A Commentary on 1 Peter 1-3

Verse 19.

But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb undefiled and without spot.

GReat is the wonder of God's works of nature in the making of this huge • rame of heaven and earth of nothing, and in the providence about all creatures, especially in divers things more eminent in those works. But of all the works of God, the works of grace, even the great work of man's redemption is beyond all comparison wonderful, that he should set his love upon such forlorn wretches, as men in their corruption are, and that he should provide for them such an excellent happiness. But above all, the means by which he doth this, is infinitely beyond the reach of all the judgments and affections of all creatures: and this is it which is most effectually comprehended in this verse: That he should effect this redemption by his own Son, such a Son, so richly qualified, with such a price as the very blood of his Son, with such a strict account of him, that his nature and works for man must not have a spot or blemish in them: oh how should we be swallowed up with admiration, and cry out, oh the depths of the wisdom and mercy of God ! yea how should we be vext at the vile dullness and deadness of our hearts, that cannot be more affected with those indelible ravishments? How justly might we perish forever, that have no more mind to seek after such a Redeemer, and cleave unto that God and Father of mercies, that hath found out such a way of redemption for us?

But that the nature and use of this great point may be urged yet more fully, I consider of the particulars in this verse concerning the means of our redemption: For here are two things to be noted:

• 1. By whom we were redeemed.
• 2. How we were redeemed.
  • 1. In respect of his passion: by his precious blood.
  • 2. In respect of his obedience: by his righteousness.
    • 1. Of nature: A lamb without blemish.
    • 2. Of action: A lamb without spot.

Christ. ] This word is a collective: it imports not only the person, but also the office of the Messias. For Christ is not God alone, or man alone, but God and man united in one person: for it is a word always used of the person, sustaining both natures. Nor doth it rest there, but it signifies his annointing of God, as the word signifieth, and so that he hath accomplished all that was signified by the annointings in the law, and so he was in substance all, that the anointing of Prophets, Priests, and Kings could signify: and so •• mmarily it puts us in mind of the excellencies of our Savior in person and office above all things in the world. So then if you ask, By whom man was redeemed? The Apostle by saying by Christ doth as it were particularly tell you, that we are redeemed by him,

1. Th •• from all eternity was the begotten Son of God.

2. That in time was conceived so miraculously by the over-shadowing of the holy Ghost, and borne of a Virgin (a most transcendent wonder,) made a true man, and this h ••• ne nature of ours was taken into the subsist •• ce upon the person of his divine nature, so as he was now 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ▪ a God and a man, Rom. 9.5.

3. That in both these united natures by an unspeakable mission from God the Father, he did undertake that marvelous office of mediation between God and man, wherein he took it upon him to unite us to God, and God to us forever. This is our Savior, and this is he alone that claims the glory of this work: he alone trode the wine-press of God's wrath ; he alone is our Savior, and there is no other, Act. 4. Isaiah 64. 1 Cor. 1.30. there is no 〈◊〉 in heaven and earth by which we can be saved, but only by his.

The Uses follow.

1. We may here observe the wonderful wisdom and mercy of God in the choice of our Redeemer: for this is he that was fore-ordained of God: by him we are restored, by whom we were created: by him we partake of God's love, that was the Son of his love: in him we obtain the adoption of 〈◊〉 , that was himself the only begotten Son and heir of God by 〈◊〉 , that God and man might be one in covenant. This one is made God and man in person.

2. For instruction we may learn divers duties.

1. To bless God for our Savior Christ, as the foundation of all our happiness. Shall 〈…〉 talk of his righteousness all the day? Shall not everlasting joy be upon our heads▪ Psal. 103.1, 2. & 71.23. Isaiah 35.10. 1 Cor. 30, 31. Eph. 1.6, 7.

2. To seek redemption in him both from the guilt of our sins, Rom. 3. 24, 25, Isaiah 44.22. and from the power of them, and from the punishment of them, Psal. 1 30.7. Job 19.25. Psal. 34.19. &c. Isaiah 63.16. & 50.2. Psal. 31.7. & 55.18. Hos. 13.14.

3. Therefore we must serve him in holiness, and righteousness all our days, Luke 1.68, 74. Isaiah 59.20. Tit. 2.14.

4. Let us follow the example of his humility, and let him that would be great amongst us, be the servant of all, Mat. 20.28. Coherence.

