TWO SERMONS:  
FIRST, An ANGEL, in a Vision, appeareth to a soldier.  Acts. 10.3, 4. He saw in a vision, evidently, &c. 
SECOND, A SAVIOUR, in Mercy, appeareth to a Sinner.  Matth. 11.28. Come unto me, all, &c. 
Preached before the University, at Oxford, some years since: By John Gumbleden B. D.  LUK. 3.14. 
The souldiers likewise demanded of him( of John the Baptist) saying, and what shall we do? and he said unto them, do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely, and be content with your wages.  1 TIM. 1.15. 
This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.  
LONDON, Printed for Simon Miller at the star in St Pauls Church-yard, 1657.   

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE, Right Noble, and most virtuous Lady, THE Lady Dorothy, Countess of Leicester, All eternal Blessings in Christ Jesus.  
Madam,  
I Cannot properly call this, my first fruits; I cannot, in respect of myself; but, in respect of this first Dedication to your ladyship, I can; for as yet, I never had any thing, worthy your honours Acceptance; neither is this: It is not, in respect of the Author, it is not; but in respect of the matter, it is: the Matter, heavenly prayers, and alms deeds, done in Faith, as a sweet smelling sacrifice, accepted of God; the tears and godly sorrow, of all humble, and penitent Sinners, as the like sacrifice, accepted of our Saviour, who here promiseth. I will give you Rest, and, according to his promise, will reward hereafter. Behold I come quickly, and my Reward is with me 
Rev. 22.12. . So it is, eternal rest, eternal life, is a promised Reward, on our Saviours part,( and he will perform his Promise) to all, that in the Race set before them, in this life, run, and wrestle, and strive, to obtain, that promised Reward, This is the short sum of the two following Sermons: which I sand forth into the World, under your Honours name; yet, not, as Noah( doubtfully) sent forth the Dove out of the Ark, 
Gen. 8. ver. 9.10, &c.  to try, by some Sign, or other, whether the Waters of the flood were assuaged, or not, No; but, confidently, knowing that the flood of Gods wrath is assuaged towards all that truly repent, and faithfully believe in his beloved Son▪ who here saith, Come unto me, this I sand forth, as a witness( I confess) out of due time; yet, as a witness still, that it is so; 'tis the joy of my heart, to writ it: 'tis a greater joy, to believe it, and, my confidence is, that I do not, I shall not, present this in vain to your Ladyship, who( I know) is also fully persuaded, that it is so.  
Madam, I am Your Honours most humble, Servant, and Chaplain, John Gumbleden.   

An ANGEL, in a Vision, appeareth to a soldier.  Act. 10.3, 4. 
He saw in a Vision evidently, about the ninth hour of the day, an Angel of God coming in to him, and saying, Cornelius.  
And, when he looks on him, he was afraid, and said, what is it Lord? and he said unto him, thy Prayers, and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.  
IN the Text, here's mention of the appearing of an Angel, to Cornelius; of his fear, at that Apparition; and, of the Angels message unto him; wherein much heavenly matter there was, to abate his fear; Lo: the Angels presence, at first sight, affrighted him: but, the Angels words at last, before they part, will comfort him; though, at first, afraid.  Una, eadémque manus, vulnus, opemque tulit. 
And, nothing did befall Cornelius here, but what is incident to every man; even, at some time or other, to be afraid: for, fear is the Companion of Mortality. The Angels indeed, are free from both; not fearful, because not mortal; and, mortal they cannot be, whom God by his Grace, and Power preserveth in a state incorruptible; it being said only to the sons of men, after the fall( not to the sons of God by Creation, who never fell, but always kept their first estate, Such as those morning stars, the Angels are 
Job 38.7. ) Dust thou art, 
Gen. 3.19.  and to dust thou shalt return: and, for that reason, fearful also they cannot be, because it is their Lot, by Grace, to be exempted from Mortality. So that, name but Angels, and presently you name Creatures, as free from Passion, as Corruption; and, therefore free from the one, because freed they are from the other, whereas Man is free from neither: no wonder then, if Cornelius, a mortal man, became Cornelius, a fearful man; he was afraid; and yet, had he but suspended his fear a little, till he had considerately weighed the Angels message, and, the joyful matter of it, he might easily have seen, that there was no just cause at all for his fear: But, as the sweet smell of that ointment, which Mary Magdalen brought to anoint our Saviours feet, scented not at all, until the Box was opened 
Luk. 7.37, 38. : So, neither was the comfort, and joyful news, here intended to Cornelius by the Angel, conceived, and apprehended, till his Box, his commission, his Message unto him, was opened also: and, till then( notwithstanding so sweet a Message, not yet sweet to him, because not understood, was sent unto him) he was afraid, But, the opening of the one, was the closing, and shutting up of the other, as, when Phosphorus, the day-star 
Phosphore red diem.  appeareth, the night soon, vanisheth; and all that was dark, and cloudy before, commonly becomes more clear, and serene afterwards. So fared it with fearful Cornelius here. Nothing was there, but Mists, and Clouds, nothing but fear, and trembling in him, till light appeared, till the day appeared, till matter of joy was opened, and revealed unto him, between whom, and an Angel, one of the heavenly, another of the earthly Host, here's( as it were) a Dialogue, a Conference, an Interlocution, in the Text: to far better purpose, then that other Conference, between the Serpent, and the Woman Gen. 3. the Angel said unto him, Cornelius, and, he said to the Angel, what is it Lord? the whole Conference between them, being about the Angels Message, not yet delivered, yet, as soon delivered it was, as the Person, to whom it was sent, was inquisitive to know it, what is it Lord? that was the Question on Cornelius his part, and, presently he said unto him, Thy prayers, and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God: that was the Answer on the Angels part, and we need not doubt, that Cornelius was now most joyful, when he heard by the mouth of his Messenger, that God was so merciful, as to accept the Sacrifice of his Poor, and unworthy Servant, the Angels message being now without fear, though at first, his Person was not.  
Thus you see, the Persons here mentioned in the Text, and, mutually interchanging Discourse, the one with the other, are but Two: the Angel and Cornelius: and, no more in number, are the Parts, then the Persons are, Two. Both  
1. The Apparition of an Angel to Cornelius.  
2. The Message of an Angel to Cornelius.  
These are the Parts: and, as for the Apparition, Cornelius saw that, was afraid at that, questioned about that: but, as for the Message, the Angel revealed that, delivered that, about the ninth hour of the Day.  
We begin; and, with the Person, to whom this Angel appeared, to whom this Message was sent, we begin. Now, this Person was Cornelius; who evidently saw something, an Angel of God: Suffered something, was afraid: said something, What is it Lord? His Questioning, arising from his Suffering; his Suffering, at first, from his seeing an Angel of God, in a Vision.  
Lo: that is our first Part: the Apparition of an Angel to Cornelius; wherein, as 'tis clear from the Text( besides the substance of it,) From the Text, four particular Circumstances are here considerable.  
1. The manner of it, in a Vision.  
2. The proof of it, evidently.  
3. The time of it, About the ninth hour of the Day.  
4. The behaviour of Cornelius, at that time. As touching that unexpected Apparition, when he first saw the Angel, He looked on him, he was afraid, he said unto him, What is it Lord? Let us go on in order. And,  
1. An Angel of God came in to Cornelius, came into his house unto him; which in sense, is no more, then that an Angel appeared unto him, Lo! an Angel appeared. So it was then; Angels, in assuming Bodies, frequently, and visibly appeared unto Men: And, for that cause( though in their own Nature, they were still Spirits) they were commonly called Men, from that Form wherein they appeared 
Gen. 18.2.19.5.10. judge. 13.6, 11. Mat. 28.5, 6. Luk. 24.4. Act. 1.10. . So it was then: But is it so now? No And here, for the right understanding of what followeth, necessary it is, that we distinguish between the effectual Ministry of Angels; and, the visible Apparition of Angels: whose Ministry we shall never want; though, their visible Apparition we do, and shall: that being now unusual, and not granted to the sons of Men, to enjoy the familiar Presence of such blessed Creatures: Not granted, and therefore, not to be expected. Neither is it any new thing, to hear, that what hath been in use, and, in holy Scripture approved of, at one time, may be justly antiquated, at another time; for instance, there is no need now of Circumcision for Infants, as once there was 
Gen. 17.12.21.4. : No, and therefore, rightly it is abolished, neither is there any need now, that a brazen Serpent should be erected on a Pole, for the healing benefit of all beholders, as once it was 
Numb. 21.8. . No Christ, the Antitype is come 
Joh. 3.14. ; and the Type rightly ceaseth. The Urim, and Thummim, the work of God himself, delivered unto Moses, to be put in the breastplate of the high Priest 
Exod. 28.30. Lev. 8.8. , even these were lost, while Israel was in captivity, in Babylon: and, we hear of no use that was made of them, or of any benefit received by them, ever since; besides, Miracles were frequently wrought by our Saviour, while he was on earth; by his Apostles, after his Ascension into Heaven: by the primitive Christians, for some continuance of time, after the Apostles dissoultion; but, in Augustines time,( it seems less then four hundred years after Christ, they were so ceased, that he concludes, that whosoever did then expect a Miracle, for the confirmation of his Faith, was himself the greatest Miracle 
De civitat Dei. lib. 22. cap 8. ; thus, the use of Circumcision is ceased, the use of the brazen Serpent is ceased, the use of the Urim, and Thummim is ceased, the use of Miracles,( where the Seed of the Gospel is planted, and diligently watered) is ceased, and, we may truly add to all this, that the frequent Apparition of Angels is now ceased also.  
It is, but, tis most plain from the Text, that it was not so, when an Angel of God appeared to Cornelius, it was not so then: No, therefore, we will a little discourse of that, thus. Angels of whose apparition we now speak, guided thereunto by this Angels appearing to Cornelius, are of two sorts; and that either Increated, or Created, and both, in their several times, have appeared to mortal, and frail man, the increated Angel( of whom we speak not now) is the Son of God, that Angel of the Covenant, Mal. 3.1 that 
Gen. 48.16. Exod. 14.19.23.20, 21.  Angel of the Lord: called Jehovah. Exod. 13.21. who, long before his Incarnation 
Euseb. Eccl. Histor. lib. 1. c. 1 , appeared to Abraham, in the plains of Mamre, whom he calls the Judge of all the earth 
Gen. 18.25.26. . To Jacob, at Peniel, with whom he wrestled 
Gen. 31.24.28, 29. . To Moses in the Bush, Exod. 3.2.6. who afterwards was mindful of, and thankful for the good will of him, towards him, that dwelled in the Bush 
Angelus qui loquebatur Mosi in rubo, filius Dei erat. Chrys. citat. Pet Martyr. loc. come. cap. 4. cl. Sect. 5. . Deut. 33.16. The created Angels again, are of two Sorts, either Good, or Bad; the Bad are those Apostate spirits, who kept not their first estate, but by their sin, lost both themselves, and heaven. But, in this Angelical business, and, where there is mention of fearing God, of praying, of giving alms, on Mans part, and, all accepted of, on Gods part, we have nothing at all to do, with such enemies of Devotion. The good Angels, who have oftentimes in former ages, visibly appeared unto men( the point in hand) are those glorious, and heavenly Creatures; quos Deus in tuto posuit 
Bern. Serm. 11 in psal. qui habitat. Lomb. Sent. lib. 2. distinc. 7. A. D. Aquin. pars. 1a qu. 62. Conclu 8. , whom God hath so confirmed in grace that they shall never fall away; as the reprobate Angels( now, Divels) did: and, because they are so fast united unto God, they are the more united, and at his command, the readier to do Service unto men; which faithfully they have done, whensoever they appeared unto them. Whether it were, by comforting them in some distresses: Hagar, in the Wilderness, flying from Sara her mistris 
Gen. 16.7, 8, 9 , Elias, at Beersheba, flying from the presence of Ahab, and Jezabel 
1 King. 19.5.7. , Paul in his voyage to Rome 
Act. 27.23, 24 , nay, even our Saviour himself, after he had been tempted of the devil 
Mat. 4.11. , and, afterwards, when he was in a great agony, not long before his Death 
Luk 22.39.43. , had sensible experience of that, or, by forewarning them of some danger to come: Joseph, the husband of Mary, of that 
Mat. 2.13. : or, by delivering them from some present danger: Lot 
Gen. 19.10. , Elisha, 2 King. 6. Daniel 
Dan 6.22. , Peter, and John, in prison, Act 5.19. are witnesses of that; or, by bringing some particular Message unto them: the blessed Virgin Mary, of that 
Luk. 1.28, 30. ; or by showing them, how God stood affencted to them: Cornelius here, of that. Angels, as they were commanded, appeared to each, to all. And, therein they did no more, then what in those times, was usual to be done. Times, when Angels, in assumed Bodies, came familiarly into mens Houses; and, were courteously entreated by these, to whom they came; as, by 
Gen. 18.3, 4, 5. &c.  Abraham by Lo●, Gen. 19.2. by 
judge. 13.11.12.15.  Manoah, and his wife: and, by others, who received Angels into their houses unawares; as Cornelius here did, into his, Vers. 3. though it be not so, in our Age; neither indeed, is there now the same reason for it, as then: not; for, the Church is now planted, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is now clearly preached, the Holy Ghost is now given unto us, in a far larger measure, then he was unto our Fathers: in whose days Angels frequently appeared, and because the written Word of God, which contains in it all things necessary to Salvation, is that; nay, far more then that, to us now, then his Message was to them, by appearing Angels, the one revealing his will but in part, to some particular, and selected Persons, and that, but for a time; but, the other, revealing his whole will, the whole council of Heaven, to all, even for ever; therefore, we having more means to come to the knowledge of Gods will, then our Fathers had, 'tis no wonder, nor, no want neither, that we are deprived of one of those means which our fathers had, even the frequent apparition of Angels.  
But, though we want that, their visible apparition; yet, their effectual Ministry, we do not, we shall not want: and, for that, the Book is open, and the Text is clear, Heb. 1.14. where the Apostle( speaking of the Angels) saith, Are they not all ministering Spirits, sent forth to minister for them, who shall be heirs of Salvation? are they not? that is, they are, wherefore, so long as there shall be any such on earth, that are fore-ordained to Salvation, the ministry of the heavenly Angels, for their sake, shall never cease on earth; but; how can we be partakers effectually of the benefit of their Ministry, and not of their visible apparition? very well, do but consider it; and it will be very evident, thus; they may be( and are) present with us, and minister unto us, even when they are not at all seen by us: and, the reason, why they are not seen and discerned by us, neither indeed, can be( unless they did still assume Bodies, which now they do not, having a Power still to do it, but not a purpose) is, because they are Spirits, He maketh his Angels, Spirits 
Psal. 104.4. Heb. 1.14. ; and, a Spirit hath not flesh, and bones, as our Saviour said to his Apostles in another Case 
Luk. 24.39. ; and, because they are Spirits, in respect of themselves, they are invisible, in respect of us: who are too dim-sighted( while we live in this body of flesh) to behold spiritual Substances, immaterial and incorporeal: notwithstanding, though they assume not Bodies now, as once they did, and therefore, appear not now unto men, as once they did, yet, this hinders not at all, but that we may be partakers of the Effect, and fruit of their Ministry, even, when we see not those ministering Spirits themselves: we cannot see God himself; for, God is a spirit 
Joh. 4.24. ; yet, all the heavenly, and spiritual Influence we receive, we receive it from God himself, by his Spirit, we see not our own soul: yet, who can affirm, that he receives no benefit by his own soul? So, 'tis no good Argument, we see not the good Angels amongst us, therefore they are not at all present with us: 'tis no good Argument, but rather, we may truly say, that, as we cannot see them, because, by nature 
Quaeris nomen hujus naturae? Spiritus est quae r. officium? Angelus est, Aug. in psal. 104. Prosper. ibid. , they are Spirits; so, because, by their office, they are Angels, we do, and shall, receive benefit by their Ministry: for, to look back again to that of the Apostle, Heb. 1.14. They are ministering Spirits sent forth: which Name they have not, in vain; but to note what their daily Office is, even to be sent forth, when God pleaseth, in some good employment, or other, for the good of his Church, and Chosen, and that, sometimes to fight against his Enemies, such as Senacherib was 
2 King. 19.35 Esa. 37.36. . Sometimes, to smite some proud, and vain glorious Atheists, such as Herod was 
Act. 12.23. . Sometimes, to punish some Temple-robbing, and sacrilegious Person, such as Heliodorus was 
2 Mac. 3.25. &c. . Sometimes, to protect, and defend whole Nations, and kingdoms 
Dan. 10.13.20.12.1. , either from Famine, or Pestilence, or the Sword; till mens sins cause him to recall again, and make null that Commission. Sometimes, to guard, and carefully to watch over all faithful believers, wheresoever dispersed the whole world over, amongst profane, unbelieving and irreligious Companies, The Angel of the Lord carrieth round about them that fear him, and delivered them 
Psal. 34.7. : round about them; that the devil, who walketh about, seeking to devour them 
1 Pet. 5.8. , may not hurt them. And( a little to enlarge this point, concerning the perpetual Ministry of Angels( 'tis not altogether improbable, that every particular faithful Man, hath his particular tutelar Angel assigned him of God, to defend, and protect him 
Videtur quòd Sic. Zanch. in Symb. Apost. loc. 8. Bulling in Act. 12. dicit tamen Calvinus, asserere non au●●m. Just. lib. 1. c. 14. Sect. 7. ; and this, that of our Saviour himself seems to imply, Mat. 18.10. who saith of little Children, that their Angels do always behold the face of his Father in Heaven; their Angels; Such( no doubt) to whose care, and custody he hath committed them: and, if they have their peculiar Angels to guard them, why not other particular Men? besides; after Peter, cast into prison by Herod, was delivered thence by an Angel, and, knocking at the door, many within being gathered together, praying, Rhoda tells them, that it was Peter: but, they not believing it, said that it was his Angel 
Act. 12.12.14, 15. : and, they said it; either because they doubted not of this angelical Tutelage, as to particular faithful Men: or, at least, because, at that time amongst the Jews, Such, an opinion, as that, swayed, and prevailed 
Hoc etiam maximum existimo beneficium, &c. lib. 1. med c. 12. : 'twas Augustines judgement touching himself: J also esteem this as a great blessing, that from my Birth, the Lord hath given me an Angel of Peace, to keep, and preserve me, even to my end: and, 'twas Hieromes judgement touching all others 
Maxima dignitas animarum est, ut unaquoeque habeat ab ortu nativitatis, in custodiam sui, Angelum deputatum in Mat. 18.10. et Epist. 27. c. 1. de Angelo proprio Pauli. : the greatest dignity of mens Souls is, that each hath from his birth an Angel appointed, peculiarly to guard him, but, howsoever it is in this Case, certain it is, that( when there is most need) many Angels, by Gods command, are ready to protect, and defend, even one single faithful Man, from all his ghostly Adversaries: witness that of the Psalmist He shall give his Angels charge over thee 
Psal. 91.11, 12. . Thee, one single man: but, Angels many, to defend him; and, 'tis said, Luk. 15.7. of all the Angels, that there shall be joy in Heaven over one sinner that repenteth: see! all rejoice, at ones Conversion; and, many Angels they were, that carried the soul of Lazarus into Ahrahams bosom 
Luk. 16.23. , 'tis enough, and known it is, that, though we now enjoy not the apparition of Angels, yet, we still enjoy the powerful, and, effectual ministry of Angels: for, they are still, ministering Spirits, sent forth, as this Angel in the Text, was to Cornelius: who had the happiness, to enjoy both; both, the ministry of an Angel; He said unto him, and also, the sight of an Angel: He came in to him; and, by that means, he saw an Angel of God.  
