evening before the Sabbath, and rose the day after; so long between, to approve the truth of his death, and no longer, that he might see no corruption: Early in the morning, to show that he was the light of the world, the Son of Righteousness, a light to be revealed unto the Gentiles, 
Psal. 16. 10.  one that was to lighten every one that came into the world, namely, that is lightened, even us that are by nature darkness itself; from hence must every man fetch light: On the first day of the week, for so God disposed of it: This first day was answerable to the first day of the world; it was the morrow after the Jews Sabbath: As he began to make the world the first day of it, when before it was not, so now that it was decayed and corrupted by sin, he now came to make it up again, which he did by his Death and Resurrection.  
Hence the Reason of the alteration of the Sabbath, 
Why the jewish Sabbath was changed.  from the Jews Sabbath to the day following, which is ours, to keep a memorial, as of the Creation of the world, so especially of the renewing of the world, by the work of Redemption; and as the first Sabbath continued from the Creation to Christ's Resurrection, so no question aught this to abide to the world's end.  
The benefits ensuing hereupon are, 
The benefits hereof.  1. To assure us that Christ hath fully paid all our debts: 
1 Cor. 15. 17.  If Christ be not risen (saith the Apostle) we are yet in our sins, and our preaching is in vain. 2. To give us power to rise to a new life. 3. To assure us of our Resurrection.  
O then, who shall lay any thing to the charge of Believers? It's Christ that is dead, 
Use.  nay, rather which is risen again, for whom therefore there's no evil remaining: They shall have power given them to walk in holiness of life, as the Zion, grafted into a stock, receiveth juice and life therefrom; yea, they shall enjoy a comfortable and joyful Resurrection: Contrarily, miserable is the case of the wicked; their debt is all on the File against them, they shall rise but to their cost and smart, to a dreadful judgement, when they shall stand trembling, and wishing that the hills might fall on them, on them the second death shall have power: Now they lie snorting, neither will be awakened by our preaching, notwithstanding their present and approaching misery.  
The duties which are hereupon to be performed, 
The duties to be performed.  are, 1. In imitation of Christ's Resurrection, in a spiritual manner to rise out of the graves of our lusts and sins, 
Eph. 5. 14.  to a new and holy life: O awake thou that sleepest! the Word is appointed for this end. 2. To endure any thing, 
Heb. 11▪ 35.  rather than to be deprived hereof: The faithful in Heb. 11. endured racking, and would not be delivered therefrom with an ill conscience, that they might have a better and joyful Resurrection. 3. Set our affections on those things which are above. 
Col. 3. 1.  Thus of his Resurrection.   

Verse 19 By which also he went and preached to the Spirits in Prison: Verse 20. Which sometime were disobedient, when once the long suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the Ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.  
THe Apostle proceeds to comfort the faithful that suffer for Righteousness sake: 
A further comfort to them that suffer for Righteousness sake.  He had said before, That as Christ rose again after his sufferings, and had a good end of them, so shall all that suffer for his sake: Now, lest this should be doubted of, he showeth how it cometh to pass, namely, by the help, assistance and power of the Spirit of God; who as he showed himself mightily in Christ's person, so hath and will in his members: and for instance, he looks back a great while ago, when long before Christ's coming, the Spirit showed himself to the confusion of the wicked and disobedient, and to the comfort and deliverance of God's servants; as Noah, whom as this Spirit enabled to preach the to wicked world, so they disobeying and mocking him, the same Spirit preserved and saved in the common destruction: And therefore if the Spirit of God showed himself so in the people of God, for their good so long ago, than we need not fear, but that he will much more show himself in and with us, inasmuch as now the Spirit is bestowed in a larger and fuller manner, then before our Saviors coming into the world: Now he reckons this, rather than any other example, because it was a famous one, both of convicting the wicked world, and preserving the servants of God in such a bad time, and because it was so long ago. I come to the meaning of the words.  
By which (his Spirit) namely, 
The meaning of the words.  his Godhead and Divine Nature, which raised him from the dead, He went and preached, namely, by the mouth and ministry of Noah, To the Spirits in prison, even them that be now and were in Peter's time Spirits and Souls in Hell, but when Noah preached, were disobedient men and women, when God seeing the notorious corruption of the times, threatened to destroy the world with a flood, if they did not repent: To them Noah preaching, both by word, and by deed also, in preparing the Ark, they not being moved hereat, nor at the long suffering of God, were at the length drowned, Noah only and his wife, with his three sons, and their three wives being preserved in the Ark.  
This Scripture hath suffered (as Mr. Luther saith of the Lords Prayer) much Martyrdom by false interpretations, and erroneous constructions, whereof that of the Papists is most gross.  
They understand it thus, 
How the Papists understand them.  that Christ being dead, in his soul went down to the lower parts of the world, where be four several places together, one above another, Limbus patrum, Limbus puerorum, Purgatory, and Hell, which is the lowest and hottest of all; that Christ went into Limbus patrum, to fetch out all the godly Fathers that died from the beginning till his coming, and all such as in Noah's time seeing the flood come, indeed repent, and went to Purgatory, and had there suffered all; and so were gone into Limbus patrum also, to deliver the souls then in Purgatory; and into the lowest part, namely Hell, to Preach to the convicting of the Reprobates there, etc.  
But though in truth Christ had done thus (which yet he never did) this proves no such matter, 
Reasons against the same  will afford no such sense: for 1. By Spirit, whereunto the word which hath relation, is not meant Christ's soul, but his Godhead; not his soul, for than it was, that Christ was quickened in his soul, or by his soul, but neither can be true; not in his soul, for his soul never died, nor was mortal; not by the soul, for it was not the soul that raised him again, but the power of God that joined them both together, as the Scripture testifieth: and that his Godhead is hereby meant, will appear by the like places, as Rom. 1. 3, 4. 2 Cor. 13. 4. 1 Tim. 3. 16. where that which our Apostle calls flesh, Saint Paul calls infirmity; and what he calls the power of God, our Apostle calls the Spirit, both which are in effect one. 2. Hereby cannot be meant the Fathers and godly, for he speaks only of the disobedient and Reprobate ones. 3. He speaks only of those that lived in Noah's time, and no other age of the world. 4. This Prison was an unhappy and miserable place, and not Abraham's bosom, nor the place of the Fathers. 5. Even after our Saviors Resurrection, when our Apostle wrote this, they were then still in Prison, therefore Christ had not delivered them, nor fetched them out, but they that had been there, were there still: And where they say he went to Preach to the Reprobates, this will not stand neither; for he speaks here only of the Reprobates of Noah's time, and why should Christ in his soul go unto them, rather than unto any other? Besides, to Preach to them, and do them no good, nor intent any, is against the nature & end of preaching.  
But that there are any such places as Limbus patrum, Limbus puerorum, 
That there are no such places as Limbus patrum, and puerorum.  or Purgatory, the Scripture gives not any inkling. 1. That the Fathers went to no such place, is certain, but that their souls loosed by death, went to Heaven; Jesus Christ, yesterday, to day, and the same for ever: They had the same benefit by Christ (as we) after their death. 2. They also believed in Christ as well as we, Abraham saw my day and rejoiced: 
john 8. 5, 6.  They ate the same Spiritual meat, and drank the same Spiritual drink, 
1 Cor. 10. 3.  and so were partakers of the same benefits of Christ. 3. Their Spirits went to God that gave them; they enter into peace, and so not into the Prison. 4. Abraham's bosom into which Lazarus was carried by the Angels, 
Eccles. 12. 7.  was above, 
Isa. 57 2.  not beneath, an happy, not a miserable place; Christ therefore went not to fetch them out thence, there being no such place.  
For Purgatory, 
The Popish opinion about Purgatory.  they say, there's such a place in the brim of Hell, where the pains be almost as bad as Hell pains, and the fire as hot, into which are sent the souls of the godly, that die in faith and repentance, but yet have not suffered the punishment of their sins in this world, therefore must make up their sufferings in Purgatory (for they teach, that for our sins and punishments both committed before Baptism, Christ suffered, but for those after Baptism, though Christ takes away the sins, yet the punishment must be suffered by ourselves, and that partly in this life by penances, etc. and the rest by suffering in Purgatory; & that for every sin is due seven years of payment in Purgatory, and therefore the Pope gives Pardons, sometimes for fifty, sometimes for an hundred years, etc. and therefore they say Masses for the souls of them that have been dead many 100 years; and when they have suffered for all their sins, & paid the utmost farthing, then come the souls out; & after they have been a while refreshed in a fair green field, full of pleasant flowers, which is hard by Purgatory, than they go up to Heaven; notwithstanding, oftentimes through the mercy of the Popes, those pains are mitigated. 
Reasons against it.  We say, 1. That as they themselves do not agree about the place, etc. So neither is it otherwise grounded, but on unwritten verities: The Scriptures mention but two places, whereinto the souls go immediately after death, Heaven, which is for the godly, and Hell, which is for the ungodly; for the godly, that they do immediately go into an happy place, 
Luke 2. 29.  all the Scriptures sound; with Simeon, they depart in peace, go not to Purgatory, scorching pains; Christ is to them, as in life, 
Phil. 1. 21.  so in death, 
2 Tim. 4. 8.  advantage: Having finished their course, henceforth there's laid up for them a crown of righteousness: 
2 Cor. 5. 1.  They have, after the dissolution of their earthly Tabernacle, 
john 17. 24.  a building of God, an house not made with hand, eternal in the Heavens; Christ hath prayed for them, 
Luke 23. 43.  that they may be where he is, even in Heaven: The thief on the right hand had as much need to have gone to Purgatory as any other, yet on that day wherein he died, he was with Christ in Paradise. 
Rev. 14. 13.  Blessed are they which die in the Lord, saith the Spirit, for they rest from their labours: After death, presently comes the judgement, that every man shall stick to. Among all those things which God spoke to Moses, there's not a word of this; among all the Sacrifices that God ordained, there were none appointed for souls in Purgatory; and amongst all the cleansings and purifyings of all kind of impurities of Leprosy and Issues, etc. there's not a word of this: What, was God so unmindeful of his Church and people then? Neither is there in all the new Testament any word for it. 2. What a wretched thing is it to hold, that our sufferings should satisfy the wrath of God, and punishment of our sins, when the least sin deserves eternal destruction both of soul and body. And for their distinction, that Christ's death gives power to the pains of Purgatory to satisfy, is an idle and ridiculous conceit. 3. To say that Christ should satisfy for our sins, and take them away, but not our punishment, is it not a wicked abuse of God's justice? where he forgives the sin, doth he not also forgive the punishment? True, he chastens his servants, but they are no part of satisfaction of his justice, only a means to prevent sin to come, and humble for that which is past; as if I had a quarrel against a man, I might forgive him, and yet if I see him in an Apoplexy or Swoon, I may hit him a blow to fetch him again. The truth is, 
Why Purgatory was devised.  Purgatory was devised, partly of a blind and curious devotion of some Monks, that thought that they that had some beginnings (as they thought) of goodness, and so died, it were no reason they should be damned, etc. who were therefore to be purged in Purgatory, and so come to Heaven; and that seeing most men have much sin in them, even when they die, it were unreasonable they should go strait to Heaven, for no unclean person shall come there, and therefore they must suffer and be cleansed in Purgatory: Who doth not see the absurdity of these conceits, when the Scripture saith, Whosoever believeth in him shall not be condemned; 
john 3. 18.  & that whosoever dyeth in the Faith, all their sins and corruptions are done away, and they received into Heaven: But principally the Pope and his Clergy out of covetousness, were chief founders hereof; for hereby they did infinitely enrich themselves, and every where enjoyed the very fat in the Land: It was devised for the pampering of the living, not the punishing or purging of the dead: Through their covetousness, meeting with the people's ignorance, Purgatory was hatched.  
But what a cruelty is this of the Pope, who hath power, as he saith, to deliver as many as he lists out of Purgatory, & yet will suffer so many so long to lie there frying? But he knows well what he doth; if he should make it too common, or let out too many, then would the people care the less, and say, Though I go to Purgatory, yet the Pope of his clemency will deliver me, and so I mean to give my goods and lands to my children, and not beggar my posterity by giving them for Pardons or Masses, etc. Thus indeed their trade would go down.  
1. This may stir us up to give thanks to God for his mercy, 
Use 1.  in delivering us from those cousenages, and revealing unto us his truth: We ought to be so much the forwarder in every duty towards the worship of God, the Minister's maintenance, the poor, etc. you save it an hundred times over, through the preaching of the Gospel truly: It's a foul fault in people, that they cannot be content thus to enjoy their goods & lands, and leave them to their children (which they could not do) but pull and rake from the Minister, care not how little they allow him; yea, and are so miserable, as they will scarce allow their part to keep the house of God upright, or in decent sort, neither give the poor without grudging, or upon necessity.  
It may comfort the godly; 
Use 2.  There is no delaying place by the way, to keep them from the joys of Heaven.  
3. It may teach men in any wise to look to themselves how they live, 
Use 3.  for as soon as the breath is out of them, they go presently to the place where they shall abide for ever; 
Eccles 11. 3.  as the Tree falls, so it shall lie.  
Neither went he down to Hell to preach to the Reprobates; 
That Christ went not down to Hell to preach to the Reprobates  for as its absurd for one soul to preach to another, so preaching is to do some good, and thereby only to do hurt is against the end thereof: But, say they, he only went and preached experimentally by his presence, and showed himself to them to convict them, but they were already sufficiently convicted, condemned, and put in their place of torment; if Christ should have gone thither to convict them again, they were not sufficiently convicted before: But if they say he went to triumph over the Reprobate there, etc. it may be answered, That he triumphed on the Cross, and shall triumph over the Reprobates mightily on the day of Judgement. I proceed unto the Doctrines of the Text.  
By which also he went and Preached,] Hear note,  
1. That when God's faithful Ministers Preach, 
God's Spirit preacheth in faithful Ministers.  it's the Spirit of God that preacheth in them: Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the holy Ghost; He that heareth you (saith our Saviour) heareth me. 
2 Pet. 1. 21.   
1. Therefore Ministers must endeavour so to preach, 
Luke 10. 16.  that it may appear unto all, 
Use 1.  that its the Spirit of God which Preacheth in them; their matter must be sound, and wholly agreeable to the will of God; and for the manner, 
1 Cor. 2. 4.  it must not be with enticing words of man wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit, and of power; we must not seek ourselves, but God's glory in the Salvation of our people: Such as for their matter Preach contrary to the Word, it's not the Spirit of God which Preacheth in them, but the Spirit of Error; and for the manner, such as use a dark kind of Preaching, or curious and acquaint terms, or in such sort as the people cannot understand or profit, do they woe for Christ, or rather do they not speak for themselves? Such kind of Preaching is blasted and cursed of God, and the Preachers thereof shall have their reward accordingly.  
2. Let people know, 
Use 2.  that when they come to the Word, they come not to hear such a man (whosoever he be) but to hear what the Spirit of God saith to them; a great privilege: we must therefore prepare ourselves rich accordingly with all reverence and fear (as having to do with God himself) laying the same to heart, and endeavouring to be profited thereby, in yielding obedience thereto: O how many come hand over head, sit sleeping at Church, and are no whit moved with whatsoever is said? Did we but believe that it were God's Spirit that did Preach to us, we would give better heed. If we speak according to the Word in rebuking you for your sins, you are not to fret, and say, O some body hath told him hereof, or he doth this of ill will; but acknowledge, 
See 1 Cor. 14. 25.  that its God's Spirit which rebukes you, and that God is there indeed.  
3. God's people may be comforted by the promises delivered in the Word (as the wicked may be terrified by the threatenings thereof) They shall come to pass, 
Use 3.  for that the Spirit of truth hath uttered them.  
2. That God will find a time to right things, 
God will find a time to right things when they are disordered.  when they be disordered: Though the wicked may prevail for a time, and iniquity abound and overflow, yet will the Lord in his due time come to visit and reform all; Thus did the Lord deal with this people.  
Let the godly have patience, 
Use.  and wait God's leisure; and for the wicked, let them be never the lustier for that the Lord is patient, and defers for a time, for he will come to give every one his due, and will come too soon for their turn.  
In prison,] 
The woeful condition of the wicked.  That is, Hell, the place appointed for the souls of the wicked, a fearful place, of Gods own preparing, and whereof the Devil is the Jailor. For the wicked,  
1. They shall be separate and cast from God, in whose presence stands happiness, 
Matth. 25.  that as they regarded not his presence here, so hereafter they shall not enjoy it.  
2. They shall be cast into the society of Devils and Reprobates, whom they have served, and whose society they have loved. Yet  
3. Not in their company, to be with them in jollity and merriment, etc. as here, but in torments, howling and wailing, etc. those are both intolerable and eternal; their souls are presently after death cast hereinto, as both their bodies and souls, which have been companions together in sin, shall be on the day of Judgement: And for that though many be called, few be chosen; and in the parable of the four kinds of seeds, only one of them was good; as most of the old world perished, so shall and have most of every age of the world: Though Israel be as the sand of the Sea, yet but a remnant shall be saved.  
O how might this cool the wicked, 
Use 1.  the proudest that live in jollity, and set all others at nought! Now they are lusty, and swear, and curse, and do what they list, poor woeful creatures: There is a prison prepared for them, that will pull down the proudest of them; sour sauce to their sweet meat, but most live as if there were no such matter. O what fools be they, that for a few short profits ill gotten, or only sought after, or some transitory pleasure or honour, sell themselves to this woeful place. These count themselves wise, and Gods servants fools; but the contrary will be seen one day, and that they themselves were indeed the mad fools.  
2. How should this stir up them to be thankful to God, 
Use 2.  that know themselves freed from this woeful place, and to Christ that hath suffered for them? O what cause have they to rejoice, to walk obediently, and to bear their few short afflictions patiently? and for those that know it not, me thinks they should never be quiet, nor sleep good sleep, till they know they are delivered from this prison.  
3. This should make us all, 
Use 3.  not only careful to save our own souls out of this place, but to do all our endeavour to save others, especially them that be committed to us; as, Ministers to preach diligently, zealously and plainly, 
2 Cor. 5. 11.  to save their people out of Hell, and pull them out of the fire; such as do otherwise, are merciless and cruel; so Magistrates to punish sin zealously, that they might not be condemned hereafter; so must Parents towards their children, by prayer, counsel, education, correction; so must every neighbour do what he can to save his neighbour: If thou dost them no good, yet shall they wish one day that they had been ruled by thee.  
Which sometimes were disobedient,] 
Disobedience the cause of God's judgements on the old world.  Here's the cause as well of their bodily punishment by the flood, as their eternal judgement in Hell, even for that they were disobedient to the Commandments of God, and among the rest, to the Ministry of Noah: This is aggravated from the length of God's patience showed towards them (though God told them how long he would wait, yet did not they hereby become the wiser) and by the real sermon which they had, which was, the building of the Ark: They had both time and means to have repent, but not repenting, their sin was the greater, and so was their judgement.  
Q. Were all, save those eight here mentioned, drowned?  
A. The Text is plain, that all were drowned.  
Q. Were all those that were drowned damned? 
Whether all those which were drowned were damned.   
A. It is said, That the earth was filled with cruelty, they are also termed the world of the ungodly; and its likely that if any had been openly known to have been good, the Lord would have preserved them that they should not have perished in the waters with the rest; yet it's possible that even among them that were drowned, there might be some good, and it were hard if we conclude that all were damned; some were youths, some infants, not capable of sin, some not born, whereof some might belong to God. Again, it might be (though not very likely) that some might repent in truth when they saw the flood come. However, most no doubt were utterly cast away for ever, yet some might be saved eternally, though they had part in the bodily punishment; as Cain a Reprobate had part in the temporal deliverance, and yet perished eternally. Hence perceive  
1. The exceeding and almighty power of God, 
Use 1.  that was able thus to take vengeance of the impiety of the world, even of such an infinite multitude, by such a judgement; there's no power nor counsel against him: He is the Lord of Hosts, and hath all Creatures in Heaven and Earth to use to preserve his, and to destroy his Enemies; even from the Angel which destroyed Senacharibs host, to the very lice and worms, fire, air, earth, hail, blasting, mildew, lions, bears, etc. are at his command; 
See Act 12. 23  there's no Creature so mean, which he cannot use to destroy the very proudest Tyrant: How should this strike terror into the heart of every wicked man, and make him humble himself at the footstool of the Lord, and break off his sins by unfeigned repentance. The people of Tyrus and Sidon feared Herod, 
Ibid. 20.  because he could hurt the Land, who yet himself was worms meat; God can plague and destroy a thousand ways: What art thou that rebellest against thy Maker, the Lord of the whole world, who hath Heaven and Earth, and Hell at his command, and all Creatures in them? He is able to plague thee which way soever he will, every hour of the day: He is able by the greatest, by the meanest also of his Creatures to destroy thee, as he can also immediately by himself: But if he let all these alone, he is able to find enough in thine own bowels to torment thee, some ill humour in thine own body or bowels to vex and weary thee; any tooth in thy head may drive thee to extremity of pain, 
Dan. 4. 5.  thine own thoughts may take away sleep from thee; yea, drive thee into desperation, 
Simile.  as it befell Judas. Most Princes if a great many be in a transgression or rebellion, either cannot resist them, or if they could, dare not put them all to death, for fear of rising, or want of Subjects; it's not so with the Lord, he hath no need of men; if they rebel against him, he will cut them off, if they be never so many, he fears not: O let none sin with the multitude, thinking to be hidden or escape, for God hath judgements enough, and hath prepared Hell large enough, though there be never so many that rebel against him.  
2. The wonderful justice of God, 
Use 2.  and how he hates sin, that thus revenged it upon the whole world: This is a part of his name; he will not account the wicked innocent: 
Psal. 5. 4, 5.  He is a God that hateth and abhorreth iniquity, 
Leut. 26. 14.  and hath showed it in all ages of the world: 
Deut. 28. 15.  He hath storehouses of judgements here against the wicked, and hath prepared for them a prison and place of torment for them hereafter. This should now make them tremble and fear, hate sin and repent of it: He hath done justice on the whole world, and dost thou think to scape? The world makes an Idol of him, all of mercy; such examples as this, and that upon the Israelites in the Lamentations, and many other, show his justice; and this is such a dreadful example of God's justice, as should make all the world to tremble. If we should see an hundred men executed together, how would it daunt us? what will it then to consider, that thousands thousands are sent into Hell?  
If any shall think that of those which were drowned there might some be saved eternally, 
Two necessary considerations.  because oftentimes God's servants be taken away in common calamities, let them learn, 1. To judge charitable of men taken away in such cases. 2. Not to promise themselves any certain freedom from outward calamities; howsoever, we must not voke God hereunto, but yet herein to commend ourselves to God, as which shall not hurt our souls: Though we be wrapped among the wicked in some bodily affliction, yet le's be of good comfort, we shall not be so at the day of Judgement, we shall be delivered from eternal punishment.  
But disobedience is as the forerunner of destruction, 
Disobedience is the forerunner of destruction.  it's as the sin of Witchcraft; he who is the Lord of the whole world, and requireth obedience of all, cannot endure that men should contemn and disobey the admonitions of his Word, whereby they are called to repentance: This is men's destruction, see 2 Chron. 36. 16. Isa. 1. 5. Host 5. 4. Mat. 23. 23.  
This may serve to awaken this woeful world, 
Use.  that is set upon disobedience. Most men do what they list, and follow their own lusts, as if there were no Law, nor any had to do with them; yea, though God call upon them, and send his Ministers unto them, yet they will not give their minds to repentance, but harden their hearts: Oh, those carry a badge of their destruction, and a mark whither they are going, a certain forerunner of judgement here, or to be sure of eternal destruction hereafter: He that lives in a flat disobedience of any Commandment, 
john 3. 36.  and in any known sin, is in the state of damnation: He that committeth sin is of the Devil. 
1 john 3. 8.  If thou livest in impenitency under the Word, know that thy judgement sleepeth not.  
For their particular disobediences, their licentious living, their security and carelessness, their following of their lusts, their intemperancy in eating and drinking, their oppression and cruelty one towards another, 
The sins of our times like those of the old world.  etc. they be the common sins of our times, and therefore we may justly fear some heavy judgement, which in likelihood for those few sakes amongst us which fear God, hath been all this while kept off us. What marrying now only for beauty, there being no regard had of Religions, and whence this Giantly generation (not in stature, but lewdness) springeth? How are some set only upon pleasures, some upon their profits; and what wrestling and clambering is there to get preferment? most care not whom they tread under, so they be aloft.  
When once the long suffering of God waited] This aggravates their sin, 
God's Patience towards the disobedient aggravates their sin.  that they continued disobedient, notwithstanding God did both wait for their repentance, and set them a time of One hundred and twenty years, but nothing would do them good: Thus did he to them, thus to this Nation, thus to every particular, person of us.  
1. They that have received grace and are converted should be thankful to God for his great patience towards them before their calling: 
Use 1.  Oh, every one of us have much cause of thankfulness this way: Oh, if God had cut us off in our sins, and days of our vanity, yea, after many a warning that we despised, we had now been howling without hope, with the damned spirits in Hell; yea, if God had taken away his Gospel and Peace from us but within these few years, nay haply within this twelve months, in which time God hath shined into our hearts, and hath had mercy on us, how miserable had been our condition?  
2. Others that are not as yet converted, 
See Psal. 50. and 55.  must make use of this patience, through their timely repentance: But alas, most do abuse it to the quite contrary; 
Isa. 57 11.  O how fearful will their case be, which having had experience of Gods long suffering these twenty, thirty, forty, fifty years, yet abide in their old sins? If their judgement was the greater by the abuse of this patience, then what shall those amongst us, which have had longer patience, and a thousand times more means? The time allotted them, an hundred and twenty years, was not above the third part of the life of a man then, which being compared with that hath been allotted us, and the usual time wherein men now live, it will appear, that by way of proportion, we have had far more; and besides the sermons of the Prophets, of Christ and his Apostles, we have had faithful sermons from the faithful Ministers of God: Those of the old world shall rise up in judgement against us, as also Sodom and Gomorrah, and shall speed far better than we. O therefore, le's abuse the patience of God no more, 
Heb. 2. 13.  but to day, whilst it is called to day, not to harden our hearts, etc. Oh, do we this the rather, because God hath set the time how long he will bear with us, which if it should once be out, it would be then too late for us, he would bear with us no longer, but would either snatch the Gospel from us, or us from it by death, or give us over to hardness of heart, never to be moved, or to feel our misery, but when it is too late, as it befell Esau, and the foolish Virgins: Therefore it is said here,  
Once the long suffering of God, etc.] That is, it being out, there was no longer time to be granted, nor though they had cried, would God have heard, and so we may suspect, that there were but a few (if any at all) which either repented when they saw the flood come, or whom (though they cried) the Lord regarded, for that the time set was then expired.  
In the days of Noah,] Hear Noah's name remaining up record, honourably registered: He saith not in the days of any of the Giants, whose names are all buried, but in the days of Noah; God vouchsafes not so much as to name them.  
In the Scriptures the godly are spoken of to their honour, 
The names of the godly mentioned to their honour.  but the wicked are either not named at all, or else to their disgrace, and their brand: Jeroboam that made Israel to sin, Ahab that sold himself to work wickedness, 
1 King. 15. 34.  wicked Athaliah, 
See Prov. 10.  that cursed woman Jezabel, Judas that betrayed him, etc. or with their sins at large to their eternal reproach: But how sweet is the memorial of the godly mentioned in Scripture? as of Mary Magdalene, Lazarus, etc. In Stories also we have the names not only of famous Ridley, Latimer, Cranmer, etc. but even of meaner men, and not only of men, but of women also, yea, and of those, even of poor ones, who are worthily reported of; whereas the names of their persecutors, are either altogether unknown, or if they be spoken of, as Bonner, Gardiner, and others, its with stopping the nose, etc.  
How may the servants of God be comforted? though haply they are mean in the world, yet their names be written in Heaven, and shall abide, when the names of the wicked shall rot: Labour then to be Religious and godly, that ye may be well reported of alive and dead; else if ye be wicked, ye shall have an ill report in the Church of God whilst ye live, and leave a stinking memorial behind you when ye are dead, both which are fearful.  
While the Ark was a preparing,] 
The old world then most disobedient, when they should have been by Noah's making of the Ark feared therefrom.  Another thing whereby their disobedience is aggravated, that it was even then, while they saw Noah busy in making an Ark, which might have admonished them of the flood, for he in Faith made it, obeying the Commandment of God: He believed what God had threatened, but so did not they.  
1. Note here, That if Noah because of the flood threatened, made an Ark to save himself from it, 
Christian's must use the means whereby to be freed from Hell and destruction.  as God had commanded; it's our duty much more, as I may say, to prepare an Ark, and use the means to save ourselves from drowning in Hell, the pit of perdition. There is a certain flood of destruction, whereinto all such shall fall, as have not before got into the Ark, as all that were out of this Ark perished. The making of this in likelihood, was a matter of great cost, of great toil, and without doubt he had many a mock for his labour when he went first about it, and whilst he continued working at it, yet went he on: 
Faith and Repentance an Ark for the soul.  As that was for the body, so are Faith and Repentance for the soul; whosoever have these shall never perish, but have everlasting life: For these we must labour, whatsoever pains they cost us; yea, and if it were to hinder our outward estate hereupon, and expose ourselves to mockings and revile: Whosoever misseth of these, whatsoever else they have, shall questionless perish; the word tells it, and we are to believe it.  
1. This rebukes the monstrous folly and madness of the world. 
Use 1.  God's Ministers, his Noah's, preach the flood, and persuade every man to make ready his Ark; but alas, how few look after any such matter, nay (as in the old world) they rather mock at those that do, or that take pains to hear the Word, which is the way to get Faith, or that take pains to lead a godly life; O these precise fellows, they be so holy, and these Scripture fellows, they be so holy, as they will be in heaven ere their bones be cold, etc. whereby it appears, that (as Lots sons in Law about the destruction of Sodom) they believe no flood at all, 
Gen. 19 14.  no judgement at all to come; or else haply they think it an easy matter to make an Ark at any time, either thinking that some easier and nearer may be found then by Faith and Repentance (as those that hope to be saved by their good meaning, good prayers, civil life, etc. which will assuredly deceive them) or that they are easy to be obtained: Was Noah One hundred and twenty years in making an Ark to save him from drowning in the waters, and can they at pleasure, and on the sudden, make an Ark to save them from Hell, and to get into Heaven; as most hope by Lord have mercy upon me to be saved? But as no doubt, many used sundry shifts to save themselves when the flood came, and none prevailed but the Ark, so shall it be with all such: O what if the flood should now come (as it may ere the morrow) is your Ark ready or not? If it be not, defer the time no longer: No man knows that he shall live One hundred and twenty days, or a quarter so long; yet though Noah knew he should live so many years, he did not defer the time, delay the making of the Ark: It will not be done on the sudden, and after this life there's no making of any; 
1 Kings 6. 7.  as there was no hewing of timber or stone in the Temple, but all in Mount Lebanus: Look to it therefore betimes, regard neither the costs nor pains you may be put to: It's no matter so you be saved.  
2. This may comfort them that have their Ark prepared, 
Use 2.  though thousands and ten thousands perish, yet they shall not do amiss, but be preserved and saved as Noah; then shall not we weigh what pains we have taken to make it, to hear the Word, to humble ourselves, to repent, etc. And have not others taken as much pains for transitory things, that will vanish and never do them good? and though you have been mocked, yet will the time come, when those mockers will change their note.  
Again, in that they saw and heard of this Ark a building, which ought to have been a real Sermon to them, yet were not moved, their sin becoming hereby the greater.  
2. Note, 
How useful Examples and ocular sermons are.  That when God adds to his Word Examples, and to the Ministry real Sermons also, these aught much to prevail, which when they do not, as well the sin as the judgements of the Delinquents become the more fearful; for the more means men have, if they profit not thereby, 
See Luk. 17. 32  the greater will be their judgement, as our Saviour said of Corazin and Bethsaida. 
1 Cor. 10.  When God threatens to plague wicked men, it should make them stand in awe, but when they see the same, it cannot but pierce more: To this end, though God hath left some part of Scripture in Precepts and Doctrines, yet hath he left most in Story and Example, 
Ezek. 12. 3●.  accordingly the Prophets used both: Therefore when God in his Word exhorts to diligence in labouring after Salvation, and to lead an holy life, this aught much to move; but when men see Examples of such people before their eyes, 
jam. 5. 10, 11.  this aught to move the more.  
This condemns the notorious obstinacy of our times, 
Use.  that notwithstanding the Word God adds so many examples of his judgements on wicked men, more by far then we could have looked for in the days of the Gospel; as untimely ends upon Drunkards, and notorious profane persons, etc. that would take no warning; yea, haply of a dozen of them which have been in a Town, 
Dan. 5. 22.  cut off by one judgement or other, yet who fears? nay, do not others continue in the same state (as some old Drunkards) without amendment, as other new ones grow up every day? The like may be said of other sins: Belshazzar profited not by the judgements of God on his Father, as most do not by any judgement on others: What answer have they to make, and what judgement waiteth them, that have had many examples, and yet never the better? so of notorious covetous gripers, oppressors, rakers, how blockishly and fearfully they have died, with the miserable end of their goods? either woefully wasted by drunkards, or dispersed to those that never sweat for them, yea oftentimes to their very enemies; who seeth not? yet who are moved hereat? let these look for greater judgements; so when God raiseth up many godly Christians, that earnestly labour after their salvation, taking great pains to hear the Word and to live godly, most receive no profit by these real examples and Sermons, but some mock at them, and think them more precise than needs; as others are blockish, and are no whit moved thereby: They might think with themselves when they see some such take such pains, that there is somewhat in it, some ill to be avoided, some good to be obtained, some great matter that should move these people to take such pains; surely (might they say) it's not for nothing, they have business as well as we, which they could tend if a greater thing were not in the way; it's not for nothing that they thus weary themselves. But most do not understand or consider thus much with themselves, and yet God hath raised up such as lights to draw on others; and they that be not won by the Word, nor moved by the examples of the godly, their answer will be fearful: Little do these people think that those that have traveled by their doors, wet and dry, and come through their grounds to hear the Word, shall one day be their Judges; It had been happy for them, if they had dwelled further off.  
3. In that this ark did betoken the judgement of God to come, 
Wicked men fear not Gods judgements.  and yet they feared nothing; Note, that wicked men fear not Gods judgements, Thus was it with the Sodomites, with Lot's sons in law, with the Israelites: 
Prov. 14. 16. and 22. 3.  This is indeed a token of a wicked man, as being an argument of unbelief, Atheism, and hardness of heart, and that they are mad on their sins; 
and 28. 14.  These are sure to fall into destruction.  
This condemns the common unbelief and impenitency of most men, for though they hear Gods judgements denounced against sinners, and that they hang over the pit of Hell, and that he will judge Whoremongers, and Adulterers, etc. and that no such shall inherit the Kingdom of Heaven, and that they are thiefs for every bit of bread they eat, & that if they come to the Sacrament without their wedding Garment, they shall be bound hand and foot, etc. yet they fear no colours, but go on like blind Bayard. People were of old afraid of Purgatory, but these are not, whatsoever can be said of Hell, or the day of God's dreadful judgement: But they that now fear them least, shall one day feel them most; whereas Gods Servants, which tremble and humble themselves, with David, Habakkuk, and Josiah, hiding themselves with God, shall escape, and they that fear them lest before they come, and are boldest in sin, 
See Mr. Dod on Psal. 14.  they are most stricken with horror, and most cowardly, when they come, as Ahaz, Saul, Belshazzar, etc.  
Wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water,] Here's the proper use and end of the Ark, The preservation of Noah and his Family from drowning: By souls we are to understand men and women, and by being saved, their temporal deliverance.  
1. In that the Ark preserved them, and was not overturned with the raging of the waters, and that Noah with his were not choked, being so long there with beasts. Note, That  
What God will have a thing to do, 
Weak means are sufficient through God's blessing for our preservation.  though it seem never so weak, or unlikely, yet it shall be sufficient to effect it, as Sampsons' jawbone, the compassing of Jericho, daniel's pulse which he eat, the Whale's belly for Jonah, Jordan to cleanse Naaman; so by the foolishness of Preaching, by the Ministry of a few mean men (to speak of in comparison) to convert the Gentiles, etc. If God shut up Noah in the Ark, he shall be safe enough; yea, and how many poor live and prosper with a short and bare allowance, and many of them in sickness, get up with poor help and means? O the happy condition of God's Servants, what means soever they have, if God bless the same, they shall suffice to do them good! Hereof, how often in time of danger when means have failed, or weak means only were to be had, have we had experience?  
2. In that Noah with six other righteous persons besides himself were preserved. Note  
Both the reward of righteousness (though not for merit, 
Righteousness shall not want its reward.  but God's mercy) and what a dignity and privilege it is to be righteous; one such is more worth, 
1 Tim. 4. 8.  than ten thousand others: As they are the glory, the wicked are the dross; so do they find, that godliness hath the promises both of this life, and that which is to come.  
O what a provocation and encouragement ought this to be unto us, 
Use.  to labour to approve ourselves to God, to be righteous in God's sight, and to walk with him! Such shall be preserved from all evil of body and soul; for those that be otherwise, they lie open to all judgements here, and to eternal destruction hereafter: O that men could believe the odds between the one and the other!  
Cham, being with his Father in the Ark, was preserved from the Flood, but after was cursed and condemned for his sin, and is in Hell. Note, both that  
Its good to be near the godly; 
It's good to be near the godly.  The place, and they that be with them, fare the better for their sake, as Laban for jacob's, and Potiphar for joseph's, wicked Jehoram for Jehoshaphats, all in the Ship for Paul's, 
No man can be saved by the goodness of another.  and here Cham for Noah's, and none can be saved by any other body's goodness: The soul that sinneth shall die, and every one shall be saved by his own Faith: I'm perished though he had Noah to his Father, 
Ezek. 18. 20.  who was such a good man. Note further, That  
Though the wicked both may and do often escape bodily dangers (as Cham did) yea live, 
The wicked however they escape bodily dangers, shall meet with everlasting judgements.  wax old, and grow in wealth, etc. yet they shall not escape the everlasting judgement of God for their sins: While they continue their sins, (whatsoever their prosperity be) their judgement sleepeth not, neither doth their damnation slumber.  
4. In that of those which were saved from drowning, being but few, yet one was not saved eternally. Note, That  
It ever hath been, 
There are but a few which shall be saved  is and will be, that a very few have been or shall be saved; thus you see it was in the old world: So was it under the Law, when all the Nations lived without God in the world, only God was known in Jury, yea, though Israel was as the sand of the sea, yet but a remnant of those were saved: How few in the wilderness, but were disobedient? how few under the Prophets, but were idolatrous and stiffnecked? In the days of Christ, where was faith to be found? and now (not to speak of the Jews, Turks, and Pagans) even among Christians, doth not the love of most wax cold? Narrow is the way to Heaven, and there be few that find it; Many are called, but few are chosen. God's people are a little Flock; Faith and Repentance (without which none can be saved) be so difficult things, as few attain them. An Hypocrite and civil man may go far, but come far short: If indeed to speak two or three good words at one's death, were a sign of repentance (as numbers hold) or Heaven were so easily come by, in vain did God's Servants humble themselves, and labour to cleanse themselves in innocency. I would never care for coming into Heaven, if it were so easily obtained; as the Arrian at Norwich, about to be Executed, said to one standing by, 
The speech of an Arrian at his death.  Do you think Christ would forgive me, if I did confess and believe in him, and acknowledge him? O saith the party, without all doubt he would: To whom the Arrian, If your Christ be so easily to be entreated, 
Matth. 7. 21.  I'll never believe in him: But not every one that saith, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven: Faith and Repentance, with the change of a man, is the greatest work in the world. Though we cannot judge the precise number of those which shall be saved, neither yet who they are, yet generally this is true, That in the visible Church, but a few shall be saved.  
We must not therefore content ourselves to do as most do, 
Use.  or the rest of our Neighbours do, but rather as the fewest do, else we can never enter into Heaven, or be saved; we must crowd, and strive hard, and labour to be of the number of those few which shall be saved; we must give all diligence hereunto, seek after this, cry for this; we must not content ourselves with any shadows of grace, but seek after true grace, which is to salvation; we must not content ourselves to be of the family of the righteous, but must labour and find that we ourselves are righteous.  
5. In that he termeth those eight which were saved Souls (by which word also elsewhere men and women be meant) which is not at any time given unto any other Creature: 
Gen. 46. 27.  Note, 
Rom. 13. 1.  that  
Men and women be more excellent than all other Creatures; 
Men and women be more excellent than other creatures  they have reasonable souls, and so capable of the mysteries of God, of the image of God, of the graces of his spirit, and immortal souls, and so capable of living in glory for ever.  
1. If God hath bestowed infinite more cost on man then on all other Creatures, 
Use 1.  how should we by serving God with our reason, and having our souls adorned and filled with the gifts of the Spirit of God, labour to excel them? O the miserable and base madness of most men, who though being endued with reason, they are apt to serve God best, and may observe all Creatures serving them in their kind, yet rebel against him, and so become indeed void of reason! And how do most let their souls lie unfurnished of saving knowledge, and other graces, like bruit beasts: Happy they had been beasts, God made them men, but they live like beasts that perish.  
2. Our care must be more for our souls then our bodies; 
Use 2.  Those be immortal, shall live even when parted from the body: O the folly of most people, that toil and care for transitory things, as profits and pleasures, food and raiment, but have no care for any thing that is eternal; God gave them souls capable of immortal glory, and they have so neglected the seeking hereof, as that they must die eternally, and be in woe for ever.  
Noah and the old world were a right picture of the good and bad in our age; 
Noah and the old world a right picture of the good & bad in our age  while he was carefully workiug, they took their pleasure, but in the end he was saved and they drowned: So now the servants of the Lord, they knowing their sin and danger, they spend their time in mourning and humbling their souls, and in making of an ark of Faith and true Repentance, wherein to save themselves from the flood of God's wrath, which they know they have deserved: They take pains to hear, read, pray▪ mortify their affections and lusts, abridge themselves of many profits and pleasures, having many reproaches from men, and hard measures, yea, it may be crosses and afflictions from God to further them in a good course; while in the mean time the common sort they follow the swinge of their own hearts, and do what they list, they follow their profits and pleasures like Esau, and often escape afflictions, and have great prosperity, so that one would think their case happy in comparison of the state of the people of God: But mark the end, time will come, that the people of God shall be saved, and escape drowning, when the jolly world shall fall into the pit of eternal perdition: So the children of God begin in tears, but they end in joy, whereas the wicked begin here in jollity, but must end in eternal howling; which of these is the best, choose the first or the last, that which perisheth, or that which endureth to life eternal.   

Verse 21. The like figure whereunto, even Baptism, doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards God) by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.  
HEre the Apostle showeth, That those of old had Types of their Salvation as well as we; for the preservation of Noah in the Ark from the flood, when the world was drowned, was a Type and Figure of their eternal Salvation from the flood of God's wrath, by the Messiah to come: To which Type of theirs, we have another correspondent answering Type, or Antitype, a Type fitly answering, and like theirs, even Baptism, which is a sign and seal of our eternal salvation, and so is said to save us. It saveth us, that is, sealeth up our salvation; not that the outward Baptism, that is, the washing of the body with water, doth save (for that Hypocrites may have) but the inward, that is, the pardon of our sins in Christ's blood, and purging our nature by Sanctification; whereof being assured by Faith, we have a good conscience, and hereby have boldness to make demand, and challenge of God eternal Salvation, which God cannot deny, having so covenanted in Baptism to the believer; and hereunto we attain, not by the work wrought, or our being Baptised, but by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, his death purchasing it, and his resurrection witnessing the same; whereof this last, which is the compliment and finishing of the other, is only expressed in this place.  
The like figure whereunto, etc.] Here note, That  
Throughout all ages the godly have been saved by the same means that we be; 
The godly throughout all ages are saved by the same means.  we by faith in Christ who is come, as they in him to come: They are the same spiritual meat, and drank the same spiritual drink, only we have a more fuller and clear revelation of him.  
Even baptism, 
1 Cor. 10. 3.  doth also now save us, etc.] This is the first Sacrament of the New Testament, 
Baptism what it is, etc.  and is ordained in the room of Circumcision, as the Lords-Supper in the room of the Passover; as Circumcision did precede the Passover, so doth Baptism the Lords-Supper; that being a sign of our engrafting, this of our growing in the Church; and as amongst the Jews, even Infants were to be circumcised; so amongst us Christians, are Children to be Baptised: Hereof the outward sign is water, whereby the blood of Christ is fitly resembled, which is that effectual water which doth wash and cleanse our souls: It must be pure, not mixed water, in respect of great personages, neither must any thing be added thereto, as salt, oil, etc. And the person Baptised, must neither be marked with an hot iron, as amongst the Ethiopians, nor Circumcised, as its the practice of others: In ours, though some things be retained, which some good men have stumbled at, yet they that be so shy of them as to forsake the Church, as the Separatists do, or neglect and omit Baptism, or break the peace of the Church, by seeking to have their Children Baptised elsewhere, they are too bird-eyed, and I think its ignorance and weakness in them; if they were retained, as the Papists used them, putting holiness in them superstitiously; yet if there were no other cause but this, we should not forsake the Church, nor refuse Baptism; much less seeing our Church doth altogether protest against superstition in them, and retains them for order only: The thing signified, is the inward cleansing of the soul, which being impure through sin, is filthy before God, till it be washed by the blood of Christ, and Spirit of Sanctification; yet as there are some which will see no filthiness therein, so are there others, which are so far from seeking to be purged, that they wallow still in the mire of their lusts. By this Sacrament also, there's an inward and Spiritual thing sealed, and grace conveyed, though an unbeliever seeth it not, contrary to the opinion of the Katabaptists, which teacheth it to be a badge only of a Christian profession, and no further; yet are not the sign and the thing signified always and necessarily tied together, and so Baptism doth not save by the work wrought, as the Papists would: Even Reprobates may have the outward Baptism, which yet doth them no good, but rather is a witness against them.  
For not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards God doth save us,] 
The uses of Baptism.  To believers indeed, both sign and thing signified go together, and they may receive much comfort from their Baptism; as by it make a confident demand of Salvation from God, for they believing and desiring to obey God, there was sealed up in their Baptism, the pardon of their sins and sanctification, both which they may confidently challenge at God's hand, and therewith eternal life: This Sacrament also is our badge and livery of God, and of our holy profession, whereby we differ from Pagans, Turks, Jews, etc.  
This is also an instruction to us, 
Use.  to lead a holy life, 
Rom. 6. 4.  as we did profess and promise when we were Baptised: This is an help to keep us from sin for the time to come, being provoked thereto, we may answer, that we cannot in respect of our Baptism; yea, this also is useful to raise us up to repentance after we be fallen; and as no doubt it did Noah good every time he saw the Ark, so seeing Baptism saveth us, that is, is a sign to us of our Salvation, we should often meditate thereof, 
Who is to Baptise, and who to be Baptised.  and be glad to be put in mind of the same.  
For those which are to Baptise, they must be lawfully called hereunto, and for those which are to be baptised, they are not all men, but they that be within the pale of the Church, neither are beasts, or dead things to be Baptised: The Popish Baptising of Bells, is an horrible profanation of this Sacrament: Baptism is a sign of Regeneration, neither doth it profit without Faith, therefore none may have it, but they which be capable of Regeneration and Faith: but of these particulars, as also of the Baptism of Infants, the time of Baptism, who are to be present thereat, who to present the child to Baptism, the witnesses, the name, the form and manner, whether Baptism be of absolute necessity to Salvation, whether John's Baptism, and Christ's were all one, or divers, with divers the like; I have largely spoken by way of Catechising.  
By the resurrection of Jesus Christ] 
See Rom. 4. 25. and 8. 34.  Here he showeth that we are not to rest in one Baptism, to find Salvation in it, but to look to the death and resurrection of Christ, whereby our Salvation is purchased and procured, though it be sealed up by Baptism: He puts one for both, his Resurrection, being the accomplishment of our Salvation, and Testification thereof, containing his death under it.   

Verse 22. Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels, and authorities, and powers, being made subject unto him.  
HEre follows another Reason to comfort Christians, in suffering for Christ's sake; namely, that he for whom they suffer, and who is their head, is advanced into most high dignity, being ascended into Heaven, and there at the right hand of God, etc. that is, hath all power in Heaven and Earth committed to him in his Church, all Angels, Principalities and Powers, both good and bad, being made subject to him, who therefore can make the good to serve our turn, and can repress the bad, much more can he repress the violence and rage of men, that persecute his people.  
Touching the Ascension of Christ, 
What our Saviors ascension was.  I have showed you what it was, namely, that our Saviour having sufficiently manifested the truth of his resurrection, and confirmed his Disciples by the power of his Godhead, and partly by the supernatural property of a glorified body, he left the Earth, and was taken up into the highest Heaven, and there is, and so shall continue till his coming to judgement.  
1. That he did ascend, 
That he did ascend.  the Scriptures declare unto us, He himself foretold it, 
Luke 24. 51.  first, more darkly, afterward more clearly; then most clearly, 
Acts 1. 9  when it was at hand: Neither was it without cause, partly because as his Manhood had suffered the lowest abasement, 
john 6. & 14. 19 & 20. 17.  so it might be advanced into the highest glory, 
Why he did ascend.  and partly that he might also perform such things as were to be performed for the good of his Church, namely, the Application of his death and merits, to those for whom he suffered, and the sending of the holy Ghost, etc.  
2. The persons before whom be did ascend, 
Before whom he did ascend.  were not the Scribes, Pharisees, and Jews, but his Disciples; those had seen enough already, but not profiting thereby, they were left to themselves; these were to Preach his ascension to all, God having ordained, men rather by hearing then seeing should be saved.  
3. The time, 
The time when he did ascend.  not till he had sufficiently proved his resurrection, God's goodness appearing herein, that would have all main points so clear, that they that will not stop their own eyes and ears, might believe. Neither did he ascend till he had comforted his Disciples, against all the troubles they were to meet with, and instructed them in the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God; 
They that have charge over others must be careful to leave them in good plight.  hereby teaching that all which have charge of others, must be careful to do all the good they possibly can to them that be under their charge, while they be with them, and after to provide to leave them in as good state as possibly they can: Thus should Magistrates (with Moses, who trained up Joshua, to succeed him) Thus should Ministers (with the Apostles Paul and Peter) Thus also should Householders, Parents, Masters do, that when they themselves shall die, others may succeed them, which may do as much, if not more service in the Church of God, than they did: But who do thus employ their talents for the good of souls? O what a fearful answer have most to make!  
4. The place from whence he did ascend, 
The place from which our Saviour ascended.  Bethany, or the Mount of Olives, both which were close together; that which was often the place of his mourning, and most sorrow, was now the place of his greatest comfort: Even there where Steven had such mighty adversaries, 
Acts 7. 56.  he had a most clear sight of Heaven open, and of Christ standing at the right hand of God: Even on the bed of sickness, in Prison, in strange countries, etc. where God's people have poured forth most supplications and groans, God hath revealed himself to them more plentifully and clearly then at any time.  
5. The benefits are, 
The benefits of his ascension.  1. To lead captivity captive. 2. To give gifts to men. 3. To prepare a place for us. 4. To send his holy Spirit into our hearts. 
Eph. 4. 8.  5. To make intercession for us.  
And is on the right hand of God,] 
john 14. 2.  In general, 
Three observations in general.  1. He gathers his Church by raising up Christian Kings and Governors, where he hath any Elect. 2. He governs and keeps the same, defeating all subtle plots of his Enemies, 
Isa. 49. 23.  and confounding all their devices; Thus did he on the behalf of the Church in Egypt; Thus also by overthrowing haman's conspiracy; Thus did he by dissipating the Spanish Armado, and defeating the Gunpowder Plot. 3. Exerciseth his Church with crosses, to scour off the rust, which usually long Prosperity brings thereon. In Particular, for the Members of his Church that shall be saved, he gathers them, guides them, and exerciseth them to obedience by crosses, and represseth a great part of the rage of their Spiritual Enemies, strengthening them against the same; and for the Enemies of his Church, he brings confusion upon them, as on Pharaoh, Senacherib, Haman; Herod, etc. Thus do we also see many Enemies of Christ's Church daily cut off, what else would become of the Church?  
Angels, and authorities, and powers, etc.] That is, both good and bad, the good willingly, the others against their will, are subject unto Christ.  
1. For the good Angels; 
The good Angels are subject to Christ.  If such glorious Creatures be subject to Christ, than  
1. How great a one is he, 
Use 1.  and how glorious is his Kingdom? He that hath Kings and Princes under him, is an Emperor; What's he then, to whom angels, and authorities, and powers, are subject?  
2. The greater honour and dignity our head hath, 
Use 2.  the more joy and comfort may we have, which are his members.  
Again, 
They watch and guard us.  In that he appoints them to watch and guard us, than  
1. What a great honour is this to us? as if a plain Country man should dine at a Noble man's Table, 
Use 1.  and have great Gentlemen with gold Chains to attend him?  
2. How may we hereby be comforted and encouraged against Satan's malice. 
Use 2.   
3. We must keep within compass, 
Use 3.  and walk carefully in God's ways: we must take heed we do no uncomely thing, lest thereby we make the Angels loath to attend on us, or to carry ill tidings of us to God, or be Messengers of some displeasure against us; They themselves are very zealous for God, and accordingly look that we should so be.  
2. For the evil Angels, 
The bad Angels are subject to Christ.  I shall not need to speak of their number, power, subtlety, malice, watchfulness to do hurt, as neither of their office and work, which is to hinder all good, and further all evil. Note we only, 
Col. 2. 15.   
1. That all these are subject Christ, 
Use 1.  and he hath triumphed over them.  
2. That as it's no small honour to him our head to have all these under him; 
Use 2.  so the meditation hereof cannot but be comfortable to us, both in regard of him and ourselves.  
3. That those evil Angels cannot do that evil they would, 
Use 3.  and if they cannot, much less can their instruments; If even the Devils be subject to him, that they cannot do what they would, much more can he repress the rage of wicked men, notwithstanding both of their malice and power: But of these points I have spoken at large by way of Catechism.    

CHAP. IU.  
THis Chapter consists of three parts: 
The contents of the Chapter  1. An Exhortation to Sanctification in general, being the common duty of all Christians, and belonging to all that shall be saved, from Verse 1. to Verse 7. 2. An Exhortation to some particular duties of Sanctification, from Verse 7. to Verse 12. 3. A comfort against persecution, or an encouragement to the suffering of affliction for Christ's and Righteousness sake, from thence to the end of the Chapter.  

Verse 1. Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind; for he that hath suffered in the flesh, hath ceased from sin: Verse 2. That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.  
HEre is 1. An Exhortation, 
The parts and meaning of these two Verses.  and 2. A motive to persuade thereto: The Exhortation is, to resolve to mortify and subdue the lusts of our corrupt nature, and to cease from sin; namely, living in any sin, which is both explained and amplified; explained by setting forth the parts of Sanctification severally, where's showed, 1. What must be laid away, the lusts of men; these we must not follow, nor walk in. 2. What we must do, even walk according to Gods will; amplified by the circumstance of time, even so much time as remaineth in this life behind. The motive to persuade hereto is, For that Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, namely, in his humane nature, both in body and soul (for that are we to understand by flesh in the first place; as thereby in the second, the mortifying of our corrupt nature, or that sinful disposition which is in us, called flesh, which spreadeth itself both over our bodies and souls; and in the third, this natural life of ours, while the soul lives in this body of ours) for us, not for himself, but our sins; for us, not angels, who are reserved undereverlasting chains of darkness, but for us men; for us, even me, and thee (whosoever thou art) that believest; for us, the Apostle himself being one (for every man must labour to know it to be for him, and the rest of Gods elect) Forasmuch then, I say, as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, we must arm ourselves with the same mind, even not only to bear afflictions patiently, and if it were to suffer persecution for his cause, but also to die unto sin, not living any more to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. As Christ hath died for sin, so should we die to sin, and not live in that for which Christ paid so dearly, and God so hated, and from which we are freed; but rather in token of our thankfulness for our deliverance, we must labour by all possible means to mortify these our wicked lusts, and to lead an holy life, to the glory of our Redeemer. Our Note may be this, That  
The passion of our Saviour Christ ought to be a mean to mortify our lusts, 
Doctr.  and to kill sin in us; 
The passion of Christ is an especial means to stir us up unto mortification.  for who can love the knife that killed his dearest friend, or that would have been his own certain destruction? neither can any man have any persuasion (upon good grounds) of his part in Christ death, except he die to sin; for as one end of Christ's death was to free us from condemnation, 
Tit. 3. 7.  so another was, to kill sin in us, 
2 Cor. 5. 15.  for he purgeth those whom he redeemeth: He is a perfect Saviour and Redeemer, not setting us free from some, but out of the tyranny of all our enemies, therefore of sin as well as wrath; again, would Christ die for a company, and have no use of them, but leave them still to live in sin?  
As therefore we would not live in sin, 
Use.  let us often meditate on Christ's passion: 
Rom. 8. 7.  O it's a fruitful mother of many children! To know that sin is enmity against God, 
1 Pet. 2. 11.  fights against the soul, brings death with it, is not so available to kill sin, as to know and meditate on this, That  
Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh] From the necessity of Christ's sufferings (whereof I have already spoken in the foregoing Chapter) Note, 
Observations from the necessity of Christ's suffering.   
1. Our woeful and miserable condition, as we are of ourselves.  
2. The ugliness and heinousness of sin in God's account.  
3. The admirable mixture of Justice and Mercy, with the unspeakable love of God and Christ Jesus. 
john 11. 36.  The Jews said, He loved Lazarus well, because he wept for him; much more may we say, That he loved us, 
2 Sam. 18. 33.  because he hath died for us. David loved Absolom well, who wished that he might have died for him; how much than hath Christ loved us, having indeed died for us? O what love do we owe for this so great love?  
4. The happiness of such as do truly believe and repent, their debt is fully discharged, and having right unto Christ, there's nothing that the Lord will deny them.  
5. That we are to renounce all false ways of Salvation, the Jews, the Turks and the Papists way, all other ways besides this.  
6. That we are to labour to know we have part in this; yea, Christ having suffered, we must also bear afflictions patiently.  
Arm yourselves likewise, etc. 
Christians are to labour for mortification. ] The duty whereunto we are exhorted, is to suffer in the flesh, to mortify our flesh, that is, our corrupt and sinful nature, and the lusts and sins thereof both inward and outward. But  
1. Most are so far from mortifying their lusts, 
Who do not.  that they follow them with greediness, and cannot endure any to speak against them: These be fools indeed, to destroy their own souls, by living in enmity and opposition against God.  
2. Some it may be refrain some lusts, but others they live in and yield to, and yet these will claim part in the death of Christ, hope to be saved by Christ; but so long as it's thus with them, its impossible that they should have any part in Christ.  
Do we therefore labour for mortification, 
Use.  applying the edge of the Word of God to the throat of our lusts: That we may not give way hereto, le's often call to mind the threatenings of the Word, the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lords Supper, what God offers us there, and what we convenanted with him for, the crosses which our lusts have drawn on us, God's manifold mercies unto us, but especially meditate on Christ's death and passion, which is indeed a strong corrasive to eat out sin; for our corruptions remain too rank, and through want of care and too much yielding thereto, be not subdued as they ought: Let us know, that he is the best Christian, not that hears most, or knows most, or can utter most, but he that hath most power over his affections and heart. Note further from hence,  
That as our lusts fight against us, 
Christian's must furnish themselves as Soldiers, that they may prevail.  so we must furnish ourselves like Soldiers, that we may prevail against them: It's no easy thing to get out of sin, or to get the Mastery thereof; it's to mortify our members, to pluck out our right eyes, and cut off our right hands: It's easier to take any pains in offering sacrifice, 
Isa. 1. 16. and 58. 5.  nay, fast extraordinarily, and to part with our goods, 
Micah. 6. 7.  with thousands of Rams, and ten thousand rivers of oil, yea, with our first born, then to part with one beloved sin: 
jam. 4. 1.  They that would overcome their lust, must not stand still, or be without weapons; 
1 Pet. 2. 11.  we have that within us which rebelleth against the Law of God, 
Rom. 7. 23.  and would lead us captive to the Law of sin which is in our members: Hereunto the Devil adds his power, the world also joins herewith, by ill examples, bad counsels, mockings, revile, etc. and therefore we must be resolute and play the Soldiers, if we would get out of our bad course: Through want hereof, some even under a powerful ministry, be never converted; some get a little way, but hang behind in sin; some are a great while ere they can get out, whom the Word having called and awakened, the world, the Devil and their own lusts do again freshly assault; nay, some being truly converted, yet fall back again into foul security, and have yet strong corruptions, and many odd qualities, etc.  
1. This rebukes most of the world, 
Use.  who do indeed join with these enemies; few fight against them, but fewer resolutely, and therefore are led captive of them to their destruction.  
2. This may provoke us to put on the whole armour of God, 
Use 2.  to arm ourselves on all occasions, and in all temptations, with good thoughts, and meditations of the ugliness of sin, 
Eph. 6. 13.  danger of it, its hatefulness to God, with the passion of our Saviour Christ: O how few arm themselves, or when they do, it's but to halves? O this must be put on and kept on continually, night and day, we shall sleep never the worse; there can be no truce between us and our enemies: This must be kept even in the times of greatest prosperity. 
Simile.  Ships usually are cast away in storms, but Christians may miscarry when its calm. Thus was it with David, he abode constant in all Saul's storms, but in the time of peace, was carried away with Bathsheba's beauty: It must be kept on even in our old age, and till death, for than will the Devil set himself most against us; and both Noah, Moses, and others, did then catch worse foils than ever before.  
Suffered in the flesh, 
To mortify our corrupt nature, why called suffering in the flesh ] To mortify our corrupt nature is called suffering in the flesh; and the truth is, its hard to say, whether is harder to suffer bodily torments and pains, or to mortify a man's lust: O it's a death to part with them; yea, when in a man after long strife between the grace of God and his corrupt nature, in the work of his conversion grace prevails, 
Mark 9 20.  it's even as the pangs of death; as when the Devil went out of the child, he threw him down, and he lay foaming as if he had been dead: O it's not so easy a matter as the blind and profane world imagine.  
Hath ceased from sin,] That is, living in any sin, For he that is born of God sinneth not; 
1 john 3. 8, 9  and, He that committeth sin is of the Devil.  
That he no longer, 
The whole time of our life after our conversion must be spent holily.  etc.] The whole time of our life that remains after we are called to repentance, aught to be spent in the service of God, and practice of Repentance, and a new life: We owe all our life to him, all the days of our life, the whole time, we owe all to him who hath made and preserved us, 
Luke 1. 75.  nothing to any other: What time therefore we have spent in sin, 
1 Pet. 1. 17.  we have robbed God of it, and so ought willingly to give him the remainder, redeeming that is passed with all diligence: The time passed we know, but what is behind we know not how little it may be, and therefore must make use of the time present, in turning to God and providing for our own souls.  
1. This rebukes those that have spent a great part of their life in sin, 
Use 1.  and yet being called to repentance, cannot afford this remainder to God; as young men that think it as yet too soon, etc. much more horrible and wicked are they, that have spent half their life, their young time in pleasures and vanities, and now are as mad of the world as ever, with whom even yet it's too soon to turn to God.  
2. Let this be a provocation unto all sorts to turn unto God: 
Use 2.  Let young men repent, 
Psal. 119. 9  they be called, and invited hereunto: O now it would be acceptable to God when their wit is fresh, 
Eccles. 12. 1.  their memory good, their body and mind able; it would be like Abel's sacrifice: As for old, torn, lame Sacrifices, God hath no regard to them: If we begin betimes, we shall prevent a number of sins, and so a great deal of smart and sorrow. Besides, we shall learn goodness with much more ease, if God should from our youth turn our hearts after it: If we delay, we shall thereupon see not only how wretchedly we have spent our time, and misused our wit, memory and strength, but how dull we be when we are old, and unfit to learn, it will much vex us; an old Convert lightly never gets knowledge, and sees but dimly the way, 
Mat. 8. 24.  as he that saw men like trees. If one should defer to learn a trade till age, he might easily perceive that his wit were dull, his fingers and joints stiff: Let the middle aged repent, nay, let not even the oldest despair, but hasten to repent, that if possible they may crowd in. 
Heb. 11. 13.  And for those that have long walked in the ways of God, let them hold out to the end, do so still; many of God's servants have been tripped in old age, yea, and then the Devil labours most to entrap them.  
Should live in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.] We must neither live in gross actual sins, wherein most men live, that lust after them, as a woman longeth after a thing when she is with child, nor give way to the inward corruptions of our hearts, proceeding from that old man, Lusts, Original sin, concupiscence that is in us; we must not live after the lusts of carnal, natural and unregenerate men, called in the next Verse, The lusts of the Gentiles, of which as being enemies to God, and to our own souls, and bringing death along with them, I have already spoken: It's an argument, that they which live after them, 
Gal. 5. 24.  be not Christ's: To those now living after their pleasures, and following their lusts, it will be said hereafter as to Dives, 
Luke 16. 25.  Thou hast had thy pleasure, as Lazarus pain, now is he comforted, thou tormented.  
But we must live after the will of God; 
God's will must be the rule for all our actions.  To whose will should the servant be obedient, but to his masters, the subject but to his Princes? God is our master and sovereign: His will also is a most holy, pure and perfect will, and a rule of righteousness; he requires no uncomely, no hurtful thing of us, but that which is holy and profitable every way: The Angels in Heaven, they do the will of God, our Saviour came into the world to do his will: 
john 15. 10. & 17. 4.  In his passion he had respect hereto, Not my will, but thy will be done, saith he; all the Saints do it, 
Mat. 7. 21.  and the godly on earth are and ever have been careful hereof, as being a note of such as shall be saved: All creatures in their kind obey the will of God, and do that they were appointed for; we are taught to pray, that this may be done: To do this in all things willingly, 
Mat. 6. 10.  brings comfort and peace along with it.  
1. This rebukes those that will not be brought in subjection to Gods will, but of all things that's most irksome to them: Who made thee? who gave thee this comely body and reasonable soul? who hath preserved thee? whose will shouldest thou be subject to? art thou a masterless person? such should be sent to the house of correction: Whose will dost thou follow? what fault findest thou with Gods will? is it a better will which thou followest? O no, it's a most corrupt and sinful will. 
Use 2.   
2. It rebuketh those which will be ruled by the will of God in some things only, and at their pleasure; this is not to do Gods will, but our own: Such was Pharaohs obedience, Saul's, the Devils: About this there's no small stir in the world; God would have his will, and men would have theirs; Ministers call for Gods will, and people will have their own, though they die for it, say who will against it: And indeed oftentimes, what is it, but their will that they do oftentimes? It's against their profit, their credit, prejudicial both to soul and body: Why do men follow drunkenness and riot, but because they will? This is the cause why Preaching is so little regarded of most, so much opposed by many, even because it would set up Gods will, and pull down man's: If any Preacher shall speak against profaning the Lordsday, Oh, he is a troubler of Israel, hinders people from their wills and old wonts: They inquire not what Gods will is in things, but what their profit and pleasure leads them to; not what is the way that God would have us increase by, namely, by diligence in our calling, by equal and righteous dealing, etc. is God's way asked after and followed? No, but shorter cuts are sought after, as by deceit, oppression, and the like; it's a sign that such shall never come into God's Kingdom, every Creature is better than they, and have a better end except they repent▪ If they will have their wills, they must have that belongs to it, they must pay dearly for them, as many do: Israel would have flesh in the Wilderness, would have a King as other Nations had; they had their wills, but it had been better for them they had been without; Ahab would have his will in going to Ramoth Gilead, he had it, and there perished: God will have his will of such in their condemnation, as who will resist his Sovereignty, and he will not cease to be a King, though they refuse to be Subjects? O (considering the filthiness of our own will, and the the dangers thereof, and the holiness of God's will, and the benefit that comes thereby) that we would renounce our own, and follow Gods will.  
3. It rebuketh the Servants of God, that be not so careful of the will of God as they ought: O how often do we suffer our own wills to bear sway, in omitting many a good duty, or doing it coldly; so in doing that is evil, in wrath, impatience, worldliness, & c! It's his will that we should forget wrongs, but we do often nourish and retain them in our thoughts; It's his will that we should be patient, but we burst out upon small occasions; It's his will that we should keep holy the Sabbath day, but we do for the most part profane the same: Herein we do but foolishly, for if we mark it (as we do, if we be of God, and I speak to such) we have ever checkings of conscience, and smart for it, as peace in cleaving close to his will: O how often do we lose our comfort, and pull crosses on ourselves?  
Note we further from these words, 
God's will and men's lusts be opposite each to other.   
1. That to live after the lusts of men and to the will of God, be opposite each to other; our inward lusts, with the desires and fruits thereof, are enmity against God, and as contrary to the holy will of God, as light and darkness, God and the Devil; for the Devil and our corrupt hearts be much alike: no marvel then if we think so well of ourselves, and make so much of our lusts.  
2. That we cannot at one and the same time, 
No man can at one and the same time live unto both.  both walk after our lusts, and live to Gods will; or live to Gods will, and walk but after our lust: God and Satan can never dwell in one heart together, as neither the love of sin and goodness: This well considered, would discover some to be in a worse case than they think; they think, seeing they have renounced many lusts and most sins, and are in many things obedient, one sin is not so much, but though they love that, they do love God and goodness too. Deceive not yourselves, its impossible it should be so: one lust loved, is sufficient to prove a man unconverted, sufficient also to condemn him, and all his other obedience is vain: 
james 2. 10.  If thou wouldst indeed please God and be saved, renounce the love of every lust, and walk in obedience to all God's Commandments.  
3. That in the course of Sanctification, 
Till we renounce our lusts we cannot be holy.  we must begin at renouncing our own will, and the lusts of men: None sow or plant, till weeds be pulled up; None put on new apparel, till they have put off their rags: 
Simile.  So must we abandon all the love of evil, ere we can entertain any good.  
This rebukes the common course of the world, 
Use.  that set upon goodness, ere they have bid adieu to their lusts; All their service is abomination before God.  
4. That it's not sufficient that we do renounce our lusts and evil, 
Having renounced our lusts, we must yield obedience to Gods will.  except we yield obedience to the will of God: Thus the Scriptures run, Cease to do evil, and learn to do well; abhor that which is evil, and cleave unto that which is good; deny godliness and worldly lusts, and live holily and soberly, etc. die to sin, and live to righteousness; put off the old man, and put on the new; cast off the works of darkness, and put on the armour of light: It's nothing, or at least but half, if a man hath renounced ill company, if he hath not taken up the love of good; It's not for il-doing that men shall be condemned, but for the not doing good: 
Matth. 3. 10.  Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, shall be hewn down, and cast into the fire. It's not enough we have no disorder in our families, or be no ryotors, or ill example givers therein, except we take up good orders in stead thereof; It's not enough we do no hurt, if we do no good: 
Matth. 12. 30. and 44. 45.  He that gathereth not, scattereth; and he that doth no good in a Town, doth hurt: An house empty and swept, if it be not garnished with goodness, its fit to be possessed of Satan again; yet how many think highly of themselves, because they have done no hurt, have not wronged, oppressed, defrauded any, who yet have done no good.  
5. That it's not one action or two, 
A man's constant course of walking, discovers what he is.  whereby a man is discovered what he is, but his constant course of walking or living: The best man may be and is overtaken, as Noah, Lot, David, Peter, doing according to his own lusts and will, not Gods, but such is not his constant course; yea, when he doth otherwise then is fit, he is grieved, and humbled, unfeignedly repenteth, and earnestly desireth to be more watchful over his own ways: We must not because of some corruptions conclude against ourselves that we are not the Lords, if in the mean time our hearts bear us witness, that what we do is contrary to our intent and purpose, our course and drift of life; on the contrary, it's not one good action or two that makes a good Christian, if a man's course be contrary thereto; for even a Thief will be sometimes in the King's highway when it's for his advantage, 
Simile.  whereas usually he keeps in back lanes, and blind ways: Thus many a bad man will come to hear the word (this is one of God's ways) but all the day after he will be in his own course, even lying, swearing, drinking, deceiving, without any reformation either in heart or life.   