5. Honor the redeemed of Jesus Christ, and ever say, what one Nation is like to Christ's people?

By his blood. ]

Hitherto of the person by whom we were redeemed: now follows the manner. We were redeemed, 1. by the passion of Christ: 2. by the obedience of Christ; and well are they joined together: for the justice of God required both, and it hath ever been the nature of the Devil, and the world to pour out floods of tribulation after innocence, especially in the eminent: As it was with Christ, so it is with all his members, who are conformed unto him both in sufferings and obedience: and as any are more innocent, so is their passion the greater: but let that pass.

The first point here intended is, that the Holy Ghost would have us to know, and knowing to be deeply affected with it, that we were ransomed by blood, yea by the blood of Jesus Christ, God and man. For the explication of this point, four things briefly would be considered. 1. That it is. 2. What it is. 3. Why it is. 4. How it is.

1. The first: that our ransom was to be paid in blood, was foretold continually from the very fall by sacrifices in blood, and is proved by express Scriptures, Heb. 9.13, 14. Act. 20.28.

2. For the second: The blood of Christ is diversely taken: sometimes sacramentally, and so the wine in the Sacrament is his blood, Mat. 26. sometimes mystically, and so the blood of the Martyrs is the blood of Christ, and so they are said to fulfill the rest of the passion of Christ: sometimes imputatively, and so the Saints have their robes made white in the blood of the Lamb, Revel. 7.14. but most an end properly for his natural blood, and so it is taken here. For no Saints nor blood of Martyrs can make atonement for our sins: But by his blood ( He ) syne • d • chically means all his passion, even all that he suffered of the malediction of the law, as the surety for our sins.

3. For the third: If any ask, why Christ in suffering endured this kind of suffering? I answer,

• 1. Expiation for sin was a way universally conceived of to be fittest done in blood.
• 2. Hereby he fulfilled both the Scriptures of the Prophets, and the types went before of him.
• 3. It was not only for example, but also for the sanctification of the like sufferings in the Martyrs of all ages.
• 4. It was one of the curses of the law.
• 5. It was his good pleasure hereby to show his matchless love to us.

If we ask, why this part of the passion of Christ is so much stood upon, and so often remembered? I answer,

• 1. To show the extremity of Christ's humiliation.
• 2. To show the full accomplishment of all types.
• 3. To confirm our faith in the assurance of the completeness of our ransom.
• 4. To settle our hearts with more affection to him.

4. For the fourth: Christ shed his blood for us many times: As first in his Circumcision, as the first fruits, and pledge of the rest. 2. In his sweat in the garden. 3. When he was crowned with thorns and whipped. 4. When he was nailed on the Cross. 5. When his side was pierced with a spear: The last is chiefly intended.

The Use may be divers.

1. It may inform us of our extreme misery by nature: men must think upon it, their native condition is most servile, else there had not needed such a ransom by such blood.

2. It may import the horrible misery of wicked impenitent sinners, when they shall fall into God's hands: If Christ being but a surety for others suffered such extreme things, oh what mercy can wicked men expect? The very dolours of Christ should teach them, how miserable their case shall be.

3. To consider, that Christ hath bought us to himself by his blood, should compel our affections to resolve more unchangeably, and unfeignedly to devote ourselves to his service that paid so dear for us. Shall we not live to him in all sincerity, that was fain to shed his blood, before he could redeem us to himself, as a peculiar people? If anything will do it, this should kindle the zeal of good works in us.

4. It may comfort us many ways. 1. It shows that Christ wonderfully loves us. 2. That the satisfaction of our debt is fully made. 3. That his intercession daily for us must prevail, since his blood cries in heaven for us, and speaks better things then did the blood of Abel. 4. That our nourishment to eternal life shall be surely effected, because he hath given himself as bread, and his blood as drink for us.

5. It should teach us patience in all our afflictions, or combats with sin, seeing we have not resisted unto blood, as the author and finisher of our faith did, Heb. 12.3, 4.

Precious blood. ]

The blood of Christ is commended for the marvelous preciousness of it, which may appear besides the express affirmations of Scripture: 1. By the continual view of the slain sacrifices. 2. By the amazement of the creatures, when it was shed: The Sun eclipsed, the veil of the Temple rent, the rockstorne, the earth trembling, &c. 3. By the admirable effects of it: it appeased God's anger. Rom. 3.25. it purchased the Church, Acts 20. 28. which all the gold and silver could not do: it ratified the covenant, therefore called the blood of the covenant, Luke 22.20. Heb. 9.18. it is our drink indeed, John 6. it makes a holy consanguinity between Jew and Gentile, they are all allied in the blood of Christ, Eph. 2.13. it overcomes the Devil, Rev. 12. it saves us from the destroying Angels, Heb. 11.18. it makes intercession for sins after calling continually in heaven, Heb. 12.24. it purgeth the conscience from dead works, Heb. 9.14. and it opens the holy of holies ▪ and gives an entrance into the kingdom of heaven, Heb. 10.19.