Lo! 'twas an Angel that appeared unto him: and, no other Name hath he here, then, either what his ordinary office, or, his Sender gives him: an Angel: an Angel of God; so they are all: Gods Angels, Gods Messengers, all; yet, some amongst them( when there is cause) have peculiar, and distinct Names( answerable to their Office about which they minister, and are employed in) besides that common one, of Angels: as, there is mention of an Archangel 
1. Thes. 4.6. judas ver. 9. , of Dominions, of Thrones, of Principalities, of Powers, Rom. 8.38. Col. 1.16. of Michael 
Dan. 10.13.12.1. Jud. ubi supra. Rev. 12.7. , of Gabriel, Luk. 1.26. of Uriel, 2 Esd. 4.1. of Raphael, tub. 3.15. Names imposed, according to the extraordinary business, wherein such, or such Angels, from time to time, are employed; but, no such extraordinary business have we here; and therefore, no such extraordinary Name have we here. Let us somewhat illustrate it, by what is sometimes done among ourselves, thus. We are all men, but, some men have Names given them, from extraordinary Event; which others have not; as, Jacob was called Israel, because he prevailed with God 
Gen. 32.28. : Moses, was so name, because he was drawn out of the water 
Exod. 2.10. : Naomi, from her bitterness, and affliction, would be called, Mara 
Ruth. 1.10. ; the Child, that Phineas his wife bare, after the Ark of God was taken by the philistines, was name, Ichabod; in testimony, that the glory was departed from Israel 
1 Sam. 4.19.21. ; So, all are Angels: all are ministering Spirits: but, some Angels, among the rest, have Names given them, from some extraordinary employment, which all have not, not the same employment; and therefore not the same Name as, when the dead shall be raised( which is a work of the greatest power,) that Angel that shall be charged to attend principally on that work, shall be called an Archangel 
Pet. Mart. loc. come. cl. 1. c. 12. Sect 4. Zanch. de nomin. Angel lib. 2. c 1. Dresser. de dich. fest is. in fest Michael. : 1 Thes. 4.16. Thrones, Dominions, Principalities, Powers, are Names, not unfit for such Angels; to whom the custody of Nations, and Kingdoms, and Empires and Thrones is committed, as, to some it is: Col. 1.16. to contend with the devil about the body of Moses, after his death, and not suffer him to find out the place of his Burial, least the people thereby should be lead unto Idolatry, was a work of more then ordinary power, therefore, Michael, who is like God? shall be the name 
Jud. ver. 9.  of that Angel, that will undertake it. Such a Message as this, behold a Virgin shall conceive, and bear a son,( which could not be done but by the powerful overshadowing of the holy Ghost 
Luk. 1.26.31 ,) Gabriel, the strength of God 
Bern. homil. 1 supper missas est. , shall be sent to deliver it: when Esdras was to be enlightened with the true knowledge of the most High, Uriel 
2 Esd. 4.1. , the Light of God, shall be that Angels name, that shall be sent to instruct him; when Tobit was to be healed, Raphael 
tub. 3.15. , the Medicine of God, shall be sent, to undertake his Cure: these their additional Names( besides the Names of their Office, and Nature, Angels, and Spirits) always expressing some unusual employment, and more then ordinary; but, when the employment is but such, as is common to all those ministering Spirits, then the Name is but common also; as here; the employment was, but only a bare relation to Cornelius, of Gods acceptance of his Sacrifice: and therefore, the Messenger sent unto him, in this business, is styled by no additional, by no extraordinary Name, but only, by the common, and ordinary Name of all Angels: an Angel of God.  
And surely, 'twas an Argument of Gods great love unto him, to deal thus with Cornelius; even, to sand his Angel unto him: 'twas his purpose, we know, to gain him unto himself: that purpose, proceeded merely from his Love, and free Favour; and, in demonstration of both, he jud'g it the best way then, to sand one from himself to gain him: or, at least to continue in his Favour: and, the Messenger whom he sent, we see, was an Angel: and, that Angel, after he had delivered his Message unto him, recommended him to the Ministry of Peter. Vers. 5, 6 &c. and, he recommends him, as one( before he was sent to Peter) that was already in a good forwardness, in the way to heaven: the Scales of sinful ignorance, were fallen from the eyes of his Soul: and, he himself gone out of Egypt, towards Canaan: in his progress from Nature, to Grace; from Darkness, to Light: having more in him of the spiritual, then of the natural Man, and now, in Gods judgement, 'twas the fittest opportunity to sand an Angel unto him; see! when our God hath a purpose to do us good, he neglects no means, that are fit to do us good: but, will always make use of that, whatsoever it be, which in his wisdom, he knoweth will best advance us, to a better state; the wise Men that came from the East, after our Saviours birth, Mat. 2. were Astrologers: not ignorant, Surely, of the prophecy of Balaam, that there should come a Star out of Jacob 
Numb 24.17 . Viri Syderum inspectionibus assueti, in Cyprians words 
Ser. de stella& magis. : therefore, God guides them to his son, by a star; the Athenians delighted much in hearing news: Act. 17.21. therefore, Paul is sent unto them, to preach a new Doctrine, such as was never heard of before amongst them; and, that new Doctrine was of Jesus, and the Resurrection Vers. 18. of Repentance. Vers. 30. of judgement to come. Vers 31. by which means, many of them were converted, and became Believers. Vers. 34. other Gentiles also, in other places, not then converted, were easily drawn to inquire further into that matter, by the many Wonders, and Miracles( nearest unto sense) which, either the Apostles,, or Apostolical men, often wrought amongst them 
Mar. 16.15.16, 17, 18, 20. Act. 8.5.6.9.40.41.42. : for which end, the first Angels, the first Pastors, in the primitive Church, who were employed in the conversion of Unbelievers, had for a time annexed to their Ministry, a power to work Miracles; as the Apostles had before them: thus, God, to save us, descends, and applies himself unto us: he did so here to Cornelius; 'twas his resolution to make him one of his own Flock of his own Fold: and therefore,( besides the inward Calling, and the benefit he received afterwards by Peters ministry) he descends also unto him, even by that outward, and common means, sometimes in use amongst the Jews( whereof Cornelius, at that time conversant, and one of good report, amongst them, Vers. 22. could not be ignorant) even by the ministry of an appearing Angel: called in the Text, for distinction-sake,( because the devil also hath his Angels) an 
Mat. 25.41.  Angel of God.  
Thus, as to our first Part, we have considered hitherto the Substance of it; namely, the apparition of an Angel to Cornelius. Let us now descend to examine the particular Circumstances belonging thereunto, and, they are four.  
1. The manner of this Apparition; in a Vision: and saw in a Vision an Angel of God coming in to him, even, into his House, where then he was; Lo! 
2 Cor. 12 7.  Abraham sate in his Tentdoor, when he saw three Angels 
Gen. 18.1. : Los, in the gate of Sodom, when he saw two Angels 
Gen. 19.1. : Manoah's wife sate in the Field, when she saw one Angel: 
Jud. 13.9.  but, Cornelius at this time, was neither in the field, nor at the Gate, nor at the door of his House, but within praying, when he saw an Angel of God in a Vision: the Apostle saith, that God in divers manners spake in time past unto the Fathers, by the Prophets 
Heb. 1.1. : and, we may say, that, in divers manners also, he spake to the Fathers, before the Prophets, and to others, afterwards in divers manners, as, 1. By Oracle, by Voice, audibly. So he spake to Adam, to the patriarchs, and others, before the flood, when as yet there was no written word to instruct them. 2. by Dreams; when the mind only was awaked, and not the man; like as it is in an ecstasy, or trance, when all the Senses, both inward, and outward, want their proper use, and operation, that those divine things then revealed, might take the deeper impression in the understanding, while the mind is wholly withdrawn from that accustomend fellowship, it had before with the body: whereof Elihu speaketh in Job, thus; God speaketh in a dream, when deep Sleep falleth upon men, then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction 
Job. 33.14.15, 16. . 3. By Urim, and Thummim, which being interpnted, is, the Lights, and the Perfections; rendered by the greek Translators, the manifestation, and the truth, because God by them,( put in the breastplate of the high Priest, Levit. 8.8) manifested unto him the truth of such things, as he at any time inquired of: as, 'tis said of Eleazar the Priest, he shall ask council for Ioshua, after the judgement of Urim before the Lord 
Numb. 27.21 : but, what these were, is not easy to determine 
Quae,& qualia fuerint, non constat. Piscat. in Exod. 28.30 . 4. By divine Inspiration. So he spake to the Prophets: for, prophesy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost 
2 Pet. 1.21. . 5. By a little small voice, or echo from heaven, called filia vocis, the daughter of a voice 
Ainsw. in Exo. 28.30. Weem. Christ. Synag. proleg. cap. 4. , as it were, one voice proceeding out of an other: heard sometimes in the second Temple, not long before the final Destruction of it. 6.( To put that last, which is the word of the Text, expressing the Manner of this apparition,) God spake unto men by Visions: which were of two sorts, either, Visions of the night, when men were asleep: or Visions of the day,( such as this was we now speak of,) when men were awake, and had the free use, both of Sight, and Senses: as Cornelius here had, who saw an Angel of God in a Vision. God first revealing unto the Angel, what he( appearing in a Vision) should reveal to Cornelius, then awaked, and fit to receive it: that's clear from the Text, the Manner of this apparition, in a Vision.  
2. The Proof of this apparition, is also as clear {αβγδ}, evidently; he saw in a Vision, evidently, an Angel of God, coming in to him: and, we may say in this Case, as the Prophet Jeremiah once did to Zedekiah, in an other: thou shalt speak with the King of Babylon, mouth to mouth, and his eyes shall see thy eyes 
Jer. 32.4.34.3. : just so, 'twas here now, with the Angel, and Cornelius: the one spake, mouth to mouth with the other: the one with his eyes, evidently saw the eyes, the whole form of the other: and, Cornelius his sense of seeing was not at all deluded; as the Papists suffer theirs to be, in their {αβγδ}, or Transubstantiation, neither was there any thing imaginary, or fantastical, but all was real, and substantial, here; and, God would not deal with his servant Cornelius as he permits the devil sometimes to deal with other men, even to persuade them, that they see, what they do not see; which was Sauls case 
1 Sam. 28.14 : it was not Samuel himself, raised from hell by the witch at Endor, as Josephus fond imagined 
Antiqu. Iud. lib. 6. c. 15. Sect. 2. ; but, it was a counterfeit Samuel, a Spectrum, some diabolical Spirit it was, in the shape of Samuel, that he saw 
Pet. Martyr. loc come. cla. 1. c. 9 Sect. 7. ; but, no such thing was there here; no painting, no counterfeiting, no deluding here; no, neither could there be: because he that came in to Cornelius was an Angel of God; who knows not how to delude, or counterfeit, 'tis confessed, that a word, a voice, a direction only, might have been heard from Heaven, though no Person at all had appeared; and, nothing strange in that; as, to Samuel, when God called him 
1 Sam. 3 4.6 10. ; to Ezekiel, when God instructed him 
Ezek. 1.28. ; to our Saviour, when he was transfigured on the Mount, Mat. 17.5 and again, when his Soul was much troubled, a little before his death 
Ioo. 12 7.28, 29. ; to Policarpus, about the time of his martyrdom: fortis esto Policarpe; O Policarpus be thou strong, be thou faithful unto death 
Euseb. eccle. hist. lib. 4. c. 15. ; to Augustine, about the time of his Conversion; tolle, lege; tolle, lege; take up the Bible, and red 
Confess. lib. 8. c. 12. Sect. 2. ; but here, 'twas otherwise; the Angel that speaks, appears: and, Cornelius, to whom he appeared, and spake, saw him evidently: being both at that time, in one, and the same place, and, both in the house of Cornelius; he saw in a Vision evidently, an Angel of God coming in to him.  
3. The truth, and reality of this apparition is farther confirmed in the Text, by the Circumstance of time, when it happened: and that was, about the ninth hour of the Day; and, that ninth hour( to be reckoned from the rising of the sun,) was about three in the afternoon; when the Evening then drew on: a Time, when it was not possible to mistake; a Time, when the Angel found Cornelius, not in the field, fighting; but, in his house praying, vers 30; an example for all Souldiers, to set apart daily, some time for their Devotions; a Time, when once, a Lamb, the daily evening Sacrifice, was commanded to be offered for a burnt Offering 
Exod. 29.39.41. ; a Time( besides that, appointed for the morning Sacrifice, about the third hour, that is, about our nine, who begin our recknoning at Midnight) when, towards the Evening, they were wont to go up into the Temple to pray, Act. 3.1. Lo! at such a time as this, even at the hour of Prayer, in the afternoon:( Cornelius first prepareing himself privately in his own House, for his Devotions, to be continued afterwards in the Temple) at such a time as this, an Angel appeared to Cornelius; even, about the ninth hour of the Day. The ninth hour; whence we may farther note, that this was also the very same time of the Day( though not of that Day,) that our Saviour( that Lamb of God 
joh 1.29. ) some yeares before, died upon the across, for mans Redemption 
Mat. 27.46.50. ; and, at such a time of the Day only, and none other, did God sand his Angel to Cornelius: whose purpose surely, thereby was, to signify that his son, who died for others at that time of the Day, died also at that time, for Cornelius: thus; a Lamb was appointed to be sacrificed, a Saviour effectually died: an Angel evidently appeared: a soldier devoutly prayed: and all, about the ninth hour of the Day, that hour of Prayer: happy Cornelius! who wert then praying, when, God by his Angel, was providing for thy eternal happiness; happy Cornelius! and happy hour, too, the hour of our Saviours suffering, the ninth hour of the Day: O let it be always one of those hours also of our Devotion, and Spiritual rejoicing; because, by his stripes we are healed 
Esa. 53.5. , who died for us, about the ninth hour of the Day; at what time also an Angel appeared to Cornelius: and, what was done so openly, and in the day time, clearly concludes for the truth of this apparition.  
Thus, here's a Vision( you see) in the day time; even when Cornelius, who evidently saw the Angel, was awaked: there have been Visions also( though not so evident,) even in the night, when men were asleep: we have both a proof of it, and examples of it, a proof of it: God speaketh in a Vision of the night 
job. 33.15. ; examples of it; God spake to Israel, in the Visions of the night 
Gen. 46.2. ; and, the Lord spake to Paul, in the night by a Vision 
Act. 18.19. ; but now, both Sorts are abolished: and, instead of Visions, either by Day, or Night, we have Gods Law, yea, and his Gospil too, to meditate on, both day, and night 
Psal. 1.2. ; therefore, he that now looks for a Vision, after the two Testaments are so wide opened unto us, and, nothing that concerns our spiritual Welfare, concealed from us, is more foolish, then Nabal: more blind, then Bartimeus; more lame in his intellectuals, then the cripple in his body, at the Pool, Bethesda: for, lo! the evidence that the Church formerly had for Visions, either of the one sort, or the other, is( because God now speaks unto us by his son 
Heb. 1.2. ; and after no other manner) long since canceled, and defaced: and, the ninth hour of the Day, as to that, is now past, and gone: for, this is the last hour 
1 joh 2.18. ; and, in this last hour, the one, onely, outward, and ordinary means that God useth to reveal his mind, and will unto us, is, by his word written; to the law, and to the testimony 
Esa. 8.20. ; Si scire vis quid sit tenendum, habes literas sacras: Salvian said it 
Lib. 3. de gubernatione Dei. Pag 64. ; if thou wilt know, what is consonant, and agreeable to Gods will, red the Scriptures, red the holy word of God: this is the Canon, and Rule of our Faith; this, the director, and guid of our Life: nothing true, that is any ways dissonant to this: nothing to be believed, as a matter of Faith, but what is agreeable to this: wherefore, away with all enthusiasms, with all, falsely boasted of, sudden raptures, and iuspirations, the vain imaginations of cracked, and crazy brains, fit subjects for the devil, that sour of Tares while men sleep, 
Mat. 13.25.  to work upon: but, in this Case, let us imitate the devout Jews of those times, who after the loss of Urim, and Thummim in the captivity of Bablyon, and, when there was not any Prophet amongst them any more, held themselves close to the law of Moses, as they were commanded by the last Prophet 
Mal. 4.4. . So must we, who profess the name of Christ, hold ourselves close, without wavering, to the Law, to the Gospel, as our Saviour commanded, before he ascended, Search the Scriptures 
Joh. 5.39. ; Search them, as those of Beraea did 
Act. 17.11. : believe them: and, abhor all new fangled Novelties, which have no sure, nay, no foundation at all, in them: especially, if the Authors of them( though in outward appearance as holy as Scribes, and Pharisees) pretend unto Visions: then, then, detest, and abhor them; for, Visions, all heavenly Visions are now ceased: but, if any instead thereof, will needs be enamoured on Delusions, hellish, and diabolical, we will have no hand at all with them in making up that Match: come with us; no: cast in thy lot with us; no: Let us all have one purse; no: for, it will prove at last, but like Judas his bag; and, he that tempted him, to sell his master for thirty pence, hath tempted thee, to sell thy soul to him, for nothing. Such are all thy Visions, whereof thou boastest, thy inspirations, thy Revelations; all, are nothing, but traps, and snares, which Satan hath set in thy way to catch, and devour thee: and yet, thou deluded, ensnared, obstinate man, wilt not be warned, to decline, and avoid them: but, wilt rather loose thyself, then thy sullenness: rather perish in thy sin, then that thy vain opinion should perish: Notwithstanding, we may, and do, still rightly conclude, that all Visions, all heavenly Visions, are now utterly ceased; yet, for a little while, our Discourse concerning this Vision in the Text, must be continued; for, besides the proof, evidently; and, the Circumstance of time, about the ninth hour of the day.  
4. The very behaviour of Cornelius here, pleads for the truth of the Angels apparition unto him, whom he saw in a Vision; and, his behaviour was; he looked on him, he was afraid, he said, What is it Lord? where, his seeing him, his fear, at the sight of him, his audible speaking unto him, with the Angels reply, which followeth afterwards, are as so many Demonstrations, {αβγδ} that it was so; and, so it is now written; that an Angel of God appeared to Cornelius: but, when he first appeared unto him, it was then hardly so taken; for, he looked on him: his eyes were wholly fixed upon him 
{αβγδ}, intentis oculis. ; which presupposeth, that he knew not at the first, that he was an Angel: yet, wondering( no doubt) to see such a glorious Creature, on a sudden, come into his house; whom afterwards, in the presence of Peter, he described to be a man, in respect of his form, Vers. 30. because, at that time, 'twas usual for Angels, to appear in the shape of men; and, in respect of his Ornament, to be arrayed in bright clothing: such as that Angel was adorned with, who was a witness of our Saviours Resurrection, Mat. 28.3. but, as yet, not certain who he was, he makes his eyes the first examiners of the truth of this apparition: he looked on him: yet, not as the lame man looked on Peter, and John, expecting some benevolence from them 
Acts 3.5. ; nor, as Elisha looked on Elias, when he was taken up into heaven 
2 Kings 2.11.12. ; with a longing desire to enjoy his presence again: neither as yet, beholded he him with any content, and delight, as Jacob looked on his son Joseph, in Egypt 
Gen. 46.30. ; but rather, as the Apostles looked on our Saviour after his Resurrection, as men terrified, supposing they had seen a Spirit 
Luk. 24.37. ; or, as the shaking Keepers of the Sepulchre, Mat. 28.4 or, as the affrighted Women, that came early thither, and entred into it, looked on that other Angel, Mar. 16.5. he was afraid: so that his heart at that time, was little beholding to his eye; for, had not that looked, the other had not trembled: and, he might have truly said at that time, and in that case, I have no need of thee: thus though, as the Apostle saith 
1 Cor. 12.18. ; God hath set the parts, every one of them in the Body, as it pleaseth him; yet, the outward, are oftentimes an occasion to put the inward, quiter out of frame; as here; the eye, outwardly seeth; the heart, inwardly trembleth: he was afraid; his fear arising( it seems) from the sight of an unusual apparition.  
He was afraid, what? 'tis not for the commendation of a soldier, of a Centurion,( such was Cornelius, Vers 1.) to be afraid; no, 'tis not; amid the earthly host: but, when any of the heavenly appears, as now, 'tis no discommendation, to be terrified, and affrighted: neither was it any at all, in this case, to Cornelius: who( no doubt) had been instructed of God, to be strong, and of a good courage, as sometimes Joshua was, when he was to succeed Moses 
josh. 1.6. : and, as touching the military employment he was designed to, not in vain instructed: nay, we will conceive, that he was as valiant, as any of Alexanders old Souldiers, whose renown it was,( not willing to turn their backs,) they received all their wounds in their breasts 
Vulnera in pectoribus. Q. Vurtius. ; and, if the General had proclaimed in the ears of the people, as Gideon sometimes did, Jud. 7.3. whosoever is fearful, and afraid, let him return, and depart, Cornelius surely, would still have kept his ground: being none of those rash Commanders, who have lost many, both, particular Cities, and whole Countreyes, either by their folly, or their fearfullness 
In manibus temerariorum ducum ceciderunt bellicosa Numantia, ornatissima Cori●thus, superbae Thebae, &c Cor. Agrip. de ●van. Scient. cap. 79. : no, none of these was Cornelius: but, though we may easily grant, that he was of an undaunted courage, and, without fear, amongst his fellow-soldiers, and against the common enemy, yet, 'tis openly denied in the Text, that he was so, when he saw an Angel of God: and, good reason; for, now his company was changed, and therefore, now his courage was changed also: he was afraid; thus, we know not what Spirit we are of, until we are tried: and then, those that seem strongest, many times prove the weakest: 'twas so with Peter, in another Case 
Mar. 14.29.68. : 'twas so with Cornelius, in this: who might well say with David, that the Lord had taught his hands to war, and his fingers to fight 
Psal. 144.1. : but, could not say with the same David, at this time, my heart shall not be afraid 
Psal. 27.3. : for, the Cause remaining, the Effect necessary remaineth also 
Si fit Causa, simul etiam erit effectus. Arist. Analyt. Poster. lib. 2. c. 16. : and, the cause of all fear, is sin: 'twas so with Adam, Gen. 3.8 fear made him hid himself; his sin made him fear: 'twas so with those Keepers of the Sepulchre, Mat. 28.4. and, for the same cause; who, when they saw an Angel of the Lord, they did shake, and became as dead men: 'twas so also here with Cornelius: a man he was; and therefore, sinful; and, because sinful, therefore, fearful, as we noted before. So it is, the behaviour of man, easily discovers the Nature of man: and, this one example is sufficient to prove it: Cornelius was a Man, was a Sinner, was afraid.  