Verse 3. For the time passed of our life may suffice us, to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revel, banquet, and abominable idolatries.  
HEre are more Reasons to persuade to holiness of life: 
More Reasons to persuade unto holiness.  They had already spent a great deal of time in the service of sin, and following their own lusts, and therefore were not now to continue any longer therein. Again, whereas before the Gospel they lived in ignorance, now having the light thereof, another manner of behaviour, judgement and practice was looked for of them.  
But one would think a few words might serve to dissuade men from such filthy lusts, 
The necessity of frequent Exhortations hereunto.  so odious in themselves, so hateful to God, so harmful to the doers thereof, and to persuade to holiness of life, so beautiful in itself, so acceptable to God, and so profitable to those which did seek after the same. True, if we were as we should be, or as we were in Adam, but we are altogether corrupted and depraved, and now we have no mind to that which is good, nay, its death and bonds to us, but that which is evil we eagerly mind and seek after; whereunto may be added, that hereunto the Devil and the world egg us on, as they hang on us to hold us back from goodness. Hence it is that so few are converted, that men count goodness a prison, naughtiness their heaven, that they mock at goodness, and only except against some men because they are good, whom they could love for all other things, but for that they hate him.  
1. Let us take knowledge of our vile disposition, 
Use 1.  le's not follow the bend thereof, lest we perish: It misleads us altogether; let us use all diligence to mortify our lusts, and to strengthen us to good, for it's no easy matter to attain this.  
2. Let us be persuaded that there is continual need of preaching, 
Use 2.  and all other good means to bring this to pass, and not say with most, What need all this preaching, & c?  
3. Let Ministers be most earnest, 
Use 1.  and labour by all possible means to win men to God; when we have done all that we can do, we may find by woeful experience, that all is too little: When we see the holy Ghost going from a matter, and to it again, and dwelling upon it, and pressing it with manifold reasons, know we, That diligence and carefulness is required in us about the same.  
For the time passed of our life may suffice us, etc.] He doth not here approve of their former living, as though that might be born with, or speaks as we do in a lawful thing, as meat, drink, recreation, etc. It's enough now, leave off: O this would have been a plausible Doctrine, that men might have taken a time, till they had had their fill prettily well in sin so they then returned! Our Apostle hath no such meaning, but rather schools them, that the badness of the time past should humble them, and make them careful to spend the rest better, and to hasten thereto. Whence thus much may be noted, That  
The time passed of every man's life misspent, 
The consideration of our former misspent time, is an especial furtherance to repentance.  aught to be a great spur to repentance.  
Reas. 1. The time spent in sin, we know how much it is, but what is behind we know not: The Devil is sure of his part, but what God shall have, whether half, or a quarter so much, is uncertain: If we knew we should live twenty years more to serve God, 
Reasons.  as we have done twenty years in sin, God should have but the half, but we know not whether we shall live twenty days; Should we then defer? Should we not make haste? 2. Time is very precious, above gold and silver, and hereof we have squandered away a great part. 3. There is no time to be spent in sin, but we are to serve God in holiness and righteousness, 
Eccles. 12. 1.  all the days of our life: We must remember our creator, even in the days of our youth: Therefore having robbed him of some of his due, is it not well he will take this that remains, and put up that wrong at our hands that is past, though we add no more? 4. Whatsoever time is spent till we return to God, is all going out of the way; and if a man hath gone out of his way but till eight or nine a clock, assuredly that's more then enough. 5. Whatsoever time is spent that way, is but doing that that must be undone again, and repent of, and we must with grief and shame wish we had not done it: Is not a little of this too much? who will willingly so do his work, that it must be ripped or ravelled out again? we use to chide our Children if they do their work so, nay, who perceiving that he hath thus wrought, will not grieve? who will not hereupon say, It was a good turn I spied it so soon, & c? So should we grieve at all our former misspent time, withal, blessing God that we did so soon perceive it. 6. All that is done this way is for the Devil, our sworn Enemy, for whom even the least is too much: It's for the flesh, to which we owe nothing, and for the world, which is our deadly (though subtle) Enemy. 7. It's all done against God, to whom we owe all, and is it not then sufficient we have wronged him so far? and is it not a great mercy if he will pardon all that is past, though he add no more to the heap? 8. And all is against our own souls, and is it not sufficient we have wronged, yea, wounded our own souls hitherto, the welfare and salvation whereof we should now (at least) seek? 9 It's all done in such filthy work, as God never set them about, nor gave them soul and body for the doing thereof.  
1. This rebuketh those youths, that being called on to repentance, yet think its too soon, and that that's not sufficient which they have done already, What? Have they not yet spent time enough that way, do they know there is so much more behind? you would repent ere you died, would you not? you would: Must you not then do it to day, for you know not but that you may die to morrow? Have you squandered away already so much precious time, as that some would even give the whole world for one day thereof, and will ye yet go on in that course? O do it not, lest God snatch you away suddenly; lest God give you up unto your hearts lusts, and so ye fulfil the measure of your iniquity!  
2. This rebuketh also those unreasonable people, 
Use 2.  as middle aged folks, of forty or fifty years, which are now as deep in the world and their profits, as before they were in their pleasures, and yet it's not sufficient for them; they can find no time of thinking truly and throughly to turn to God.  
3. It rebuketh also those that do still defer till towards their end, 
Use 3.  and then they will turn to God; Is not God much beholding to them? O let these sluggards know, that poverty will come upon them suddenly and strongly: If they will needs stay till almost Sunset ere they set out, shall they not with the Levite and his Concubine be benighted, 
judges 19 15.  and shut out of doors? Their condition shall be the same with the five foolish Virgins. 
Matth. 25. 10.  If a man had a long journey, 
Simile.  and had gone out of the way all day, till three of the clock in the afternoon, would he being informed thereof, go on still, and say, When it's almost Sun set, I'll turn into the right way? yet thus doth the world: Men defer till they think they shall die; then have they to come back all the way of their life, and then must they lead the contrary good life, and ere they can do this, the night of death overtakes them, and they be shut out with Dogs and Enchanters, etc. O let such be wise in time, ere it be too late, and let them think it more than high time, to turn head, and to ride hard too, to redeem the time! It's past Noon with many of us, nay, past three of the clock in the afternoon, it draws towards night with some: O then is it not time for us to draw near to God Note further from hence, That  
Where God bestoweth means of Salvation, 
Where God bestows means of Salvation, he expects answerable fruit.  he expects fruit answerable; while a place lies wild and common like a Heath, there can be nothing expected but Briars and Thorns; but if it be paled in, and digged and planted, then may fruit be expected therefrom: when a people want the means, 
See Isaiah 5. 1.  especially the Gospel, what can be looked for at their hands? 
Luke 8. 7.  having it, their life and conversation must be answerable. See Rom. 13. 12. Eph. 4. 17. 1 Thess. 4. 5. and 5. 4.  
1. This discovereth the woeful state of this Land, 
Use 1.  which so aboundeth in iniquity, notwithstanding the clear light of the Gospel amongst us: Our sins are more than in times of Popery, then among Turks and Pagans: Our Saviors woes denounced against Chor azin and Bethsaida may well fit us, it shall be easier for them, then for us: Do we so requite the Lord? bring we forth nothing but sour Grapes? Assuredly, were it not for an handful, for some small remnant yet left amongst us, we might have looked to have been ere this as Sodom and Gomorrah; our wine being as theirs, 
Heb. 6. 8.  for our sin is as theirs: Most are like that ground which beareth thorns and briars, whose end is to be burned; the means they have, will but increase their sin and damnation.  
2. This rebuketh many whose fruit is nothing meet for him by whom they be dressed, 
Use 2.  we live not as if we were in the noonday, but in the twilight; 
Phil. 1. 27.  our conversation is not such as becometh the Gospel.  
3. For such as have received special favour from God, 
Use 3.  and made their Covenant with him of true obedience, they must walk far otherwise then the men of the world: They must not be covetous, as they that know no better inheritance than the world: they must not be proud, as they that know no better garments than these rags and clouts, being altogether ignorant of Christ's righteousness: So we must not talk of worldly matters on the Lordsday, as heretofore; we must not spend our time in gaming, 
john 14. 17.  sport, or too much merriment, or idleness, as before: If we be guided by the Spirit of God, which the world knoweth not, let us show it by our fruits; and so much as we hope to differ from them in our latter end, so let us differ now.  
To have wrought the will of the Gentiles,] This is not meant of every particular person of the Jews that were written to in this Epistle, that they thus walked as the Gentiles, and it may be some of the Gentiles were restrained and lived soberly; but this he understands of the body of them both.  
But how came they to live after the lusts of the Gentiles? They lived amongst them, and so became as bad as they. Whence note, That  
Bad company is very dangerous; 
Bad company is very dangerous.  Solomon forbids it, and so doth St. Paul; David also clears himself of it, he could not away therewith: See Prov. 1. 10. 
See Downham Spirit. War. cap. 17. part 2.  and 23. 20. and 24. 1. 2 Cor. 6. 17. Psal. 26. 4. and 119. 63, 115. In the Law its forbidden to touch a thing unclean, as a dead corpse: 
Luke 7. 21.  This did morally signify meddling with sin and sinners: Using bad company we can neither keep a good course, nor a good conscience; we shall quickly learn their evils, we being apt scholars hereto, and our nature like tinder and gunpowder readily set on fire. None can walk in the Sun but shall be tanned, 
Simile.  nor touch pitch but he shall be defiled, nor be in a Mill but he shall be dusted, nor dwell with a Collier but he shall be smutted; so cannot any frequent the company of wicked men, but he shall be harmed hereby; yea, how can any converse with such, and not be accessary to their sins (at least through their untimely silence, not reproving or admonishing them for the same) and so consequently partaker of their plagues.  
O then, 
Use.  as we would avoid the company of those that have the plague, lest we be infected thereby, so le's shun the company of those which are tainted with foul sins, 
2 Cor. 6. 17.  lest destruction come upon us: The Lord calls upon us to come out and depart from such; 
1 King. 22. 32.  Jehoshaphat escaped narrowly with his life for being with Ahab, and questionless not a few have smarted for being familiar with the wicked. 
Lasciviousness and lusts, what they are and how common.   
When we walked in laciviousness, lusts,] Hereby is meant all sorts of uncleanness, and the provocations thereto, as fiddling, dancing, mixed sports of men and women, filthy talking, ribald jesting, unclean songs, lewd ballads, whorish apparel, idleness, etc. These are so common, that it's even a death to people to be held from them; we can scarce see a young man or woman in whom some one or other flag of wantonness hangeth not out; Are not these works of darkness? shall such inherit the Kingdom of Heaven? O that the disorder of such were pulled down, and that they would in time repent of their wantonness and lusts, which will else cost them full dear one day, and was never so sweet, but it will prove as bitter.  
Excess of wine,] Another lust of the Gentiles which we are to avoid, the immoderate use or rather abuse of wine and strong drink: Wine is the good creature of God, made for good use, and God hath given us liberty to use the same, and that both ordinarily (according to our ability, 
See Psal. 104. 15.  so as it may be for the health of our bodies, and strengthening the same the better to serve God in his worship, 
Prov. 31. 6.  and our callings, 
1 Tim. 5. 23.  and in time of weakness of body or mind) and extraordinarily, as in times of great and solemn rejoicing; so of thanksgiving to God for deliverances and mercies, and at marriages, or such meetings of friends, wherein not only what's for necessity is allowed, but also what's for delight, and so a more liberal use thereof then at other times; yet even then, moderation and christian sobriety must be retained; 
john 2. 10.  we must no further make use of wine, but as thereby we may be fit to praise God, 
Drunkenness an abominable sin.  or otherwise to do good: But the excessive use of it to drunkenness is abominable, and often prohibited. Besides, it's not only odious to God, 
Isaiah 5. 22.  and so all good men, but it's even vile in the eyes of the Heathen, 
Luke 21. 34.  insomuch that they have made many severe Laws against the same, 
Eph. 5. 18.  and uttered many excellent sayings against it: It puts God as it were ou● of place, and makes one's belly his God, for that he serves more than God, cares for it, seeks to please it more than God, nay, to satisfy it, he cares not to dishonour God; It's also a wicked abuse of God's benefits, and a means to dishonour him, which ought to allure us to love and serve him, it makes a man also unfit for God's service; we be unfit at the best, but when the head and heart are oppressed with drink, we are then as blocks and beasts, unfit for any good work in Church or Commonwealth, unfit to govern or be governed, 
Leu. 10. 9  unfit to follow our Callings, yea, unable to cover our own nakedness, 
Prov. 31. 5.  as it was with Noah. 
Psal. 69. 12.  Hence it is, that Magistrates and Ministers, whose callings are of greatest use and necessity, do flatly forbid it; it makes a man also fit for all evil, as to swagger, swear, curse, rail, mock; to talk filthily, to scoff at Religion, and the Servants of God; to commit whoredom, (as Lot) to quarrel, fight, stab, kill, (daily experience showing most frays proceeding from the pot) to thrust their wives out of doors, beat their Children, play the mad men, fill all places with filthy vomiting, etc. It's reported, that one being tempted to whoredom, murder, and drunkenness, and thinking that he must needs yield to one of them, for that adultery was dishonourable and dangerous, and murder most odious and fearful, he gave way to the third, which was drunkenness, but then when he was drunk, fell into both the other; for having committed folly with another man's wife, the husband coming in, he killed him. This puts out the eye of the soul, and takes away the use of Reason for a time, even that whereby a man differs from a beast, and indeed, makes a man, so that being drunk, 
See Pro. 23. 35.  he knows neither what he doth, nor what is done to him, as it fared both with Noah and Lot: For a man to cut or hurt his own flesh, were bad, but to hurt the principal part, the soul, how dangerous is it? That were but as if one should kill a Subject; this, as if he did take the Prince, and bind him hand and foot, and turn him out of his place of Government: Who would put out his bodily eyes? but too too many do thus put out the eyes of their soul. This disguiseth the body, which is God's workmanship, and comely, and aught to be preserved in holiness and honour, 
1 Cor. 6. 13.  and kept as a Temple for the holy Ghost, and makes it the sty of the Devil: From hence are red eyes, an inflamed face, a swollen body, the hands quiver, the feet reel and stagger; yea, it not only disguiseth, but endangereth it; it dulls the wit, spoils the memory, breeds diseases, Dropsies, Imposthumes, Palsies; oppressing and drowning the natural heat before the time (as a Lamp with too much oil, 
Simile.  or a candle thrown into the water, ere it be half burnt) and so bringing untimely death: They that are addicted hereunto, are self-murtherers, and though they had need to prolong their lives while they can, 
Hosea 4. 18.  unless they were fitter for death, yet do they long as it were, and hasten to be in Hell: This is a stinking sin both to God and all good men; It's a wicked abuse of God's Creatures, appointed to be received with prayer and thanksgiving to the glory of the giver thereof; 
1 Tim. 4. 4.  It's a wasting of the portion which God hath given us, whereby we might live comfortably, and do much good to others in Church and Commonwealth: O how many do hereby squander all away, rob Church, Commonwealth, Poor, yea, their own Families, their Wife's portions, and children's Patrimony, all going down their throat! 
1 Tim 5. 8.  What cruel murderers be these? If he that provides not for them is worse than an Heathen, than what is he that having already wherewith to maintain them, thus pulls it as it were from them? This also is a wicked mispending of our precious time; This brings infamy and reproach with God and men; This brings beggary along with it: many having spent all on strong drink in their youth, are fain to drink water in their age; This hath woe, sorrow, and wounds attending thereon: 
Prov. 23. 29.  Many in their drunkenness have been stabbed, as others have come to the gallows for that they have done in their drink; yea, custom and continuance herein, breeds not a delight only, but from thence another nature, and a kind of necessity upon the body, that they cannot leave it; they swallow not the wine so much, as the wine swallows them up, and they are buried in wine, & as unfit for any good, 
See Deut. 21. 20.  as one that is buried, to do the work of a living man. Hereunto may be added, 
Isaiah. 5. 22.  that as there are fearful judgements threatened against this, 
1 Cor. 6. 10.  both in respect of this, and the life to come (for the cup of the fierceness of God's wrath is prepared for such to drink to the bottom, and the full Vials of his judgements will be poured out upon them eternally) so amongst others, this is the main, that they seldom or never repent: I have known some touched at the Word because of this, weep for it, promise, yea, vow against it, who have yet again fallen into company, and could never get out.  
1. If this be so horrible a sin, 
Use 1.  what shall we say to the Land wherein it is grown to such an horrible height, and to abound in such a fearful sort? It was wont to be the sin of other Countries, now we have got it, and may we not boast of our gettings, think ye? It was wont to be rare, but is now common in all places; wont to be done in a corner, and the parties ashamed thereof, now it staggers abroad in the open streets, none being ashamed of the same; wont to be the sin of base ones, according to the Proverb, He is as drunk as a beggar, but now it's the sin of Gentlemen, and herein our Yeoman's sons exceed, 
Acts 2. 15.  to the wasting of their Revenues: St. Peter's argument were now a very slender one, for men rise early to drink strong drink; yea, men are now grown into such an horrible height of impiety, as that they labour and strive to excel therein; they get Beer of extraordinary strength, and call it by names, Snapdragon, and (which is most horrible Blasphemy) Hosanna in the highest, etc. drink by the yard, by the dozen, in pails, in crooked horns that cannot be set down, make matches who shall drink each other drunk under the Table: O fearful! Is this the fruit of the Gospel, and of this peace and light? It's indeed a work of darkness, though it abounds in the light of the Gospel, a lust of the Gentiles, and so not beseeming Christians: Do we marvel at unseasonable Wether, at Famine, and Scarcity, & c? we may rather wonder at God's patience: And were it not that our Governors and the chief of the Land have taken it to heart, and Enacted good Laws to suppress it, both by prescribing a penalty upon it, and preventing it by diminishing of Alehouses, the sinks of all disorder and mischief, and by forbidding excessive strong Beer, and enjoining a moderate size thereof, etc. We might have looked for some notable judgement of God; but when men of authority take sin to heart, and seek to punish the same, than God takes it well, and is pacified: Contrarily, when Magistrates have not grace and courage to put life into his Laws, by the due execution of Justice, the Lord is enforced to take his rod into his own hand.  
2. This condemneth those which are addicted unto this sin of drunkenness; 
Use 2.  What? Think they that God gave them their souls and bodies, their goods, health, wealth, his good creatures, and their precious time to use thus? hath he bestowed on them the days of the Gospel, that they should make themselves Beasts, unfit for any good● what answer and account think they to make to Almighty God for these things? They may justly fear some notable judgement from God to be inflicted on them, as of late there hath been on divers, and do not these things affright you? dare you go on in the like? were they not sent for your admonition, and to be warnings unto you? Awake therefore you Drunkards, and howl, humble yourselves on the knees of your soul, confess your horrible wickedness to Almighty God, cry for mercy and pardon, and if it be possible, turn from this base vice, renounce, hate, detest, vow, covenant, swear against it, pray also to be kept therefrom, avoid all company of lewd ones, which will either by flattery allure you, or if you yield not to them, reproach and mock you: But what do I speak to them that have lost their wits, Is there any hope of repentance for such? Well, yet nothing is impossible to God, The harder it is, labour the more, and weep and lament for that is past, redeem the time to come, give your souls and bodies to please God in all good life and sober conversation; you have spent your goods and time hereon, do so no more: If thou wiltst not be persuaded, but go on still and hate to be reform, thou mayest look for some one or other dreadful judgement to be here inflicted on thee, and at thy death to be cast into utter darkness, who hast wallowed in the works of darkness, 
See Psal. 75. 8.  and for thy drunkenness to drink off the full cup of God's judgement for ever and ever.  
Neither are common drunkards only to be rebuked, but such also as will now and then drink with their friends, and sit so long talking and bibbing, or gaming and drinking, that they be caught, and are scarce wise enough to find the way home; they may count themselves wise men, 
Prov. 20. 1.  but Solomon saith nay to it; they shall not be counted innocent.  
Nor are those only to be condemned that be so drunk as they be like beasts, but even such as take delight to quaff and to carouse, and spend their time in swilling, having yet strong brains to bear it, and herein they glory that they can drink others underboard, and because they be never so drunk, but they can carry it away, therefore they think themselves no such persons, but they are as bad drunkards, and as guilty as the other; they waste as much time, as much wine or strong drink as the others; they waste also their substance, and delight in this course, nay, haply they drink much more than the others, for some are so weak brained that a little turns them over: 
Isaiah 5. 22.  There's a woe denounced against such, their brain was not given them for this end, but for the service of God; they should prove their strength in good things, and strive to exceed others in goodness, not in dishonouring God by abusing his Creatures.  
There are also that delight to see others drunk, that allure or enforce them so to do; to delight herein, how horrible is it? how ill a sign? no child can delight to hear or see his father misused, he is else a bastard, not a son: Gods Children delight in his Commandments, in his Sabbaths, in his Saints, in the public performance of his worship; 
Psal. 112. 1  contrarily, they are grieved and vexed (as David and Lot) at the dishonour which is done unto him; 
Isaiah 58. 13.  so are not the wicked, but God will laugh at their destruction, 
Psal. 16. 3. and 122. 1. & 119. 143.  and mock when their fear cometh; when judgement cometh, those mourners for sin shall scape; when as these rejoicers therein shall not go unpunished, 
2 Pet. 2. 8.  and who indeed could laugh to see a man running on his own sword, 
Prov. 1. 26.  or casting himself in the fire? 
Ezek. 9 4.   
To make others drunk, enticing them hereto, and to this end, under colour of kindness to drink to them often, as is usual in gentlemen's Butteries, and Cellars, in Inns, and Taverns, etc. where men will be at great cost to dishonour God, this also is fearful; these be zealous Servants of the Devil: But if one should allure another to go in such a way, where he were sure to fall into a pit, or be drowned, or be robbed, etc. would not every one cry out of such a treacher? no less treacherous are those which make others drunk: We are willed indeed to provoke each other to love and good works, to call one another to the house of God, to exhort and edify one another, but in no sort to destroy one another, as those allurers and enticers do.  
To compel others to drink till they be drunk, or to drink more than they can bear, is usual; to refuse, is accounted of sundry ruffians in our days, a matter of great disgrace, which they will not put up, and therefore stab, or challenge to the field, those that will not drink as many and as big carouses as they that have begun them: What inhumanity is this? what folly? hath nature made all alike? can one of low stature reach as high as he that is far taller? can a weak man bear as heavy a burden as a strong man? Besides, what greater wrong, then to force a man to do that which will hinder his health, shorten his life, wound his conscience, and destroy his soul? But especially what an outrageous wickedness is this against God? cannot we ourselves be content to do wickedly, but as ringleaders we must enforce others? whosoever scape, such traitors shall not: What woeful wretches are those? have they not sins enough of their own to answer for, but they must needs desperately pull other men's sins on their heads, whereof they themselves are the principal cause? For those, 
See Heb. 2. 15, 16.  they shall answer on that dreadful day: Against such shall Ahasuerus his injunction (though an Heachen) rise up for their condemnation. 
Hest. 1. 8.   
It's the duty of all those which as yet are free from this sin, 
Use 3.  to be truly thankful to God, for keeping them therefrom; They must also endeavour for the time to come to avoid the same, with all the occasions inducing thereto. God gives us his benefits to provoke us to well-doing, we must not use them to sin, like the Mastiffs, that flies in his face that gives him meat: Wiltst thou so foully dishonour God? shall thy body and soul appointed for God's service, be for the service of the Devil in this base sin? Wiltst thou thus make thyself unfit for any good, in danger to run into any evil? Wiltst thou so disguise thyself, as to make thyself a scorn? so abuse God's creatures, to hazard thy health, bring diseases and untimely death on thyself? Wiltst thou so wound thy conscience, and provoke the Lords judgements against thee here and hereafter? O God forbid. Be earnest always with God to keep thee, see the ugly face of sin, think of the judgements denounced, and lighted upon many that are past help; how pleasant soever it be at the first, in the end it will bite like a Serpent. Fly from Alehouses and Taverns, as from infected houses, think it an odious disgrace to be seen in any such house, except in travel, 
See Prov. 4. 4.  or for necessity; flee the company also of such as are addicted to this vice, as infectious and dangerous, together with their enticements and provocations; follow also your calling diligently, whereby both this and other sins may be prevented, together with the judgements due thereto.  
4. It's the duty of all those which are in Authority, 
Use 4.  to set themselves against this sin, whether Ministers, Magistrates, or others; they should disdain that this outward and base sin should thus insult and prevail, and Goliah-like defy the host of Israel: O if we had David's spirit, to set upon it and knock it down; it would be easily done, if all would join hands: But whereas some have put down Alehouses, other Justices to gratify some friends, have set them up again, and are so cold and remiss herein, that few drunkards come to any punishment: Belike they have no leisure, no zeal for God, neither will afford him any help against the mighty: But though these and their Officers were faulty, yet if householders would bestir themselves, 
judg. 5. 23.  and put on Joshua and David's resolution, the number of drunkards would not be so great as it is; 
josh. 24. 25.  but if one put away such a servant, 
Psal. 101. 4.  another is presently ready to entertain him: O what a goodly Church and Commonwealth should we have, if householders would do their duties throughly!  
Revellings,] (Gluttony) This is an abuse of our meat; God of his abundant mercy hath left us the use of his Creatures, and that not herbs only, as before the flood, but the beasts, fishes, fowls, etc. marvellous varieties out of his three great storehouses, and that not only for necessity, but also for delight, as well in the plenty as variety of them: Those he hath appointed us to receive in due time, measure, and manner, with thanksgiving in a sober and temperate sort, as becometh Christians: Contrary hereto is the sin of gluttony, which is committed in respect of the quality, 
Gluttony how committed, with the odiousness thereof  quantity and time.  
For quality; namely, when people be too nice, curious and dainty in their fare, and are never satisfied herewith, and give themselves to devise new found dishes, cates, and sauces, so fulfilling the lusts of their flesh; a common fault in great Towns and Cities: Most are a great deal more careful herein, then to please God; and more angry if it be not to their tooth, then for any sin against God; It's good to have things cleanly and wholesome, but not curious: There are some also that this way exceed their ability, being too much given to belly-cheer, whereby want creepeth upon them and theirs; men and women must be content, and do as they may: Some will not be restrained by the Civil Magistrates command, but even in their health will follow their appetite, whereas we ought to obey the Magistrates commandment (our health giving us leave) for conscience sake; 
Rom. 13. 1.  Conscience, I say, not of the meat (that were a Doctrine of Devils) but of the commander, whom we ought to obey.  
For the quantity; when men exceed measure, and eat more than doth them good, or makes them fit for the business God sets them about: there are some beastly monsters, that of set purposee at in a bravery more than two or three men, yea, for a wager will eat so much; a goodly glory (to their shame) wherein a hound will match them, some such God hath branded: Others there are that at feasts and such times forget themselves, and by variety of meats are beguiled; this is the fault of feast-makers, occasioners of gluttony, who provide too excessively and curiously, costly and dainty dishes, when men are filled with wholesome and sufficient food before; It's good there should be plenty according to every man's ability, that so the poor may be remembered, and some variety too to show God's bounty, and because all love not alike, but overmuch costliness is not meet; That which in the end of feasts is oftentimes wastefully spent, would go a great way with the poor, and much comfort them, if the charges were employed this way: But many that stand not at many shillings this way, would grudge at as many pence to give to the poor; It's a good feast where the poor are remembered: 
Luke 14. 13.  It's also a great fault in Guests to be tolled on further than is meet, 
See Prov. 23. 1, 2.  whatsoever provocations there be; they hereby hurt both their bodies and souls: But especially those are blame worthy, that make the Sabbath day a Feasting-day, quite contrary to all good order and reason; that's a Feasting day for the soul, but if the body be overmuch pampered, the soul shall far the worse: we are therefore sparingly to eat that day, especially till night, as being to go about spiritual duties, whereunto we are so unfit, in the performance whereof, through excess of food, we become sleepy, and drowsy, which is most unseemly and wicked in God's service; therefore as when we serve God extraordinarily, we fast altogether; so when ordinarliy, we must be very temperate and sparing.  
For the time; It must not be at unseasonable hours, as either too soon, before men have done God some service, or been about some good business, 
See Eccles. 10. 16, 17.  nor so late, as when men should be at rest, such banquet, junketting, and late Suppers, be not for strength, but for lust; sundry servants be wanton in this kind, watching their unseasonable times, when their masters and dames be forth or asleep; This, as its a sin in itself, so doth it many times bring on other wickednesses.  
Wherein we have offended either way, 
Use.  le's repent, making conscience for the time to come: O what woeful Creatures are we that cannot tell (as wise as we think ourselves) what, how much, or when to eat, God's Word must be our rule, and we must suffer ourselves in all things to be guided thereby.  
Banquet] (Drink) that is, needless, excessive or untimely bibbing, when there is no cause; This is here condemned as a lust of the Gentiles, because else they that are addicted hereto, would have been at defiance with them that had spoke against this, and told them they were not drunk, might do thus and thus: Many upon every idle occasion be bibbing and sucking, and love to sit with the pot in their hand, telling a tale, and then they think themselves as wise as a great Counsellor: But do they become hereby more fit for God's service? Doth this tend to God's glory? nay, hereby become they not often drunk ere they be aware?  
To stir you up to sobriety, 
Means stirring up to sobriety.  1. Find that you have right to the Creatures, else you can have no comfort in the use of them, but shall answer for them: Carry your evidences to the Lords Lawyers, who can clearly resolve you; There are none more bold to take (and that excessively) the Creatures of God, than they that have least right to them. 2. Knowing that we are heirs to these, and so that they be sanctified to us on God's part by the Word, we must on our parts sanctify them to ourselves, by prayer and thanksgiving: O how many swinishly go to meat and drink, and have not God in their thoughts, not make mention of him, except it be by swearing to profane and abuse his holy and glorious name! 3. Use them soberly and temperately as in God's presence; so as our eating may be to make us fitter for the service of God, and the work of our calling, and so may be to the glory of God, which is the end of our life, and aught to be the end of all our actions. 
What Idolatry is.   
Abominable idolatries,] This is a sin against the first Table, forbid in the first and second Commandments, though most in the second: It's either inward or outward, and its either the worshipping of false gods, or the true God in a false manner, both which are most detestable and abominable before God, and therefore to be hated of us in a deadly manner, as that which is the flat breach of the marriage Covenant between God and his people; It's a turning our heart from God, a forgetting, yea a forsaking of God, a setting up another in his stead, who will have no partners: Hereunto we are naturally prone, as may be seen throughout all ages; even those that know the true God in some sort, set up something before him to worship him in and by: Hereof the Israelites were wonderfully guilty; though they had many strict charges against it, yet they were woefully carried away with the Idolatries of the Heathen; sometimes they did worship the very gods of the Heathens, as Baalim and Ashtaroth, etc. and at the best, they used to worship God in Images, as in the golden Calf that Aaron made, and in the two Calves at Dan and Bethel, for those the Prophets did vehemently reprove them, and threaten Gods judgements against them, which accordingly were inflicted on them, as appears this day: and if when they lived in their own Land they were so tainted with idolatry, what were they now, having so long conversed with those profane Heathens? This therefore the Apostle warns them now to leave and abandon, as having already continued too long therein, and having repent thereof, he would not have them go back thereto any more.  
I shall speak a little here of the Idolatry of the Heathens, of the Idolatry of the Papists, and of the Idolatry of our own people, all which are either in worshipping a false god, or the true God in a false manner.  
For the worshipping of false gods; 
Idolatry in worshipping false gods.  so did the Heathens, who worshipped the Sun, Moon, and the host of Heaven, yea, any thing what soever, and according to their countries were their gods, nay, they had their city and country gods, and household gods: There was no end of their abominations, 
Psal. 115. 2.  having this in their heart, that there was a God, and not knowing him, 
Isa. 44. 9  they worshipped any thing, which the Lord doth deride, 
Hab. 2. 19  and whereat he is angry, for he will not give his glory to another, nor his praise to graven Images. O what cause have we to bless the name of God that have the light of the Word, whereas most throughout all ages have been ignorant thereof, and so worshipped they know not what, and worshipped not only in vain, without any profit, but to the dishonour of the true God, and their own condemnation: Neither is this the sin of Heathens alone to worship false gods, but even of the Papists, who have the Word for their Rule, whose sin therefore is greater than the Heathens; they worship the breaden god, they bow down to it, and call it their Maker, what difference is then between them? 
See Isa. 44. 17.  as those fell a Tree, and with some part make a fire, with some bake, and of some make a god and worship it; so these sow Corn, reap it and grind it, and of some part thereof make bread for themselves and theirs, and of another they make a god which they worship; they also worship the Cross, and Relics of Saints; they also worship the Virgin Mary, calling on her oftener than on God; so they worship Saints and Angels, their Pictures also be common, whereunto they give Divine worship, they dedicate Altars, Offerings, Temples, Priests and Days to them, which are proper to God only; yea, they make the Pope (that Man of Sin) a god, not only calling him so, but ascribing that to him which is proper to God, as, To make Laws to bind the Conscience, to open and shut Heaven, Hell and Purgatory, as they say, to forgive sins, to add and take from the Scriptures, etc. O horrible! What King will endure his Royalty to be given to another? If Angels and Saints were to appear to us, as they were wont formerly, we ought not otherwise to worship them but with civil worship (the excellency of the Creature doth not change the kind of worship, but only the measure) but now seeing they appear not to us, we owe them no worship at all, but only to reverence them, and thank God for them, and imitate them in what we can. 
Rev. 22. 9  The Angel would not suffer John to worship him, 
Acts 14. 14.  and the Apostles Peter, Paul and Barnabas refused also that to ●ob God of his due.  
For worshipping the true God in a false manner, 
Idolatry in worshipping the true God after a false manner, whether Inward▪ or  it is either inward or outward:  
Inward, as when we conceive in our mind otherwise of God than he is, and hath revealed himself, as to conceive of God without consideration of the three Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, as do the Turks and Jews, and they amongst ourselves, which conceive that God is only merciful, and not just; so to conceive of Christ as God only, or man only, and not as God and man in one person: The Papists though in word they profess either, yet in deed they deny both, and so make an idol, and no true Christ of him.  
Outward, 
Outward.  as when men worship God in Images, Stocks, Sons, Pictures of gold, silver, stone, graved, or painted, or howsoever: This is flatly forbid in the 2d Commandment, as also in divers other places. To make a Picture of God like an Oldman, or of Christ like a Man hanging on a Cross, what lies be they? Be these like God? not so like as a Fly is, or as a Fly is to a King.  
Ob. But God so appeared in Daniel. 
Dan. 7. 9   
A. What then? it followeth not we may so picture him, especially seeing he hath forbid it: Is the picture of a man like Christ? His Godhead is the chiefest part of him, how picture they that? O they do it in a good meaning; but our intention is not the rule of God's Worship, but his own will: As for their shift, that they worship not the Image, but God in the Image, it's indeed a mere shift, that will not serve their turn; so said some of the Heathens, so said the Israelites; assuredly God is displeased with both.  
Let us therefore detest Popery, 
Use.  as being abominable before God, let us never be drawn to their Religion, for it's to renounce God, and quite break the Covenant: Join not at any time with Papists in their Idol-service, bow not the knee to Baal, come out from among them, and touch no unclean thing; let neither Fear, Covetousness, or wanton curiosity to see new fangles, draw you aside, for ye cannot be partakers of the table of the Lord and of Devils: Have no Society with them for marriage; Joram and Ahaziah were bad, for that they married into ahab's stock: Have no league of Amity with them, to have common friends and enemies, as to help them against their enemies, or crave their help against ours.  
There be some that speak minsingly of the Religion of Rome, as that there be indeed sundry differences between them and us, but that they are petty and mean ones, and of no great moment, but such, as if we would yield a little, and they a little, there might be a reconciliation made: Woe be to such dawbers, that would go about to reconcile God and the Devil, Light and Darkness, etc. There are sundry differences which are main ones, and against the foundation, and such as except they will renounce, we neither can, nor must ever join with them. So of the Papists themselves, some will speak very favourably, O they be good honest men, and many good things they do, if it were not a little for their Opinions, etc. Do such speak wisely? they be abominable persons, for they be Idolaters (and those God calls abominable) worshipping other Gods, and the true in a false manner, namely, in Images: If they were Murderers, and would take away our lives; Adulterers, and would abuse our wives; Thiefs, and would take away our goods, O we would cry out upon them, and say, They be abominable; but we have no feeling of any thing which hurts our souls, nor of that which is foully against God and his glory; it's an Argument of self love and little grace: It should go more to our hearts, that its against GOD and his glory, than any thing that were against ourselves any way: We ought to pray to God to convert them or remove them, and that they may be kerbed, and their eyes may fail ere they have their desire of Toleration of their abominable Religion.  
For the Idolatry among ourselves: 
The several sorts of Idolaters amongst ourselves.  Some conceive of God, as of a God only merciful, and not just; which emboldens them to go on in their sins without fear or care, supposing that when they have abused him at their pleasure all their days, if in the end they utter but a few▪ good words to him, he will be as well pleased, as if they had served him all their time: This is to conceive an Idol, and not God; for he is as just as merciful, the one no more than the other. Sundry also among us make a god of their Belly, Profits, Pleasures, Honour, Children, Ease, etc. seeking only these, setting their heart and delight in these, trusting in these, yea, to compass these, not caring though they offend God; for whatsoever a man loves more than God, or trusts in besides God, he makes it his god: Thus the glutton makes his Belly, as the covetous man his Wealth, his god; O vileness, and extreme baseness! We that live under the Word preached, should learn to know God to be All-sufficient, and to labour to make him our portion and inheritance, our joy and our castle: He that hath God, hath all; he that wants him, in the midst of all hath nothing. 
Psal. 33. 12.  Blessed is the people (so the person) whose God is the Lord (not who are wealthy, have great friends, etc.) and who accordingly love him above all, set him up in their hearts, trusting in him only, satisfying themselves in him, yea him alone, and loving all other things in, and for, and under him. Others there are that profess Religion, and worship God indeed, but in a false manner; they pray, but depart not from iniquity; hear the Word, but hate to be reform; are baptised, but keep no Covenant; receive the Lords Supper, but without Knowledge, Faith and Repentance; but God he is a Spirit, and therefore will be worshipped in Spirit and Truth: They that worship him as most do, they worship an Idol, namely, Such a God as is content with the outside, with Ceremonies, but so is not the true God; the service of such is abominable, against such judgements have been both denounced and inflicted; See 1 Sam. 15. 23. Psal. 50. 16. Isa. 1. 11. and 58. 5. Jer. 7. 4. Ezek. 14. 33, 27. Mic. 6. 7. Our outward worshipping of God must proceed from our inward Knowledge, Love, Fear, and Trust in God, and must be joined with obedience and Reformation: 
Host 6. 6.  If thou repentest not of thine Hypocritical service, thy wages will be according to thy work: This makes God's enemies speak ill of our Religion, and hold off, even because (though indeed we worship God, and profess well, yet our people's lives be so far wide) we that enjoy the Gospel, and the true means of the right knowledge and service of God, ought not to worship the true God only, but in a right manner. What though we be not Idolaters, we cannot almost be so though we would, yet we may, and without repentance shall certainly perish, for our ceremonious and Hypocritical serving of God: and so much the rather, because we had the means to bring us to the true knowledge of him, which is denied to the common sort of the Papists: Assuredly we shall lose all our labour, if we use it to no better purpose, and our souls too among the Hypocrites.   

Verse 4. Wherein they think it strange that you run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you.  
HEre's the prevention of an Objection: 
The prevention of an Objection.  If we should now break off, might some say, and no longer live as we have done, but take the course that you prescribe, we should be wondered at as an Owl among Birds: They would think strangely of us, as of fools and mad folks, and hate us, and speak evil of us, that we should not be able to abide it: Others also might say, We which have followed your counsel, have made ourselves a gazing stock, and pulled all men upon our tops; even those that liked us well before, speak ill of us, and what we shall do, we know not: The Apostle Answereth, I know it is so with some of you, and will be so with the rest, but be not dismayed, for (as it's set down in the following Verse) they shall answer for this wickedness at the time which God hath appointed, when we shall receive the Crown of glory for our well-doing, and constant continuance therein.  
In this Verse note, 1. The mind of the wicked towards God's children, their course seems strange to them. 2. The effect hereof in their words, They speak evil of them. 3. The ground or reason hereof, For that they run not with them into the same excess of riot.  
Wherein they think it strange] Hence note, that  
Such as mean to renounce their sins, 
Such as live holily shall meet with opposition.  and take an holy course, shall find much opposition, undergo the hatred and ill will of most. Lot was wondered at in Sodom, as doubtless the old world wondered at Noah for making the Ark, and Pharaohs Courtiers at Moses his choice, Michol mocked & despised David in her heart when he danced before the Ark, Nabuchadnezzar wondered that the three children refused to bow to his Image which others did, Festus thought Paul mad; In time of Popery they wondered at the Martyrs, that they would not at some times yield a little, as to speak a few words, etc. Thus it is now (for the world lives still, and is like itself) If any dare not play or riot, or talk of the world on the Lord's Day, they are thought to be mopish fools, who had rather be poring on a book, then doing as others: If any care not to get by Lying, Deceiving, and the common ways of the world, they are wondered at as fools; so if any now and then omit some of their businesses, and go to hear the Word, they are accounted idle (as Pharaoh said to the Israelites) and such as have little to do: If any be humbled for their sins, they think them melancholy, and that they will be out of their wits, and they would not be in their case for no good, and would have them be merry, and play it away. If any at the hearing of the Word, perceiving it to be high time to forsake his old wont, and take a better course, now dare not do as he hath formerly, they wonder at him: What! art thou turned Puritan, will they say? Wiltst thou forsake thy sports and merriments (which they think a little heaven) cast off thine old companions and sworn brethren? etc. What, wonder'st thou at them for thus doing? What, for coming out of the fire? for taking pains to save their souls? for not daring to wound, poison or destroy themselves by provoking God? for taking pains to do that which must keep them by God's appointment, with all needful graces? for being troubled about their sins, and the danger thereof? for longing to be in the favour of God, & c? Assuredly thou hast small reason so to do; but it's for that they savour not the things of the Spirit of God, for that they perceive not the things that are of God, are blind, and cannot see afar off. 
Simile.  If we should see one of a strange Country come through our Town, we would wonder at their strange attire, nothing like ours: The children of God be not of this world, but chosen out of the world, and may not fashion themselves like the world, but be of the fashion of Heaven, the world therefore wonders at them.  
1. Therefore let none think, 
Use 1.  that if they turn to God, and take a good course, that they shall be generally beloved and well thought of; of God, Angels and good men they shall, but of the world they shall be wondered at and hated; ere you begin, make account hereof, even to have the ill will of those which have loved you, yea, it may be, the displeasure and frown of Father, Mother, etc. yet let not this hold you off, nor keep you still in your old course; as long as God and good men love you, 
Luke 6. 26.  what need you care? Woe be to you, when all men speak well of you; better be wondered at and hated of the world for well-doing, then condemned of God for ill-doing.  
2. For those that are entered into a good course already, 
Use 2.  and find it thus, let them not be discouraged; it's no new thing, the worthy servants of God have been counted fools and madmen for well-doing: We must have an Heroical courage not to be daunted herewith; we must not think the worse of ourselves, because the world thinks basely of us, who know us not, nor our course, which of them that be very fools indeed, is counted foolishness; we may wonder as much (and much more) at them, that be so desperate to go on in their sins, and take no thought for death, 
Simil.  or day of Judgement, that hang over a pit, and yet can be merry; that run on in the score, and never think of reckoning; that dare buy a few short profits and pleasures at so dear a rate, at the loss of their souls, that deprive themselves of the inward and true comfort and peace they might have in God and spiritual things, as the Word and Sacraments, for the short and vain pleasures of honour and deceivable riches; that prefer Hog's meat before Angel's food: We have cause, I say, to wonder at their folly and madness, and to pity them, thanking God that hath not left us in their woeful blindeness, and miserable estate: If thus by wondering at them we can do them any good, so it is, but let not their wondering hurt us.  
3. For those that think strange of God's servants for not doing ill, 
Use 3.  or for well doing, they bewray themselves to be of the world, and so to be carnal: They that mislike the fashion of God's children, it's a sign they be of another Country, not of Heaven, and that they be none of wisdoms children, 
Matth. 11. 19  for all they justify wisdom wheresoever they see her, and in whomsoever: Labour therefore not only not to think their course strange, but to acknowledge it the best course in the world, and accordingly to follow it.  
That you run not with them] This showeth, that  
Though we be dull and dead, 
Man's proneness to evil exceeding great.  and slow to that that is good, yet our proneness and eagerness to that that is naught is exceeding great: We can run to Play-sports, Vanities and Follies please us, but we come to the Word, Prayers and good Duties with a leaden heel; at this we are drowsy, but at the other watchful enough. Many run so fast in the ways of sin, and make such haste, that they run themselves quite out of state and credit with God and man, and out of their health too, and have brought untimely destruction upon themselves; they have made such haste, that it seemeth they thought long till they were in hell: Too too many also are now a running (but it's in the broad way) wherein the faster they run, the sooner they come to destruction; if it were well considered, they can see small cause to make such haste: O that they could be persuaded to turn head, and enter into the way of good men, 
Heb. 12. 1.  and then let them run as fast as they will, run the race set before them, 
1 Cor. 9 24.  so run, that they may obtain; and as before we rejected all counsel that might do us good, so now let us shake off all impediments, whether within or without us, that would hinder us in our Christian course, or from running the way of God's Commandments: The faster we have heretofore run in vanity, run we now the faster in the right way; we could then take great pains, think the time short, spend our money in vanity, now after the same manner le's do the contrary; it's our great fault, that we did run apace after the world, 
See Rom. 6. 19  with the profits and pleasure thereof, but now our fault is, that we go a foot pace, nay, a Snails pace in goodness.  
To the same excess of riot,] 
The ungodly follow after sin eagerly.  When men give way to sin, and their hearts are set on evil, there is no ho, but they will run over head and ears; 
Simile.  As the Sea if it break over a bank, it can scarcely be stopped, it runs so violently; so small beginnings in sin, grow to excess quickly, and by degrees till they are past hope.  
Let no man therefore give way to them, 
See job 31.  stop them at first: If Peter a good servant of God, having made a breach in his conscience, and sinned once in denying his Master, was thereby stirred up to add another breach, and another thereto, what shall become of the wicked? Do not therefore say, Is this such a matter, & c? for one sin draws on another.  
Speaking evil of you.] 
It's the nature of the ungodly to speak evil of God's servants.  It is the nature of the wicked to speak evil of God's servants, they not only think ill, but they speak ill too, it shall out: It were good that we were so wise, when we have good things in our mind, that we would utter them; we sometimes mislike things that be amiss, but we will say nothing, though we both might and aught.   

Verse 5. Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.  
HEre is the answer to the objection, whereby he heartneth on the good, not to be discouraged at all for the wonderments and ill speakings of the world, even for that they shall one day answer for this, when they shall not be able to stand; though they can now abuse God's servants at their pleasure, yet they shall answer it before him that will judge quick and dead at the last and dreadful day, when they shall receive the dreadful sentence of eternal destruction for their labour. From the whole note we thus much, that  
The enemies and hard dealers with God's servants, 
The enemies of God's children shall not scape unpunished.  shall not escape unpunished, nay, even they that do but speak ill of them, shall not go scot-free; Michol mocking David, was stricken with barrenness, and David often comforts himself in this case, that God would take the matter into his own hand: If he that calls any one fool and Raca, deserves Hell fire, 
See jer. 18. 18.  what do they deserve which speak evil of God's children? 
jude v. 14, 15.  If they shall answer for every idle word, then much more for every railing reproachful word against the Saints of God; it's to speak ill of the way of God, to speak ill of them that walk in it for so doing; as he that calls one an Heretic, calls his Opinion and Religion Heresy; and he that calls men fools, calls their course foolishness; It's to hinder men from coming to God, or to drive them away being come: Now this must needs be fearful, for if they that win souls to God, shall be rewarded in Heaven, what shall become of them that do the contrary? And if he that gathereth not, scatters, and he that brings not to God by words, counsel, encouragement and example, is counted as an enemy, and such shall be punished at the day of judgement, how much more they that have professedly hindered men from heaven? what are those but Factors for the Devil's Kingdom? deep enemies they are to God, that will not only not serve him themselves, but mislike, and would hinder them that do, like the Devil, who fell himself, and then would persuade man so to do, that God might have no Creature to serve him: He were an odd servant (and whom his Master would assuredly call to an account) who neither would work, 
Luke 15. 9  nor suffer his fellows. The conversion of a sinner makes the Angels rejoice, 
james. 5. 20.  therefore the putting them from God makes them heavy, 
See Acts 9 4.  and the Devils merry▪ He that converts a sinner, saves a soul, 
Heb. 11.  as he that puts men from God destroys them: Besides, whatsoever is either done or said against any of God's children, 
Mat. 25. 42.  it's accounted as done to God himself; and if they that have done them no good shall be condemned, much more they that have injured them.  
1. Let those repent in time that are guilty this way, 
Use 1.  else they shall be called to a reckoning when they have forgot it, and where shall they appear when God shall come to judgement? O they shall wish the hills to fall on them: It's a fearful thing to fall into his hands; he is a consuming fire, woe unto them if his wrath be kindled but a little. They that have not been helpers of the servants of God, have a fearful answer to make, what have they then that have misused them? assuredly a deep place in hell.  
2. Let all take heed that they never give their tongues leave, 
Use 2.  no, nor move their lips against a child of God, as to mock them, revile them, term them precise fools, humorous people, Puritan, etc. Do it not on any ground, for lightly God suffers not such to go unbranded even in this life, but to be sure, there's a day they shall not escape.  
3. This may well stay the minds of God servants, 
Use 3.  not only not to be discouraged, 
See Heb. 10. 14 and 11. 10, 26, 35. and 12. 2.  but to persevere, God will take their parts, and right their wrongs; their day is a coming, when both before Angels and men they shall be arraigned, convicted and condemned, and we shall lift up our heads, and receive our full reward: It would be no small comfort and encouragement to us, if we would thus live by faith.   

Ver. 6. For for this cause was the Gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the Spirit.  
HEre he returns to his former matter, his Exhortation to Sanctification, pressing the same by another reason, from the end of the Gospel, and the preaching thereof, that wheresoever and whensoever it hath been preached, this hath been the end thereof; to bring men to Sanctification and holiness of life, to die to sin and live to God by the Spirit of grace.  
By Gospel we are to understand Christ Jesus, and the only way of salvation by him. By Dead we are to understand their forefathers, that lived before Christ's coming, who were then dead when the Apostle spoke this; not that the Gospel was preached to them when they were dead, but when they lived here. By being judged according to men in the flesh, understand dying to the flesh, namely, the lusts and corruptions of their sinful nature. 
See 1 Cor. 5. 5.  As by living according to God in the Spirit, to live a spiritual & godly life to God's liking, by his regenerating & sanctifying spirit.  
For this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead] Here note, 
The Gospel was preached before Christ's time.   
That the gospel was preached before Christ's time, as to Adam in Paradise, 
Acts 4. 12.  so to Abraham, so to those under the Law in their Sacrifices, Washings, 
john 14. 6.  Sacraments, etc. See Gen. 3. 15. & Joh. 8. 50. 1 Cor. 10. 3, 4. Heb. 11. 
Heb. 13. 8.  Those then, and we now, are saved by one & the same Christ, He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life; Yesterday and to day, and the same for ever. There was never but one Covenant since the Fall, God never altered his mind: The distinction of old and new is not in respect of substance, but of the manner of Administration, to them more darkly, to us more clearly; then more sparingly, to us more plentifully; then under types, to us the body is revealed.  
1. This confutes those that think that those before the Law were saved one way, 
Use 1.  they under the Law another, & they under the Gospel another.  
2. It confutes them that hold, That every man is saved by his own devotion and religion, 
Use 2.  whatsoever it is, so he be zealous in it, and live orderly: This they would prove hence, namely, That the Jews were saved by observing of a few Rites and Ceremonies; a false foundation must needs lay the building under foot: Do not we see, that when they were even most zealous in Ceremonies, that yet the Prophets cried out, that God was not content, but called both for Faith and Love. Besides, what a folly is it to think that every man shall be saved by his own Religion? Is any thing pleasing to God, but that which himself hath appointed in his Word? not our conceit, but his will is the rule of his Worship: The Word sends us to Christ, in whom alone God is well pleased, without him there's no Salvation for any.  
3. It confutes those among ourselves, 
Use 3.  which hope to be saved by their good meaning, good prayers, civil righteousness, by their repenting, and crying God mercy, etc. All these are blind Sodomites, they grope for a door where there's none, & will but hit their heads against the wall to their destruction: O how happy are we, that (there being but one way of salvation, known but to a few) it should be so clearly made known to us, were we so happy as to make it good to ourselves.  
That they might be judged according to men in the flesh, 
The Gospel calls for sanctification.  etc.] Here note from the end of the Gospel, that  
The Gospel calls for sanctification, 
Matth. 11. 27.  and all the parts thereof, for as the Law hath Commandments, 
Tit. 2. 11.  so hath the Gospel; it calls for faith and repentance, 
Differences between the Law and the Gospel.  and in this latter, obedience to all the Commandments of the Law: The differences are, 1. The Law requires obedience, but gives no power, the Gospel doth both. 2. The Law requires strict obedience to the utmost, the Gospel requires an upright endeavour only, and to believe in him who hath performed it perfectly. The Sacraments and Sacrifices of the old Testament called for this, even for truth of heart, for faith & repentance. 
See Exo. 12. 15.  God bade them circumcise the foreskin of their hearts, 
2 Chro. 30. 21.  and under that Law of purging all leaven out of their houses, the people were called to repentance. So Baptism and the Supper of the Lord, the appurtenances of the Gospel, call for Sanctification: And doth any thing more call for mortifying of our lusts, & living to God, than the death of Christ for sin, wherein we see how heinous a thing sin is in God's account, as also the unspeakable love of God to us, in giving Christ thus to die for us? The death of Christ should be a great corrosive to eat our sin: 
2 Cor. 5. 15.  This was the end of Christ's suffering for us; Will Christ die for a man, 
Luke 1. 74.  and yet have no use of him after, but that he may live as he list? assuredly God would never cause his Gospel to be preached, but to bring men to Sanctification.  
1. This confutes as well the Papists for affirming, 
Use 1.  that we preaching Justification by Faith only, 
See Rom. 3.  preach a doctrine of liberty to sin; but on the contrary, this doctrine doth notably establish good works, as those among ourselves, that cry out upon going to sermons; O, say they, we see none worse than they, they will deceive, they will cut their neighbour's throat; but of most this is a lie: but if some be so, let them know, that the Gospel teacheth them not so to do.  
2. This rebuketh those carnal wretches, 
Use 2.  which live under the Gospel, yet abide still in their sins: They think the Gospel brings only tidings of salvation, but requireth no amendment or mortification. If Paul, Tit. 2. had gone no further, but stayed at Bring salvation, we should have had a number of Christians, but his other words, teaching us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, etc. O this part they cannot away with; so they could willingly hear, Come unto me ●ll ye that are weary, etc. but not take up the Cross, but God hath joined them together, and they cannot be separated; he that hath the one must have the other, as he that was to have the inheritance, was to marry Ruth. Hence it is, that multitudes have in their mouths, They hope to be saved by Christ, and yet remain in their lusts, without mortifying the same, or giving up themselves to God in an holy life: Thus is it with ignorant persons, profane persons, civil persons, worldlings and hypocrites; What impudent wretches are these? They hope to be saved by Christ, and yet live in their sins, thus making Christ's death to be a licence to all evil. Sundry deceive themselves in these days, some content themselves with an outward profession, some are haply at some times humbled, and thereupon conceive themselves to be converted, etc. but let every man try himself by his Sanctification: If this was required of them that lived before Christ's coming, who had dimmer light, and more sparing means and promises than we, then think what's required of us that have heaven set open to us, and all the Father's mind revealed, yea, Christ dead, risen, ascended, and all fulfilled.  
3. For God's children, 
Use 1.  which do indeed hope for Salvation by Christ, and have yielded obedience to the Gospel in some measure; there is nothing that can become us better, then to labour to profit in mortifying our lusts, and to show the fruits of the Spirit more plentifully and powerfully in our lives: Every Sermon and Sacrament should put new life in us; For what is the profiting by the Gospel, but to die to sin, and live to righteousness daily, by an effectual knowledge of Christ Jesus: O it's our great fault that we grow so slowly, that we get not a full mastery of our lusts, that sometimes we shrink at the yoke of Christ, as thinking some part of it too straight, and desiring more liberty, who yet thought we could never do enough for the Lord: O that our actions should favour so much of the flesh, and so little of the Spirit; O that we might increase in our zealous affection to God, for his love in Christ, and for the Gospel, and that our behaviour may be daily more answerable thereto, as our Salvation doth more nearly approach.   