Quest. But whence comes this preciousness into the blood of Christ?

Answ. I answer; many ways, 1. Because it was shed willingly, John. 10.

2. Because it was the blood of an innocent man; but especially because of the dignity of his person: it was the blood of him that was God as well as man, Acts 20.28. and therefore must needs be of infinite merit, and virtue.

Is the blood of Christ so precious?

1. Then let us forever exalt that riches of grace in God, that spared not the blood of his own Son, that he might not destroy us, Ephes. 1.7. Revel. 1.5.

2. Then let us forever detest merits of our own works, seeing the price is of such infinite value, and sufficiency, Rom. 3.25. Coherence.

3. • t should then augment the confirmation of our faith in our redemption against all the temptations of Satan, or rebellion of our own hearts, or oppositions of the world, Rom. 5.9.

4. If shows, how careful we should be of ourselves, that were bought at so precious a rate, Mat. • 6.

5. Let 〈◊〉 all then take heed of sinning against the blood of Christ (for if it be thus precious, it must needs diffuse a horrible guilt upon such as offend against it: if Abel's blood cried so, what will Christ's blood do? &c.) as they do, 1. That swear by it. 2. That commit the sin against the Holy Ghost. 3. That trust to their own merits. 4. That receive the Sacrament unworthily, 1 Cor. 11.

As a lamb without blemish and spot.

Hitherto of his passion. Now follows his obedience, or innocence both of na •• re and action, and both as they commend the excellency of him, that suffered for us: His innocence is set out by comparison of a spotless lamb, in which words it is God's purpose to lift up our hearts to an apprehension of a wonderful purity in Christ, as he is our surety and Savior.

The main observation is, that God would have us to know affectionately the wonderful holiness of Christ, as he is our Mediator and Redeemer: it is one chief thing we should be informed in. Hence the sacrifices still shadowed him out by the similitude of a spotless lamb, and therefore he is called the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world, Rev. 13.8. and the Apostles for urging this point may well be called the Apostles of the Lamb, Rev. 21.24. John calls him the Lamb of God, John. 1.29, 36.

Christ may be called a Lamb:

• 1. For harmlessness.
• 2. For patience and silence in affliction, Isaiah 53.7. Ier. 11.19.
• 3. For price and value: for rareness and high account: it seems lambes were of special account, Gen. 33.19. & 21.28, 30.
• 4. For infirmities: he took the infirmities were miserable, but not those were damnable.
• 5. For meekness and humility.
• 6. For sacrifice: He was the substance of all that was signified by the typical lambes: he was the substance of the pascal lamb, of the lamb for daily sacrifice, for the peace-offerings, for the trespass-offerings, for the purification of women, and of the lepers, and the lamb for the first fruits, and for the trespass-off • ing of the Nazarites, and for the free will offerings, or vows; and the lamb for the sabbaths, and new moons, and the feast of trumpets; and the lamb for the day of humiliation, and for the feast of tabernacles; the lamb for the Priests, and the Princes, and the people.

It is by the sprinkling of his blood we scape the destroying Angels: It is for his sake, that God is every day pleased in his propitiation for our sins: He is our daily sacrifice, that we must still offer to God for ourselves: It is he we must offer to God for our trespasses, and no gifts we can bring to God will be acceptable without him: In him we are freed from the corruption of our natures, and from the leprosy of actual transgressions: In him we have the confirmation of all our outward blessings: The Priests, and Princes, as well as the people must ascribe all their reconciliation to him: There are no persons so devoted to religion, but they must acknowledge their needs of Christ; nor can our best actions or times be accepted without him.

Whereas it is said, he was without spot or blemish, the Holy Ghost means to avouch, that he was most holy both in nature and life, there could not be a spot found in his actions, nor any the least blemish in his disposition.

And it was needful Christ should be so pure:

• 1. Because else his passion could not be accepted.
• 2. Because he must become a righteousness to many.

If any ask how he could be so, seeing he came of Adam, and had his infirmities both of body and mind?

I answer, that he came of Adam, but not by Adam, that is, not by carnal propagation, but was conceived by the holy Ghost, and so original sin stopped: and for his infirmities, I said before, he received such infirmities, as the Fathers call miserable, that is, such as were punishments, not sins; but not such as were damnable, as all sinful infirmities are.

The Uses follow.

1. We should inform ourselves by often meditation of this wonderful righteousness in Christ, beholding by our medication the lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world.