But( not to aggravate) 'twas but a sudden passion, this and, almost as soon allayed, as entertained by Cornelius: for, lo! he soon recollects himself, unto himself; and, he that but now was so much transported with fear, and amazement, and( as it were) gone out of himself, now, taking heart, comes to himself again: and, hearing the Angel say unto him, Cornelius; he said unto the Angel, what is it Lord? not, who art thou Lord? no, that was not the Question, but, {αβγδ} what is it Lord? as if he had said; I know, that thou art sent from heaven to reveal some good tidings unto me: tell me, what is it? I would willingly hear it, that I might rejoice at it: thus, and thus he now familiarly discourseth with the Angel; being now fully persuaded, that he was an Angel of God indeed, Vers 7 8, 22. and, that he was not sent unto him, without some good news, some good message, which he is very inquisitive to know: what is it Lord? therein imitating Jacob, who would not suffer that Angel with whom he wrestled, to depart from him, until he had blessed him 
Gen. 32.34.26. : neither would Cornelius suffer this Angel to depart from him, until he had blessed him also: that Angel( Christ, called God, Hos. 12.3.) with whom Jacob wrestled, being the Author of the blessing, that this Angel brings to Cornelius: and, that blessing, being yet( as it were) locked up, in the Angels message, he earnestly moves him to unlock, and open it, that he might receive the benefit of it: what is it Lord? see! more bold, and confident was he now, then at the first; and, the more acquainted he is with the Angel, the more familiar he is with the Angel: who was not more forward now to deliver Gods blessed message, sent by him, then Cornelius now was to hear, and receive it; a sudden change it was: we are not always the same men, of the same mind, and subject to the same passions; no, neither was Cornelius: who at first was afraid at the sight of the Angel; but now it appears, that it is not so; and, the better acquainted with the Angel, the more familiarly he discourseth with the Angel, as one desirous to know the reason of his apparition: what is it Lord?  
Lo! 'twas Cornelius that moved this Question here: who by nation was an uncircumcised gentle; which was, by nature, to be without Christ, as Paul speaketh of other Gentiles 
Eph. 2.14. : but now by Grace, he was become a religious man, a devout man, a pious man, and one that feared God with all his house: one that gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always, Vers. 2. 'twas this Cornelius, thus and thus changed, renewed, and sanctified by the holy Spirit of God 
Cornelius Centurio adhuc Ethnicus, dono 5. sancti mundatur. Hieron. Epist. ad Helio. G. , 'twas this Cornelius to whom God sent his Angel, and of whom( as a man now much delighted with the things of God) he demanded, what is it Lord? and, this sending an Angel from heaven, to a man, that by nation was a gentle, signified surely, that the full time for the calling of the Gentiles, was then near at hand: as it came to pass: whereof Noah prophesied more then two thousand years before, saying, that Japhet should dwell in the Tents of Shem 
Gen. 9.27. ; that is, that the Gentiles descended of Japhet, should in due time be brought to the faith of Christ, and become fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of the same promise in Christ, Eph. 3.6. together with the Jews, descended of Shem 
De Sem, hebraei, de Japhet, populus Gentilium nascitur. Hieron. quest. in Gen. Tom. 3. Pag. 856. ; in whose Line Gods Church was continued: farther, Boaz begot ob of Ruth: ob begot Jesse, &c. Mat. 1.5. Boaz was an Israelite, but Ruth was a Moabite 
Ruth. 1.4.2.4. ; of whose Line our Saviour came, according to the flesh; to note, that even the Gentiles also should be called to salvation in Christ Jesus, as well as the Jews; as well a Ruth, as a Boaz: again, Solomons marrying with Pharaohs daughter 
1 Kings. 3.1. : a King of Jsrael, with an egyptian prefigured this: the preaching of Jonah to the Ninevites( Gentiles) was a Type of this 
Ion. 1.1.2. : the coming of the wisemen from the East to Jerusalem, to worship the new born King of the Jews 
Mat. 2.2. : which was Christ, a nearer representation of this: and, this sending an Angel of God to Cornelius, a gentle, together with his forwardness, to be informed by the Angel, what good news, what glad tidings he had brought from heaven unto him, a more manifest confirmation of this: he said, what is it Lord? but, we will not stay any longer on this our first Part: The apparition of an Angel to Cornelius: you have heard it at large; and, remember the particular Circumstances belonging unto it: as, the Manner, in a Vision; the Proof evidently; the Time, about the ninth hour of the day: with the behaviour of Cornelius, when he saw an Angel of God come in to him: he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, what is it Lord? but, enough of this; and, I hope, not too much; because we have been speaking hitherto of the apparition of an Angel of God: of whom first a Question was demanded, as touching his Message.  
2. To that Question, the Angel here opportunely answers, and( to satisfy his yet unsatisfied expectation) he opens his Message to Cornelius, this; thy prayers, and thy alms are come up for a memorial before God: he asked, what is it? the Angel tells him, this it is; God is well pleased with thy sweet smelling sacrifice; and, I am sent to let thee know, that he is well pleased: which once known, and understood by Cornelius, there is no cause to doubt, but that, on his part, the Sacrifice of a thankful heart, the triumphing affections of a joyful heart, were ready to receive, and entertain this welcome, this blessed message: and surely, the more welcome it must needs be unto him, because it was sent from God, and delivered by an Angel, to ascertain him, that he was in favour with God: he said, thy prayers, and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God: this was the Angels message.  
The Angel said unto him; but, can Angels speak? it seems they can: and that, either unto God; or, unto themselves; or, unto men: unto God they speak; and that, two manner of ways, as Aquinas hath noted 
Angelus loquitur Deo, vel consultando divinam voluntatem de agendis, vel ejus excellentiam, quam nunquam comprehendit, admirando. Sum. pars 1. q. 107. Conc. 3. ; 1. when, always glorifying him in heaven, they consult, and inquire( after a manner unknown to us) what his will, and command is, touching this, or that employment, which obediently they are ready to put in execution. 2. when, beholding his face, in admiration of his Excellency, they are rapt with his beauty: 
Unus Angelus loquitur alteri,& nihil est aliud loqui ad alterum, quam conceptum mentis alteri manifestare. Aquin. ubi sup. intelligimus Angelum loqui, cum apprehendimus eum conceptus suos manifestare Scheibler. Metap lib. 2 c. 4. Tit. 13 de angels.  this admiring him, being a kind of speaking unto him, which God understands, though we do not: unto themselves they speak, and, one among another; and that, by a voluntary revealing 
Aquin. ubi sup. Conc. 1. ; the thoughts of their minds, one unto another: which they so order, that they suddenly understand one another; and thus, one Angel is then said to speak unto another, when one openeth; and manifesteth the thoughts of his mind unto another; which with much willingness, and alacrity they do: which kind of angelical speech the prophet Esay maketh mention of, cap. 6. Vers. 3, describing the Seraphims( Angels, so called, because they are inflamed with the Love of, God) crying one unto another( which presupposeth some kind of articulate Speech, to be understood) and saying, holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of Hosts: and Paul saith of himself, if I had the tongues of Angels 
1 Cor. 13.1. : meaning, that if he could manifest all the thoughts of his heart to men, as suddenly, and as fully, as one Angel doth his, unto another, without any obstacle, or impediment at all, yet, if he had not charity, he were nothing: and, as, to God, and to themselves, so, to men also do Angels speak; and that, either without, or, with assumed Bodies: when the good Angels( as they are in themselves, Spirits, and without material Bodies) speak unto the hearts, and souls of faithful men( as no doubt, oftentimes they do) then, after a spiritual, and heavenly Manner, without words, without any vocal noise, or audible speech( but to him only, to whom they speak, if to him) they secretly instil, insinuate, convey, and communicate their meaning to the minds, and understandings of men; in a manner, like as they do their own minds, one unto another: but 
Euch. c. 59.  Augustines judgement in this Case is( a judgement not to be contemned) that it cannot be known, nor affirmed, after what manner, Angels, simply considered in themselves( as Angels) speak, either to the ear, outwardly, or to the minds of men, inwardly: it cannot be known; but, when they appeared in the form of men( as in ages past they did,) then they assumed such Bodies as we ourselves have, with all their integral parts, together with all instruments of Speech, and therefore, Tongues: wherewith, when they so appeared, they spake vocally, and audibly to the ears of men. So they spake to Abraham, saying, where is Sarah thy wife 
Gen. 18.9. ? to Lot, saying, we will destroy this place 
Gen. 19.12, 13. : to Joshua, saying, as Captain of the Host of the Lord am I now come 
Josh 5.14. : to Manoah, saying, if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it unto the Lord 
Jud. 13.16. : and here( not to instance in more examples in so plain a matter,) an Angel of God audibly spake to Cornelius, saying, thy prayers, and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.  
But, how comes the Angel here to understand that? surely, not by any natural knowledge of his own: no; for, Angels are creatures; and Creatures) how eminent soever) know no more of the secret mind of God, then what is revealed immediately unto them by the mouth of God: now, such was the business here; God himself, as he was at first the sole Author, so also was he the sole, and secret witness, of the piety, and devotion of Cornelius: which the Angel knew nothing of, nor could not know, till God had revealed it unto him, to reveal it to Cornelius: knew nothing( having not been conversant with him before,) either of the sanctified conversation of Cornelius, or of Gods accepting both it, and him: knew nothing of it, by his own natural knowledge; yet, confessed it is, that, had the matter been wholly acted upon earth, and the Angel been present with Cornelius in his house, at several other times, as now he was once, for a short time, when he appeared unto him, Vers. 3. he might have known, even by his own experimental knowledge, and, by the observation of his pious Actions, what manner of person Cornelius was, and consequently, in what esteem he was in Gods sight; knowing, that in every Nation he that feareth God, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him 
Acts 10.35. : but, the whole matter being kept secret in the bosom of God himself, both touching the piety of Cornelius, and his acceptance both of the Person, and sacrifice of Cornelius, the Angel could not come to understand that, either by any natural, or experimental knowledge of his own, but only by a revealed knowledge from God: thus then it was; God  told it to the Angel, the Angel  told it to Cornelius: thy prayers, and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.  
Lo! glorious things are here spoken of Cornelius: of one that was a soldier, a Centurion, a Captain of an hundred( so much the word implies 
{αβγδ}. ;) chosen out of the band, called the Italian band, Vers. 1. the whole being the flower, and strength, of the roman force 
Robur exercituum legebant ex Italiâ. Calvin. in loc. : part whereof was under the command of this Cornelius: and, to that end were they under his command, that, by them, he might guard, and defend Caesarea( sometimes called Straton, and built by Herod 
Joseph. Ant. Judaic. lib. 15. c. 11. Bulling in Act. 10.1 :) from the violent eruptions, and incursions of all enemies to the romans: that was his Office, as a soldier, amongst men: but, his glory, his comfort, his commendation was, that he was one that was accepted of God: thy prayers, and thine Alms, &c. Lo? to one, by profession a soldier, was this spoken by an Angel: whose profession, notwithstanding, was not at all disliked by the Angel: whence naturally this Conclusion floweth, this: That a soldier( as such) may be in favour with God: that's the Conclusion: and, the acceptance of this Centurion, Cornelius, may be one example to confirm it: but, because one is no number▪ let us find out another: even that Centurion, whom our Saviour himself so highly commends, saying of him, I have not found so great Faith, no not in Israel 
Luk. 7.9. : a pregnant proof, that a soldier may be a Saint, notwithstanding he still remain a soldier: for, 'tis not the profession, but the abuse of it, that stains any ones reputation with men, and hinders his acceptation with God: this John the Baptist knew, when( for ought appears to the contrary he allowed, and approved of the profession, but not of the practise of many Souldiers 
Luk. 3.14. : who, instead of fighting the Lords battles, as Abraham, and Moses, and Joshua, and David did; and, in respect of that, there was no evil found in them,( as Abigail in particular said to David, 1 Sam. 25.28.) fight their own battles; fight merely for their own ends: and, be the war never so just( 
Pet. Mart. cl. 4. c. 16. Sect. 2. Gregor. de val. disp. 3. qu. 16. par. 2 de Bello. ; which then is just 1. When it is undertaken by lawful Authority. 2. Upon a just cause, that peace may follow. 3. With a good intention: yet, they will offer violence, they will accuse falsely, they will not be content with their wages: but, will  shed innocent blood, because they will  shed it: will rob, and spoil, and prey upon the innocent, contrary, not only to the law of Nature, of Nations, of God, and holy Religion, but also, contrary to the rules of their own marshal, and military Profession: and this, even that which cometh out of a man, out of the evil thoughts of his heart( that Shop of murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false-witness, blasphemies) this is that which defileth a man, and renders him abominable in Gods sight: which Ambrose meant, when he said, 'tis not a sin to be a soldier: but, for a soldier to fight for the spoil only, that's a sin 
Serm. 7. Citant Hug Grotio. 1. part de jure belly& pacis. c. 30. : the short is this. Let a Centurion, a soldier be careful to be a just, a religious, a merciful man, as Cornelius was: and( notwithstanding his profession) he shall be in favour with God, as this Centurion, Cornelius was; in testimony whereof, the Angel said unto him, thy prayers, and thine, alms are come up for a memorial before God.  
And, that's the Substance of this angelical Message to Cornelius: to him in particular the Angel first delivered it; but- to him in particular, surely, the Angel never meant it; no, because it is such a Message, which in every age, merely concerns all, that are like Cornelius, Thee, and Thee: thy prayers, thine alms: look how it fared with one, so shall it fare with all, that in piety, and mercy, are like this one: and, you know how that is: their prayers, and their alms are always remembered, and favourably accepted of God: as the Angel first  told Cornelius, Vers. 4. and Cornelius afterwards( having the Angels word for it)  told Peter, Vers. 31. and, we may believe them both; for, with such Sacrifices God is well pleased 
Heb. 13.16. : as he was with that sweet smelling Sacrifice which Noah offered when he came out of the Ark 
Gen. 8.21. : and, so well pleased he is with them, that he will never forget them: they come up for a memorial before him: even before him, who at the last day will say unto all churlish Nabals, unto all unmerciful men, I know you not 
Mat. 25.12 : I remember you not; nothing is come up before me, that can any ways move me, to accept you: depart from me ye cursed 
Mat. 25.41. : when on the other side, all such shall be had in everlasting remembrance with God, who by their prayers, their piety, their mercy, and tender compassion have imitated this Cornelius: I was hungry, and ye gave me meat; naked, and ye clothed me; come ye blessed of my Father 
Mat 25.34.35 36 : Let us go on.  
Thy prayers, thine alms: lo! both are the works of one and the same Person: 'twas Cornelius that prayed: 'twas Cornelius that gave Alms: whereupon, we may rightly infer, that the prayers of faithful men( whose prayers are Gods delight, Prov. 15.8.) will not be without works of mercy, and charity: they will be pitiful, as well as pious: they will be both, in practise, where there is ability: they will be both, in purpose, where there is not; knowing, that God, with whom a Cup of could water shall not loose its reward, Mat. 10.42. accepteth the will for the dead: witness the poor widows two Mites cast into the Treasury, and accepted 
Mar. 12.42.43. : and saith Paul, if there be a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that a man hath not 
2 Cor. 8.12. ; thy prayers, thine Alms: they will, they must, always go together: at least, in intention, when( by reason of Disability) it cannot be so in execution.  
Again, Thy Prayers, and thine alms: whence we may note farther; that, as our Prayers must be accompanied with our works of mercy, and christian compassion, So our works of mercy, must be accompanied with our prayers also: because these give a blessing to those: our Prayers, to our alms, the one, being no ways acceptable, nor had in remembrance with God, without the other: thy prayers, said the Angel to Cornelius, are come up for a memorial: thy prayers, and( because we are now speaking of Prayer, which brings a blessing to alms) let me add, and, their Prayers also: I will explain it; thus: Thou that art enabled to do good, must pray, that God may accept thy works: they, to whom thou dost good, will also pray, that God, as he hath promised, may reward thy works; and, he will hear them: the Lord preserve him, and keep him alive: the Lord comfort him, when he lieth sick upon his bed. 
Psal. 41.2, 3.  Him; that visited me, when I was sick. Him; that fed me, when I was hungry. Him; that clothed me, when I was naked, the Lord preserve him; the Lord comfort him; thus, Patr●ni, pauperes 
Fulgent. Serm de dispensati. Domini p. 618. : if thou do good to the poor, by giving they also( whose prayers to heaven for thee are not in vain) will do good again to thee, by praying: 'tis not lost then, whatsoever is given to the poor members of Christ: 'tis not lost: because, in them, 'tis given to Christ; who keeps a memorial of what thou givest, that he may reward thee, according to what thou givest 
Prov. 19.17. : wherefore, shut not thine hand against thy poor Brother, Deut. 15.7. that God may 
Si aperuer'● pauperibus manus tuas, Christus tibi aperiet januas suas August de tem Serm. 227. ; open his hands wide, and liberally unto thee: Da micam, ut accipias totum. Chrysol Serm. 8. de Eleemos. one Sheaf of the first fruits of the harvest, sanctified, we know, the whole crop 
Lev. 23. ●0. 11. : and, a morsel, an handful, given to the poor for Gods sake, we also know, will bring his blessing upon the whole store; and, if we would lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven, this is one way to do it, even by opening the bowels of mercy, to the poor, the fatherless, the widow, on earth: whose hands are the 
G●zophylatium Christi Chrysol Serm. 8. de jeju●. Eleemos.  treasury of Christ: Pauper accipit, Christus acceptat: as Chrysologus, aptly; the poor receive our Alms, Christ accepts them, and will reward them 
ibid. : and, for his sake that accepts them, let us give them, to those that want them: 'tis Jobs testimony of himself, that he delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him, that he was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame, that he had not seen any perish, for want of clothing, or any poor, without covering 
Job. 29.12.15 31.19 : and, 'tis Hieroms testimony of Nepotianus 
Caecorum baculus, esurientium cibus, spes miserorum solamen lugentium. ep. 3. ad Heliod. ; that he was a staff to the blind; meat, to the hungry; hope, to those that were in misery; comfort, to those that mourned; both, were full of good works; and almsdeeds, as Dorcas was, Act. 9.39. and, are our examples, both, to imitate: that, being bountiful, and merciful unto the poor, God may be bountiful, and merciful unto us: give, and it shall be given unto you: good measure, and pressed down 
Luk. 6.38. : Gods measure being always far greater then ours; we red, Gen 42 27. that there was money in the sacks of Josephs Brethren, though they knew not how it came there: of the widow of Zarephath's barrel of meal, that wasted not, and, of her Cruse of oil, which did not fail, but rather increased, though daily much thereof were spent 
1 Kings 1.7.14.16. : Such, such a blessing, surely, shall befall the merciful man: his Substance shall not fail, shall not be wasted; nay, when he thinks not of it, it shall be increased 
Pecunia quae pauperibus dispensatur, augetur. : and, he may easily find out the reason, why God is so merciful unto him; it is, because he hath been merciful unto the poor. You see the occasion of this Discourse concerning Alms deeds, and the blessing they bring with them: it is the Angels message to Cornelius, about such a business: he said, thy prayers, and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God; go, and do thou likewise: fear God, pray in faith, give alms, be merciful to the poor, as he was, and thou shalt be remembered, and accepted of God, as he was.  
We have now done with the two Parts of the Text 1. The apparition of an Angel. 2. The message of an Angel: but, we have yet somewhat more to say concerning the Person, principally concerned in the Text, Cornelius; that devout, that pious man, whom the Angel in favour visited, and whose prayers, and alms God in mercy remembered. Thy prayers, Thine alms: they were both his, in one sense, in that 'twas he that offered the one unto God, who accepted them; and gave the other unto man, who wanted them; but, in another sense, they were both Gods; whose bounty, his alms were: the blessing of the Lord it maketh rich 
Prov. 10.22. : whose gift, were his prayers. We know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us 
Rom. 8.26. .  