Vers. 7. But the end of all things is at hand, be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.  
THe former part of this verse may be either a reason of the exhortation past, and that from the shortness of the time to come, or of the Exhortations ensuing unto sobriety, watchfulness in prayer, charity, hospitality, etc.  
The end of all things is at hand,] 
There shall be an end of all things.  The end of all things, not of men only, or of some creatures, not such a destruction and desolation as hath been of some particular Cities and Nations, nor a destruction of some Creatures in all places, as was in the Flood; but the end of all things, that is, All things shall come to that end that God hath appointed them to come to, many and most Creatures to an utter end, the heavens and earth to be purged by fire, men and women not to come to an utter end, but to live immortally in joy or woe, but to be at an ●nd for living here; so that as the world had a beginning, it shall have an end, the same God that created it shall destroy it.  
Is at hand,] 
1 Cor. 7. 29. and 10. 11.  That is, draweth near, therefore these are called the last times; and the Apostle saith, Time is short; and, That upon them the ends of the world were come. 
james 5. 8.   
Obj. How could this be true, that it was near, when now 1600 years are passed since, and yet it is not come, did the Apostle speak as he thought, or only to scare the people?  
Answ. He spoke as he was persuaded, and that truly, 1. Either in respect of the times before Christ, it was nearer than to those under the Law; 
Psal. 90. 4.  or 2. In respect of God, to whom 1000 years are but as one day; or 3. In respect of eternity; a thousand years are nothing to the time to come, which is for ever, it's as little as a drop of water to the whole ocean Sea.  
Obj. But did the Apostle think that it was thus far off, and should last thus many years as it hath since he spoke this?  
A. It's likely he thought it nearer, for Christ Jesus being come, and all the Prophecies of him fulfilled, the Gentiles called, and the mystery of iniquity begun already to work, why might he not think this? and though some things were yet to be accomplished touching the calling of the Jews, yet might he think that that might quickly be dispatched: 
Heb. 1. 1.  Howsoever, that that time was the last time they knew, and that God would never speak after any new manner to his Church, as he had done before from time to time; 
2 Thess. 2. 1.  and the Apostle Paul, though he would often signify the end to be approaching, yet he knew it was not to be by and by, but that some things must first fall out, though haply he conceived that the same might have been dispatched in lesser time than it hath been: But we have the advantage of them, because we have the Book of the Revelation left to the Church, by the Ministry of John, the last living Apostle, containing things to come, from that time till the world's end, whereof many things be already accomplished, which makes the Book more lightsome, & other things are yet to come touching the ruin of Antichrist, calling of the jews, destruction of the Turks; but in what time the Lord will finish these things, we know not: What if the day be yet some scores of years off, yea, some few hundreds, as we may well think that is the utmost, is it not then near by? It was near in the Apostles time, much nearer now; then began the last time, now is the end thereof: But that is not so much the force of the Reason, as this, That we live in the last times, nearer the world's end then our Forefathers before Christ, therefore ought to mind earthly things less, and seek more after heavenly, and lead an holy and godly life: But say the day of Judgement were not so near as it is, yet every of our particular ends is at hand, we know not how soon, when, where, how, to day or to morrow, and that is to us as if the world were at an end for any use thereof; and for our state, it shall be with us at the last day as when we die.  
1. This may provoke us to Sanctification, 
Use 1.  and a godly life, seeing we live in the clearest times, when the last day draweth near: They that lived long ago were to live godly, much more we, having so short a time; we must so live, that when our Master cometh, he may find us so doing; If death or judgement take us in our sins, how miserable is our condition?  
2. It may reprove such as so live here, 
Use 2.  as if here they were to live for ever, eating and drinking, and beating their fellow-servants, etc. others also that go on carelessly, either making no profession, or contenting themselves with a show thereof, as the five foolish Virgins; every one must prepare himself; that he may be found in peace at Gods coming.  
3. It may comfort the godly in bearing the Cross patiently, 
Use 3.  yet a little while, and we shall be in heaven from the same; yea, that day draweth near, wherein God will be glorified in the sight of all his enemies. See Phil. 4. 5. Heb. 10. 36. James 5. 8.  
4. We should not set our minds on these transitory things, 
Use 4.  but on them that endure for ever: 
Mat. 6. 19, 20.  The things of this world are vain, 
john 6. 27.  uncertain, perishing; the world itself shall be consumed, and ourselves be most frail of all, we must therefore be sober in seeking these earthly things, labouring after grace, life everlasting, and the means thereof.  
Be ye therefore sober,] Now of particular duties, one helps another. The former reason strongly enforceth these duties. From the coherence, note,  
1. That as before he exhorted to Sanctification in general, so he doth now in particular, for we are subject to deceive ourselves: Many be good in the gross, not so in particulars; they think they love God above all, and their neighbours too, and that they live holily, but come to particulars, it's nothing so.  
2. That as he forbade the forementioned lusts and vices, so he now exhorts to the contrary duties; the one must not be without the other, see Acts 26. 18.  
In particular, we are to be sober both in the use of riches, and in the use of pleasures, but of this last with the appurtenances thereof, Meat, Drink, Apparel, Recreations, we shall speak afterward.  
For sobriety in Riches: 
Riches good in themselves.  Riches as God's creatures be good in themselves, 
See Psal. 112. 3.  and promised by God to his servants as blessings, nay, given to some of them as blessings, 
Prov. 3. 16.  as to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Job, etc. They are encouragements to duty and well-doing, and may be great helps and furtherances to us, in and unto many good duties, and that both towards ourselves (for we may spend the more time, and have more freedom about matters of our soul) and to others, in showing liberality and mercy; and to the children of God that use them well, they are as pledges of better and everlasting good things, as Canaan was to the godly Jews a type of heaven: But it may seem needless to speak of the goodness of riches, seeing most men count them the only good; but the truth must be taught, we speak of the things themselves; yea, some have utterly hated them as evil, as Crates; and among the Papists there be some that profess voluntary poverty, but our Saviour bids us not cast them away, but make friends of them, 
See Eph. 4. 29.  even employ them well to the glory of God, the giver thereof, and our own and others good.  
Obj. But our Saviour calls them thorns, which choke the good seed, snares to entangle and drown us in Perdition, and riches of iniquity, and showeth that its an hard thing for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God.  
Ans. He speaks not of riches as they be in their own nature, nor as they be well used by godly men, but as they be wickedly abused by wicked men, either in the ill getting of them, or wicked using of them to pride, and such bad purposes; and our Saviour explaineth himself, 
Matth. 19 23.  That its hard for a man that trusts in riches, or sets his mind upon them (as indeed most do) to be saved: It's certain that few rich men be saved, but it's not the fault of their riches, but the abusing of them.  
Obj. We must do as Christ's Disciples, who forsook all and followed Christ.  
Ans. 1. We are not bound to do as they did, for they were called to a special and extraordinary calling to follow Christ, and go into all the world preaching him, which could not stand with worldly business. 2. They left not these things in respect of their right to them, but only in the use of them; They took off their minds from them, and were content to part with them for Christ and the Gospel's sake, and so ought we, 
Matth. 9 10.  but they retained the right of them: Matthew after he followed Christ, feasted Christ, and with him many Publicans in his own house: 
Matth. 8. 14.  So Peter had a Boat and Nets, and went a fishing a little after our Saviour Christ was taken from him: So that a Minister is not bound to spend that which his friends hath left him, much less are private persons.  
Obj. But the young man was willed to sell all.  
Ans. It was but a particular trial of that rich young man that thought himself so righteous, 
Matth. 19 21.  whereby our Saviour would let him see how far off he was of that he thought was in him, in that he had not profited so far as to prefer God and his Kingdom before his wealth, but would rather forsake God then his riches, if he must needs part with one, that so he might be humbled.  
Though riches in themselves are good, 
How riches are good.  yet 1. They are not so in an high degree, but in a very mean and low degree, in respect of God, Spiritual Graces, and the Kingdom of Heaven; In comparison of these they are but dross and dung: The leave of the love we bear to those, is too much for the world; fervent love to these, lukewarm to the world is good enough. 2. They are not good absolutely, but as they are used; to the godly they be good, when they use them well, else not, but they are at no time good to the ungodly, because they cannot use them well: Therefore concerning riches its required, 1. That the party who would use them must be in the favour of God, a Regenerate person, restored unto Christ by a right thereto, which we lost by our sin in Adam: Else we shall taint God's blessings by our sins, we shall be ready to use them to bad purposes, if we be bad ourselves, and the things which be good in themselves, shall be turned into sin to us; for unto the unclean, all things are unclean: Extremely foolish is their practice that labour to have all good things about them, House, Land, Corn, Cattle, Householdstuff, Money, etc. they themselves remaining bad, for these be never good to them, till they themselves be sanctified; and hence it is that as most men go to work, they use riches to the hurt of their souls, yea, to their own destruction, which could they have sobriety in them, they might easily avoid. 2. That he use them a right, even with sobriety.  
For sobriety in riches; 
Wherein sobriety in riches consists.  It's either in the desire and seeking them, or using and employing them, we must seek them soberly, we must also use them soberly when we have them.  
Sobriety in seeking or getting them is in many things: 1. We must seek them according to their worth, first, Heavenly and Spiritual things, than these; we must not in our judgement value them equal, much less above Grace, the favour of God, and Heaven; we must not in our affection so love them, nor in our practice seek after them so earnestly as for grace; every thing is comely in his place and time: A Servant whiles he keeps his place is a comely necessary help, but if he begin to control his Master, to usurp his Master's Chair, to woe his Mistress, 
Simile.  etc. it's intolerable: So while riches be content with the place of Servants, to be at their master's appointment to good uses, it's well; but when they shall perk up above Spiritual graces, and heavenly things, and get away the heart from God, and our heavenly Husband Christ Jesus, than they are to be turned out of doors, and stamped under foot, for in comparison of these, they are as the basest pebble stone to the most precious Stone or Diamond. 2. We must not set down with ourselves that we will be rich (for then if lawful means should fail, we would use any other, transgress even for a piece of bread; 
1 Tim. 6. 9  they that will be rich, fall into divers temptations and snares) but herein show a moderate mind. 
Prov. 28. 20.  3. We must not make haste to be rich, but must be content to stay our time, and wait the Lords leisure, till he bless our labours with fruitful increase: A man must not run out assoon as he seeth a booty, 
See Prov. 20, 21. and 28. 20, 22.  lest there be Enemies by in ambush, which may make us a booty, but must consider well ere we go about it; haply it was only held out as a trial from God, or a trap by the Devil to catch us: They be thorns, if we rush upon them hastily, unless we be well fenced and prepared we shall hereby harm ourselves. 4. We must seek them with a quiet and contented mind, and not with an unsatiable appetite, such as can never be satisfied, but thirsteth continually after more. 5. We must seek them only by lawful means, and not otherwise; not with the neglect of good duties to God, our Souls, or Families, etc. or huddling them up, much less by committing evils, as by Lying, Swearing, Sabbath breaking, Deceit, Oppression, 
See Mat. 16. 26.  etc. nor by Gaming, etc. This were to seek them with the dishonour of God, and loss of our souls for trash. 6. We must not affect, seek, or desire after abundance and superfluity, but for things necessary, not for necessity of nature, but for necessity of a man's estate, condition and calling: Thus a Prince, Nobleman or Magistrate, requireth a greater Portion to maintain their Estate, and those that depend on them; So a Minister, to maintain himself and his, and that he may follow his Study, and buy Books; and herein we may desire so much as may be competently sufficient, as well for ourselves, as for all that belong to us, & that not only to maintain them while we live, but to leave them somewhat according to our state when we die; yea, and that whilst we live we may be enabled to do some good in our places towards the relief of the poor, 
Acts 20. 35.  it being a more blessed thing to give then to receive: To ask or desire more to spend superfluously, we have no warrant, yea, so to ask or desire, were a sign of distrust: Not but that the things themselves are good, how great a portion soever we have of them, if we could use them to good uses; but our corrupt nature is subject, both to dote upon them, trust in them, be lifted up by them, and the Devil to fasten many dangerous temptations on us, by the means of them, and therefore we should not desire such abundance of them: 
See Prov. 30. 8.  If God should cast such abundance on us, by honest labour in following our calling, or otherwise, we ought humbly to beg a great deal of grace and fear, our stewardship and account being now far greater: 
Gen. 28. 20.  Jacob asked food and raiment; and we are willed therewith to be content, they be not good absolutely, and to every man; and many have taken hurt by them, few at any time made better; where poverty hath slain a thousand, riches hath slain ten thousand: They be never almost mentioned in Scripture, but with one check or other (as thorns, snares, uncertain, deceitful, meat that perisheth, unrighteous Mammon, etc.) that we may not be in love with them.  
1. This condemneth the common practice of most men in the world, 
Use 1.  that be stark drunk with these things, and seek them without all bounds, which is also the fault even of some of God's Servants: O how many seek them before grace and heavenly things, do altogether labour for the meat that perisheth! O how many will work all the six days long, but in the mean time do nothing for their soul, yea, on the Sabbath do no more than an outward performance of duty to satisfy Law, and for fashion's sake, their tongues and hearts running after the world! God and grace are not in their thoughts: A little of this is enough, yea and then only, when they can follow the world no longer; and thus with most the greedy desires after the world eats up all thought of any goodness: Hence it is that they are wise for the world, but stark fools in matters of Religion; of that they can talk all the day long, but cannot speak three words savourly of any good thing; They abound in wealth, but have not so much as a dram of grace, nor look after none; rich in the world, but to Godward, miserable, poor, blind, naked souls.  
2. How do numbers set down with themselves to be rich, 
Use 2.  & thus much to give to such a child, & c? how also many are even mad in making haste to be rich, up early, down late, by right, wrong, etc. yea, make such haste, as they break their shins, nay, make waste of their souls? What, will they fly before they be fledged? must they needs get up all at once? cannot they tarry, and rise as God will have them, but by getting other men's goods into their hands, or running into the Usurer's books, undo both themselves and others? what purchasing is there before men be fit, when haply they have not half the money to lay down, but for the rest must be beholding to the Usurer, and so fall into the Kites paws? Thus some have lost their own livings which have been competent, by reaching at more before they were fit; others, though they have not thus undone themselves, yet much straiten themselves, shame and disgrace themselves, are still in debt, live barely and miserably, who might else live at elbow room and comfortably: How many are so unsatiable and greedy, that like Hell and the Grave, they still cry, Give, give; they have the dropsy, and their thirst can never be quenched: They are like a great Hound standing at the table's end, give him one piece of meat, he swallows it down without chewing, looking on your face presently for another: There's no end of Lying, Swearing, Sabbath-breaking, Deceitful and false Weights and Wares, Oppression, Wrongful dealing, etc. and all to be rich in the world; nay, when men have both competency and sufficiency, yet do they still eagerly follow it, with as hot a pursuit as if they had nothing: O how odious this is in God's sight! this Covetousness is Idolatry; yet, as if one should have told Nabal, after he had so blockishly sent away David's servants, that he was Covetous, he would have said, Nay, but a good husband; so who can persuade these hereof? This is a kind of drunkenness, as the moderate seeking of riches, soberness; neither can two things be more like, then are drunkards and covetous persons.  
1. Both be insensible, 
A comparison between drunkenness and immoderate seeking of riches.  ye cannot beat any good thing in either of their heads: Though the one reel as he goes, and cannot so much as speak a wise word, yet you cannot persuade him that he is drunk; and though the other doth both pinch himself and others, yet he will not believe that he is covetous.  
2. Both be insatiable; The drunkard must have pot after pot, is never satisfied, but still dry; So the covetous man must join Farm unto Farm, House unto House, Land unto Land; The one calls in dousens of beer, yards of beer, pails of beer, beer by the Hogsheads; So if a covetous man had a whole Town, he would desire another, and then a third, etc.  
3. Both be inserviceable; who will put a drunkard in any office? what employment is he fit for? So a covetous man, he will so look to his private gain, 
Exod. 18. 21.  as he will neglect the public; he will have something clear to himself, 
1 Tim. 3. 3.  of that's committed to him, or will take bribes, or extraordinary fees; Therefore it is, that both Magistrates and Ministers are willed to avoid this.  
4. Both be incorrigible; There's no hope of an old drunkard, few of them repent; so of a covetous man, it's a rare thing to see a Zacheus: That story begins with a word of Note, Behold: The vilest drunkard is not more odious to God, 
Eph. 5. 3.  then is a wicked covetous man: God would not have covetousness to be once named amongst us; 
1 Cor. 5. 11. and 6. 10.  yea, he forbids to keep company with one that is covetous, & pronounceth that such shall not inherit his kingdom. Covetousness is the root of all evil, the breach of all the ten Commandments; it takes away our Love, Fear, and Trust in God, and gives it to Wealth, yea, it hinders from the very knowledge of God: Through it many have society with Idolaters; because of it, how many thousand oaths are sworn daily? how many daily forsworn? what regard bear such to the Word? either because of their Farms and Oxen they will not come thereto, 
Luke 16. 14.  of if they do, they are so toiled by the world, 
Ezek. 33. 31.  that they sleep thereat; or if they do hearken, they do but mock, at least go not away much the better, their minds being all the while ranging, and they hearing only as one in a dream. Hereby also they neglect prayer, and are either kept from the Sacrament, or come profanely; hereby also do they infinitely break the Sabbath, as in buying, selling, riding, talking of worldly matters, etc. Thus also many Parents through niggardliness, spoil their children for want of education, Migistrates take bribes to prevent Justice, Ministers engross livings, people pull away their Minister's maintenance, servants deceive their Masters, Prince's pole their Subjects, 
See Prov. 1. 19  and Subjects withdraw their taxes and deuce from them: Through this many lose their lives, as Naboth: There's much contention both within doors and without for trifles; so many women prostitute themselves, and their husbands wink thereat because of advantage; and many to avoid charge, which as they think would come by marriage, live in uncleanness: From hence also what cousenages and deceive do arise in buying, selling, letting, hiring, borrowing, lending, partnership, & c.? what simony, sacrilege, bribery, usury, & c? how also are lies multiplied hereby? and how many Tale-carriers are there merely for this respect? yea, there's no villainy in this world so odious to God and man, which through covetousness men will not commit, and therefore it was no wonder that David prayed that his heart might not be inclined hereto. 
Psal. 119 36.  O what a folly and madness is it, for men to seek so greedily after these things, which yet oftentimes are the further from them; but admit thou obtainest them, are they able to purchase for thee a pardon of thy sins? Can they pacify God's wrath? Can they prolong thy days one hour? Doth thy Salvation stand in these? mayest thou not soon be deprived thereof? Shalt thou tarry long with them? Is there not vexation in them? If thou shouldest long enjoy them, yet having no grace in thy heart, no assurance of God's favour, no hope of a better life, woe unto thee, and yet this is the state of thousands: They only mind earthly things, having no regard of Heavenly or Spiritual Grace, and so living here basely for a while, without enjoying the benefit of that they have, they are at the length snatched away, and then the world strives for their goods, and the Devil for their souls. As an Ass that caries Plate all day, at night is turned into a foul stable, or bare Pasture to nob on Thistles, and that with a galled back; so are they turned out with a galled and guilty conscience, 
Simile.  and a soul laden with innumerable sins, and so sink down to Hell, there to be for ever and ever.  
Art thou guilty hereof? Repent, endeavour to see thy folly, confess, cry to God, make restitution of that which thou hast taken unjustly, seek for pardon, for grace, for sanctification: O that it might be said to thee, 
Luke 19 9  as to Zacheus, This day is salvation come to thy house▪ Art thou free of this poison, beware thou be'st not tainted herewith, of all evils its the most dangerous and damnable, and most hardly rooted out: Esteem of these things as they ought, but chiefly labour for your part in those true riches, which shall never be taken away.  
It's the fault of Christians, that they seek the world too eagerly, and neglect many good duties for it, run into unwarrantable courses, are unquiet, contentious, etc. whereby they make themselves and their Profession to be ill spoken of: O how ill doth this beseem Christians which have God to be their Father, and Heaven for their inheritance and portion! Fie upon it; Is this to behave ourselves Pilgrim-like? we should carry ourselves so moderately in these things, that we may make the world see and say, 
john 4. 32.  we have riches that they know not of, as our Saviour said, He had meat his Disciples knew not of; we must labour to grow in grace, and covet the best things.  
For the second part of sobriety, which is in the use of riches when we have them, it hath relation either to our mind, when we esteem of them; or our practice, when we employ them as God requires.  
1. We must esteem of them but as they are, 
We must not set our minds too much on riches.  and not set our minds overdeeply on them, as if the having of them were our happiness, the want of them our utter misery: Neither must we think the more highly of ourselves, 
Psal. 62. 10.  because of them; for goodness is that only which makes us of account with God and good men: when we go down to the grave we be all fellows, nor ought we to trust in them, as though they could be a Castle and Tower against whatsoever may come upon us, Plague, War, Famine, etc. This is the common sin of the world, yea, even God's Servants may partly perceive that their hearts rise as their wealth increaseth: O its hard for a man to keep down his heart that it swell not! Nor must we be excessively loath to part with them when God sees it good, nor cast down when we have any loss, as if we had lost happiness: O how many are thus grieved, which were never grieved for their sins, nor wept for fear of God's wrath and condemnation! we should grieve indeed for our sins, or if we do not feel God's favour, or observe any decay in our love to God and goodness, but not as worldly losses, especially enjoying God's favour, and having through Christ an assured hope of a better life.  
2. We must employ them as God requires, 
We must employ them as God requires.  and that both on ourselves and others; ourselves and ours, For he that provides not for himself and his family, 
1 Tim. 5. 8.  is worse than an infidel: and Solomon saith, It's a good and comely thing for a man to take part of that God hath given him: 
Eccles. 5. 18.  Jacob after he had served Laban many years, 
Gen. 30. 30.  began at the length to think of his own house: 
Gen. 30. 30.  But what base misers are they that cannot afford themselves or theirs necessaries in food and raiment? They are diseased with an evil sickness; They are Thiefs to their backs, bellies, families: neither are those prodigal rioters in a better case, which waste and consume all in sports, company keeping, and belly-cheer; they rob their wives, their children, their friends, the poor, and usually die in the Goal, leaving their children to misery.  
Others, 
Prov. 3. 9  as upon the worship and service of God, and maintenance of the Gospel and Ministers thereof, for the good of our own souls.  
So upon the King and Commonwealth, under whom we enjoy Peace and the Gospel, as also upon the Poor, especially the Saints, See Deut. 15. 10. Psal. 37. 25, 26. Psal. 112. Prov. 11. 23. Matth. 5. Luke 14. Heb. 13. And this we must do, 
Act. 4. 34, 37.  not only of our superfluity, but in some cases even of our necessity, of our very Lands; we are not Lords of our goods, but Stewards for which we must be countable to our master.  
This rebuketh those that are all for themselves, as for any other, either they will not bestow any thing at all, or no more than needs must, and most Christians are too niggardly: For the worship of God, some think that any thing bestowed this way is too much, that this is the worst and idlest money bestowed this may be; they could be content with a blind Sir, that would live of crusts; and if they can pull away the Tithes, and make a bargain with a Minister half for nought, they think it well gotten; and many that might procure the Preaching of the Word to them, only the want is, their hearts are so glued to the world, they had rather have their Hogs, than Christ's company among them: The blind devotion in times of Popery to build Churches and Religious Houses, will condemn the wretchedness of our times; If a Church be but decayed in our days, there must be a Collection all over the Country, if not many Shires, for the reparation hereof: And how do men hide and conceal their Estates, that they may be freed from the paying of Subsidies and Taxes, and so deceive the King of his due? And what wincing is there for the payment of the poor, the true poor? If it were not out of the fear of Law and Justice, they would pay nothing, or as good as nothing: Hath not God made many promises? what unbelievers are these that will not take God's word? Their goods thus spared prosper not long, for God will be true; hence come so many changes of owners, even because men get and keep their goods unlawfully.  
Thus many instead of wealth, leave their children an heap of chaff that blows away: God will rifle in such goods; and besides at the last day, what account and bills will these be able to bring in? that they spent all on themselves, or wasted all in riot, or spared all from those good uses they should: Their bills will not be taken, they shall hear this sentence, O evil and unfaithful servant, thou hast been untrusty in a little, who shall trust thee with more, take him hence, bind him hand and foot, etc. but to those that have employed them well, it shall be said, Come ye blessed of my Father, &. Well done good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful in a little, enter into thy Master's joy.  
O then let us learn this sobriety: We have an enemy to resist, who if we be drunk with the love of the world, will assuredly have his will of us; and is not the end of all things at hand? If we be drunk when our Lord and Master cometh, what shall be our portion? we must die; we die daily in our neighbours.  
And watch unto prayer,] This is not to be understood of the bodily waking of the eye from sleep, though the Papists so transfer it, and therefore keep certain Vigils and Watches for Saints, certain nights of the year (though upon occasion, 
Psal. 119. 148.  we ought with David to keep our eyes waking in the night, that we may praise God, and pray unto him) but it's meant of a spiritual watchfulness, whereby we have an eye to our hearts and ways, that we do nothing against the will of God, but may ever be doing that which is good and acceptable in his fight, which is a notable help to further a man in a godly life to the kingdom of heaven; and this is performed by those only, who having obtained mercy of God, and assurance of pardon, see cause why they should turn to him, serve him, and give themselves wholly to him.  
This watchfulness is well put after sobriety, 
Watchfulness why set after sobriety.  as sobriety is set before it to make way for the same; for as a man drunk with wine, cannot keep awake, but sleeps like a Hog, so he that is drunk with the cares of this life, cannot watch spiritually.  
This watching is a looking to our hearts and all our ways, 
What watchfulness is.  that we may be always kept from evil, and ever in a good course. Therefore as Watchmen use to examine all Passengers, and accordingly deal with them, so ought we to watch against all enemies, which are, evil thoughts, evil words, and evil deeds, which do either directly proceed from our own ill heart, or by the temptation of Satan and the world. To prevent evil thoughts, we must keep the heart with all diligence: 
Prov. 4. 23.  This is the fountain that sends forth such streams; the furnace from whence comes such sparks. If our thoughts be wicked, impatient, unclean, proud, etc. we must suppress them, and beat them down; but if good, holy and pure, let them pass for true men; so we must take heed to our ways, 
Psal. 39 1.  that we sin not with our tongues. Our tongue is a slippery member, 
james 3. 2.  an unruly evil, able (as little as it is) to do much hurt, and he is a perfect man, and able to rule all his body, that can rule his tongue; we must therefore set a watch before the door of our lips, and examine all our words. And for evil actions, we must also beware of them, we must take heed to our ways, watch all parts and members of our bodies, that no ill action break forth, and accordingly as Job Covenanted with his eyes, 
job 31. 1.  we must with every member. We must examine every action at our going about it; if any evil one pass from us, and break, as it were through the watch, we must be grieved and repent, and thereafter be more watchful: As the eyesight and eyelid are necessary in the body, so is watchfulness in the soul; we are continually in danger of falling, the Devil, the world and our own lusts be our enemies; if we suffer them to break in upon us, we dishonour God, and spoil ourselves of our peace and comfort: And as we must watch against all evil, so must we especially against those we be most subject to, as wise and careful Watchmen will have most care of the weakest parts of their City: And as we must watch to keep out evil, so must we to do good, and that both privately and publicly, towards God, ourselves, and our brethren: And not this only, but watch that we do good as we ought to do, in a right manner; we must look to our hearts in our callings, and in our best duties, for even then they will beguile us, and the right manner of performance is all in all: Thus in prayer we must watch against private pride, hypocrisy, wandering thoughts, etc. so in the Word, against Infidelity, prejudicated Opinions, etc. this must be all the day through, and in our particular actions; for it's not enough to have a general purpose of well-doing, 
Heb. 3. 12.  or of a godly life, 
Prov. 23. 17. and 28. 14.  but we must look to every particular action through the day; we must not be good by wholesale, 
Col. 1. 10.  but by retale; not in the sum and gross, but even in particulars; there must not at any time be an evil heart in us, we must be in the fear of the Lord continually. As in journeying (suppose to York) we ask not only whether it be East, West, North or South, but through what Shires we must go, nay, by what great Towns, nay, by what Villages, nay, we ask what turnings there are from such a place, to such a place, nay, what marks we shall meet withal, as Windmills, Crosses, etc. And as a great man's servant, sets not down only received 100 or 500 l. and laid out so much in the gross, but particularly, what he received of such a one, and what of another, and what he laid out for this, what for that, 
Luke 1. 75.  etc. so should we observe every particular, and that throughout the whole course of our lives: 
1 Pet. 1. 17. and 4. 2.  There's no time for security or sin, we must not at any time give way either unto evil, 
Why we ought to be watchful.  or that evil one.  
That we ought to be thus watchful, may appear; 1. For that we have within us corrupt and wretched hearts, which continually lust after evil, and are untoward to any good, being also subtle and deceitful above all things. 2. The Devil a most malicious and watchful adversary, 
Zech. 3. 1.  is at our elbows always, yea, in our best actions, as he was at Joshua's right hand to resist him: The world also affords many provocations. 3. The love of God towards us in Christ, pardoning our sins, and calling us to the hope of eternal happiness, being so wonderful and unspeakable; must we not therefore so watch in all things, as that we may do nothing to grieve so good and merciful a Father, but be careful in all things to be acceptable in his sight. 4. Our Lords coming is uncertain, we must therefore be like the diligent servant, with our loins girded, and lights burning; we must be like the five wise virgins, with oil in our lamps, attending the coming of our Bridegroom: This is no more than Gods requires of us, no more than Noah, Henoch and Abraham performed; they walked with God, set themselves continually as in God's presence, in an heedful care to all their ways: This is no more than needs, if either we consider the price of sin, the inclination of our own hearts, and what enemies the Devil and world are to us. Neither doth this watchfulness hinder us from any thing but sin; from no liberty, but that that is nought and hurtful, and that we may as well spare, as water out of our shoes; it hinders not from our calling, only requires us to pray first, now a whet is no let, we shall speed the better all the day after; it only teacheth us how to be in our calling, not as drudges to the world, but the servants of God; it hinders us not from buying and selling, but from Craft, Covetousness, Corruption in the same; not from company, but from vanity and unprofitableness in company; not from mirth, but from vain wicked mirth; so that it's so far from being a bondage, that its blessed liberty: Some think that thus we shall pinion and bind our hands behind us, and that this is too straight: It's true, to our nature that hath been used to so much liberty, 
Simile.  it will seem straight at first, till we be accustomed to it, and then it will be found easy and pleasant; even as a new suit of apparel, though never so fit, yet will seem straight at the first putting on, which afterwards it will not: Such pretences are but as a Lion in the way of a Sluggard.  
The benefits ensuing hereby are divers: 
Benefits of watchfulness.  1. It keeps from many sins, whereunto else we must needs fall ere we be aware, and so consequently from many sorrows, both outward and inward; from many crosses and troubles, 
Psal. 119. 17.  from many heart-smarts and wounds of conscience: Whatsoever is a mean to keep a man from sin, is a blessed friend of his. 2. It keeps us from lying still in any sin, and is a mean to raise us up by true repentance; for if it cannot prevent it, yet it will no suffer us to sleep in it, nor be quiet, nor go to bed till we have vomited it up, and so is a mean to keep our hearts from hardness: Lying in sin hardens the heart, and provokes God against us, so that when we would, we cannot rise, nor tell how to go about it, and when we do, yet we do not so easily obtain pardon and peace: Often reckonings make long friends. 3. It keeps us from falling into foul sins, for lightly men fall not far at once, but by little and little; neither is this a small benefit, for though every sin be hurtful to the soul, yet great sins do it more hurt. A little jerk with a wand makes us skip, and puts life into us, as it were, but a blow with a Cudgel or Leaver dazzles us; so little sins make us stir up ourselves, and put more care in us through God's mercy, whereas great sins benumb and dazzle the conscience. 4. It makes us see the corruption and naughtiness of our own hearts, and so to be the humbler; as also to see God's mercy in keeping us from so many evils, whereof we are in continual danger, that so we may be the more exceedingly thankful. 5. It upholds our communion with the blessed Majesty of God, and the peace of our conscience, which is a continual feast. 6. It's a special argument that we are the children of God: All the while we do thus, we go on in the straight way, we do as few do, as none but God's servants, none but zealous Christians do. 7. It makes our lives the more fruitful to ourselves and our brethren by many degrees. 8. It makes us fit both to live and die, to live and perform the good duties that God requireth, for a heart well ordered is fitter to pray, to hear, to come to the Sacraments, etc. our accounts be the sooner made, and so it being done daily, it's done more easily, then if it be put off to a great deal together. To die, as being always fit and ready for our Lords coming.  
1. This being a thing so necessary and profitable, 
Use 1.  we have cause to lament that we have known it no better, nor had acquaintance therewithal: for alas, not to speak of the common sort, which look after no such matter, but will do as they list, though they smart for it eternally, even among the people of God, how little is it known that God requireth such a particular care and watch? that it's a thing possible, but rather impossible, or at least most irksome, and therefore content themselves with a general purpose to do well; and if they be careful on the Sabbath day to look to their heart, tongue and ways, and keep within compass, yet that they ought and must thus do on other days, few think. Hence it is that we fall into so many evils to God's dishonour, our own discomfort, the ill example of others, and reproach of our profession: What though we have no purpose in the morning to do ill (as some wicked have not) yet may we not through want of watchfulness fall ere we be aware, as David & Judah.  
2. Seeing this is a part of God's Counsel, 
Use 2.  and he that bids we should not steal, should keep the Sabbath, etc. bids us watch; let us know, it's not safe for us to neglect it, when God hath made known the same to us: Is it not pity that such a blessed mean to further us so sweetly to heaven through this world, should be so little known, and so few have help by it? O if we would once enter upon it, it would save us from many dangers, it would make our life fruitful: it would bring us so much unwonted peace, as we would be so far from being weary of it, that we would be grieved that we have been strangers from it so long, and came to the acquaintance and use of it no sooner. O let us grieve and crave pardon for neglecting such a necessary and profitable duty so long, and for the time to come be careful to redeem the season.  
Unto prayer.] 
Prayer must be added unto watchfulness.  We must add prayer to watchfulness, else what if we spy temptations coming, and setting upon us? of ourselves we have no power to resist the least of them: We must therefore upon every occasion have recourse unto God by prayer; 
Simil.  as Watchmen, if there come enemies in the time of War that be too strong for them, they raise the City for help; and in our ordinary watches, if naughty wretches come and set upon the watch, and be like to beat them down, they cry out for help, and so subdue them, so must we: Temptations at some times come so strong, as that we cannot deal with them, and therefore must cry to God for help.  
O that we could be much exercised in this duty of prayer! 
Use.  It keeps us in sobriety, helps our watchfulness, turns away evils, furthers us in good, is the only mean to supply our wants, whether for soul or body. O what a privilege is this! O the force and fruit of prayer! They that be much in Prayer, obtain much grace and peace here, and shall find a large entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven hereafter.   

Vers. 8. And above all things, have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.  
THe Apostle proceedeth to other duties; for Christianity is a Tree that hath many branches, 
Simile.  and a true godly man must have respect to all; As a Tradesman must have a care of every part of his Trade, and every point thereof, though haply he may be more expert in some particulars then in others.  
Above all things,] Not above the duties of the first Table, for that is the first and great Commandment, but above all duties of the second Table, have a care of love, which is a main and most necessary duty, without which there's no society or living; have a care of it, as of a mother-duty, from whence others will arise, as upon the wanting thereof, they also will be wanting; or thus, Above all things, that is, Of all the loves that we owe, have a care of the main, namely, Love to the Saints; for though we must love Strangers, Wicked men, our Enemies, etc. yet must we must love the Saints above all.  
Here we have 1. An Exhortation to love: 2. The manner of it. 3. A Reason to enforce the same.  
The Exhortation affords us this note, that  
Love is a most excellent and necessary duty: 
Love is a most excellent and necessary duty.  Hereof I have spoken at large on the 22 Verse of the first Chapter, where was showed, both what love is, the high commendation thereof by its several properties, with the means whereby to attain the same, etc.  
Fervent] The manner or kind of love required, 
Love must be fervent.  a large, continued, stretched-out constant love: 
Simile.  As a cloth folded up is in a little room, but when it comes to be cut, is stretched out into many men's uses; so our love must be stretched out to many persons, to many duties; as in giving and doing good to body, soul, goods, good-name, and that not sparingly, but liberally, so in forgiving both much and often; neither must this be only when we can well do it, or when we have nothing else to do, but when it's against our profit, pleasure, ease, etc. so as we neglect not ourselves too much, and thereby more pleasure may be done our neighbours, than hindrance come to us.  
Reason's hereof may be these, 
Reasons.  1. God's love towards us is fervent, and reacheth out into innumerable favours, for our bodies, souls, goods, good-name, etc. and that continually, forgiving also our daily offences, and bestowing his own Son on us. 2. A little love will be easily quenched and hindered by the Devil and his instruments, whereunto our brittle nature most readily yieldeth.  
This is not such a love as that whereby the fornicator loves his harlot, 
Use.  one enemy to goodness loves another: This is not grounded upon any transitory thing, or common gifts, but is for grace: We love thus, not for any by-respects, but because God requireth of us so to love; this is agreeable to the Word of God, and therein we must principally aim at the good of our neighbour's souls: to persuade one's friend to that for preferment, which he cannot do with a good conscience; or being sick, to persuade him to send for a Cunning-man or woman, or to dissuade him from suffering for a good conscience, etc. is rather hatred than love: Had our Saviour followed Peter's advice, and not gone up to Jerusalem for to suffer, we had all perished eternally. But of this before.  
For charity shall cover the multitude of sins.] The Reason,  
There will be through our corruption and frailty of nature, many offences one against another, therefore must we labour for love to cover them.  
The Papists interpret the words thus, That our love to our neighbours will merit at God's hand forgiveness of our sins; but we are justified before God by Faith in Christ Jesus, before we can do any good work; neither can we love God or our neighbour for his sake, till we be assured of his love to us in pardoning our sins. True, the more we love our brethren, the more we may be assured of God's mercy to us, and that we be pardoned, and that he will still show us mercy, but not by desert: That opposition Prov. 10. 12. Hatred stirreth up strifes, but love covereth all sins, showeth plainly, that this is not the meaning.  
Faults that love covers, 
What sins love covers.  be of two sorts, namely, sins against God, and wrongs against ourselves.  
Against God, 
Sins against God.  whether they be natural infirmities or others, so they be not notorious acts, or continued wicked courses of bad men; as love will not be suspicious, but hope the best, till it know an evil committed, and interpret things charitably; so those that be faults, yet love will not blaze them abroad, but keeps them in, and admonisheth the party; it utters them not where they be not known, to his disgrace, and so uncovers his shame and rejoiceth therein, as Cham.  
Against ourselves; 
Sins against ourselves.  for those that be small ones, it passeth them by, takes no notice of them, but treads them under foot; for those that be somewhat greater, it will be content with any reason; for those that do touch us to the quick, in our names, and goods, it will forgive the wrong and the revenge, but yet it may seek his own right and due, and that by the benefit of the Magistrate; where note, that he must see, 1. That it be not for trifles. 
On what respects we may seek redress by the Magistrate  2. Not till all other ways more peaceable have been offered and refused. 3. That it's then without revenge to the party, or hatred, and without denying any Christian duty to him; love will cover a multitude of these, committed by sundry men, or if'ft be by the same party: As God covers our infirmities, and accepts of our true desires; and Parents put up much at their children's hands, and do not revenge themselves by beating them by and by; so must we by love cover the infirmities one of another.  
By both these its evident and plain, 
Use.  that there is but a little love in the world, and that ourselves are very short in this duty, whether we try it by covering of faults against ourselves, or of men's faults against God: O how the world rejoiceth to talk of the faults of Professors! how will young Professors be censuring whom they like not? and what censuring, and backbiting, and slandering is there of one another? what telling tales and talking one of another?  
That we may cover men's faults committed against God, 
How we may cover faults committed against God.  we must 1. Mind our own matters. 2. Think of better things. 3. Rebuke the tellers of such things, and stop our ears from hearing the same.  
That we may cover their faults committed against us; 
Against ourselves.  call to mind, 1. That we be subject to offend them, and need their forgiveness. 2. That God requires it, who forgives us a multitude of sins. 3. That there can be no better argument that our sins be forgiven, than our forgiving of others; as there can be no better motive to God to show us mercy, then for us to be merciful. 4. That Christ forgave those that wronged him.  
If we can bear nothing, 
Use.  it's a sign of little love: O that we could think it a glory to forgive and pass by offences, whereas we now count it a disgrace, and that we are no body, if we revenge not: This hinders not, but that we may admonish each other, but that the Magistrate may punish faults committed, but that the Minister may preach against sin: Neither doth this warrant that we should slatter or daub one another, yet must not we point out a particular person, unless it be upon an extraordinary occasion.   

Verse 9 Use hospitality one to another without grudging.  
THis is an exhortation to a particular duty of love, we must be kind and helpful to strangers, especially such as are in affliction, and persecuted for Religion, we must harbour, receive, and comfort them at our houses, or otherwise relieve them, if it be most profit to them; we must also be kind and helpful to our own poor, especially the best disposed of them, comforting their bowels, and refreshing them sometimes at our houses; we must also lovingly invite one another to our houses for the further increase of love, and all this must be cheerfully, without grudging.  
In the exhortation, Use hospitality one to another: we will speak of the three preceding branches.  
1. For strangers, 
We must be kind to strangers.  we must be kind to them, that being of other countries are in want or fly for Religion, and come to us for shelter, which do either forsake their Country for their conscience, or be thrust out of their Country, house and home, especially for Religion: This is often commanded, as Exod. 22. 21. and 23. 9 Leu. 19 33, 34. and 23. 22. Heb. 13. 2. Hereof Abraham, L●t, Job, Booz, Obadiah, 
Acts 11.  Rahab, the widow of Sarepta, the Shunomitish woman, Cornelius, Lydia, 
Rom. 15. 27.  Gaius, Onesephirus, etc. were notable examples; so we read of some that gathered for others, and sent unto them in their necessity: This Land hath done commendably this way, in relieving the French and Dutch.  
Reasons. 1. God who requires this duty of us, is merciful, and accordingly should we be so. 2. These with widows and fatherless are most shiftless, most heavy hearted, least regarded in the world, easiest trodden down, unable to requite good, or resist evil; therefore God hath taken the charge of them, both to defend them from wrongs, and to requite the good which is done them. 3. We must not add affliction to affliction, 
Obad. 10.  that's not to be endured; but we must help bear their burden, comfort their hearts, refresh their bowels; It's enough for them that they are fain to forsake Land, House, Friends, and all for Christ sake. 4. This will keep them from impatience, murmuring, and many other temptations; as also from falling into their Enemy's hands bodily, or from forfeiting a good conscience by recanting, whereunto in likelihood they would be driven through our unkindeness. 5. This helps strengthen their faith in God's promise, that he will provide for them, which forsake any thing for his cause; when we use hospitality towards such, then is this promise fulfilled, and we help them to believe. 6. Hereby also we provoke them to break out into many praises to God, and to pour forth many prayers for us. 7. We know not how soon their case may be ours; now if it were, would we not be kindly used? 8. Thus we shall express our thankfulness to God, in that we ourselves are not driven from our own homes. 9 Hereby also we shall declare a good Testimony of our love, and so of our faith; for seeing they can never requite us, therefore we believe it's laid up with God. 10. It shall not be forgotten with the Lord, but rewarded here and hereafter; never did any lose by kindness to strangers: 
Matth. 10. 42.  He that receiveth a Prophet, etc. shall receive a Prophet's reward; that is, such a reward as a Prophet may be like by his office to help them to from the Lord; so such a reward as a righteous man may help them to; look upon all the forementioned examples, and they clear the same: 
Matth. 25. 34.  But were there none here, that Scripture, Come ye blessed of my Father, would suffice to draw us on to the performance of this duty.  
O let us be ready in performing this duty, 
Use.  let us put to our helping hand, let us shore them up, that they s●ink not: Neither must we thus do only to strangers of other Countries, but even to those in our own Land, in the time of persecution; So also if we hear of their great losses by fire, or otherwise (especially being authorized) let us extend our charitable benevolence on them for their relief, and though we ourselves do not harbour them, yet if we help to build up or repair their Houses, etc. we perform this duty: Sundry among us do something tolerably that way, but for the mercies of others, they are cruel; It's a sign that those never tasted of God's mercy, which are altogether without the bowels of mercy.  
Obj. O but if I could happen upon Angels in entertaining strangers, then would I like well of it.  
Answ. We do after a sort entertain Angels, for they attend about those whom we harbour, and the House is the stronger that night, as Lots was; yea, we entertain more than Angels: For he that receiveth one of these little ones, receiveth me, saith Christ: Who would not be ready to lodge Jesus Christ, if he were here?  
If I could obtain a Son, 
Obj.  having none, or being dead, to have him raised from death to life, as the Shunamite, by the means of strangers, or have my friends and servants restored to health, I could like well to entertain them.  
God's Servants may obtain for us as great things as these, 
Sol.  nay greater, even such things as may be for the good, both of our own souls and theirs.  
And if even those which in likelihood have done thus only in civil courtesy have not been unrewarded, how much less shall they, which do it for Conscience sake?  
2. For our own poor: 
The regard we are to have of our own poor.  It's best to maintain them at their own houses, with that which their own labour will not attain, and not suffer them to go from door to door, except when they bring home their work, or come out upon occasion of some sickness, to make known their necessities: But many are forced out, as being neglected at home. Besides their maintenance at home, its meet also for them of ability now and then to bid them home to their houses, to warm them at their fires; and that not only at the Festival time of the Nativity of our Lord Christ, but upon other occasions, as the day of our deliverance from the Powder-Treason, etc. So its meet, that every Lord's day we should take home with us a poor body or two, who are best minded, most diligent in their Callings, bring up their Children well, etc. to encourage them in goodness, 
Luke 14. 13.  and that they may bear their burden the more cheerfully: 
Isa. 58. 7.  This is even in special enjoined to us, and required of us; 
job 31. 17.  and thus doubtless did both Abraham and Job.  
But how are the poor by most in most places neglected? 
Whence it is that the poor are so much neglected.  Hereof there are two chief causes: 1. Wicked Covetousness, which hath so prevailed with some, that they are mad for the world, and insatiable, thinking all lost that goes besides themselves: Some rich keep no house; some have many Farms, and for any good they do, it were better they had none; some live basely and miserably, etc. 2. Pride in building, apparel, sumptuous diet, whereby they are drawn so dry, that nothing is to be had of them: For the former, they covet an ill covetousness to their own house, it being the way to pull it down; and for the latter, their bravery will be turned into rags: God blesseth not the Children of either the one or other; The Father's being ill Tenants, and not paying their Rent, God will turn out the Children. O how many, by sparing more than is right, come to poverty? 
james 2. 13.  Being merciless, they shall have judgement without mercy; stopping their ears at the cry of the poor, 
Prov. 21. 13.  they themselves shall cry, and not be heard: They send away the poor, as Nabal did David's messengers, and bid them Go, etc. and it shall be said to them at the last day, Go ye cursed, etc. If thou wouldst be merciful to the poor, thou mightest be blessed in all thou puttest thine hands unto; if thou wouldst sow liberally, thou mightst reap liberally; thy Children might be blest, 
Acts 9 29.  thou mightst have a good name, and be mourned for, as Dorcas; thou shouldst not partake in the evil to come, thou shouldst hear a joyful Sentence on the last day.  
3. For inviting one another: 
Inviting of one another, how useful.  It's a means for watering love, much good comes by it, and the contrary strangeness doth hurt: In many places its neglected, and that out of pride; for they cannot or will not meet, but with so great cost and variety, that men be the worse for it a quarter after; if Christians would meet like Christians, for society, and not for meat, and be content with one dish or two, it were much better, and then it might be oftener.  
This duty is required of Ministers (and that elsewhere particularly) as well as others: 
Ministers must use hospitality.  for, they be fittest to counsel and comfort strangers, are easily found out, and must go before their people in the practice of that they teach, and shall thus both provoke others the better, and make a way for their Ministry in the hearts of the poor.  
If it be thus, 
Use.  than it was doubtless God's mind, That a Minister should have wherewithal, even a competent maintenance for himself and his, and to do good to others.  
It's the conceit of some, That a Minister should live but meanly, and as it were from hand to mouth; and accordingly they do so pole from him, that he can do no good this way. But though they should not be pompous nor sumptuous, nor rake after farms and wealth, yet they must and aught to live in good sort, as well as themselves: Such as have skill in the Scriptures, or have profited by the word, or reverence the Calling of the Ministry, will not otherwise judge: For us, if we cannot do as we would, we must do as we can; nor having ability, must we bid set on the great pot, in the mean while starving our people's souls.  
Without grudging,] 
God looks no less on one manner of doing, then on the duty.  The manner; This is all in God's account: He will have the work done after his fashion, else it's to no purpose, though haply it be as costly and painful as he requireth; to come to the Word, Sacraments, Prayer, be good duties, none better, but the heart wherewith they be performed, and manner of doing, is all in all: 
See Isa. 1. 11. and 58. 5.  As the Gallants of our times, though the matter of the Garment be never so good or costly, 
Simile.  regard it not, if it be not of the fashion; so in duties, the Lord looks to the manner how they are performed.  
This of mercy must be done without grudging, 
Works of mercy must be done without grudging.  that is, willingly, cheerfully, without murmuring or repining: God loves a cheerful giver; 
Rom. 12. 8.  He respects the widow's mite thus given: The people offered freely to the building of the Tabernacle and Temple, 
2 Cor. 9 7.  and accordingly should we do in these works of mercy.  
It's a great fault, 
Use.  not of the world only, but even of Christians, that are brought very hardly and heavily to perform these duties; we ought to be so far from being grieved at them, as we ought to be glad when any occasion is offered this way.  
That we do the same cheerfully, 
How we may thus do.  let us do it in faith, even be assured, 1. That its pleasing and acceptable to God. 2. That he will reward it abundantly; were this increased in us, we would be glad of any opportunity to manifest the fruits thereof.   

Verse 10. As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.  
OUr Apostle yet proceedeth in the argument of love, and because it were too long to exhort particularly to every duty of love, he puts here all together in one, requiring that every one do communicate what gifts soever he hath, and in what kind or measure soever; He must not keep it to himself, but distribute it to the good of his brethren, the Church and Commonwealth; and seeing God hath given us those gifts for this end, and made us not owners, but stewards and dispensers of them, and such as must give account of the same, which well followeth upon the former Exhortation, That nothing be done with grudging, we have no cause to grudge at what we do.  
This Exhortation is general to all sorts of men whatsoever; though in the next place he instanceth in some particular duties of Church-Officers, as Ministers and Overseers of the Poor.  
Here we have, 1. An Exhortation, to minister, to be doing service. 2. The manner, according to our gift whatsoever it be, which is described by the author of it, or means how we have it, we have received it. 3. The generality of persons which are thus to minister, every man. 4. A Reason, because we are but Stewards.  
As every man hath received the gift,] Hear note,  
1. That every one hath some gift or other to do good with, 
Every man hath some gift or other wherewith to do good.  and whereby he may be profitable, as authority, wisdom, wealth, knowledge, and the like; as there is no member in the body, but hath his gift fit to do good in the body, 
Simile.  not a finger, or toe, nay, the least joint of the least toe serves for the more steady walking, without which the body were lame, 
Simile.  we could not go so firmly. As every one of the Servants had some of the talents, and he that had lest had one; So, though one may have a more excellent gift, or greater measure thereof then another, yet every man hath some or other.  
Let none then be discouraged as some be: 
Use.  O I do no good, there is no use of my being in the world, I am a poor man or woman, have neither Wealth, Wisdom, Knowledge, nor Authority, and so live like an unprofitable burden: Deceive not thyself, if thou wert even a carnal person, yet there were use of thee; but of every one that feareth God, there is special use, and thou dost and mayst do good many ways; Thou dost good in following thy Calling whatsoever it is: Also thou hast some Children, or a little family, if thou bring them up in the fear of God, that they may prove profitable instruments in the Church or Commonwealth, herein thou art of good use. Besides, a poor man may give as good a lift at Prayer, as the rich▪ Thou mayest also do much good by thy good example, patience i● adversity, diligence in thy calling, contentedness in thine Estate, and the like; so by counselling, admonishing, exhorting, comforting, and visiting thy poor and sick Neighbours: Be not discouraged then, but lay out the gift thou hast, and thou shalt please God as highly as they that have more. There are, indeed, some profane minded men, that say, For these poor folks, what use are they of? they do no good; if there were a thousand of them out of the way, it were a good turn; they do nothing but spend that other folks get: Thus will some miserable minded men say. But if they were carnal, yet are they of use, have skill one way or other; neither shouldst thou grudge at their life, but rather wish that they may live and mend: If they be godly, they do more good than thou dost, notwithstanding of all thy riches; therefore let none despise any, as the eye despiseth not the hand or foot.  
2. That every one hath a several and divers gift, 
Every one hath (as it were) a several or divers gift.  as it were; some for Magistracy, as Courage, Wisdom, Policy; some for the Ministry, as Knowledge, Interpretation of Scripture, the gift of utterance, Exhortation, Love, Zeal, etc. Some to be householders, some skill in Physic, Husbandry, Law, Merchandizing, etc. Every one hath not the same, 
Simile.  neither hath one man all: As a General of a Field disposeth of his men, all be Soldiers, but not all of one kind; some be Horsemen, some be Footmen, and of these some Pikemen, some Musketeers; so hath God disposed of men severally: And this God hath done, for the knitting us together in love, that none might be lifted up above all others, nor despise any, each being of use in his place: None can live of himself, none without the help of others; The Prince not without the Subject, nor the Subject without the Prince; Ministers have their maintenance from the people, people through their preaching attain Faith to the salvation of their souls; The rich wants skill, neither are able to do their own work, therefore employ the poor about it, and relieve them; The Lawyer cannot be without the Client, nor the Physician live without Patients; The Merchant cannot be without the Clothier, nor the Husbandman without the Tradesman, each must partake of the others gift.  
As therefore we should praise God for such variety of his gifts, 
Use.  and for his wisdom in distributing the same; so we should not be lifted up, or wax insolent, to the despising one of another: If thou hast some gift that others have not, they have also some that thou hast not; If they need thee, thou also standest in need of them; say not of thy Minister, He liveth of us; if thou be'st as thou oughtest, thou livest by him: so, as the poor cannot be without thee, thou canst not well be without them.  
3. That whatsoever we have fit to do good with, 
God bestoweth gifts on us freely.  it's a free gift of God; we came naked into the world, without any goodness, even the least good is of God, any thing that may be called good: They were all freely given Adam, 
See jam. 1. 17.  much more now, since our rebellion and sin; 
Dan. 5. 18.  if it be honour and authority, 
Psal. 65. 6.  its God that gives it; if gifts to rule and govern, that's also of God; if of the Ministry, Christ ascended, 
See Eph. 4. 8:  and gave gifts to men; Is it wealth? Job tells you That he had his from God; 
job 1. 21.  yea, to have a heart to distribute it well, is God's gift: 
1 Chron. 29. 13, 14.  So to be skilful in any Trade, as about gold, silver, brass, wood, stone (as were Bazaleel and Aholiab) is the gift of God.  
Let us not then stand in God's light, 
Use.  by arrogating any thing to ourselves; as if the poor man should say, or any other, I have nothing, but what I have got with my finger's end, never any friend I had gave me a penny, etc. what thou hast is God's gift, many a one hath taken as much care and pains as thou hast, who yet have missed of that thou hast got. So if any Gentleman shall say, My Lands have been in one stock since the Conquest, I am beholding to no Prince for it, therefore none ought to require of me to give out of it, but as I list myself: Alas, what if it be so as thou sayest, yet its Gods free gift; for thou hast made many forfeitures, whereby thou hast deserved to have it taken away: for any thing thou hast, any Land, Living, Place, Skill, give glory to God for it; thou hast no cause to be proud, what hast thou which thou ha●● not received? were it not absurd for one to brag of a borrowed suit of apparel, as if it were his own, and he were able to maintain the like: He that gave it thee, found thee without it, unworthy of it, and could have given it to any other, and can yet take it from thee, and give it another; nay, rather be humble, because of of the account: As the Master of the Talents called his Servants to an account, so will the Lord call thee; To whom much is given, of him is much required: The more gifts and the greater, the more is thine account; thou art the farther in debt, and therefore should be the less proud.  
As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same etc.] Here's the main duty required; every man must be faithful in communicating the gift which he hath received, and after that measure that he hath received it.  
For the kind; 
Christian's must communicate their gifts for the good of others  Though a Christian be the freest man in the world (as being freed from Satan, Sin, Hell, the Law, etc.) yet is he to be of all others the most serviceable; He must employ his gifts as a member of the body for the good of the whole; He must not put his light under a bushel, nor hide his Talon in a Napkin: The Magistrate must administer justice duly and truly, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, defend the widow, break the jaws of the wicked, etc. as he who beareth not the sword in vain: The Minister must do service with his gift, Preaching in season, out of season, etc. The Housholder must instruct and train up his Family, employing all the wit and knowledge he hath to this end, 
See Deut. 6. 6.  as Abraham, he must pray with them, and go before them in an holy example: The Husband must minister his gift, by living with his wife as a man of knowledge, etc. The wife must live in subjection and build up her house, and as a mother lay out her breasts for her young ones, if God hath given her milk and strength: The Servant must put out his gift in his business, and not be idle, untrusty, an eye-servant, etc. He that hath knowledge must teach the ignorant, admonish the disordered, exhort them that begin to slack, comfort the heavy, etc. If any hath wealth, he must distribute thereof as need requires; If any have skill in Physic, or in any thing that is useful to man, yea, or to beast, they must minister it; nay, there's not the meanest work done in faith and for conscience, which pleaseth not God, as a Preacher in the Pulpit, or Magistrate on the Bench.  
Reasons. 1. As the Sun shines not for itself, nor the Earth bear for itself; so have not we our a gift for ourselves, but for the common good. 2. The perfection of gifts consists not only in the having of it, but in the use thereof. 3. The Communion of Saints, which we believe, requires it, and this makes a man likest to God. 4. This brings most peace to our consciences both in life and death. 5. This procures credit while we live, as a good name and memory when we die. 6. We are divers ways partakers of the gifts of others, and so must make them partakers of ours. 7. Our gifts increase by using, the more we bestow them, the more we have them; nay, even for outward things, he that soweth liberally, 
2 Cor. 9 6.  shall reap liberally. 〈◊〉  
1. This rebuketh those that employ not their gift at all, 
Use 1.  and that either through discontentedness, because it's not so great as they would, or others have (but he is unworthy of more that will not make use of one talon, one well used would increase) or through envy, as desiring to be singular; or through laziness, both Magistrates, Ministers, Householders', &c. failing this way; these are warts and scabs, no true members of the body, drones; and not true labouring Bees.  
2. It rebuketh those which employ their gifts, 
Use 2.  not for the common good, but merely for their own private advantage; as most men would not work, or employ themselves in a calling, were't not for their own ends, and to grow rich; thus were it base and mercenary in a Minister to Preach for filthy lucre: thus many do their work, and make their wares so slightly and deceitfully, that others are thereby cozened, though themselves be enriched.  
3. It rebuketh such as do hurt with their gifts; 
Use 3.  as if a Magistrate by his authority would pervert judgement, 
See Mic. 7. 3.  oppress the righteous, maintain bad causes or persons, 
Ezek. 13. 8, 9, etc.  etc. If a Minister would by his preaching discourage the godly, and strengthen the hands of the wicked; If a Lawyer would employ his wit and skill to find quirks and quillers to hinder a good cause, or make good a naughty matter; If a Chirurgeon would keep his Patient long in pain, and keep back his cure, that he might gain the more by him; If a strong man would abuse his strength to pour in strong drink; If a wealthy man would abuse his means to oppress his inferiors, hunt good men out of their places, set up disorder and riot, etc. If such as have wit, would abuse it in devising mischief; If any having knowledge in the Scriptures, would cavil against the truth, defend sin, give ill counsel to others, etc. might they not be taxed for ministering their gifts cursedly? It had been happy not only for others, but even for themselves (as whose condemnation will be the greater) that they had never had these gifts; If even he that hid his talon, doing no good therewith, was so severely punished, and if even the figtree was cursed that did ba●e no fruit, then what shall become of them that bring forth bad fruit, that employ their talents for the hurt of others? Even here judgements do attend them: They shall not be established upon Earth; 
Psal. 140. 11.  they shall hot live out half their days, evil shall hunt them to destruction.  
For the measure▪] 
Every man must minister according to the measure received.  Every man must minister according to the measure he hath received; having received much, he must not minister a little; he that had five Talents, was called to an account for five; to whom men commit much, from them they look for the more.  
Obj. 
Obj.  The Apostle saith, If there be a willing mind, God accepteth of a man, 
2 Cor. 8. 12.  according to that he hath.  
Answ. True, 
Sol.  it is not beyond that he hath, but according to that he hath, he doth and will account with men.  
This rebukes those that having received much, 
Use.  yet care not how little they distribute: Many men of great knowledge, yet preach very seldom; many rich men by concealing their Estates, or by friendship, are but a little in taxes and subsidies; so also they can hold some down in rates, though they put up others, and yet think all this clear gains; its clear theft and wrong, will God take an unequal account? will he take account of men without regard of what he put into their hands? He will not: 
Simile.  Most men's accounts will be as if a Steward should receive Five hundred pounds, and bring in his layings out but half that or thereabouts, would it be received? it would not, neither shall theirs.  
As good stewards,] 
We are but stewards of the gifts we have.  We are but disposers or stewards of the gifts we have; therefore must not we keep them to ourselves, or count them ours, 
Use.  as stewards we must employ them, and that cheerfully, why should the steward grudge to lay out that he hath taken in, seeing its his master's appointment, whose the money is? Thou hast wealth, and dost account it thine own, and sayest that thou mayest do with thine own as it pleaseth thee; 
1 Cor. 4. 7.  but thou art deceived, what hast thou which thou hast not received?  
Good,] 
We must be faithful in our places.  Men love to be counted true in that they are trusted with, we therefore must so minister, that we may be found faithful stewards, that when the day of account comes, we may hear that sentence, Well done, good and faithful servant: Such as let their gifts rust, or employ them to the hurt of others, are far from being good Stewards, and will indeed be rewarded as evil and unfaithful servants: 
Use.  O look to it, all of us must give an account, Magistrates, Ministers, etc. that it may be to our comfort.  
Of the manifold grace of God.] 
God's gifts manifold.  Though God be one, yet his gifts and graces be manifold; common gifts, as Authority, Wealth, Wit, Knowledge, etc. How many Creatures have we for food, Beasts, Fishes, 
See Psal. 104. 24.  Fowls, Fruits? How many kinds of these? so of Apples, Pears, Herbs, Flowers?  
1. Labour to be manifold in duty. 
Use 1.   
2. Praise God for his manifold gifts according to our manifold uses. 
Use 2.    