2. For instruction many things may be urged.

• 1. We should give honor to the lamb that sitteth upon the throne, whose praises fill both heaven and earth, Rev. 5.7. &c.
• 2. We should daily send this lamb to the ruler of the earth, daily present him to God for us, Isaiah 16.1.
• 3. These praises of Christ should convert us to his image: this very doctrine converted the Eunuch, Act. 8.31. we should imitate the praises of Christ, hereby imported, as these places show, Rev. 14.1. to 6.
• 4. Let us for his testimony resist the gates of hell, by believing in him, and love not our lives unto the death for his sake, Rev. 12.11.

3. For consolation: Shall we not sing the song of Moses, and the song of the lamb? Rev. 15.3. Oh how happy are his servants! Revel. 22. What should dismay us, if we know we are contracted to this lamb of God, and shall enjoy eternal fellowship with him, and in the mean while to be clothed with the white linen of •• righteousness, Rev. 19.7, 8.

4. Woe unto them that will not rest upon him for righteousness; the smoke of their torment shall ascend for evermore, Rev. 14.10, 11.

Verse 20, 21.

20. Which was ordained before the foundation of the world, but was declared in the last times for your sakes,

21. Which by his means do believe in God that raised him from the dead, and gave him glory, that your faith and hope might be in God.

HItherto of the means by which we were redeemed: The antiquity of the project concerning our redemption follows.

Who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world.

The drift is to show that we have reason to be wonderfully affected with the manner of our redemption, because it was from all eternity projected by God. Two things may be here noted in the words. 1. The fore-ordination of Christ. 2. The time of it, before the foundation of the world.

Who •••• lie was fore-ordained.

This word leads us beyond time into the secret and eternal counsel of God, giving us a glimpse of God's eternal statutes, especially concerning the eternal happiness of the Elect by Christ.

All Scripture intreats either of God or his works. The works of God are either internal, or external. The internal are likewise eternal before time: The external are in time. Of God the Scriptures draw us a perfect image, as the weakness of man can be capable of it. Of the works of God external, and in time, the Scripture likewise plentifully discourseth, as far as is needful to salvation. Of the works of God internal there is also some little glimpse given in Scripture, not so much to satisfy the curiosity of men's minds, as to ravish the hearts of the godly with incitations, that might the better guide them to contentment in their happy estate: yet there is but little, because men should not be led aside from attending the present means of their everlasting happiness, and because as yet the nature of man is not capable of so glorious revelations.

The works of God before time, are either personal or essential. The personal works are such works ad intra as pass from the three persons in the Trinity one to other incommunicably, as the begetting of the Son, the proceeding of the holy Ghost. The essential works are such as all the three persons do join in without division, and these are those eternal statutes or decrees, the making of those unsearchable laws concerning the disposing of the Kingdom of God in time, in the erecting and ordering of the world. God, as a wise Carpenter, before he build resolves upon the plot in his head: and as a wise King before he enters into the administration of the Kingdom, resolves upon the laws, by which to govern it.

These statutes have in Scripture four singular praises.

1. They are in respect of us unsearchable: far beyond the reach of any mortal brain, Rom. 11.

2. They are marvelous glorious for the wonderful majesty, and mercy, and justice of them: such as to look in at them, but through a chincke, as it were, ravisheth the Apostle into that exclamation, Oh the depths • &c. Rom. 11.

3. They are unchangeable like the laws of the M • der and Persians, so as they never lose a jot of their force, till they come • or the last p •• iod, Rom. 8.30.

4. They are eternal, as here is said, before the foundation of the world: so Eph. 1.5. Mat. 25.34.

The Lord hath drawn these statutes in four books, each containing a several draught of them.

1. The first is the book of nature: He hath iugraven certain ordinances unchangeable in the creatures, by viewing which impressions man might be made without excuse.

2. The second is the book of conscience: The Lord in the hearts of the Elect causing an impression of immortal truths, wherein he declares his will, so far as may concern the salvation of that particular Elect of God.

3. The third is the book of Scripture, in which he hath drawn a most exact draught of his laws and will, for so much as may concern the salvation of all or any of God's Elect.

4. Now the fourth and most absolute book of statutes, is that book of life, wherein from all eternity God hath enrowled the nature and ends of all things: and there are also many other things besides the salvation of the Elect, Psal. 139.16. a special part of which is the Lambes book of life, Revel. 21.27.

Now unto this book doth this word fore-ordained lead us.

The word in the Original is properly fore-se • ne: Now there are three kinds of fore-sight.

1. First, that bare knowledge of things, and this reacheth to all things that ever shall be.

2. Secondly, that knowledge of approbation, God knowing man above others with his special favor: this reacheth only to the Elect.