And, concerning this Person, Cornelius, two Questions are yet to be answered, with reference to his works of faith mentioned in the Text, and before, Vers. 2. as,  
1. Whether he believed, before his works, his Piety, his prayers, his alms, were accepted of God.  
2. Whether these his works( though accepted of God) were meritorious in his sight, after he believed; and when this said, all is said; and,  
To the first Question, the Answer is affirmative; he did believe, before his works, his piety, his prayers, his alms were accepted of God: he did believe, and that, in the true Messiah: but, after the same manner, as the Fathers, before his Incarnation, believed in him; that is, as in one, then to come; not, at that time, fully instructed that he was already come, So 
Lumb. Sent. lib. 3. dist. 25. D. Aquin 22. qu. 10. Art. 4. , lombard; So, Aquinas: gaining a fuller knowledge thereof afterwards, by the ministry of Peter, to whom the Angel sent him, Vers. 5. &c. to gain that clearer, and fuller knowledge of Christ crucified, and risen again. Let us then state this Question, thus; Cornelius, before the Angel brought this message unto him, that his prayers, his alms were accepted of God, did truly believe in the Son of God: or else, he should never have received such a message from God, by an Angel: he did truly believe in the promised Messiah, whom he then expected: though, in him he believed not, so strongly, so fully, so distinctly, as he did, after he had been with Peter: by whose ministry he received only the increase, but not the beginning, of faith: and, that beginning of faith, of an implicit faith in Christ( as his was) which he had received, before the Angel came unto him( because it was a true faith;) was sufficient to rank him in the number of true believers, as a man already sanctified, and regenerate: but, whence received he that beginning of faith, of that implicit faith in Christ? surely, immediately, from Heaven: and, that's no new thing; for, Paul himself so received the faith, Gal. 1. but, we are speaking of Cornelius, in whom, Gods prevenient, and sanctifiing Grace first begot that faith he had in the promised Messiah; and so, from Grace( the original, and fountain of all) he came to faith; and, from faith to works 
Per fidem, venit ad opera. Greg hemil. 16. in Ezech. citant. lombard. ubi supra. ; then accepted of God, when he believed, but not retrograde; not, from works first accepted of God, then, to faith: no: for, corrupt nature( which, without sanctifying grace, is as nothing in Gods 
Sordet natura, sine gratia.  sight) was too weak and feeble, to raise him to that happiness: and, though we read not, either of Gods regenerating grace, or, of Cornelius his faith, before we hear of his works; yet, the effect, is a demonstration of the Cause; his fearing God, &c. a demonstration of his faith already received of God: 
Beda. citant. Bulling. in Textum.  Fide pervenitur ad virtutes, non virtutibus ad fidem. Lo! here are the good works of a devout Centurion, extant, and to be seen. Faith must needs go before, to produce those works: Grace before that, to produce this faith: for, God is that internus Magister, as Fulgentius rightly terms him: 
Lib. 1. de praedestinat. ad Monimum.  and, there is invisibile Magisterium Spiritus sancti, saith Cyprian 
Serm. de Nativitat. Christi. p. 423. . God first teacheth us inwardly, secretly, invisibly, by his Spirit, before we can believe: and, when we are thus taught by that Spirit to believe, then, and not before, we are enabled to do that, which is well pleasing in his sight, as Cornelius did, who first was thus taught: taught inwardly by the invisible Ministry of the holy Spirit: although, as yet, he was not a strong man in Christ; as no man ordinarily is at first, and, on a sudden: but, if this be not sufficient to prove, that this devout Centurion believed, before his works pleased God; and, that all the sanctified preparations thereunto, were the effects only of the prevenient grace of God 
Omnis illa praeparatio Cornelii per Dei gratiam fuit collata Prosper. de grat.& lib. arbit.& Fulk in Textum. , both, against the Pelagians of old, who were, and the Church of Rome now, who are, of a gainsaying judgement, affirming, that all this which is spoken of Cornelius in the Text, was done Spontaneo study, by the strength of his own free will, and that too, ante gratiae perceptionem, before grace given 
Prosper. ubi supra. . We have yet several undeniable Arguments, both in this Text, and, in this Chapter, powerful enough to contradict and convince them, and withall, to uphold and maintain our own Orthodox Assertion: As  
1. God himself( if they would believe him) in sense,  told the Angel as much, when he dispatched him with this message to Cornelius, this; Thy prayers, and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God, v. 4. an Argument, that God was well pleased with his works; and, that an Argument that he believed, before God was so pleased: for, without faith 'tis impossible to please him 
Heb. 11.6. : an example whereof we have in Cain and Abel, Gen. 4. both offered their Sacrifice unto the Lord; yet, the Sacrifice of both was not equally accepted of the Lord: no: and, the reason was, because one of them ( Cain) believed not, and therefore was rejected: whereas, By faith Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice than 
Heb. 11.4.  Cain; and was accepted: of whom Cyprian saith truly; Ille placebat in munere, qui placebat in cord 
Serm. in Oration. Domini. p. 240. : 'twas the heart, the faith of Abel, wherewith God was first pleased, before he accepted the Sacrifice of Abel: upon this ground; that no mans works can please God, before he believe; or, the works of unbelievers( so long as they remain such) can never please God: which is the positive Doctrine, both of our own 
Article 13. , and of all other Reformed Churches: this; works done before the grace of Christ, and the inspiration of his Spirit, are not pleasing unto God, for as much as they spring not of faith in Jesus 
Nullum opus gratum, aut acceptum Deo, sine fide. Gregor. Nazian. citant Pe●. Martyr. loc. commun class. 3. ca. 4. Sect. 37.  Christ: now, apply this to Cornelius, from the effect to the cause; his works pleased God, that the Angel testified; therefore he believed; otherwise, his works had not pleased God; and that, the Angels message here manifestly implied.  
2. Peter in a vision, v. 17, 19. was commanded thrice by a voice from heaven, not to call any thing common, which God had cleansed, v. 15. which command, as it had relation to the Gentiles in general, so, at this time, in particular, to Cornelius, for whose sake that command was given to Peter; intimating thereby, that God by his Spirit had renewed, and cleansed him 
Omnia opera bona, quae in Cornelio praecesserunt, Dei gratia al emundationem ipsius inchoavit. Prosper. ubi supra. : all things here agree well to confirm it: as, the Angel that brought this message, v. 4. whereof we have already treated, said unto him, v. 5. sand men to Joppa, and call for Peter: Cornelius obeied, and sent for him, v. 7, 8. but, in the mean time, Peter, hungry, fell into a trance, v. 9, 10 in that trance, he saw heaven epened, v. 11. and, what meant this opening of heaven? but that Gods heavenly grace was already opened to Cornelius: from heaven thus opened, a certain vessel descended, as it had been a great sheet, knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth, ver. 11. 'twas faith that had already knit Cornelius on earth, to the God of heaven: In that sheet, were enclosed all manner of creatures together, as well unclean, as clean, v. 12. signifying, that God had his Church, not only amongst the Jews, but also amongst the Gentiles, whom they esteemed as unclean; and, a true and lively member of this Church, at this time, was Cornelius: and, we will suppose, that the sheet wherein those creatures were, was clean, outwardly; but, not so clean as Cornelius now was, inwardly; being washed and cleansed with the blood of Christ, which cleanseth us from all sin 
1 Joh. 1.7. . While Peter thought on this vision, there were three messengers sent from Cornelius to call him, v. 7, 8, 19. upon whose call, and the Spirits direction, Peter came unto Cornelius, v. 20. and being come unto him, and, finding many assembled together with him, he said unto them, You know that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew, to keep company, or come unto one of another Nation, v. 27. but, God hath shewed me, that I should not call any man common, or unclean, v. 28. and, all this was done, to proclaim and publish to the whole company, then met together, the heavenly conversion of Cornelius; which Peter knowing, he had now no more to do in this business, but, by his Ministry, to strengthen him in the faith; and, to instruct him( as he did) that the promised Messiah( in whom he then truly believed) was already come; and, had suffered death upon the cross for mans redemption, triumphantly rising again the third day from the dead, v. 39, 40. preaching unto him peace, reconciliation between God, and sinful men, by Jesus Christ, v. 36. whom he had ordained to be the judge of quick and dead, v. 42. adding, that whosoever believeth in him( as Cornelius did) should receive remission of sins, v. 43. this Sermon of Peter, being but a larger Commentary on the Angels message, not long before delivered to Cornelius.  
3. After Cornelius had punctually related unto Peter, the whole matter, both concerning the Angels message unto himself, and his care to sand for him, according to the Angels command, sand to Joppa, v. 5.30, 31, 32, 33. then Peter opened his mouth, and said; then( so soon as he perceived how graciously God had dealt with Cornelius) then he said, of a truth I perceive, that God is no respecter of persons: but, in every Nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him, v. 34, 35. and, who can deny but that Peter meant by these words, that Cornelius, by Nation, a gentle( for whose sake he spake this) was even then a true Believer, and accepted in Gods sight, before he had been a partaker of any benefit by his Ministry? and, the testimony that God had already accepted Cornelius, for a justified, for a sanctified, for a regenerate man, was his fearing him, and his working righteousness: but, how could he be said to fear God, and work righteousness, if God in his son had not first accepted him, as righteous? and, how could God accept him, as righteous in his son, if he had not first believed in his son, even at that very time, when he so accepted him? which was before he was directed by the Angel to sand for Peter; and before the Angel was sent with his heavenly message unto him; Thy prayers, and thine alms, &c.  
4. 'tis so weak( that I may not say, absurd) which is alleged in this case on the other side( as, that Cornelius feared God, prayed, gave alms, and was accepted of God, before he believed) that, even the Argument of the man who was born blind, Joh. 9.31. evidently confuteth them; who, rightly concluding against the Pharisees, in defence of our Saviour, who had opened his eyes, said unto them, We know that God heareth not sinners; heareth not unbelievers, unsanctified and unregenerate men; the prayers of such God heareth not; but, he heard and accepted the prayers of Cornelius, Thy prayers are come up, v. 4. an Argument, that, at that time he was not an unbeliever 
Aquin. 22ae q. 10. Art. 4. , when his prayers were thus heard and accepted. Again, the blind man faith, But if any man be a worshipper of God, and doth his will, him he heareth, and, only him: Now, if God hear not sinners, not unbelievers, but such as do his will, 'tis an argument still, that Cornelius( whom God heard) was then in the state of grace and salvation; who believed in the promised Messiah, in the son of God( which is the point in hand) before his works, his piety, his prayers, his alms, were accepted of God; and, thus we Answer to the first Question.  
To the second, the Answer is Negative; this: These sanctified works of Cornelius( though accepted of God) were not meritorious in his sight, after he believed; were not, neither indeed could they be: and, the reason, why his pious works( though he were now a believer) could not be meritorious in Gods sight, was, because it could not fare otherwise with him, than it doth with all other sanctified, and regenerate men, whose works, even after grace given, and received, are not meritorious; and therefore, not the works of Cornelius. Now, the reason, why all regenerate mens works are not at any time meritorious in Gods sight, is, because, even their best works are full of so many stains, so many pollutions, so many imperfections, that the most sanctified men have just cause to say with David, If thou Lord wilt be extreme to mark what is done amiss, and repugnant to thy Law( even by such as love thy Law) O Lord who may abide it 
Psal. 130.3. ? besides, if the works of regenerate men cannot save them, they cannot be meritorious: but their works cannot save them; for, by grace are you saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves, not of works, least any man should boast 
Eph. 2.8, 9. Tit. 3.4, 5.  If David and Paul were subject to such failings, and infirmities, that the one prayed, Enter not into judgement with thy servant, O Lord; for, in thy sight shall no man living be justified 
Psal. 143.2. : not in himself, not for his own works: the other( sensible of that continual combat between the flesh and the Spirit, even in the most sanctified men) cried out( surely in his own person, not in the person of another) O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death 
Rom. 7.24. 1 Tim. 1.15. . I say, if these had their manifold failings and imperfections, who can boast that his works are meritorious? not the humble Publican; not the truly penitent and pardonned sinner; not Cornelius: although the proud Pharisee be of another judgement; but, that of Augustine is most Orthodox; 
Enarrat. in Psal. 102.  therefore God crowneth thee, because he crowneth his own gifts in thee, and, not thy merits. The Apostle saith, I have laboured more than they all; but see what he addeth; not I, but the grace of God in me 
1 Cor. 15.10. : and, after all his labours, he expecteth a Crown; and saith, I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith, from henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness, which God the just Judge shall give me at that day 
2 Tim. 4.7, 8. : Wherefore? because I have fought. Wherefore? because I have finished my course. wherefore? because I have kept the faith. But, by what hast thou fought? by what hast thou finished thy course? by what hast thou kept the faith? Not I, but the grace of God with me: Therefore, it is by his mercy that thou art crwoned; by his mercy, and not by thine own merits: farther; they that laboured but a little in the Vineyard, we know, received every man a penny, as well as they that had laboured much: the reason was, that all might understand, that the reward they received, was not a reward of Works, but of Grace: because there is no reward of debt, but of promise, due to any mans works, how excellent soever 

Nulla possunt tam praeclara opera existere; quibus hoc quod gratis tribuitur, per retributionis judicium debeatur.  
Prosper de vocatione Gentium. c. 17.  : and therefore, no works, how excellent soever, can be meritorious: wherefore, there is just cause to abhor, and explode that erroneous doctrine of the Church of Rome, who delude, and deceive the world with such a damnable Position as this: that good works done in the state of Grace( which is the Question in hand) are meritorious of life everlasting 
Bellar lib. 5. de justifict. c. 3. 17. council. tried. Sess. ●. Canon. 32 Carranza. Fulk. in Luk. 20.35. annot. in Testament. Rhem. : whereas, that a work may be imeritorious in Gods sight, many things are required, which sinful men can by no means attain unto: as,  
1. Such works must be perfectly, and absolutely good: but, no mortal mans works are such: no; for, though such works, as we speak of, be the operations of God in us, by his holy Spirit; yet, because( even by the permission of God himself, for the exercise of our faith, and to humble us, while we live here) the old man, and the new, the flesh, and the Spirit, the corruption of the whole nature of man, and the gift of Regeneration 
Perkins in Gal. 5.17. : are suffered to dwell in every faculty of our soul, in our wills, in our understandings, in our affections, there being not that perfection of rectitude in them, as God requireth by his Law, the law in our members warring against the law of our mind, they cannot be perfectly, and absolutely good, by reason, the Subject( sinful man) wherein they are wrought ( though wrought by the holy Ghost) is not capable of absolute perfection: for, whatsoever is received, is received according to the disposition, and capacity of the Receiver 
Quicquid recipitur, recipitur ad modum recipientis. : but, there is no capacity in man, in a creature, to receive absolute perfection in this life: there is not; therefore, in this life, no mans works( because not perfectly, and absolutely good) can be meritorious.  
2. Such works must be done freely; and, not out of duty, not out of debt: but, the good works of regenerate men, are a duty, a debt they owe unto God: when you shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say we are unprofitable Servants; we have done that which was our duty to do 
Luk. 17.10. : therefore, no mans works can be meritorious; for, they that merit, must perform something more then they owe: but no man can do that; for, we owe obedience unto God, in all his Commandements; and are so far from paying him more then we owe, that we do not, we cannot pay him, what we do owe: but, have just cause to pray daily, as our Saviour hath taught us, Lord forgive us our 
Mat. 6.22.  debts; we pay not that filial fear we owe unto thee, as our Father; not that reverend awe we owe unto thee as our God: not that thank●fullness we owe unto thee, for thy goodness, for thy love, for thy mercy unto us, in thy beloved son: Father forgive us our debts: and, he that like the servant in the Gospel 
Mat. 18.21 27.  hath nothing to pay, but must stand at the free mercy of his Lord, to cancel the hand writing that is against him, and freely forgive him the whole debt, what can he do to deserve any thing at the hands of his Creditor, at the hands of God? what can he do to merit Heaven? and, such is the case of every Regenerate man; our best works are, but a debt we owe unto our God: and, when we have done any thing to please him, we have done nothing but what we ought to do to please him; and, there can be no merit at all, either in the Person, or in the payment of a Debtor.  
3. Such works must be our own; but, our works inasmuch as they are good, and well-pleasing unto God, are his free gifts: the work of his Grace, and Spirit in us( as the works of Cornelius were) being in ourselves, not sufficient to think any thing as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God 
2 Cor. 3 5. ; who worketh in us both the will, and the dead, Phil. 2.13. 
á Deo est, ut bonum facere velimus,& ut bonum facere valcamus. Fulg. lib. 1. de praedest. ad Mon p. 15.  à Deo sumpsi, non à me presumpsi: whatsoever spiritual good I have in me, I have received it of my God; and, nothing have I of, or, in myself, whereof I may, or will boast, and glory: wherefore, not unto us O Lord, not unto us, but to thy Name give the praise; who when thou rewardest our works( not of debt, but of promise) dost but crown thine own gifts 
Cum remunerat opera nostra, coronat dona sua. : and therefore, no mans good works( because properly they are not his, but Gods working in him, by his Grace, and Spirit) can be meritorious.  
4. Such works must have some proportion at least, with the reward expected: but, there is, there can be no proportion at all, between the works of men( though in the state of grace) and the reward of Heaven, everlasting life; which is the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord 
Rom. 6.23. Eph. 2.9. : his gift; not acquired by any mans merit: for, I reckon, that the Sufferings of this present time( if one man could bear them all) are not worthy to be compared with the glory, which shall be revealed 
Rom. 8.18.  in us: the brief is this; no good works, because they are imperfect; because when we do them, we do but our duty; because properly they are not our own, but Gods, in us; and, because there is no proportion at all between them, and that promised crown of glory, the one being finite, the other infinite; no good works, even of Regenerate men( though the Jesuit, surely, against his own judgement, affirm, and 
Bellar. ubi sup.  maintain the contrary) can be meritorious of everlasting life: neither were the works of Cornelius, after he believed: we will say then with Augustine 
Si vis esse alienus á gratia, jacta merita tua. Praefat Psal. 31. ; if thou wilt( whosoever thou art) if thou wilt be excluded from Grace, boast of thy works, boast of thy merits; and know, that by thy works, thou canst not merit that which is Gods free gift, eternal life 
Vitam aeternam nullis potes operibus prome reri, nisi gratis detur. Bern. Ser. 1. in Annunciat. beat. Mariae. : neither canst thou, so long as thou reliest on these, inherit eternal life: only, 'tis the imputed righteousness of my Saviour, which I must apprehended by faith, that is able to make me righteous in earth; and, 'tis Gods mercy, in, and by him, without any merits of mine own, that will make me glorious in heaven: So that 'tis enough to know concerning the sufficiency of merits, that they are not 
Sufficit ad meritum, scire qùod non sufficiat meritum. Idem. Ser. 98. in Cantic.  sufficient: not, to attain the end, eternal life: therefore, let no man glory in himself, in his own worth, in his own worthiness, in his own works, in his own merits; but, let him that glorieth, glory in the Lord 
2 Cor. 10.17. : who, when we were naked, clothed us; when we were sick, visited us; when we were in prison, under the bondage, and captivity of Satan, sent his son to ransom, and redeem us; when we were wounded, healed us; when we were dead, quickened, and revived us: who also, not for ours, but for his sons merits, not for our Sufferings, but for his sons satisfaction, will crown, and glorify us.  
But, let no man mistake; for, though we justly deny, that the good works of faithful Believers are not ex condign●, and in themselves( as the Jesuits, untruly) meritorious of eternal life; yet, we do not at all thereby deny, that they are necessary required of us, as sanctified means for the obtaining eternal life; this we do not, we may not deny; knowing, that had it been otherwise, the Apostle would never have said, So run, that you may obtain 
1 Cor. 9.4. : run, and strive to win the prise, that is proposed, the crown that is promised: and, so run: So; in the way of faith, and love: So; in the way of true Repentance, and newness of life: So run, that you may obtain: because, if you will obtain, necessary it is, that you so run; that, 
Rom. 6.22.  having your fruit in holiness, the end may be everlasting life: it being most true, that good works, as Bernard notes 
Via ad regnum, non causa regnandi. ; are only the way to the kingdom of Heaven; but, not the cause why we shall be crwoned in Heaven: the way, before we attain it; but, not in any wise the cause, why at last we shall eternally possess that immortal inheritance: this then being the way; this: to fear God, and keep his Commandements 
Eccl. 12.13. ; to walk in the Light, to be rich in good works, to live like the sons of God, this being the way, and the only way to Heaven, let us walk in it, and at last, we shall be crwoned in Heaven;( no doubt) Cornelius whose works, though accepted of God, were wholly voided( even after he believed) of all merit in the sight of God; and, so are ours: So we preach, So we believe; knowing, that in Gods sight, there is no personal merit in any mere man whatsoever: no; it is only in him, that is God and man, Christ crucified: who alone meriteth Grace for us, that we may be saved; righteousness for us, that we may be justified: eternal life for us: the crown of all our labours, that we may be glorified: he alone of God being made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption 
1 Cor. 1.30. : Lo! all is from our crucified Redeemer; and nothing is there in ourselves, nothing in our prayers, nothing in our alms, nothing in our good works, nothing of merit in all, or any of them, nothing that can deserve any reward at Gods hands: because all that we do, is stained with much uncleanness, and pollution in his eye sight: yet, for his sons sake, and merit, there are none of our prayers, none of our alms, none of our good works( that way to heaven) but shall be remembered, shall be rewarded, shall be crwoned: that which was done to Cornelius, shall be done to all faithful Believers: God remembered him, he will not forget us: if we pray in faith, give alms, and fear God, as Cornelius did: his case is ours, his happiness shall be ours, if his God be ours. I have done in speaking, and you in hearing: but, neither of us in practising: God give us all Grace so to live; that we may be accepted, and remembered of him; so to die, that we may be crwoned, and glorified with him for evermore, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  
Amen.   