Verse 11. If any man speak, let him speak as the Oracles of God: If any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth, that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever, Amen.  
THe Apostle descendeth from general, to particular Exhortations, and instanceth in some main and principal gifts, which be of greatest use; namely, Gifts and Offices in the Church, towards the souls and bodies of the people of God: and that not only for their good, but that God might be glorified in all his gifts, through Jesus Christ; of whom, and his gifts bestowed upon us, when he speaketh, he cannot but break out into a hearty thanksgiving, desiring, and that fervently, that all praise and dominion may be given to him for ever and ever.  
Here we have an Exhortation, a Confirmation, a Conclusion.  
The Exhortation is unto Ministers by name, to preach the Word of God, and as the Word of God; and to other Church-Officers, under a general term, that they are to dispense their gifts, according to the gift bestowed upon them.  
Now in that the Apostle contents not himself with the general Exhortation in which Ministers were included, but names them particularly, we may note, that  
The Office and Calling of the Ministry is of all others the most needful and necessary: 
The Calling of the Ministry is of all others the most needful.  It's the gift of Prophecy to understand the Scriptures, to be able to open and apply the same, is an excellent gift, as in respect of him that hath it, so as the Ordinance of God to work Faith, and convert Souls. It were pitiful if Magistrates should neglect their Office, Householders theirs, or any other, to employ his gift for the good of his brethren (for then would all things come to confusion) but the neglect of the Ministry were yet worse, as being the means whereby those may learn their duties: The souls of people depend on the Ministry; and where Prophecy faileth, the people perish. Hence it is, that when the Lord promised great favours to his people, 
jer. 3. 15.  he promised them faithful Ministers; 
Mat. 9 36.  and our Saviour, in love to his people the Jews, 
See Ezek. 3. 36 and 7. 26.  sent his Apostles among them, pitying them as sheep which were scattered, and wanting a Shepherd: where on the contrary, 
Amos 5. 13. and 8. 11.  no greater judgement could befall them, than the want of such faithful Shepherds, 
Zech. 11. 16.  or the having of unfaithful: Can Laborers, Husbandmen, Plowmen, Builders, Watchmen, Shepherds, and such others, be spared in a Commonwealth? Who knows not the use of them? Such are Gods Ministers in respect of our souls.  
This teacheth Ministers to be faithful and painful in their places: 
Use.  The honour is great, the trust much, to be the Lords Ambassadors in such high matters, and to have the charge of Souls; Here is no dallying, the greater our place is, the more must be our diligence; we are employed about a worthy work, and accordingly must labour in the Word and Doctrine, for the gaining of Souls: Hereupon followeth an incorruptible Crown: Contrary, if we be unfaithful and negligent, as we sin in the highest degree, in so deep trust, and do so great hurt, our answer must needs be fearful, 
2 Cor. 2. 16.  which made Paul say, Who is sufficient for these things? And godly men have been in this Calling with much fear and trembling; without doubt wicked Ministers as they are the Factors for the Devil's Kingdom, they have more to answer for, than either unfaithful Magistrates, Householders, Lawyers, Physicians, etc. nay, than those that rob and murder by the Highway; for these kill a few, and but men's bodies, but those murder many, and their souls, their people's blood will be required at their hands; were this considered, men would neither so rashly and unadvisedly run into the Ministry, nor so loosely and idly live therein.  
2. It teacheth people to esteem the Ministry as the most necessary gift of all others, 
Use. 2.  as that whereon the winning and losing of their souls depends, and which is appointed for Salvation; and accordingly they must regard it, make use of it, and endeavour to profit by it, for their Humiliation, Conversion, Sanctification.  
3. It rebukes numbers of blind people in the world, 
Use. 3.  that think of all gifts, the Ministry might be best spared, especially those preaching Ministers, that have (as they say) a deal of Tithes and maintenance, and that they could like as well a Reader, that would be content with a small stipend, etc. O these unsavoury Earthworms know not the worth of their souls, and therefore savour not the things that pertain to the salvation thereof: Thus indeed our Commodities in most places are deadest, and of least price and regard; some few wise Merchants thank God for our Ministry, and highly value it: Well, know that thy foul, the best jewel thou hast, depends on the Ministry of the Word; if ever it shall be saved, it must be by means hereof, whereby thou mayest as well renounce thy self, as lay hold on Christ for Salvation.  
If any man speak, 
Whoso is in the Ministry ought to preach.  etc.] Whoso is in the Ministry, aught to Preach; no gift makes a man a Minister allowed of God, but the gift of preaching, even to be able to open the Scriptures sound, and apply the same wisely to the people's edifying: 
Rom. 10. 14.  How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? (saith the Apostle) and how shall they hear without a preacher? and how shall they Preach, except they be sent? That is, gifted and qualified by God for the place, even being able to do that which is apt to convert souls, which no gift else can do, but that of preaching the Word; 
Simile.  The Scriptures read, are but as a goodly Carpet folded up together, 
Matth. 10. 7.  but by preaching, 
2 Tim. 4. 2.  the beauty thereof appeareth; This our Saviour enjoined his Disciples, and the same did the Apostle Paul require of Timothy.  
1. This rebukes those, 
Use 1.  which (howsoever having an outward calling, they stand in the room of Ministers, and therefore their actions are not to be counted void or nullities) run before they are sent, are blind watchmen, Messengers without an errand, dumb Dogs, as Idols, having mouths, but speak not, etc.  
2. This rebukes a number of silly people, 
Use 2.  which conceive it sufficient if their Minister be but a Reader: We have a very honest man, will such say; true, he cannot preach, but he doth his good will, and we can desire no more of a man, and a very fellowlike man he is, etc. But if it happen they have a godly Preacher, what is their note then? we have a Minister, I would we had never known him; some say he is learned, and he preacheth indeed, but he is so troublesome, he hath spoiled our Town quite, we were all as quiet as could be till he came, but now there is such finding of faults, and bringing up new Orders, as we cannot tell what to say; a good many of the best of the Parish will do what they can to remove him, etc. Thus the world loves reading Ministers; They say of Scholars, they be the most conscionable; They care not how little they have for their money, but its true also of a number of silly miserable people; They can have no more of a man then his good will, they say: But they would not say so of a Carpenter, or any Workman or Servant they hire; if they do not the business they are set about, they would have others.  
Let him speak as the Oracles of God,] That is, both Preach the very Truth and Word of God, and as its meet, or as it becomes the Word to be handled.  
Ministers must Preach the Word of God, 
Ministers must Preach the Word of God.  they must not deliver any thing to their people, but that which they have received of God; So did both the Prophets and Apostles, they stand in God's room, and are to bring his Message. neither must they deliver any word, whereof they may not truly affirm, Thus saith the Lord, This is the Word of the Lord: Nothing else feeds the soul, other things are poison or chaff; yea, we may answer for what we say before God, upon our salvation or damnation.  
1. This reproves divers, 
Use 1.  as namely, such as by their erroneous Doctrine destroy souls; they give in stead of an egg, a scorpion, and for food, poison; Such as by telling strange and forged miracles of this and that Saint, endeavour to uphold one lie of Popery or other; Such as teach men's traditions, or their own devices and opinions, contrary to God's Word; Such as wrest the Word of God, and discourage the hearts of the godly, and strengthen the hands of the wicked, making their Text speak what God never meant; Such as Preach God's Word, but so mingled with man's inventions, as they Preach not God's Word but their own fancies: Thus many stuff their Sermons with Authorities of men, as of Heathen Poets, Philosophers, Historians, and that in strange tongues, which though turned into English, yet what a loss of time, what a breaking of the people's attention must there needs be hereby? what thrusting upon people men's authority? use indeed may be made of those in private, and humanity serves as well as an handmaid to Divinity, but its God's Word only which can establish the Conscience; If we use them publicly, the same must be done sparingly, to special purpose, on some special occasions (as when we have to do with Atheists, etc.) and not to the common people.  
2. This may instruct people, 
Use 2.  that they hear nothing, at least receive nothing but the Word of God; 
john 10. 17.  My sheep hear my voice, saith our Saviour, 
1 Thess 5. 21.  and a stranger's voice they will not hear: 
1 john 4. 1.  Therefore they must be able to try what they hear; we must not be like children, carried about with every wind of doctrine: Solomon counts it the property of a fool, to believe every thing; if we should, in stead of being fed, we might be poisoned: 
Acts 17. 11.  we must, with the Bereans, search whether the things we hear be so and so; they were neither curious nor captious, yet they would receive nothing but the truth. A man may tell money after his own Father, not because he thinks he would deceive him, but because he may be deceived: we take not upon us to have dominion over your Faith, that you should believe whatsoever we say, because we say it; but if it be not according to God's Word, take it but upon exchange: All that we hear, and Ministers deliver, must be according to the Scriptures, which is the rule and touchstone; and when people have knowledge, and can try what we ●each, we should be far from being angry, and saying, It was never merry world since every Tailor and Shoemaker could talk so much of the Scriptures, and find faults with men's preaching; would we have the people's eyes out? True, the Papists cannot abide it in the people, but tell them, They must believe as their Ministers believe, etc. This is as bad a sign in them as may be: But alas, we have cause to complain of people's ignorance; it were even just with God to let them fall into the hands of deceivers, as having got no knowledge all this while.  
Ministers must preach as it becomes the Word of God, 
Ministers must so preach as it becomes the Word of God.  even with all reverence and authority, with all courage and boldness; yea so, as that they declare by their lives, that they believe it to be God's Word, even by being first in the practice thereof, and obedience thereto.  
1. This serves to reprove divers; 
Use 1.  as namely, those that mingle tricks and conceits to tickle the ear, and are all in their Inkhorn terms, rhyming, and running on the letter, etc. together with those that have itching ears, and delight in such things. It's a sign of a sickly ill disposed stomach, to whom the wholesome food of the Word is not sweet, except it have some such strumpetly sauces. Those that through sear keep back God's counsel, not revealing his whole will; those that live daily in the same sins which they rebuke in others, not fearing those judgements which they denounce on others, nor doing those duties they call for of others; these, as the Scribes and Pharisees, are blind guides; these make the people think, Preaching is but for a fashion, and they must speak somewhat when they be in place, but it's not to be regarded; for if it were, they would not do thus and thus themselves: Thus, as Eli's Sons, they make the Lords people loath the Sacrifice of the Lord; yet must not people thus stumble: Do as they say, 
See Psal. 50. 16  take the good, and leave the ill: men will take up money out of the dirt. 
Rom. 2. 21.  Miserable is the condition of such Ministers as give this foul offence, weak are those people that take it.  
2. This may instruct people, 
Use 2.  1. To be duly prepared by prayer, ere they come to the hearing of the Word; being come, they must with all reverence attend thereto. It's God's Word they hear, the Lord himself with whom they have to do: O how few come thus! nay, most men behave not themselves so well as they should, to a man advising them of good will: 
Acts 10.  There are now few such as Cornelius; want of preparation is one main cause why so few profit by hearing: How many hear unreverently, or as if they were weary and sleepy? Is this to hear it as the Word of God? Hence it is that men, not taking notice of their miserable and damnable state, or that the way to Heaven is so straight, content themselves with their present state; Would not men be thrust out of doors, if they did so before their Prince, should he speak unto them? 2. People must not be afraid to frequent and attend on the Word preached, they must not be ashamed hereof. 3. They must show their account hereof, by their obedience hereto: O look to it, you have not to do with us, that cannot tell when you be gone hence, whether or not you practise the same; but you have to do with God, whose Word you hear, who will go hence with you, and knows your sitting down, 
Psal. 139. 3.  and your rising up, yea, and all your ways, and both can and will deal with you accordingly. In the fear of God let us look better to this, and resolutely set down with ourselves, That whensoever we come to hear the Word, 
See Exod. 20.  we come to hear God himself speaking to us: If it were not so, we durst not speak it for our lives; the matter concerns us no less than you.  
If any men minister,] He proceedeth to other Offices in the Church, and aims, no doubt, at them whose Office it was to distribute and look to the poor: The word minister, signifieth to do service, and so may be taken more generally; even every man in his Office and Calling must be a minister to his brethren: The Magistrate is so called, Rom. 13. 4. and so the Exhortation also may concern them: However, the point may be this, that  
All that have Office one way or other in the Church, 
All that bear Office in the Church must do the same faithfully.  must do the same faithfully; we have them that answer in some sort to the Officers in the Primitive Church, Churchwadens must look to men's Manners, and spy what is amiss, who profane the Lords day, neglect the worship of God, be idle and riotous, etc. These they must admonish, and if thereupon they amend not, complain of them; Constables must suppress filthy houses, break the knots of lewd persons, prevent and root out disorder to the utmost of their power; The Overseers of the poor aught to be wise and faithful, and not think it enough to take money with one hand, 
See Acts 6. 3.  and pay it out with the other; but they must distribute it with wisdom to every one, 
Acts 11. 29.  according to their need, to the best, 
Rom. 15. 26, 28  most, and with best encouragement, to the other, with gentle rebuke and admonition; even those of best quality, report and credit have been entrusted with this business: There are prophaners of the Lords day, such as then lie in bed, and regard not the House of God; There are Swearers, Railers, Riotous persons, such as bring not up their Children in any Calling; There are idle persons, etc. these would be well looked to, and often admonished, and no more given them, than needs must; There's a company of idle Wenches which keep at home with their friends where there is no need of them, or crowd into one house or other, and live at their own hand, and that either because of idleness they refuse to go to service, or having been in service, because they may not do as they list, they will no longer be Servants, but live by themselves; This is a foul and dangerous abuse, not to be suffered in Towns: Headboroughs and chief men in Towns ought to provoke Officers to their duty, and encourage them doing well, yea, countenance and stand by them, as whom God hath lifted up for this end.  
1. This rebuketh the exceeding coldness and carelessness of Officers that take no pains to prevent or redress disorder; 
Use 1.  Thus Overseers think it enough if they gather and pay out the money, and bring in a true account, what's this? It were hard if men should rob the Poor, a curse would follow it, but for looking into their state and manners, and with relieving their bodies to do good to their souls, Who doth this? This is rare indeed; But if we have an office, we must wait on our office, we are not altogether born for ourselves: Every office is an honour, 
Rom. 12. 7.  and carries a burden along with it; we must bestow some time thereon, it's not lost, God will requite it; and cursed is he that doth his work negligently, 
jer. 48. 10.  though others have been careless, and though haply you may be counted more busy and curious then needs, yet whether your office be great or small, set yourselves with care and diligence about it: Hereby much good will come to the Town and Poor in particular, God shall be glorified, and you shall reap much comfort, with a good report in God's Church.  
2. This bewrayeth a great fault in Towns, 
Use 2.  for making choice of such to Offices, as be no way fit nor careful to execute them; A common practice; The chief men shift them from themselves: Solomon saith, 
Prov. 26. 6.  He that sends a message by the hand of a fool (that is, one unfit for it) it as he that cutteth off the feet; That is, as he that cuts off a man's feet, and then bids him go, when he hath not wherewith.  
As of the ability which God giveth,] 
Ability to discharge one's calling is of God.  All ability to discharge any Office or Calling, comes from God; we have no wisdom or ability this way of ourselves, every good gift is from above: God gave Saul another heart, that is, fit to rule, which he had not before; and Solomon craved of God a wise and an understanding heart; and as Magistracy is of God, so the Ministers Office, so the Deacons, so others.  
1. Call upon God for endowments for such places as he calls thee to. 
Use 1.   
2. Having any ability for the discharge thereof, 
Use 2.  give the glory to God the giver thereof. 
1 Chron. 29. 14.   
That God in all things may be glorified,] The Confirmation, or Reason why we ought to do our duties faithfully, even that we may thereby glorify God. Hence note,  
1. That God is glorified in the careful performance of our duties in our places; 
The conscionable performance of our duties tend to god's glory.  He is glorified by a Magistrates wise, zealous and impartial execution of Justice; for hereby sin is kerbed, sinners it may be brought to repentance, the poor and innocent comforted, and so stirred up to praise God for his Ordinance of Magistracy: So when Ministers are faithful in their places, the ignorant are enlightened, the wicked humbled, the heavy in heart comforted, the weak strengthened, the drowsy awakened, and so have cause (as many do daily) to praise God highly for the ministry of his Word; Thus Householders in their places, husbands and wives in theirs, the rich by their liberality and hospitality; 
See 1 Tim. 6. 1.  nay, even Servants by their conscionable discharge of their places, may glorify God.  
1. This should provoke us much to faithfulness in our places; 
Use 1.  not only others shall have good, ourselves comfort and a good report, but God shall be glorified, which is most of all, and the end of all things, and we may think ourselves happy that God will be honoured by any thing we can do.  
2. How much are those blame-worthy, 
Use 2.  which do not at all regard the faithful discharge of their places, whether they be Magistrates, Ministers, or others? whoso careth not for God's glory, God will set as little by them and theirs; nay, there are some which can see God dishonoured before their faces, and might redress it, but do it not; yea, some which do even dishonour God with their gifts, and in their offices: assuredly God will meet with these in his due time.  
2. That the mark whereat we must aim at in our places, 
We must aim in our places at God's glory.  is to glorify God.  
This rebukes those that are wholly for themselves, 
1 Cor. 10. 31.  aim altogether at base, 
Use.  sinister, carnal ends, profit, pleasure, credit, and the like, They are thiefs robbing God of his due; They are treacherous, as if one sent to woe for another, and had Jewels given him for that purpose (as Abraham's Servant) and should make suit for himself: All waters come from the Sea, 
Eccles. 1. 7.  and return thither; so should all our gifts be employed to the glory of the giver.  
Through Jesus Christ,] 
All glory comes to God by jesus Christ.  All glory comes to God by Jesus Christ, for its by him that we receive all grace, and whatsoever good we enjoy; He having suffered for our sins, and reconciled us to the Father, hath thereby purchased for us whatsoever is good, grace and glory, to whom alone we are beholding for all.  
1. This teacheth us to be exceeding thankful for Christ, 
Use 1.  as without whom we could not have right to any thing we enjoy, without whom it were even fearful to think of God.  
2. It teacheth us to labour to be united to Christ by faith, 
Use 2.  that whatsoever good we need we may receive, as the members from the head.  
To whom be praise, etc.] Having instructed others in the faithful discharge of their duties in their places, and that especially that God might be glorified; He now wisheth and prayeth that all glory and praise may be given to him, and that for ever, testifying the fervency of his affection, and his assent thereto by the word Amen.  
But of this hereafter.   

Verse 12. Beloved, think it not strange, concerning the fiery trial, which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you. Verse 13. But rejoice, in as much as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings, that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.  
HAving exhorted us to be good Christians, he now arms us to the Cross, the inseparable companion of true godliness (for all that will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution) and that both patiently and cheerfully, which accordingly he backeth by many forcible Reasons.  
Each of these Verses contains an Exhortation, with a Reason to enforce the same.  
In the former Exhortation, consider both the manner how it's propounded, and the matter therein contained.  
Beloved,] Here's the manner; He writes lovingly to them, and that doubtless from an entire affection and love which he bore them. Here note two things:  
1. What entire love should be between Ministers and people, 
There must be entire love between Ministers and people.  they should love one another as fathers and children, mothers and children, Nurses, and such as have sucked their breasts, Brethren, etc. See 1 Cor. 4. 15. Gal. 4. 19 1 Thess. 2. 7. 2 Thess. 2. 13.  
Reason's hereof may be these, 1. God hath committed them each to other, 
1 Thess. 2. 19, 20.  and so they be nearly knit. 2. Such as be won by the Ministry, are they that must comfort their Ministers here, and be their Crown hereafter (the more they be, the greater is their Crown) whom therefore their Ministers are to love, them also are their people to love no less dearly, as on whom they should depend for all comfort, and the means of their Salvation, whose lips must preserve knowledge, who are also to pray for them, and teach them. 3. Ministers by loving their people, shall be provoked to live with them, to take all courses to do them good publicly and privately, as also to bear with the dulness of some, the unkindeness and weakness of others: Hereupon their people will reverence them, regard their Teaching, and cheerfully allow them maintenance; which did they not truly love their persons, they would not.  
1. This teacheth both Ministers and People to be most tenderly careful to preserve mutual love, 
Use 1.  and avoid all occasions of unkindeness or dislike, removing them speedily when at any time they do arise (for oftentimes of a small spark neglected, ariseth a great flame) of all unkindnesses and contentions, those between Ministers and People be most unprofitable and hurtful; whoso hath a hand herein, and goeth about to alienate the minds of each from the other, that the one cares not for the other, work journey work to the Devil in a high degree.  
2. This condemneth that common and most woeful abuse in this Land, 
Use 2.  even the miserable want of love on both parts; not a few Ministers care not how seldom they come among their people, and when they do, how little pains they take, how often do they sue them for mere trifles? on the other part, what light and base esteem have people of their Ministers? How unkindly do they use them? How pole they them of their maintenance? Where it's thus, God is not, for God is love, 
John 4. 16.  and there's no good done to be sure. Here the Devil may sleep till he snort, he shall not be hindered; but where Ministers and people live in godly love, there let him look to himself.  
2. That we should love men never the worse for their troubles, 
Christians are not to be the less, but more loved for their troubles.  but rather the more, as who are worthy to be honoured for their Faith, Patience, Constancy, and being patterns and means to confirm us in our sufferings for Christ: The Apostle Paul used this as an argument to move Philemon to grant his request, for that he was aged, and a prisoner for Christ. Hereof this our Apostle informs them, even that notwithstanding all their troubles (whereof haply some might have conceived him careless) they were dear unto him.  
This rebuketh those that make account of men, 
Use.  while they be in prosperity, and the world smiles on them; but when the times frown, and they be discountenanced, and in disgrace and trouble, than cast them off, or shrink from them, showing them no countenance nor kindness; a sign either of mongrels, or at last of dastardly Christians.  
Think it not strange concerning the fiery trial,] Here's the matter exhorted to: By fiery trial is meant, All kind of persecution, in what degree soever, compared to the fire; for that as the fire tries the gold, so persecution tries men. Think it not strange, wonder not at it, as at some strange think come out of a far Country, whereof the like was never either seen or heard of; it behoved you to have prepared for it before, and now make a reckoning of it, that so you flinch not from it when it comes. Here note, that  
The want of forthinking of trouble, 
The want of preparation for troubles before they come, make them harder to be born when they are come.  makes it the harder to be born, and the stranger when it comes: When a man hath time to put on his armour, or draw his Sword ere the Thief come, he is more safe, then if a Thief should rush upon him on the sudden.  
As those which are not used to sickness, bear it worst; so, such are most cast down in the time of trouble, which in the time of prosperity do not so much as think thereof.  
1. This teacheth us, 
Use 1.  even in the time of prosperity, to think of troubles; in the midst of health we must think of sickness, and how we shall bear it, and accordingly provide for it; so in the time of wealth, of poverty; so having Children, if God should take them from us; of our Friends, if they should hate us, how would we behave ourselves? How could we do as such and such a Christian, & c? So in life, we must think of death; and when any one dies, think that we may be the next, and thereupon find out how we are prepared for it: These thoughts are profitable, they will make us use our prosperity the more soberly and thankfully while we have it, and walk more humbly, and be better prepared for troubles, if God shall lay them upon us: Neither will they come the sooner for thinking of them; howsoever, we shall be the better enabled to bear them, when ever they come: What's written of the Basilisk, that if it see us before we see it, we die for it, but if we see it first, we live, is true of troubles: If we see them ere they come, we be much better, but if they come on us unlooked for, they prove the more dangerous. Now every man sits under his own vine, and under his own figtree; Now we go to the house of God in peace; Now we profess Religion with good liking: But what if the case alter ere I die? shouldst thou say; What if I be haled to prison, lose my goods, be convented, condemned, tortured, banished, etc. what shall I then do?  
2. This rebuketh most, 
Use 2.  that seldom or never have any such thoughts; May not we have changes? why do we not then think of them?  
Oh such sad thoughts do not well, 
Obj.  le's be merry while we may, sadness will come time enough.  
Thou wrongest thyself, 
Sol.  thy case will be the worse, thy condition the more fearful, if either sickness, poverty, pain, or any other calamity should take thee unprovided: For persecution, who is there that now thinketh of any such matter? most think that they shall never be moved, 
Psal. 30. 6.  and that they shall die in their nest, whereas, alas, it may fall out far otherwise: 
job 29. 18.  Have we not many enemies? and what doth not our sins deserve? God hath indeed wrought for us many deliverances, as from the Spanish Invasion, and Gunpowder Treason, etc. but are we sure he will do so still? Hath not our grievous unthankfulness deserved the contrary? Do we think that our enemies do not now plot mischief against us? No doubt they make use of peace, to prepare for war, and they will plot now towards their latter end, to uphold their tottering Babel; 
Simile.  and do as fishes, feeling the water almost gone from them, flush and make a stir; and when death draws near men, they have strong pains: So what now at the last the Lord may suffer them to do against us, we know not. It's the more likely there will be some judgement, because all men cry Peace and Safety, and are so senseless; if there should be any such, alas, how unprovided are we? nay, what were all our provision, strength, multitude of men, etc. if God should set himself against us? 
See jer. 37. 10.  On the contrary, if we have God on our side, as he was with Gideon and his three hundred, with Jonathan and his Armour bearer, we need not fear them, though never so many so strong. Now if any such judgement should come on the Land (which the Lord turn away for his mercy's sake) wherein multitudes should be slain with the Sword, others made Slaves, and carried away, our Wives and Daughters abused before our faces, our houses and chests rifled, the godly imprisoned, and brought forth to torment, except they would forsake their Religion: O Lord! how far are we unfit for any such matter; and the rather, for that we never think of it? Never would any Land think trouble and misery more strange, than we which have been used so delicately. O then let us think and provide for this before, that if it should come, it may not be strange unto us. If we look to ourselves, have not we cause enough to be humbled, and purged from our dross: and for the world, shall we wonder if they hate and persecute us? Haply we think because we be honourable persons, the Sons of God, they should not so deal with us: It's true, but alas, they know not our Father, much less know they us his Children: 
1 john 3. 2.  Haply we think because we be now godly, and make conscience of all our ways, and love God, and live with our brethren Christianly, and desire nothing so much as to please God, that therefore all should make much of us. True, God, Angels, and good Men, will do so, and that must content us; but the world is the world, and will hate us the more for our goodness, which hath been thus ever since Cain hated Abel; we need not think it strange, for may not the Lord justly after long schooling us, now call us out to try what we have profited. Again, hereby he would have the wickedness of the wicked break out, that he might get glory in confounding them: Also he will hereby confirm the hearts of the weak to believe the truth, 
See Phil. 1. 12, 13, 14.  and be bolder to defend it. Again, if we look to the state of the Church, and faithful Servants of God in former ages, we need not think it strange, for its the way that they have all gone, Abel, Isaac, Jacob, 
See Heb. 11.  the Prophets, Christ, his Apostles, the Primitive Church, thousands under the Roman Emperors, not a few even in this our Land in the Reign of Queen Mary, etc. Indeed the Devil is ready to make us believe that our case is worse than any bodies, and that there were never any as we, which is, that he may make us murmur, and drive us to desperation or to flinch, whereas its a very lie, for we are in no such case, but the Saints of God have been in as bad, in the same, in worse; This duly considered, will be a means that afflictions shall be better born.  
Which is to try you,] 
Afflictions are trials.  Here's the Reason of the Exhortation; The end of persecution is not to destroy the good, but to make them better, as the gold is tried by the fire, afflictions (persecution chiefly) are sent to try what we be, and in what state; not but that God knows it already, but he would have us also and others to know to our comfort or humbling. They are of great use, As  
1. To try whether we have any truth of grace in us, 
Above the truth of grace in us.  whether we be any thing or nothing, sound or hollow, true friends, or hypocrites, such as are built on the rock, 
Read the story of Pendleton and Saunders in the Book of the Martyrs.  or sand: Many that now think well of themselves, will never be able to stand, and many mean in their own and others eyes, would hold out: A man is never tried till adversity comes, as a Soldier is in the Battle, a Mariner in a Storm, a Friend in time of need; Who would have thought the seed in the stony ground would have flinched? few so good as they in most Parishes: If these would not abide, what shall we think of most amongst us? persecution, as the fan, of one heap makes two, and as the fire, separateth the gold from the dross.  
Labour then for a true faith of the right stamp, who knows but that God will send a trial, let's labour to be so provided, as we may be good wheat, to abide by it, and not chaff, that will fly away; that we may be gold fit to be Vessels for the Lords use, not dross to be burnt up with unquenchable fire: Only true believers will hold out, all others will flinch; le's now look to ourselves, lest we making a fair house, not only in the sand, it fall, and our fall be great, and we having begun a piece of work, leave it in the mid way, to our perpetual shame: But they that are proved to be sound, and to have true Faith, it's a great Comfort and Crown to them. Who would not have his Sword or Gun tried ere he went to the field? A little tried Faith is better then much tried Gold, than much Faith in men's tongues and conceits.  
2. To try what measure of grace we have, 
About the measure of our grace.  whether as much or more, or less than we thought; for some overprize themselves, and some do on the contrary. Who would have thought Peter had been so weak, after such bold protestation? Who would have thought Abraham's Faith so great as it was, or Jobs both Faith and Patience? Though the Lord would kill him, yet would he wait on him: What do thine afflictions bewray? 
Use.  If more grace than thou thoughtst, be thankful; if less, be humbled, and apply thyself to the means more carefully.  
3. To purge, 
They serve to refine that measure we have.  purify, and refine that measure of true grace that's in us: In the days of Peace and Prosperity, the best men are subject to gather soil, as standing waters putrify, bodies without exercise prove full of gross humours: In prosperity we gather pride, security, teachiness, self-love, too much love of the world; these God purgeth away, that our Faith and Grace may show themselves in their bright colours; as the Vine, having the superfluous branches cut off, proves the more fruitful: Never do Christians shine so bright, as in affliction, or presently after it.  
But rejoice,] 
We must rejoice in afflictions.  Here's the second Exhortation: We must be so far from thinking it strange when we are persecuted, as that we are then to rejoice. 
See jam. 1. 12.   
But how can this be? 
Q.  will some say: To rejoice in mockings, imprisonments, 
Heb. 12. 11.  cold irons, tortures, etc. seems impossible, and the rather, for that no affliction for the present is joyous, but tedious.  
To the flesh these things be tedious, 
A.  yet there is cause to make us rejoice in them: Though a natural man cannot do this, as being impossible to flesh and blood, yet grace, and a good measure of faith, and an heart mortified to the world, and taken up with the desire of a better life, will do the same. A man may both grieve, and yet rejoice in the same thing, in divers respects; as them that saw the Temple re-edified, 
Ezra 3. 12.  some wept, namely, the ancient men, some again rejoiced, namely, the young men; the one, because it was no better, the other, because it was as it was, both which might have been in either of them: As a man may be glad that he hath a child departed in a godly manner, and yet grieve at the loss of his child; so if at the fall of a Scaffold, where many lost their lives, we have had a child that broke his Arm, we are sorry at that, but glad that he scaped with his life: Thus the Apostles rejoiced, 
Acts 5. 41. and 16. 25.  thus Paul and Silas, thus the Thessalonians, thus the Christian Hebrews, thus the Martyrs throughout all ages: Such a thing is Faith; 
1 Thess. 1. 6.  it's not a Conceit, 
Heb. 10. 34.  but that that makes things absent, so present, as that we can be content to endure present pain for joy to come, and to lose things present, for happiness hereafter: Thus have many of God's Servants done, so that God requires nothing of us, but that he hath enabled many to do, yea ordinary Christians like ourselves, nay, not a few even of the weaker Sex.  
1. This rebuketh the woeful unbelief and hypocrisy of most of the world, 
Use 1.  which though they profess the Word in prosperity, yet in adversity they shift for themselves, make friendship with the world, and will suffer nothing for Christ's sake or his Religion; they are ashamed of Christ here, of them will he be ashamed hereafter; now saving their lives with an ill Conscience, they shall lose life eternal.  
2. It rebuketh even the Servants of God, 
Use 2.  who are so loath to suffer or abide any hardness: We can hardly abide a frown of our Superior, or an hard word, or a railing speech, but we are cast down, and disquieted about it; yea, many pull in their heads, and step back, and think it's not good to be forward, and so come to Jesus by night: How will we suffer imprisonment, and loss of all we have? how endure the fire, and especially with joy? This is too much tenderness, it's through too much earthly-mindedness.  
3. Le's labour for such grace, 
Use 3.  as whereby if God call us forth to suffer, we may not only not flee back, but endure any thing, and that with joy. To this end, we must 1. Endeavour for a sound Faith and assurance of God's love to us in Christ, that so we may so love him again, as we may suffer for his Name, and being assured of our deliverance from everlasting pain, and that he hath freed us from shameful sufferings, which for our sins he might have brought us to, may endure these glorious sufferings for his Name joyfully. Being thus assured of his love, and thereupon of eternal happiness in heaven, we will be content to suffer any thing to obtain it. 2. Withdraw our minds from earthly things, and set them on heaven and heavenly things, as our only treasure. 3. Mortify and subdue our lusts and affections, bringing our hearts in subjection to God in all things, and bearing our present afflictions quietly and comfortably. This joyfulness in sufferings doth well become Christians, daunts their adversaries, and puts a difference between them and all others, whether hypocrites, civil persons, or Time-servers, who will never thus do: Christians must be like David's Worthies, even excel others, do more than ordinary men. If we do only love our friends, what singular thing do, 
Mat. 5. 46.  do not even Publicans the same? If we profess Religion in prosperity, what great matter do we, do not even Hypocrites the same? We must learn to take out higher lessons, and be perfect, as our Father which is in heaven is perfect. It's an easy thing to rejoice in prosperity, but so to do in adversity is a good hard lesson, and so the more worthy a Christians labour.  
Inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings, 
Why the sufferings of Christians are called Christ's sufferings. ] The first Reason of the Exhortation, We are partners with Christ, therefore we may think ourselves advanced, and so rejoice. The sufferings of Christians are called Christ's sufferings, 1. Because they are suffered for his sake; 
2 Cor. 1. 5.  which may be no small comfort to them that suffer for Religion, 
Gal. 6. 17.  for it's for Christ's sake, and so he counts it: therefore he will put our tears in his bottle, 
Col. 1. 24.  take our part, defend, and reward us; as David took care of Abiathar, 
1 Sam. 22. 12.  having lost his Father for his sake. 2. Because he bears a part of them with his Saints; there's so near a conjunction between him the Head, and the Saints his Members, as what's done to the one, whether good or ill, is counted as done to the other; as the godly hearing Christ railed on, are so grieved, that they had rather themselves had been so used: much more doth Christ Jesus account their troubles his, 
Acts 9 4.  which as it may terrify their adversaries, so it may much comfort them. But here they be called Christ's sufferings in another sense, namely, as his own sufferings, which he bore in his own person, whereof we partake, when we also suffer the like things; we are set up to be like our Master Christ Jesus, 
Christians suffer with Christ.  and is it not cause of rejoicing, that he vouchsafeth to make us like himself, to bring us into his order, to pledge him of the same Cup he began to us?  
He suffered, his whole life was nothing else: They misconstrued his words, and mistook his deeds, and said, He cast out Devils through Beelzebub the Prince of the Devils: How often was he railed on? how hardly used, especially towards his latter end?  
If we be so dealt with at any time, 
Use.  we need not think hardly, but rejoice, not think hardly: He was the glorious Son of God, we poor mortal Creatures, dust and ashes; He most holy and righteous, and perfectly pure, we miserable sinners, which though not at men's hands which wrong us, yet at Gods have deserved all evil, both here and in Hell. If God turn our opprobrious sufferings here, and perpetual torments of Hell, into a sew short and glorious sufferings, we have no cause to think hardly; yea, he having suffered all for us, we may well suffer for him, we can never lose hereby, nor can ever suffer so much for him, as he hath done for us; nay, not only we must not think hardly at our sufferings, but we have cause to rejoice, that we are advanced to be like our Master, made conformable to our head Christ Jesus: He is a bold Servant, that is not content to far as his Master fares; Those Worthies that have gone before us, have accounted it their honour, and a special favour that they have drunk of this Cup.  
When therefore we do at any time suffer for Religion's sake, let's thus encourage ourselves, I am herein made like all the Prophets, Apostles, 
joh. 15. 18, 19  and chief of God's Friends and Saints, yea, as his only Son, and thus our Saviour comforted his Disciples.  
That when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.] The second Reason, our sorrow shall be turned into joy, as in part when we die, namely, in our souls; so perfectly when he shall be made glorious in all his Saints, whilst he was here in the world, he was put to an ignominious death, but he rose again from the dead, and ascended into Heaven, and shall come one day to judge every man according to his deeds, even to bring into happiness all those for whom he died, and to confound all his Enemies; He came the first time in meekness, because he came to suffer, but the second time he shall come with glory and magnificence, 
2 Thess. 1. 9  even with thousands of his Angels in flaming fire; 
jude 14.  etc. which, as it may comfort all those that have believed in him, 
Rev. 1. 7.  and stooped to his yoke; so it may terrify all those that have not believed or repent, through obeying the Gospel.  
The end (I say) of the afflictions of God's Servants will be joy, 
The godlies afflictictions end in joy.  for Christ will receive them all into eternal glory; They that suffer with him, shall reign with him, and their joy shall none take from them: See John 16. 33. Rom. 8. 18. 2 Cor. 4. 17. 2 Tim. 2. 12. Jam. 1. 12.  
O how should this not make us patient only, 
Use.  but joyful in persecution: 
Psal. 126: 5.  If we sow in tears, we shall reap in joy: If we suffer for Christ, we may rejoice and be glad, 
Matth. 5. 9  for great is our reward in Heaven: If we forsake father, or mother, or house, or land, etc. for Christ's sake, we shall have life everlasting: 
See Heb. 10. 34. & 11. 35.  Is not this an happy change? This made the holy Servants of God set light by all they had, not that they were fools, and knew not what they did, or were senseless; no, the assurance of an eternal joy and inheritance in Heaven, swallowed up all, and so should it be with us.   

Verse 14. And if ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye, for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you; on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.  
A Third Reason to persuade to rejoice in persecution, because its a blessed thing, and who would not rejoice in that that will make him happy? and though he instanceth in one kind, and that which may seem no great persecution, yet he is to be understood of all others whatsoever; That such shall be blessed, he proveth, because thus to suffer is an argument that the Spirit of God, even the glorious Spirit resteth on them; who, howsoever on the adversaries part he is blasphemed and ill spoken of, yet is glorified by them that suffer patiently and joyfully for Christ's sake: Here then, besides that suffering for Christ we are happy, we may be induced thus to suffer for him, for that his Spirit resteth on us so doing, and hereby also he is glorified: In the words we have a proposition, and the confirmation thereof.  
If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye,] There's the proposition; This may seem to be but a slender thing to be reckoned among persecutions, and that which may be easily born; No, it's that which many have found harder to bear, than loss of goods, blows, yea death itself: Some which have suffered torments courageously, and endured the loss of all with joyfulness, yet have almost sunk under slanders and ill tongues: David much complains of his adversaries, that they made Songs of him, that they spoke words like the prickings of a Sword, and like sharp Arrows: Samson could not endure to be mocked of the Philistines, had rather pull down the House on himself and them; 
job. 30. 9  Job also complains of such; Ishmaels' mocking of Isaac is termed a persecution; 
Gal. 4. 29.  The most ingenuous minds can hardliest bear reproaches. Here note,  
1. That a good name is a tender thing, 
A good name is a tender thing.  which is and aught to be dear to us; As we are forbid thus to wrong others, so the Lord appointed those to be severely punished which should so do. 
Prov. 21. 1.   
1. This rebuketh those that make no account of a good name, 
Use 1.  though it be better than good ointment, 
Eccles. 7. ●.  but live so badly, as they pull an ill name on themselves; some indeed would yet have a good name, though they deserve the contrary, but they must first win it, and then wear it; Such as are desperate, and care not what men say of them, it's a sign they are so bad, as no man can speak worse of them then they deserve; These cannot be discredited.  
2. It condemneth those that care not how they raise lies, 
Use 2.  spread tales of their Neighbours, and seek their discredit, or rail on them and revile them, 
Prov. 10. 18.  they do worse then if they stole away their goods, 
Psal. 15. 3.  or wounded their bodies, for the name is more tender and dear, and hardlier cured and recovered, if it be wounded or lost; they that give themselves over hereto, are fools, neither are they Citizens of Zion: Such are as a Maul, 
Prov. 25. 18.  and a Sword, and a sharp Arrow, and such was Ziba, See 2 Sam. 16. 3.  
2. That railers, 
Slanderers of God's Servants are persecuters.  mockers and slanderers of God's Servants are persecuters; David in the person of Christ complaineth of such: Such also are they that revile them by the name of hypocrites, 
Psal. 22. 6. 7.  precise fools, humorous, singular, fantastical Puritans, etc. I mean those that revile the true Servants of God, who for their zeal are often thus dealt with, whom those slanderers would no less smite with the hand, than they do with the tongue, if times did but bear them out; They would be no less forward to hale before Magistrates, cast into Prison, etc.  
1. Let them that have been and be such, 
Use 1.  repent hereof as of persecution, 
Gal. 4. 30.  else with Ishmael they shall be cast our, 
Numb. 23. 8.  and as they be worse than Balaam, so shall they speed worse.  
2. Let all others avoid this as a fearful sin, 
Use 2.  for it's to be like the Devil, 
See jude 15.  the accuser of the Brethren, who shall answer for this at the last day.  
3. For those that be railed on, 
Use 3.  are slandered, or have lies devised against them, let them know, they are Martyrs before God, and suffer persecution, which is an honour; let them bear this patiently, and go on constantly, and not be discouraged, and there's good hope they shall bear greater persecutions if they come, which else in likelihood they cannot.  
3. That it hath been an usual custom in the world to reproach, 
To slander God's Children for their godliness is usual.  revile, and slander God's Servants for their godliness: Sore eyes cannot abide the light, and there's an enmity between the seed of the Woman and the Serpent; and when other weapons have failed them, they have used this of their tongue, whereby indeed they prevail much to the disgrace of Religion.  
1. Being so now we must not think it strange, 
Use 1.  for the Devil is now as malicious as ever, and hath instruments as fit for his turn as ever; If now endeavouring carefully to serve God, we be counted proud fellows, factious, Enemies to the State, etc. we must not be too much disquieted, were not the Prophets, the Apostles, Christ himself thus reputed? we are not too good to go hand in hand with them; it's a piece of our livery to be thus dealt with.  
2. When we hear any reports against God's Servants, 
Use 2.  know them well ere we believe them, we should else condemn the innocent; even Christ was slandered for a Conjurer and Traitor, and the Apostle Paul for a pestilent fellow, yet who were more freer? who more wronged?  
4. That such as are reproached for the name of Christ, 
Such as are reproached for the name of Christ are happy.  are happy; I say, for the name of Christ, or for being true Christians, believing in Christ, and serving him; for not the punishment, but the Cause makes a Martyr: How can this be will some say, and what blessedness can there be in being railed upon and slandered? why, thus saith our Apostle, 
Matth. 5. 11.  and he knew what he said, having learned the same of his Lord and Master, whom he heard so speak.  
It's a blessed thing to be a Christian washed in the blood of Christ, reconciled to God, whom the Angels protect, who is the heir of God's promises and blessings here, and of eternal salvation hereafter: Even an Emperor without this, is but as a man in great jollity to night, that must to execution to morrow: But to be railed on for being a Christian, is a greater blessedness, 
Phil. 1. 29.  a special honour: Its honour to be a Prince's Servant, but to be about him, and to have the guard of his own person, and to stand in his defence against an Enemy, or to be called forth to justify his lawful Title, is far greater.  
Again, It's a blessed thing to be willing and able to suffer for Christ, flesh and blood cannot; we might have been of the persecuters, or of them that regard no Religion at all, or to suffer any thing for it, or making profession of Religion, should yet shrink from it, rather than suffer for its Cause; 
Phil. 1. 28.  Therefore to suffer for it is a blessed thing, which is to us a token of Salvation.  
1. Therefore we must not only not be dismayed, 
Use 1.  but bear these things patiently, yea joyfully, for should we not rejoice in that that makes us blessed? If therefore we shrink at the least of these things, and pull in our heads, where's our faith? labour, that if we should be mocked and railed on, it may not be for nothing, but for true grace, faith wrought in us by the Word, etc. If we have these things, no matter though we have some mocks withal.  
2. See that wicked persecuters make Gods Servants happy, 
Use 2.  yea, more happy than they should be, so that in seeking their hurt, they do them good many ways; They purge and try them, make them the more dear to God, and set the greater Crown upon their heads: what a privilege have the Servants of God, that all things, even their persecuters should work together for their good; It's not so with others, yet are not we to thank the wicked for this, who intent no such thing: The Chaldeans and Sabeans were an occasion that Job had twice as much goods given him as he had before, but no thank to them, for they took from him what they could; It's God who blesseth the more those whom the wicked curse.  
5. That the judgement of the world is contrary to Gods; 
The judgement of the world is contrary to Gods.  They think not any blessedness to be in being railed on for Christ's sake, but that blessedness stands in Health, Wealth, Honour, favour of Princes, etc. Alas, poor vanishing vanities to be lost every day, but blessedness is in being a Christian, and suffering for the same, God's thoughts are not as man's; The blind world cannot judge of colours, and Carnal men savour not of things Spiritual.  
1. Therefore look that we never esteem, 
Use 1.  nor be carried with the judgement of the world, no not of the wise men of the world, which is a crooked rule to go by; They say, it's not good to be too forward is matters of Religion, but go so far, as they may come back when they will, and save themselves from danger, and have two strings to their bow; but let us know this to be cursed policy, this amity with the world, to be enmity with God.  
2. If we think troubles for a good conscience, 
Use 2.  base, vile, and accursed, and so shun them, though with an ill conscience, we are then of the world, and either wholly carnal, or in great part; Shall we account that cursed, which the Lord calls blessed? True, we must not bring troubles on ourselves, nor desire persecution; yet if God call us to them, we must not count them base, but glorious; not cursed, but blessed: So if we think basely of them that suffer, or are in persecution, and shun them, then are we carnal and of the world; nay, we ought to esteem highly of them, and think them glorious persons, because they be honoured of God, and greatly graced of him.  
For the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you,] He proves what he affirmed; If ye suffer for Christ's sake, it's an argument ye have the Spirit of God in you, which is a glorious Spirit, and makes you glorious, notwithstanding the ignominy and reproach the world casts upon you, as though you were of all others the vilest; whereupon you must needs be blessed, which Spirit is on their part ill spoken of, but on yours that suffer is glorified; So that as the Spirit makes you glorious, you glorify it by your constant and joyful suffering. Hence Note,  
1. That to suffer for Christ's sake, 
To suffer for Christ's sake an evidence of God's Spirit in us.  is a sign that we have the Spirit of God in us; for 1. The world would not hate us except they saw some work of God's Spirit in us, for if we lived after the manner of the world, they would let us alone. 2. Such have the Spirit of Adoption, 
john 15. 19  assuring them of God's love, of pardon and Salvation, which makes them willing to suffer. 3. It's the Spirit that comforts, and heartens to such weighty things; flesh and blood will endure nothing for Religion, neither can it, but through the Spirit we are enabled: Steven a comfortable Martyr, 
john 16. 3. 7.  Why? It's said, He was full of the Holy Ghost: It was by the Spirit of God only that the Martyrs endured so constantly, not a few of them being weak, sick, tender, feeble of nature, and fearful; It was of the Spirit that Mr. Glover spoke when he came to the Stake to be burnt, He is come Austin, he is come; having been very heavy and comfortless the night before: In ill I confess some may be as stiff, as the best can be in the truth, but they cannot suffer so joyfully as the Servants of God; 
Matth. 10. 20.  for it's through the Spirit of God that they suffer.  
1. Therefore if we have had, 
Use 1.  or find any power to endure persecution, we may know that we have God's Spirit, and thereupon aught to be both thankful and joyful.  
2. As we would suffer with comfort and joy, 
Use 2.  let us labour for the Spirit, and for a greater measure thereof daily.  
3. As for those that neither can nor will endure any thing, 
Use 3.  it's a sign they are carnal, and without the Spirit: And indeed, none can suffer much or joyfully, but such as have the Spirit, and therefore so few having the Spirit, there would be but a few to stand for the truth, if there should come a time of trial.  
2. That such as are endued with God's Spirit, 
Such as are endued with God's Spirit are blessed.  be blessed; for such as have and are led by the Spirit of God, they are the Sons of God; and they, yea they only which be sanctified here, shall be glorified hereafter; 
Rom. 8. 14.  The Spirit is given to the Elect, not to the world, it's the earnest of our salvation, and seals us up to the day of Redemption. Again, such are freed from the bondage of sin to serve God, such also have God abiding in them, yea, and hereby the Word, the Sacraments, Prayer, Afflictions, all things are profitable to us; Hereby we are enabled to every duty, and armed against temptations.  
1. This may comfort those that can prove they have the Spirit of God in them; 
Use 1.  they are comforted, sanctified, and guided thereby: This is the earnest and pledge of eternal life; they are blessed, though but mean; they may come into God's presence boldly; they shall want nothing that is good.  
2. It may be a terror to those that live after the flesh; 
Use 2.  They have no mark whereby to free them from being reprobates; for if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, the same is none of his, Christ never died for such, they are yet under the bondage of sin.  
3. This should teach us, 
Use 3.  having the Spirit, to beware of doing any thing whereby to grieve or weary such a guest (sin is a filthy thing, and that wherewithal the Spirit cannot away) yea, to use all means to cherish it daily, suffering ourselves to be guided thereby, as that which will not be there where it may not rule.  
3. That the Spirit is glorious in itself, 
Such as are endued with God's spirit are glorious.  and makes them glorious before God and man that be endued therewith; it makes them shine more gloriously than the Sun: And this the Apostle opposeth to the ignominies and reproaches wherewith the world doth besmear them; It's as if he should say, Though the world reproach you as vile, yet know, that you are glorious in God's account, because of his Spirit that dwells in you.  
1. Therefore be not dismayed, 
Use 1.  though the world slain us, and accounts us vile, yet are we glorious to God.  
2. We must esteem of the Servants of God, 
Use 2.  in whom we see the Spirit of God, as of glorious persons, yea, though the world disgrace them, and count them as off-scouring, and not worthy to live, we must count them as God's worthies, and Warriors, as his principal Servants; we must count them such, as the world is not worthy of: They that esteem basely of them, 
See joh. 15. 21.  do not consider that God's Spirit is in them, 
1 john 3. 24.  and resteth on them. 
Psal. 15. 4. and 119. 199.  Contrarily, they that have not the Spirit of God in them, are base and vile, let the world make what reckoning of them it will.  
4. That there's no small difference between the common gifts of the Spirit that the Reprobates have, 
The gifts of the Spirit which the godly have, cannot be lost.  and the Spirit of Sanctification, which is bestowed on God's Elect; those may be lost, this cannot, it resteth on them, yea, abideth and continueth with them.  
On their part he is ill spoken of,] Hear note, that  
They that rail upon, 
They that speak ill of God's servants for their well-doing, speak ill of God's Spirit.  and revile the Servants of God for their well-doing, they speak ill of the Spirit of God; they think they have but to do with the men, and them they will be bold with, to speak their pleasure of; but they deceive themselves, in speaking ill of God's Servants, they speak ill of the Spirit of God; as the Israelites, when they murmured against Moses and Aaron, 
Exod. 16. 18.  murmured against God: He that despiseth you (saith our Saviour) despiseth me. 
Luke 10. 16.  Therefore when TURKS and JEWS mock and reproach us for believing in CHRIST, they reproach both the Word, that so teacheth us, and the Spirit that thus guideth us, and assureth our hearts herein; as he that reproacheth a Servant for doing that his Master commands, or a Scholar for speaking as he is taught, reproacheth the Master and Teacher: So when the Papists call the Doctrine which we preach and profess, Heresy, and us Heretics, do they not reproach the Word that so teacheth, and the Spirit that so assureth us? So they among ourselves, that rail on men for their zeal and forwardness in hearing the Word, keeping the Sabbath, shunning some sins and corruptions, that the world swallow up, etc. What do these, but reproach God's Spirit? We do not these things of ourselves, but by the warrant of the Spirit.  
Take heed therefore that that be evil which thou speakest against, 
Use.  else whilst thou reproachest goodness in thy Servant, Child, Neighbor, Tenant, etc. thou art a caviller against God.  
The common sort, that cannot abide the true obedience of God's Commandments, nor that any should be more precise than they list to be, 
1 King. 22. 13.  despise the Word and Spirit; they be like Ahab to Micaiah: Wouldst thou have God to make new Scriptures, more loose to serve thy turn, or to be like thyself? No, know, these Scriptures shall stand firm, as to the comfort and salvation of all that are willing to be guided thereby, so to the confusion of all that kick against the same, or hate to be reform. If therefore you list not to be ruled by the Word and Spirit, yet speak not against the same, for so you shall increase your sin, and make your judgement greater, which howsoever will be great enough. If you will not walk in obedience to God's Laws, yet suffer others that would.  
On your part he is glorified.] 
By our suffering of persecution God is glorified.  Another Reason to move us to joyfulness in persecution, Thereby we glorify God, we honour the Spirit, when undaunted we stand constantly against all our enemies: Hereby we show, that the Spirit of God is of puissance and force to make the weak strong; We glorify him also, when we so love him, as we will suffer for his sake; so we give glory to him, when we trust him of his word, who hath promised eternal life to them that hold out; so when we obey him, and do that willingly he calls us to; so many praise God for our constancy, whereby they be strengthened, and God is honoured, 
See joh. 21. 19  that they cannot prevail against us, but though they take away our lives, yet they cannot make us yield to them.  
We should therefore willingly and joyfully suffer, that so we may glorify God: we may think ourselves happy, if by any means, whether in life or death, we may effect this.   

Verse 15. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evil doer, or as a busy body in other men's matters. Verse 16. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God on this behalf.  
LEst any should think that he commended suffering in respect of itself, so that all suffering should be blessed, and were to be rejoiced in, he tells us, That there's another kind of suffering, then that he hath been speaking of, which is not to be rejoiced in; namely, when men suffer reproach and punishment, or whatsoever else for evil doing, for their just deserts: Those sufferings are base and shameful, whereof Christians must beware; but for the sufferings which are for Christ, for Righteousness sake, for a good Conscience, there's no shame belonging to them, but rather glory and rejoicing.  
Here then are two kinds of sufferings laid down, 
Two kinds of sufferings.  the one forbidden, whereto shame belongs, namely, to suffer for ill-doing, which is to be avoided; the other enjoined, and wherein we are to rejoice, namely, in suffering for well doing.  
But let none of you suffer as a murderer, etc.] Not that if any be a murderer or thief, etc. he should not suffer the punishment due thereto, but fly from it; for that herein he resists the Magistrate's Sentence on his deserts, sets himself against God: but he would not have men do any such evil, as to procure or deserve any such sufferings.  
Obj. But none can walk so circumspectly, but that he may and shall do evil, and so deserve punishment at the hand of the Lord.  
A. True, but he speaks of foul vices, and punishable by men, which Christians should be far from; and for the frailties of God's Servants, he will not impute them to them.  
The words afford this Doctrine, that  
Sufferings for ill-doing are not glorious, 
Suffering for ill-doing are shameful.  but shameful: Sufferings are good only in respect of the cause; if that be good, than they be good; if that be evil, than they be shameful: The same sufferings for kind and measure may be to one person glorious, to another infamous; the one may have cause of joy, the other to hang down their heads: Both Abel and Jezabel were killed, but he for his goodness, she for her badness; both Joseph and Pharaoh's Officers were imprisoned, but he unjustly, they justly: Such as are reviled, are blessed, provided it be for the Name of Christ, and for Righteousness sakes.  
1. This rebuketh all that suffer for ill-doing, 
Use 1.  especially such as rejoice therein; as 1. The Papists, who keep a Calendar of Martyrs, I warrant you, that have suffered in our late Queen's days, and since; but they be the Devils Martyrs, if they be any: If they had not impudent faces, they would be ashamed of them; for why have they suffered? for their Religion? no such matter: Have they been asked, what say you to the Mass, to Worshipping of Images, to Justification by Works, etc. if you will not recant these, you shall die? no such thing; but they have been convicted by Witnesses, or their own Confession, of Treason and Mischief against the Prince, State and Commonwealth; and for these have they, according to the Laws of all Countries and Kingdoms, as pestilent instruments, been cut off: Yet if they had been put to death for their Religion, they had been no Martyrs, for it had not been for the Truth or Gospel's sake, but for maintaining Lies and Errors. None can die the death of a Martyr, who hath not first lived the life of a Christian, which they did never; they are even as good Martyrs as those of our own, that be executed for their theft and murder: They have a multitude of Saints in their Calendar, that be Firebrands in Hell. 2. Such as for their crimes and faults bring sufferings upon themselves, as thiefs, murderers, etc. woeful wretches, they have cause to hang down their heads, both in respect of their sin, and the punishment that doth befall them; they are herein companions with the Devil and Reprobates, that they suffer for their sins: Others bring punishments upon themselves for their Drunkenness, Whoredom, Cozenage, Oppression, Quarrelling, Idleness, etc. Others bring an ill report upon themselves, being noted and ill-spoken of for Liars, Backbiters, Slanderers, Tale-tellers, Covetous Pinehers, Hard Dealers, Gamesters, Company-keepers, etc. 3. Such as are professors of Christianity, and it may be have some good things in them, which yet are justly blamed for some faults; for one may be a Christian and be blamed, and yet not for his Christianity, but for something he did before he was a Christian, or for some fault that is yet in him: As some be justly blamed for being such deep censurers of others, so for separating from the Church, living in no Church at all, but setting up any ignorant persons to take upon them the office of Preaching: So some among ourselves are justly blamed, for being too proud, given to censuring, and meddling with matters that concern them not: So some poor men that have nothing but their Labour, and a Family depending upon them, that yet be negligent in their Callings, and look to live of others, and it may be go to three or four Sermons in a week, and tarry abroad a day or two here, three or four there, or, as some, go from house to house, and live of others, who though they can talk well, yet must not be negligent in their Calling, or of their Families: So a number of Servants that profess Religion, are very desirous to hear every Sermon, who yet are idle, lazy, careless and untrusty, thinking that a little profession of goodness should bear out all; when-as thereupon there's more required at their hands: These cause the Name of God to be ill spoken of, fie upon it; it is your Master's duty to let you come to the Word, and is it not as well your duty to give them an account when you are come home (which some of you do not at all) and to show the fruit of your hearing, by your faithfulness in your particular places?  
2. Let all beware of these kinds of sufferings, 
Use 2.  and those that have besmeared themselves thus, seek to wash themselves clean again by repentance to God, and better conversation to men; let us walk so warily, that we may not in any case grieve the Servants of God, and that the wicked may find nothing justly to speak ill of us (as thus, He is a Professor, 
Dan. 6. 5.  but covetous, idle, proud, etc.) as the Princes, though they watched Daniel narrowly, could find nothing against him, but in the cause of his God.  
Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed,] Now of the other kind of sufferings, whereof no man ought to be ashamed; If a man suffer for Christ's sake, his Christianity, godliness, for that very cause, and in that only respect, for his goodness, for holding the truth of the Gospel, for yielding obedience to the Word; Hereof none need be ashamed, but rather thank God for the same. Here note, That  
Sufferings for godliness be glorious, 
Sufferings for godliness are glorious.  they be the marks of Christ; Christ's sufferings, no shame belongs to them, for no shame belongs to Christianity; The Cause is good and glorious, accordingly must the sufferings so be: No shame belongs to goodness, no shame among Turks to be counted and known a Christian, among Papists to be a Protestant, among common Protestants to be a zealous server of God, that desires to bring into practice that which we outwardly profess; we need not care who know we be such, shame came in with sin, and belongs to sin; to suffer for goodness, whether it be by word or deed, as to be Apprehended, Imprisoned, put in Irons, Whipped, etc. is not shameful, but glorious; the Apostle Paul might have boasted more of his iron Chain, than others could have of their golden Chains; No suffering is base, if it be for a good Cause: If one should be put in a vile Dungeon, dragged at an Horse tale, etc. yet being for the Cause of Christ, he needed not be ashamed.  
1. This rebuketh all such that are ashamed of goodness, 
Use 1.  and to be ill spoken of for it; not only the common sort who are ashamed of no evil (as of Covetuosness, Swearing, Sabbath breaking, etc. but do even strive who should exceed others therein) are ashamed of the least goodness, and would not be seen with a Bible in their hand, or in good company, or to speak a good word, lest their companions and betters should upbraid them: No, beware; well, they are not worthy of the honour, they shall not need to fear it; But others that have some goodness in them, as one would hope that are yet so ashamed of being seen to be too forward, would hear oftener, but for fear they should be counted Puritans, have their Landlord's frown, etc. and accordingly grieve if they have a rebuke for their forwardness: Alas poor Creatures, that see not what is their glory, are ashamed of that they should glory in, namely their goodness, which is the thing that commends every man; even Kings in the Scripture are not otherwise commended but for their goodness: Others as great as they, are either branded with reproach, or passed by in silence that had no goodness.  
2. Take heed therefore you be not ashamed of God here, 
Use 2.  lest he be ashamed of you another day: Do as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, they built here and there Altars, and were not ashamed to call on the Lord, neither was he ashamed of them to be called their God: Art thou called Puritan? Answer, I am not so pure as I should be, I pray God make me pure; you must be pure, else you shall never see God: we must also take heed that we esteem not basely, nor be ashamed of them that suffer for Christ's sake, shunning and avoiding their company lest forsooth it should be known wear friends to Puritans; to those the world so calls and counts, and that for their goodness; woe be to us if we be not friends and favourers of them, this being indeed a main mark of our Regeneration. 
1 john 3. 14.   
But let him glorify God on this behalf.] 
To suffer for well-doing affords matter of Thanksgiving.  As sufferings for God are a benefit for which we are to praise God, so they be a great honour which the Lord vouchsafeth his: Hereby we are tried, made Partners with Christ, the Prophets, Apostles, and Martyrs, that be now in Heaven, are like our head in suffering, 
Acts 5. 41.  and so shall be in glory, and shall rejoice at his coming, 
Phil. 1. 29.  and for ever: This is an argument we are none of the world, but chosen out of it, yea, that we are blessed, and have the Spirit of God in us; hereby also we glorify God: And might not God have left us to ourselves, and brought shameful sufferings upon us for foul sins, as upon many others; yea, might have cast us to Hell, to have most just and woeful torments for ever and ever: Now seeing he vouchsafeth to change our shameful sufferings here and hereafter for our sins, into a few glorious sufferings for his name's sake, it is a privilege: Therefore though there be some tartness in the afflictions themselves, yet consider how they might have been, and now the cause why they be, what Partners we have, what good they will do us here, and what an happy end we shall have hereafter, we have great and unspeakable cause to praise and glorify God, which I pray in God's name let's labour (by faith) to bring our hearts unto.   