3. Now there is a third kind of knowledge or fore-knowledge, when God is said to know things, as a Judge doth in giving sentence: Hence Plebiscitum was an ordin •• ce made by the commons; and so when the Judge had sentenced a cause, he was said to have known the cause. In this last sense the word is here taken, and therefore well rendered fore-ordained: to note such a fore-sight, as had a determination and statute in it.

The decrees of God are by some Divines distinguished by the names of Providence and Predestination: Providence they would have contain all that order that the Lord took from all eternity concerning all things in the world whatsoever; so as there is nothing but is liable to God's decree. Now Predestination comprehends only those decrees that concern the reasonable creatures, and especially those that concern the Election of some of them.

There is a threefold Election, or the Elect may be cast into three ranks.

1. There is the Election of man unto salvation.

2. There is the Election of Angels unto confirmation in their estates.

3. There is the Election of Christ unto the Mediatorship, and headship over Angels and men: Of this he means here, and the decree concerning the Election of Christ is the most illustrious of all the rest, and concerns the execution of the most glorious work that ever was to be in the world.

The sum then is, that the Lord in his book of eternal statutes hath recorded, and determined concerning this course of saving man by the mediation of his Son. Christ is fore-ordained in respect of his office of Mediatorship, not simply in respect of his person, as God: for so he is not the person predestinated, but with the Father and holy Ghost it is he that doth predestinate 〈◊〉 s he was to show himself God made man, as Mediator be • ween God and man, so he was subject to that ordinance.

Quest. Now what use may be made of this, that we here find, that God is so careful to make all sure concerning our redemption in Christ?

Answ. First, it may serve for consolation, we need never doubt but God will accomplish all his goodness to us in his Son, seeing he hath bound himself, and Christ to it by his everlasting decrees: it is an ordinance must never be changed: we see God after all this time acknowledgeth it in this tex • , to be bel • eved to the worlds end.

Secondly, it may serve for instruction.

1. Shall we not be ashamed of our negligence, that have not with all diligence labored to make our calling and election sure, when we see God so careful to make all sure?

2. Shall we not ever willingly be subject to God's statutes and laws, when we see Christ himself subject himself to God's ordinances, and that from all eternity?

3. Shall we not long for those times, when those eternal statutes shall be ope • ed, and God's counsels displayed to our infinite joy?

Thirdly, it may inform us, concerning God's wonderful hatred of sin: in that from eternity he cannot look upon the Elect, but as they are in Christ.

Fourthly, seeing it is certainly decreed concerning the gathering of men's souls by the 〈◊〉 of Christ: it should teach Ministers with all readiness and patience to preach the Gospel in the places where they come, as knowing that such as are ordained of God shall be gathered even so many in these places, as belong to the election of God, Act. 13 48.

Verily. ] This doctrine of 〈…〉 is •• tered with a kind of mild asseveration: the reasons of which asseveration are these.

1. Because the most men will hardly believe any such thing: men by nature are wonderful apt to object against the doctrine of God's decrees, and therefore he urgeth it with an asseveration.

2. Because of the excellency of this decree above all the rest: this was a golden statu • e, the most amiable ordinance that ever was, that God should from everlasting resolve to send his own Son to redeem us.

3. This asseveration is to work the greater assurance of faith in the Elect: they should never doubt God's love to them in Christ: for ver • lie Christ was pre-ordained, &c.

Before the foundation of the world.

This phrase is used in divers senses in Scripture. 1. Sometimes the foundation of the earth is taken for the peopling of the earth, since the foundation of the world, that is, since the peopling of it, Exod. 9.18. 2. Sometimes for justice and judgment in the earth, the foundations of the earth were moved, that is, all went to wrack in matters of justice, Psal. 82.5. But usually it is taken for the creation of the world, especially in respect of the support of this great frame of heaven and earth. The foundation of the world is that admirable work of God, erecting this huge frame of heaven and earth, and supporting it by his almighty power: so that before the foundation of the world, is, before the world was set up.

But why doth he rather say, before the foundation of the world, then before the world was?

It may be for two reasons. First, to raise up our thoughts to the contemplation of the wonderfulness of the founding of heaven and earth, for the rareness of the wisdom of God, and the cunning he shown in this admirable frame, Prov. 3.39. for the unsearchableness, Ier. 31.37. for the sureness and durableness of it, Psal. 78.69. for the absolu • enesse and independence of God's power in framing all this, Job. 38.4, 5▪ for the suddenness of it, it being all done with a word, and for that all this was made of nothing, and that this great earth, the foundation of all the rest, should it self lie in the waters, Psal. 24.2. and indeed the whole borne up only by the power of Christ without means, Heb. 1.3. Secondly, this phrase may be of purpose used for the likeness of the state of the Church to the world, and the promise of God for the upholding of it: He that made the world of nothing, raised a Church to himself of that which was worse then nothing: yea all that is said before of the world may assure us of so much, and much more in the execution of God's counsels in Christ for the Church, Psa. 78.79.