The Second Sermon viz. A SAVIOUR IN MERCY Appeareth to a SINNER.  Matth. 11.28. Come unto me, &c. Matth. 9.12, 13. 
Jesus said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.  
But go ye and learn what that meaneth: I will have mercy and not sacrifice; for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.  
LONDON, Printed for Simon Miller at the star in St Pauls Church-yard, 1657.   

A SAVIOUR In Mercy appeareth to a SINNER.  MAT. 11.28. 
Come unto me all you that lahour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  
THe second Person of the most glorious Trinity is called the word 
Joh. 1.1.14. 1 Joh. 5.7. ; and that, either because he speaketh unto God, for us: or, from God, unto us: for us he speaketh, unto God, supplicando, by praying: Father, I pray for them which thou hast given me 
Joh. 17 9. : unto us he speaketh, from God, informando, by teaching, and instructing us, in the way to glory 
{αβγδ}, quasi {αβγδ}. : and, such a word he shows himself here to be: by calling us; Come; by directing us, unto me; by differencing and discerning us; all you that labour, and are heavy laden: by promising us a blessed reward in the end; I will give you rest: the expressions of a word, all: even of that essential word of the Father; who would not the death of a Sinner, but rather that he should be converted and live 
Ezek. 18.23.32, 33.11. : Come unto me, &c.  
In the 14th of the Acts, Vers. 11. they said falsely, Gods are come down in the likeness of men; change but the number, and here 'tis true: God is come down to the infirmities of men: he that is above all, descends to all, that he may gain all: he that is in Heaven, in majesty, is on earth in mercy: In one Evangelist, he saith, I go to the Father 
joh. 16.5. : in another, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world 
Mat. 28.20. : lo! gon, yet, present he is with us, {αβγδ}; gone, bodily; present, spiritually: and so he is, and ever will be present with us, to make all those means which he hath ordained for our Salvation, effectual, by the operation of his holy Spirit, for our eternal Salvation: that was the end, why( as the word, the interpreter of his Fathers will, concerning mans Redemption) he spake unto us, when he was bodily present among us; and, now being spiritually present, he yet speaketh unto us, as the same word, by the same Spirit, to the same end: even to guid and direct us in the way to Heaven: that, not deviating from the right way, which he himself, who is that essential word, hath shown us, in his written word, we might at last enter into his rest, into his joy, into his glory, at our journeys end. Come unto me all you that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  
There is no change at all, or at any time, in the Essence of God( and such is our Saviour,) yet, when man is changed from bad, to better, then necessary followrth a change in the conditional resolutitions of God: as; he treatned, that Nineve should fall; but, his meaning was, that if Nineve repented, Nineve should not fall: as it came to pass 
joh. 3, 4, 5, 10 : So, in this Chapter; Vers. 20, 21, 23. Chorazin is threatened, Bethsaida is threatened, Capernaum is threatened, each, with its particular woe; insomuch, that the thundering and lightning, when the Law was given on mount Sinai 
exod. 19.16. , the rushing, and mighty wind, when the Gospel was given on mount Zion 
Acts 2. ●. , were not more terrible, to see, or hear, then these thundering threatenings were, to harken to; and, the reason was, because they repented not, Vers. 20. and, their not repenting, caused our Saviours just indignation to swell high against them: Woe unto thee; Woe unto thee: whereas, had they been changed, in respect of their impenitency, our Saviour had been changed also, in respect of his fury against them: which is plain from the contrary effect in the Text: where we find him of a mildred, a quiet, a patient temper 
Nulla in front minae, nec formidable lumen Pacem vultus habet : and, the reason was, because the sinners, with whom he had now to do, he saw, he fore-saw, would not so obstinately refuse his Grace offered, as Capernaum did: and therefore, as towards them, he prefereth mouth Gerizzim, before mount Ebal 
Deut. 27.12.13. : blessing, before cursing: favour, before frowns: to show, that he, who came into the world to save sinners, is more inclinable, in mercy to pardon( if it be possible to reclaim them,) then, in wrath to condemn sinners: and, his own word here, is a witness of his own Nature, of his own mildness, of his own meekness, of his own mercifullness, where the Sinner in any degree is capable of his mercy. Come unto me, all you that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest: in which words,( not to seek after any curious division) we have two Parts: both discovering to sinful men, what mercy, and favour, our Saviour vouchsafeth to sinful men, as, 

1. He graciously inviteth them to come unto himself. Come unto me all you that labour, and are heavy laden: there is mercy in that.  
2. He promiseth a blessed reward to all such as come unto him. I will give you rest; there is favour in that: Thus stand our Parts.    
Wherein you see, the work, in a right order, is name before the reward: coming, before Giving: Labouring, before Resting: and so it should be. Come unto me all you that labour, and are heavy laden.  
Let us a little explain it; thus: Laden, we are with the heavy burden of our sin, while we remain here: true; but, for such as labour to be eased of that burden, reserved there is in the Heavens that eternal weight of glory 
2 Cor. 4.17. : So that, as we are laden with the one, with sin, while we are with men, so shall we be laden with the other also, with glory, when we shall be with God: provided, that, while we have time here, we first seek to be unladen of the one, that we may the better be laden with the other: now, to come unto Christ by faith, as he here inviteth us, will be a means to unlade us of our sin: and, to abide in him also by faith, both in life and death, will be a means to lad us with glory: Onerat nos, cum exonerat Deus: thus, instead of one, we shall have another weight: under the one( the weight of our sins) we cannot stand, without the strength, and power of a Redeemer: whereas, being once clothed with the other( that eternal weight of glory) we shall for ever stand in the presence of a Redeemer: but, whither am I carried? Surely, the sweet Contemplation of rest, of glory, of Christ, of Heaven, of this Invitation, Come; of this promise of accepting, and rewarding us, when we come, I will give you rest, hath made me almost forget both mine own, and your sinful frailty, and infirmity: all you that labour, and are heavy laden: you that are heavy laden, presupposing the state of a sinful man: you that labour to be eased of the heavy weight of your sin, presupposing the state of a penitent man: Come unto me all you that labour, and are heavy laden: that's our Saviours gracious invitation in the Text; wherein, let us farther consider three Particulars.  
1. The Persons here called, and invited: All you that labour and are heavy laden: All you; thus, and thus qualified, in the state not only of Sinners, but also of penitent Sinners.  
2. The word, or manner, of Calling, and inviting us: Come.  
3. The Person, to whom alone we are guided, and directed, by this Call, by this Invitation; unto me; unto Christ; unto none are we guided, but only unto him: Come; other Saviours there are none: and none shall be welcome unto him, as fit guests to sit at his Table, but all you that labour and are heavy laden; seeking to be unladen of the burden of all your sins: Come, all you: other, capable of his rest( till their natural state be changed) there are none: but, let us stay here a little; and look, whether from the top of this Pisgah, we cannot behold the land of Canaan 
Deut. 34.1, &c. : whether from the top of this Invitation( Come unto me,) yea, and from that which is almost at the bottom of it too ( all you that labour, and are heavy laden,) we cannot see the infinite goodness of our Saviour, in bringing us to Heaven: Come, O come, and see, what the Lord hath done for my soul: Come, and see what my gracious Saviour hath done for me, poor Sinner: who unfeignedly confess; with a contrite, and a broken heart, that I am heavy laden with my sins: yet, I rejoice too, because I am not excluded from the number of those Persons, who in Jesus Christ shall obtain the pardon of their sins: All you that labour, and are heavy laden; So it is.  
1. These are the Persons, thus and thus qualified, that are here graciously called, and invited, to receive mercy, to participate of the fatness of that true Vine 
joh. 15.1. , of the favour of that merciful Saviour, who was crucified for them: All you; See! God, to man, righteousness to uncleanness, mercy, to misery, a Saviour, to a sinner, descendeth here, in this discovery of our nakedness: he knoweth whereof we are made; and, what by sin, we have made ourselves,( miserable Creatures) he knoweth; yet, though heavy laden we are with our sin, he vouchsafeth to reach out his Word unto us, to reach out his Help unto us, to reach out his Grace unto us; that with Pharaoh, and Judas, we might not perish in our sins: calling us by his Spirit( when he pleaseth) out of the grave of our sins: Lazarus come forth: and Lazarus came forth: giving us his assisting Grace, 
joh. 11.43, 44  to labour to be unladen of our sin; and, in mercy accepting us, so labouring. All you; speak Lord, for thy servant heareth 
1 Sam. 3.10.  heareth, what is he ashamed of? Laden, heavy laden with the weight of his own sin; heareth, what he earnestly desireth to be eased of; the over-weighty burden of his own sin: heareth, which way he must be eased, and unladen; by labouring to escape from the wrath to come: by groueing by grieving, by repenting, for his sins committed against thee, with assurance of pardon: heareth, that thy Face, thy Love, thy Favour, thy Mercy is extended only unto such: All you; thus, though sin be odious unto God, yet the sinner is not, when he laboureth to be reconciled unto his God, in Jesus Christ: the Prodigal in the Gospel 
Luk. 15. , is a sinner gone astray, his Father, is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; who, when he sees us returning from our sin( though a great way off) he meeteth us, embraceth us, receiveth us, forgiveth us: I will not say, that sin positively hath any good in it( though an 
Faelicem culpam, quae talem meruit Redemptorem.  ancient called that an happy offence which procured for us such a Redeemer) yet, when Grace makes us begin to see, and abhor it, I will say, that then there comes great good thereby to the sinner; for, in seeing, we loathe it: in loathing, we labour to be eased of it: in labouring to be eased of it, we are at the Haven where we would be: accepted of him, that now calls us; beloved of him, that hereafter will crown us: All you.  
But, all you that labour, and are heavy laden; and, because we are yet speaking of heavy laden, I cannot go on apace; nor hardly yet can I move, remove from one, and the same Doctrine: which is, that 'tis the nature of sin, of every sin, to lad us, to press us down, to withdraw us from heavenly, to earthly affections, and meditations: Omne grave tendit deorsum: weighty bodies tend downward; and, there is a body of sin 
Rom. 6.6. : which of all, is the weightiest body: and, hence it is, t'has the Apostle, not without cause, complaineth of a sin, which he calleth {αβγδ}, a sin that doth beset us 
Heb. 12.1. : enclose us on every side, and consequently, clog, and hinder us in our race towards Heaven: Such is that old man, whereof the Apostle often speaketh 
Rom. 6.6. Eph 4.22. Col. 3.9. ; that concupiscence, that sinful pravity, and corruption of the whole nature of man 
Gen. 6.3.5. , which is the original, and fountain of all other sins in us: it is a sin that doth beset us, lodging in the inner man; it is a sin that doth ensnare us, that our hearts, our souls, our understandings, our wils, our affections are thereby carried downward from God, to the worst of sinful Objects: and, 'tis observable, that our Saviour saw a Publican( a Sinner) name Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom 
Luk. 5.27. : sitting; whence Chrysologus, not unfitiy noteth, that, being pressed down with the heavy weight of his own sinful covetousness, he was not able of himself to arise from his sin 
Sedentem quia pressus, cupidi tat● pondere, surgere non valebat. Serm. 30. ; neither is any other natural man, till the hand of Grace doth lift him up, and by degrees, led him out of the bondage of sinful Nature, to the liberty of the sons of God: Lo! 'tis the work of sin, to lad us, to press us down, with the heavy weight of it, and remove us far from our God: but 'tis the work of divine Grace, to raise us up from the dead; that, raised, we may daily, more and more labour, to come nearer, and nearer unto our God, unto our Saviour: with whom, such only as are touched with a godly sorrow for their sins, and seek to be unloosed from the bond of their sins, are graciously accepted, and favourably entertained: all you that labour, and are heavy laden.  
Plain then it is here, that the Persons in the Text, in mercy invited to, and by, our Saviour ( all you) must not be separated from their qualification in the Text ( that labour, and are heavy laden) All you; of what nation soever. whether Jews, or Gentiles: All you; of what sex, of what condition soever, whether male, or female, whether bond, or free, whether high, or low, rich, or poor; All you; all such whose Consciences accuse them, whose hearts condemn them, who feel the heavy burden of their sins, and, in Christ Jesus, who 
1 Tim. 1.15.  came into the world to save sinners( therefore to save me) humbly sue for the pardon, and forgiveness of their sins: rest, eternal rest is for you; peace of Conscience, peace, and reconciliation with God, in his beloved son, who is our peace 
Eph. 2.14. , is for you; pardon, and remission of sins, in, and for a crucified Saviour, is for you; for all you; and that, heavy laden, labour to come out of the bondage of sin, and Satan: for all you; and not, not for such as are not, or shall not, in due time, be thus sanctifiedly qualified: no; and, hence it is, that, when the Scripture saith, Christ died for all( as it often doth 
1 Tim. 2.6. Heb. 2.9. 1 Joh. 2.2. 2 Cor. 5.15. : we rightly interpret it, that he died effectually, only for the redemption of all his Elect, of his whole Church, and, all belonging thereunto, which he hath 
Act 20.28.  purchased with his own blood: that Church, being the whole multitude( in all Ages) of all true Believers, through the whole world: who, in the present Tense, either do, as those who now live; or, in the preterperfect tense, have; as Abraham, David, &c. or, in the future tense, shall( such are many yet unconverted, as sometimes it was Pauls case) faithfully believe in him; this Church, this ( All) true Believers, our Saviour, by dieing for them, purchased with his own blood, but, all are not lively members of this Church, nor never shall be: therefore, our Saviour, in dying, never actually redeemed; never actually purchased all by his blood, as all is sometimes taken in the largest latitude, for all the world in general: So, and in that sense, Christ never died for all: for, though this word ( All) considered simply, and in itself, be a note of Universality, and at first hearing may seem to extend itself absitutely to all men in general, and so, to every man in particular, as if it were not any way capable of a Limitation; yet, if we look more narrowly into the matter, we shall easily find, that, being distributive 
Nota( omnis) est distributiva, vel in singula generum, vel in ge●era singulorum. , as it is sometimes taken absolutely, so again, sometimes it is also taken restrictively; as it is taken absolutely, it extends itself to all, and every particular Individuum of that kind; as, all men are Creatures: which is true of all, and of every particular man; of Socrates. of Plato; &c. as it is taken restrict vely, it is bounded, and confined to some particular Subject; to some peculiar, and particular Order, Sate, and Condition of that kind, and not otherwise: and so is this word ( all) taken in this Text; not absolutely, for all in general, and every particular man: no; but, restrictively, and( as you see) with a limitation, for all, thus and thus spiritually qualified: All you that labour, and are heavy laden: Notwithstanding, though this word ( All) be so to be understood here, as a word restrained only to all the Elect of God, to all the members of the true Church of Christ, either in esse, or in posse, yet, this hinders not, but that there may be an universality 
Habet populus Dei suam plenitudinem:& quamvis magna pars hominum salvantis gratiam aut repellat, aut negligat in Electis tamen,& prescitis, atque ab omni generalitate discretis, specialis quaedam censetur universalitas, ut de to●o mundo totus mundus liberatus,& debt hominibus, omnes homines videantur assumpti. Prosper. de voc. Gentium. lib. 1. c. 9. ; even among themselves, as there is; and so, the Redemption wrought by the death of Christ, if you will, may truly be said to be general, and universal, in respect of the universality of all his Elect, but not in respect of the Generality of all mankind: whereof many are none of his Church, none of his Elect: but only, all you, true penitents, true believers; who make up an universality amongst yourselves, to whom the efficacy of the death of Christ, and the benefit of that Redemption, which was wrought by his death, most properly belongeth: all Reprobates, in the mean time, all malicious, and, for ever impenitent sinners, being none of that ( All) for whom Christ died; though he died for all; namely, for all his Elect, and Chosen; whereof they are no part, who never believe; neither indeed can they be; for, without faith 'tis impossible to please God 
Heb. 11.6. : and such, with whom God is not pleased in his son, Surely such can never be partakers of those heavenly, and eternal riches of Grace, laid up only, for all true penitents, for all true believers, in his son: and, whom the Father watereth not, refresheth not, enliveneth not, with his Grace, and Spirit, the son washeth not, cleanseth not, redeemeth not, with his blood: a most pregnant proof whereof we have in the two first brethren in the world, Cain, and Abel, Gen. 4. in whom Gods differencing and discriminating Grace began first manifestly to appear, and show itself: and Adam, the father of both( no doubt, sorrowful enough to behold it) was the first observer of it, in that generation: for, by faith,( which he received from heaven) Abel offered his Sacrifice to God, and was accepted 
Heb. 11.4. : but Cain, who was of that wicked one 
Joh. 3.12. , and of whom the Apostle taketh no notice in his Catalogue of the primitive Believers, but to his eternal infamy, offered not in faith, and was rejected 
Gen. 4.5.16. Heb. 11.4. : and, we cannot truly say, that the death of Christ, that Lamb of God, in efficacy, slain from the beginning of the world 
Rev. 13.8. , typified by Abels sacrifice 
Gen. 4.4. , was equally advantageous to them both: we cannot say it; because one of them Cain) wanted a true faith in the promised Messiah, the want whereof deprived him of all the Spiritual benefits of that Messiah: another proof hereof we have in Esau, and Jacob; of whom the Apostle, citing the words of God himself, Mal. 1.23. saith, Jacob have I loved, and Esau have I hated 
Rom. 9.13. : meaning thereby, that God in not electing Esau unto eternal life( which he might justly refuse to do, being debtor unto no man) denied that free Love, Grace, and Mercy unto him, which, according to his own good pleasure( that he might be heir of eternal life, the benefit of his Election) he had granted unto Jacob; and, that non-Election, Reprobation, that preterition, or denial of Grace, in God, to Esau, was that negative hatred of God;( whereof the Apostle speaketh) towards Esau 
Odium Dei est vel negatio benevolentiae, seu reprobatio, aut decretum non eligendi ad. vitam aeternam, ●olani part. Theol. lib. 1. p. 26 : and to make them both equal sharers in the efficacy of the death of Christ, is but in vain, to give that blessing to Esau, which, no, not in the heart of God( who knew him before he was, that he would be, as he was, a Reprobate) was never intended him in Christ; which the Apostle makes plain, when he stamps the Character of a profane Person 
Heb. 12.16. {αβγδ}.  upon him: a name, fit for none; but such as are without Christ, neither seeking the kingdom of God, nor the righteousness thereof:— procul east profani; but if this be somewhat dark, that of our Saviour is clearer which he saith, both of his Fathers love, and his own, towards all those whom his Father gave him, that, by his Death, he might give them eternal life 
Joh. 17.2. : hear it, and harken unto it: this; God so loved the world 
joh. 3.16. ; and, who are they? Surely, the whole body of his Elect, through the world; there's the extent of Gods Love; who so loved the world( his Elect in the world) that he gave his only begotten, who also gave himself for us 
Tit. 21.4. : that's the manifestation of Gods Love: who gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life: that's the end, and accomplishment of God the Fathers Love; even to give eternal life to those( and only to those) that believed on his son; that is, in sense, to all you that labour, and are heavy laden: eternal life, in this Text; freely given on Gods part to sinful men, in his son, being restrained wholly to {αβγδ}, to whosoever believeth on his son; and this ( whosoever believeth) is exclusive of all unbelievers from eternal life, obtained for whosoever believeth by the death of Christ; but, not for unbelievers, not; for, he that believeth not, is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God, Joh. 3.18. and, Vers. 36. he that believeth not the son, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him; on all unbelievers, and, on whom the wrath of God abideth( whether Libertines, or Atheists, or Epicures, or profane Persons, such as Esau was) such( so long as they remain in that state, as many always do) such can have no benefit at all by the death of the crucified son of God; they cannot, they shall not.  
Q. But, was not the death, and satisfaction of the son of God, of sufficient merit to save and redeem general, all the world, as this word ( All) is taken absolutely for all in and every particular man in the world, without any limitation? 