Verse 17. For the time is come, that judgement must begin at the house of God; and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God?  
HEre are more Reasons to the same purpose; 1. From the time; God will now since Christ's coming, exercise his Church with greater trials and trobules, than the ages before his coming in the flesh. 2. The necessity of it, Judgement must come. 3. By making comparison between the state of God's children persecuted, and their persecuters; yea, and all the wicked, for though these be chastened a while, yet the end of the ungodly will be most fearful, which he sets not down affirmatively, but with much more vehemency and earnestness, by interrogation, What shall the end be, & c?  
For the time is come, 
The Church's troubles are more now then heretofore.  etc.] The Church is appointed to more crosses and trials since Christ under the Gospel, than before. True, it hath been persecuted even from the beginning, and every true believer hath had crosses and trials, and the people of God have been persecuted both of the profane among themselves, and of others, yet never so sorely nor commonly as since Christ, witness the ten bloody Persecutions, with those which the Church hath since suffered by Heathen, Turks, Papists.  
Reasons. 1. Because this time hath clearer promises, and a more fuller revelation of God's will, and Heaven as it were set open, and Christ and all his benefits so set before our eyes, as we have much more means of comfort and believing, and so of love to God, and courage, and therefore may well undertake greater tasks; the time of the Law, was the time of the infancy of the Church; the time of the Gospel, the time of the maturity thereof: Therefore well may God require and look for more obedience, and not in doing only, but suffering; 
Acts 2. 17.  for God will not have the graces of his Spirit in his Servants to rust. 2. The Lord hath promised great things of the people in time of the Gospel: 
Isaiah 4. 2. 27. 9  He will pour out his Spirit upon them, knowledge shall abound, young men shall see visions, 
Heb. 12. 10.  &c, Now seeing its foretold, we should be holy in these times, the Lord therefore must use the best means to effect the same, whereof afflictions are one.  
1. This confuteth that opinion of the Papists, 
Use 1.  that teach, That the Church in the New Testament should always so prosper and flourish in wealth, and be conspicuous and glorious, and have victory over the enemies thereof, which is rather the mark of the synagogue of Satan, which is ever greater in number, and more pompous, for though God give his Church breathe to be gathered, and to edify themselves, yet is it scarce at any time free from troubles.  
2. It rebuketh those among ourselves, 
Use 2.  that the Gospel should bring all peace and ease, and therefore when they see any troubles come for it, 
Amos 9 9, 10, etc.  they are offended: It's true, God gives peace and plenty, as handmaids to wait upon the Gospel, yet either for chastisement for the contempt of the Gospel, or trial of his Servants profiting; the Gospel hath troubles, and men must be content, and take the Gospel with whatsoever troubles, and thank God too, and think they be gainers: But many would have the rose, not the prickle, follow Christ for loaves, and in hope for preferment, but hearing that he hath no where to rest his head, they will be gone; These be but Hypocrites, and such as never tasted indeed of the Gospel, for if they had, they would part with all for it.  
3. It should teach us all in these days, 
Use 3.  not to conceit of ease, credit, etc. for the Gospel brings a Sword, and therefore we must prepare for hardship, yea, the Gospel brings enough with it, to make us willing to suffer for it; The not thinking hereof, causeth unpreparedness, and both either a flying from God, or else to bear them impatiently.  
That judgement must begin] By judgement is not meant plagues or punishments for sin, as pieces of God's wrath, and forerunners of condemnation (for such are those laid on the wicked) but merciful chastisements, 
1 Cor. 11. 32.  and loving corrections, whereby we are moved to judge ourselves that we be not judged of the Lord, and condemned with the world.  
1. These afflictions must begin with Gods-Servants; 
Afflictions must begin with God's Servants.  jacob's house first, afterwards the Egyptians felt the Famine; first the Israelites were oppressed, but afterwards the Egyptians themselves plagued; the Jews were first carried into captivity, but afterwards the Assyrians were destroyed by the Medes and Persians. 1. In respect of their sins, they are full of terror and anguish of Spirit ere they can get any comfort, and when they have obtained it, it's often eclipsed, and they go mourning. 2. They are subject to many sicknesses, grievous pains, diseases, losses, crosses, disgrace, persecution at the hand of the wicked, etc. And thus will God have his Church afflicted, either by his own hand, or by the wicked. 1. To humble them for sin past, as joseph's brethren. 2. To fetch them into the way from wand'ring, and teach them obedience, as David and Jonah. 3. To humble them. 4. To mortify their lusts, wean them from the world, and quicken them to duty. 5. Hereby also God showeth that he will not bear with sin in his dearest Servants, as he did not in David, Moses, Miriam. 6. To confute the Devil, and show that God's people serve him not for wages. 7. To show them their happiness is to come, and that if God thus school his Servants, that then he will deal severely with the wicked, so that this may be a looking-glass to them.  
1. Seeing God will have it thus, 
Use 1.  and that his course is to begin with his Children, we must not refuse the chastening of the Almighty, neither conclude against ourselves, that we be none of the Lords, because of this, as Gideon, but if we can prove it by other reasons, let not this dismay; This is rather an argument we are the Lords, though not of itself (because the wicked are also thus met with) yet to be taught hereby to labour to see the Lords mind, and to make use, and be patient, is a good sign, and know, seeing we be chastened here, we have happiness remaining for us.  
2. That none bless himself to be in God's favour because of his great prosperity, 
Use 2.  or for that his eyes stand out with fatness: 
Psal. 73. 7.  For Ishmael had the fat of the Earth, 
job 21. 7, 8, 9, etc.  and Esau the dew of Heaven, and Judas carried the bag: They might rather conclude, seeing they live wickedly, and be not punished but prosper here, that therefore there remains a fearful answer for them, and so there doth, as in the next clause appeareth.  
3. Neither ought God's children envy or be discouraged at the prosperity of the wicked; 
Use 3.  for they may from thence conclude, that judgement is coming on them; but for themselves, that there's happiness laid up for them; for if God can afford his enemies the blessings of this life (which oftentimes even his own have in a scant measure) how great happiness will he bestow upon them in the life to come?  
2. It's of necessity that God's Servants must here suffer troubles; 
Why Gods children must here suffer afflictions.  and that 1. In respect of Gods will, he hath appointed us thereunto. 2. In respect of our necessity: Sin is so riveted into us, and in our very nature, as it must be no small nor easy thing to pluck it out from us: O our infidelity, pride, hypocrisy, self-love, frowardness, etc. how near do these cleave to us, 
Psal. 32. 3, 4.  and how fast do they hang on? nay, what a while is it ere an affliction works any thing to the purpose, which therefore must either be long continued, or have another joined therewith: Who hath not need to have his heart more mollified? to be weaned from the world, to be quickened to his duty etc. how soon do we forget an affliction, and therefore who hath not need to be remembered?  
Therefore let us not be against the Lords chastening: 
Use.  It's better to have a strong purgation, then to fall into spiritual diseases and dangers, whereunto we shall else be subject; there's no rule in the world among children without rods: Neither use we untimely means, or make over much haste to get out of them, but crave rather to be better renewed and increased in Faith, Patience, Humility, etc. our care is comfortable.  
At the house of God;] 
God's Church is his house.  that is, The Church of God, as it's said of Moses, 
Numb. 12. 7.  That he was faithful in God's house. God walks in the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks: 
Rev. 1. 13.  He is among his people, and in his Church, to direct, comfort, protect and provide for it, as a careful householder for his family: He is with us to the end of the world, and dwells in every Believer by his holy Spirit.  
1. This serves for instruction to duty, 
Use 1.  both to God our Householders and other our fellow-servants: Towards God, 1. We must behave ourselves, as such as belong to such a Family; Joshua and Cornelius had godly Families, God will have none that shall behave themselves unseemly, or not be subject to the Orders of his House; we must not be away at meals, when the Family meet; If God find our place empty, when it should be full, as at Word and Sacrament, he will be much provoked; if the second time, beware, etc. 2. We must follow our work hard, that our Master sets us about, for he hath no idle persons in his Family; we must therefore know what is our work in our general calling, as that we must walk holily, righteously and soberly; what in our particular, as a Magistrate, Minister, Housholder, Servant, Husband, Wife, etc. He will pay well, and therefore looks to have his work done well and faithfully; neither must we refuse any work he sets us about, as some skemish Servants do in our time, but do whatsoever he requires, knowing that he appoints no work but what's fit and meet; and we must be at his hand always, not as retainers, (God hath no such) but household Servants, uprising and downlying. 3. We must bear patiently the rebukes of our Master, and his corrections when we have done amiss; yea, learn to amend there by, not murmuring nor answering again. 4. We must take our Master's part when we see him misused, or his goods imbezeled, he will else pull our coats over our ears as unfaithful ones.  
Towards each other. 1. There must be no contentions between us, an honest Housholder will not endure it in his Family, much less can the Lord away that there should be in his; How shall then the work go forward? 2. We must love and join together against the Enemies, and defend one another in goodness; not hinder, but further one another's works, and not envy that any of our fellow-servants do more work than we; let us do what we can, and when we cannot, yet be glad that our Master's work go forward.  
2. It serves for comfort to all that be of the Lords Household; 
Use 2.  They shall want no good thing, no direction, comfort, strength against temptation; If we use the means, and make known our wants to God, he that requires us to work, will not suffer us to want wherewithal; yea, for outward things, we shall not want what is meet: He that bids us provide for our Families, and saith, he is worse than an Infidel that doth not, will not fail us in our lawful endeavours: Haply he will not always give all we desire, but what is meet; and hereafter we shall be taken up to his other house in Heaven, when we have been sufficiently purged here.  
3. It may be for terror to all that misuse Gods Servants, 
Use 3.  or reproach and buffet them, when they be at their work; God will not put it up, but defend even the meanest Servant in his Family.  
4. It may be for direction; 
Use 4.  let us prove ourselves his true Servants, Covenant-Servants, and no hangby's; for as about Princes and great men's Houses, be many that be not in Covenant for wages, nor are settled Servants, of whom any charge is taken: So in the Church, the Lords House, there are a number that work not the Lords work, but the Devils, and are of his Family; for he hath two Families, one of reprobate souls in Hell, the other of unbelievers and wicked here on Earth: These work earnestly for the Devil, yet they will come into God's House, and the Devil is content they should, so long as they keep their heart and life to him; yea, they will put over their leg, and sit down at the table to eat of the bread prepared for the Lords Family, but he will come in and view them, and finding them without a wedding Garment, and such as be not in Covenant with him, he will cause them to be bound hand and foot, and cast into utter darkness; These shall have their wages where they have done their work: Hast thou been such a one? humble thyself before God, bid adieu to thy old master, and come in good earnest, and enter Covenant, and purpose to be a true and dutiful Servant to God, and he will have mercy on thee, and take thee into his Service, and then mayest thou have comfort, and challenge the privilege of the Family.  
If it first begin at us, etc.] Here note,  
1. That the Apostle puts himself in the number of such as were of God's House; 
Assurance of Salvation possible.  So that its possible for us to come to be assured that we are of the Lords Family.  
Labour we therefore to attain hereunto, 
Use.  else what joy can we have of our lives? 
2 Pet. 1. 10.  we are bid make our calling and election sure, and why do we it not? wouldst thou know to what family thou dost belong, thou mayest by the works thou dost: If we work the works of God, 
john 8. 44.  of Holiness and Righteousness in our general callings, and be faithful in our special callings, then are we of God's Family; if the works of sin, then are we of our Father the Devil: You may come into God's House, as many an hypocrite and Beast doth, but of his house you be not; try whose work thou dost: Thou dost some work of Gods, and some of the Devils; no, if we do any work willingly for the Devil, we do none for God aright, nor that he accepts. Again, if thou dost not believe nor repent, thou art none of God's Family; if thou art an unrighteous person, thou art none of his, yea, if we be of God's house, we cannot abide to hear our Master ill spoken of, nor any of our fellow-servants for their goodness, but our hearts will rise against it; contrarily, if we be such as dishonour God, reproach the sincerity of the Gospel, and power of Religion, with them that desire so to walk, yea, or can hear them ill spoken of, and are not grieved thereat, it's a sign we be none of God's Family, but the Devils.  
2. That there's no small difference between the state of God's children and the wicked; 
The state of the godly and ungodly much different.  even the state of the godly, notwithstanding the many troubles wherewith their life is filled, is to be preferred before the state of the wicked, notwithstanding their present jollity: The state of the godly is infinitely better than the wicked's, both in this life, in death, and at the day of Judgement: Those are freed from the curse and wrath of God, and all evil, are reconciled and made the children of God, and are covered with Christ's righteousness: These are in danger of all condemnation, remain children of the Devil, Enemies to God, altogether in their own filthiness; all Creatures both in Heaven and Earth are at Peace with those, but all at odds with these; Angels guard the one, the other are a prey to the Devil; the one working the works of holiness, are acceptable to God, and shall have eternal life, the other the filthy scullery of the Devil, 
Psal. 11. 6.  shall have Hell; the one are beloved of God, the other hated; the person and prayers of the one are acceptable to God, the others abominable in his sight; of the one all things, their afflictions, 
Rom. 8. 28.  yea, their sins turn to their good, to the other, the mercies of God, 
Isaiah 4. 5.  yea, his holiest Ordinances turn to their hurt: Those are called the glory, 
Psal. 1. 3, 4.  these dross; those are as a tree planted by the rivers of waters, etc. these as the chaff which the wind driveth away; those are as wheat for the garner, these cockle and tares to be bundled up for the fire: the wicked seem more excellent outwardly, but they are like painted Sepulchers, like rotten wood shining in a dark night; the godly are like a plain leather Casket, with a precious Pearl therein of unspeakable worth: Turn them which way you will, if both in prosperity, infinite odds, one being the child of God, the other of the Devil; the godly hath more joy and peace in well-doing, than the wicked of all their jollity; the ones prosperity is a pledge of better things in Heaven, the others is sent in wrath to fat them to their destruction: If both in adversity alike, yet infinite odds; the one chastened of God, as a Father doth his children, for their great good, the other pursued in vengeance, by a just Judge, as foregoers of greater plagues; for the one Gods arrows are dipped in poison, for the other, the poison is taken away in Christ's Sufferings; On the one God hath promised to lay no more than they are able to bear, the other have no such promise; the one have Gods promise to comfort and uphold them in them, as also assurance, as of good by it, so of a good and happy end, and after this life their joys to begin, that never shall end, but the other have no such promises; nay, when this life ends, then shall begin their Torments, which shall never end; nay, put the godly in the greatest misery that can be, and the ungodly in the greatest jollity, like Dives and Lazarus, or if ye will chain the one in a Dungeon about his feet, middle and neck, and let the other ride in all pomp, and with all the attendance and honour that the world can afford, yet the one is infinitely more happy than the other. In death the Righteous have hope, the wicked none, but are either full of horror or blockish: After death these go to Hell, those to Heaven; the children are taken up into the Chambers of Christ, the Dogs and ungodly are cast out of doors: At the day of Judgement, the one shall stand with comfort on the right hand, the other with terror on the left, both being raised up: The wicked shall have the wound that death gave them healed up (as Traitors be healed of their hurts, that they may come to execution) and thereupon both in body and soul shall be cast into Hell fire; though the one begin with joy, yet they end with woe; and though the other begin heavily here, yet they end with joy in Heaven, and this life is nothing to that's to come: Could we discern this, we would reverence the one highly, and no less pity the others; yea, should the ones troubles here, infinitely exceed the others jollities, or the troubles of the godly be here greater than they are, as also the jollity of the wicked, we would not change with them.  
1. This confuteth the blind world, 
Use 1.  that esteemeth basely of God's servants, and of their state; but let us never think the worse of our estate for them, as a plain rich man doth not, when a vain bragging fellow in brave apparel goes swaggering scornfully by him.  
2. This may and ought wonderfully to comfort God's servants, 
Use 2.  that hath advanced them to this high dignity, passing by so many others: O that we would walk worthy hereof in an holy and pure conversation.  
3. This may be a choke to the wicked, 
Use 3.  notwithstanding all their jollity, and make them weary of their condition, labouring to become godly, and of God's house, that so they may be truly happy.  
What shall the end of them be that obey not the Gospel of God?] Here's employed,  
1. That though the afflictions of God's people be many and great, yet they are nothing in respect of the miseries which shall befall the ungodly: 
The afflictions of the godly not comparable to the miseries of the ungodly.  The Lord is Judge of all the world, and he will deal justly and equally, even give every one according to their works: If therefore he afflict his children with rods, he will plague his enemies with scourges; 
Gen. 18. 5.  if he will not bear with sin in his own servants that are careful to please him, 
Rom. 2. 6.  and stand in awe, and yet be overtaken, than he will be dreadfully revenged of those that make a trade of sin; if his children in their conversion, and often afterward upon any sin committed, have gripes of Conscience, and suffer the terrors of God, 
See Psal. 78. 55. 65.  then shall the wicked have a gnawing Worm that shall never die; 
Isa. 27. 27.  if those be brought, as it were, along by Hell, these shall be left and swallowed up of Hell: 
jer. 25. 29. and 49. 12.  The Lord began with the Israelites in Captivity, but ended with the Egyptians, in drowning them in the Red-sea; the three Children were put into the fiery Furnace, not burnt, but fire seized on them that put them in; Daniel was put into the Lion's Den, but his Enemies and Accusers were devoured; Israel was carried Captive, but Ashur destroyed; the children are beaten with the rod, thereafter it's burnt; God chastens his for a few days here to their amendment, but the wicked shall be cast into eternal fire. In reading, hearing and seeing what grievous things the Lord hath laid on his own children, the wicked may see, as in a glass, the woeful state that abides them.  
2. That the torments prepared for the ungodly in death and at the day of Judgement, 
The ungodly's misery cannot be expressed.  are such as cannot be expressed: The Apostle knew that they should have a fearful end; but utter the further end of it, and lay it out to the full, he could not, therefore is forced to say, What shall be the end? 
1 john 3. 2.  It's a wonderful love of God, that he hath made us his Children, but yet it's not manifest what we shall be, that is, 
1 Cor. 2. 9  it cannot be expressed what happiness is prepared for us: Eye hath not seen, nor ear hath not heard, what God hath prepared for his children: So cannot any decipher the fearfulness of the woe prepared for the ungodly: Such shall be separated from God and from his Saints, and have their portion with the Devil and damned: O the universality of their torments, both in respect of their bodies and souls! O the greatness of their pangs, tormented with fire and brimstone! O the eternity of them! They shall be world without end: If a man in pain should shed a tear or drop of water from his eye once in a thousand years, and no more, yet sooner should he make a whole Sea, before this time will end.  
1. O what an iron scourge should this be to drive the wicked to repentance, 
Use 1.  not resting till they know they be freed from this woeful lake! O let them never glory in their prosperity, as long as they are in danger hereof! If any will not break off their sins and fear, they will prove costly profits and pleasures; and they that will not believe and fear here, shall feel them to eternal destruction hereafter.  
2. How should this glad the hearts of all God's people, 
Use 2.  that know themselves freed from this fearful lake, and make them walk cheerfully and obediently all their days, to the honour of him that by his sufferings hath freed them therefrom; yea, should we not bear our few afflictions patiently, being freed from these endless and easeles ones, and not to envy at the prosperity of the wicked, seeing it shall have such an end? let their beginning be what it will be, if this be their end, God keep us from having any part therein.  
That obey not the Gospel of God.] 
Disobedience to the Gospel a grievous sin.  The wicked are described by their disobedience to the Gospel, and these are indeed the most wicked, and and have the fearfullest answer to make, and the lowest or worst place in Hell; they shall speed worst, for their sin is greatest: For what a favour of God is it, not only to give Christ to the world, but then to publish him by the Gospel, being the glad tidings of Salvation, to all of what sort soever, though never so mean, never so great sinners, there is mercy upon their unfeigned humiliation, and such God sends his Ministers to beseech men to be reconciled: O this is an unspeakable favour, as that the contempt thereof must needs deserve a fearful damnaton! That men should continue yet in their sins, and have no mind ● Christ as a King and Saviour, 
Simile.  is fearful: If a company of Rebels●ad a pardon proclaimed, and sent out to so many as would come in, fany would stand out and refuse the King's grace and favour, were he ●t worthy to be cut-off? It shall be easier for Sodom and Gomorrah in ●e day of Judgement, then for these people: 
Heb. 2. 2.  If they that despised the●aw were not unpunished, how shall they be dealt withal that desp● the Gospel? The higher they are lift up, the lower they shall be casdown.  
1. This rebuts the most part; 
Use 1.  Howsoever they talk of the Gospel, and come●t Church, and cry, The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, yet ●ey yield not obedience thereto, but continue in their sins: There are ●w that come to see any such need of Christ, as highly to prise him, a● most earnestly to seek him; though some would have Christ the Saviour, and will have Jesus Christ in their mouths, yet few will sto● to his yoke, to renounce all their lusts, and yield up themselves in abbedience to his will, but either will live in all their sins, or only yid in what they list, and so trample the precious blood of Christ unde●●eir feet, and despise the gracious offer of mercy: One would think th●very man hearing such a gracious voice, and offer of a Saviour, sh●ld fly to it, and that it should suffer violence, every one saying, O ●me embrace it, let me, as they did at the Pool of Bethesdai: 
john 5. 4.  O ●t at the stirring of the water some might step in; There might b●ne at once, but here if an hundred would, they should all be closed.  
2. O than me your benefit of the Gospel, 
Use 2.  by yielding obedience thereto; Belie and repent, and then happy are ye that ever ye heard, else you shall c●t the time that ever you heard the Gospel: O ungrateful world! unhappy company! It will vex them, and increase their torment, ●ee that mercy was offered so often, and yet they like woeful caitiffs despise the same; to obey the Gospel, is the note of a good christian: let appear by thy hearty obedience thereto, that thou art such a one.   

Verse 18. And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?  
HE proceeds still in the foregoing reason, taken from the comparison between the good and the wicked; whereof the former, though they have many troubles and afflictions, yet they shall in the end be eternally blessed, and saved in Heaven, though with some difficulty; the latter, though they flourish and prosper for a while, and many of them persecute the former, yet they shall end their life with misery that cannot be expressed, and have a fearful appearance before God on the last day: If the righteous Servants of God get hardly to Heaven, the wicked, how glorious soever in this world, shall never be able to appear in Judgement before God, but in a most fearful manner, which is not set down by a bare affirmation, but by way of interogation, for the greater force: where there is comfort for God's Children, notwithstanding their troubles, and the wickeds prosperity, they shall be saved, and terror for the wicked, notwithstanding all their present jollity, their end shall be fearful.  
Speak we first of the position; The righteous are scarcely saved; then of the comparison, if it be so, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?  
If the righteous] Hereby we are to understand, not such as be perfectly righteous in themselves, and without sin; for if there be any such (as there is none) they should not scarcely, and with difficulty be saved, but according to that, do this and live, easily and without stop: Even the most perfect have not been without their own failings; there was impatience in Job, 
Mat 9 13.  infidelity in Zachary, etc. not meant the righteous in their own conceits, for these shall never be saved, as for whom Christ came not; nor such as having attained some common gifts, as of knowledge, to profess to reform some things, etc. seem to themselves and others righteous, 
Whom we are here to understand by righteous.  but yet are not so truly, but as the seed sown on the stony ground, and the house built on the sand; but such as be truly righteous, though not perfectly, yet in some respect perfectly to; 
See Ezek. 28.  namely, 1. By the righteousness of Christ Jesus imputed unto them by Faith: They that have their sins pardoned in his death, and his righteousness imputed to them, are truly righteous, yea, and perfectly too, as ever they shall be in heaven. 2. By inherent righteousness, wrought in the hearts of God's Children and Believers, by the Spirit of Sanctification, whereby they be sanctified throughout, though not perfectly, yet those God vouchsafeth to call righteous, though they be but so in part, and have remnants of corruption abiding in them, yet they are so called from the better part, as an heap of corn that lies on the floor, though there be chaff in it, and that much. 3. For that they endeavour, and daily labour after more righteousness; as one is called a Scholar, or by the name of the trade he is entered into, though happily he can do but a little, only endeavours for skill and knowledge therein: Of which elsewhere.  
1. This setteth out the exceeding goodness and mercy of God, 
Use 1.  that vouchsafeth thus to come and call such poor and sinful creatures as we be, pestered with such a deal of blindeness, and so manifest corruptions; yet seeing he seeth an heart in us to hate them, and suppress them, he will not reckon of us after them; and though we have but a little grace, yet because it is true, and of his own working that we have, and that we would fain have more, he accounts of us according to that we would be, and not that we are.  
2. This is an exceeding comfort to God's true Servants; 
Use 2.  can we believe Christ's righteousness imputed to us, and feel we an universal and true change in us, then may we rejoice; God calls us by glorious names, Saints, Holy ones, Righteous, let us not then be dismayed at our imperfections or corruptions, which we labour to mortify; le's not say with some, because of them we are none of the Lords, we have such sinful hearts, etc. Neither let us suffer the Devil to pluck our Crown from us, or rob us of our comfort, making us believe that we be none of the Lords; as some few be thus in danger, especially at first, though many Christians make too light of their sins; as long as God speaks so graciously, let us not believe what Satan our adversary saith, only let us care to grow more and more in grace.  
3. This rebuketh those wretched mockers that reproach the Servants of God, 
Use 3.  that labour to please God, and dare not do as they: O you be of the righteous, you be so righteous, etc. Is not this right like Ishmaels' mocking of Isaac? O you be the Son of the promise, you are the dainty one, etc. Such shall be shut out with Ishmael, unless by repentance they prevent it: Why say you thus? because you think it to good a name for them? Is thine eye evil, because Gods is good? what hast thou to do, seeing God calls them so? or is it because thou wouldst not have them so? 
1 Cor. 6. 9  Yes; but if thou be'st not also so, thou shalt never inherit the Kingdom of Heaven.  
Scarcely be saved,] Hereby is not meant rarely, or that but a few righteous ones shall be saved; 
Acts 10. 4●.  For whosoever believeth shall be saved; and to every one that doth good shall be glory, 
Rom. 2. 7. and 8. 1.  and honour, and immortality; and There is no condemnation to them, or any of them that are in Christ Jesus: Nor is it meant, that there will be difficulty at the day of Judgement, whether they should pass or no, have or miss Salvation; no, for God knoweth who be his, and their names be all written in the Book of Life; 
Mat. 7. 22.  and if they were righteous here, and had the Spirit, the seal of their Redemption, and earnest of their Inheritance, as they pass to it at death, so shall they have no stop at the day of judgement. Among earthly Judges, when a cause hath gone current on a man's side a great while, yet at last, either by corruption of Jury or Judge, or by some evidence come to light, not seen before, all may be dashed and turned the other way: It shall not be so at God's judgement seat; 
It's an hard thing for a man to get to Heaven.  there will be question made of the damnation of some, but no question made of the salvation of any of the godly: But the difficulty is in this life; it's an hard thing for a man to get to heaven (called therefore a Strait gate, 
Mat. 7. 14.  and Narrow way) a hard thing to come to be a Christian, a converted person, and an hard thing to continue therein, and grow forward. God hath much ado to bring us to grace, and then much ado to hold us therein; as he had a great deal ado to get his people out of Egypt, and into Canaan, sometimes themselves by murmuring, linger, etc. and sometimes others, as Pharaoh, the Red-sea, etc. proving hindrances thereto; so hath he to get one of us out of the bondage of the Devil; out of the Egypt of sin: The Devil holds, the world hinders, yea, our own wretched nature is not willing to come out: What a stir hath he? how many Sermons, threatenings, Promises, secret gripes of Conscience, Warnings of the Spirit, purposes to come out, and yet keep in still, ere we will yield? yea, how is God fain almost to pull us out by some crosses or sharp afflictions, as the Angels pulled Lot out of Sodom; how hardly are we throughly humbled for our sins? when cast down, how hardly comforted? when we have got it, how hardly do we keep it? what a stir with our hearts to leave our old courses and take new? and when we have begun, yet what ado to hold out? what revolting and backsliding hearts have we? ready to wax cold, and to linger after our old lusts, so hard it is to do any good duty well. The Devil, like Pharaoh, pursueth us, and labours by all means possible to hinder us from all good altogether, or from the right performance of it, so also to draw us to all evil: Then the world like Pharaohs Soldiers, labours to hinder us by their ill example, by ill counsel, by vails of profits and pleasures, and if these not, by reproaches and troubles that it will raise up. Our own Nature is worst of all, as having a linger after our old sins, as the Israelites after the fleshy pots of Egypt; sometimes we think like them, we shall never hold out, there be such lets in the way, high walls, and Anakims, etc. so that we get forward hardly; as a man that were to go up a steep hill, and had three great weights hung at his back; so that we have such continual need of the Word, Sacraments, Prayer, Meditation, Conference, Watchfulness, that unless hereby, we wax cold, and grow out of order; nay, notwithstanding all these, yet what ado to keep our hearts and lives in order, and ourselves within compass, but we slip and stumble, and grieve, and up again, and down again; yea, if the Lord to all these means should not add some one or other affliction, it would be yet more hard: The Lord is fain to pull us with that strong cord also, and this is chiefly meant here, they are scarcely saved, even because they are forced to be brought through many troubles; so that as a man that is to climb such a steep hill, as he cannot fasten his feet, but is fain to get Daggers in his hands, and sticking them into the ground, etc. may be said hardly to get up; 
Simile.  and as when two Armies fight for a Town, one while one part prevails, another while the other, at last the better side prevails, but notwithout much pains, many wounds, shrewd blows, and continual labour, we may say, They got the Town hardly; the like may be said in this particular: Who knoweth not the truth hereof in his own experience? how hardly canst thou be humbled? how hardly drawn to renounce thy lusts? how art thou fain to wrestle before thou canst do any good? what continual need hast thou of prayer, good company, etc. yea, who knowing any thing, seeth not he hath need of his crosses, and that it was good for him that he was afflicted?  
1. This crosseth the most gross, 
Use 1.  and yet most common conceit of the world, that its an easy matter to be saved, that there's no need of such preciseness, but that if men mean well, God will be content, and though one have lived badly, yet at what time soever they repent (for which a quarter of an hour is enough) it shall be well with them; and hence it is, that the Word and our Preaching is of such small account, and that so few take any pains to be saved, but take pains for the belly and back, and to grow rich, etc. Ignorant persons look not out, but content themselves with a blind good meaning, without any part of a good life; so profane persons, so worldlings, so civil ones: Though the Scripture requires us to labour, strive, give all diligence, study, seek, yet will not they take any pains; nay, not only so, but they laugh and gibe at them that labour herein, as fools or idle persons: What art thou woeful wretch, that darest cross the Lord so directly? He saith, It's a straight way, and few find it; and to this end, bids Strive; Thou sayest it's no such matter: If it were as thou dotest, Christ might not only have spared those speeches, but indeed the whole Scriptures; for what use of any, but to bid people live as they list, and at last cry God mercy, and all is well: No, God must make new Scriptures, and chalk a new way to Heaven, ere ever thou shalt find that thou lookest for: But what art thou, that neither wiltst take pains to save thine own soul, nor canst be content that others should? Dost thou think that they be idle persons that take pains to hear the word? O, they could follow the world, and that too hard, but that they know one thing is needful: Could they not sit at home in their chairs, or keep their beds, as well as rise and toil, etc. but that they know that they cannot so get Heaven, but that they have need to use all means, and that little enough, though thou seest no such thing: Indeed, to lead a careless life, to do good if it come in the way, and if ill come in the way, to be as fit for that, etc. a few Sermons, and little hearing may serve for such a life, but this is not the way to get Heaven: If ever thou wouldst be saved, thou must change thy mind, and practice and believe the Scriptures, that its a straight way, and accordingly bend thyself to begin to take pains, to see and confess thy sins, to labour for faith, to turn to God, to strive against the Flesh, the World and Devil; thus as hard as it is, thou mayest prevail. O strive whilst thou mayest, for many shall strive that shall not enter in, and thank God a thousand times, that thus striving thou mayest obtain.  
2. Let every man prove whether he be in the straight way or not: 
Use 2.  Many say, They thank God they have ever been of a good belief, and never doubted of God's good will in their lives, and that they thank God they have a good mind ever, and can serve God with all their hearts, and that they are not troubled with any such temptations as they hear some complain of, and that they thank God they be not so wicked, that they should need so many Sermons as some do; and that they have ever prospered, and have had as few crosses as any body, etc. These will think ill of me to unsettle them, but their state is too smooth, and too easy to be the way to Heaven, it's rather the broad green way to Hell: They that never doubted, never believed, that have been ever good, were never good; so they that have had no dumps nor fears at any time: For Christ calls none but sinners, but the heavy laden; they that can serve God with all their heart, without any trouble, the Devil hath them sure some other way, and therefore troubles them not in their duties, because he knows they be but lost labour, done in hypocrisy, or else he draws away their minds, and they feel it not: Those that can do well without resistance, be better than St. Paul, 
Rom. 7. 19  who could not do the good he would; it's a sign they be all flesh, for were there any Spirit in them, there would be opposition; let such know, their state is naught: This way will never bring them to Heaven; what would you have or lose all this time? better begin twice, then be damned once.  
On the other side, some say, They have gone a troublesome way, and full of labour and difficulty, have much ado to be humbled, much to get comfort, then much to hold it, so that they have had much strife with themselves for some lusts, and to take up some duties; much ado with their old companions, and that they can do no good but with such opposition and pain, as Pray, Read, Hear, etc. and what a stir they have to bridle their nature (and have had no more but needs) many crosses, etc. 
Simile.  let these be of good comfort; this is a sign of the way to Heaven: and as a man that is going to some Inheritance, being before informed of the rugged miry and troublesome way he must go through, finding it so, though it somewhat trouble him, yet it more joys him, that hereby he knows he is in his way; so cannot it but rejoice those that thus labour, as knowing that they are in their way: let us be of good comfort, and strive still, and we shall at last get to Heaven, and be saved, though it be thus scarcely and with difficulty; for faithful is he that hath promised, who shall separate us from his love? He that that hath begun the good work in us, will perfect it; The gates of Hell shall not be able to prevail against us, we shall get to Heaven in spite of the Devil, the World, and our own Lusts: Our Father is stronger than they; That's a racking uncomfortable opinion of Rome, that men may strive all their days, and at last lose all: No, woe were then to us; If our Salvation were in our own keeping, it might and would be lost.  
3. This teacheth all God's Servants to take pains, 
Use 3.  and strive hard to get to Heaven; even God's Servants are herein faulty, that they think it not so hard to be saved, and therefore are the more secure and lazy, take too little pains, watch not, put not on their armour, labour for no more grace than they had seven years ago: O le's strive more against our lusts, labour for more strength and grace, pray, hear, meditate, watch continually, etc. It's not praying once a day will serve us, but as often as we have need, else if we spare our pains herein, and be negligent in these duties, we shall smart another way, fall the more into sin, have the more discomfort, bring more labour and charge upon ourselves, as he that lets his house go out of reparation to avoid trouble and charge; nay, how often meet we with crosses upon neglect of these duties? O whilst others are increasing their iniquities, and making more rods for themselves, let us these holy days and vacation time take pains to further ourselves to Heaven; And as Travellers cheer up one another, lend one another their hand to help them up, if they be down, or an high or slippery place; so let us help one another to Heaven all that we can: Neither let us be unwilling to undergo afflictions, nor impatient under them, but rather bear them quietly and thankfully, seeing they help us up this hill of Sanctification to Heaven.  
Where shall the ungodly and sinner appear?] If they that take great pains, yet get hardly to Heaven, then what shall become of them that lay down the rain, doing what they list, and taking no pains at all; Here's the comparison, showing the woeful state remaining for the wicked at the last day: By ungodly, we are to understand such as live wickedly, and indeed as if there were no God. Heaven or Hell; and by sinners, such as go on impenitently in their sins, whether ignorants, profane persons, 
1 john 1. 8.  civil persons, or Hypocrites: All are sinners, and if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves; yet there be of them, which have sin in them, whom God will call righteous; but of the workers of iniquity, of those that make as it were a trade of sin, and return a great deal, being great dealers therein, our Apostle is here to be understood.  
These two, 
He that is not righteous is ungodly and a sinner.  ungodly and sinner, be opposed to righteous, so that whoso is not righteous, is an ungodly one and a sinner: If such being reproved shall say, Are not all of you sinners? are you without sin? and shall think thus to hide themselves; let them know, that the righteous (though not without sin) do both hate sin, and purpose against it before, strive against it at the present, and are sorry after they have committed the same, none of which are found in these ungodly and sinners.  
Where shall they appear?] He asks not because he knew not, for he knew they should and must appear before the Judgement seat of Christ, 
2 Cor. 5. 10.  and knew also that they should be set on the left hand, to hear that dreadful sentence pronounced against them, Go ye cursed of my Father, etc. but speaks thus to show the fearfulness of their state; for it's more than if he had said, They shall appear to condemnation, Where shall they appear? 
The fearfulness of the ungodlies condition on the day of judgement cannot be expressed.  as if he could not express what a fearful appearance they should have: To flee therefrom they cannot, whether should they, all being on fire? To resist they cannot, they have nothing wherewith, they are naked of their pomp and retinue: Hide themselves they cannot from his allseeing eye; to abide the presence of this Judge, is impossible: O they will then call to the hills to cover them! we think that the Jews, Judas, Pilate, and the Soldiers, shall have a fearful appearance, but many among ourselves shall have a worse than some of them: Do not we prefer our lusts before Christ, as the Jews did Barrabas? Do not many among us pierce him with their sins? Crucify him again, persecute him in his Members? This will not be the state only of poor snekes, or of the common multitude, but of the greatest and mightiest potentates, Nimrods', Giants: O these shall wail before him, beating their knees one against another!  
They that have sit as Judges of God's Servants in their Velvet coats and Gold Chains, shall now stand naked before this Judge: Here they dare appear any where, yea, where God's Servants oftentimes care not for appearing, but we shall one day appear with joy, where they shall not show their faces.  
O that this might strike terror into wicked men's hearts, 
Use.  to think of this day, and might be a choke to all their ungodly profits and pleasures: O this day will pay for all! O that they could be persuaded now to kiss the Son, now to humble themselves before him, now to stoop to him, and embrace him as their Saviour; yet how many wicked wretches be there, that will hope to be saved as well as the best, even notorious ones? O fearful impudence! you saved, than who shall be damned? The Turks and Heathens that know not God. True, but not with such a destruction as shall befall you, your stripes shall be worse and more than theirs, your day is coming, you have had the start of God's Children, you have been first in prosperity, as they in trouble, but ere long their mourning shall be turned into mirth, your joy into everlasting misery.   

Verse 19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God, commit the keeping of their souls to him in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator.  
THe conclusion, containing an Exhortation to commend and commit ourselves and our state in all our troubles to God, holding on our good course, and keeping a good conscience, without turning awry one way or other, who both can, being our Almighty Creator, and will, being faithful in all his promises, whereof he hath many of protecting and defending his Servants, who will either deliver them out of their troubles, or give them strength to bear them, and when their life shall end, will take up their souls to Heaven, keeping their bodies to a joyful resurrection.  
This also hath the force of another Reason to persuade to the point in hand, namely, patience and joyfulness in troubles, and may be gathered thus: If we may in all our troubles (as long as we keep a good conscience in them) confidently commend ourselves to God, in assurance to be cared for, as shall be best for us, than ought we to be joyful in our troubles; but the former is true, therefore the latter. Here's an Exhortation to commend ourselves to God in our troubles; those are described by the efficient cause of them, they come by the will of God, whereunto▪ Reasons are annexed to move us to commend ourselves to God in them. 1. Because of his omnipotency. 2. Because of his faithfulness; To all which is added a caution, how far forth we may commend ourselves to God in our troubles, namely, in well-doing, even so long as we be careful to continue in our uprightness without swerving.  
Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God,] Hear note, That  
Whatsoever troubles befall us in this life, 
The troubles of the godly are by his appointment.  either afflictions from the hand of God, for chastisement or persecution from the world, for our trial, etc. that they come not to us by chance, or the will of the Devil or man without God, but by the determinate purpose and counsel of God: But of this before.  
Commit the keeping of their souls to him, etc.] Here note, That  
God hath a care and special regard of his Servants in the time of all their trouble and adversity of what kind soever: 
God is careful of his children in the time of their troubles.  He cannot forget them, they be as the apple of his eye: There are infinite promises of God to this purpose, 
Isa. 49. 8, 15.  in the Psalms and Prophets: He will either deliver them out of their dangers, as Let, Noah, Daniel, etc. or comfort and provide for them, as for Joseph in Prison, whom at last he advanced, as he did also David and Jeremiah; else he will strengthen them to bear their pains, give them faith and patience to bear all the malice and torments of their Enemies, as he did Steven, and the holy Martyrs, that had such invincible courage and constancy, as they wearied their tormentors, even in the middle of their torments singing Psalms: 
See Rev. 6. 9  And their souls and bodies being parted, he takes their souls to himself into Heaven, in the mean time reserving their bodies safely to a joyful resurrection: Neither is it any wonder, For  
He hath created them, 
Reasons.  redeemed them with his Son's blood, sanctified them, preserved them, and prepared Heaven for them, ere the world was.  
This teacheth God's Children in all their troubles, 
Use.  of what kind or degree soever, 
See 2 Tim. 1. 12.  to commend themselves into his hand, with confidence and assured trust, that he will take care of them, and dispose of them to the best, etc. Let's never be dismayed, but cast our care, and roll ourselves upon the Lord: be we assured that he will be with us, and not fail us: He is Almighty, and can do it; He is also most loving, 
Rev. 2. 10.  and hath made many promises in his Word so to do: Be we faithful unto the death, 
Heb. 10. 23.  and he will give us a Crown of life: Faithful is he that hath promised: He loves that we should rely on him: If it be poverty, sickness, 
Psal. 9 10.  pain, persecution, etc. say not, I shall never be able to get through it, but cast thyself on God, who never failed any that put their trust in him: Do not we rely on ourselves? for this were the way to fail, like Peter and Origen, who fell shamefully; but trust in God, Pray, use all good means, and set thy faith on work to depend on God, to be well carried through thy trouble to the end, and from death to Heaven: Thus did our Saviour, and after him St. Steven, commend their Spirits into the hands of God: O our unbelieving hearts, that fail as soon as any great trial comes, as the Israelites upon Pharaoh's pursuing them; yea, are ready to sink, to be dismayed, to put our hand to some unlawful means: If we had faith enough, what Victories might we get, what Conquerors might we be? we shrink and are dismayed as if we had none to trust in, or as if God were not Almighty, or had made no promises, or at least were not faithful: O let us rebuke our unbelief, and gather up ourselves and Gods promises, and examples of his goodness to his, and rest upon them, as on an unmoveable foundation.  
In well-doing,] 
Such as continue in well-doing, may comfortably commend themselves unto God.  While we continue in a good course, without turning out of the way, we may comfortably commend ourselves to God, but not otherwise: If we falter and shift for ourselves, and put our our hands to unlawful means, than God takes no charge of us, then have we cut off ourselves from all hope and comfortable commending ourselves to him; with what face can we so do, and what promise have we when we have broken our faithfulness?  
1. Therefore be we persuaded, 
Use 1.  that our greatest comfort in our trouble must be to stick close to God, and so long God hath tied himself to us; but if we shall do otherwise, we defeat ourselves of this: Therefore in what danger soever we be, let us never put out our hands to unlawful means, as to run to wizards, in poverty to steal, in any danger to forfeit a good conscience: Our comfort is then gone, and God's promise belongs no further to us, at least till we humble ourselves, and be reconciled upon our repentance for it.  
2. No ungodly man in any straight can have any warrant or comfort to commend his soul or case to God, 
Use 2.  where hath God made any such promise to such? nor can they in their death; A bad man cannot say, Lord, receive my soul; upon what acquaintance? God knows not this soul; It's not redeemed, washed; It hath not used to serve him, no such unclean souls ever came, or shall come to Heaven; No, they go to him whom they have served: they that have given their souls to God in believing and obeying here, may with comfort yield up their souls, and say, Lord, The soul thou gavest me, and hast redeemed, sanctified, preserved, and with which I have unfeignedly served thee, or which now in suffering, I have sacrificed for thee, I do now commend it to thy keeping: This soul God will most readily take, it's more his then thine, he loves it well: But for a wicked man, either he cannot have the face to commend his soul to God, as wherewith he hath at no time served him, but the Devil his Enemy, or if he be so impudent, God will take no knowledge thereof.  
In well-doing.] 
Such may confidently commend themselves to God, which labour for the good of their persecutors.  This may be taken particularly for patience, and freeness from revenging ourselves of them that persecute us; for should we so do, God would not take charge of us; but if we pray for them, love them, wish their good, we may the more confidently commend ourselves to God: O then rely we on God, and in all constancy in well-doing commend we ourselves to him in much assurance, as unto a faithful Creator. 
Use.     

CHAP. V.  
THe Apostle proceedeth in holy Exhortations to sundry excellent and necessary duties and virtues, from the beginning of this Chapter to the tenth verse, from which to the end; 
The Contents of this Chapter.  there's the conclusion of the Epistle: The Exhortations be either Special or General; Special, to some special kinds of persons, as to Ministers, and to the younger sort; Ministers, from the beginning to the fifth verse, young folks, in the fifth and sixth: The General belongs to all, being to Faith, to rely on God, to sobriety, watchfulness, etc. of which in particular, when we shall come unto them.  

Verse 1. The Elders which are among you, I exhort, who am also an Elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed.  
THe Apostle knowing that there are three vices incident and very hurtful to the Ministry and Ministers of the Word of God, 
The duties of Ministers, with reasons to enforce the same.  namely, Idleness, Covetousness, and Pride, seeketh to prevent these in all Ministers, by exhorting them to the diligent and faithful performance of their duties belonging to them; namely, 1. To feed the flock of God, that is, to Preach the wholesome Word of God diligently to them. 2. To take the oversight thereof, that is, to have a special care of them, and regard of all their lives and behaviour, applying themselves to them accordingly. 3. To be examples to them of pure, humble, and godly conversation; nor doth he only exhort to the doing of these, but to the right manner of performing the same: They must be done, 1. Not by constraint, that is, out of fear of God's wrath, or force of men's Laws, but willingly. 2. Not for filthy lucre, but of a ready and free mind, seeking God's glory and the people's Salvation. 3. Not being lordly or haughty in their carriage, but examples of humility and godliness: The Reasons whereby he urgeth the same are divers; The 1. taken from his own person, verse 1. where are three motives to persuade them to obey his counsel, even for that he was a Minister as they were, a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker of the glory to come in Heaven. The 2. For that the people were God's flock and his heritage. The 3. For that they did depend on them for instruction and means of Salvation. The 4. For that hereupon they should receive a Crown of glory that fadeth not away.  
Speak we first of those duties in general, then in particular.  
In general, Ministers being here instructed in their duty as people elsewhere: Note,  
1. That the Scripture is not partial, 
The Scriptures inform every one of their duty.  binding some to duty, and leaving others at liberty, but indifferently teacheth all; yea, the greater place that any is in, the more duty it requireth (every honour carrying a burden of duty) and the more need have such to do their duties for the example of others: Above all others, Ministers have most need both to be instructed in theirs, and also to perform the same; for on theirs depends the well-doing of the people, both in their general and special callings: for how shall the people have these things, if they receive them not from the Ministers of God put apart for that end? how shall they else be either good Christians, or good Magistrates, 
Simile.  Husbands, Householders, etc. If the great wheel of the clock that should turn all the rest do stand still, so also must all the rest.  
1. When people are informed of their duties, 
Use 1.  and amongst others, of their duties towards their Ministers, as of love, honour, reverence, obedience, maintenance, etc. they must yield thereto, not think much hereof, for God hath laid as great a burden on their Ministers, which they are charged with, yea, they must be thankful to God, that hath had such a special care of their souls, as so weightily to charge Ministers therewith; as it's no small comfort to the poor, that God hath taken such order for them by so many commandments, so many promises also, and threats to the rich: People also ought in any wise to be careful of their own souls, and join with the Lord in care, who is so careful of them: Heavy is the state, and will be the answer of many people, who though they see this care in God to command his Ministers to preach diligently, to care for them, to give them good example, which according to their charge they do, yet they mind nothing, nor are ever the better, by feeding, care or example.  
2. For Ministers, 
Use 2.  they must take heed, that having gotten into this calling, and a living on their backs, they do not think themselves at liberty to do what they will, something or nothing, or but a little, and that when they list, and look for much reverence, obedience, and maintenance, and care not to do their part, and to procure this, and deserve it from the people; but to know that they are as much tied to their duty, and shall be countable to God: It's an easy matter to look for much, 
Acts 20. 35.  but it's more worthy of a Minister to perform much: It's a more blessed thing to give then to receive: Let us therefore know we stand charged deeply by our office, and by how much our calling is more excellent, and the trust more that hath been laid upon us, so much the stricter account we must make.  
2. That the calling of the Ministry is a very painful calling; 
The calling of the Ministry a painful calling.  The duties here exhorted unto imply the same. Hence it is, that it's called a work, a worthy work, a labouring in the Word and Doctrine, yea, it's a most high and honourable calling: Hence it is, that Ministers are called Stars, the light of the World, the salt of the Earth, Angels, Ambassadors, such as are employed about the highest things, the Word, Sacraments, Prayer, etc. for the gaining of men's souls, whereas Physicians take care of their bodies, and Lawyers of their Estates; They are appointed of God, as instruments to open the eyes of the blind, and to translate them out of the power of darkness to the power of God, and of children of wrath, to make them the children of God; Here's honour indeed, but not without labour: Their titles of Builders, Husbandmen, Soldiers, watchmans, Shepherds, etc. do also imply the same: This burden of the Ministry, was after a sort prefigured by the burden of the Ark which was imposed upon the Priests, 
See Downham of the duty and dignity of the Ministry, page 17.  wherein was the golden Pot with Manna, Aaron's budding Rod, the two Tables of the Covenant, and upon the Ark, the propitiatory overshadowed with the glorious Cherubims: By the Manna, we may understand the Sacraments; By the Rod, Ecclesiastical Discipline; By the budding and fruitfulness of it, their fruitful conversation; By the Tables, the Preaching of the Law; The Propitiatory signified Christ, understood the ministry of reconciliation, committed to the Ministers of God, both in respect of Prayer, and also of Preaching. Again, to Preach painfully, what preparation is required hereto? what Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Labour of the mind, & c? and for the delivery thereof, it spends not only the outward, but the vital parts, and wastes the Spirit, which being hurt, is hardliest holpen. Again, to teach the ignorant, convince the gainsayer, comfort the heavy, admonish the disobedient, exhort them that be in a good way, pray for all, publicly and privately, watch to withstand all the Devils assaults, rebuke the stubborn, have an eye to heretics and deceivers, that creep in to beguile and lead away, especially new converts that be in their first heart of love, persuading them (as some Brownists have out of a proud discontented Spirit) that we are no Church, and that Christ doth not reign among us as King, etc. who will not accowt this a laborious, hard, and difficult task?  
1. This rebuketh the common and base opinion of the world, 
Use 1.  that the Ministers calling is an idle calling, and that they do nothing for their living, and that of all others they might best be spared. A. This is true indeed of those which fleer, but feed not the flock, being mere drones and cyphers, who should not eat, because they labour not, whose account shall be fearful in respect of their idleness, and the taking of wages for which they work not at all: But because some are such, are all so? Is the calling itself an idle calling? have not men souls as well as bodies, and as much need of help for the good of the one as of the other? Is there need of Physicians and Lawyers, and not of Ministers? Hath God ordained any other means whereby men may come to Knowledge, Faith and Repentance? And is there not a labour of the mind as well as of the body? Do the Prince, Councillors, Magistrates, etc. nothing, because they work not with their hands? Their work is great, in foreseeing and preventing dangers, in ordering things well: 
Simile.  It's in vain to pump the Ship, or for the Mariners to run up and down the hatches, unless there be one that sits at the helm to guide it aright: And if it be thus painful, then according to our Saviors testimony, 
Luke 10. 7.  The labourer is worthy of his hire; who goeth on warfare at his own charge? 
1 Cor. 9 7.  Maintenance indeed is the thing the world grudgeth at; they could be as well content with the Sexton, or some base person to read a little for five or ten pounds a year, as a godly Preacher, who (say they) must have such a deal.  
2. It rebuketh them that live idly in this calling, 
Use 2.  evil beasts, slow bellies, mere idols, having eyes, they see not, etc. blind guides: Woe be to them that live at ease in this painful work, it will be turned to endless woe; when the laborers shall rest in Heaven, as having been good and faithful Servants, the evil and unfaithful shall be bound hand and foot, and thrown into utter darkness.  
3. It teacheth Parents what children to dedicate to God, 
Use 3.  for the service of the Ministry, even the best and fittest, not the weak and lame: 
Gen. 4. 4.  Herein God is little beholding to them; Abel offered of the best in sacrifice: In this calling there will be use of all the parts and strength of body and mind; whoso taketh notice of this great work, finding his own inability to Study, Preach, etc. through weakness, sickliness, etc. if he have a good conscience, it cannot but be a great grief and trouble to him: And if they intent their sons for the Ministry, let it be with this mind only, even that they may prove painful and profitable laborers herein; there are too many which have carnal aims, that therein they may grow rich, live at their ease as Gentlemen, etc. O woeful Parents, to bring up one to be a drone, a deceiver, a robber, a murderer of souls, a ravening wolf, etc. Better thou hadst brought him up to the basest lawful trade in the world; better thou hadst followed him to the grave being young, for then, though he had gone to Hell, he should not have been the means of many others ruin, to the increase of his damnation.  
4. For those that would enter into the Ministry, 
Use 4.  let them beware what they do, and consider well, and tarry till they have a calling, and let them not intend to live at ease, to follow their pleasures, to gather riches, etc. but let them make their reckoning to prove Laborers, 
The first Reason of the following duties taken from his own person, being one every way fit to exhort them.  Soldiers, watchmans, etc. else no coming here. Thus in general.  
The elders which are among you, I exhort, etc.] This verse containeth the first Reason of the following Exhortation, which is taken from his own person, being one every way fit to exhort them; namely, 1. An Elder and Minister as well as they (for the name Elder, is of dignity and office here, and not of age) who therefore knew what belonged to his place, and did what he required of them to do. 2. A witness of Christ's sufferings, and so well acquainted with his mind. 3. A partaker of the glory that shall be revealed, who therefore would not exhort you unto any thing, whereby either I myself may be deprived hereof, or you hindered from attaining hereunto.  
1. In that he an Elder, exhorts them Elders, note, That  
Ministers are fittest to teach Ministers, 
Ministers are fittest to teach one another, and judge of one another's actions.  and to judge of their actions. True, people may and ought try our Doctrine, modestly and humbly; they may also dislike, and speak against foul things in our life and conversation, but of things not so apparent, people must not be ready to censure, 
1 Cor. 14. 32.  much less think to teach their Ministers: For the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.  
This rebuketh the too much rashness and pride of some this way, 
Use.  ready to control every course of a Minister that is not pleasing to them, 
See Hosea 4.  yea, their manner of teaching, profanely calling it railing, and that they should have spoke thus and thus; when such dislike any thing in a Minister, it were their wisdom to ask the judgement of some godly Minister, before they censure or give judgement against him.  
2. In that he requireth nothing at their hands, but what he himself did, note, That  
The most forcible and profitable way of teaching, 
To practise the duties we teach procures obedience thereto.  whether private or public, is, first, to do that in our own persons which we require of others: Jesus did and taught: Parents may not rebuke swearing in their children, and swear themselves: Householders bid their Servants go to Church, 
Acts 1. 1●  and stay at home themselves, having no necessary occasion to keep them from thence: Abraham was circumcised with his Household, Joshua and his Household served God, the Jailer and his Household were baptised: He is not the best Husband that puts over his work to be done by others, saying, Go: but who puts his hand thereto, saying, Go we, etc. He is an ill Captain that bids his Soldiers go fight, himself in the mean time tarrying behind; It's woeful teaching by Ministers that do quite contrary: Shall we not condemn ourselves, while we call for that in another, which we ourselves do not observe? Neither is there likelihood that in such a case any will give ear unto us.  
3. In that he besseecheth, Note, as his modesty and humility; So that  
Peter was no Pope, 
Peter was no Pope, neither challenged any Supremacy.  had no Supremacy; was not Christ's Vicar, as the Pope of Rome affirmeth of him, and challengeth of him by succession: Had it been so, there had been no fitter time wherein to have showed it, than this: Howsoever, what had it been to the Pope, who hath woefully degenerated? He calls himself a Pastor, yet challengeth authority over all the Church, not Kings themselves excepted: He is an hideous Beast and Monster: If he send any commands, it's not, I that am a fellow-Minister, and that take pains in the same calling, do beseech you, but he proudly thundereth and threateneth, etc.  
A witness of the sufferings of Christ] So be we, 
How Peter was a witness of Christ's sufferings.  it's an Article of our Faith, and we look thereby to be saved; but we are witnesses only of that we have heard, he of that he saw; he was with him when he was apprehended, when he was brought before the High Priest, etc. he was a witness by seeing them, preaching them, imitating them. Now in that he urgeth this as a reason to back his Exhortation, we may note,  
1. That if we have any Credit, 
All that we have must be improved for the Churches good.  Honour, Favor, Dignity, we ought to improve the same to the benefit of the Church, and furthering of God's cause.  
2. That Ministers must use all Spiritual wisdom and skill to persuade unto obedience; 
Spiritual wisdom to be used to procure obedience.  as cunning Chapmen, they must use many reasons to persuade Customers to buy their Commodities.  
3. That the troubles of God's Ministers are so far from disgracing them, 
The troubles of God's Ministers procure them more respect.  as they honour them, and make their persons and counsel the more to be regarded; for their sufferings are a seal to their Ministry, and show their faithfulness; for those we should respect them the more, 
See Col. 1.  not think the worse of them.  
And also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed.] 
Philem.  Here note briefly,  
1. That we should much regard those and their counsels, 
Such as are heirs of glory, should be much respected  whom we see much graced of God, and like to be heirs of glory.  
2. That such as are Partners with Christ in suffering, shall also partake with him in glory. 
They that suffer with Christ, shall reign with him.   
3. That God hath prepared glory for his Saints in Heaven.  
4. That a man may come to know in this life, that he shall be partaker of the glory of Heaven; whereof whosoever is as yet ignorant, he must endeavour by all means to make it sure. 
Glory is laid up for the Saints in Heaven.   
Q. How shall we come to know this?  
A. If here we partake of grace, we shall hereafter partake of glory; on the contrary, 
How we may know whether we shall be heirs of glory.  no grace, no glory, Lassure you: This knowledge is that which doth here uphold us amidst our many troubles; it's Mount Nebo, whence we see the Land of Canaan, all the Grapes we have to comfort us in the wilderness of this world.  
5. That Faith makes things invisible to be seen, 
Through faith God's children are even here possessed of Heaven.  things absent (as the glory here spoken of) to be present: Through this a child of God hath Heaven already in possession; whereinto his Soul shall enter immediately after his death, 
Heb. 11. 1.  as his body also being coupled to his Soul on the day of Judgement: 
john 6. 47.  He that believeth (saith the Scripture) hath eternal life; 
Rom. 1. 30.  and, Whom he justified, them he also glorified.   

Verse 2. Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind.  
THe first duty required of Ministers, is laid down in these words,  
Feed the flock of God which is among you,] Feed, namely, by preaching the word sound and diligently; The flock of God, namely, The whole company which is under your charge, which is not yours, but Gods, and that whether by creation, as all are, or by redemption, as some are. Which is among you, or dependeth on you for Instruction, Comfort and Direction.  
Feed] This implies divers things, as  
1. That Ministers must preach the Word of God: 
Ministers must preach the word.  Now preaching is an opening of the Scriptures (wherein as many things be dark and hard to be understood, which God hath done in his great wisdom, to stir up unto the search hereof; 
1 Cor. 14. 3.  so there are wholesome instructions to be gathered, 
2 Tim. 4. 2.  which every one cannot find out) and an applying thereof, for doctrine, conviction, instruction, correction, comfort, etc. this preaching is feeding. 
joh. 21. 16, 27  This is often required, as Mat. 28. 20. Mark 16. 15. 2 Tim. 4. 1, 2. 
1 Cor. 9 16.  it's the note of a Ministers love to God and Christ Jesus; and the Apostle calls for a woe on himself if he did not preach: 
Eph. 4. 11.  This is the Ordinance of God to convert souls, by working Faith and Regeneration, 
Mat. 13. 24.  Acts 26. 18. Rom. 10. 14. 1 Cor. 1. 21. & 3. 5. 1 Pet. 1, 23. This is the means to edify and build up, 
Neh. 8. 8.  and therefore called the Kingdom of Heaven. This is the ancient Ordinance of God, ever since the people so desired it, Exod. 20. 19 whereof we have examples both in the Old Testament, as of Ezra, etc. and in the New, 
Acts 2. 41.  as of John Baptist, our Saviour Christ, the Apostles, etc. This hath been powerful to this end, and by this was the world subdued, and this God is pleased yet to use.  
1. This condemneth the Church of Rome, 
Use 1.  which maketh a company of Ministers, but not to preach: If they can say Mass, and therein offer Christ (as they say) as a Sacrifice Propitiatory for the quick and the dead, that's enough.  
2. It condemneth all among ourselves (whereof there yet remain too many in this Land) that are in the room of Ministers, 
Use 2.  but feed not, either cannot or will not preach the Word; such are no feeders, but starvers, 
See Host 4. 6.  blind leaders of the blind, Soul-slayers, bloodsuckers, yea, worse than Cannibals, as living of the blood of Souls, whereas these live on man's Flesh; David's abstaining from drinking of the water of the well of Bethlehem, for which he longed so much, as being purchased at such a rate, may condemn these men: How can they escape the forementioned woe, 1 Cor. 9? shall they not have the reward of the idle and unprofitable Servant, to be bound hand and foot, & c? Howsoever they are to be reputed as Ministers, and their actions be not nullities, but may be sanctified to the people of God; yet not being sent of God, that is, gifted, and apt to teach, they are no true Ministers of God; neither can they be said to be good men, unless they be good in their special calling: They are indeed in the room of Watchmen, but are blind, and cannot discern the enemy, therefore suffer the people to be surprised; Husbandmen, but have no skill to plow up a fallow ground-heart, to sow, weed, etc. Builders, but cannot tell which way to hew a stick or stone for the Lords building; Labourers, but take no pains; Soldiers, but rather betray their people to the Enemy, then fight for them: Some of them be good fellows, and set on the great pot, and keep a good house (which yet all do not) and so think all well; but what though they fill men's bellies, if in the mean time they starve their souls? nay, though they live quietly, keep hospitality, make peace among their Neighbours, yet they do not their duty if they Preach not: O that they would give themselves to be feeders, or else take to themselves any other calling, rather than for a little advantage, lose their own and people's souls! what a foolish bargain make they for a little piece of the world, 
See Matth. 16. 26.  a mite in comparison, to damn both their own and the souls of others?  
Object. But they read the word, 
Obj.  and is not that sufficient?  
Ans. Reading both private and Ministerial, 
Sol.  is of great use, but there's no small difference between the same and Preaching; when the Word is only read, people neither understand it, nor have they power or will to apply it to themselves. 
Acts 8. 31.   
Reading is as a rich and costly garment folded up, 
Differences between Reading and Preaching.  Preaching when its open and held out by the four Corners: In reading we see it full of Majesty, but when it's unfolded by Preaching, we wonder at so much matter in so few words: 
Of this argument read Attersol on Phil. pag. 208.  Reading is as the whole loaf, Preaching as the cutting of it in pieces, where every man hath his portion divided; 
The Preachers Plea, p. 114. to 180. Greenham on Heb. 13. 17.  It's as the cracking of the nut, and finding out the kernel: This difference will appear plainly by comparing the knowledge and practice of those which live under those which are only Readers, with theirs which live under faithful and diligent Preachers.  
3. For people, 
Downham of the duty and dignity of Ministers.  1. If they have not this feeding at their Ministers hands, they must count themselves grievously wronged, & complain to God, as being ready to starve, and pray earnestly, and complain to them that be in place to right such things, 
Gibson on 1 Cor. 9  yea, and that much more than if they were wronged in respect of their Temporal Estate: But woeful world! 
Use 3.  most people care not for this, are well enough content, complain not hereof; 
The 1. branch.  If their Ministers do but use them well in their Tithes, they can swallow down any thing else, nay, in numbers of places the people like such best; we may know by the Market folks, how the Market goes: Ask of those you meet with as you travel, what Ministers they have; what's their usual Answer? If he be a Reader, We have an honest peaceable man; true, he doth not Preach, but he doth what he can, and we can desire no more of him, etc. but if he be a Preacher, then, We have a troublesome man; some say he is learned, but howsoever he hath troubled us all, we were as quiet as could be till he came, but now there is such finding of faults, and such new orders, as we are even weary of both; and thus they had rather have one that will let them go on snorting in their sins, not reproving them, than a faithful Minister that seeks to pull them out of the fire; pitiful Creatures! If the King should make weekly allowance to a Town, and the under Officers should defraud them of it, would they not complain? God hath appointed the preaching of his Word for the food of souls; This is not distributed by divers, who would seem entrusted herewith, and yet who openeth his mouth in this case? God would have us to be Seers, but the world would have us either to be stark blind, that we should see nothing amiss to reprove in them, or purblind at least, to see nothing but foul sins that stare men in the face; 
Isaiah 58. 1.  for their pride, covetousness, or neglect of duties, they must not meddle therewith: God would have us cry aloud, and set the Trumpet to our mouth, and rebuke the world of sin, but the world would have us either dumb dogs that should not bark at all, either in hope of a crust, or fear of a blow, or else at least to bark at none, but strange and monstrous sins. 
The 2. branch.  2. If they be fed, they must look to profit thereby; If their Ministers prepare for them good and wholesome food, they also must prepare themselves, and bring a good stomach, and take it in well, by diligent hearing, digesting it by meditation and conference, that they may grow thereby: O woeful people in many places, that have excellent Preachers, and as good feeding as may be, and yet have lean ill-favoured and misshapen souls (being inwardly as Pharaoh's seven kine appeared outwardly) as if they had never had a good meals meat; whence is this? some will not come to Church, where the food is; some come, but presently fall asleep; some have their stomaches so cloyed, that they have no appetite; others put it out like wanton children: These are authors of their own woe, their blood shall be on their own heads, what answer will they make to God, when they shall be called to an account for this? what a grief is this to God's Ministers? when they have made their provision, they are gladest if their guests come, and have good stomaches, that nothing be lost. 3. While their Minister is feeding them carefully, 
The 3. branch.  they must be careful to feed him with necessary and convenient maintenance, that he may not be troubled or distracted: 
Simile.  If a sitting Hen should go much from her nest to seek for food for herself, the eggs could not but i'll: If Ministers should not be maintained, how could they go on in this great work? contrarily, how many purloin from their Ministers? how many endeavour to get their Tithes at an underrate, & c? Doth their Minister feed them carefully, and should not they allow him to the utmost? should not they be as careful of him, as he is or aught to be of them? how else shall he maintain himself and his family? how else keep hospitality, and be helpful to the poor? how else succour poor Christians, Scholars, and Strangers that resort to him fo● succour? A good Minister had need be a Treasurer helping to so many good uses.  
2. That Ministers must preach the Word sound, 
Ministers must preach the Word sound.  they must not give stones instead of bread, for an egg, a Scorpion, for a fish, a Serpent, for food, Poison: Not only they must not teach erroneous Doctrine, but also not brackish and unsavoury points, that jar with Scripture, though not in the highest degree: They must not Preach men's inventions and Traditions (what is the chaff to the wheat?) not idle things, frothy stuff, etc. to the discouraging of the good, and heartening of the wicked: 
See john 10▪  This were not to feed the flock, neither are we to follow or embrace any such Doctrine.  
3. That Ministers must Preach diligently, 
Ministers must preach diligently.  in season and out of season, watching every opportunity to do their people good, and that in regard of their manifold wants and great weaknesses. 
2 Tim. 4. 1●▪   
1. This rebukes them, 
Use 1.  that having flocks, feed them but seldom, haply once a year, quarterly or monthly Sermons, they think more then enough.  
2. It rebukes the woeful backwardness of many people, 
Use 2.  that howsoever wisdom cryeth and lifteth up her voice in the streets, 
Luke 14. 18.  yet for their Oxen and Farms will not intend this Market, count her wares but as dead commodities; How many worthy Ministers have been forced to give over their preaching for want of company, as others to preach to a few? O what lets have without us, besides our own untowardness to call home the uncalled at one time or other, to build up by little and little the good: Alas, even they that have been somewhat forward, are subject to decay, and to become worse again. A Minister's work is not like a Carpenters or Masons, 
Simile.  as they leave it, they find it, but he may leave some in a good mind, who yet within a while after are cooled or turned away.  
The flock of God] These words are a reason, 
The second Reason christian's are God's flock.  whereby he enforceth his Exhortation. The people are the Lords, not ours; all are his by creation, but he hath a company in the world, who are his by another right, 
Acts 20. 28.  namely, of Redemption, as being bought by the precious blood of Christ: O unspeakable price! They must therefore be dear to him, for such things as costs us much, we much set by: If God gave his Son's blood for them, his Spirit to them, and prepareth Heaven for them, than they be dear to him; therefore he will call to a strict account for Souls, not one shall perish, but he will have account how, and by whose default. The King will have account of every of his Subjects (even the meanest) how he comes to his end, so will the Lord of Souls.  
1. This teacheth all men to take heed of Souls, 
Use 1.  they meddle with Jewels, with costly Ware, when they meddle with them: Woeful is the state of all unconscionable Patrons, that to encroach a great part of the Livings in their gift, put in of Jeroboam Priests, when the Souls of Congregations were at their mercy to save or destroy them; woeful also is the state of such, whom they thus put in.  
2. Let Ministers do their duties, 
Use 2.  as they that must be called to an account, 
john 21. 16.  for their flock be the Lords, his Sheep, his Lambs, but ●ost use them not as if they were the Lords. 
See Ezek. 34. 10.   
3. This teacheth people to submit themselves to the guidance, 
Use 3.  direction, teaching and government of their Shepherds, whom God hath set over them: They must be content to be kept within the fold, to be kept from rank places that would rot them, to be kept in bare pasture, 
john 10. 27.  to be often dressed, etc. As sheep follow their Shepherd's voice, 
Heb. 13. 17.  so must God's people the whistle of God's Word by his Ministers.  
3. This rebukes numbers which will not be kept in, 
Use 4.  but stray where they list: These stragglers will fall into the Devil's mouth, they will run into the rank rotten places of unlawful profits and pleasures; do what Ministers can, they will not be dressed, etc. Thus thousands dye of the rot, and of other deadly diseases, notwithstanding all the care of the most diligent Shepherds; these be none of Christ's sheep, his follow the mouth of his under-Shepherds, and lose nothing by it, as who shall have eternal life; but these be Goats, and its easy to know their place, where it will be, even on the left hand, to hear their doleful doom.  
Again, By Flock, the whole company that is under a Ministers charge being to be understood, thus much may be noted, that  
A Minister must have regard to all his people, 
Ministers are to regard all their people▪  even to the meanest, from the one end of the Church to the other: No Shepherd will willingly lose the least sheep of his fold; and good Husbands and Housewives do not only look to their Silver Vessels, but to those of Brass, Pewter, Stone, Wood; so must we take care of all, look to all.  
1. This rebukes those Ministers which preach so loftily, 
Use 1.  and in divers tongues, and after such a fashion, as is quite beyond the reach of most, and only apply themselves to a few of the chief, rather in ostentation seeking themselves, than God's glory, or the people's souls: It were unreasonable for a Minister to preach, if his voice could not be heard of the one half, so is it to be heard, if not understood; five words are better being understood, 
1 Cor. 14. 19  than many in an unknown tongue. A Minister's glory is to stoop to the capacity of the meanest; what's the end of preaching, but that people may understand and be affected? have not the poor souls as well as the chief? yea, it may be they are most dear to God, for the poor receive the Gospel.  
2. This teacheth all to give ear and yield obedience to the Word; 
Use 2.  This must the poor do, this also the rich: But O the woeful carelessness of the one, contempt of the other! for the poor, they sit at the lower end, and regard nothing, come but seldom, and think their poverty excuseth them, which should indeed provoke them more unto obedience; They live as if they had no souls, all for the belly and back, but regard no good thing universally; for the rich, they think their greatness may excuse them, and that this subjection doth not become their place and rank, whereas the more riches, the more greatness, etc. they should be the more obedient.  
Which is among you,] Or dependeth upon you. Here note,  
1. That its God's mind, 
Every Congregation is to have a several Pastor.  that every particular Congregation should have a several Pastor over them, and so did the Apostles take order in their times.  
2. That a Minster must attend to that charge over which the Holy Ghost hath made him overseer; 
Every Pastor is to look to his own charge  He is not bound to other flocks, but to his own; not but that one Minister may help another in case of special need, not neglecting his own, but his main care must be for his own.  
1. This rebuketh those that lying in Universities, 
Use 1.  Cities, or great men's Houses, regard not the people that depend on them; Their people depend on them for instruction, comfort, direction, etc. and their lips should preserve knowledge, now if they be dry Nurses, Wells without water, they do but deceive their people, their people trust to a broken reed.  
2. People must respect those Ministers which are set over them; 
Use 2.  If their gifts be competent, and they teach them the truth, they must not dishonour them, but pray for them, hearten them, frequent their Sermons, etc. As Ministers must attend their own people, so people must attend their own Ministers; even a Minister that is sincere and careful, though of meaner gifts, may yet be fitter to do good in his own place then a stranger, because he knows their state and condition best, and we may also look for God's blessing on the labours of such: As poor folk's Children with their plain and slender diet, 
Simile.  are yet as lusty, well liking, strong and comely, as they that are rich, having all abundance and variety: Men must not say, I can edify better by another, or I cannot edify by him, they must labour to edify, and God will give a blessing; If at other times other helps are offered, people are to embrace them, and be thankful for them, but without contempt of their own Minister.  
Taking the oversight thereof,] 
Ministers must oversee and look into their flocks.  Another duty of the Ministers of God: It's not enough to preach, yea sound and diligently, but they must besides take a particular view and oversight of their flock, marking and looking into (by themselves and others) the conversation and behaviour of their people, 
See Prov. 27. 23.  and applying themselves to them accordingly in admonition, 
john 10. 3.  exhortation, 
Acts 20. 28.  comfort: As Watchmen, they must continually look to prevent, 
Simile.  descry, and disappoint the Enemy: As Nurses, they must not only feed their Children, but have also a careful eye over them; should they leave them, they might peradventure go together by the ears, scratch one another, fall into the fire, wander out, fall into the water, etc. No, they must have continual work with them; as to take them up, being fallen; wash them, being soul; chide and part them, when they wrangle and fight: As Shepherds, they must not only drive or lead out their Sheep to Pasture, but view and mark them at going out and coming into the Fold, having also all day long their eyes on them, fetching home those that wander, binding up those that are hurt, etc. If a Minister know any of his people riotous or profane, he must rebuke them; If any out of the way, admonish them; he must hearten them that be in a good course to go on still, and must comfort them that languish under their sins, temptations and fears; in a word, deal with every one as the cause requireth: As they say of a Beggar, he is never out of his way; so it's true of a Minister in his own Parish, he is never out of his way, but wheresoever he goeth, there is some work, and whomsoever he meeteth with, he hath something to say to him: If he be a riotous son, a disobedient servant, an idle person, one that comes not to Church, or that behaves himself rudely therein, there's occasion offered to rebuke and admonish: But if it be some zealous Christian, or some beginning to wax faint, or some in affliction, there's occasion offered to exhort and comfort: The like may be said when he goes to see or sit with any of his people, whether poor or rich, and amongst those he may find some staggering in judgement, ready to be seduced by Brownists, Papists, Anabaptists, etc. whom he must have an eye to: Thus he may help his public Ministry: Thus prevent and remedy many things amiss; Thus their people's consciences cannot but be convinced, whereas what is spoken in the public Ministry, many take not to themselves: Thus Ministers shall know the better how to Preach aptly, according to their people's necessities, who else shall but preach generally and uncertainly: his Ministry is also the more like to prevail, when he comes home close to the people's hearts, and toucheth their very faults; thus also shall he know the better whom to admit to the Sacrament: All the discommodity is, that having rebuked or admonished men of any faults in private, and coming to reprove such things in public, they think he points at them, and galls them, and so they stomach him, and cannot away with him; but its only thus with some few proud persons, or rich men, who therefore must have the less said to them in private, and that they shall get by their frowardness.  
1. This rebukes those Ministers that be absent from their people usually or continually: 
Use 1.  How can these take care of them, that come not at them above once in a Quarter, except they could indent with the Devil, never to trouble their people, or tempt them in their absence, or tell them when he would be busy with them, etc. If they say they care for them by another, so they shall go to Heaven by another, but be in danger to go to Hell in their own persons. Besides, either he is fit to care for them (and then why hath he not the wages that doth the work?) or he is not fit, and then how will they answer that to God?  
2. It rebukes those also that living among their people, 
Use 2.  yet care not thus, but think themselves discharged that they meet them at Church on the Sabbath, and then preach them a Sermon, whereas all the week after they consider not of them, nay, scarce visit the sick, but either are so entangled with cares and businesses of the world, 
See 2 Tim. 2. 4.  that they cannot, or so addicted to their pleasures, that they will not mind this; Thus they are less fit for Preaching, do the less good, and receive all at a venture to the Sacrament, which is a fearful thing.  
3. As people must be careful for their Ministers (who had need of no worldly care hanging on them) that they may attend on their care of them; 
Use 3.  so they must be willing that their Ministers have a care of them, and deal privately with them and theirs.  
This many cannot away with, but would that the Minister should content himself with seeing them at Church, but not to look into their behaviour in their Families, or to pry into their lives, or deal privately or particularly; who yet if they have a shepherd, look that he should diligently tend their sheep all day, and look to them particularly, as well as feed them; they should be glad when the Minister will come to their Houses, and sit with them, conferring with them and theirs of heavenly things, etc. But if they should know when he would come, they would be sure to be out of the way; this is a sign of an ill conscience, that they cannot abide the trial, and (which is worse) of a bad heart that is not willing to mend.  
But there's another extremity, when people will expect too much at the Ministers hands, as to visit them at their houses more often then the largeness of the place, and his strength and time will permit, which though it be a good fault and a rare, & therefore to be much born with (for there is nothing more comely in the world, then to see Ministers delight in their people's company, and people in theirs, and thereupon to be much together) yet it must be done as it may stand with the public; There must be convenient time to Preach, that we may not come unpreparedly; and if a Minister Preach also on the week days, he cannot have much time for private, especially in a great and wide Parish.  
Not by constraint but willingly,] 
Ministers are not by constraint, but willingly to perform their duties towards their people.  Now for the manner; A Minister is not to perform the forementioned duties by constraint (as for fear of God's wrath, men's Laws or shame, etc.) but willingly: To do by constraint is base and servile, what any doth thus, they do but homely, no better than needs must; and besides, what hope of God's blessing can they expect upon such work? 
1 Cor. 9 17.  God loves a willing heart, and a cheerful doer: 
2 Cor. 5. 14.  There's a constraint that is good, whereof the Apostle writeth to the Corinthians, The love of Christ hath constrained me, etc. namely, because Christ hath pardoned my sins, died for me, hath called me to this high and holy calling, to be his Ambassador to his people, hath entrusted me with the souls of his People, etc. I will therefore in all and every these respects▪ do my duty in the most faithful and careful manner that I can, neither can I do otherwise; other constraint is base: A man cannot endure his Servant should thus do his work, much less the Lord, who hath no need of any man; and if one do it not, he can set up another at his pleasure.  
1. This rebukes those that never Preach, 
Use 1.  but so often as they are bound by Law, once a month, or once a quarter, as also those who for avoiding the shame of dumb idols, step up and do a little, but like hirelings, who have no love to their work, are at it in body, their minds being far therefrom.  
2. It may persuade all Ministers to readiness and willingness in our duty private and public, 
Use 2.  when we find any loathness to our study, and drousiness therein; le's think what an honourable Calling ours is, and that whereas others are employed on earthly things: ours is in the Scriptures, searching in the rich Treasures of the Word, and dealing altogether in Spiritual and Holy things; and again, what a trust is laid up with us, and what weight lieth upon us, and what a reward remaineth for us; we serve a good Master, in an excellent work, in the assurance of most rich wages.  
3. People must learn also to do their duty, 
Use 3.  not by constraint but willingly; Thus must they reverence their Ministers, hear them, obey their Ministry, allow them maintenance; but how grudgingly do most pay their Tithes, which is for want of finding good by the Word; They should so take part of the Ministers Spiritual things, as they may put themselves into his debt, and see cause to allow him means: O suffer not any of the tenth part to cleave to your fingers, neither seek to enrich yourselves hereby, but by the remaining nine parts: whoso think to enrich themselves by working on the Lord's day, or keeping back their Tithes, deceive themselves, they shall not prosper: Be the Minister good or bad, give him willingly all the Law gives him; If he do not his duty, he shall answer for it: Be not you Trespassers also, stoppage is no payment; but if he be a sufficient and painful Minister, your custom will not privilege you from paying him his due by God's appointment, you must give him his due to the utmost, and he is worthy of it: But O the woeful covetousness and corruption of men in this behalf! They think any thing enough for a Minister, though it be but from hand to mouth, whereas they look to increase themselves, and think their Trade bad, and themselves ill Husbands, if they leave not store to their Posterity.  
Not of filthy lucre, 
Ministers must not perform their duties for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind.  but of a ready mind,] It's not enough to do our duty willingly, for so we may do for filthy lucre and gain, but it must be of a ready mind, even the love of God, and zeal of his glory, and the care of the people's Salvation, and winning them to God; It were a base thing that lucre should set us on work, or any thing else, but those high and holy ends.  
Obj. None would preach but for their maintenance, 
Obj.  they look for it.  
Sol. Suppose it to be so, 
Sol.  yet many preach, and have not half the maintenance they spend where they live, but either spend of that little God gave them by their friends, 
2 Cor. 11. 8.  or else rob other Churches (as the Apostle speaketh) to preach to them: but it's one thing to be set on work for gain, and another to expect an honest and necessary maintenance, which is a necessary help to the doing of the duty, and without which it cannot be well done; It comes in, I say, by the by, as a necessary help to the duty, 
1 Cor. 9 10.  not as the end that sets on work thereto: And its God's Ordinance, that they that preach the Gospel should be maintained thereby; yea, if a man had maintenance of his own, he were not bound in these days, 
See Isaiah 56▪ 10, 11.  and among an able people to preach of his own cost, 
jer. 6. 13.  but might expect the recompense of his labours, and ye● do not this duty for filthy lucre. 
Mic. 3. 5.   
1. This rebuketh those that heap living upon living, 
Use 1.  that they may live wealthily and at ease, doing little of the work, and taking small care of their calling.  
2. Those which do no good in their places (who yet are very cunning to gather in their commodities, 
Use 2.  and to make as much of their peoples as they can) but follow Farming and Lawing, as if they were mere Farmers, Graziers, or Attorneys; they eat the fat, and clothe themselves with the fleece, but do not at all regard their people's good.  
3. Such vagabond and vagrant rogues that go up and down with a set Sermon or two which they have got by heart, 
Use 3.  and coming into by places, offer themselves to Preach, falling in the end of their Sermons to make known their necessities, by reason of great losses, as by fire, or the like, all being notorious lies; These be notorious rogues, fitter for the Whipping-post than any place else: O but you disgrace that calling! No, I speak against these scabs and scurfs that disgrace it, for some of those were never in the Ministry, but boldly have taken this course without calling or warrant; some it may be have been in the Ministry, but for their base and detestable behaviour, have been cast out, and now take this course; Those are notorious drunkards, Gamesters, Whoremasters, as hath been proved.  
4. Such as desire to preach at many Funerals, 
Use 4.  and there for a little see set their tongues and consciences to sale, in saying they care not what, sometimes without, sometimes against their knowledge.  
5. Such as having a great man in their Parish, 
Use 5.  dare not displease him by preaching the truth, but double and falter, serving their turn for advantage.  
O that we would set God's glory and our people's good before our eyes, as the mark whereat we are to aim; covetousness is a base sin in any, but chiefly in a Minister: How shall he teach others to depend on God, or teach the Doctrine of God's providence, that is himself perplexed with worldly cares? how can he preach against covetousness in others, who is himself covetous?  
6. For People, 
Use 6.  they must not reverence and make much of their Ministers, for filthy lucre, and because they let them good pennyworths, but for their Office, Gifts and Care. Note we further, that  
As we are to do good duties after a right manner, 
Duties are to be done with a willing heart.  as in hearing with an honest heart, praying, with lifting up pure hands, without wrath or doubting, 
Isa. 1. 11, etc. and 58. 3.  receiving the Sacrament after due preparation, etc. (else how glorious soever the outside be, they are abomination in God's sight, and increase our condemnation; So we must particularly do the same with a willing heart; so were the offerings of the people towards the building of the Tabernacle and Temple: All our duties to God, his Ministers, the poor, all works of mercy, etc. must be thus done.  
Again, 
No man is to follow any calling merely for gain.  that no man ought to do the duties of his calling, or go to his work merely for gain, so that if it were not for it, he would not follow his calling: These be servants and drudges to Mammon, so do Heathens and Turks, but Christians ought to go to their work, because God hath so appointed, 
Eccles. 1. 13.  and for the good of the Church and Commonwealth, his gain must come in on the by, as it shall please God to send it; but we ought to follow our calling, as the means God hath appointed to keep us from idleness, and to humble us thereby, and we might be instruments of the common good.  
No doubt most men offend God greatly this way, 
Use.  yea, good Christians go not to their work in Faith, as they ought, nor so single-heartedly as they should, but are carried along by profit; therefore some when they cannot increase as they have and would, then give over their callings, and live idly of the sweat of other men's brows, by Usury, etc. most never regard the common good, but their own private advantage. 
Most of the gain of the world is filthy gain.   
Filthy lucre,] Not that all gain (for so lucre signifieth) is evil or filthy, yet so he calls gain, to show us, that most of the gain of the world is filthy gain; though to the most of the world, all is fish that comes to net, and gotten by hook or crook, right or wrong is cleanly enough, though never so filthy: Indeed, hungry dogs will eat dirty things, and draff is good enough for swine; we must learn to keep ourselves clear of filthy lucre.  
What is filthy lucre? 
What's to be accounted filthy lucre.  whatsoever is got basely by the neglecting any good duty towards God, our souls, our families, our brethren, is filthy gain; So whatsoever is gotten by any unlawful means, gain gotten by the breach of any of God's commandments, as by society, and conversing familiarly with Idolaters against the second Commandment; so all gain gotten by oaths, charms, etc. all gain gotten by travel or working, or bargaining on the Lord's day; all gain gotten by defrauding the Prince of his Taxes and Customs, or Ministers of their Tithes and Deuce; all gain accrueing by oppression, withholding Corn from the poor, upon forfeitures, etc. all gain gotten by Whoredom on the woman's part, or on the man's by winking thereat, so all of gain gotten by any kind of fraud or deceit, as by bribery, gaming, and the like: So by selling things not useful, as Cards and Dice, or things not sellable, as Church livings, or things naught or mixed, or at unreasonable rates, or by false weights and measures; so in buying, taking hold of the necessity of a poor man; so in borrowing, not paying, whereof those subtle and wicked bankrupts are guilty, which break to enrich themselves; so lending upon usury, to the poor especially, letting racked Rents; so in doing work, but not truly, or not at all, and yet taking the wages, whereof many Ministers are guilty; so in not paying wages, whereof not a few rich are guilty; so in Partnership, all unjust and unright gain by secret fraud or open violence; so all gain, by lying, and dissembling, and falsehood, the common course of gaining in the world; so of Lawyers, pleading and setting a face upon bad and foul unjust matters for their fees, etc.  
Do we examine our gain which we have had: 
Use.  If it be filthy lucre, confess, 
Col. 3. 6.  repent, 
1 Thess. 4. 6.  and cry to God for mercy, and restore, else look for God's vengeance, 
1 Cor. 6. 9  God will pursue it in themselves, and curse it that it will not abide to their posterity; and besides, they shall have no part with God: 
Matth. 16. 26.  And then what shall it have profited them to have won the world, with the loss of their souls? yea, the time will come, either in the torment of their conscience in this world, or else at the day of fearful account, when they will be as glad to be rid of it again, as ever Judas was of his thirty pieces; he thought if he could get money, he were made, but when he had it, he was never so ill in his life as then: So was it with Achan, Gehazi, Ananias and Sapphira, etc. And for the time to come, let's beware lest any filthy lucre cleave to our fingers. Note further, That  
Lightly the Scripture speaks not of riches, 
Usually the Scriptures mention not riches but with some check.  but with some checks; If but two words, one of them is to take off our minds therefrom, as uncertain riches, deceivable riches, unrighteous Mammon; It's hard for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, and here filthy lucre: 
The Reasons.  This is, that we should not set our hearts too much on them (whereunto we are very prone) but taking heed of covetousness, neither too greedily desire them, nor be insatiable in our desires, nor too sparing from ourselves and families, nor niggardly to good and holy duties, nor having them, to set too much by them, or put our confidence in them, or be too much cast down in the loss of them, etc.  
To this end, 
Means to help against covetousness, or the too much love of riches.  1. Consider, That covetousness is idolatry, and so a most heinous sin, withdraws our heart from God, is the root of all evil, will make a man break any Covenant; the bane of godliness, a throne that chokes the seed of the Word. 2. That our life stands not in them, much less our happiness; yea, that they are changeable, and which even Reprobates have in great abundance. 3. Seek after the favour of God and assurance of Salvation, and lay up a treasure in Heaven, and this will stay your stomach for these things: This hunger will starve the other hunger, when we have assurance of Salvation, it will stay us, as a man that hath well broke his fast, hath no great haste to his dinner; Heaven will fill the heart, the world cannot.  
Obj. 
Obj.  Why then are many Christians covetous?  
Ans. 
Sol.  It's not their goodness; If they had more faith, they would be less careful of the world, but if these be so, being assured of Heaven, what would they be, if they had no assurance thereof? 4. We must follow our Calling diligently, 
Heb. 13. 5.  and cast ourselves upon God, believing his promise; He will not fail us, neither forsake us.  
Obj. 
Obj.  But the world is hard, we must therefore follow it earnestly, which if we should not do, we should leave but little for our posterity.  
Answ. 
Sol.  If we have faith to depend upon God, he will give us by our lawful and moderate seeking, that blessing that shall be best and sufficient both for us and ours, and shall continue longer with our Posterity, then more gotten greedily.   