The doctrines are,

• 1. That the world had a beginning, it had a foundation, it was not eternal.
• 2. That we ought to be deeply affected with the admi • ableness of the making and upholding of the world.

But who can tell that there was s •• h a wonderfulness in the creation of the world?

• 1. Scripture doth tell • it, Heb. 11.3.
• 2. Christ was by when it was done, Prov. 8.29.
• 3. The Angels of heaven saw the whole when it was done, and were by at the doing of a great deal, and were wrapped with admiration at the wisdom and power of God, Job 38.4, 5, 6.
• 4. Lastly, the frame it self, as it 〈◊〉 •• ands, speaks evidently for the wonder of the workmanship.

But what use may be made of the wonderfulness of God's workmanship herein?

1. We should disce •• , and mark, and acknowledge the power and wisdom of God herein, and by our often thoughts raise up our hearts to the often meditation of it, Psal. 104 1. to 9. Shall the Angels shout with joy, and shall we be so dull? Job 38.6.

2. It shows the eternity of God, and his sovereignty and power to dispose and alter all things at his will, Psal. 102.26. & 89.11.

3. It intimates to us many consolations.

1. That God can easily prolong the life of his servants, that could give and uphold the being of so huge a frame, Psal. 102.26.

2. That God himself is wonderful firm, and unchangeable to all generations, and faithful in his word, that can give such a stable being to heaven and earth, Psal. 119.90, 89. Isaiah 40.21. & 48.13. & 51.13, 16.

3. That if the world have such a sure foundation, then much more the Church, Isaiah 14.32. For if the foundation of the world be so glorious, oh how glorious is the foundation of Zion? If he have made such an excellent house for his people to dwell in, it shows he loves them much, and means to provide for them for continuance, Prov. 20.26 but especially, how precious are the foundations of the new Jerusalem? Rev. 21.

4. This intimates the fearful power of God, in the execution of his judgments upon wicked men, Amos 9.5. Zach. 12.1, 2. Deut. 32.22. 2 Sam. 22.8.

The project concerning our eternal salvation by Christ, was before the world conceived in God, Eph. 1.4. Psal. 90.1. Ier. 31.3.

The Uses are divers.

1. Therefore let us admire the matchless love of God, that not only loved us first, but loved us before the world was.

2. Let our love to God taste of the knowledge of this doctrine, since we began not so soon as he, let our ways, and purposes, and desires be to extend our affections towards God to the end; yea and beyond all end also.

3. Let it comfort us in all adversity to think of this everlasting love of God, Isaiah 40.

4. Lastly, doth not thi • evidently confute merit of works? It was for no desert in us, for we were loved before we had done either good or evil, Rom. 9.

And thus of the fourth point.

But was manifest in the last times for you.

The fifth thing is the manifestation of this great work of our redemption, amplified by the time of it, viz. in these last days: and comprehended in the manifestation of Christ.

Christ is manifested five ways.

1. For the faithful. 2. To the faithful. 3. In the faithful. 4. By the faithful. 5. With the faithful.

• . He was manifested for them, in that he did undertake for the merit of their redemption. 2. He is manifested to them in the preaching of the Gospel, revealing Christ and him crucified before them. 3. He is manifested in them, when in respect of true grace, his image is formed in them▪ thus God 〈◊〉 his Son in Paul, Gal. 1. 16. 4. He is manifested by them, when with their obedience they show forth the virtues of Christ, and resemble his holiness of carriage. 5. And he is manifested with them, in that eternal fellowship of glory in the kingdom of heaven▪ It is the first kind of manifestation which is here meant.

Now Christ was manifested for them, 1. on earth, 2. in heaven. On earth he was manifested, 1. In his incarnation, when he shown himself in our nature: thus was accomplished that great mystery of godliness; God manifested in the flesh, 1 Tim. 3.16. 2. In his passion: for so he was that true brazen serpent, John. 3. 3. In his ascension, showing himself in triumph, leading captivity captive, and giving gifts unto men, Eph. 4.

In heaven he is manifested for us, 1. By session. 2. By intercession. By session: for so he was declared wonderfully, as head of the Church, when being set at the right hand of God, all power was given him both in heaven and earth: And by intercession he daily appeareth before God for us.