Christus sacerdos se Deo obtulit pro omnibus, quantum ad pretij sufficientiam, said pro electis tantum quantum ad efficaciam. Lumb. lib. 3. dist. 21. C.  A. Yes, it was, and is all-sufficient to that end, if we consider the dignity, and power of that Person( the son of God, God, and man) that suffered, that died  
Q. How then comes it to pass, that all do not actually receive the benefit of that all sufficient satisfaction? how comes this to pass? A. Because, all men have not faith 
2 Thes. 3.2. ; not, a saving, a justifiing faith: and, it was not the purpose of Christ( let us consider that too) that any should be partakers of the efficacy of his death( Redemption, forgiveness of sins, eternal life) but such only as had faith, such as believed, that he died for them: 'twas the Fathers resolution, that none of them that provoked him in the Wilderness, should enter into his rest, into Canaan 
Num. 14.23. Psal. 95.11. ; and, 'tis the Sons resolution also, that none of them that despised his sufferings, should enter into his rest, into heaven: neither is it possible they should: because all such are utterly uncapable of the benefit of his sufferings: and, they that are uncapable of it( and so continue) can never be partakers of it; and, uncapable of it they are, because they have not faith: the privation of the one, necessary causing the privation, the deprivation of the other. Neither can it be otherwise: because there is no other way to receive and apply unto ourselves, and souls, the benefits of Christs death, but only by the hand of a true and saving faith: but, where that is so wholly wanting, so wholly withered, that it cannot any ways be stretched out, to receive, and apply those benefits unto our own souls, feelingly, faithfully, humbly, confidently, with assurance of pardon( which is required of all of age that are effectually redeemed by the death of Christ) there those benefits cannot be effectual: so that if any man fail to attain eternal life, he hath no cause at all to complain either of Gods unkindness towards him, or of the insufficiency of our Saviours meritorious satisfaction; no cause at all to complain of God: no: but, only of himself 
Non praedestinatus perit infidelitate voluntaria, non coacta. Prosper. ad Capitula Gallorum. Sent. 14. : because the Causa corrumpens, the destructive cause, the defect, the hindrance, the impediment, why he is not saved, is wholly( so long as he remains obstinately in his unbelief) in man himself: and, it stands not with the good pleasure of God, to cast pearls before swine; nor, with the purpose of our Saviour, to make such partakers of his death and sufferings, who actually are enemies to his cross, and trample his most precious blood under their feet: But, many things are objected against this Orthodox truth; let us see therefore, how in this difficult, and now much controverted point, we may give an Answer( if possible) satisfactory thereunto; Thus:  
1. It is pressed, that the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life 
Rom. 5.18. . Answ. True it is; and, we confess it: but, we interpret it too; and say, that by all men here, is not meant all men in general without exception 
Omnes dicens, non generalitèr dicit— Alioquin non erit ultra qui puniantur. Hieron. in Rom. 3.24. ; no: but all men that are justified, are those( All) upon whom( and none other) the free gift cometh to justification of life: called a free gift, because by the grace of God we are justified freely 
Rom. 3.24. : being absolved from our sins, and having the righteousness of Christ imputed unto us, freely: and, the reason, why we may not interpret this of the Apostle, of all men in general, is, because all men in general are not justified, not absolved from their sins: 
Joh. 3.18.  for, He that believeth not is condemned already: and, on that man that is condemned, the free gift doth not, cannot come to justification of life: because, Justification, and Condemnation, are opposite terms, presupposing, that as they that are justified, cannot be condemned; It is God that justifieth, who is he that 
Rom. 8.33, 34.  condemneth? so, neither can they that are condemned, be justified: An Argument, that by all men here cannot be understood all men in general; no: but only all men tht are justified: and, that these are the all men the Apostle here meaneth, appears by his own restraining of these ( All) to ( Many) v. 19. saying, By the obedience of one, many shall be made righteous:( Many) see! ( All) in one place, ( Many) in another; the latter explaining the former; these ( All) being those ( Many) of all mankind: and, these ( Many) being those ( All) yet, not all mankind; so we rightly interpret the Apostle, v. 18. who so interpreteth himself, v. 19.  
2. That God will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge 
1 Tim. 2.4.  of the truth. Ans. He will: and, we do not deny it: but, that any other are meant by these ( All men) than his Church, and all his chosen( wheresoever found in all the world, in all ages, amongst all sorts, orders, conditions, and states of men) that any other, than such, are here meant by these ( All men) we do utterly deny: and, that the Apostle speaketh this, not of the persons of all men universally, or, of every single man, but only of the kindes, 
Omnes homines, omne hominum genus intelligere possumus. August. Enchir. ca. 103. Deus vult omnes homines salvos fieri; ut intelligantur omnes praedestinati: quia omne genus hominum in eis est. Idem, de Corre.& grat. ca. 31.  orders, and conditions of men( amongst whom he ever had his Church) is most evident, v. 1. whether they be Kings, for whom in particular, he exhorts prayers to be made; v. 2. or subjects: Masters, or servants, Tit. 2.9, 11. Noble, or ignoble; Learned, or unlearned; Male, or female; Young men, or old men: the Apostle then speaking this, not of all men in general, but of the orders, and conditions of men, as is most plain from the Text, the meaning must needs be this: That Gods purpose is, even out of all orders of men, to save all, whom he will have to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth: It being most necessary that they should come to the knowledge thereof, to the knowledge of Christ crucified, who is the truth 
Joh. 14.6. , before they can be saved; of what kind, order, or quality soever they be. Neither doth Fulgentius understand the Apostle otherwise: By all these men( saith he) is meant 
In his omnibus hominibus, quos Deus vult salvos facere, non totum omninò genus significatur hominum, &c. de Incarn.& gratia. c. 31. , not altogether all mankind, but the universality of all that shall be saved: who therefore are called ( All men) because all them the goodness of God saveth, out of the number of all men; and that, out of every Nation, Condition, Age, Language, and Province.  
3. That God hath concluded them all( both Jews, and Gentiles) in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all 
Rom. 11.32. . Answ. The meaning of these words is mistaken; and, this Text, in this case, is alleged to no purpose; for, the Apostle doth not mean thereby( as some suppose) that God concluded, or shut up all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all, in general, no: but that, out of his mere love, he might have mercy only on whom he would have mercy amongst all those( whether Jews or Gentiles) whom justly he had concluded in unbelief: and that the Apostle here could have no other meaning, but this, I prove from that resolution even of God himself, 
Exod. 33.19. Rom. 9.15.  saying, I will have mercy, on whom I will have mercy; and, I will have compassion, on whom I will have compassion: On whom, on whom, which is a special note of distinction, and separation, made even by God himself, in respect of all those, whom in mercy he called out of the corrupted mass of all mankind: being, before such separation, altogether dead in trespasses and sins, by nature the children of wrath, afar off, without Christ, having no hope, and without God in the world 
Eph. 2.1.3.12. : And, where( out of all) there is a separation made, with acceptation of the one part, there all in general cannot be comprehended under the same acceptation, on the other part; no: but, the one being taken to the favour of God, the other must needs be left to the justice of God; on whom I will, on whom I will, saith the Lord: Lo! a work of the greatest mercy it was, to release us from the bondage of sin, of Satan, and eternal death, when we were all shut up in unbelief: a work of the greatest mercy it was; of which mercy all those only shall for ever be partakers, who faithfully believe in him that released them; and, not promiscuously, all men in general; not: So saith Paul, The righteousness of God is unto all, and upon all them that believe 
Rom. 2.22. : and, The Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by the faith of Jesus Christ should be given to those that believe 
Gal. 3.22. ●eb 5.9. Acts 10.43. : meaning, that all who believe not, are utterly excluded from that promise, from those eternal blessings which are promised in Christ Jesus; and justly excluded they are, because they remain in their unbelief; and, are no part of those on whom God hath mercy: who concluded all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all: that is, upon all, on whom he would have mercy, when it was in his own power to have mercy upon none; and, the end why God had mercy upon all( even all such as he choose unto himself out of the whole world shut up in unbelief) was, that all that are saved, might confess for ever to his glory, that, not by their own works, not by their own merits, but only by his free grace, and mercy they are saved.  
4. That Christ tasted death for every man 
Heb 2.9. . Answ. This seems to be somewhat indeed, ( for every man) but( rightly weighed) it is to as little purpose, as any of the rest; for, whether we red it in the singular number ( for every man) according to the Original 
{αβγδ}. : or, in the plural number ( pro omnibus, for all) as Beza renders it, both tend to the same end; as the Apostle himself makes it appear, who interpreting his own meaning, restrains this ( all) or this ( every man) to many, v 10. saying, it became him( Christ) in bringing many sons unto glory, &c. Many sons; Sons he hath many, by adoption and grace: for whom, altogether, considered in the general( there being a generality and universality, even amongst them) and, for every man, for every adopted son amongst them, in particular, our Saviour tasted death, to free them from eternal death; tasted the bitter cup of Gods fiery wrath kindled against him for their sins, that he might bring them unto glory: and, there needs no other reply to this, than hath been given already, to the first Objection, Rom. 5.18. where all, or( as here) every man, is rightly interpnted by many, v. 19. and, so it is always to be understood, whensoever the efficacy of the death of Christ, is treated of in the holy page.; it is effectual for all; we confess it: for many; we do not deny it; nay, for every man; we grant that too: but, effectual it is, for all, for many, and( the general including the particular) for every man that is a true believer. So also we understand that, 2 Cor. 5.14. One died for all; one Saviour, for all penitent sinners; the end of whose death was, That he might give eternal life to as many as his Father had given him; and given him out of the world 
Joh. 17.2, 6, 9. ; out of the whole cluster of mankind; and, if his Father gave them unto him, out of the world, out of the corrupted mass of all mankind( for so it was) an argument undeniable it is, that he did not give him all in general, that were in the world: for, to give eternal life to as many as his Father had given him, presupposeth, that his Father gave him not all in general, to give them eternal life; and our Saviour died effectually for none, but for such as his Father gave him: neither is that, 1 Tim. 2.6. capable of any other true interpretation, and agreeable to the Scripture. Jesus Christ gave himself a ransom for all; he did: for all, and, for every man, every one of his Elect: whom he fore-ordained to faith and repentance, those being the means he ordained to bring as many as his Father gave him, to the end, eternal life: who saith of himself, that he came to give his life a ransom for many 
Mat. 20.28. Mar. 10.45. : that is, for the whole multitude of his Elect: on whom( when they were yet all lost in themselves) he had mercy, because he would haue mercy: And, when he instituted his holy Supper, he said of his blood, that it was  shed for many, 
Mat. 26.28.  for the remission of sins: now, many is but an extract out of more: which presupposeth, that there was another many, another number, shut up in unbelief,( even when these redeemed many were released out of that prison of infernal darkness) there was, I say, another number left behind in that prison, for whom his blood was not effectually  shed; it being  shed only for many, for the remission of sins; and for every man, so, by the mere mercy of God, released out of that dark dungeon of unbelief; for every man of these many, Christ tasted death: and this the Apostle himself, referring every man, v. 9 to many; and, many, v. 10. to every man, makes plain and manifest: Besides, all are not the sheep of Christ, for whom he laid down his life 
joh 10.15. ; which is evident now: but, at the last day, when the final separation shall be made between the sheep, and the goats 
Matth. 25.32, 34, 41. , then it will be more evident to all that shall behold it: and, all shall behold it; whether Angels, men, or devils. All are not the people of Jesus, whom he saveth from their sins 
Matth. 1.21. : for, if all by him were saved from their sins, how comes it to pass that some shall be punished with everlasting destruction, from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power 
2 Thess. 1.9. ? Neither did our Saviour ever pray effectually for all in general, such as Cain, or Esau, or Saul, or Judas, or Nero, &c. witness his own words, Joh. 17.9. Father, I pray not for the world: not for that part of the whole world, which was not given me, but was left shut up in unbelief: And, surely he never sanctified, he never sacrificed himself effectually for those, for whom he never prayed: Who cannot say, Who shall lay any thing to the charge 
Rom. 8.33, 34. 35.  of Gods Elect? whereof they never were a part; or, Who shall condemn? whereas they were never in any other state, than in the state of condemnation. Or, Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? for, properly, there can be no separation, where there never was any union, and communion. The sum is this; God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his son 
1 Joh. 5.11, 12. : He that hath the Son( that believeth in the Son) hath life: but, he that hath not the Son( believeth not in the Son) hath not life: But, all men( none excepted) have not the son, believe not in the son of God: and therefore, all men have not life, eternal life: They have it not, either here in promise, on Gods part: neither shall they have it in possession hereafter, on their own part: but it shall be freely given( for, eternal life is the gift of God, through Jesus Christ our Lord 
Rom. 6.2, 3. ) to all those for whom it was prepared; and, prepared it was for all those for whom Christ effectually died: who tasted death for every man: that is, for every man that hath him, as his own. And, he alone hath him as his own, who faithfully believeth in him: My God, and my Lord, my Saviour, my Jesus.  
5. There shall be false teachers among you, saith Peter, who privily shall bring in damnable doctrines, even denying the Lord that bought them 
2 Pet. 2.1. . Whence some dare infer, that if the Lord( Christ) as it is in the Text, bought, and redeemed such as should bring in damnable doctrines, even to the very denying of him, and to the overthrowing of the very Fundamentals of Christian Religion, 'tis an Argument that he died for all men in general, and consequently, that the benefit of his redemption is extended to all, without exception of any, though as faithless as Cain, or, as wicked as Judas: This is the Objection, with the inference thereupon. Answ. The inference is forced; and, it must needs be so, because it is drawn from the Text, not rightly interpnted: Wherefore, for the right understanding of it, necessary it is that we consider three things: as, Who it is that speaketh this: To whom he speaketh it: and, Of whom he speaketh it. 1. 'tis Peter an Apostle that speaketh this: true: yet, he speaks it not {αβγδ}, but {αβγδ}; not according to the truth, and reality of it, as to his own judgement; as if it had been so indeed; as if Christ by his death had effectually bought, and redeemed all, or any such that should bring in damnable doctrines, and persevere in them to the end: no: but, 2. He speaks it, according to the opinion of those, to whom he then spake it: who, conversant among them, were persuaded, according to the judgement of charity, which covereth a multitude of sins 
Prov. 10.12. 1 Pet. 4.8. , that such, and such, as professed the same Christ crucified, the same Christian Religion with themselves, were also in the same state of salvation with themselves; and such were these yet, of whom the Apostle speaketh; and, of whom others had so charitable an opinion: as yet, in appearance, they were devout professors of the Name of Christ: as yet, they were not become the Authors of damnable doctrines, and this the Apostles words imply; who saith, There shall be false teachers among you; they were not so yet: but, there shall be such; though for a time( like Scribes and Pharisees) they cover their hypocrisy, under the specious veil of sanctity, and religious devotion; and, so long as in outward appearance they seemed to be such( for, man cannot judge of the deceitfulness of the heart) so long also they were deemed to be such by others, who( knowing nothing to the contrary) judged, out of charity, that they were such whom Christ had bought, and redeemed, as well as themselves; and, according to their judgement of them, rather than his own, Peter speaketh this. 3. He speaketh this, even of those themselves, whom he foresaw should bring in damnable doctrines; but as yet, openly they did not: who, before they were lead into that temptation( possibly) were persuaded, and afterwards too( no doubt) that the Lord had bought them; it being more usual with desperately wicked men, to boast in vain of their redemption by Christ, than with those, who are effectually redeemed by him, fully to be persuaded of it: So that here is nothing at all that can any ways make for the advantage of the adverse part; nothing, but the judgement of such, who sometimes in hypocrisy professed Christ, and afterwards became the guilty authors, and introducers of damnable doctrines: whose judgement of themselves, is as nothing; for surely, they that could not judge aright of the doctrine of Christ, before Satan had fully deceived them, changing their gold for dross, were less able, after they were so deceived by him, to judge aright of their own redemption by Christ: And, as for the judgement of others, in this case, it was their charity that misled them, and made them err; and, they might be excusable in that; yet, when they saw it fall out, even as the Apostle had foretold, then( doubtless) they recanted their opinion; and, judged it to be so, no longer then to them( who saw but at a distance) it appeared to be so. But, as for Peter who spake this, both by way of prediction, there shall be—; and also, by way of admonition, lest other should be deceived by them; he only relateth what should come to pass, There shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable doctrines, whereof( no doubt) this would be one, that Christ whom they denied, and by their damnable doctrines contemned, had bought and redeemed them; but, doth not at all affirm, what they granted unto themselves, that he bought them, who damnably should deny him. And, this is enough to satisfy modest, and moderate men, not obstinately querulous, and unwilling to be satisfied, even when they might be satisfied: This is enough to prove, that our Saviour, who died for all men, for every man, for all whom his Father gave him, bought not such as always remain in their unbelief, and never will become penitent; because such his Father never gave him.  
6. The promises of the Gospel are general, and universal; and, none are forbidden to hear it: Why then should not the Graces offered therein be universal also? What? doth God mock and delude men in promising, and offering that by his Gospel preached, which he never meaneth to bestow? Answ. That the promises of the Gospel are general, and universal, we easily grant; provided, that it be understood with such a distinction as this, that they are such only to the universality of all true believers, but not at all to such as believe not; no more than a medicine which is fit to heal, is profitable to such as will not apply it: and, that the grace offered by the Gospel is universal also, we grant; but, to the same universality of the true Church of Christ, we still grant it; knowing, that we may not, we cannot grant it to any other who are not, or, shall not be lively members of that mystical body, whereof Christ alone is the Head; because none are capable of the operation of those graces promised in the Gospel, but such as belong to his own body, united unto himself by faith; besides, the principal end, why God ordained his Gospel to be preached, sheweth plainly, that the spiritual graces offered therein, are not promiscuously common unto all in general that hear his Gospel; no: and, that end was, for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the Ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ 
Eph. 4.11, 12, 13. ; that, by this means, the whole number of his Elect might be gathered together, that as many as are ordained to eternal life might be saved: that, I say, was the principal end why God would have his Gospel preached, even, that thereby he might gather together his own sheep, his own flock, into his own fold; to whom, directly, and with effect, the Evangelical graces are offered, by the preaching of his Gospel: Yet, because many who are not of his flock, are oftentimes mingled together in our holy Oratories, with those that are; and, because we, who are Preachers, and Publishers of the Gospel of Christ, when we sow our seed, know not which is the good ground, let it be granted, if you will, that indirectly, and( as it were) by way of consequence( I say not by way of concomitancy) those Graces are offered unto many, who, though they are not forbidden to hear, yet, for want of faith, are not at all concerned in the benefit of those graces so offered: and, the fault is in the ground, not in the seed; in the hardened, and unbelieving heart, that it bringeth forth no good fruit to maturity, not in the Gospel, which is preached chiefly to such, as in an honest, and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience 
luke. 8.15. : so that, whosoever shall say, that God, if his Evangelical graces be not universal, and promiscuously common to all, offereth what he never meaneth to bestow, and so mocketh, and deludeth men, whosoever shall dare say this, He is a liar, and the truth is not in him: For, whatsoever God offereth by the preaching of his Gospel, he meaneth really to bestow, and doth, on all those to whom it is directly offered, even to his Church and chosen. What then? are obstinate and malicious sinners( such as are shut up in unbelief) are such mocked, and deluded, if they participate not of those promises of grace, wherein they never had any interest? Nothing so: But rather, hearing such graces offered by the Gospel, and not receiving and applying them by the hand of faith, they mock, and delude themselves, to their own destruction: for, this becomes unto them an occasion, to aggravate their sin, to blind and harden their hearts more and more, and to leave them without excuse in the day of judgement: as( no doubt) Pharaohs heart was more and more obdurated, when he obstinately refused to obey the voice of Moses and Aaron: and Jerusalems sin was aggravated, because they refused with the like obstinacy, to harken to the voice of the Prophets, so often sent unto them: O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, saith our Saviour, thou that killest the Prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thee together, as an hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not 
Mat. 23.37. ? and, such whose sins are occasionally aggravated, and their hearts more and more hardened, by the preaching of the Gospel, because they deride and contemn it, such must needs be left without excuse: As our Saviour said of the unbelieving Jews, If I had not come, and spoken unto them, they had not had sin( not so great sin) but now they have no cloak for their sin 
Joh. 15.22. : Now, after they have heard, and not believed my Gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation, to every one that believeth 
Rom. 1.16. : now, after light is come into the world, and they have loved darkness more than light 
Joh. 3.19. ; now they have no cloak for their sin, but are left without excuse to the judgement of that great day. But, enough( if not too much, in such a narrow room as this) in Answer to these Objections; and I wish it may be satisfactory. Let us now look back again to what we were speaking of before( supposing all this to be but a Parenthesis, though it be a long one) and, we were speaking before of the Qualification of such Persons as our Saviour most graciously calleth and inviteth unto himself: All you that labour, and are heavy laden.  