Verse 3. Neither as being Lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.  
NOw followeth the third duty of the Minister, namely, to give good example of an holy life to his people; where pride is forbidden, they must not rigorously, cruelly, or over imperiously rule them: speak we first of that which is prohibited, then of that which is enjoined.  
That which is forbid Ministers, is pride and lordly carriage of themselves; whereunto a reason is annexed, even because the people be God's heritage and portion.  
Neither as being Lords,] 
Ministers must not exercise any temporal power over their people.  Hear note,  
1. That Ministers must not exercise civil authority and temporal power over their people, but use a spiritual rule over them, by teaching them, and denouncing the judgements of God against them that do evil, 
john 18. 36.  and ruling them by the Word of God, and by spiritual censures to correct the stubborn and disobedient: 
Luke 12. 14.  Our Saviour Christ's (our Masters) kingdom was not of this world, and so not ours: He would not be a Judge or Divider between two at variance about their inheritance; Magistrates must rule by the Sword, and we by the Word; they by the Temporal Sword, we by the Spiritual; we must teach the people, exhort, persuade, and commend men to God, and pray for them; and if any be obstinate, to admonish them more seriously; and if they reform not, to debar them from the Sacraments; yea, if they have committed any notorious sin, and live without repentance, to cast them out of the Church, 
1 Cor. 5. 5.  and deliver them up to Satan: These be more weighty and fearful censures, 
2 Cor. 10. 4.  being rightly performed, 
Matth. 20. 25.  than any bodily punishment; 
john 2. 15.  we must leave other things to the Magistrate, whose power is of God to rule with the material Sword: Thus did our Saviour Christ, only once, as he was the King of his Church, and not as a Minister of the Gospel, he whipped out the buyers and sellers out of the temple: So the Apostles exercised no other but Spiritual authority, except Peter by special and extraordinary direction, on Ananias and Sapphira, and Paul on Elimas' the Sorcerer; In those times God showed extraordinary works and miracles for the confirmation of the Gospel, which we need not now: And this was not usual, for than they could not have served Demetrius, Tertullus, with all their Enemies thus.  
A Reason hereof may be this, 
The Reasons.  one calling is sufficient for one man; As the Magistrate must not encroach upon the Minister's office (as Uzza did) either a private man to expound the Scripture and administer the Sacraments; 
2 Tim. 2. 4.  so must not Ministers on theirs: The action of Phineas was extraordinary, 
Numb. 25.  and so no fit precedent.  
1. This rebukes the notorious usurpation of the Pope of Rome, 
Use 1.  who not only challengeth to be the Head of the whole Church, and to have Supremacy over the same, but also Temporal Jurisdiction over Princes and Potentates, to set up and cast down whom he pleaseth, to set them together by the ears, to impose Taxes on them, to exempt their Subjects from their Allegiance, etc. But upon what ground doth he challenge this Supremacy? from Peter, whose Successor he allegeth himself to be: But he is quite fallen from the Faith and Doctrine of Peter, and if he did succeed him aright, yet could he have no such authority, for Peter himself had no such thing, neither do any places of Scripture (used to this purpose) prove any such thing, much less had Peter and Civil Jurisdiction over Princes and People, which the Pope also challengeth from him: But of this heretofore, only let us know that our Christian King, and all other Kings in their several Dominions are Supreme Governors, and that the Pope hath no authority to meddle with them; all that hold otherwise (as all right Papists do) are Traitors in heart at least, and can be no good Subjects; let's pray that all other Kings may shake off his yoke, both in Spiritual and Temporal things, and stoop to Christ's yoke: And let us know that God hath given no Civil authority to Ministers to rule the people by, what Princes in their savour may bestow upon them, and what they may lawfully receive from them, and enjoy and exercise: I mean not now to discuss, neither indeed can it be well decided; this we are sure, that there is no more weighty part of any Minister's duty, nor none like unto it, then to Preach the Word of God, about which the Pope with his Popelings have no mind to take pains; Those that have been godly Bishops have exercised themselves diligently in the same.  
2. It condemns the lawless freedom of the whole Popish rabble from the Civil Magistrate, 
Use 2.  which is wicked; for though our Ministry be above Magistrates, and all, even Princes are to be subject thereunto, and our duty is to discharge our duty in rebuking sin in all, yet as we be Citizens, so we are under the Magistrate, and he hath power to punish faults in Ministers, as well as of any other.  
2. That Ministers must not carry themselves proudly, 
Ministers must not carry themselves proudly and disdainfully.  highly, and disdainfully, accounting of others as a company of Clowns and simple fellows, but account them the people of God, and such as they must care for, serve and attend in all painfulness, for the Salvation of their souls, carrying themselves so lovingly and amiably, as that the meanest may be bold in good sort to speak unto them. Nor  
3. Must a Minister rule them rigorously and with violence, 
Ministers must not use rigour toward their people.  and subdue them with suits or strong hand, God cannot away with such Shepherds: Neither will any rule more Tyrannously over people, than those that take least pains to seed them, 
Ezek. 34. 18.  but they must win men by the Word: If any be obstinate, they must deal more roundly with them, yet still after a Spiritual manner, and no carnal kind of violence, which is not so fit for a Minister, nor so like to do good; if they be unbridled and unruly, let the Magistrate deal with them: A Minister must be kind to those that have any good; they that be not as he would have them, yet must not be cast off, but wait with patience, showing all good desire of winning them; for though a Minister is over the people, yet not so as that he may do with them what he list, but as God requires: 
Eph. 6. 1.  So is the Father over the Children, 
Col. 3. 19  yet must not he provoke them to anger; and Husbands are over their Wives, yet must not they be bitter to them: 
Simile.  The Minister is over the people, as a Shepherd over his sheep, he must feed them, catch them with his hook, see what they ail, dress them, bind their legs being unruly, if they range out, fetch them in, if they come not at his whistle, set his dog at them to scare them, but he must not penned them up all the day and starve them, break their legs or their backs, worry them with his dog, 
Simile.  sell or change them away, etc. The Minister is over the people, as the Nurse over the Child committed to her, namely, to feed it, tend it, and take pains about it, but not to hurt, maim, starve it.  
1. This rebukes the contrary in some Ministers, 
Use 1.  who because they are over the people, therefore (like some young Husbands, that having married before they were wise, misuse their wives because they be their heads) carry themselves haughtily, what are they but a company of Clowns, Swains, a company of simple fellows? what are they? They are those you are appointed to tend, and such as you must give an account of to God, such as may belong to God as well as you, haply rather than you; Members of Christ, as dearly bought as you, and Heirs of Heaven, such as must put a Crown upon your head at the last day, such as maintain you of their labours, that you may attend their souls; you must win them by the Word, by public and private persuasions, by a good life, and not by a strong hand, by suing them at Law, and contending with them.  
2. If Ministers must not Lord it over the people, 
Use 2.  then much less people over them; a Minister hath some colour, they none: To set light by him, to check or control him, to insult over him, use him at their pleasure, because they have purses, etc. is wicked; what is he, will they say? he is but a Minister, a Parson, a Priest, etc. what is he but a Minister? Is that a disgrace to him? Is that a base Calling? Is there any more high and honourable? what is he? He is the man you must depend on for the means of your Salvation, by whose Ministry you must be pulled our of the jaws of the Devil, and power of sin, and converted to God; It's he that hath power to bind or lose you, and as he doth, so shall it be done in Heaven; he hath power to open the door or shut it against you, as he seeth your behaviour: To the good that be converted, he is their Spiritual Father, to whom they owe more than to their Natural Father, of the one they had a being, of the other a well-being; of the one born into the world, a man, and a child of wrath; of the other born again into the Church, a child of grace; To these also a Nurse to cherish them, confirm, strengthen, and comfort them, and an helper of their faith to the Kingdom of Heaven: But for the wicked, he hath power to shut them out as dogs, from partaking the children's bread, yea, to deliver them up to Satan, if they deserve it; 
Luke 10. 16.  therefore say not, who is he? or what is he? For he that despiseth them, 
Psal. 105. 14,  despiseth Christ himself: Touch not my Prophets, and do mine anointed no harm: He hath rebuked Kings, and the greatest for their sakes; nay, even the least (as those Children that mocked the Prophet) have not scaped free, yea, to misuse them in body, goods, or name, and offer them indignity, is the ready means to provoke the Lord to wrath and indignation.  
Over God's heritage,] 
The third reason christian's are God's Heritage.  A reason against Lordly and Tyrannous dealing, People be God's Heritage: The word signifies elsewhere a lot, because Heritage used to be divided by lot: The word is of the plural number, whereby is meant particular Congregations, over which God appointeth particular Ministers, as being parts of the Heritage of God, which is the whole Church of God in Heaven and Earth, and every particular Congregation is a part of it, and as a Farm or Manor committed to a Spiritual Husbandman, to yield the Lord the fruit thereof.  
The word here used, the Papists apply only to Ministers, but improperly; for the people also be the Lords lot, portion, and the rod of his inheritance, though indeed Levi was God's part in a special manner, set aside for God's service in his Temple, yet then and now all God's Church are his Heritage.  
The people is the Lords Heritage; He hath bought his Church at a dear rate, he plants it, waters it, and hedgeth the same in.  
1. This rebuketh those Ministers, 
Use 1.  that use them at their pleasure, kill them, sell them, misuse them, etc. but they shall be countable to God for them, as Jacob to Laban for those sheep that were lost or torn: We must use them as God's Sheep, husbanding God's Heritage carefully, that it may yield fruit in abundance to the owner the Lord; we must not use them as we list, but as we will answer for every sheep: They be dear to God, and he will have account of every sheep in our fold; we should be thankful to God, that hath trusted us with such a jewel, as a part of his Heritage, and therefore be faithful to him and them.  
2. If People be God's Heritage, 
Use 2.  and every Congregation as a particular Farm, they must look they yield fruit, that God may take delight therein, and may say, It's the fruitfullest Farm that I have within a great way, I have more obedience yielded to my Word, my Sabbaths better kept, my Sacraments better resorted to, Families better instructed and governed in that Town, then in many others, more love, 
Simile.  mercy, zeal, etc. As an Husbandman that hath a rich piece of ground, and which bears a great crop, he will delight to be much in it, looking on it, walking about it, looking that no damage come to it, etc. but if it prove barren, he cares not for coming at it; So where theirs a fruitful piece of ground to the Lord, he will delight in it, boast of it, bless it, fence it, and continue his favour to it, and to their posterity after them, they paying the rent of the Gospel, and fruit which is the obedience thereof, and outward mercies as he seeth best, etc. But in Towns where there is no fruit, no obedince yielded, no Prayer, no regard of Sabbaths or Sacraments; but on the contrary, Profaneness, Swearing, Sabbath-breaking, Contention, Whoredom, Drunkenness, etc. God will take no pleasure in such a Farm, but if it hath had a good Husbandman, will take him away, and put it over into the hands of some hireling or base person, 
See Heb. 6. 8.  good enough for such a place.  
But being ensamples to the flock,] Now of the duty exhorted unto, which is the third and last; the two former are not enough, to those this must be added; Though it may be said, Better Preach well and live naughtily, then live jollily well, and preach not, or altogether without edification, yet indeed, both aught to go together.  
Ministers must not only teach well, 
Ministers must not only preach well, but live well.  but also do the same, be patterns unto their people, go before them in practice; they must not be like Statues in a highway, like Noah's builders which framed the Ark, but were not saved therein, or like the Scribes and Pharisees; which laid heavy burdens on others, 
Luke 11. 46.  which they themselves would not touch.  
This was signified under the Law, 
Leu. 21. 18.  none that were to minister before the Lord, 
Acts 1. 1.  were to be deformed: 
Matth. 5. 16.  Our Saviour both taught and did, 
1 Tim. 4. 16.  Ministers must be as shining Lights, they must be unrebukeable; as people must join doing with hearing, so must Ministers doing with Preaching.  
Reasons. 
Reasons.  1. Hereby it shall appear that they mean in good earnest, and require nothing of others, but that whereunto they themselves are willing to yield. 2. Hereby Atheists will be put to silence, whose usual speech is after this manner, Tush, if there were any such matter to be feared, as they talk of, would not they live otherwise; but there's no such thing, they must say something in place, to scare the people and keep them in awe: The common sort of ignorant and careless people profit not by preaching, as long as the Preachers life is contrary to his Doctrine; as who go more by seeing, then by hearing. If a man should speak as an Angel, and not live thereafter (such is their weakness) they would not regard him, yea, in the better sort, it doth greatly abate the edge of all they hear; yet doth not the power of the Word, and efficacy of the Sacraments, depend on the lives of the Ministers, 
Matth. 23. 2.  but whether they be good or bad, sitting in Moses Chair, they are to be followed and obeyed in those things which they teach truly. 3. Hereby they shall procure themselves a good degree and great liberty, and boldness in their Ministry, whereas otherwise, it's not possible but that their ill consciences must stop their mouths: How can they rebuke sin zealously, they themselves being addicted unto those very sins which they would reprove? 
Luke 4. 23.  If they do, will it not be replied, Physician, heal thyself? 4. Ministers have such a Calling, as that whilst others are busied about worldly things most part of their time, theirs lies in the study of the Scriptures, and about holy and Spiritual things, whereby they may daily be further and further built up. 5. It's the way to do most good, when the one is seconded by the other, holy Preaching with an holy life, else there's a very ill harmony, when upon both good is not done, people are left without excuse. 6. The Devil labours to slain Ministers lives, as knowing that hereby their Doctrine becometh for the most part ineffectual; Therefore he labours by all means to bring in ill livers into the Ministry, neither cares he what their gifts be, so their lives be stained; or else he labours with those that be in, to pervert them one way or other, by looseness, riot, etc. or get them to be covetous, etc. If he cannot prevail in those, then in some lesser things, as in their apparel, the government of their Families, and the like; If he cannot do thus much, yet will he rather play at some small game then sit out, he will then raise up false reports of godly Ministers, which he knows will be listened unto, and do some hurt.  
1. For Ministers. 
Use 1.  1. They must live among their people, else how can they give them good example, and so win them? 2. They must look exceeding warily to their lives, yea, to their Wives and children's behaviour; we must watch over our own hearts, bridle and beat down our corruptions, avoid all appearance of evil, all the least occasion of evil, for a mote in us will be counted a beam, and do more hurt than a beam in another; yea, we must not only beware in things evil, but even abridge ourselves in lawful things, of something we might do, and that for the people's weakness, as of our lawful recreation or refreshing, so that we wrong not ourselves too much herein, and in the matter of the maintenance, seeking our own, or providing something for Wife and Posterity, which we might and ought to do, yet we must forbear somewhat for the people's weakness, who are ready to think a man covetous, if he hath any thing more than from hand to mouth, or looks to save any thing, as they do for theirs: And yet people must here again be admonished, that they stand not too much upon their Minister's life, but look to his Ministry, and labour to profit by it; the Word of God is holy, and aught to be of power with us, whatsoever the life of the Minister be. But alas, how many Ministers be as bad as the worst in the Parish, as ready to run to the Alehouse, to play on the Lordsday, to be Gusters, Swearers, unclean Persons, Usurers, what not? O we ought to bewail the state of the Land in this behalf! Such with Eli's Sons, make the people loathe the Sacrifice of God: They pollute the holy things of God, what answer shall they be able and to make? even out of their own mouths they shall be condemned, as who having often preached others, yet have hated to be reform.  
2. For People. 
Use 2.  1. If Ministers must give good example, then must people imitate and follow the same, for even to this end also are Ministers enjoined to live well; 
Matth. 11. 29.  our Saviour saith, Learn of me, etc. the Apostle Paul, 
Eph. 5. 1.  Be ye followers of me, etc. But 2. There be some that will either be catching at somewhat to keep themselves in their old course, or if they can find no just ground, then will they say, he is an honest man indeed, and there is all, but for following his example, they mind no such matter; some again will bear with themselves in pride, vanity, ignorance, why? what, we be no Ministers, therefore need not be so holy; we are beholding to them, that they think we should be holy, but so must they too (else woe unto them) especially after so long teaching: Some will be prying into a good Ministers life, and if they can see or hear by any that he hath any infirmity (which yet haply is not so) they judge amiss thereof; nay, though it be his burden, and he labours against it, yet this shall be sufficient for some proud profane men to set light by all his Ministry (which is approved and powerful to many others) and by all the rest of his godly conversation: what, do these think to have a Minister perfect without infirmity? 
james 5. 17.  none ever was; Elias (as St. James saith) was a man subject to the like infirmities that we are; 
Acts 15. 39  Paul and Barnabas also were stired up the one against the other; Samuel, Eli, & the rest, were not with out their own frailties: Some Ministers are a little too fine, some a little too worldly, others somewhat too quick and hasty, etc. But will this discharge people from regarding and profiting by their Ministry and example: This is not spoken that any Minister should bear with himself in any weakness, but for them that hereupon think they may cast off the regard of him and his Ministry, saying, What are they, or what is he? he is a man, and hath infirmities as well as others: But as Noah condemned the world by making the Ark, so shall their Doctrine you, if ye amend not thereby: If you be so sharp sighted, that you can spy what infirmity is in your Minister, then look you follow all the other good things you observe in him, and shun that, but they will do thus with a Minister, yet will nourish many gross things in themselves: Oh, if Ministers were like the Angels, perfect, and could do miracles, and heal their sick, and live (as Moses did, forty days) continually without meat, than they would like well of them; but seeing they must have maintenance, and can do nothing but Preach to them, and Pray for them, and go before them in a good example, and have infirmities, they make no reckoning of them, but such show themselves carnal and foolish; even such Ministers must be such as must save us, and no other.   

Verse 4. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.  
THe last Reason taken from the commodity, 
The fourth Reason from the reward of faithful Ministers.  and happy event, and rich reward that will be to all that shall thus faithfully discharge their duties, wherein the Apostle doth, like the Devil with our Saviour Christ, though to a better, yea, contrary, and leaves the Reason from profit till the last, as likely to be of most force.  
And when the chief Shepherd shall appear,] 
Christ the chief Shepherd  Jesus Christ is meant by the chief Shepherd; 
john 10. 11.  He is that good Shepherd, the Shepherd of Shepherds, 
Heb. 13. 20.  the great Shepherd of his people; we be Shepherds also, but inferior to him.  
He is worthily so called, 1. Because the sheep be his, not ours, he is the owner of them, 
Acts 20. 28.  and they cost him full dearly; for us, we are but set to tend and feed them. 2. He appoints us under him, and gives us gifts to feed and direct them; 
Eph. 4. 11.  He sets us on work. 3. It's he that gathers and keeps the sheep, and heals them; we indeed use the means, but it's he that gives the blessing; we cannot change a goat into a sheep, nor force one home from straying, but he persuades their hearts, he gives the increase. 4. It's he to whom we must give our account, and who pays us our wages: for, as for the present maintenance we have, it's not answerable to the work we do; the world think it too much, but Christ will pay us after another fashion. 5. He is over all the flock in all places and countries, we only are over handfuls and parcels of this great flock, which yet are called flocks, but nothing to the whole.  
1. This condemneth that notable usurpation of the Pope of Rome, 
Use 1.  who arrogateth unto himself, that he is the chief Pastor and Arch-Shepherd over all the Church: But there is no other chief one but Christ on Earth, who is present with his Church to the world's end: A Shepherd; a devouring wolf he is, that destroys all souls; A Feeder; he poisons the people by the dunghill dirt of false Doctrine, and his own Traditions, he feeds all for the Devil, but brings none to Christ to be sure.  
2. It teacheth us that are Ministers to look to our Calling by the chief Shepherd, 
Use 2.  whether besides the outward allowance of men, we have received a competency of skill and gifts to manage the business we are set about, the gaining of the people's souls; as also to crave his direction and blessing upon our labours, and so to use our people, 
Heb. 13. 17.  as for whom and every of them we must make an account to their owner, our Master; we must not starve them, or half starve them, be cruel unto them, buy, sell, chop or change them away, as if they were our own, when as we are but Servants; This is little believed or regarded.  
3. For people, 
Use 3.  if they want a Shepherd, and be scattered, they must crave one of the chief Shepherd; yea, generally, that he would furnish many, and send them abroad among the lost and forlorn sheep; They must also submit themselves to their Ministry and Government, as to those that be set over them by Christ, knowing that if they despise them, they despise their Master; and if they be not won by their Ministry, they despise the voice of Christ Jesus himself.  
Ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.] 
The great reward of faithful Ministers.  Here's the reward of faithful Ministers; They shall attain a state of happiness, which God hath provided for his in Heaven; it's not to be uttered nor conceived what it is: It's described, according to our weak conceit, by a feast, a marriage feast of a King's Son, a City whose Walls and Streets are Gold, and Gates Pearls, etc. It's a State free from all evil; whereas here there's nothing but crying and complaining, one of his head, lungs, back, etc. another of his unruly children, losses by sea, by Bankrupts, etc. There all tears are wiped away; there also there's no want of any thing, no need of any thing, whether for body or soul, but a perfect enjoying of all good, for we shall enjoy God himself, the fountain of all goodness; we shall also enjoy the society and fellowship of the Lord Jesus, who hath so loved us, and who is the joy of our hearts: So of the holy Ghost the Comforter; so of the Angels, of the Patriarches, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, of our godly Friends, Children, Ministers, that begat us to God, etc. where we shall be so filled with all comfort, as we shall joy continually, for we shall sing night and day; the place also adds unto our happiness: Needs must Heaven be excellent, as being prepared by God for himself to set forth his magnificence; what it's within, appears by its glorious outside, and the glory thereof, by the fairness of the world, given to dogs and Gods Enemies; this also is eternal: The glory of this world, as it's not worthy to be so called; so it's inconstant and fickle (see it in Nabuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, Herod) one day, yea, one hour knows us often, 
Dan. 12. 3.  both happy (as the world accounts) and miserable; 
1 Tim. 4. 16.  but such is not the glory of Heaven, 
2 Tim. 4. 8.  it endures for ever: This is here (as elsewhere) promised to faithful Ministers, they shall enter into their Master's joy.  
1. This may exceedingly encourage Ministers, 
Use 1.  to take all the pains that possibly they can in their calling; we serve a good Master: O how men strive for a corruptible Crown, how much more should we for an incorruptible! how careful should we be in Studying, Preaching, living well, & c?  
2. It may serve to uphold us in the midst, 
Use 2.  and against all discouragements; our office is not only painful, but oftentimes fruitless, thankless; and perilous: A Minister shall have to do with such dull ones, as he must teach them as a child new weaned, with line upon line, precept upon precept; others are so wretched, as that by no means they will be reclaimed; yea, oftentimes they may receive unkindeness where they lest expect it; people count our labours nothing, which yet we find such as we are scarce able to undergo; others grudge at our maintenance, otherwhile we shall (having delivered things never so carefully) be taxed by some of ignorance, by others of malice; 
jer. 20. 7.  others will raise up lies and slanders against us, and so requite our pains; others will persecute us, as Demetrius, and Alexander the Coppersmith did the Apostles; yea, the more painful we are, the harder we shall be dealt with: Now against all those and the like, hath not a Minister need to have something to comfort and hearten him? This will do it fully; the incorruptible Crown will pay for all, we must look up to that: Contrarily, what will be the reward and end of all unfaithful Ministers, that starve and misled their Flock, that live in jollity and at ease, & c? Oh, their reward will be with the unfaithful Servant, to be taken and bound hand and foot, and thrown into utter darkness: Then shall they pay for all the wages taken without doing any work; so for all their ease, which will be turned into pain and woe; They shall then give an account for all the souls that they have caused to perish. 
At what time they shall receive their reward.   
Q. But when shall God's Ministers have their Crown?  
Answ. When Christ shall appear and come to Judgement: O then, if he never come, we shall never have our Crown! O doubt not once hereof! He shall certainly come to Judgement: It's an Article of our faith, and which is often mentioned in Scripture, See Matth. 25. 31. Acts 2. 11. 1 Thess. 4. 14. 2 Thess. 1. 10. Rev. 1. 7. Therefore let neither the good doubt hereof, to become slack or faint, nor the wicked, to continue careless. 
Obj.   
Obj. But when will it be, 
Sol.  It will be long first?  
Answ. It cannot be long ere it be, for we be in the latter end of the last times; but if it were, our life is not long, and in the end thereof we shall have one half of our Crown, and our bodies shall rest for the other until the day of Judgement; therefore live by Faith, and wait, and be not short breathed: If one part tarry a while, it will be so wonderful when it comes, 
Use 3.  as that it will abundantly pay for all.  
3. For People; If they be good sheep, brought from their wand'ring, turned from goats to sheep, and be ruled by the government of their godly Pastors, 
2 Tim. 4. 8.  they shall also have this incorruptible Crown of glory: For the stubborn and disobedient, that will retain their goatish qualities, that will not be brought home by any means that can be used, their condition will be fearful; but in death, when their souls shall be carried into Hell, and on the day of Judgement, when they shall stand on the left hand; they which here would not hear that voice that called them so often to him, shall then be charged to depart from him: As this day will be joyful to the godly, so shall it be terrible to the wicked,   

Verse 5. Likewise ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder; yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility, for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.  
THe Apostle proceeds to the duty of another special sort of people, namely, the younger ones, showing what duty they owed to their elders, and then goes to Exhortations to sundry particular duties.  
Likewise ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder;] Although I use to trouble you little with divers interpretations or men's judgements, taking it that my duty is to show you, rather what God saith, than what men say; yet at this time it will not be amiss to propound foam: Elders may be taken as in the preceding uses, not for elders in years, but by office; and so by the younger may be meant, not the young in years, but inferior in place, namely the people; or if young in years are to be understood, 
What we are to understand by the younger and the elder.  than a part for the whole is meant: All the people must submit themselves to their Ministers, whereof a great part are young ones, and they commonly the most unruly, and so the duty of people towards their Ministers is here taught, as the word likewise seemeth to imply: Or Elders may well be taken for Elders in age properly, and so the younger in like sort for the young sort of people, and so the duty of youth towards them that are aged be here taught, as it may well be, and the more likely in my mind: But I will not spend any time to approve or disapprove the one more than the other, but speak something of both, as in some such cases is not unusual nor amiss, when both may very well stand, and it be difficult to say which is the true meaning of the place, this or that.  
For the first; 
Wherein the duty of people towards their Ministers consists.  The duties of people towards their Ministers laid down in the fifth commandment, stand in these four things: 1. They must reverence them for the dignity, highness, and excellency of their Calling, in which respect they are termed Angels, Stars, the light of the world, 
Heb. 13. 17.  God's Ambassadors. 2. They must yield obedience to them in their Ministry. 3. They must willingly allow them a sufficient maintenance, that they may wholly without distraction attend on their souls. 
Eph. 1. 16, 17.  4. They must pray for them, both that their Ministry may be fruitful, 
Heb. 13. 18.  and that they may long continue amongst them, of those the second is the principal; Namely, that  
People must submit themselves to the Ministry of the Word in the mouths of their Ministers; 
People must submit themselves to the Ministry of the Word.  as we stand bound to preach, so do you to hear and obey: For, Blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it, 
Luk 11. 28.  that are doers as well as hearers: God hath not appointed us to Preach in vain, but for the conversion of people; The Ministry is ordained to work faith, to convert souls: it was the people's request with promise to hear and do; 
Exod. 20. 19  God hath yielded and sanctified it to be the only ordinary means (not reading, 
1 Cor. 1. 21.  not preaching by an Angel) even the foolishness of Preaching (by the hand of men) to save them that believe.  
If Ministers must be called to an account for Preaching, shall not the people how they have profited? and if a woe to us if we preach not, 
Matth. 11. 20.  is there not to them if they repent not? For this cause our Saviour upbraided those Cities wherein his mighty works were done, not because they would not entertain him, nor hear him, as the Gadarens, but because they repented not: we have done you no good, nor have you heard well, 
Rom. 6. 17.  till you have repent and be converted, till you have obeyed from the heart the form of Doctrine delivered you: The Law humbleth, the Gospel wo●●th Faith, both bring to a reformed, new and godly life; we hear aright when we go away pricked in our hearts: 
Acts 2. 37.  Till then there's no good wrought on us, as appears by the Prophet's complaints, 
Acts 13. 48.  Isaiah 49. 4. and 53. 1. Jer. 6. 10. else no mark of Election, 
2 Pet. 1. 10.  faith being a demonstration hereof; we make sure our Election by our effectual calling: 
1 Thess▪ 1. 4, 5▪  The Apostle also termeth the Thessalonians Elect of God, because the preaching was not to them in word only, but in power, and they received the word in much affliction, and became followers of us, etc. and that they received his preaching, not as the word of man, but as it is indeed, the Word of God; not to hear and obey, is rather a mark of reprobation, as in Eli's Sons; 
1 Sam. 2. 25.  If we be Christ's sheep, we hear his voice in the Ministry and follow him: 
john 10. 27.  O what an excellent harmony would this make, if Ministers preach faithfully, and the people become converted, and then built up in all obedience thereby!  
1. Then this rebuketh the woeful contempt of the world at most hands, 
Use 1.  for how few yield obedience thereto? look in all Towns, how many ignorant persons that have no knowledge, neither will have any, give their minds to none, but pull in their heads that they might not see the light that would glister in their faces; who so blind as he that will not see? 
john 3. 19  These are far from conversion: This is condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather more than light: So how many profane persons that live in some known sin (though some more outrageously than others) as in Drunkenness, Whoredom, Malice, etc. That hear not, though the Charmer charm never so wisely, and do even stop their ears; God knocks at the door of their hearts, but they will not open; his Ministers cry out against their sins, yet they rush on every one after his own hearts lust, and hateth to be reform; having a pardon brought and offered them, if they would come in, they stand out: What will become of these? having refused to hear a gracious voice offering mercy, they shall hear a fearful voice denouncing judgement, not hearing a voice calling them to him, they shall hear a voice commanding them from him, and as he called and they refused, so shall they call, but not be heard or regarded: What shall these have to say for themselves? Their iniquity shall stop up their mouth: How many civil persons are there also, that be not converted if they so continue, they shall perish, unless they be born again, truly humbled, planted into Christ; obey in all things, not in the duties of the second Table only, giving men their due, but of the first also, giving God his, they cannot be saved: What should I speak of worldlings that are so glued to the world, as they savour not at all of Heaven, or heavenly things? no such thing can enter into their hearts, either they hear not the Word at all, or the thorny cares of the world quickly choke that seed: What of Hypocrites, some professing outwardly, and yet living in some known sin; others not so bad, that yet fall far short, having gone some steps, and hoping that all is well? These were never as yet truly humbled, and so not converted, & so had not that that accompanieth Salvation; these hear, but not aright: Every man therefore must examine himself how he hath heard, and whether the Word hath been a means of his true conversion, and whether he make conscience to submit himself to the precepts thereof? They that can prove themselves thereby converted, how comfortably may they go on, walking in obedience thereto? Contrarily, the care of others is dangerous; for, think not that our preaching will go away unregarded, or that it's no matter how you have heard: Oh! Preachings and Sacraments be dangerous things, life or death can do a great deal of good, or as much hurt: to them that obey, its Salvation, but to the disobedient, it's the savour of death unto death: This is a fearful sin in this Land, and the cause of all our plagues, 
Matth. 11. 21.  by reason whereof we may fear worse: Remember the woe pronounced against Chorazin and Bethsaida.  
2. This may be for exhortation to all, 
Use 2.  that as they come and hear, so to submit themselves, 
Isaiah 11. 6.  and pray God to make his word effectual by his Spirit; 
Acts 26. 18.  So shall God be glorified, if of Lions we become Lambs; If won from Satan to God: The Ministers shall rejoice, as having the greater Crown; The Angels in Heaven will rejoice, having new fellow Servants; yea, God himself will rejoice, the Father as having a new Son, Christ as having another member, the Holy Ghost another Temple; only the Devil will be sorry, as who loseth all, but yourselves shall have the benefit both here and for ever. Further,  
Being converted, we should still listen and stoop to whatsoever commandment we have thence of renouncing and forbearing this or that evil, or doing whatsoever good, without reasoning, delays, excuses, saying, Now I see what the Word saith, I have done, I will yield and become obedient: Thus it ought to carry us contrary to our profit, pleasure, ease, custom of ourselves, fashion and example of others, which yet but few do.  
Thus of the first sense.  
For the second, The duties of youth to the aged; As the Apostle hath been before in hand, with Subjects, Wives, Husbands, Servants duties, and now with Ministers, so doth he proceed to inform the younger of theirs towards their elders. 
God's Ministers must particularly inform every one of their duty.  God's Ministers must not only teach things generally belonging to all, but even special things belonging to every age, sex and condition of persons: They must not only labour that people may become Christians, but that they may be good in their special calling; like good husbands they must be in every corner, instructing each in their duties, they must find out what be the special faults of youth, as rashness, pride, unconstancy, speaking against them, and labouring to prevent or cure them; so what be most needful for them, as sobriety, humility, discretion, stayedness, accordingly calling for these; thus must they do with the aged, speaking against their testiness and covetousness, and calling upon stayedness and soundness in all good judgement and conversation: So they must take notice of the faults most incident to women, as niceness, curiosity, loquacity, accordingly endeavouring to cure them thereof; for even in those that be good Christians, yet there may be some such particular and special failings, as whereby the name of God and his Gospel may be ill spoken of: Thus did the Apostles, being herein good and wise stewards, to give to every one of the Lords Family their portion of meat in due season, workmen that needed not be ashamed: The Scripture teacheth every man his duty, wherein accordingly (revealing every piece of God's council) we are to instruct them; for want of this the Gospel hears ill, even of those that have some good things in them.  
Therefore as Ministers must be wise, 
Use.  prompt Scribes taught of God, and careful herein; so people must be content, nay, like well hereof; not repining nor finding fault with their Ministers, for such weaknesses and faults as our nature is prone to: Neither must people dislike, and say, What, cannot the Minister be content to open his Text, and teach us general things, but he must meddle how we Husbands live with our Wives, we Wives with our Husbands, how we behave ourselves in our Families, how we Servants should do our work, & c? This is an ill sign; a good hearer is desirous the word should come home close to him and tell him of his duty, yea, ere thou come to the hearing of the Word, pray, O that the Minister may come home close to my corruptions! O that I may be so instructed in my duty, that I may please God by performing the same! yea, if the Minister come not home so close as we would, 
Luke 3. 10, 12, 14.  we should go and inquire of him of our duties, and what shall we do?  
In particular; 
Wherein the duties of the younger towards their elder consists.  The younger must honour their elders (as it's in the fifth Commandment) here called submiting themselves, under which be these duties: 1. They must reverence them inwardly in their hearts, and declare it by countenance, gesture and behaviour; and this they must do, because old age is a piece of God's image, and of his eternity, who is termed the Ancient of days: 
See Leu. 19 32.  If there be grey hairs alone, 
Dan. 7. 9  they require reverence, 
See Prov. 16. 31.  but if with godliness, then double honour, for that is a great piece of the image of God. 2. They must haste towards them when they are called, 
job. 32. 4.  and looking on them reverently, answer them soberly and dutifully. 3. When they speak, they must have their ears open, 
job 12. 12.  etc. for which the ancient is wisdom. 4. They must be obedient to them, to their good counsels, admonitions, rebukes; and follow their good example, and thank God they have those that have experience, and have trod the way before them, and who it may be have bought it dearly to tell them their duty freely: 
Simile.  As if one that had passed a dangerous water with much difficulty, should tell another Traveler which way to go safely through. 5. To pray for them, to have all graces increased in them, and they fitted more and more to do good to many, and that they may live long to that end, and to help on young ones. Alas, if all were Colts in a Plough or Cart, what work would be there? usually therefore old ones are joined to hold in and guide the young: 
Simile.  So doth God in wisdom and mercy by those that are old, guide and direct them that are young; so that youths must not behave themselves rudely or saw●ily in countenance, word or deed, neither babble nor prate, nor shake off their counsel and example which God hath given them to follow.  
1. For Elders; 
Use 1.  If the younger must honour and reverence them, than they must be such as deserve it and procure it; they must speak so wisely and profitably, as young ones may willingly lay their hand on their mouth and be silent; they must also give them godly and good counsel, and an holy example, which the younger may follow: when they see you dissolute, disordered, given to this or that vice, Sabbath-breaking, lewd company, riot, they must advise and persuade them to beware, telling them from their own observation how many have by such means brought themselves to ruin; so about their matching, that they are to be ruled and guided by their Parents; so when they see any trifle out their time, and defer their repentance, and live riotously, they must thus from their own experience expostulate with them, O make use of your time while you have it! This is your freest time, if I had not got somewhat in my youth, it had been bad with me now, being so dull and forgetful: or if we lost our time then, and God hath since brought us to repentance, let us tell them from our own miserable experience, O take heed, do not as I did, I lost my time, and spent it away foolishly, when I should have learned goodness, and now how dull am I? Alas, I shall never come to any great matters, now I am past (and have lost) my youth; if it had not been Gods unspeakable mercy, I had perished, and he lets in a little light into me, but alas, how slow of capacity am I? what a bad memory have I? So if we see them that will not be advised by counsel, we must rebuke them, yea, carry such a gravity and godly hatred of sin, 
job 29. 8.  as the wicked may stand in awe, and not dare abide our sight when they do evil: But the most part of old folks are so silly and ignorant, that they have no good counsel in them, nay, are blockish and unteachable; they spent their own time badly, and never made conscience thereof, therefore do not they call on others, not being converted, how can they strengthen others? Many also are so far from rebuking them for disorder, and making the wicked afraid, as they will sit still on their benches, and look upon youths rioting, dancing, etc. and laugh at them, and so they strengthen them in their naughtiness; and if a younger man reprove them, whether Officer or other, they do not make any reckoning▪ thereof, for why, such an ancient old man will stand and look on us, and when they see such coming, they are so far from fleeing as were meet, as they are the more emboldened, because they know they shall be countenanced by them; yea, these do in effect as Saul, who held the garments of those that stoned Stephen; others there are, who though they will not stand looking on them, yet will pass by, and say nothing to them, but rather bid them God speed, and so are partakers of their evil: These also should give good example, be patterns of piety, godliness, hatred of sin, zeal for God's glory, love to the house of God, etc. as those that have had much time, many means, and now have but a while to live: If their example be good, it may do much good, 
Tit. 2. 2.  if ill, than no ho; Abraham, Isaac, Jacob were godly old men; so Noah, Job, Samuel, Simeon, their example did much good: But Oh, how vain, frothy and unsavoury are the words of some, being so profane, as youths might rather open their mouth to reprove them, then give any attention to hear them: Some talk as filthily, as if they had never repent of the whoredom of their youth; some talk and tell to youths, and laugh at the lewd pranks of their youth, so reading their Lectures of evil; they show themselves zealous to do evil, that not only will do so themselves as long as they can, but would that others should after them; the contrary is a good sign: Some also even aged, are Swearers, Sabbath breakers, Al●househaunters, etc. some also, though for the time they might have been Teachers (though not public ones, yet of the youths) had need to be taught even the easiest Principles of Religion; they can only tell you of old Stories, they can remember since King Henry went to Bulloign, and can remember the old learning, and that they helped the Priest say Mass many a time: If they could remember that they had repent of it, it were well; or could remember of any good they did forty years ago; or that they were greatly moved at a Sermon, and ever since have made conscience of their ways, took such and such pains to hear, such delight to read in the Scriptures, and other good Books, have sat up half nights in doing good, O this were well: If they could talk of our Saviors birth, life, miracles, death; of his Apostles & their acts; of the Israelites carrying into captivity, coming out of Egypt, so of the Flood, of the Creation, etc. these things indeed would become them; 
See 1 john 2. 13, 14.  as they can tell you how old they are, and in what Kings Reign they were born; so if they could tell you when they were born again, and how old they are in Christ, it were happy: But alas, in such things they have no more skill than Nicodemus had when he first came to our Saviour: They are dumb when they are put from their old Stories, I knew his Grandfather, his great Grandfather, 
Isa. 65. 20.  etc. the older a man is, the worse he is, if he be not godly: O that such would consider why they came into the world, how near death is, what good counsel or good example they have given, whom they have kept from evil, or furthered in good, what good they have done for their own Souls, how they should have served God in holiness and righteousness all the days of their life, and that they have not thus served him, for which they have a fearful answer to make, Though there be no great hope in respect of your dullness, as also that God will not accept such a lame Sacrifice, and the Devils leave, who requireth the firstlings, and lest the Devil will not be put out, nor sin accustomed unto be done away, yet nothing is impossible to God; therefore despair not, only ply you with exceeding haste, lest you be shut out; and that you may turn to God, get some assurance of his love, redeem the time, make some amends, do some good ere you die, as the good Thief that rebuked his fellow. If old folks would not live, without being desired, nor be a burden, nor die without being mourned for, let them live to good use, and do good, so shall their age be honourable and honoured: There be some good old ancient men, but alas, their ●umber is but small, and they not so zealous as they should be; old men also in Towns must use their power and place to the good of the younger and Church wherein they live, and not to ease their own bodies or purses, laying the burden on their inferiors; 
See Tit. 2. 3. 4.  and as old men, so are old women also here meant, who must give good instruction, and do good also by example; they must speak graciously, and to good purpose, not given to Tale-telling, Malice, idle Talking, etc. as most are.  
2. For youths, 
Use 2.  it rebuketh the notorious pride and malapert boldness of the youths of our times, in their gesture, carriage, speech to their elders, whether in public or private; what a universal complaint do men make of their children? what a complaint, especially of Servants, that there were never the like for pride, idleness, untrustiness, etc. never looking for more maintenance, never less duty. In former times, when they had not the tithe of the means they now enjoy, servants were plain, diligent, trusty, careful to please, painful, etc. What a shame is this? Hereupon they that be ill minded blame us and the Gospel, never good servants since so much preaching: O woeful mouth, is our preaching or the Word of God in the fault? Is there one word in the Bible, or doth any one come from us at any time, that teacheth them so to do? Do not we teach them the quite contrary? and do not you give God a good mends for the Gospel? There are some which do even profess Religion, that yet suffer civil servants to go beyond them in diligence, and trustiness, and gentleness, and good behaviour: Oh, what may we not fear upon the Land, for the ungraciousness of this generation, seeing they will not bear the easy yoke of Government of their Elders, they may look for some heavy yoke or other; God will set up houses of Correction for such. How few youths make any account that it belongs to them to be Religious? or that their youth should be otherwise spent then in vanity; but the Scriptures call for Religion, even at the hands of young men. There are also Reasons to dissuade young men from tainting their young years, and laying up matter for their age, to roar for the sins of their youth, from losing this freest and fittest time: The fittest, because they be fresh, and apt to conceive, remember, and are strong, which way they set themselves to good or evil: 
1 john 2▪ 13.  The freest, as not being encumbered with cares, worldly businesses, etc. old age also is dull, and unfit to learn; the trade of Christianity is to be learned betimes: You young men and maids, and younger women, show your humility in being ready to listen and follow any good council or example: If you have seen God go before you in your Elders, and follow them not, your judgement will be great, and sin without excuse: There be indeed Religious and sober good youths, and young folks, married and single, and such as shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven before their Elders, children before their Parents, and Servants before their Masters, and young men which be able to instruct, and be patterns to the aged: 
1 Tim. 6. 1.  These are comely persons, but how few be of these? These also must remember to reverence their Parents, Masters, Elders, though they should not be for knowledge or grace as they ought, and themselves have more than they.  
All of you be subject one to another] He lays not this duty on the young only, as in the former words, but now requireth it of all, even of Superiors to Inferiors, and equals each to other; not that he forgets himself, or would lay all common, and make a confusion, as if the Superior aught as much submission to his Inferiors, as they to him, and so equals each to other; not so, but they must submit themselves to them in another kind, as Superiors to Inferiors, to care for them, and seek their good, and bear with them; and equals to stoop to do each other good, and to bear one with another, and yield and give way to each other, not standing stiffly upon terms.  
For Superiors, 
How superiors must be subject to their inferiors.  they must submit to their Inferiors, even Princes. Councillors, Nobles, Judges, etc. must beat their heads, study and take pains for the good of the Subjects, as the Subjects must submit to them in reverence, obedience, tributes, etc. So they care for them, put themselves to pains to do them good, for God hath appointed no Calling to take all and pay nothing, but every honour hath a burden of care going with it. 
Simile.  As in the Members of the the natural Body, not one is allowed to be idle, but every one works for the good of the whole; the eye looks, the tongue talks, the foot walks, the hand works, etc. Now some may think that all these work, and the stomach and belly in the midst lie still and be idle, doing nothing; but it's not so, for though they work not as the other, yet their work is as profitable and necessary, without which they could not long stir; namely, they concoct the meat, and nourish the whole body; the like may be said of Princes and Magistrates: So Ministers, even the greatest must stoop low, and take care publicly and privately of the meanest in the Congregation: 
Luke 22. 26.  He that is chief, must thus be servant of all: So the chief men in Towns, must take care for the good of the poor; they must visit them into their poor houses, and look in their cupboards, etc. it's their glory thus to do; The Angels tend on us, and scorn not, yea, God stoops to take care of us poor Creatures; He numbers the hairs of our heads, and makes all our beds in our sickness; So our Saviour Christ, being rich, became poor for us; and the Holy Ghost takes up us miserable Creatures for his lodging; Householders also, as they look for submission from their Families, so must they submit themselves to have care not of their bodies only, but to instruct, teach and admonish them for the good of their souls; so Husbands must bear with their Wife's weakness, and not stand strictly upon every word amiss, when they are at sometimes disquieted: Neither is it any disparagement for a Superior to yield to his Inferior, but a commendation, for so did Abraham to Lot; let every one know we be the Lords Stewards, and therefore must lay out as well as take in.  
For equals,] 
How equals must be subject one to another.  There must be a doing good each to other, being not born for ourselves: The useful man is the man that will be beloved and have comfort, we may stand in need one of another, and therefore must do good one to another; also we must yield each to other, not as they that will strive for the wall or way, and lay each other in the dirt; in reasoning we must not be stiff, and seek to have the last word; in fall out, if our adversary will not come at us, we must go to him; In matter of commodity, if he will not yield an inch, we must; if he be angry, break off, be silent, or answer mildly, etc. This is so far from being any disgrace, as that its our honour and credit, what though we could master and subdue another? we are far wiser if we can overcome ourselves, and subdue our own hearts to the word and will of God: 
Matth. 5. 9  This also tends greatly to peace, and blessed are the peacemakers, 
Simile.  without this no peace. A flint and steel being the one beat against the other make fire, not so if we strike it against a cushion: The world thinks, shall I yield to him? O this great courage to stand out, but its carnal and beastly courage of Bulls and Bears, not of Christians; How many might have saved an infinite deal of trouble and charge, yea, haply their lives, if they would but have yielded a little at first, which afterwards they have wished, when it was too late.  
Be clothed with humility,] 
Humility the fountain of submission.  He exhorts to another virtue, which is the mother and fountain of this submission; would you thus submit yourselves, then be humble: whence as we may note, that where this submission is not, it's for want of humility, and pride bears sway, (which its needful we should take knowledge of, that we may the better seek the cure) so we may learn, That  
Whatsoever submission proceeds not from humbleness of heart, 
Whatsoever submission proceeds not from humility, is hypocrisy.  is but dissimulation and hypocrisy; as Absolom, that behaved himself so lowly to all the people, which yet had a most proud heart in him, to aspire to the kingdom in his father's life time: 
2 Sam. 15. 5.  So the Pope calls himself Servus servorum Dei, when yet he lifts up himself above all, makes himself head of the Church, to have Supremacy over Princes, to set up and cast down at his pleasure, etc. So the Monks and Friars that pretend great humility, in fasting and punishing themselves, which yet proceeds from a proud heart, thinking hereby to merit at the hand of God: So they that profess voluntary poverty, which yet live in abundance of all things; so many among us use low congees and crouches, which yet have all ensigns of pride upon them; so some that be mean enough in apparel, and will speak so lowly, and give so much to others, even more than is fit, and abuse themselves too much, which yet do it but in cunning and with a proud heart, as may appear by their gibing and jesting at those whom it may be they have thus spoken to and preferred; as also their jesting at others, whom if you shall stir a little, you shall find them more like Lions, and unappeasable, which is the sign of a proud heart; yea, some will put down themselves too low, that all may advance them the more, and dispraise themselves, to have others set out their commendations.  
The clothing which is here principally meant, is the inward: The filthy Soul must be clothed with the white raiment of Christ's Righteousness: The soul (behanged with the filthy rags of beastly lusts) must be adorned with the sanctifying graces of God's Spirit; The Church is all glorious within: 
Psal. 45. 13.  Thus must both men and women of all sorts be adorned, and herein be patterns unto others. Here is not now present any naked body (you would be ashamed that there should) but I am afraid that there's here many a naked Soul, nay worse, even defiled with many noisome lusts of Pride, Ignorance, Hypocrisy, Profaneness, etc.  
In particular, 
What humility is.  the virtue exhorted unto, is Humility, which hath his place in the heart, and showeth itself outwardly by fruits in the countenance, gestures, speeches and actions of the life: This is a virtue and grace of God's Spirit, whereby a man not out of cunning, melancholy, carelessness, or discontent with himself, but from a true knowledge of God, himself and others, doth with an unfeigned, voluntary, free meekness of mind, set a low value of his own worth, or doth esteem meanly of himself: 
Matth. 11. 29.  Though the natural man may seem more humble, 
Rom. 12. 16.  than some Christians, 
Eph. 4. 1.  yet the proudest Christian hath more humility than the humblest carnal man: 
Phil. 2. 3.  This is often called for in Scripture, 
Luke 14. 10.  and taught by our Saviour Christ in the matter of the guests, and is also commended much in the Proverbs: Besides, pride, which is opposite to it, is continually forbidden and condemned, all which are of many commendations of humility.  
To point it out the better, see it by the fruits thereof, and then by examples.  
The fruits may be considered, 
The fruits of humility in respect of God.  either in respect of God or men. In respect of God, 1. It makes a man, seeing his own woeful state by nature, by his guiltiness in Adam, by his actual sins also, and bondage under sin, and all the curses due thereby, to renounce and abhor himself, and to flee for pardon, mercy and deliverance; and having nothing at all in himself but wretchedness and deformity, to desire to find all in another; which if he do, he counteth himself infinitely bound to God for ever, 
See Luke 9 23  as the poor Publican and Prodigal child, the Patriarches showed it in sackcloth and ashes: This is the first step to Heaven, and without which there is no coming to the Kingdom of God. 2. It makes a man acknowledge himself unworthy of any of God's favours; as Abraham, Jacob, Peter, with others: See Gen. 18. 27. and 32. 10. 2 Sam. 7. 18. Psal. 8. 4, etc. 3. It makes a man acknowledge whatsoever good thing he hath, to proceed from God and his mere grace, and therefore to give God the glory thereof in Thanksgiving: See Dan. 2. 27. Act. 3. 12. and 14. 15. 1 Cor. 4. 7. As they in an Hospital, 
Simile.  they are not ashamed of the Founder thereof, but keep the memory of him; neither are they fit to receive any thing, who will not acknowledge it: Nabuchadnezzar was seven years in learning this. 4. It makes a man to see his own weakness and frailty, his unability to do good, and proneness to evil, and that he hath no strength to stand one blow in the Spiritual Warfare, so that he doth always fear and suspect himself, and craves continually of God to be kept from the one, and enabled to the other; as David, Open mine eyes, stay my feet in thy ways, ●ead me forth, forsake me not, teach me, quicken me, etc. so that the humble man is full, as of thanks, so of Prayers. 5. It makes a man pressed, and ready to yield obedience to God, seeing both his Sovereignty over us as his poor creatures, and then that he hath been so undeservedly merciful: 
See jer. 43. 2.  Thereupon he saith, Speak Lord, for thy servant heareth. 
jam. 5. 21.  Humility is the mother of Obedience, as pride of disobedience; therefore we are willed to receive the word with meekness. 6. It makes a man, if he have done amiss, exceedingly grieved, and to confess and humble themselves; even Ahabs counterfeiting the same, did him good. 7. It makes a man meekly to bear the hand of the Lord, as well in respect of his Sovereignty over us, as 1 Sam. 3. 18. 2 Sam 15. 26. Psal. 39 as in respect of our own unworthiness, 
jam. 3. 22.  as Mic. 7. 9 knowing that we have deserved a thousand times more, and that its of his mercy, we are not consumed. If we be reproached or wronged by men, we will bear it quietly, as David being raised upon by Shimei, 
2 Kings 6. 33.  because we know we have deserved to be made a threshold for all to tread on, and therefore we will wait patiently on God for deliverance; when the proud will withdraw, and lift up their minds, and wait no longer; or mur●●●● as the 〈◊〉, or blaspheme, as those mentioned Rev. 16. or 〈…〉 means, as Ahakia and Sa●t: If poverty seize on them, they will stoop to it, 
See job 1.  and only use diligence and prayer: If their Goods, Children, Friends be taken away, humility will say, He hath taken but what he gave or lent me for a season. 8. It makes a man that as he dare not curiously pry into the Ark▪ and meddle with things not revealed, but to content himself to be ignorant where God hath not spoken, so to rest himself satisfied without any further doubting, or cav●●ing, or enquiring, when he knows what is Gods will.  
In respect of men (and it's most towards our Equals and Inferiors, 
In respect of men.  and is not so much seen in the other, namely, To our Superiors, and there be that will stoop none so much or basely to Superiors, that will despise their Inferiors most of all) 1. It will make a man prefer others above himself; 
Rom. 12. 16.  and do as our Saviour Christ bids, 
Luke 14. 10.  sit down below, 
Phil. 2. 8.  not dissemblingly, but ingenuously; so inwardly, to esteem others better than ourselves, knowing our own faults, and looking on the virtues of others. 2. To be sociable, friendly and helpful, taking pains to do others the good we can, not scorning to be beholding, especially to our Inferiors and Equals. 3. To submit ourselves, yield and give way to our Equals, yea, if need be, to our inferiors, as Abraham to L●t, not standing stiffly upon terms, I am his b●●ters let him come to me if he will: It makes also a man peaceable, not ready to provoke, not easily provoked, but innocent, patient, not apt to revenge, etc. 4. Not to be too ready to censure and condemn others, as knowing so much weakness in ourselves; not to insult over one that hath offended, but rather pity him, knowing that as he fell yesterday, so we may (if God should leave us) fall to morrow; as also to see and acknowledge the grace of God in any, and give it the due commendation, not lifting up ourselves above them, as Saul was higher by the head and shoulders than any of the people. 5. It will make one willing to receive counsel, and to submit himself to a reproof; as Moses followed the counsel of Jethro as his equal, and Naaman did not despise the advice of his servants. 6. It's seen in lowly countenance, humble gate, courteous salutations, yet without Apish mowings, or Fryerly duckings; so in lowly speeches and behaviour, which though sometimes they may be counterfeited, yet usually the inside will be seen by the outside: Pride can hardly keep counsel. 7. In modest apparel, according to our calling, not excessive for the matter, nor vain, fond and curious for the fashion, yet without baseness or affected roughness, as the false Prophets, and as Monks and Friars: This will be further seen into by examples of humility, 
Examples of humility.  which will not only serve to persuade us thereto, but show us further the nature thereof. 
Heb. 11. 7.  Noah an humble man, moved with a reverend fear, without any contradiction, 
Gen. 18. 27.  went about and finished that tedious and troublesome work of making the Ark. Abraham acknowledged himself to be but dust and ashes, and followed Gods command he knew not whither, yea, 
Exod. 4. 14.  was ready to have sacrificed his only Son. Moses was very humble, refusing to be made Ruler over the Israelites, till he saw God was angry; also he followed the counsel of his Father in Law, and would have had him gone with him into Canaan, which would have somewhat darkened him, to have an Equal or Superior to go with him: So when the people murmured against him, 
Exod. 17. 4.  and were ready to have stoned him, he prayed to God on their behalf. David acknowledged all his confidence to be from God, being continually in thanksgiving, or admiration at God's bounty, or praying for grace, bearing the hand of God patiently: 
1 Sam. 18. 23.  So to menward, What am I (saith he) that I should be son in Law to a King, etc. This grace also was eminent in Hezekiah, Gideon, John the Baptist, The Virgin Mary, Cornelius, The Centurion, Paul and Barnabas: 
Mat. 11. 29.  but the most absolute pattern of all, was our Saviour Christ; 
Phil. 2. 8.  who as he bade us learn it of him, 
1 Pet. 3. 18.  so the Apostles Paul and Peter do often set forth his example to be followed of us. He was born of a woman of low degree, in a mean place, laid in a Cratch, subject to his Parents till he was of the age of thirty years, once only he showed himself among the Doctors when he was twelve years old: At thirty years old he came to John the Baptist to be baptised of him: He chose mean Apostles, and who lived in a mean degree: He had not whereon to rest his head: Usually he went on foot, yea, till he was weary: 
Mat. 21. 7.  When he did ride (which was but once as was foretold) it was meanly, on an Ass: He refused to be a Judge or Divider, or to be made a King: He eat his meat sometimes in the fields; he washed his Disciples feet; he humbled himself for our sakes to the death, even the death of the Cross; 
Humility an excellent virtue.  all which show forth his humility. This is a most excellent virtue, greatly pleasing to God, and greatly accounted of by men: 
Mat. 18. 9  Every man loves and likes them that are humble, though many will not so be: As it's of absolute necessity to Salvation, so it's greatly behooveful for a man's well passing his time: Hereby he shall escape many dangers and evils, and pass his time more safely, with more favour of God and men: The humble man hath this privilege, that he cannot fall, he makes himself so low; he judgeth himself, and so shall not be judged of God: Humility gives glory to God, and God gives honour to the humble; it's a beautiful Ornament wherewith we are to deck ourselves: it's the Ornament of all graces, have a man much or little: Let a man be empty and proud, it's most odious, as often it falls out, the emptiest vessels make the loudest noise: If a man have but a little, yet walking humbly he is esteemed: 
Eph. 41, 2.  If a man have never such good parts, if he be puffed up with them, it's a disgrace to them all, as dead Flies in a precious box of ointment. This is an helpful virtue, also a peaceable virtue, tending greatly to a quiet life.  
1. This should teach us to examine ourselves by the forementioned notes, 
Use 1.  that we may find to our comfort that we have attained the same in some good measure: He that hath it, hath an ornament, hath a jewel indeed.  
2. As those that have it are to labour by all means to increase therein; 
Use 2.  so for those that want it, they must labour for it: To this end we must pray for it, we must set the forementioned examples before our eyes, and often think of them: We must look into our own vileness and wretchedness, by reason of our many great sins, and the curse due thereto, and this will drive us to God; into our own baseness, and this will make us thankful into; our own inability to good, and this will make us pray; into our own meanness, and God's greatness and goodness, and this will make us stoop to his Commandments, and to his Cross: Also to men-ward, we must look on our own faults and others virtues, and aggravate our evils above theirs, and the good things in them above those in ourselves. O let us walk humbly both in respect of God and men: Let us not be proud of our gifts, not trust to ourselves, nor despise, reject and condemn others; else whereas great honour might redound to our profession, and we might do much good, we shall do much hurt.  
For God resisteth the proud, etc.] The Reason of the Exhortation taken from the benefit, and illustrated by the contrary. Pride and Humility are like Esau and Jacob, 
jer. 42. 8. and 48. 11.  hates the one, as much as he loves the other: The proud man either gives God's glory to another, or detains it from God, which cannot be without his wrath: This is in respect of God and men, as was said of humility, and by the notes of that, this may be discerned. 
The fruits of pride in respect of God.   
In respect of God, 1. Pride makes men think themselves not so bad, but they have something in them, and can do something to commend them to God, and whereby to be saved; these be the whole and righteous whom Christ came not to call: 
Rev. 3. 17.  These are like the young man in the Gospel, like the Church of Laodicea: Thus the Papists think they have some natural strength in them to deserve the first grace, and with the help of that to merit the next, and eternal life: Thus many boast of their Civil Righteousness; Thus ignorant persons hope to be saved by their good meaning and good prayers, and that they have a good heart in them, and that they love God above all, and their neighbours as themselves. This is most detestable pride, for a base and woeful creature, a lump of misery and sin, to think himself good enough for heaven, and to come into God's presence, whereas the child of God sees he is not worthy to think thereof, and wonders that he should be advanced thereto; yet numbers of civil poor people think themselves not proud, because they be not proud of apparel. 2. It makes a man think himself worthy of the benefits he hath, whereat he wonders not, but rather that he hath not more, and gives not daily thanks. What pride, for a poor woeful creature, that deserves every day to be plagued with one judgement or other, yea, to be cast to Hell, that yet receiveth continual favours, and goes his way with the nine Lepers, and never returneth to give thanks. 3. It makes a man account of the gifts or graces he hath, that he hath them of himself; or if from God, yet for some worthiness in himself, and therefore he useth them as he will, to his own glory, and seeks himself in his wit, preaching, speeches, doings, etc. and so stands as it were in God's light. The proud man thinks he hath that he hath not; as many a one thinks he knows much, that knows nothing, and that he hath faith, repentance, a good heart, when it's nothing so, or that he hath more of a thing than he hath by much, more wisdom, strength, etc. or what he hath, he attributes it to himself, as if he had it of himself, or got it by his own wit and industry, when it's only given him, and he but received it, and so is but proud of borrowed clothes. 4. It makes a man think himself strong in himself to avoid this sin, or resist this temptation, or to do this or that duty, and therefore prays not; goes out in the morning upon all the temptations in the day, 
See Prov. 28. 14.  goes to the Word and prays not; so into ill company, etc. 5. Pride makes a man that he stoops not to God in his Word: This is horrible pride, when a poor mortal creature shall shake off the commandments of the most glorious God, 
jer. 13. 15. and 43. 2. and 44. 16, 17.  yet many living in sins, even contrary to their knowledge, think they be not proud. 6. Pride makes men that they are not grieved when they have done wickedly, they cannot stoop and be humbled; they cannot see their sins, at lest nothing as it is, and then pride hardens their hearts, as if they could find many ways to escape the hand of God. 7. Pride makes men impatient under God's hand; for either they murmur, blaspheme, use unlawful means, will not wait on God for an end (as hath been already said) or are full of revenge against those whom God hath raised up to punish them. 8. Pride makes men curious to pry into things forbidden, as the Israelites, that would go out and seek Manna on the Sabbath day, though they were told before they should find none. The men of Beth-shemesh would pry into the Ark: Some there are that delight in curious questions, some meddle with matters beyond their reach, some with things out of the compass of their calling, some also will not rest satisfied, when they see what Gods Word saith in a thing, but cavil and make objections against the same. Thus in respect of God.  
In respect of men: 
In respect of men.  1. It makes men prefer themselves before others, thinking more highly of themselves then of others, looking on their own virtues, and on other folk's faults: It makes men look for great Titles, high Places, and to be preferred and set up, and strive, and be discontent if they have not the same, as Haman was vexed that Mordecai did not stoop to him. The Scribes and Pharisees did love greetings in the Market-places, and to be saluted, Rabbi; Saul would have Samuel honour him before the people, the Disciples strove who should be greatest. 2. It makes men unsociable and strange, either scorning to be beholding to any, or else too burdensome, loath to help, etc. 3. It makes men loath to submit themselves to their equals or inferiors: To their Superiors oftentimes they be most base and cunning, which yet be lordly and cruel to their Inferiors, and stiff and stern to their Equals; they will not yield an inch: If they take an Argument or an Opinion, they will carry it away, or else fall flat out: If they be fallen out with any, they will not yield a jot, but look they should be sought to: They are very contentious, ready to offer occasion of offence, thinking so highly of themselves, and meanly of others, 
Prov. 13. 10.  that they are ready to embrace the least occasion, stand upon it, contend, and will not be pacified. 4. It makes men very ready to censure, find fault, make light of others gifts, extenuate and deprave their good actions, aggravate their faults; not considering either their own faults that they daily commit, or their weakness and readiness to fall. 5. It makes a man that he will neither ask nor take counsel, being wise in his own eyes, but would have every body do as he doth, or follow his counsel, else he is ready with Achitophel, to hang himself in discontent, nor will he abide rebuke or admonition. 6. It shows itself in proud looks, haughty eyes, scornful speeches, imperious commands, stately carriage, jetting and mincing as they go. 7. Excessive apparel, for the matter, not fit for one's calling, nor according to one's place and ability, but quite beyond their degree; Ladies like Queens, Gentlewomen like Ladies, Waiting Maids like their Mistresses, poor Milkmaids, as if they were the wealthiest men's daughters in the Country, too garish and gaudy for the colour, too full of slashes and cuts, too soft and delicate, especially men's; so for the fashion, new, strange, garish: Fashion-devisers or followers cannot free themselves of pride.  
Examples hereof, 
Examples of pride.  The evil Angels, Adam and Eve, that would be as gods; The Builders of Babel, Pharaoh, Haman, Absolom, Achitophel, Nabuchadnezzar, Herod, etc.  
This is a most wicked and dangerous sin, 
How abominable it is.  hateful to God, that which lieth open to his judgements, 
Prov. 6. 17.  as the highest Trees and Pinnacles are burnt down with lightning, 
Simil.  stricken with thunder▪ or overturned with winds: This is odious to men; humble men see and mislike it, even proud men cannot abide it in others; Yonder, say they, goes one will not give his head for the washing, that thinks better of himself then all the Parish besides; He hath a good wit, but he knows it; She is very fair, 
How hurtful.  but ye need not tell her thereof: It makes a man run into many sins, into many absurdities, and draws on many punishments: It disgraceth all good gifts, and so stains them, as they become unprofitable: It makes us uncapable of the grace of God, as the hilly ground shuts off the rain, therefore those profit not by the Word, nor by the Sacraments, nor can pray, etc.  
This is naturally bred in our hearts, 
Whence it comes.  and very hardly rooted out; it comes much, either of abundance, or of conceit and opinion of much; usually or abundance: If any have more Beauty, Wit, Strength, Skill in any Calling, Knowledge, Gifts, Wealth, Authority, or the like, this makes the heart swell, in a base or mean condition under affliction or misery to be humble (at least in show) is nothing, but in abundance of gifts to be humble, this is a great grace and rare.  
This is not only in the common sort and wicked, 
The very best not free therefrom.  but haunteth even the Servants of God, and riseth of the ashes of other sins; when we have got the mastery over them, and grace and ability to do good duties, than pride thrusts in to make us think well of ourselves, as if we had done them by our own power, and so even in our best duties; there's most danger of this. Hence it is that the Lord leaves corruptions and infirmities in the hearts of his Children to hold them under: Therefore are they so often foiled, when they seek themselves most. Hence many Christians of good parts are held in a poor estate, 
See job 33. 17  lest they should wax proud; yea, if it prove very rank, and bear a great stroke in them, he lets them fall into some foul sin, or some notable disgrace, to cure them of pride: for desperate diseases must have a desperate cure. It's the Devil's practice, if he can no way else prevail with a man, to win him to evil, or to live in any sin, but that he hath got good gifts, and is careful in the use of them, than he seeks to blow them up with pride; as Enemies when they have long laid Siege to a Town, 
Simile.  and can by no means win it, at last they undermine it, and seek to blow it up with Gunpowder.  
1. Let us examine ourselves concerning this sin; 
Use 1.  this may be generally said, and too truly, that this Land is universally overspread with the same in a fearful manner. How is Christ preached, and how few embrace him, at least in their hearts, and stoop to him? How few use the gifts they have to God's glory, as acknowledging they come from him, but seek themselves only; using their wealth, wit, skill, etc. as they list? Universally men obey not, nor will stoop to the word of God, but do what they list, whatsoever God saith. How generally do men use unlawful shifts in their crosses? what contentions, stirs, ●usts, are between some about places? what notorious pride and excess is there in apparel? whereby we may justly fear the Lord hath a quarrel against us; yea, though we are in such a fearful state, we think highly of ourselves, and as if our care had never been better, cannot endure to be told that these are dangerous and evil times, yea, it's dangerous to say that these are dangerous times: What measure soever we have of pride, it's both dangerous and damnable. If men trust to something in themselves; if they stoop not to the word; if they use unlawful means in their afflictions, as good have Ratsbane in their bellies, as this pride in their hearts: If we be conceited of the good things in us, take too much to ourselves, set too light by others, think too well of our own strength, lift up ourselves above others, be contentious, censurers, such as will bear no reproof, proud in our speeches and apparel, the least of this will provoke God against us.  
2. Let us labour to be purged of this deadly sickness: 
Use 2.  The consideration of our matter, 
See job 17. 13.  Dust and Ashes, our mortality and frailty, that we may be under the clods ere the morrow; our sinful state whereby we deserve that curse and all evils; our readiness to fall into any evil, the glory, power, justice, goodness, holiness and purity of God, may dissuade us from pride. O take heed of pride, the worm and canker of any grace, and that which hinders the good our gifts might do.  
God resisteth,] 
God sets himself against the proud.  A warlike word; is up in arms, makes open war, and professedly sets himself against the proud, as the Angel that stood with a sword drawn to resist Balaam in the way: See to this purpose Prov. 6. 17. 16. 5. 18. Psal. 119. 21. Luke 1. 52. & 14.  
Reasons. 
Reasons.  This stands in God's light, and robs him of his glory; it's not Caesar's friend, the arch-traitor: Will God suffer himself to be spoiled of his glory by a poor creature? God delights to disgrace them that think so highly of themselves, and so lift up themselves above others; so, lest they should do too much hurt, for if proud men get wealth and authority, there is no ho. This also will be more taken knowledge of, then if many inferior ones were cut off; and will also prevail more, for if God hath crossed and cut off those, others will beware.  
God resists them, 
How God resists them.  sometimes by taking away that they be proud of, wit (sending them frenzy) beauty (sending them deformity) gay clothes, sending them rags, etc. Sometimes he makes their pride become them ill, and so they be noted and disgraced thereby: Sometimes he makes their gifts unprofitable, and blasteth them, that they die, foils them, when they seek themselves most, lets them fall into some foul sin, and so shames them, or crosseth them by some punishment or other, etc. God will cast dung in their faces, and besmear them; he delights to disgrace such. Call to mind the forementioned Examples, of the evil Angels, this Builders of Babel, Pharaoh, Adonibezek, etc. and how God set himself against them.  
1. If we observe any to be very proud, 
Use 1.  do not we envy them, but rather pity them; 
Prov. 16. 5.  for God is their enemy, and their destruction cannot be far off.  
2. As we would avoid destruction, let us take heed of pride, and labour to be purged of it more and more; let us resist it and stamp it down. God will not give his graces to those that will rob him of the glory of them. If we strive not against this, but yield hereto, God will either let us fall into some foul sin, and so shame ourselves to cure us, or at least he will thwart us with many crosses, which by humility we may avoid.  
And giveth grace to the humble,] The direct Reason to move us to humility, 
See jer. 57 15. and 66. 2.  Unto the humble, God giveth the gifts of his Spirit, temporal deliverances and favours, 
Luke 1. 53.  respect among men, favour with himself; 
How God giveth grace to the humble.  he dwells with such, and filleth them with good things. This may be showed in all the properties thereof before mentioned: 1. They that be vile, and nothing in their own eyes, and be poor, mourning, sighing, hungering, etc. obtain mercy with God. They are fit objects thereof (witness the poor Publican) will be thankful, 
Luke 18. 14.  and do any thing at God's command. 2. Such as acknowledge themselves unworthy of any mercy, God honoureth with many; as Abraham, Jacob, the Centurion, the woman of Canaan▪ with others. 3. They that acknowledge, that whatsoever grace or gift they have, they have had it of God, and refer it to his glory, shall have more, as he that had gained five Talents: He is not worthy to be an Almsman, that will not acknowledge the Donor. 4. They that acknowledge their own insufficiency and inability to good, or resist evil, these will pray, and God will keep them, and give them the grace they want: they shall be satisfied, 
Psal. 119. 100  as the thirsty ground with rain. David prayed to be taught, and got more understanding than the Ancients; to this end also they will hear, read, come to the Sacraments, etc. as knowing the need they have of help, and so are holpen. 5. They that humbly submit themselves to the obedience of God's word, them he will teach, and they shall profit: 
Psal. 25. 9  These shall save themselves from many a sin and sorrow, 
joh. 7. 17.  which else with David, Jonah and Peter, they may bring upon themselves. 6. When having sinned, they humble themselves, God is near them to receive them to mercy (as to the Prodigal) and to turn away evil, as from Josiah. 7. Them that humble themselves under God's afflicting hand, God graceth with deliverance, as David from Saul, from Absolom. 8. Them that keep themselves humbly within their compass, God teacheth, and keepeth in their places to do good, when others meddling with matters above their reach, run into some error or heresy, and bring shame upon themselves. So 9 Them that be humble towards men, preferring others before themselves, and being low in their own eyes, God graceth with favour, credit, and a good report.  
The Use followeth in the following words.   