In this manifestation Christ hath turned himself into all forms for us: for he hath been manifested for us as a servant to do our work: as a surety to pay our debts: as a sacrifice to expiate for our sins: as a treasurer to supply all our wants: as a Prophet to instruct us: as an Advocate to plead our cause: and as a King to subdue our enemies, and rule over us.

The points of doctrine from hence to be observed are these.

1. That God may conceive a wonderful love to his people, and have a glorious plot for their good, and yet not manifest it of a long time. Coherence shows this.

The Use should be in all distresses public or private, for the Church where we live, or for our own particular, to live by faith, and not mistrust, or murmur, or limit God, as if he had forgotten the cause of his people: little knowest thou the thoughts of God concerning thy good, and therefore we should check our own hearts, as David did, and say, Why art thou so sad, oh my soul? &c. Secondly, if God once do manifest his love to thee, oh then know thy happiness, and rejoice in thy portion: how rich is that goodness the Lord shows thee, when in prayer, or the word, he declareth hid and mighty things in his answers, Ier. 33.3.

2. When God manifests Christ he discovers his greatest treasure, the utmost of all God's benefits: for Christ is unsearchable riches, and •• is he in whom all the nations of the earth are blessed.

The Use is, That therefore seeing God accounts the manifesting of hi • Son for us to be such a matter, we should hence admire and praise this goodness of God, that sent his own Son into the world for our sakes, and nou • in heaven honors, and hears him for our sakes, and in our behalf; especially this should quicken us unto the study of that sacred knowledge of Christ and his Kingdom, and we should willingly serve so mighty and divine a Savior.

3. That it is no comfort to know that Christ is manifested, till we know he is manifested for us: it is ill trusting to the knowledge of Christ's incarnation: we must seek by all possible prayer and supplication, that he may be acknowledged as a Savior for us.

4. The knowledge of Christ's manifestation for us, should be a point that should move and stir affection in the heart of every believer, and therefore it is to that end in this place urged.

But what should I do, might someone say, to show that my heart is affected towards my Savior in this point of his manifestation either on earth, or in heaven for me?

We must show our affection herein four ways.

1. By believing in him without any doubting, seeing in respect of the obedience of the law, the discharge of our debt, the conquest of our enemies, the advocation in our causes, &c. he hath so fully manifested himself.

2. By manifesting ourselves without fear, or delay for his sake, we should put ourselves out into the open profession of his truth with all boldness; but yet so, as we learn by his example, how to manifest ourselves • that is to say,

1. In the fullness of time, that is, after good advise and sound deliberation: too hasty profession often-times doth great hurt.

2. With resolution to endure all sorts of reproaches, or what else in the labor or opposition might befall us, though we should be accounted as he was, Isaiah 53. Heb. 12.3.

3. With all integrity, being careful to show forth his virtue, and not to blemish our profession with any spotted conversation, especially expressing our imitation of his humility, and dove-like harmlessness, and respect of God's law, and contempt of the world.

4. With all constancy even unto the death, that we may receive the crown of life.

3. By manifesting ourselves to be ready to do any service to his servants.

4. By longing for the time of his last and full manifestation in his appearing at the last day.

Thus of the fifth point concerning our redemption.

The sixth is, who are redeemed, viz. such as by Christ do believe in God: for you who by him do believe in God, verse 21.

For you. ]

The main doctrine is twofold: 1. That believers only have benefit by Christ: for them was redemption intended: for them Christ shed his blood: for them he was made a sacrifice: for them he was manifested both by incarnation, and the preaching of the Gospel, and by intercession in heaven, John. 17.9, 19. Heb. 11.6.

The Use is,

1. For instruction: Be sure thou have faith whatsoever thou want, 2 Cor. 13.5. thou perishest else forever.

Ob. If I have all faith, yet I may perish, 1 Cor. 13.3.

Sol. All faith to do miracles, not to lay hold on Christ.

2. It is all faith without love; and lovest thou not God's children?

2. For cons ••• ation to the godly, to whom God hath given this precious faith : it is to be truly rich, to be rich in faith: it makes the poorest beggar equal with the highest Monarch, I am. 2.5. because it procures privileges better then that of Princes: it entitles them to a birth better then that of the so •• of men, John. 1.12, 13. and for honor, they have favor with the Highest, that can do more for them then all the Kings of the earth, John. 3.16. and for alliance, it makes them a kinn to all the Saints: and for contentment, it fills them with joy unspeakable and glorious, 1 Pet. 1.9. and for victory, it makes them more then conquerors, Rom. • . and for riches, they have all the treasures of Christ; and for possessions, they have an immortal inheritance, especially their glory shall appear in the day of Christ, 2 Thes 1.10.