Theophylact upon the Text, understandeth by those that labour, the Jews, wearied, and tired out with the observance of legal Ceremonies: By those that are heavy laden, the Gentiles 
Onere peccatorum oppressas. , oppressed with the weight of their sins: and so, St Hilary 
Canon. 11. in Matth. , before him; pithy( I confess) but, as to our purpose, not full, not favourable expressions: For, 'tis not enough to know that we are weary( our sins causing that spiritual faintness in us) unless we seek also for rest, for reconciliation with God in Christ: not enough to lye down under the weight of our sins, as a beast under his burden, careless and secure, unless we labour to be eased of that burden, and believe in Christ: In short: The sight of our sins, because they offend God, must make us desire to become Saints, that we may please God: and, they that are such, whether Jews, or Gentiles, no difference at all is there in Gods sight amongst them, nor in our Saviours acceptation of them: who knoweth, that his Father is no respecter of persons, but in every Nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness is accepted with him 
Act. 10, 34, 35. . All you that labour, and are heavy laden.  
But, why doth our Saviour here mention labouring, before heavy laden? Is it not an {αβγδ}? Is it not a misplacing of the words, naming that first, which should be last? Heavy laden, setting us, by nature, a degree at least, further from our God, than labouring doth: Heavy laden, noting but the sight, or at most the first sense of the weighty burden of our sins: Labouring, the godly care we take to be eased of our sins: Lo! that which is first in the course of our sins, and that, not too too forward an inclination neither, to arise from our sins, that is last here in the mouth of our Saviour: But, should it not rather be, All you that are heavy laden, and labour? but, let it stand as it is: What I have written, I have written; and I will tell you what I conceive of it; thus: That which our Saviour best liketh of, that he first speaketh of: Now, he liketh far better of us, when we are labouring to be freed from the guilt of our sins, than when we are heavy laden, and do but begin( if that) with some dislike, to feel the weighty burden of our sins: therefore, the nearer we are to him in grace, the nearer shall we be to him in acceptance: If he do but entertain us, it shall be with himself. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock, if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and sup with him, and he with me 
Rev. 3.20. : so, if he do but name us, when he begins to love us( as then he doth, when we begin not to love our sins) it shall be next unto himself; as here: All you that labour( a word noting, that divine Grace from on high hath visited us, and by visiting, hath produced in us, both a loathing of sin, and also an hmble svit for more, and more Grace, until we obtain remission of sin) even this( I suppose, for this cause) is placed in the Text, next( unto) unto me.  
So it is; our advocate with the Father, is 
1 joh. 2.1.  our Saviour, our advocate with our Saviour is our heart, broken and bruised with a godly sorrow, for our sins: when he himself had suffered all the torments, that either the wrath of God, or the malice of men, and divels could lay upon him, yet, not a bone of him was broken 
Exod. 12.46. Numb. 9.12. joh 19 33.3.6 : 'tis not the breaking of our bones, the severe chastising of our bodies, but the breaking, and renting of our hearts that Christ accepteth: he that was wounded for our sins, and bruised for our iniquities 
Esa. 35.5. , loves a wounded, a broken, a contrite heart: filius tantarum lachrymarum 
August. 1. Confess. , he that  shed his blood for us, will not suffer those to perish, who  shed the tears of true repentance for their sins: that which Tacitus complained of, and justly, too; namely, that in Domitian's time, even their very groans were taken notice of 
Cum suspiria subscriberentur, &c. in vita jul. Agric. p 743. ; meaning, that they could not grieve, and mourn secretly for their present misery, but they were soon observed and designed for greater misery, that, that is our comfort; for, even our very sighs, our groans, our tears are taken notice of in Gods sight, and put into his bottle, Psal. 56.8. and, if we truly bewail our sins, and mourn because we have offended our good God, 'tis evidence enough to our own souls, that we are designed for eternal glory, with God.  
O then that mine eyes( yea, and mine heart too) were a fountain of tears, and that my God would make rivers run in these dry places: I red of great lamentation made over the Martyr Steven 
Act. 8.2. : but, I seldom make any lamentation for my sin; in the Prophet Zachary, there is mention of a deep pit, wherein there is no water 
Zach. 9 11. . Such, such a thing may my sinful heart fitly be compared unto: it is deep, farther remote from my God, then I would have it: no water is there in it, no tears of true Contrition in it: I repent not so often, so seriously for my sins, as I ought, as I should, and therefore I grieve, because I cannot sufficiently grieve, I weep, because I cannot sufficiently weep: I know, that all tears shall be wiped from mine eyes 
Rev. 7.17. , when I shall be in Heaven; but, I would not have it so, while I am on earth: because, here must be labouring, groneing, strong crying, and tears( if not of the eye, yet of the heart) before we can come to those heavenly habitations: the souls under the Altar cry, how long 
Rev. 6.10. ? and, our souls that are redeemed by him that was sacrificed on the Altar of the across for us, must cry unto him for pardon, and forgiveness; how long? even till heaven hath made us glorious: thus, hitherto our discourse hath been busied in setting before you, first, the Persons whom our Saviour here so graciously calleth, and inviteth: All you that labour, and are heavy laden.  
2. The word, or manner of his calling, and inviting us, is; Come; lo! Sometimes we call unto Christ; as, come Lord Jesus, come quickly 
Rev. 22.20. : and, the Spouse, the Church in the Canticles, saith, come my beloved 
Cant. 7.11. : oftentimes, Christ calleth unto us: So that, calling there is on both sides; but, the moving Causes are different; necessity moveth us; that, in time of need, we may be relieved: mercy moveth him; that( returning from our sins) we may be pardonned: 'tis our duty to call unto him: One deep calleth another; the depth of our misery, must call for the depth of his mercy; 'tis his mere love, that he will call unto us; for he might justly suffer us to perish in our sins, and not call us to repentance; he might pass by us, as the Priest, and Levite did, by the wounded man, clauso labello, 
Luk. 10.30, 31.  and not so much as vouchsafe to speak unto us, nor show us any the least signs of favour, and compassion; but this good samaritan( such is his love unto us) will not, cannot, but rather, graciously speaking unto us, saith as in another case he once said unto his Parents, wist ye not that I must go about my Fathers business 
Luk. 2.49. ? so he saith still, wist ye not that I must go about my Brethrens business? which is his Fathers business also, concerning mans Salvation; being evermore busied, either in praying for us; Holy Father, keep through thine own Name, those whom thou hast given me 
joh. 17 11. : or, comforting us, by pouring wine, and oil, into our wounds, heavenly consolations into our souls, to supply them, to save them; evermore performing that work, for which his Father sent him, even, to comfort all that mourn 
Isa. 61.2. ; for, teaching us, instructing us; Learn of me 
Mat. 11.29. ; or( which includes all the rest) calling, and inviting us unto himself: Come.  

far. 4. Domin. 4. Post. Octav. Epiphan.  Haymo hath noted on the words of the Text, that thereare four such callings( including this) in the sacred writ: Two, in the old; in the new Testamnet, Two: the first, Come ye Children, and harken unto me, I will teach you the fear of the Lord 
Psal. 34.11. : the second, O come let us worship, and fall down, and kneel before the Lord our maker 
Psal. 95.6. : when we have learnt to fear God, we must show it, even by our outward posture, and deportment: the Third, is this in the Text: and, all these are already past; as to the sound, which is vanished, though not to the sense, and substance of them, which endureth for ever: the Fourth, which is yet to come, as to the final promulgation of it, is that, which all the faithful shall hear with exceeding great joy, at the last day, when they shall be called to meet the Lord in the air; Come ye blessed of my Father &c. 
Mat. 25 34.  blessed then, because religious, fearing God, now; because humble, humbled, kneeling, falling down, now; because labouring, truly grieved for our sins, now; the same happiness is for all such: the same word of Invitation is to all such: Come.  
Lo! 'tis but one word; yet surely, Two things more may we discover by it, then hitherto you have heard: and, you will easily perceive what it is, by a positive Answer to Two Questions. as,  
1. Doth not this word( Come) justly accuse us of a sinful inclination from our God? Yes; it doth: for, were we now, as at first we were, righteous, innocent, holy, just, what need at all were there of such a Call as this? Come: wherefore, as it was said to Peter, thy speech bewrayeth thee 
Mar. 26.73. : so, this speech, this word of our Saviour here bewrayeth us, accuseth us, of a natural inclination to revolt from our maker; while the first man kept his Creators image undefaced, we heard of nothing then, but valdè bonum, every thing was very good 
Gen. 1.3, 1. : man, amongst the rest, being approved of. as most conformable to his makers will: but, after his fall( conscious of his own sinful guilt) he presently thinks of hiding himself: Lo! this, this is the first thought of a natural man, to go as far as he can from his God: then, when he begins to rebel, God begins to call; Adam where art thou 
Gen. 3.8, 9. ? no calling, unto him, was there before, because no revolting from God was there before, So it is; to turn away from our God, and his Grace, is our natural, and sinful inclination: all we like sheep have gone astray, and turned every one to his own way 
Isa. 53.6. : being like the dissolute prodigal, going into a far country; far from our God, and his Grace: like the lost Sheep, looseing ourselves, by following the guidance of our own vain imaginations: and, needs must he loose himself, who goeth from Christ, who is the way 
joh. 14.6. : naturally, we stick fast in the deep mire, where no ground is, in the depth of our sins, where no sure foundation is, and sink lower, and lower, farther, and farther from our heavenly Redeemer: we have the testimony of it in our own Consciences: we have the proof of it in the Text, by this convincing, by this accusing word, as we now consider it: Come.  
2. Doth not this word( Come) justly accuse us also: of our unwillingness( after we have once forsaken him) to return again unto our God? Yes; it doth: for, this {αβγδ}, this changing of our minds, this amending, and correcting of what is amiss, this returning from our evil ways, we cannot away with: when we have not had primas sapientiae, we are not willing to have secundas modestiae 
Cum semèl aberraverint, constantèr in stultitia perseverant. Lactant. divin. just. lib. 3. cap. 24. : because at the first we have chosen the worse part, so obstinate we are, that we will not amend our choice: the wise men returned to their Country another way 
Mat. 2.12. : we, of ourselves, willingly, return to our God, no way: so much we love our sins, tkat we prefer them, even before the saving of our souls: we do; our God knows it to be so: and, our Saviour, by recalling us( wilfully gone astray unwilling to return) confirms it to be so; accusing us of both, by this one word: Come.  
A word then it may be of reprehension: yet, 'tis a word also expressing much affection to sinful men. Come: reprehension( if I may so speak) being of one, and the same family, and of intimate acquaintance with affection; and may both well agree together in one, and the same person; and, so they may here: Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart, thou shalt in any wise rebuk thy brother; and not suffer sin upon him 
Lev. 19.17. . And, to the end, that sin might not be upon us, our Saviour here, by one and the same word, rebukes us, and yet shows that he loves us too; and, so we now look upon it, as an expression of his love, of his great love unto us: far greater than that of Paul to Onesimus, Philem. v. 9, 10. or, of John the Evangelist, to that dissolute young man, of whom Eusebius 
Eccl. Histor. lib. 3 ca. 23. . Lo! though we go astray, and are unwilling to return; though wedded we are to our own sinful lusts and affections, yet our Saviour seeks to divert us from that carnal mind in us, which is enmity against God 
Rom. 8.7. , and mary us unto himself; and, not as the creature, so is the Creator; not as the seller, so is the buyer: the creature is miserable, the Creator merciful: the seller is careless of his soul, the buyer careful to save our souls: We sell ourselves to sin, and Satan for nought, our Saviour buys us at an high price; and, he that bought us with his blood( so great is his love unto us) calls us, that we might be eternally partakers of the benefit of that invaluable purchase. Come; nay more, he that calls us, doth out of his love still( lest we should err, and mistake the way) guide and direct us too. Come unto me: And thus,  
3. By our Saviour himself are we guided unto himself, by this call, and invitation, Come unto me: So that he who saith in the Gospel, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not 
luke. 18.16. ; being much delighted with innocency. Saith also, suffer sinners to come unto me, and forbid them not; being very much delighted in showing mercy: but the Pharisees will murmur at it, Your Master eateth with Publicans and sinners 
Matth. 9.11. . The elder Brother( the Jew 
Chrysol. Se●m. 1. ) will be discontented at it, and will not go in, Luk. 15, 28. if his younger Brother( the gentle, that once lust prodigal) be received by his Father with any signs of favour, and joyful entertainment: His ears cannot hear with patience, Bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it: and let us eat, and be merry, v. 23. Much like unto the Apostate Angels, of whom Bernard spake truly, Maluerunt esse sine Deo, 
Serm. 2. de verbis Esayae.  quam sub Deo, choosing rather to be without the favour of God, then continue obedient unto God: not well relishing, that( they themselves being lost) sinful man should be become happy in a Saviour. Novatus, and his Disciples, will absolutely gainsay it: Lapsis nulla spes veniae, is their doctrine; to such as fall into any heinous sins after Baptism, no pardon, no mercy must be promised, must be granted 
Cypr. Epist. ad Novat. heretic. . But, away from me all you that repined and grudge at any sinners happiness in a Saviour: For, Velit, nolit Novatus Haereticus, omni tempore gratia Dei recipit paenitentes 
Idem de Caena Domini. p. 455. , there is mercy always kept in store with him for penitent sinners, who came into the world to call sinners to repentance 
Matth. 9.13. . And, no stronger Argument can we have, that our Saviour with all acceptance receiveth penitent sinners, than his own word here, both inviting us unto himself, Come: And also directing us unto himself; Unto me.  
And, not to any other, but only to himself alone, are we guided by this Call, by this invitation, Unto me. Wherefore, 'tis good for us to be here: Three Tabernacles we care not for, only, one Saviour shall suffice us, one Mediator shall satisfy us, one Redeemer shall save us. Moses was in the mountain alone 
Exod. 14.2. . Aaron went into the holy of holies alone 
Lev. 16.17. . Our Saviour is entred into heaven for us alone 
Heb. 9.7, 12. : And, Ubi benè sine illo, ubi malè cum illo? Where can it be well for us without him, where can it be ill with 
Bern. Serm. 1. de advent. Dom.  him? 'tis good then for us to be here, even under the wings, under the feathers, under the favour of one only Saviour and Redeemer: There is one alone, and there is not a second 
Eccl. 4.8.  And, he that hath not a second, no partner, no sharer with him, in the work of our Redemption, but wrought it himself alone; guides us to himself alone, that only in him, we may reap the plentiful fruit of his redemption, unto me; and, not unto any other.  
Thus, you see, that this word, which principally is directive, is, by consequence, become exclusive too: utterly debarring us from coming unto, from making our addresses unto any other mediators whatsoever: and, exclusive it must needs be, because there is but one Mediator( whether of redemption, or intercession) between God and man, the man Christ Jesus 
1 Tim. 2.5. : who daily prayeth for us, that his satisfaction may be accounted ours; that his righteousness may be imputed unto us, as if it were ours; that his innocency, may be accepted of his Father, as ours: Unto me; who is the door 
Joh. 10.9. ; and, none can enter into his Fathers house, into his Fathers joy, but only by him: nor, obtain any favour of his Father, but only by him, and his sole mediation; Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name( not in the name, or by the intercession of Angels or Saints) but, in my Name, saith our Saviour 
Joh. 16.23. , he will give it you. Unto me; while he was on earth, he accepted not of the intercession even of the Apostles themselves, for the importunate woman of Canaan 
Mat. 15.24. : Nay he said unto his own mother, the blessed Virgin Mary, when she solicited him for a supply of wine, even at a Marriage feast, Woman what have I to do with thee? and surely, he admits not, either of hers, or of the mediation of any other for us, now he is in heaven: and, whosoever shall attempt it, they are repelled, and excluded here with, Unto me: whose mediation alone with his Father in heaven, is all-sufficient for us; and wants, neither the petitions of others unto himself for us, as if( without the mediation, and intercession of Angels and Saints in heaven) he would not remember us: nor standeth he in need of the Auxiliary supplications of others unto his Father, without him, by way of supplement, as if his supplications alone were not every way all-sufficient: he that is our perfect Mediator wanteth neither. 'tis in vain then for any man to decline him, and seek to others, since he hath here expressly commanded us, to come immediately unto himself, and, in this case, decline all others. Unto me: I will say then with Austin 
Confess. lib. 10 cap. 42. , Whom shall I find that can reconcile me unto thee, O God? Shall I go to the Angels? by what prayer? by what Sacraments? many endeavouring to come unto thee, and being not able by themselves, as I hear, have tried these things, and worthily have been deluded: and so shall all those be, who try such things: who pray first unto Saints( who cannot hear them) to pray unto our Saviour for them, who therefore will not hear them, because neglecting him( and to join others with him in the Office of his Mediatorship, apart whereof is his intercession for us, is highly to neglect him) they address themselves to other mediators, who know them not: For, Abraham is ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledgeth us not 
Isa. 63.16. : Only, 'tis he alone that acknowledgeth us; 'tis he alone that knoweth us, who saith, I know my sheep 
Joh. 10.27. : And, he only knows the right way to heaven, who saith of himself, I am the way 
Joh. 14.6. : And, he that knows it, shows it: By me if any man enter in, he shall be saved 
Joh. 10.9. : saved we shall not be, unless we enter in: Enter in( into glory) we cannot, but by him alone, who hath opened the Kingdom of heaven to all believers. Ho, we that thirst, whither shall we go, but to the waters 
Jer. 2.13. ? We that are sick, to whom shall we go, but to the Physician 
Matth. 9.12. ? We that are spiritually blind, to whom but to the light 
Joh. 1.9. ? We that err, to whom but to the truth 
Joh. 14.6. ? We that are dead, to whom, but to the life 
Joh 11.25. ? Lo! Christ is all, to all that come unto him. To him then alone must we go, because this is to be found in none other, but only in him: and, to him boldly may we go, because he himself most graciously calls and directs us unto himself alone: Come unto me.  
O heavenly word! O blessed call! Lord, let us evermore hear this word; both, when we are in prosperity, rejoicing, and in adversity, lamenting: when we are young and lusty, and when we are old, and gray headed; when we are in health, and likely to live, and when we are sick, and at the point to die. Nay, when our souls are even now to take their farewell of our bodies, for an appointed time, at all seasons, in all estates and conditions, Lord let us evermore hear this comfortable voice from heaven; and obey it, when we hear it: Come unto me.  