Verse 6. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.  
THe Apostle having showed that Humility is an ornament to be laboured for, and given a Reason thereof, he doth here press the same with an Exhortation, teaching both us how to preach, and you how to hear: We must deliver sound Doctrine, prove it strongly by Arguments and Reasons, and then urge the practice thereof, to the avoiding of evil, and performing good, else we do nothing. People also must thus hear; 
How Ministers ought to preach, and people to hear.  when they know a thing, then must they yield to the obedience thereof, else all is nothing. We must be cast into the mould and shape of the Doctrine delivered; we must follow the sample and pattern of the Word; we must write after our copy, though haply we do it not so fairly as were requisite; we must be like the echo that answereth the same sound to the voice, 
Psal. 27. 8.  though not perfectly: Our lives must in some measure be answerable to the word.  
Humble yourselves therefore.] Humility is the way to God's grace. If in seeing our own vileness and sin, we do humble ourselves, God will have mercy on us: Shall not the grace of God allure us, which is more worth than the whole world? what else will? But of this before.  
Under the mighty hand of God,] 
Two other Reasons persuading to humility.  Now follow two other Reasons to persuade to humility; One from God's power, with whom we have to do; the other, from the preferment whereunto we shall attain in due time, he will exalt us.  
From the 1. The mighty hand of God, either to lift us up being humble, or cast us down being proud. Note, that  
The consideration of God's Almightiness is a good mean to make us humble: 
The consideration of God's power a good means to persuade to humility.  See this in Peter, at the great draught of fishes, Depart from me, for I am a sinful man: So Abraham, I am but dust and ashes: So Isaiah, Woe is me, I am undone, etc. Hence God gave his Law in such terrible manner, and humbled his Servants whom he was to send unto his people with fearful visions; 
Isa. 6. 5.  so when God would somewhat take down Job, he did it by showing him his power in his creatures. God's hand indeed is mighty, that made the world of nothing, divided the Red sea, opened the earth in sunder, made the mountains to tremble, and will raise us out of our graves in the last day. This aught much to affect us, that so we might seek to get into his favour, stoop to his Word, submit ourselves under the cross, and be humbled: The want of this is the cause of pride, and that we do not stoop before the Lord: We think because we can make our part good one with another, we can do so with God: But O potsherd, who art thou that strivest with thy maker? What is the potsherd to the bar of iron? whether it give or take the blow, it breaketh into pieces; the proudest Giants have not stood before him when he hath been angry: If the Lion roar, 
Simile.  the Beasts tremble. If a Giant should take an ordinary man in hand, what could he not do? would he not fling him against the ground, and make the earth to ring? so doth God by many a proud man in a year, he flings him on his back against the ground, and makes all the Country ring of the fall.  
O then consider this, and humble thyself for thy sins past; labour to get into God's favour, stoop to his Word when he speaks, yield and bow under his afflicting hand, lest he tear thee in pieces, whiles there is none to help, 
Psal. 2. 12.  if his wrath burn but a little: Oh, Kiss the Son lest he be angry, and ye perish in his wrath: Little did Pharaoh, Nabuchadnezzar, and others, think God had such a mighty hand: Be wise by their harms, stoop in time, lest he make thee have woeful experience of his Almightiness to thy confusion.  
And he will exalt you,] Namely, with grace here and glory hereafter. This is the second Reason, from which note, that  
Humility is the way to glory: 
Humility is the way to glory.  This may be showed in the forementioned properties of humility: If a man confess and humble himself in the sight of sins, God will exalt him with comfort; so will he outwardly advance the humble and dejected. Leah being despised, God made her fruitful, 
Gen. 29. 31.  as David from the Ewes to be anointed, and after he was humbled under many afflictions, 
Psal. 78. 71.  God exalted him to the Kingdom in his own time; 
See job 5. 11. and 22. 29.  so were Joseph, Esther, Mordecai exalted; so will he exalt to glory in Heaven all his that have humbly walked before him amidst their sorrows, 
Prov. 29. 23.  and the many afflictions of this life, as Lazarus.  
Labour we therefore for humility, 
Use.  if we would be indeed exalted.  
In due time.] 
God doth all things in due time.  Though God's servants be not always advanced or delivered when they will, yet shall they in due time: God is not only able and willing to exalt his humble servants, but infinitely wise to know the fittest time: 
jer. 5. 24.  He doth all things in due time: If he deal with the insensible earth (if our sins hinder not) he sends rain, 
Psal. 145. 15.  the former and latter in due season: If with bruit Creatures, he gives them meat in due season, on whom they wait for it, much more will he give unto his own servants: 
Deut. 32. 35.  He that teacheth men to do things in due season, to sow, plant, reap, fell timber, all things to their best advantage, will do his in season. As he pulls down the wicked in due time (though often not when we think good, or so soon as we would, but when it shall be most for his glory, the comfort of his servants, and the greatest shame and astonishment of his adversaries, as it was with the builders of Babel, Haman, and others) so will he also exalt his own, as were Joseph, David, Moses, with others.  
Let us wait upon God patiently, 
Use.  think not long, use the means diligently, and pray, but murmur not, use no unlawful means: We must not despair, though we be not holpen by and by, knowing that the due time is not yet. Sarah and Rebecca failed herein, and used unlawful shifts, the one to obtain a child by her handmaid; the other, the blessing for the Son she loved. Isaac would not do so, but waited and prayed twenty years together for a child, and never would meddle with any handmaid's bed: We may not appoint the Lord the time, whose are times and seasons.   

Verse 7. Casting all your care on him, for he careth for you.  
HEre he exhorts to another necessary virtue, even Faith and Confidence in God, whereby laying aside all superfluous and excessive care, we depend upon God for the welfare both of body and soul: This is of very great use in our life, and that which will make it much more comfortable than most men's lives be. It may depend on the foregoing matter thus, 
The prevention of an Objection.  as an Answer to an Objection that might rise from the former point, which concerneth humility: If we should be thus humble towards men, than should we be misused of all, and made a threshold whereon to tread: No, saith the Apostle, cast your care on God for that, do that you are commanded, and commend yourselves to God, he will care for you; Will he suffer them that obey him to be trodden under foot? No: What will he do then? take the care of them, and that both for body and soul: Here than we have an Exhortation and a Reason.  
Casting all your care on him,] 
Christian's must neither be careless, nor too careful.  What, would he have us altogether careless, and have no regard what becometh of our bodies and souls, but leave all to God? No, there are two extremes to be avoided, too careless, and too careful; a Christian must go in the midst.  
By All, 
They must not be careless  he means all superfluous and distrustful care. God bids we should labour, strive, seek, give all diligence in the matters of Salvation, to get Knowledge, Faith, Repentance, etc. therefore must hear, read, meditate, pray, confer, etc. for though God work both the will and the deed, yet he will have us work out our salvation with fear and trembling; he will not save us without us: So for this life, we must be painful; as Adam both before and after his fall: Every man must have an honest calling, and therein take pains (else he must not eat) that he may be a profitable member in his place: 
Prov. 10. 4.  As the wise man commendeth diligence, so doth he as well speak against idleness; yea, we must have an honest and moderate lawful care; therefore is the sluggard sent to the Ant to forecast, 
Pro. 6. 6.  and save somewhat in youth against age, 
Gen. 41: 48.  in health against sickness, as Joseph in the time of plenty saved for the years of famine; All this God likes well: When these two meet, as they did in that good woman, Pro. 31. or when one is husbandly both for soul and body, as either of them is better then nor, so both of them are excellent: Who may tend upon the good of their souls, better than the diligent and provident? Who may do more good to others than they? for idle persons and unthrifts, are neither good for themselves, nor any body else.  
1. This rebuketh slothful Christians, 
Use 1.  that have no care of their souls, regard not the Lords Market-day, the Sabbath, care not for the Word, or else come coldly unto it, without buying, or labouring to make provision of those graces needful to Salvation; care not for Prayer, the Sacraments, Religious Company, etc. Hence it is that they have ragged, beggarly souls, void of any true riches or spiritual graces, and so will be cast out with Dogs: This will be fearful condemation, that so few wise Merchants purchase the Pearl, lay up treasure for their souls, or seek the true riches in Christ; few labour for the meat that endureth to life everlasting: O the soul is little regarded, and yet what profit is it to win the whole world with the loss thereof?  
2. It rebuketh idle persons, 
Use 2.  that have no Calling, no skill in any, no mind to follow any; or if they do, then do they unthriftily waste their time in drinking, gaming, etc. and when they come home, either through their own pride and unthriftiness or their wives, they lash out as long as their means lasts, without any frugality or moderation, whence poverty taketh hold on them, whereof they should take notice, and reform: Oh, it's an ornament in a Christian to be diligent and frugal.  
The other extreme which is forbidden, 
They must not be too careful.  is, Excessive care; and this is for soul or body: Soul, when we cast distrustful thoughts, or have cares out of our own reach, 
About their souls.  and which be in God's power; as thus, If one that hath been a notorious bad person, hearing the Gospel preached, and Mercy proclaimed to such, should be held off, because he never looks that any such thing should be done to him, but thinks it impossible he should ever come to good, that hath been thus and thus bad, and so hold off, and thinks as good never being to seek to God, for it will never be. This partly must use the means that God hath ordained for miserable sinners to come unto him, and find mercy by, and commend the success to God. Another having begun to find some comfort, and enter upon a good course, is held off, hearing he must renounce all sin, and labour to please God in all things, else no salvation; now he hath one sin or corruption he thinks verily he shall never prevail against, therefore as good never go further: He must use the means of subduing this by the Word, Prayer, the Sacraments, etc. knowing that as God gives him strength against some, he can also and will in time against all corruptions; in the mean time, take it. Another having begun, hears, that he only that endures to the end shall be saved, and he thinks he shall never, but shall fall either finally, and perish, or at least most foully into some error in judgement, or sin in life, and shame all, and therefore as good go no further: But God bids us use the means, and look for good success, and cast ourselves on him. I grant indeed, if we should look upon the world, the Devil, ourselves, we might fear; as also considering that many great ones have fallen; but its like either they trusted to themselves, or neglected the means; which if we do not, God will keep us: If we should use the means, and yet torture ourselves with care, how miserable were our lives? Another saith, he shall never be able to abide persecution and the fire, let such labour for faith and love, and yield to God in what he calls for; bearing present afflictions patiently, whom God will enable to greater, if he shall call them thereto: So some are afraid they shall die a raving death, some that they shall be bedrid and lame, some that if they should have the Stone, or such a grievous torment, they were never able to endure it, etc. It's good in some sort to have some such forethought to quicken our care, but not distrustfully to discourage ourselves. Again, if a man should be so careful for his soul, as to neglect his Calling, and think he should not follow it, this were excessive care.  
Excessive care for the body; 
About their bodies.  it's either for fear of evils, or for obtaining good things: For the 1. O what if I should lose all I have, and come to misery, by Bankrupts, fire, & c? What if I should fall into such a cruel man's hands, he would undo me? Also what if I should for my well doing and profession have my Landlord's displeasure, be put into Courts, brought into trouble, etc. we must labour for grace to bear us out in such things, and for heaven, doing our duty wisely and godly, as Daniel, and leaving the issue to God, on whom we must cast ourselves and our care.  
For the 1. It's either when we take care for the successes of things, which is God's part, or when we use excessive care, that makes us sin, by neglecting some duty, or committing some evil: For successes, as when we have made a bargain, and used the means, than we fall to take thought for the success too; but Oh, if it should not prove well, I should be hindered or undone, but we must use the means, and leave the success to God, when we have used the outward means, and prayed, and so sanctified our labours, than ought we to live by faith, and be assured that we shall have that success that God shall see best. If it shall fall out to my desire, I shall desire to be thankful, if otherwise, 
Hest. 4. 16.  I know God will dispose it to the best, as Esther, If I perish, I perish. For excessive care for worldly things, when men will for these neglect good duties to God, their own Souls, Families, Poor, Word, Sacraments, Prayer, etc. or shall commit evil, by stealing, oppressing, dissembling, defrauding, breaking the Sabbath, etc. This is wicked. Would God have us provide for ourselves with his dishonour, with the wounding of our own souls, and hurting our brethren? or cannot he provide for us sufficiently without these? When we follow our Callings (all duties discharged) and be provident and thrifty that nothing be lost, this is as far as we must go, further we must not, any further is too far.  
1. This rebukes the universal sin in this Land: 
Use 1.  Poor people take such thought what they shall eat, etc. that they lie, steal, etc. The richer sort use all unconscionable courses, dare not come to the Word for fear of wanting, nor read nor pray in their Families, but dare do any evil, or at least be so excessively careful, as that thereupon they use lying, deceit, oppression, racking rents, etc. and this is not the fault of the bad only, but even of God's servants, who be tainted with too much care, under the the colour of lawful care going too too far: They are careful oftentimes about the successes of things, when they might by faith rest quietly on God: They do often neglect good, or post it over, and do evil with more care.  
The root of this in the men of the world, is want of Faith, for had they any persuasion of God's love and care, they would not be thus careful; so also the want of prising, seeking and regarding Heaven and Spiritual things. In God's children, the weakness of Faith is the ground hereof; as also their too little esteeming of heaven and heavenly things: For if we were assured of God's particular caring for us, and that heaven (so excellent a place) is ours, and did more highly esteem of Spiritual graces, with the means thereof, we would spend much time in them, and so be kept from so much worldly care.  
2. Let us therefore labour to be purged of this distrustful care, 
Use 2.  or being free, to keep ourselves so: To this end we must labour for faith, and to increase therein, and highly to prise grace; and the rather must we thus do, because as this vice hath so ill roots, so the fruits are as bad. Excessive care for the world hurts the body, brings grey hairs, distracts and rends the mind asunder, makes a man unfit for any good, unfit to be a good Magistrate (as who will never tend or regard the public good) so to be a good Minister, nay, to be a good householder, as which will justle out or hinder Reading, Prayer, good Duties, etc. It hinders a man from the Word, or if he doth come thereto, he is already so full, as all runs beside, or falls asleep, and so cannot meditate thereon, 
Luke 14. 18.  or receive any comfort thereby; it chokes the Word, 
Luke 21. 34.  yea, in time makes a man mock at it: It makes him unfit to pray or perform any other duty, yea, unfit to die, and for Christ's coming; but fit for all evil, for its the root of all evil, and easily leads a man to the breach of any Commandment: The Devil can fasten any temptation on such a one.  
Let us therefore take heed of it, 
Why we ought not to be too careful of worldly things.  and the rather for that 1. These things be good in a very mean degree, cannot breed contentment, nor make a man happy. 2. They are base, bones for Dogs, such as Reprobates have more in plenty, than God's Children, more meet as wages for slaves, than portions for Children, even the wicked have these, but the godly have spiritual graces here, and hereafter eternal life. 3. They be very vain, subject to many losses and changes; yea, and we are as vain as they, which if we should never lose, yet might be taken from them not twenty or forty years hence, but ere to morrow; and whether we shall leave them to our children, we cannot tell, haply it may be to strangers, yea enemies; if to our children, we know not how they will spend them. If some miserable men that have robbed God, stolen from the poor, sold themselves to the Devil, had but leave to look out of their graves a little, and see who dwells in their houses, and have got that they left, it would increase their torment to see they were such fools: Therefore to be excessively careful, is neither good for ourselves nor our children, we must follow our calling and be thrifty, and go as far as we may lawfully, and no further: We must give our children good education; and if we can do that by good means, all duties discharged, then there's great hope of God's blessing, and if they fear God, it shall be blessed, and that shall be sufficient; and if they fear not God, the more we leave them, it's the worse, and the more hurt they will do: how happy would it have been for many a youth, if he had been left at a trade hard at work, etc. he should not have run into many sins that his abundance hath led him into: If we leave them the poors part, the Minister's part, etc. God will rifle in their pack, and have so many quarrels against them, so that a little by lawful means gotten, shall do them more good, than a great heap of Lamb's grease, when the heat of God's wrath begins to beat upon it: A man's house cannot be established by iniquity. In all these respects, let us take heed of distrustful and excessive care: O how sweetly might a Christian live, if he would follow his Calling diligently and thriftily, and go no further, but leave the rest to God: Thus might we be freed from a world, nay, rather an Hell of cares that now distract us, and make us unfit for good.  
For he careth for you.] 
God cares for his own children.  A main Reason; we may spare all our care, any more than the lawful use of the means; for why, if God care for us, we are well enough; He is infinite in power, therefore nothing impossible to him, nothing can hinder him; He is infinite in love and mercy, therefore ready enough to do us good; so in wisdom, therefore knows what we need, and is good for us: It's not so with the children of any earthly Parents, for they sometimes would care and do for them, and cannot; some can, and will not; some both can and would if they knew, but through distance of place, and such like lets, they know not their state.  
Now that God doth care for his, appears, for he chose us before the Foundation of the world; In Adam He created us happy, and fully furnished us with all things needful for us; In our own Creation, he gave us our shape in our mother's womb, and kept us that we were not stifled: So in our birth, infancy, wanton youth, and wild time, when we cared not for him nor ourselves, he provided for us, as ever since by his Spiritual goodness: He hath provided us a peaceable Land, Magistrates to rule us, Ministers to teach us, given us his Son revealed in the Gospel: He chose us ere we were, therefore will not forsake us being his; gave us his Son, therefore with him will give us all good things; called us of his own free grace without our desire, and will he not fulfil his good works, now we desire it above all things; he gave us life, therefore will give us food and raiment for the preservation thereof: He gave us those without our either care, help or pains, and will he not give us the lesser with our pains? 
Matth. 6. 26.  He feeds the fowls of the air, and clothes the Lilies of the field, and are not we much better than they, 
Use 1.  and can use means more than they?  
1. For so many of us as know God to be our God and Father, let us rest ourselves on this promise, and help ourselves against this world of cares, which through the want of faith doth so much distract us: O the state of God's Children, is a safe happy state, if they knew it, which through faith they might. 
Use 2.   
2. For the world, no marvel though they ca●k and use all unlawful means, seeing they have no Father to care for them, and are poor Orphans: If a poor fatherless boy should run up and down, toil and moil, 
Simile.  and be careful to please every body, every one would say, Alas, it's a fatherless child, etc. but if a rich man's Son should so do, and whine and drudge, and pilfer, getting into one bodies cupboard, and stealing a loaf, into another's cellar, and stealing drink, into another's field, and stealing his hedges, would not every one cry out on such a one, 
See Matth. 6. 32.  and would it not be an horrible disgrace both to the Son and Father? So it is with the godly and ungodly about these worldly things, etc.   

Verse 8. Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring Lion walking about, seeketh whom he may devour.  
HEre follow two other most necessary Exhortations, the one to sobriety, the other to watchfulness, and that from the danger that else we must needs fall into, by reason of a most dangerous adversary that seeks by all subtlety and diligence our destruction: fitly are these joined together, that before this; for as a drunken man cannot hold open his eyes, so cannot an intemperate man in these things keep a Spiritual watch.  
Be sober,] 
What Sobriety is.  Sobriety is a moderation and right use of our lawful liberties which are given us of God, not to be used as we will, but as may stand with these three main ends, the glory of God, our own good, and the Salvation of our Brethren: Our lawful liberties are meat, drink, apparel, recreation, mirth, use of marriage and riches, all which may be reduced to these two heads; namely, Pleasure, and Profit. But of this heretofore.  
Be vigilant,] 
What watchfulness is here required.  He means not of the bodily sleep (that's not prohibited, so it be in fit time; the night not the day, so it be in fit place; our Chambers, not the Church, in fit measure to enable us the more for the duties of our Calling) but of the sleep of the soul, for there be many that be awake in body, rising early, and go late to bed, which yet are in a spiritual sleep in respect of their souls, fast asleep in their sins, and lie snorting in deep security of sin. 
What Spiritual watchfulness is.  Watchfulness is a diligent and continual looking to ourselves, that both in thought, word and deed we may resist evil, 
A man must be awakened before he can watch.  and do the good we ought. This is the work only of a good Christian, who being awakened out of his sins, hath obtained the pardon of them, and assurance thereof, and therefore hath set his heart to lead a godly life, 
Eph. 5. 14.  and to please God in all things: It's requisite then that a man be awakened before he can watch, as we bid not a man fast asleep look to this or that, but first to wake, and then look to it; we bid not a man that is down, run, but first to get up on his feet, and then run.  
By nature we are asleep in sin, 
By nature we are asleep in sin, which is diversely proved.  yea dead therein: For 1. As in the bodily sleep all the senses are bound up; So in the Spiritual, a natural man hears not the voice of God, hears not the alarms either of mercies or judgements: He sees not one step of the way to Heaven, nor the danger he is in; Though he wallow in the mire of foul sins, that a good man will stop his nose at, yet he smells nothing; he cannot taste good and evil asunder, but calls sweet, sour: The Word, good Counsel, good Company, etc. wherein God's people take most delight, are bitter to him: Though the word hit him never so hard blows, he feels not, as neither, though he wound his own conscience with never so foul sins. And 2. As a man asleep loves not to be awaked, so a natural man out of his sins, and to be called upon to repent. 3. As in sleep men dream of that they have not, so a natural man dreams he is in a very good case, hath faith, repentance, love, etc. when it's nothing so, and when he awakes he confesseth it. 4. As a man in sleep speaks some good words, but knows not what, and by and by is out; so a natural man in good company will speak good words, but hath no feeling of them, and will again be quickly out of them. 5. As a man before he sleeps, giveth direction that none awake him, and turns from the one side to the other, sleeping now on the one, then on the other; so a natural man will not be called upon to repentance, having slept long enough on the one side in prodigality, will haply turn on the other, and lie as long in covetousness. 6. As a man that hath been in a long deep sleep can hardly be awakened, though it thunder, though the winds be ready to blow down the house he hears nothing; so it's hard to awaken any out of sin, especially when they have lain long, and lived therein, no Preaching or calling on, no Judgements of God, though never so apparent, can awake them from their security. 7. As sleep is an image of the first death, so is sleep in sin of the second.  
Therefore we must endeavour for faith, 
Use.  and set upon a good life, we must learn to watch and keep us well while we be well: 
john 5. 25.  To this end, we must make use of the Trumpet of the Word daily sounding in our ears, and take notice of God's Judgements, both on ourselves and others: What may not induce us hereunto?  
Reasons are many. 
Reasons for watchfulness.  1. We are of the day, and the light of the word shines in our faces: It's enough for them in the night of Popery, and where the word is not, 
1 Thess. 5. 5.  to sleep in sin; he is a sluggard indeed that sleeps, when the Sun shines his face: Some of you have slept till nine a clock, till high noon, till three in the afternoon, for shame awake. 2. He that sleepeth in Harvest, 
Prov. 10. 5.  is the Son of confusion. This is the plentiful harvest of the Gospel: Now there is good to be done, good gathering of faith, knowledge, repentance, and such other graces. 3. It's a shame to sleep when others be at work: Many through God's grace be awakened by the word, and are busily working out their Salvation, labouring for grace, and using the means diligently, and will you lie snorting in sin? then will they be provided of necessaries, when you will perish. 4. It's a shame to sleep, when all one's work lies to do, but many among us have done just nothing of that that God hath set them here for, nothing done towards their Salvation, but all against it; awake therefore ere night come, when you cannot work. 5. It were strange if a man should sleep when he were in great danger, 
See jonah 1. 5.  the house burning over their heads, or in an hideous Tempest, ready to be cast away, but every natural man hangs as it were over the pit of Hell by a twined thread. 6. It were strange if one should still sleep, having many Messengers sent to awake him: Some will say, If any had called me, I would have awaked with all my heart; we are called by Sermon after Sermon, by this Preacher, that Preacher, the other, etc. to whom the Lord will say, Did not I send you and you to awake such a man, etc. you are now come under the means of awakening; O that it might please God to bless his Word, in piercing the ears of your soul to this end: And be not half awaked, and afterward when you be gone hence, fall asleep again; as a man in a deep sleep, being called upon, he begins to stir, and lift up an eye, and it may be his head from his pillow, but hearing no more, he lies down again, and falls again as fast asleep as before; let it not be so with us. Some, I doubt not, begin to think with themselves about awaking, and that it were good for them so to do; but beware when you be gone hence, you lay not your head down again, but come and hear again and again, till you be sound awakened, that you may not hereafter sleep any more; if you be not awaked, you must perish for ever. A man would be loath to die in his Natural sleep, having gone well to bed, and thinking of no such thing, yet this cannot hurt a good man; but to die in the Spiritual sleep is damnable. And I beseech you young men and women be awakened betimes, defer no longer, the longer the worse: Come to a man newly gone to bed, ye may easily awake him; come an hour after, more hardly, but come at midnight, and then though you call and shout, you can scarce awake him: Sleep not till your middle age, you can hardly be awaked then, but if till your old age, with exceeding difficulty, if at all. But of this also I have spoken before.  
Because your adversary the Devil, as a roaring Lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.] A Reason of the forementioned Exhortation: By yielding thereto we shall take away advantage from the Devil, who else will draw us into manifold temptations: He is here described by all things that make a dangerous Enemy; as Malice, called therefore Our adversary, the Devil; Strength, called therefore A Lion, A roaring Lion; Subtilty, That he walketh about, seeketh by all ways and means, as by violence and craft to draw us into evil; Diligence, That he walketh about, etc.  
His malice is exceeding against God, 
Satan's malice exceeding great.  and man especially, God's people, and against all goodness: It hath been so from the beginning; from his fall he was filled with malice against God, labouring by all means, that no reasonable creature might praise him on earth: His envy also against mankind continueth, he is still a most deadly enemy against all goodness and means thereof, against good persons, good duties, good meetings, the Word, Sacraments, Prayer, Fasting, etc. labouring to hinder these, and the good success of them; as the good Angels are filled with love and zeal to God and goodness, rejoicing at the conversion of a sinner; so is the Devil on the contrary, yea, his malice is deadly, nothing will content him but our blood, and destruction both of body and soul; therefore called Satan, An Adversary, The Envious man, The Accuser of the Brethren, A Murderer from the beginning; and because there is no man so vile, but hath some relics of humanity in him, he is compared to the Beasts without reason, and so termed here A roaring Lion, as elsewhere, A red Dragon, etc. he it is that first tempts, and then accuseth us to God, and ready to be the executioner: Let him suck the blood of never so many, 
Rev. 12. 12.  yet is not his malice the more satisfied; he hath been so from the beginning, but now more by much, because his time is but short.  
Strength: 
Satan's strength.  He was strong by Creation, which though it be diminished, yet continueth it exceeding great: He can do marvellous things, though no true miracles. Through God's permission he were able to do infinite mischief, see in Job, what havoc he soon made; his names declare it, The strong armed man, A Lion, yea, A roaring Lion, his strength being doubled with hunger, A great red Dragon, Principalities, Powers, etc. Prince of this world, bearing a great sway, and having many at his command; The God of this world, yea, that doth almost what he list, and who in respect of man's power to resist, hath as it were an Omnipotent strength to do what he list: And as he is wonderful in strength, so he knows it well enough, and is audacious and bold to put it out to the outmost; when he may (as to Job) he will set upon any the greatest and worthiest servants of God, and sometimes foil them: He set upon David, a man according to Gods own heart, and foiled him twice shamefully, and again got him to number the people: He winnowed Peter that was so courageous, he buffered Paul that valiant Champion; yea, he set upon our first Parents in their innocency, when he had no great likelihood of prevailing; yea, upon our Saviour Christ himself, having no likelihood at all, and that again, and again, and again; and when he had been so often foiled, yet he departed from him but for a season, who no doubt was busy with him in his passion in the garden.  
Subtilty: 
Satan's subtlety  He was made exceeding wise by Creation, which is not lost, but perverted and turned to evil; much hath been revealed to him, and wonderful much he hath gotten by his almost 6000 years' experience, which would make a simple body wise, yet he hath not an absolute knowledge; He knows not our thoughts and hearts perfectly, nor things to come, but he can guests very shrewdly and nearly at them by signs, and comparing things passed with present, as at our thoughts by observing our speeches, actions and desires; So at future things, by knowing and seeing further into the nature of things, and of men's bodies, than men can, but he is exceeding cunning to do evil and compass his purpose; He was so at first, much more now, therefore called, 
Matth. 4. 3.  not a Tempter, but the Tempter, by way of excellency; he that hath the Art and Trade of Tempting, 
Rev. 12. 9  that is the Master thereof, all others learning of him: So the old Serpent, which was subtle at first, 
Gen. 3. 1, 3, 4, etc.  but now much more; How cunningly dealt he with Eve? 1. He goes to her, not to Adam. 2. When she was alone. 3. Pretends great good will. 4. Takes away the fear of all danger. 5. Tells her of great benefits which would come by eating of the forbidden fruit, yea, such a benefit as she most desired, and was most fit to tempt her, she wanted nothing but to be as God, etc. 6. He shows her the beauty of the fruit, and how like it was to be good meat, and so perverted her: So dealt he with our Saviour Christ, when he had fasted forty days, 
Matth. 4. 2.  and was alone in the wilderness, than he tempts him to trust; and not prevailing therein, to presume; wherein failing, he propounds wealth and honour: So now, he tempts some to be Atheists, and of no Religion; if not so, then to be of a false Religion; if not so, then to be careless and idle professors of the true; if not so, but that men will be somewhat careful, to read, hear, get knowledge, be forward, than he labours to lift them up with pride, and blow them out of the Church to Amsterdam, make them too forward, etc. yea, some he will not leave there, but provoke them further, to be Anabaptists, nay Sebaptists, as Mr. Smith, who Baptised himself: If he cannot tempt men to keep from Church, then will he go with them, to hinder them from receiving any good there, and there bring them asleep, if they be inclined that way; or if not, then fill their heads with worldly thoughts; if not so, than he brings in good thoughts of some good things, that at another time were good, but now out of season, as thoughts of some other Sermon; so in Prayer, he fills the head with odd and strange thoughts, or else with thoughts of the Sermon, to keep them from lifting up their hearts wholly to God: If he cannot keep men in presumption, but that they be troubled about their estate, than he seeks to drown them in despair: Bad men he will incite to those evils they be most apt to; Civil men he will keep in a coldness in Religion, and carelessness in the matters of Salvation, as about the Word, Sacraments, Sabbath, Prayer; Good men he will incite to do good things, but to ill ends, or if they propound good ends to themselves, to compass them by unwarrantable means; Thus is he a cunning fisher and fowler? He hath baits and nets for all kinds, high and low, rich and poor, learned and unlearned, men, women, young, old, he will spread them, and so lay them, that he will not lightly miss: He hath for every sex, age, constitution, complexion, state and condition; he will make his shraps of profits, or pleasures, or honours, and then get in some, especially of the fairest marks, and set them up as a stall, and by both together tills in many.  
Diligence.] 
Satan's Diligence.  He will spare for no pains, he rests neither night nor day, but goeth about continually; His occupation is to compass the Earth: If he prevail not at one time, he will come again and again; yea, he will not leave a man as long as he lives; and though there be such an infinite number alive at once in the world, yet what with the multitude of Devils, and with their most exceeding diligence, and unwearied pains, no man is free: So that he is armed on all sides to do mischief: If he were malicious and had no power, we might despise him; if power and no malice, or but a little, we might the less fear him; or if malice and strength, yet if he had no wit nor cunning, there were much less danger, for he were as a Giant without eyes, one might keep out of his hands; or if he were all those, and yet were lazy, and could take no pains, we might be free most what, but put altogether: O Lord, who shall escape him?  
1. No marvel that most men go the broad way, 
Use 1.  and perish, and so few be saved, seeing there is such an enemy, and so armed, and so followed, that hath sworn all men's destruction; he so malicious, and we so careless of our Salvation; he so strong, and we so weak; he so subtle, and we so simple for our souls, and in Spiritual things; he so diligent, and we so retchless and lazy in the great matters of our soul. Every man by nature loveth sin, and carrieth along with him as ready a disposition to yield to temptations, as Satan is to tempt him: Marvel not that so few, but that any are saved; and if thou hast any hope and assurance, wonder and praise: If God were not infinite in wisdom, power, love and care over us, we should certainly perish.  
2. See what wonderful need there is of diligent, 
Use 2.  continual, zealous, earnest and plain preaching of the Word; it's that must cast the strong man out: 
Acts 26. 18.  This is the mean to scale his walls, batter his Kingdom; were it not for this, he would do what he list in the world, and carry all to destruction: Where this is not, he may sit and sleep, for his work and will goes forward; What should let? therefore it's no marvel he is such an Enemy to it, and the Preachers thereof. O what should become of God's people already plucked out of his Kingdom, if they had not the Word to show his subtleties, what is the will of God, what good, what evil, how to do it, what be the advantages that Satan takes, and how we may be able to resist them? Hence God's servants are made wise, and strengthened against his Temptations; they come weak to the Word, but go from thence mightily strengthened: What do they then that seek the hindrance of the faithful and zealous preaching of the Word, but gratify the Devil in an high degree, and work journeywork to him in the best manner; it's to learn the Devil to have his will, to devour what souls, and as many as he lists.  
3. We may wonder and praise God, 
Use 3.  that seeing there be so many Devils, and such as we have spoken of, that the Church of God can be upon the face of the earth, that it is not rooted out and swallowed up, the Devil having so many and such armed instruments in the world: A wonder the Church hath any abiding, but that God Almighty hath a care of it, and will defend and preserve it; Christ Jesus the Husband thereof, will not suffer his Spouse to be trodden under: We may wonder we be yet a people under this peace of the Gospel, there being so many Papists within and without the Land; and such an infinite number of most subtle and malicious Jesuits, that like the Devil, go up and down compassing the earth to work mischief: That poor weak men and women in themselves, sinful and poor creatures, should yet be got out of Satan's power, and then defended from his malice; not in body, goods and name only, but from his deadly temptations, and to escape them, and get safe to Heaven. O this is God's Almighty power and goodness; so may every poor Christian man say, and wonder.  
4. This rebuketh 1. Such as make a League with the Devil to obtain their purposes; 
Use 4.  It was death by the Law of God, 
Exod. 22. 18.  and so ought to be still: What fools be these? They think the Devil serves them, and is at their command, when indeed he hath got them to serve him, and that in an high degree of sin to their destruction. 2. Such as seek to such for things lost, or for cure from them, for them and theirs: Those woeful Creatures, seeking to the sworn Enemy of mankind for help, are like to speed, as if a Lamb should run to a roaring Lion to be kept from harm. 
Simile.  Think they that he will do them any little pleasure outwardly, unless to fasten deadly on their souls to work the ruin of them? His help is as the milk which Jael presented unto Sisera. 3. All such as live in sin, and so serve the Devil; These count him not a deadly Enemy, if they did, they would not be at his beck, as the most part be; Though they stop their ears against God, their Parents, Magistrates, Friends, yet they open them to all his temptations; no Servant can serve his Master so diligently, as the world doth the Devil, even with all the might both of their bodies and minds, speaking, and writing, and employing both their goods and pains on his behalf, and for sin, and that both night and day: What he bids them do, they do, Lie, Swear, Curse, break the Sabbath, Oppress, Cousin, Mock, etc. who yet (for that their humour likes it, and its agreeable to their own mind) observe not Satan's policy herein, nor suspect him for an Enemy: They will say, they hate the Devil as much as any, and defy him; alas, he can give them leave so to do, as long as they serve him, and do his works; This is as good as Popish holy Water, and crossing themselves. 4. All civil persons that say they never found the Devil so troublesome as they hear folks talk; They never doubted of their Salvation, were ready to make away themselves, were never troubled with such wicked and blasphemous or troublesome thoughts, were never so troubled but that they could go to Church, and serve God quietly, etc. True, the Devil tempts them not to despair, because he hath them fast enough in pride and presumption: He tempts them not to foul sins, because he sees God hath restrained them, and so that there's no great likelihood he shall prevail, neither cares he, seeing he hath them fast enough in the main; namely, in ignorance, unbelief, or carelessness of the first Table: He troubles them not with thoughts it may be when they go to good duties, because he knows they are likely not to do any good duty; yet he tempts them in things, which through blindeness they discern not, as being none of the foulest things as they think: Though in the hearing of the Word they have many wand'ring by-thoughts, they feel not that the Devil is at their elbow, and at work with them, because they make no account of such small things; also about worldly idle speeches on the Sabbath, they see not Satan going along with them, because they count them small, whereas a good Christian in these espies Satan, and is troubled thereat: when the strong man hath and holds his Possession, all things are at peace, the Devil having these fast enough, he cares not for troubling them; but let him be about to be cast out, and then I'll warrant you he will bestir himself, and they shall have trouble. Let a civil man that lived never so quietly before, be smitten in conscience for his sins, and begin to be converted, he shall find his case altered, and that the Devil will do him all the mischief he is able, and this is a great deal better than before; and men should labour to be at enmity with him, and must pray that the stronger man, even Christ, would put him out of his possession.  
5. This should rouse up the servants of God out of security and intemperance: 
Use 5.  Have they need to be drunk with the world, or be asleep, having such an Enemy? aught they not rather to be sober, and continually to watch to save themselves from his deadly enmity.  
Against his malice let us have Christian resolution, and earnestness to seek after salvation.  
Against his power let us set the power of God, and be strong in his might, craving his assistance continually, for we have no power of ourselves; he that should trust to himself, should speed as this our Apostle; we must always have recourse to God, saying with David, God is my Castle, 
Psal. 18. 2.  Rock, Tower of Defence, in him will I trust.  
Against his subtlety, 
Col. 3. 16.  let us labour to be wise in the Word of God, read, hear, meditate, confer, that it may dwell plentifully in our hearts in all wisdom, and labour for the wisdom of the Spirit of God, that thereby we may spy Satan's subtleties, and be holpen to avoid them; and let us have the fear of God always in our hearts, and before our eyes, which is true wisdom: Through this alone we avoid Satan's snares, and are not ignorant of his wiles; who so Achitophel like, think by worldly policy to resist the Devil, the Devil will make fools of them, and ensnare them at his pleasure.  
Against his diligence, let us be as diligent and watchful; we must not be weary, or give over our watch at any time, if we do, we must prepare our throats for destruction; Satan gives no truce. Not a few Christians have no such fear of this enemy as they should, neither do they furnish themselves against him as they should, but are careless, silly and negligent. Hereby it comes to pass that the Devil hath his will too much, and too often of us, and catcheth us here and there; as to neglect one duty, to do another untowardly, and to fall into this or that evil, and so makes us to dishonour God, to wound our own consciences, and to give ill example to others: If we had a bodily Enemy thus armed, how would we fear? If there were a great Lion in our fields, and which did haunt our grounds, how afraid would we be? but there's a roaring Lion, a red Dragon, an old Serpent, lies in wait for us, who may do us more mischief than all the Lions, Dragons or Serpents in the world, and yet we are careless. Here he is not thus fearfully described to discourage us, or make us cast away all our weapons, as though there were no resisting, but to watch and be careful; and then, though he be as he is, we may be preserved from his anger; for though he be malicious, yet God is most merciful and careful for us: Though he be strong, yet God is stronger: His power is limited, he cannot do what he will to the godly (as to Job) nay, not to reprobates, as to Saul and Ahab, the Devils had leave, before they could do their feats, nay, till they had leave they could not enter into the Swine: And though he be so subtle, yet the wisdom of God is far beyond his craft to catch him in it, as he hath done many a time; as in the fall of our first Parents, he thought the same should have been to God's utter dishonour, and that he should not have a Creature on earth to serve him, which yet turned to God's greater glory; the like might be instanced about the death of Christ: So he can turn his temptations to nothing, to folly, to our greater good: And though he be diligent, 
Psal. 121. 4.  yet have we a God that keepeth Israel, who neither slumbers nor sleeps. 
Rev. 5. 5.  The Devil is a Lion, but we have a Lion of the tribe Judah to fight against him: He is strong, but God is stronger than all; they be innumerable, but God is greater than all together; and to help our weakness, we have the good Angels to take our part, more with us then be against us: He is a Spirit, but the Spirit of God is in us more active, nimble and wise than he; we have no cause therefore to be dismayed: Let us hold our Faith, Hope and Confidence, and go on in a godly course, and in the end we shall get to Heaven. Praised be God, praised be God alone: To God only be glory for this.   