Thus, graciously invited we are by our Saviour, to come unto him; and, the persons invited, with the word of invitation, have been the subject of our discourse hitherto: but, all is not yet spoken, which properly belongs to this matter: Wherefore let us stop here a little, and further rightly inform ourselves in the truth of two points, most pertinent to our Text: and, this we may do, by inquiring,  
1. By whom we are enabled to come unto Christ.  
2. Being enabled, by what we come unto Christ: who in, and of ourselves, and by our own free will, are no ways able to come unto him. Which is most necessary to be known; that we may learn to be truly thankful to that Spirit of grace, who by his inward operation, enlightens our hearts, that we may see spiritually, how to come out of that prison of unbelief; and, be careful to cherish in our hearts that seed of faith, which he hath sown in them, least, by our own fault, we sand ourselves back again to that prison: quench not the Spirit 
1 Thess 5.19 : but, let Christ dwell in your hearts by faith 
Ephes. 3.17. ; but, let us to our work: and,  
1. Onely by the Spirit of Christ, are we enabled to come unto Christ; 'tis our Saviour that calls us, come unto me; but 'tis his sanctifying, his regenerating, and renewing Spirit, working in the inner man, that, by the outward preaching of the Gospel, puts a spiritual life into our dead souls, that we may come unto him. I will arise, and go to my Father; 
Luk. 15.18.  but not until my Fathers Spirit first hath raised me: that finger of God, 
Luk. 11.20  by whom he writeth his Laws in our hearts, that seed of God, 
1 Jo. 3.9.  first sown in our hearts, before we can bring forth any fruit meet for repentance. Without me, saith our Saviour to his Apostles, you can do nothing 
Joh. 15.5. . Neither, in our coming unto him, can we do any thing without him; without the Grace and guidance of his holy Spirit 
Ad Deum, fine Deo, non reverti, non converti possum. Bern. Serm de Cantico Ezechiae Regis. ; by whom he worketh in us both the will, and the dead, Phil. 2.3. Who without him, can do nothing in our natural state, any ways advantageous for the promoting of our eternal happiness in him, nothing; And, for the plainer understanding hereof, necessary it is, that we consider man, according to a threefold state of innocency, of sin and of Grace: And 1. man in his primitive state of innocency and integrity( being created in the Image of God 
Gen. 1.27. , that image consisting principally in righteousness and true holiness 
Ephes. 4.24 ) was so created, that he had no perverseness at all, in his will; no crookedness in his understanding; no evil inclination at all in any of his affections, byasing to the worse part: no, but, all was right; and, every way conformable to the will of his Maker. God made man right 
Eccles. 7.29. , not onely in respect of the stature of his body, but also in respect of the state of his soul. But, 2. Man, by his disobedience being fallen from his God, and remaining in the state of sin, wholly defac's this image of God, utterly lost this life of righteousness: and therewith, that original innocency, that primitive rectitude of nature, that was in the whole man, whether in his heart, or his soul; whether in his understanding, or will, or affections; and ever since, by nature, is dead in sins, and trespasses; as the Apostle tells the Ephesians, putting them in mind what they were, before Grace from heaven had renewed them 
Eph. 2.1. ; and surely, that which is the natural state of any, is the natural state of all men. Now, Man, in his state of sin, being by nature thus dead, hath no more will, or power, or so much as any previous inclination, or disposition in, and of himself, to come unto Christ, to aspire unto that which is truly Spiritual, and heavenly, then Lazarus had, or any other dead man hath to raise himself from death to life 
Fulgent. de; Incarnat.& grat cap. 19. Magirus Comment. in Aristot. Ethic. lib. 3. ca. 5. p. 240, 241. . Lo! such is every man in his second estate, in his state of sin, dead. Therefore, 3. That we may a little consider man in the state of Grace( who is spiritually dead in the state of sin, and nature) we say, that if ever he be raised from this death of sin, it must be onely by the Spirit of him, of Christ, who is the resurrection, and the life 
Luk. 11.25. : or else it will never be. Our Saviour trode the wine press alone 
Esay 63.3. ; and, his Grace, his Spirit raiseth us up from our sins alone, dilexit pror, God is first loving in us 
1 Joh. 4.10.19. , loving us first, before we can love him: so also he is first in quickening us, in raising us from our sin, before we can arise and come unto him: there was no Corn in the Sacks of Josephs Brethren, to feed them, and keep them alive, till Joseph put it in 
Gen. 42.25. . Neither is there any Grace in the heart of a Carnal, a Natural, and Unregenerate man, in the state of sin, that can keep any Spiritual life in him, till God by his Spirit put it in: who, by him, worketh all in all, in our Spiritual Resurrection; and, he worketh after this manner: this, at first he finds us, as we are left in the state of sin, dead, Eph. 2.1. spiritually dead; so found, he quickeneth us, when he pleaseth, by his enliveing Spirit, breathing into our souls the breath of life, mollifying our hard, and stony heart, opening it with the key of his Gospel preached, as he did the heart of Lydia 
Act. 6.14. , cleansing it, renewing it, and, by degrees, infusing his saving Graces of faith and repentance into it; renewing the will, regenerating the mind, and understanding: all is new, where the Holy Spirit effectually worketh( there being nothing in us but old things before) put ye on the new Man 
Eph. 4.24. . Notwithstanding( before this inward, and Spiritual renovation) the will is merely passive, not at all any ways co-operating with the Spirit of Grace in this resurrection: but, is merely passive: and, as not able to hinder it, when God effectually will; so, in itself, not able to cause it, till God effectually will: not free of itself, to will the Grace of Regeneration, till Grace hath freed it: in tantum libera, in quantum liberata 
August. Enchirid cap 30. : though still free to will: for, simply to will, that is the nature of it, which Grace takes not away, but helps. 
Pet Diacon. de ●ncarn.& grat ca 8.  Yet, of itself not free to will that which is Theologically good, and well-pleasing unto God: no, 
Arbitriu● est quiden liberum, non tamen bonum; est liberum, non tamen rectum Fulgent. de incarnat.& grat. ca. 19.  for, that is a Grace supernaturally given been velle supernaturalis gratia est, Bernard, when God by his Grace, and spirit beginneth to convert us: and that, in nobis, fine nobis, in te, non ex te, working this in us, even without us, without any of our help, or assistance at all: 
Idem, Epist 3. ad Probam. Synod. Dort. Artic. 12 ca. 4.  his Grace always going before our will, ordine causalitatis, as the onely efficient cause, producing of itself this good effect; even our Conversion, Regeneration, Resurrection from the death of sin; or, as it is in the Text, our coming unto Christ; who, of ourselves, arise not from the dead, till his prevenient, or( as Austin rightly calls it) his( as yet) Operating Grace 
De grat.& liber. arbit. ca. 17.  doth first raise us; but when the Spirit of God( whose proper work it is) hath effectually done this: when he hath actually given a Spiritual life to our dead soul, and sanctified qualities to the faculties thereof, then the now sanctified will( you may imagine, even in the same moment of time 
Ordine temporis, vix distingui possunt opus Dei convertentis hominem,& Actio bominis, se convertentis ad Deum. suffrag. Britannorum, de 3.& 4. Demonstrant. Articl. Thes. 1. p. 121. Perk. de grat.& liber arbit. p. 734. ) goeth together, moveth together, co-operateth, and worketh together with God, and his Grace( now co-operating) in the progress of our Conversion: Mota movet; being moved, it moveth; being raised, it riseth; being sanctified, it willeth what God approveth of; but still, in order of working( while we are yet in the state of sin, and our will yet merely passive) Gods Grace, I say, by his Spirit, is always the first mover, the first powerful agent, in our conversion, and spiritual resurrection: for, no running can there be in the way of his commandments, until he hath enlarged our hearts: 
Psal 119. ●2.  no running after him, till he draw us by his spirit: as our Saviour himself testifies, Joh. 6.44. No man can come to me, except the Father which sent me draw him; 
Cant. 1.4.  except he draw him: yet, not by any violent compulsion, 
Non violenta necessitate, said infundendo sua vitatem per spiritum sanctum. Pet. Diacon. de incarnat.& gratia. ca. 6.  as if we were as stocks, and stones, or had not so much as the Essence of a will in us for his Spirit first to work upon: no, but he draweth us( when he will) sweetly, powerfully, effectually; illuminating our mind, changing our perverse will, by the operation of his Spirit, and so of unwilling, making us willing to be raised, willing to be converted; who, of ourselves, can neither will, nor run, nor come to the Son, until the Father thus sweetly draw us, persuading us, by the inward working of his holy Spirit, to come unto him. Who, as men, have the Essence of a will before, but, no promptitude is there in it, without this sweet, this powerful, and effectual drawing, to come unto him: the Prophet Esaiahs, heal me O Lord, and I shall be healed, 17.14. and, the Prophet Jeremy's, Turn thou us O Lord, so shall we be turned, Lament. 5.21. confirmeth the truth of this assertion, even, that God alone is the first Author of our Spiritual healing, the first causer of our sanctified turning, and coming unto Christ. Fulgentius, f 
De praedestin. ad Monimum. lib. 1.  to this purpose, hath expressed much, in one short sentence: thus, Preveniente misericordia, voluntas bonum velle incipit& subsequente, bonum quod vult facere valet. Gods prevenient Grace( the expression of his mercy) that, and onely that, by the operation of his Spirit, sweetly moves our our will to ●ill that which is good, and afterwards his subsequent Grace enables us to do that good, which we will. 
Deus hoins voluntatem bonam& praeparat adjuvandam& adjuvat praparatam. August. Ench. ca. 32. G.  Christ came to Peters house, saith the Text, Mat. 9.14. By way of narration, and the end why Christ came to Peters house, was, that Peters house might come unto Christ, saith Chrysologus, by way of explication: 
Serm. 18. de Socru Petri.  but Christ doth come first. God saith, I will give you a new heart, Ezek 36.26. to receive a new heart, belongs to man: to give a new heart belongs to God. Now, giving, is, in order of time, before receiving. So, Grace, raising us from our sin, is, in order of working, before there is any will, any aptitude at all in us, to be raised: again, every man, saith our Saviour, that hath heard, and learned of my Father, cometh unto me 
Joh. 6.45. . Now, hearing is before learning, and, learning of the Father( being taught inwardly by his holy Spirit) must needs be before, or, at lest, simul tempore, of one, and the same date, with the effect of our learning, even, our coming unto Christ. Thus, first you have heard, by whom we are enabled to come unto our Saviour; it is onely by his Spirit; by his regenerating, and renewing Spirit: translating us from darkness to light, from the state of sin to the state of Grace, from the Kingdom of Satan, to the Kingdom of God 
Act. 26.18. .  
2. Hear, by what we come unto Christ, after we are once enabled by his Spirit to come unto him; even, by a true, a saving, a justifying faith; by that faith, which at the time of our conversion from nature to Grace, was wrought in us by his Spirit, that we might be in a sanctified condition, to come unto him; that is, to believe in him. This saving faith being called the saith of Jesus Christ 
Rom. 3.22. ; because he is the Author of it, by his Spirit: and, the Object of it, after man hath received it, from his Spirit: called also it is, the faith of Gods 
Tit. 1.1.  Elect, because they alone who are delivered out of that prison of unbelief, are, and shall be for ever, the sole posssessors of it: but( since we are now speaking of it) what is this justifiing faith( wrought in our hearts by the Spirit at the time of our Conversion, though not at the first in the highest degree) what is this faith whereby we come unto our Saviour? it is a certain persuasion 
{αβγδ}. Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith. Heb. 10.22. , a full assurance, and confidence of Gods goodness, and mercy unto us, in our Saviour: which no man can have, until by his Spirit he be enabled to come unto him: fides, est fiducia: faith, is a full assurance: there is no fear in love, saith the Apostle, but perfect love casteth out fear: so, there is no doubting, not any distrustful doubting, in faith; but, true faith casteth out all such doubting: I am persuaded, saith Paul 
{αβγδ}. Rom. 8.38. : thus you see what that faith is whereby we come unto Christ, 
1 Joh 4.18.  and, by this definition, or description of it, plain it is, that venire, est credere; that, to come unto our Saviour, as he commandeth ( Come unto me) is, by a true faith, confidently to 
Venire ad Christum, quid aliud est, nisi ad cum credendo converti? August. de grat.& lib. arbitr. ca. 5. B.  believe in our Saviour, as we are taught by his own words, Joh. 6.35. I am the bread of life, he that cometh to me, shall never hunger; he that believeth in me, shall never thirst: he that cometh; he that believeth: being but one and the same Person: coming being put for believing, and believing for coming unto Christ: the later explaining the former; thus, as the rivers come from the Sea, and return thither again; so, our faith( whose gift it is 
Heb. 12.2. :) cometh from God, and by it, we return to him again: he comes to us; in giving it, we come to him, in receiving it, and, by it, applying all the merits of his son unto our own Souls; reaching to Heaven, even while we are on earth: being with God, even when we are with men: satiating our hungry souls with that Lamb slain, even when he now sitteth at the right hand of God; quomodò, tenebo absentem? mitte fidem,& tenuisti: 'tis faith in Christ, whereby we live unto God 
Gal. 2.20. ; and, whereby Christ dwelleth in our hearts 
Eph. 3.17. : 'tis faith in him, whereby we are made the sons of God 
Gal. ●. 26. : and, where by we obtain in his name, remission of sins, at the hanhs of God 
Act. 10.43. , 'tis this that justifieth us in his sight 
Act. 13.39. Rom. 5.1. : in that, faith alone, as a passive Instrument, apprehendeth the Object of our justification, Christ crucified, with all his benefits: and, the boldness, and access unto God with confidence we have in Christ, we have it by the faith of him 
Eph. 3.12. : all which are Arguments, that the onely way to come unto our Saviour, is by believing faithfully in our Saviour: Multos venire videmus ad filium( saith Austin) quia multos credere videmus in filium 
De praedestinat. sanctorum. B. : we see many by the preaching of the Gospel come unto the son of God, because we see many, by that means, become believers in the son of God; our faith bringing us nearer unto Christ, then ny other heavenly Grace that he hath given us; which, notwithstanding, includeth all other sanctifiing Graces in it, and cannot be without them: See it illustrated, by way of Similitude: thus; the primum Mobile, in respect of the Heavens, includeth all the inferior Orbs in it, and doth not move without them: yet, the eight, or starry Heaven, is not so near to the primum Mobile, as that is, which later Philosophers, call Crystaline 
Comment. Magiri in Physiol. suam lib. 2. cap 2. Eustachi. 2. part. Phyficae. tract. 1. de munde,& aelo q. 6. : nor, is that so hear, as the primum Mobile is to the seat of God himself, and his holy Angels, and Saints, called Coelum Empyreum, from the unspeakable light that is in it 
Ob plurimam lucem {αβγδ} dicitur. Magirus, ubi supra. : by Paul, called the third Heaven, 2 Cor. 12 2. So, faith( though it includeth all other Graces in it, and subsisteth not without them) is nearer unto Christ, then all other Graces, which it includeth in it: nay, it is next unto him; for, this joins, and unites us unto him: this makes us one with him, and him one with us: this engraffs us into himself, as lively branches of the true vine, J am the Vine, ye are the Branches 
joh. 15.5. : in a word; Christ is the Head; and we( his whole Church) are made his members, by faith: we need say no more; because it followeth of itself, that where there is no true faith in Christ, there can be no coming unto Christ.  
Let us now in brief, sum up all that belongs to our first Part. 1. By the holy Spirit of Christ, we are enabled to come unto Christ; and, 2. Being enabled by his Spirit, to come unto our Saviour, by faith alone( the gift of the same Spirit) we come unto our Saviour: who here by his gracious Invitation calleth us, Come: and, that we might not err, directeth us, unto me: differenceth, and discerneth us, from that part of the world which believeth not, and consequently, doth not come unto him: the Note of distincttion, whereby the one is discerned from the other, being this: All you that labour, and are heavy laden.  
1. To this gracious Invitation, his promise is annexed here: and his word of promise is, I will give you rest: Come, and I will give you: you that labour, and are heavy laden, finding no rest in your souls, by reason of your sin, as David sometimes complained 
Psal. 39.3. ; yet, earnestly desiring to be eased of that burden, come you unto me, and I will give you rest.  
We noted before, that coming on mans part, must always go before giving, on our Saviours part: So it is in the Text: Come, and I will give you: not give you, unless ye Come: unless ye believe: but now we may note, that giving on our Saviours part, shall( according to his promise) always follow coming on mans part: believe, and thou shalt be saved 
Mar. 6.16. ; the one follows the other; faith is the way to Christ, and, he is the giver of rest to such as by faith come unto him: Come, I will give you rest.  
Tis our Saviour that promiseth this: and, easy it is to know, who it is that promiseth, even by what he promiseth; rest: there is no Communion between God, and Belial 
2 Cor. 6.15. : none; either in their works, or, in their words, and promises: when the devil promiseth, vain things they are, and transitory, which he promiseth: nay, such they are, as he hath no power to bestow: All these things, all the Kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them, will I give thee 
Matth. 4.5. : Or, if he could bestow them all, yet, comparatively, all are worth nothing: For, What shall it profit a man to gain the whole world, and lose his own soul 
Mat. 16.26. ? But, when our Saviour promiseth: eternal things they are, and heavenly, which he promiseth: As is the Donor, such is his gift. He that saith, Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of heaven 
Matth. 6.33. , promiseth that principally, which only concerneth the Kingdom of heaven. I will give you rest; Blessed Saviour, it is enough; and we need not ask, as the Prophet Hosea sometimes did in another case, Lord, what wilt thou give them 
Hos 9.14. ? Thou hast said it, and we hear it, we believe it. I will give you rest: Peace with God, peace of conscience, joy in the holy Ghost, which ariseth from the sweet sense and apprehension, that( your sins being forgiven) in me alone you are reconciled unto my Father, the way to this rest promised; and that, a pledge and earnest of eternal rest, of eternal life, hereafter fully to be enjoyed. I will give you rest. But, what this rest, this joy of the holy Ghost, this peace of conscience is, which our Saviour will give us, when by a true faith we come unto him, no man comprehendeth, but he only that enjoyeth it: Like that new Name, Rev. 2.17. which no man knew, but he that received it: yet, thus much we know, that having really received it, we shall neither totally, nor finally be utterly deprived of it: Your joy shall no man take from you, Joh. 16.22. And, that no man can purchase it, no wealth procure it, no worldly policy attain unto it, we know; but, he that receiveth it, receiveth it freely: it is given. I will give you rest.  
And, his it is most properly to bestow, who alone hath purchased it; and, he will bestow it on them alone, for whom he hath purchased it. When the mother of Zebedees children besought our Saviour, Matth 20.20, 21, 22. that her two sons( James and John) might sit, the one on his right hand, the other on his left, supposing that he had been some earthly King, he answered her, It is not mine to give: meaning, that his Kingdom was not of this world, and that he had nothing to do in the promotion of any after such a way as she desired; It is not mine to give: But, he saith not so of this promised rest: no: because his only it is to give, and none other hath power to bestow it: He only hath power to ordain Sacraments, that can confer the grace promised, and sealed by the Sacraments; and that is Christ: So, he only hath power to give us rest, who hath bought it with his own unquietness, with his own sighs, and groans, and tears, and sufferings; and that is Christ. He is our peace, Eph 2.14. and, by his own stripes, the purchaser of our peace, of our rest. Nemo recreat, nisi qui creat; nemo reficit, nisi qui fecit 
August Serm. 10. de verb. apost ca. 5. F. . He makes us, he refresheth us; he creates us, he comforts us. I will give you rest.  
I will: Which notes, both his purpose to do it, and also his power to do it: the one presupposing the other. A purpose, a resolution our Saviour hath in his heart, to forgive their sins, and at last bring them to eternal rest, to eternal glory, that in this life come unto him, believe in him, and truly repent for their sins: having received an assurance of that rest, that eternal rest, by that peace of God which they have in their souls here, when their sins are forgiven them. God mocks us not, our Saviour deludes us not: no; he hath resolved it, and he will not alter his resolution; whose promises are yea and Amen 
2 Cor. 1.20. Ezek. 36.36. ; firm and stable: Hath he said it, and shall he not do it? Hath he promised it, and shall he not perform it? Sooner shall Laws of Medes and Persians become voided and null: nay, sooner shall heaven and earth pass away, than his promises become non-performances to his chosen. And, his promise here, a witness of his purpose to perform it, is, I will give you rest  
I will: It notes also our Saviours power to do it: who, as he is willing, so also he is able to perform what he promiseth, or else he would not promise it. Verax in promissione, potens in exhibitione, true he is in his promises, and powerful he is in his performances: 'tis his goodness, that he will do it; 'tis our comfort, that he both can and will: and, we need not doubt, either of his velle, or his posse: either of his purpose, or his power to do it; who here hath promised to do it( his resolution including his power to put it in execution) I will give you rest.  
Now, the Result of all will be this; That, no true rest can we find, no true peace of conscience can we enjoy, until Christ give it us: who saith of his peace, Joh. 14.27. Not as the world giveth, give I unto you. And, we may say of his rest, not that which the world giveth, but that which he himself giveth, is the true rest. Thy comforts, O Lord, have refreshed my soul 
Psal. 94.19. . They are Gods heavenly comforts that are able to refresh us: It is Christs heavenly rest, and none other, that is able to quiet and appease the unquietness of our troubled consciences. Why art thou so cast down O my soul 
psal. 42.11. , and why art thou so disquieted within me? O put thy trust in God, O put thy trust in Christ, that thou mayst find rest unto thy soul, even in him, who died to save thy soul; and, to bring thee to that rest, which remaineth for the people of God 
Heb. 4.9. : The first taste whereof he giveth us, when he forgiveth us, when we come unto him, when we believe in him. Being justified by faith we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ 
Rom. 5.1. : without whom we can have no rest, no peace with God. Animula vagula, O poor soul, whither then wilt-thou? whither canst thou go? to find that, which is not to be found in any other, but only in a Saviour; he hath the words of eternal life 
joh. 6. ●8. . And, we have his promise of that rest, which begun in our souls here, shall accompany us to eternal life. Wherefore, in him alone let us seek it, who calls us, Come; that in him alone we may find it, who, for that end, guides us unto himself alone: Unto me; who is both the Author, and finisher of our faith 
Heb 12.2. ; and thereby the Author, and finisher of our rest. The short is this: Noahs Dove found no resting place, until she returned again into the Ark 
Gen. 8.9. : Neither can our souls find any true rest, until by faith we come unto Christ, who is the purchaser of it, the promiser of it, the donor of it: I will give you rest.  
Lord, we believe thy promise: yet, because thou hast taught us, Ask 
Matth. 7.7. , and you shall have, give us leave, in all humble manner to pray unto thee, that thou wouldest vouchsafe for ever, to be mindful, both of it, and us. Wherefore, O our God, make us, we beseech thee, fit vessels to receive, what thou wilt give us: Give us grace to do what thou commandest, and then command us what thou wilt. Give us renewed hearts, regenerate souls, to receive what thou wilt give us, and then give us what thou wilt: Cleanse, and purge, and sanctify us, that we may be fit habitations for thine holy Spirit to dwell in. Make us a clean heart, O God, and renew a right Spirit within us 
Psal. 51.10. : Open our souls wide, that they may be filled with that peace, thine own peace, which passeth all understanding 
Phil. 4.7. : filled with that rest, which thou wilt give us: rest here, rest hereafter: rest in life, rest in death, rest after death: rest in earth, rest in heaven, for evermore. Lord Jesus say,  
Amen.  
FINIS.