Verse 9 Whom resist steadfast in the Faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your Brethren that are in the world.  
HEre are the means set down, whereby we must oppose the Devil; and through the use of which we may prevail against him; namely, By being steadfast in the faith.  
Whom resist] The course to be taken with an Adversary, 
Satan is to be resisted.  is either to make peace with him, to yield to him, to flee from him, or resist him. To flee from Satan we cannot, from men we may; but not from him, as who will be with us whithersoever we go: To yield to him we may not, than we spoil all, that were to be his servants to our destruction; to make peace with him we must not, for his malice is unquenchable, and he will still seek our destruction, therefore we must resist him, and herein only is our safety.  
1. We have a warrant and command for this. 
Reasons.  2. We promised so to do in our Baptism. 3. If we resist not, we can never come into Heaven; 
1 Cor. 16. 13.  for none come there, 
Eph. 6. 10, 11.  but such as overcome, such as are conquerors, 
jam. 4. 7.  who have palms in token of victory: See 2 Tim. 4. 8. James 1. 12. Rev. 2. 26. and 3. 10. and 7. 14. 4. If we do not fight and resist, we shall surely be destroyed: Every coward will fight, when he sees there's no other remedy. 5. If we resist, we are sure to overcome; for we fight not in our own might, but under our Captain Christ Jesus, 
Rom. 16. 20.  who hath bruised and broke the Serpent's head in his own person, and will do also in us: We resisting as he requires, it were a disgrace to him if we should be overcome; nay, most certain it is, that no Soldier of Christ Jesus, resisting by the armour of his appointing, can ever be finally or wholly vanquished.  
1. This rebuketh all those that resist not Satan at all, 
Use 1.  or as they ought; as 1. The profane sort that live in sin; these resist not, but rather serve the Devil: They resist God, his Word, the Spirit, good Counsel, all the means which are used to draw them from their sins; but Satan's temptations (as serving their humour) they resist not; this is the cause that Hell is so full: If the Devil persuade them to any evil, they are as ready to yield, as he to tempt. 2. Civil persons, they resist not the Devil, as conceiving their case to be good enough, for that they are not (as they conceive) so bad as others, though to neglect all duties in their families, and towards their souls, and to pass the Sabbath in worldly talk, and to be little at the Sacrament, or without any preparation, be frequent with them. 3. Hypocrites, who though they resist him in some things, yet in others yield, which is enough to their destruction. 4. Backsliders, that resisted him a while, and seemed to be well minded, & to be sorry for time past, & were fully purposed to take a new course, and seemed so to do for a time, that yet afterward returned to their old vomit, and yielded to his will and temptations, as they did before: This resisting was nothing, unless they had so continued to the end, and until they had overcome; for not they that make a flourish, and strike a few blows, and then fly or yield themselves to the Enemy, shall be crowned: O let all such repent of their baseness, and yielding themselves into the Devil's hands, and to his temptations, as also of their breach of promise in Baptism; and for the time to come, let them learn to know what is the will of God, and which be Satan's temptations, and resist the same, and that constantly, and in all things; so shall the second death have no power over them, but they shall conquer here, and be crowned eternally hereafter.  
2. This reproveth weak Christians, 
Use 2.  yea, sometimes even them who have well profited, and yet will show themselves weak in this, that if the Devil have any temptations against them, telling them they be hypocrites, and that they shall not be pardoned, their sins being so great, and their hearts to sinful, what do they but consent, and say as he saith, against themselves, and so yield; what a folly is this? Is not the Devil adversary enough, but that you must also be an enemy to yourselves? and do you know its the Devil, who is a liar, and yet suffer yourselves to be carried away by him, and say as he saith? a murderer, and yet yield to him? fie upon it, you ought to resist, & have recourse to your friends for aid; even seek unto God by prayer, search the promises laid down in the Word, listen to good counsel, etc. yea, when a man hath spent a good time in labouring to comfort them by the Word, they yet are at the same stay, and yield more to a temptation which is a lie, then to all that can be said against it; also, many and most Christians, alas, how little do they resist? how often do they yield? If he tempt them to lay aside prayer for trifles, or to keep them from the Word, there being this or that to do, how quickly do they yield? Many also are so silly, that they see not one of ten of Satan's temptations, and are so careless, that they fear them not: Thus sometimes they omit good duties, sometimes mar a good duty in the doing, are sometimes overcome in small things: What if they be not great things? The least sins be against God, hurt our souls, hinder our peace, make our comfort the less. If Satan come with some great thing, we fear, and look about us, he would wound us at the heart; but would we be willing to be hurt in the leg or arm? we must not yield at any time, in any thing, how small soever, but manfully and constantly stand in opposition.  
Steadfast in the faith,] 
Faith gives Satan the foil.  Faith is a principal piece of our Christian Armour; 
Eph. 6.  God's Armour is Spiritual not Carnal, and though here one part be prescribed, yet we must not content ourselves therewith, But put on the whole armour of God; for so we shall overcome: The Armour of Gods making shall prevail.  
1. If none can resist nor overcome but they that have these weapons, 
Use 1.  What shall become of most, who have not so much as one of them, not Faith, nor Hope, nor Righteousness, nor Truth, & c? They must needs be a prey to the Devil as unarmed Creatures; They have been told of this Enemy, and that there was a complete Armour of Proof, which they might have if they would take pains; they neglecting the same, their condemnation will be of themselves.  
2. It rebukes Christians that put on their Armour to halves, 
Use 2.  leaving off and neglecting this or that piece, and so are often overcome; we must get it all, and buckle it well and close to us every morning, yea, never lay off any part of it; we may do any thing in it, work, ride, lie down, sleep, do any good, etc.  
More particularly, 
Eph. 6.  faith is a principal piece of this Armour: Above all, 
1 john 5.  put on the shield of faith, that will quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one: This is also the Victory that overcomes the world, even our Faith: This takes hold of the promises laid down in the Scriptures, of Providence, Provision, Preservation, Salvation, and is found by experience to be a notable means to resist all temptations in any kind, as worldliness, fearfulness, etc.  
They then that are void of faith cannot resist the Devil, 
True faith rare.  and how rare is true faith among men? The world imagine that its easy to believe, but God's Servants find the contrary.  
Steadfast,] 
What faith it is that prevails over Satan.  It's not a small or weak faith, but a strong and steadfast faith, that must resist and overcome the Devils Temptations, especially great ones: Such Christians than are to be blamed, which content themselves almost with a show of faith; so that when they come to lie on their death beds, after long profession, their hope is so faint, and their persuasion so weak, as that it's to be wondered at, who then might have been triumphing in assurance.  
So in their lives, 
Use.  their faith is so weak, as that every temptation shakes them, 
Matth. 14.  as the Disciples at a little Tempest: O that Christians can hold the hope of their Salvation so slenderly, and have such poor evidence, when as they should be able to prove it by many infallible Arguments.  
Obj. But the least measure of true faith will save. 
Obj.   
Answ. True, 
Sol.  but poorly. A weak tattered ship may come safe to Land, 
Simile.  but with how many dangers and fears, whereas a strong and well rigged Ship comes with more assurance and content to the Passengers.  
Knowing that the same affliction, 
All Gods children are liable to Satan's temptations.  etc.] A Reason to persuade us to resist the Devil, and not to be discouraged, because it's not our case alone to be tempted and molested by Satan and his Instruments, but of all the Servants of God every where: Satan spiteth not some few, though he doth them most, which most oppose him, but he hateth and seeketh to mischief all the Servants of God whatsoever: As Pharaoh pursued not some few of the Israelites, but all of them, to fetch them back again; so doth the Devil set himself against all the Israel of God: There's enmity between the seed of the Woman, and the seed of the Serpent; He set upon David, resisted Jeshua, etc. tempteth all, 
2 Tim. 3. 12.  spares none: All that will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution: There's none so tempted, but others have met with the like; Thus will the Lord have all to be humbled, thus prove them, thus set their graces on work, yea, thus increase grace in them.  
We must therefore be the more comfortable, 
Use.  seeing we have so many, and such Companions, would we go to Heaven an easier way than all the Servants of God have gone? we are well if we go the same Sanctified way; And as we go in no harder way than others, so we must not look to have a soft and fine way strewed out for us alone, this were too much daintiness. True, it is the Devil that will persuade us, and we are ready to think no bodies case like ours: O I have had such temptations. That there is no God, that the Scriptures be false, innumerable blasphemous thoughts! so to rebel against God, to hurt myself, etc. O be not discouraged, others of God's Servants have met with all these: So we are ready to think our pain, or cross, or kind of life, to be more painful than any others, whereas it is nothing so; and this the Devil persuades to, that we might conceive that God hath picked us out for his Enemies, and so might move us to distrust, and put us out of comfort.  
Are accomplished,] 
God enables his children to overcome Satan's temptations.  That is, both suffered and overcome by them. Hence note, That  
God lays no temptation on his, but he enables them to overcome it; They have no power of their own, but by his they are able to do all things; yea, even such as ourselves have gone through the fire itself.  
This may encourage us to fight and resist manfully, 
Use.  for as others have overcome, so shall we, who do no more fight in our strength, than they did; we have had many a temptation, that we feared sometimes we should not have prevailed over, which yet through God's goodness we have now outgrown; So shall it be with the rest.  
Obj. But seeing they knew this before, 
Obj.  why doth he urge this as a Reason to comfort and hearten them, and not rather some others which they knew not?  
Answ. Because though they knew it, 
Sol.  yet they had not so the use of it, as to be heartened by it: It's one thing to know a thing, another to be able to apply it, and make use of it, according to our need: The common sort know many principles, and many truths, whereof yet they make no use of their lives, and live as if they knew no such thing, whose knowledge doth but procure them the more stripes.  
1. It's therefore the Ministers duty, 
Ministers must endeavour as to inform the understanding, so to work on the affections of their people.  not to inform the understanding only, but to labour and work upon the dull affections, and to bridle the unruly lusts of the heart, and bring them to stoop: If people could make use and apply a thing as soon as they knew it, a Minister's life would be more easy than it is; but the wisdom and skill is to wind into the people's hearts, and to work a love to that they know is good, and an hatred to that that is evil.  
2. People must not content themselves to know, 
People must join practice to their knowledge.  but look they put in practice that they know: If ye know these things (saith our Saviour) happy are ye if ye do them: O how many promises do God's people know, whereby yet they are not comforted.  
In your brethren,] 
There's a near conjunction between believers.  There's a near conjunction between believers: They are fellow-brethrens, of the best brotherhood; God is their Father, the Church is their Mother, they are begot of the same immortal Seed, nourished by the same food of the Word, Heirs of the same Inheritance, are Members of the same Body.  
1. This rebukes them that scoff, like Ishmael, at the term of Brethren or Brotherhood, who yet can be content to have a Brotherhood between themselves in swaggering, lewd companionship, etc. such scoff at the language of the most High.  
2. It teacheth us to embrace each other with brotherly entire affections, 
Use 1.  and express them by brotherly actions; as good counsels, admonitions, exhortations, prayer, example, rejoicing with them that do rejoice, and weeping with them that weep, etc.  
3. This rebuketh not only the want of these (which is very common) but also and especially the contentions and jars that are often between Christians: 
Use 2.  If Parents should have of their children some going together by the ears, and that before the rest of their Brethren and Sisters, yea, before the servants and strangers, how would it grieve them? so doth it God, if we shall before his face, and our Mother the Church, our fellow Brethren and Sisters, to their grief, yea, before the Canaanites and Perizzites, who will laugh thereat: If, I say, we shall thus contend and strive together, how monstrous is this? either we must unchristian ourselves and one another, or else we offer violence to Christ's body, pulling one member from another, which he will not endure. What if there be a sudden offence or falling out between any, is there not a time to forget, to be reconciled, and to heal up all?  
That are in the world,] 
God's Church is dispersed throughout the world.  That is, dispersed here and there in the world. Hence note, That  
God hath his Church far and wide in many places. In former times indeed it was hemmed within the compass of Jury; but since our Saviors time, it's spread into all Nations, though not into all at once: This in some Countries more visible, in others less, because of persecution, wherein yet no doubt are Seven thousand that never bowed their knee unto Baal.  
We must therefore pray earnestly for all God's people that be in other Country's; 
Use.  they have as much need of prayers as we, and as many, yea, the same temptations with us, yea, most of them far greater: They love the same God and Jesus Christ that we do, are led by the same Spirit, look for the same glory, have the same hearts to God, have the same Devil for their enemy; therefore pray for them, for so we may do them good, though they be thousands of miles from us, and love we them when we hear of them, for they be our Brethren.  
In the world,] 
The Saints in Heaven are free from temptations.  As if he should have said, There are some of your Brethren indeed, that are not under these temptations, namely, They that be out of the world, they which be triumphing in Heaven: They rest from their labours, and are blessed: They triumph with palms, are out of danger: No temptation, no trouble toucheth them, but all that be in the world be in the same troubles.  
1. Therefore whilst we are in this world, 
Use 1.  do not we look for any time of truce; we may be foiled in our old age, if we look not to it, as many worthy men have been: We must not therefore lay away our weapons, we may hap to have a sore combat on our deathbed.  
2. Long to be with God, 
Use 2.  and so to be out of temptations, though not so earnestly, but that we be content to tarry the Lords leisure, and work ere we look for wages, in the mean time doing him the best service we can: Some offend in impatient haste, they would be crowned ere they have fought up their fight; some again linger here too much, not for the right ends (for we should be content, and desire for some respects of God's glory and others benefit, to tarry here still) but for worldly respects, which we must carefully avoid.   

Verse 10. But the God of all grace, who hath called us into his eternal glory by Christ Jesus after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you.  
HEre followeth the conclusion of the Epistle, in which the Apostle prayeth for them whom he hath taught, and desires an effectual blessing upon that he hath written to them: Thereafter he commendeth to them his Epistle, and lays down the sum of it, next sends his salutations, then wisheth them to love each other, and testify the same, & lastly with a short prayer for them, takes his leave of them.  
In this Verse he prays for them, even that God would daily increase them in all grace toward perfection, and at last perfect them, after the few afflictions that he hath here appointed them to go through; and in the mean time, that he would confirm, strengthen and establish them in knowledge, obedience and faith, that they might not be removed nor shaken through their troubles, from their good beginnings. Hereof also he rendereth some Reasons, 1. Because he of whom he begs the same, is the God and Author of all grace; not of every kind of grace only, but of every measure of grace. 2. He hath already showed them mercy, and bestowed grace on them, and called them out of the world, and from their corrupt estate of blindeness, unbelief, impenitency, to the knowledge, faith & obedience of the gospel, & of Jesus Christ, therefore he will go on and finish his work: And in this 2d Reason are sundry others couched; as that he hath called them to his eternal glory, & therefore will not leave them in the mid way; that he hath called them in Christ, and therefore that its firm & fast, and cannot be shaken; so that this is a most excellent and sweet comfortable prayer, worthy to be remembered of us all, 
Note.  & laid up with us for ever. Herewith a couple of ancient good Christians (that I knew, and who were as full of troubles, and as deeply tried as ever I knew any) did wonderfully comfort themselves, and were so affected therewith, as I never visited them (as I did often) either together, or when God sundered them, but they had this in mind, and would utter it so feelingly, as they declared themselves much sustained thereby.  
From the coherence, in that the Apostle prayeth for the people, and for a blessing on that he had taught them, note, That  
It's the duty of God's faithful Ministers, 
God's Ministers must further their people's Salvation by all means.  to seek to advance and further the Salvation of God's people by all means: Thus must they do by Preaching, Example, Prayer, etc. Thus did Moses and Aaron, Ezra, 
Num. 6. 24.  Jeremiah, the Apostles, etc. so ought we for the gathering of more to God, for the edification of those that be won, for the comfort of the feeble, the rowzing up of the drowsy, the reformation of what is amiss, the daily increase of that that is good: This is no small forwarding of the work, of no small avail with God: Thus shall we manifest our zeal to the glory of God, our unfeigned and hearty love to the people's souls, and this will be for our own discharge, that we may have boldness and a good conscience.  
Hereupon people must do for their Ministers, 
Use.  both for love to him, and to requite like for like, and for their own benefit, for increase of knowledge in the Word of God, Wisdom, Zeal, Love, Patience, and all graces that may tend to further the work of Salvation in them, the fruit whereof shall redound to them; for according as the Minister is, much after are the people, and for direction and assistance every time he is to preach to them: This no doubt is much neglected on both hands; and the Ministry of the Word must be followed with prayer, for the success thereof depends upon God's blessing, and therefore is to be obtained by hearty prayer: It depends not on the Preacher, if he could speak with the tongue of men and Angels, he could not of himself open the eyes or convert the soul: The Apostles had power to work miracles, to heal the sick, cast out Devils, etc. but to convert the soul, 
1 Cor. 3. 6.  that God reserved ever in his own hands: Paul may plant, and Apollo's water, but God giveth the increase: The best Preacher in the world cannot with all his skill, grace and pains, change the heart of his wife, sons, daughters, or dearest friends. True, the Minister may help or hinder by the manner of his preaching and living, as if he Preach ignorantly, confusedly, coldly, or mingle unsavoury and galling speeches, or live badly, he may hinder the likelihood of good by the word; and if a Minister preach understandingly, orderly, feelingly, zealously, and live thereafter, he provides the medicine the better, and more fit to work, yet he cannot convert a soul; If we meet with any speeches sounding that way, 
1 Tim. 4. 16.  as to Timothy, Thou shalt both save thyself and others, etc. we are to understand them to be meant instrumentally: 
See also Acts 26. 18.  The work is the Lords, and above all created power, yet a greater work it is, than the making of the world: Nor doth it depend on any hearer, be he of what wit, memory, dexterity, education soever, for even such have long lived under the Ministry, and yet are as far from conversion as ever; we are by nature blind, dead in sin, not only not apt to any good, but full of Rebellion: See Deut. 29. 4. Jer. 24. 7. Acts 11. 21. and 16. 14. Therefore the success of the Word depends on blessing, which is to be sought by humble and hearty Prayer, the same being all in all.  
It's a good sign in the Minister that he hath a desire his Ministry should prosper; when he is not content to Preach only, but follow it with Prayer. 
Simile.  As women having set herbs or sown seeds in a dry ground, following them with the watering Pot, have a mind they should grow; and as we sow not our seeds in the field, but we ask God's blessing thereon, so much more should we on this precious seed: Thus shall it appear that they trust not in themselves, and that they are desirous that their Preaching should not be in vain.  
So ought the people; for the blessing of the Word, namely, the fruit of it is all in all; what though we hear never so much, if the same be not made effectual to us, the threats to humble us, the promises to comfort and quicken us, the sins forbidden to bring us into an hatred of them, and love of the contrary duties, and we be so altered by that we are: This is the end of all; See Jonah 3. 5, 6, etc. Acts 2. 37. 1 Cor. 14. 25. Therefore they should, as pray earnestly before that the Word may be made of force and efficacy; so afterwards must their minds run on the things delivered, and their Prayers in their Families by themselves, relish of the same: But what neglect is there this way? How few pray before, and how many after they have heard, suffer worldly business or pleasures to put out the same? Oh! there is no such care that this precious seed should take root and fructify; we complain of our bad crops, but not of this, yet here there's not only a loss if it do not take root, but it turns hurt; by to every Sermon a step ●igher Heaven or Hell: What Crop can we show to God of all the Sermons we have heard? we crave God's blessing upon our bodily food, how much more ought we on this Spiritual?  
The God of all grace,] 
God is the author and give● of all grace.  He is so called of the effect, because he is the Author and Giver of all grace; he is the Author of all that may be called good, which may be divided into gifts and graces in this world; gifts of all kinds, as of body, mind, etc. In him we live, he makes the Sun shine on us, etc. also gifts of health, strength, beauty; so of the mind, 
See Exod. 31.  as natural virtues, also gifts to rule Kingdoms, as to Saul; so of Trades, Arts, Sciences, nay, of gifts yet higher than those, knowledge, understanding of the Scripture, Prophecy, Prayer; yea extraordinary too, as of miracles: So is he also of graces, which are such as accompany Salvation, and he bestoweth only on his Elect, as saving knowledge, 
Rome 15. 13. and 16. 20.  faith, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, repentance, love, meekness, patience, etc. 
2 Cor. 1. 3.  Hence it is that sometimes he is termed the God of hope, sometimes the God of peace, sometimes the God of all comfort, so here the God of all grace: He gives every good gift and grace, and not that only, but every measure of every grace, 
john 1. 16.  the beginning, continuing, and finishing grace: Whatsoever grace is in Saint or Angel, 
Eph. 4. 7.  is the gift of God, either by Creation, as to the Angels and Adam, or sin by restitution: What grace is in any man alive, of what kind or measure soever, is only of God, for we are so far from having any of ourselves, that we have nothing but the quite contrary, even Opposition and Rebellion, none else ever did, or can give grace: The best Parents cannot convey grace into their Children by generation; nor can the best Minister into any by preaching or counsel, God alone is the giver hereof.  
1. Every one that hath grace, 
Use 1.  in what measure soever, must be humble and thankful, acknowledging the same to be only from God, and giving him the praise thereof: O be exceeding thankful for it, that he hath given it to thee, denying it to most; and to thee, as unfit to receive grace, as the worst in the world, and who didst no better deserve it, than they that shall never have it; and especially be thankful for it for the worth thereof, one dram of grace is of more worth than the whole world, it's the quintessence of God's favour, and like Pearls of great value in a little room. A true humble heart in the sight of thy misery, a little true faith in Christ, and Sanctification, with an hatred of all sin, and care to please God in all things, is worth a King's Ransom, and an honest upright heart, careful to be be ruled by that it knows, is better than all knowledge without this.  
2. Every one that is without it, 
Use 2.  must endeavour for it: Whether goeth a woman with her pot or pail for water, but to the Fountain? so must thou have recourse unto God; there is grace enough in him, and he hath it to bestow, and it's his honour so to do: But how shall we come by it, the Well is deep? God hath opened the Fountain of his grace in Christ Jesus, and conveys grace by the Conduits of the Word, Sacraments, Prayer, etc. so that it's not locked up in Heaven; wouldst thou therefore have thine heart humbled and broken, God can do the same, come to him, wait on him in his word for it? wouldst thou believe thy sins are pardoned through Christ? wouldst thou be changed, and have thy heart altered to hate every sin, to love whatsoever is good? wouldst thou have grace against thy strongest corruptions, that thou couldst never master, and do duties to thy thinking impossible, as to love thine Enemies, abide persecution for the Truth, & c? come to him in the same word, and by prayer; he can do these things for thee: Why then is the world so graceless, seeing there is abundance in God? 
Psal. 4. 6.  It's because men see not their emptiness of grace, and know not the worth thereof: They desire Health, Wealth, Honour, Pleasure, true grace they regard not, prise not: O that men did see themselves woeful naked Creatures, without grace! They would not then content themselves with any shadow of grace, hearing, profession, a little restraint, some few gifts, etc. but labour indeed for grace.  
3. The Servants of God that have obtained some measure of grace already, 
Use 3.  should be provoked still to wait upon God for increase, for he gives all grace, the last, as well as the first and the middle: According therefore to our proceeding, let us beg fitting grace of God; Why, are there all kinds and measures of grace in God, and we have so little? we beg not earnestly, we open not our mouth wide, that God might fill it, we have not hungerbitten hearts, we prise not grace.  
Who hath called us,] Another Reason to persuade himself and them, that they should obtain this request of being confirmed to the end, even because God had already begun with them, and called them, that is, had pulled them out of the state of ignorance, unbelief, impenitency, into the state of grace, knowledge, repentance, etc.  
Whom God means to save, 
Doctr.  he calls them out of their sinful state to grace; 
Whom God will save, those he doth effectually call.  There's an outward calling, and there's an inward calling: This last, through the operation of the Spirit going along with the outward means, is made effectual, as to Lydia.  
This stands in three things, enlightening the understanding to conceive, opening the heart to believe, and changing the whole man from that it was before; not only he calls them, but awakens them; not only invites them to come, but gives them an heart to come: of this you may read Rom. 8. 30. 1 Pet. 1. 15. This is proper to God's children, and is the work of God, none else can do it; without this there's no Salvation, as those that have this shall be certainly saved, this being a mark of their Election past, 2 Pet 1. 10. and of their glory to come, Rom. 8. 30.  
Let every man examine himself, 
Use.  whether he be effectually called (heretofore I have laid down the marks hereof) if thou findest thou art, then be of good comfort: Be thankful, for that God hath called thee, leaving others, there being no more worth or aptness in thee then in them; and study how to walk worthy of this high and holy calling, even in all zealous and godly conversation, not fashioning our selves like unto the world, from which we be called, but differing as much in our behaviour, as we hope to do in our end, not defiling ourselves with any evil, not yielding to our lusts, not doing any thing unbeseeming our holy calling; but as he is a holy God that hath called us, and its an holy Gospel whereby we are called, so we may be holy in all manner of conversation: 
Eph 1. 4.  This is the end, as of our Election and Redemption; 
Luke 1. 75.  so of our calling: 
jam. 1. 18.  So that we must not serve God coldly, who hath singled us out from the world, but look we be singular persons, a peculiar people to him.  
On the other side, if our hearts tell us, that we be not effectually called, then is our case bad: Gods callings, which we have not obeyed, will be accusations against us. O how few be truly called? most hold on in a profane and bad course; others having reform some things, and thereupon counted themselves in a good estate, nay, given some good hopes, yet have after fallen shamefully; some to the world, some to open profaneness, for there is no stay of a man till he be effectually called: O then entreat God now to work on your hearts, you know not whether you shall ever be called more or not: To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts; listen to God's voice, call upon him to open thine eyes, and change thine heart. When thou comest to the Word, pray, O Lord, strike that stroke that may truly convert my Soul; yea, let all God's mercies, and thy several afflictions and crosses, be as so many voices calling thee to God, count them so, and listen and yield to them; and though heretofore thou hast turned the deaf ear to God, yet now let it be so no more.  
Into his eternal glory,] 
Such as are effectually called shall partake of glory.  The end why and whereunto they be called, even that they might have glory, not vanishing, but eternal glory, so that it was not possible, but that they should be saved: See 1 Thess. 2. 12. 2 Thess. 2. 13, 14. 1 Pet. 1. 3.  
1. He that is effectually called is an happy man, 
Use 1.  and of high dignity.  
2. Let such walk worthy hereof, 
Use 2.  glorifying God with all their might.  
3. It should whe● on others to listen to the voice of the Lords call: 
Use 3.  What shall they lose? they shall come from sin and shame, from wrath and damnation, and shall be admitted into God's favour, partake of grace here, and of glory hereafter. No marvel people be so loath to yield, and we have so many delays, and hard answers of them. Are they not shrewdly hurt to be called to this estate?  
Now in that the Apostle useth this as an Argument, that the Lord would confirm, strengthen and establish them, even for that he had called them, we may note, that  
Whom God hath effectually called, 
God will not forsake them whom he hath called.  he will never forsake, but continue them to the end: His nature is unchangeable, whom he loveth once, he loveth always to the end; we are indeed apt to fall away daily, 
Rom. 11. 29.  but Christ hath prayed for us, 
1 Thess. 5. 23.  and our salvation is not now in our own keeping. 
john 17. 11.   
By Christ Jesus] Christ is the way by which all good comes to us, 
All good comes to us by Christ.  as our Election, so also our effectual calling.  
1. It's therefore not from any merit of ours, 
Eph. 1. 4.  but for Christ's sake that we are called; 
Use 1.  we must not be proud of ourselves, but thankful unto God through Christ.  
2. This also may comfort us, 
Use 2.  we shall never fall, our calling hath such a sure foundation.  
After that ye have suffered a while,] He prays that God would make them perfect, etc. but in the due time, even when they had passed the few afflictions and trials he had appointed. Here note,  
1. That we must go through troubles, 
God's children must here suffer, before they can partake of heaven.  ere we come to our perfection in Heaven. There's a time for all things; a time for Soldiers to fight, and a time for them to rest and enjoy the spoil after victory: The cross is the Christians companion. Many are the troubles of the Righteous, 
Psal. 34.  and we must look for such in this world: It hath been the Kings-road and High way to Heaven, 
john 16. 33.  that sanctified way, 
Acts 14. 22.  wherein from Abel until this time, 
2 Tim. 2. 12.  all Gods Worthies (the Patriarches, Prophets, Apostles, 
Reasons.  Christ himself, etc.) have walked: Neither is this without cause, for afflictions serve to humble us for sins past, and fetch us from wand'ring (as the Shepherd's dogs doth the sheep) whereof David had experience, 
job 33. 17.  Psal. 22. 
Isa. 27. 9  and 119. They serve also to mortify our lusts, tame our pride, subdue and kill our rebellious old man, helping us against it, which would else be too strong for us; so to hold us in compass when we be well, as an hedge of thorns. Children must be washed and made clean, 
Simil.  though they cry, so must we from our sins; and as they by mustard, or the like, must be weaned from the dug, so must we by afflictions from the world, which we love too well; and as as there were no rule with children without the rod, so would we be unruly, were it not for afflictions: They also make us heavenly minded, and hereby our Faith, Patience, and such other graces are tried, as whether we have such or not, whether more or less than we thought; yea, they serve to purify and increase that measure we have, for as standing waters gather mud, and bodies without exercise wax unhealthful, so but for afflictions we should be in a bad case. Hereby grace is made more active and fruitful, as the vine is by pruning.  
1. Therefore we must be content to go this way to heaven, 
Use 1.  and glad to: We must not think to have a new way strewed and paved, and covered, as it were, with carpets, when as the other Worthies of the Lord have waded to the ankles in blood.  
2. How can they that give themselves to all jollity, 
Use 2.  and put away all heart's grief, and do wholly give themselves to profits, pleasures, feasting, etc. How can these, I say, think they are going to Heaven-ward? They will have their will here, whatsoever befall them hereafter.  
3. If any should hereupon doubt that they are not in the way to Heaven, 
Use 3.  because they have no troubles, etc. What, have you no troubles? Are you not troubled with a rebellious and sinful heart? and fight you not with Principalities and Powers, and Temptations, that make you cry our sometimes, O wretched man that I am, & c? and do you never meet with ill tongues for the profession of the truth? you do: Then are not you without troubles, though it may be you have not had so great troubles as some: Well, thank God, and use prosperity well, and store yourselves with grace against troubles come; It may be God hath spared you hithertil, because you are old vessels, too weak for new wine, in time you shall be met with. Besides, all are not in trouble at once; neither our whole life troubles, but God gives many breathe: Therefore discourage not yourselves, neither pray for troubles, God knows what is best, we know not how fit we should be to bear them.  
2. That the afflictions of God's Children are but small; 
The afflictions of God's children are small.  They are so in respect of quantity and continuance, not so in respect of us, or of our strength; for small ones would be too great for us, if God did not assist us, and they be small in respect of that we have deserved Hell torments, or the joys of Heaven we be called to. Alas, they are not a flea-biting that any of God's children endure here, 
Rom. 8. 18.  to that they deserved, 
2 Cor. 4. 17.  and the wicked shall suffer in Hell, nor to be compared to the least part of the joys of Heaven. And for the continuance, our life is but short, a span long, and in it we have many respices; See Psal. 30. 5. Isaiah 17. 14. and 54. What are sixty years to Eternity? as a drop of water to the whole Sea, as a Mote in the Sun to a Mountain: 
Isa. 4. 5.  God moderates the afflictions of his Servants; if he deal with his Enemies he lays it on, let them bear it if they can, if they cannot, 
Rev. 2. 10,  choose them, as Judas: The just time is set down for the godlies troubles; It shall not be as we will, nor as the Devil and his Instruments will; If as we would, then should they be so small, as we should be never the better; If as they, we should be spoiled: God will rule the matter, it shall be neither too much nor too little, but just enough for our best good.  
We should praise God for his mercy and goodness, 
Use.  that respects our weakness thus, and hath delivered us from the eternal torments we had deserved, and turned them into a few merciful afflictions for our good: If they press us any thing hard, than they are but short and small, and labouring for a good measure of faith, they will be the smaller? They are nothing to that we have deserved: Turn thine eyes downward to the torments of Hell, then lift up thy thoughts to the joys of Heaven, these will make us account them but small, and bear them quietly.  
Make you perfect,] That is, lead you on daily towards perfection more and more; perfect is taken in two senses in Scripture, for upright, that hath perfection of parts and absolute, which is perfect also in degrees and measure; for parts, as a child new born, so is a Christian in his first conversion: 
1 Cor. 3. 9  Absolute none can be here, 
Phil. 3. 13.  aim at it and towards it they may, yet comparatively some are so called and counted, 
God's people must labour for perfection.  namely, they that have well profited in respect of novices.  
We must labour to grow forward daily, and forgetting what we have attained, 
1 Thess. 4. 1.  run forward as they in a race: we must neither be so proud, 
2 Thess. 1. 3.  as to think we are perfect by and by (as some in their conversion do, not knowing they are but babes) nor yet so lazy, as to content ourselves with any measure, how small soever, but join measure to measure (as a covetous man doth house to house) coveting Spiritual gifts, and growing in grace more and more; what man is content if he have but from hand to mouth, and scant that to live on, but desires rather a little elbow room, and to have a competency to live in some good handsome fashion, and to have for himself and his friends, and wherewith also to relieve the needy? and wiltst thou rest satisfied with any measure of grace, especially having the means of growing?  
1. This rebukes them that be grown worse: 
Use. 1.  O fearful! either they never began in truth, nor laid a good foundation, which is most to be feared (whom therefore it now concerneth to begin right and lay sure, for better begin twice, then perish once) or if they did, than it much concerns them to repent and amend, 
Rev. 2● 5.  etc.  
2. It rebukes such as stand at a stay, 
Use 2.  like an Appletree in a cold clay ground; that lives, and it may be every year bears two or three shrunk Apples, but shoots not out her branches, nor bears plenty of good fair fruit as we desire; what's the reason? when we see a Beast in good Pasture, which hath not cast the old coat, we say its surfeit, it must have a drink; so are these surfeit with the love of the world, than which there is no greater bane to godliness: It's like a great high Ash-tree, that will suffer no tender plant to grow thereby or thrive; another reason may be, for that they compare themselves with them that have less, or nothing in them; another, for that they neglect the means, or live under lean means, or they use the means carelessly, What a shame is this? we might have with care attained a far greater measure, so as our worst time might have been as good as our best was wont, as it proves with thrifty persons, who through God's blessing come to have better far any day, than they had at first on their best day: If a man should have an Apprentice many years, and he be worse and worse, or learn nothing, what would he say? were he likely to attain skill in his Trade? If God should call most of us to an account, alas, we have but small skill in the trade of Christianity.  
3. It may comfort those that desire to grow forward and use the means carefully, 
Use 3.  and mourn that they can do no better, and grow so poorly, surely they are like to thrive apace.  
Establish, strengthen, settle you,] Here he prays for their perseverance. Hence note, That  
It's not enough for us to begin well, 
Christian's must hold out to the end.  but we must hold out to the end; neither is this either less necessary, or less difficult than the other.  
Use all means diligently to this end, 
Use.  and pray earnestly to God, for we shall have many opposites: Confirm your judgements in the truth, and keep you from Error; strengthen you in faith, that you be not removed from your steadfastness and faith in Christ the rock; establish you in your good course and godly conversation: we shall meet with subtle deceivers, that will seek to ensnare and withdraw us, as the Galatians were misled, 
Gal. 3. 1.  and those mentioned Acts 8. 10. They of the Separation trouble many honest people of a tender conscience, and in their first love, and yet have not sufficient knowledge to try what they say, but come with a great colour of zeal: It's a great trouble to be distracted in mind, therefore use the means, resort to those whose Ministry God hath blessed to convert your souls: And is not the Church and Gospel as well able, and as like to confirm you, as it hath been to beget you to the faith: Let us take heed of being removed from our Faith, either in general or in particular; let us take heed of being shaken and put from our good course, and drawn into evil through prosperity, or of being choked by preferment, or daunted by affliction and persecution.  
Q. If a man having begun in truth, do use the means carefully, may he be assured of perseverance?  
A. Some think that no man can have any such assurance, or hold out to the end, considering what man is in himself, what the Devil, what the World, etc. but though we be subject to fall away every hour, and if we should compare ourselves with the oppositions of our Spiritual Enemies, we might even utterly despair, yet we are in a strong hand to be kept: 
Col. 3. 3.  Our life is hid with Christ in God, we are kept by the power of God through faith unto Salvation: 
1 Pet. 1. 5.  Those that are justified and sanctified, though of mean parts, yet are sure and safe; The least measure of grace shall stand, when the greatest gifts without grace shall fall away.   

Verse 11. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.  
HAving had occasion to speak of God's mercy in Christ Jesus, 
Our Election and vocation should move us to praise God.  he cannot but break out into praise and thanksgiving. Whence we may learn, That  
Upon the consideration of our Election in Christ, 
Rev. 4. 8.  as also our effectual Calling, etc. we must at no time cease praising the Lord; thus do the Saints and Angels in Heaven, and it will be our work there, which therefore we should begin here: We must labour throughout our whole course of life to glorify God, yea, seeing Dominion and Power belongs unto Christ, herein is our comfort, herein the welfare of the Church of God, and every particular Christian, Christ bears the sway, else woe were to us.   

Verse 12. By Silvanus, a faithful Brother, unto you (as I suppose) I have written briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand.  
ANother part of the conclusion, namely, A commendation of his Epistle: 1. From the Messenger he sends it by, Silvanus, whom he commends for a faithful Christian and Minister, and one that loved them well, and was careful for them, as he was persuaded, and saw cause to move him so to think. 2. He sets down the sum of his Epistle, consisting of two parts: 1. His testifying by infallible Arguments, That that was the true Religion and way of Salvation, which they believed and yet stood in; though there were other false Religions, yet was this the only true Religion. 2. His exhorting of them earnestly, not to suffer themselves to be removed from the same by any means whatsoever; so that he wrote not about trifles, but about the main, namely, To signify and prove to them the true Religion, and to persuade them to constancy therein.  
By Silvanus,] The Apostles had some to attend them, and assist them to write and send to the Churches; not for pomp, but necessary use and furthering of the work: This grew after to pomp and state under Popery; but pomp and state beseems not the Ministers of the Gospel, howsoever, its meet that they should have necessary furtherance.  
He sends this Epistle by this Silvanus, whom he so highly commends, he picked him out of purpose; for he would not commend such a jewel, a prime piece of the Church's treasure, to every ordinary person; he also was fit to certify them of the Apostles mind therein, and preach out of it to them.  
It's meet holy things should be in the handling of holy persons: 
Holy things should be handled by holy persons.  See 1 Tim. 3. Eli's sons made the people loathe the Sacrifice of the Lord: Even the meanest Officer in the Church is to be of some understanding, and of sober, honest conversation, not a base person, Swearer, Drunkard, etc. it's a loathsome thing to see such, having any thing to do with Church-businesses.  
A faithful Brother,] He was a good and faithful Christian, and a faithful Brother in the Ministry, good both in his general and particular calling; the one is the ground and trial of the other: He that is no good Christian, 
Note.  can be no good Magistrate, Minister, Housholder, etc. and he that is no good Magistrate, etc. is no good Christian: In that the Apostle gives him such a good commendation,  
1. It teacheth every one of us to labour for a good name and report in the Church of God, 
A good name is to be laboured for.  as Job, Zachary and Elizabeth, Barnabas, Obadiah, 
See Heb. 11. 2.  with others had: This is better than good ointment, than much gold and silver: 
Eccles. 7. 1.  What a blessing while we live, and after death a fragrant memory? 
Prov. 22. 1.   
2. It rebuketh those that live so badly, as the Church nor Charity itself cannot speak well of them; as also such as live so doubtfully and suspiciously, as in some things they give some hope, in others they dash it again, so that there's none can give any full testimony of them: Such provide ill for themselves.  
Unto you] He was very loving and faithful to them, 
Such as are faithful in the Ministry, draw their people's hearts to them.  hereof the Apostle informs them, that they might esteem the more of him, and profit the better by him: Such as are faithful in their Ministry, draw their people's hearts to them and their Ministry, whereby they receive much comfort, as their people profit.  
1. This rebukes the great unfaithfulness of numbers of Ministers, 
Use 1.  they have little care or conscience for their people's good. But  
2. If Ministers be loving and faithful to them, 
Use 2.  than ought they again to regard them much, lest else they discourage them in their Ministry.  
As I suppose] The Original word signifies more, as by casting mine accounts I find, or by laying things together I can gather; yet not such a confident word but kept within bounds, whatsoever might fall out. 
We ought to speak and think so well of others as we have ground for.  Here note,  
1. That we ought to think and speak as well of Ministers and others, as we have cause, and as we have grounds to warrant us, not keeping from them their due regard and commendation, much less speak evil of them that deserve well.  
But herein great numbers fail, 
Use.  with whom one infirmity in their brethren, shall drown their many good graces; yea, are ready to hear ill reports and believe them, though they be never so uncertain or ungrounded.  
2. That we ought to be wise and wary in our commendations: 
We ought to be wary in our commendations.  Many have repent that they have so largely commended others, when as they did not walk answerably; much hurt hath come this way: We had need be wary, except we have more than ordinary experience, for the heart of man is deceitful, and many good beginnings to the eye, have not proved so well; yet if any should not prove well, it can be no great disparagement to them that have spoke well of them, so they have been moderate therein, for all the Apostles were deceived in Judas, as Paul of Demas.  
I have written] The Apostles great care of their good: Having entered them, he would confirm them; and now, that he could not preach to them, he writes, which would stick to them, and whereunto they might resort again and again at their pleasure.  
Hence I might speak of the profitableness of writing Epistles, 
The profitableness of writing Epistles.  how much good God's servants may do to each other being absent, by Prayers, by Letters: How much good hath been done by the Letters of the Fathers, and of godly men in latter times, as of Calvin, Beza, the Martyrs, etc. who knoweth not? what a fault is it that it's no more used, as Parents to their Children being absent, friends to friends, etc. whereas wanton Letters, and Letters about worldly businesses are frequent enough.  
Written] Thus God moved the hearts of his Servants, and assisted them extraordinarily to pen the parts of holy Scripture: O what a a benefit it is that we have the whole, and most holy Word of God written and before us, and how should we in token of thankfulness be exercised therein? But most busy their heads with other matters, namely, Their worldly profits and pleasures, fools babbles, in the mean time little using or regarding the Bible.  
Briefly,] 1. Because he would have them the oftener in it, and take the more delight to read it over. 2. Because he sent Silvanus to open and unfold it at large, 
Heb. 13. 22.  by preaching out of it, and making application thereof for their good.  
Here see how God in his infinite wisdom hath provided us his Word, 
God's wisdom in providing for us his Word, and goodness in ordaining Ministers to re-reveal unto us his will therein.  wherein is all his mind, and that in few words, to provoke us to be exercised therein; for if the Word had been written as large as we had need for our understanding, the world could not have contained the books that must have been written; but the Lord hath revealed his will briefly, laid down much in few words; yet for our further benefit, God hath Ordained the Ministry of his Word, and given gifts to men to preach it, expound it, apply it to every bodies use, so that both together do most happily: How should God have provided better for us? If therefore people profit not, their answer must be heavy.  
Exhorting and testifying, etc.] These words afford sundry points; as  
1. In that the Apostle testifieth by sound Arguments that they were in the right way, 
People must particularly know that the Religion they profess is the truth of God.  note, that  
Its needful for every one to know and be well assured of the Religion he professeth, that it is the truth of God, for there be many Religions, yet but one truth, miss that and perish; we must not go by guess in our Religion: It's not enough that we have the true Religion, except we know it to be so, that we be not wavering, and carried about with every wind of contrary Doctrine.  
1. This rebukes those that take occasion, 
Use 1.  because there be so many Religions, therefore they will meddle with none, but take their ease, and tarry till all agree.  
2. It rebukes those that profess a Religion, 
Use 2.  as all do, but know not whether it be truth or not, but believe as the Church believes, as they be told, but have no ground from the Word for the same: Turks may not, its death to question about their Religion; Papists may not, especially the Laity, who are forbid to read the Bible, or any good Book that way, but we may; yet how do the most in this Land profess the Gospel, which by God's goodness is the truth indeed? alas, how few know and are able to prove it?  
3. As it's our duty to testify and prove our Religion, 
Use 3.  to be the only true way of Salvation; so it's yours to know and acknowledge it, that if an Angel should come and inform you otherwise, you might not give ear to him.  
2. In that the Apostle thought it not enough to prove to them that that was the true Religion they were in, 
Christian's must persevere in the truth.  but exhorted them to continue constant in the same, note, that  
They that know the truth, ought so highly to esteem it, and be so thankful to God for it, 
Prov. 23. 23.  as they never suffer themselves to be removed therefrom, whether for hope of gain, or fear of trouble, etc. we must buy the truth, not sell it. The Martyrs would rather lose their lives then the truth; if we let that go, we lose our Souls.  
3. In that the Apostle takes such care and pains with those Jews that now stood in the truth, to hold them therein, we may note, that  
Its an hard matter for those to hold out steadfast, 
Constancy in well-doing difficult.  that have begun to do well, for our heart is deceitful, the Devil is subtle and strong, and there are also many Seducers, many baits, many discouragements, etc.  
What are they then that say, 
Use.  there's too much Preaching and Reading? They know nothing that belongs to true Christianity. A little means may serve to keep men in a loose, carnal, and profane course, but to keep us in a good course, there must be precept upon precept, line upon line, etc. and all little enough.  
Therefore Ministers ought to continue with all diligence, not only to gain home more, but even to hold on and confirm them that be gained, that they fall not away into error, sin and security, and people have also need to use all good means to this end.  
4. In that his Epistle consisteth in testifying by sound reasons, for the confirmation of their judgements, and then of the Exhortation for the whetting on of their affections; Note, That  
Both parts are necessary in Preaching, 
Doctrine and Application must go together.  the one still to accompany the other.  
1. Ministers therefore must labour in and for both.  
2. People must make use and account of both, 
Use. 1.  regard Doctrine for knowledge, 
Use 2.  and suffer Exhortation for practice: Some cannot endure Application and Exhortation, but are all for knowledge and to feed the understanding, and it appears in their lives, for they cannot endure, but to live at elbow-room, as they list, notwithstanding the profession some make in hearing Sermons.   

Verse 13. The Church that is at Babylon elected together with you, saluteth you, and so doth Marcus my son.  
ANother part of the conclusion, consisting of Salutations from the whole company of the faithful with him, and particularly from Mark.  
The Church] The company of the faithful that were at Babylon, knowing of our Apostles writing to these his dispersed Brethren, entreat to be remembered to them, and pray the Apostle (for he would not send their commendations without their knowledge) that he would signify to them, 
Christian's must be mindful one of another, how far distant soever.  that they remembered them, loved and reverenced them, and were glad of them, praying to God for them, etc.  
God's people though far distant one from another, yet must be mindful one of another.  
Which is at Babylon,] 
God hath some even in the worst places.  Namely, a City of Assyria, whither the Jews were carried Captive by Nabuchadnezzar, and there abode for Seventy years: There were here now sundry believing Jews, as God hath his Church in the worst places, where Satan's Throne is, and though most of the Jews rejected Christ, yet some here and in other Cities embraced him.  
The Papists will needs have this meant of Rome, 
This place not meant of Rome  but upon what ground they know not; there can be no reason rendered why Peter should hide the name or dissemble it: But this is that they might get some place of Scripture proving Peter to have been at Rome, but if they can get no plainer than this, the Pope may sit besides his Chair: They have no place to prove it by, 
See Dr. willet's Synops.  and yet they say, he sat there as Bishop five and twenty years, which that it was not, the Learned have proved by divers Reasons.  
But thus the Pope comes by his Supremacy, Peter had it, and he left it to his Successors, the Bishops of Rome: But neither had Peter any such Supremacy, or if he had, it was not tied to place, but to Truth and Religion; now the Popes is clean contrary to Peter's, hating and persecuting the same.  
But where by Babylon, Rome indeed is meant, as Rev. 14. 17, 18. (so called mystically for the likeness to Babylon in Idolatry, and vexing the Church and Servants of God) that they cannot away therewith; See Dent on this Question.  
Thus Heretics wrest Scripture at their will to their own purpose; 
Heretics wrest Scripture.  where it may make for them, though it have no such meaning, it shall yet be used; where it's against them, though it be never so plain, yet it may not be allowed: This is a vile taking of God's name in vain, and it will be to their own destruction.  
1. Therefore we must not believe that is confirmed by Scripture of their or any Heretics alleging, 
Use 1.  but try their allegations.  
2. That we never dare to bring a sense of our own to the Scripture, 
Use 2.  but fetch the sense thereof out of the Scripture by humble and diligent search.  
Elect together with you,] A Church chosen of God (as you are) out of the world to bestow his Gospel upon, and reveal his truth unto: Election is taken largely or strictly; 
Election diversely taken.  Largely, for choosing a People or Nation out of the world to bestow his favours upon, and make Covenant with, 
Isaiah 44. 1.  as Israel from all other Nations: You only have I chosen: So to choose to an Office, 
john 6. 70.  as our Saviour Christ saith, I have chosen you twelve, and one of you is a Devil: Strictly, for the Election of any to Salvation before the world; When God chooseth out a Church, and bestoweth his mercy upon it, though no doubt there be numbers of God's Elect in it, as in the Church of England, yet many may be Reprobates, especially in such a Church where Religion is enjoined by authority: in such a company as this of the Jews where they were voluntary, there was likelihood of the more, and yet even among such were Hypocrites, that voluntarily joined themselves to the Church, as Ananias and Sapphira.  
1. Know we that its a great mercy to live in an Elect Church, 
It's not enough to live in an elect Church, but we must find that we are Elect.  as the Church of England is, when most of the world sit in darkness, and be Synagogues of Satan.  
2. Yet must not we content ourselves herewith, but be able to prove our own particular Election, which is an unspeakable favour, and for which we ought to be exceedingly thankful.  
Now in that the Apostle calls them an Elect company, 
Why the Apostle calls them an Elect company.  it was because he knew there was a number of Gods chosen among them, as he saw by their fruits; but who they were particularly, and who were not, that he could not justly tell, because its unknown what the heart of the one is, and what God may do in time for the other.  
We must not take upon us precisely to determine of other men's Election or Reprobation, 
Use.  but judge modestly and charitable, thanking God for being sure of our own, and labouring more and more for assurance herein.  
Saluteth you▪] wisheth all good unto you: What, would the Apostle trouble himself or his Epistle with such a trifling matter, as sending of commendations? It's no idle or small matter, but of very good use; So that as it hath been an ancient custom in the Church of God, so being Christianly performed its worthily continued, and is of great use. 
The sending of commendations how useful it is.  For 1. It testifieth to ourselves that we are of the number of God's faithful ones, that we not only love the brethren with us, but even those which are absent, yea, not only no kindred, but not known by face, only heard of, that we so love God, that we love his grace wheresoever. 2. It's no small encouragement to the Servants of God that be thus saluted, against the many unkindnesses, yea, hatred they meet with from the world, that yet they see themselves regarded, loved and prayed for of God's people.  
1. This should provoke us to perform this Christian duty to the Servants of God, 
Use 1.  for our own discharge, and both their and our comfort; we must not be all to ourselves, nor to those we be with, but even have our hearts with the Church of God elsewhere, rejoicing to hear of the free passage of the Gospel, the zeal of any embracing it, and that we help them forward the best we can.  
2. If we have salutations sent us by any of God's Servants, 
Use 2.  we should make special account thereof, and be much comforted thereby, and set the same against all the scoffs, ill will, and hard measure that the world affordeth; and if we be in any heaviness, that we stir up ourselves and be thankful to God, that we are remembered of him and his Servants, and make more account of commendations from a mean Christian, then from a great Knight or Noble man that's not in Christ.  
3. They that are Messengers hereof, 
Use 3.  must not forget nor deal carelessly herein; even civil and courteous Salutations only of friends or kindred each to other, are of use and not to be omitted, but much more such as those here, who knoweth how seasonably they may come? what good they may do? what heaviness they may remove? They must not count so lightly of them being sent, as to forget them, or let them (as they say) fly away by the way, but as a token wherewith they were entrusted, and which it were no honesty to keep back.  
Marcus my son,] 
Acts 15. 37. 38.  It's like its that Mark spoken of Col. 4. 10. who was Cousin to Barnabas, about whom there was a breach between Paul and Barnabas: He calls him his Son, not in the flesh, but in the faith, as having begotten him thereto by his Ministry, as the Apostle Paul useth the same word on the same ground: See Tit. 1. 4. 1. Tim. 1. 2. 1 Cor. 4. 14. Philem. v. 10. Here note, that  
The Preaching of the Word is the instrument of Regeneration to beget men again to God. 
The preaching of the Word is the instrument of Regeneration.   
1. This rebuketh those that disgrace, either simply, or under colour of magnifying, praying and reading; so also those that withdraw themselves from this, 
Use 1.  and staying at home, say, They read good Books, 
Simile.  etc. They do as the Israelites, who having Manna allowed them by God, which should have been unto them in stead of all the food in the world, yet would have Quails, but they had leanness sent into their soul, and so have these; either they get no knowledge, or if any, only a little swimming in the brain, but not sinking down into the soul, to the changing thereof.  
2. It teacheth all Ministers so to preach the Word, 
Use 2.  as by all means possible they may win some; what should our desire be, but so to do, whether we consider the love we owe to God or to our people, & that their salvation will be our crown? To this end we must preach those points most diligently and carefully, that be most effentially necessary to work conversion; we must beat upon men's misery, labour to bring them to Faith and Sanctification, etc. without these all other points will be unprofitable: Unpreaching Ministers have no possibility of winning souls.  
3. People should so hear the Word, 
Use 3.  as they labour and pray it may be powerful by the Spirit to their conversion and new birth; they must have a Spiritual Father, as well as a Natural Father; must be born again ere they die, else happy had they been if they had never had their first birth; le's try ourselves herein: It's not hearing the Word, yea, with joy, and reforming some things that is Regeneration; it's not to be restrained from the gross evils of the world, or to be somewhat changed in some things; alas, Regeneration is another matter then that, wherein many deceive themselves and perish, knowing no more what is Regeneration, than Nicodemus when he first came unto Christ, nor labouring after it to find it, with the fruits and signs thereof.  
My Son] He calls him so also of tender love, 
Ministers must love their people as their Children.  as Paul One simus, his own bowels. Here note, That  
The Ministers of God ought exceedingly to love all God's people, but chiefly such as have been won to God by their means: They must cherish and further such all they can, as the Hen when she hath hatched her Chickens, broods and tends them; and as the Mother after she hath brought forth her child, is careful to keep it from harm. and to provide all necessaries for it; they must watch over them, preach to them, pray for them, not depart from them, but in the case of absolute necessity; as the Apostles having won any to God, would come again to them, exhorting them to continue in the grace of God, confirming their hearts, etc. so must we; they be our comfort and joy here, and crown hereafter; our Epistles of commendation, the seals of our Ministry, they that make us rejoice and give thanks, therefore we are much beholding to them, and must love them most dearly, and desire the work begun may be happily perfected, knowing, it's no less wisdom and thrift to hold that we have gotten, then to get more.  
Accordingly must the Spiritual Children love their Spiritual Fathers dearly: 
So people their Ministers.  They ought to love all Instructers; but as Children their Parents, so they them best by whom they have been begotten to God: They ought to give them double honour, to reverence them, and not to suffer them want necessary comforts: In doubtful cases of Conscience, they must resort to them for counsel, as Children to their Father: They must obey all their godly precepts, endure their severity, be guided by all their godly directions, receive no accusation against them under two or three witnesses, etc. A child will not hear, much less believe any evil reports of his Father.  
For those people that set light by their Ministers, 
Use.  can suffer them to want, fall out with them (if he be gone, we shall have one as good as he, etc.) its questionable whether ever they were converted by their Ministry; for we see by experience, that such as are converted, their hearts be so knit to their Spiritual Father, that they think best of his counsel, praise God for him, as the instrument of their conversion, love him dearly, etc. we love the fathers of our bodies, and aught so to do, and yet they help us to a being in sin, and into a sinful world and state, and should we not love our Spiritual Fathers, through whom we are changed therefrom? The Separatists therefore are either unconverted persons (as I doubt not but sundry are) or else they be most unnatural and unthankful persons, in railing against all the Ministers of England, and so against their own Spiritual Fathers; They spi: on their faces, and call their Mother Whore: O most wretched requital!   

Verse 14. Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus, Amen.  
THe last part of the conclusion, consisting 1. Of an Exhortation to embrace each other with love, and to testify the same by outward signs. 2. Of a Prayer for them, that all that be true Believers in Christ Jesus, might have all prosperity and welfare; to which he joins the note of his faith and fervency, Amen. So concluding his Epistle with all signs of love.  
In general; That he contents not himself that he loved them, but labours to further love among them; 
It's needful that where love is, it should be continued.  we may note how needful this duty is; where love is, we must endeavour the continuance and increase thereof; where its crazy, we must use means to heal it, Blessed be the peace makers; It's a sign they are endued with the wisdom which is from above: All our words should tend to make love, the Devils Cole-carriers and Bellows that blow up strife, rejoice in folk's contentions, and further increase the same: A woeful office; who gets hereby but the Devil, except the Lawyer's hap to get too.  
Greet one another,] 
Christian's should salute one another.  To Salute each other hath been an ancient custom in the Church of God, whereof you may find the forms, Judg. 6. 12. Ruth 2. 4. Psal. 129. 8. Luke 1. 28. and 10. 5. John 20. 19 and elsewhere: Ours also are commendable, when we meet any, we say, God save you; when any goes from us, God be with you, or Fare you well; in the morning, we say, God give you a good morning; in the afternoon, God give you a good night; when any is at meat, we pray God that much good it may do them; when one goes a journey, we say, God speed you in your journey; when at work, God speed your work; when one is come newly to an office, God give you joy of your office, etc. These ought we to use as occasion serveth, both to our Superiors more reverently, by the Titles that are due to them, of worship, honour, etc. our equals with good respect, and somewhat familiarly, as we look they should to us, and to our inferiors, that they may not think themselves despised, and so be discontent with their place, and with God; and it's a base thing to tread under ones inferiors: Thus we must salute not our friends only, but strangers, but our enemies; Even blessing them that curse us, and praying for them persecute us: Else we shall be but like the Publicans, who salute those that salute them; so we must salute not only good men (though those most respectively) but even the bad, for we must have peace with them, though not with their faults, and give them their due, though if we have occasion to speak of their sins, we must deal plainly, except we know them to be God's Enemies, than ought we to give them no countenance.  
Reason's hereof may be these: 
Reasons.  1. It's a good testifying of our love, which we should do upon all occasions. 2. It's a part of urbanity and courtesy. 3. It's a good means to procure love from them whom we do salute; 
2 Sam. 15. 6.  so did Absolom, etc. 4. The neglect hereof, as it cannot but bewray some defect in us, so it breeds suspicions, and thoughts of emulation in our neighbours, and works in them no small discontent, for our nature can abide nothing less, then to see ourselves despised.  
1. This rebukes not so much those that of rudeness, 
Use 1.  or for want of good manners, go by and regard no Salutations, seeming so to mind their businesses, as they regard none but themselves; but those that of a profane mind neglect it, especially towards those whom they think not to be of their disposition, as some profane rude wretches, that will come by a Minister or godly Christian after a scornful manner, without showing any courtesy; This being done in respect of their Religion, is abominable and vile, and a very bad sign.  
2. Such as of pride; 
Use 2.  If they have a little more wealth or gay clothes, or any gift more than another, they are so puffed up; that they pass by others scornfully or carelessly: What is one worm to lift up himself thus against one that is his own flesh, that it may be is as good or better than himself? The more God hath given any, the more humble they should be.  
3. Such as of frowardness, 
Use 3.  malice and old hatred, cannot speak at meeting, are tongue-tied; They have a tongue, but the malice of their heart taketh away the use of it; They look like Tigers on each other, and would as readily kill them, if they could as safely and easily; This is seen to God, 
1 john 3. 15.  before whom he that hateth his brother is a manslayer.  
4. Let us labour to purge our hearts hereof, 
Use 4.  that we may give every one his due.  
With a kiss of charity,] 
The ancient manner of saluting among the jews.  The manner of saluting among the Jews, was by kissing; Thus did Jacob and Esau at their meeting, Laban and his Children at their parting, so Joseph and his Brethren, Jonathan and David, etc. we find it also practised in the new Testament; See Luke 7. 45. and Acts 20. 37. It was a Custom in some Churches before the Communion, to kiss each other, signifying the joining of hearts; this we retain in part: But men Salute by uncovering, and shaking hands, the joining of our hands signifying the joining of our hearts; This was the use till courtly Congees and Crouching have put them by, taking one another by the knees and by the elbows, etc.  
Of charity,] 
Our Saluting one another must be in love.  But be the Salutation what it will, kiss or shaking hands, or uncovering head, it must be of love, and thence proceeds; for as we must not be content to have love in our heart, except we show it by outward signs; so must all outward tokens proceed from love as the ground and root, else its lying diffimulation.  
Those kisses they are elsewhere termed holy; 
Rom. 16. 16.  not a wanton kiss, not a dissembling kiss, much less a treacherous kiss, but such a one as proceeds from a Sanctified affection of love seated in the heart.  
1. This rebuketh the customary and formal saluting which wants this ground; 
Use. 1.  Many do thus greet one another, who yet have but small love to the parties they salute: This is a taking of God's name in vain, it's a dissembling with our neighbours, 
Rom. 12.  whereas love should be unfeigned without dissimulation.  
2. Treacherous courtesies and greetings, when there are fair speeches, How do you? I am glad to see you well, etc. when mischief is in the heart, 
Psal. 28. 3.  as did Joab and Judas; Thus the Devil pretended love to Eve, this is the note of a wicked man: Many after kind salutations, will strait rail, gibe, slander, plot mischief, etc. Those should rather make known their malice, that others might beware of them, then cloak their mischief with the show of love.  
3. Let every one of us labour to possess our hearts of true love, 
Use 3.  that so we may not only salute one another, but in a right manner do the same: O let us labour for this most lovely virtue of love, so often commanded of us, so highly commended to us; It's the bond of perfectness that ties up all together, 
Col. 3. 14.  without which all duties shatter asunder; 
Rom. 13. 10.  It's the fulfilling of the whole Law; It's that virtue which is so pleasing to God, that which so long continueth, that wherein the Angels and Saints now shine.  
To this end, 
Hindrances of love.  let us labour to be more and more assured of God's love to us, which will make us not only to love him, but our neighbours for his sake, the godly best, but all because God bids, yea our Enemies, as who loved us when we were Enemies; we must also strive against, and purge out the cankers of love; as namely, 1. Pride, which esteems so highly of ones self, and basely of others, offereth occasions of offence readily, and taketh occasion for every thing. 2. Covetousness, for this also hinders love, he that's covetous cares not how he gets, by right or wrong, nor how much he wrongs his Neighbour. 3. Frowardness and hastiness; This also stirs up strife: If there have any things fallen out otherwise then well between us and any (as there may be even between good persons) let us take notice thereof, acknowledge and be sorry for the same, seek reconciliation, 
Rom. 1▪ 31.  be pacified, forgive and forget as we are required, and expect forgiveness from God: O an unappeasable mind is a fearful thing, a note of a Reprobate! Such are unlike God, who is slow to wrath, ready to forgive; like the Devil, who is irreconcilable: O woeful, a poor mortal man to bear immortal hatred! How can he look God in the face? little doth he think what fearful things he hath done against God; did he, he would think how ever he could look up to God for pardon of 10000 Talents, 
See Matth. 18. 28.  when he catcheth and holdeth his neighbour by the throat for 300 pence, nay, it may be if it be truly examined, for nothing.  
Peace be with you all, 
What meant by peace.  etc.] Now he prays for them; by Peace is usually meant outward prosperity, as health, conveniency of outward things, welfare of ourselves and ours, freedom from grievous evils, and a quiet estate and condition in the comfortable enjoying of God's blessings, in our bodies, wives, children, goods, names, etc. also that which is the fountain hereof; namely, peace with God and our own conscience: But I will speak here first of outward blessings: Where note, That  
We may lawfully desire for ourselves and ours, 
Outward blessings may lawfully be desired, and how.  or any other, a convenient portion of God's outward favours; so did both Jacob and Agur. True, we have no warrant to pray for abundance, that were a sign of a proud and earthly heart; but if God send it, we must crave much grace therewith, lest we surfeit thereof, and it make us like a Camel overburdened, that we cannot go: So we may crave Peace in a Land, 
See Psal. 1. 3. and 112. 3. & 128. 3. and 84. 11.  in Towns, in Families, between particular persons; so health, a dutiful fruitful Wife, religious and obedient Children, etc. These things are promised of God, neither will he withhold any good thing from them that love him, 
Matth. 6. 33.  and therefore we may pray for them: But, because they be good but in a mean degree, we must desire grace first more and more earnestly, these things only conditionally, we must seek his favour, forgiveness of our sins, faith, grace, absolutely without taking; nay, for the outward, we must submit our wills to his will, and desire them only so far, as may stand with his glory and our best good; for God seeth, that though these blessings be goodly things, over the contrary, yet we abuse them, and are the worse for them, and therefore God is fain to take them away, and send the contrary; as see what an abundance of iniquity this our long peace and plenty hath bred, so that though we may not pray as Elias did, for a punishment on the Land, yet surely we might rather be glad, if God would scourge the Land one way or other to the amendment thereof, then that it should thus go on to be destroyed; and for ourselves, how do we abuse our prosperity, if it do but continue some small time? we must therefore pray for that which may stand with our best good, and for grace to use it well, we shall enjoy it the longer; we must be content for ourselves, rather to have an healthful soul in a sick body, then in an healthful body a surfeited soul with sin and security; so a meaner Estate with some losses, but with Spiritual gains in grace, is better than abundance with a worldly and secure heart; so for our Children, we may desire that they may prosper in this world, and have a competency, and live to do good, but must desire most that they may be gracious, and rather so in a poor estate, then to swagger it out, or be worldings in great wealth: It's found true from experience, that such as be earnest and much in desiring these outward things, they seldom or never crave God's favour, or seek grace for their souls; If we be shortened in these things, look we cause it not by our sin; If we have, we must repent and amend; If we have not, then may we think that the Lord knoweth this state to be best for us, and thereupon to be content therewith.  
That are in Christ Jesus,] 
Christ is the fountain of all peace.  Here's the true fountain of all Peace, namely, to be in Christ; Hence all Peace comes to us, and without this, there is nor can be no true Peace: By nature we are the Children of wrath, are at enmity with God, are Rebels and Traitors, and guilty of eternal condemnation, so that there must be a peace made between God and us, else we perish: This is only done by Jesus Christ, who is our Peacemaker, who by his All-sufficient Sacrifice of himself, hath made an atonement; when our sins is taken away in his death, and his righteousness imputed unto us by faith, then is God at peace with us, and become our merciful Father: when we be assured hereof by God's Spirit, and able to prove it by good Testimonies, then have we peace in our own consciences, even such as passeth understanding, yea joy, and that unspeakable and glorious: Then, 
Hosea 2. 18.  being at peace with God, all Creatures be reconciled to us, the Angels to become our friends and attendants, the Devils not to have their wills of us, men to respect and regard us, etc. and thus have we right to all outward peace and prosperity, for Christ hath purchased, as Heaven, so Earth for us, and it's promised to the believers, and they have right thereto, though with exception of the cross, when God seeth it best.  
Thus we see how peace flows from Christ; no peace in conscience till God be at peace with us; no Creature at peace with us, till God be reconciled, yea, without this peace, we have no right to any outward peace; so that a bad man can have no peace.  
Obj. But the common sort of men, 
Obj.  profane worldlings, and civil ones, will say, We are none of those you think very well of, for we are none of your precise fellows, yet we have peace with God we doubt not, nor see we any other cause, and if he loved us not, he would not do for us as he doth; and for my conscience, I thank God I am at peace therewith, I was never troubled in my life; and for outward prosperity, I thrive (I thank God) well; nay, these precise fellows are most without peace, for they are not in God's favour its like, for no body cares for them, but hates them; besides, they be troubled in mind, and sad, and some of them are at their wits ends; and for outward peace, they be ever sickly, a number of them, and one cross or other is upon them, so that I think you are quite wide.  
Answ. How foolishly do these reason? 
Sol.  They are loved of God because of their outward prosperity; This is but Esau's, but Ishmaels' Portion, yea, and Judas bore the bag: The Lord maketh his sun to shine and the rain to fall, even on the bad: He casteth such bones to dogs; and for their peace of conscience, it's no peace, but benumbedness, and an hard heart for want of sight of their deadly danger, which yet is never the less, and will one day break out in most fearful manner; they peace that were never humbled for their sins? It's woeful peace; they peace that live in their sins, what to do have they therewith? had Zimri peace that slew his master?  
For outward peace, 
job 21. 7, 8, etc.  health, welfare, etc. it's often the portion even of Atheists and contemners of God; but what is it whilst they have no peace, with God, have it in wrath with a woe and secret curse? There's no soundness in this peace, it cannot comfort the heart, it's but flashing vanity, if any contrary blow come, they are dead in the nest, as Belshazzar. Besides, how uncertain is it? subject to be lost every moment; 
job 20. 8.  The wrath of God is still ready to seize on them, as on the Philistines sporting at Samson, 
See Psalm 37. 2. 20.  Pharaoh, Herod, etc. They pass away as a dream, their rejoicing is as the crackling of Thorns; How soon is their Candle put out? They stand in a slippery place, how suddenly are they gone, leaving nothing but a stink behind? Their end will be eternal howling with Dives. And are not the godly in God's favour, because men favour them not? They are the more; and for their trouble in mind, when is it? even in the beginning, especially when God opens their eyes to see their woeful case, whereupon they are humbled; but them by the Gospel have their hearts directed to see the right way of comfort, and so in time attain sweet peace, which if at any time they interrupt, they never leave seeking till they have recovered it again: For their crosses, they have often prosperity, though not so much or continually as to surfeit, but when they meet with crosses; God makes them wholesome, as our corrupt nature makes them needful, 
john 14. 27.  but in the midst of them, they know themselves at peace with God, 
2 Cor. 6. 9  and have peace in conscience, and this sweetens their affliction; Their case is in show miserable, but in truth happy.  
Therefore let none content himself, 
Use.  till he can prove himself in Christ, 
Isaiah 48. 22.  else there's no peace for him.  
All that are in Christ Jesus,] Hear note,  
1. That we should not neglect the poorest or weakest Christian in a Congregation, 
Respect is to be had of all God's people.  but have respect unto them as well as the greatest or wealthyest: It's an ill sign when men can make no difference in their judgement between a Civil man, and one truly Religious, and that can give no countenance to those in whom they see the grace of God; They account of every thing in great men, but despise or slight even the greatest things in mean ones.  
But there be some professors which yet be not in Christ Jesus, but are hangs-by and hypocrites, what wisheth he to them? none of this peace; it's not for them, sorrow is fitter for them, that they may be humbled, and endeavour after true repentance: So do I wish to all true hearted Christians, as much peace and welfare as may be good for their souls; but those that be hypocrites, professors, but neither believing in Christ, nor reforming their ways, I wish they may have little rest and ease, till they set their hearts to seek to be at peace with God.  
2. The most admirable and near union that is between Christ and every true believer; 
The near union between Christ and true Christians  They are in Christ as the root, and built on him as the foundation, and are Members of his mystical body; by virtue hereof it comes to pass that they continue and hold out, when hypocrites fail and fall away: Hypocrites are as a wooden leg, believers as true Members of the Body; 
Simile.  Those as standing waters that dry up, these as a spring that runs continually, and that from Christ the Wellhead and Fountain of all grace. But of this heretofore.  
Amen.] 
Fervency of affection and faith requisite in Prayer.  This word noteth the fervency of his affection, and shows forth his faith; These two be most necessary in all our Prayers, and thus we see he hath taken his leave of them with as many tokens of love as may be.    
FINIS.