3. It should quicken the godly to a care to repair and establish themselves in the faith, and to this end to pray, as 2 Thes 1.11.

4. It shows the miserable estate of divers men in the very visible Church. There are three sorts of Christians. For I meddle not with Pagans, or Antichristians.

1. The first is of Christians in name, such as are so only in appearance, or profession, or the account of man.

2. The second is Christians in sign, that is, such as are so only by baptism, that have only received the outward badge of Christianity.

3. The third i • such as are so indeed, and such only are they that believe in God, and that by a lively saith in Christ Jesus.

2. Doctrine i • , that everyone that doth believe is redeemed, John 3.16. Heb. 10.39.

The Use is, First for comfort to the abject, God accepts not persons; it matters not what money, means, clothes, diet thou hast, only if thou believest, be of good comfort.

Ob. The devils believe, and yet are not happy.

Sol. They believe that Christ is, but they believe not in Christ: they trust not in him, or they believe that he is their Judge, but not their Savior.

Ob. But divers in Job. 2. believed, and yet Christ trusted them not.

Sol. They believed his doctrine, but they trusted not on his merits: they had historical, but not justifying faith.

Ob. But those that received the word with joy believed, and yet fell away, Mat. 13.

Sol. They had a temporary faith, but not a saving faith; they could neversuffer for his sake, nor were they ever new creatures to desire to be rid of all sin, nor did that joy arise from a particular application.

The second Use is, not to have the glorious faith of Christ in respect of persons, I am. 2.1, 2. &c.

Thus of the general: Now in particular concerning faith, five things may be here noted.

• 1. The subject of faith: viz. you that are begotten again.
• 2. The object of faith: viz. God.
• 3. The nature of faith: viz. to believe in God.
• 4. The cause of faith: viz. Christ, by him you believe, &c.
• 5. The time of the exercise of faith: Do believe.

For the first: when he saith, for you, he meaneth such, as he had described before verse 3. so that the doctrine is, that faith is seated only in the hearts of regenerate men, only in the godly: It is called the faith of God's Elect. Tit. 1.1. and their hearts are purified tha • have faith, Act. 15.9. they are turned from darkness to light, Act. 26.28.

1. This doctrine shows us a way how to try our faith, whether we have faith or no, namely, by the trial of our regeneration: as

• 1. If our hearts be purified, Act. 5.9. that is, if we have been humbled for secret and inward sins, so as the filthiness of them is abated, and washed away.
• 2. If we have overcome the respect of profits, and pleasures of the world, so as we can use them as if we used them not, 1 John. 5.4.
• 3. If we love our kindred in grace best, Gal. 5.6. 1 John. 3.14.
• 4. If we find the new gifts of the spirit, for faith always dwelleth amongst them, Gal. 5.22.

2. This doctrine shows again the true Christians prerogative: God hath dealt better with him then with other men: It is no matter if God have not given them so much money, or means, or credit, or health, as they; it is enough God have given them faith.

3. It should awaken wicked men in the midst of all their pleasures and riches: if they miss faith, it should tame their jollity, if they consider that they must perish: for all those things, what hope or comfort can they have, when God shall take away their souls?

Ob. But might some of these say, It seems the Lord puts a difference, and shuts out men from faith, and keeps them without it.

Sol. 1. The condemnation of the unbeleeuer is of himself, John 3.20.

2. The Lord commands all to believe, even every creature, Mar. 16. 1 John. 3.23. 3 He sends the Word to offer grace to all, the proclamation is general, and no man excepted that hath desires after God, Isaiah 55.1. 4. We see of every condition of men God retains some to mercy, and that shows he takes no pleasure in thy death, and that he would have all men be saved. Yea 5. the Lord doth beseech men to be reconciled, 2 Cor. 5.20.

For the second: The object of faith is God.

God is the object of faith, not generally in his nature, but particularly in his mercies and promises of grace, in his word of truth, the Go • pell. When I say God is the object of faith, I mean he is that which faith both looks upon, 〈◊〉 relies upon. Faith is alive, when it beholds God's face in Christ. It thinks of God, it admires God, it longs for God, it trusts only upon God, it carries us unto God, it is employed for God, it is contented with God, it desires no more but God.

Ob. But what reason hath man to believe in God? For God is terrible in his nature, he abhors sin, and revengeth it with all severity, it is he that will judge men for sin, yea it is he that woundeth the very particular sinner, &c.

Sol. Yet faith carries men unto God, because of his own commandment, that men should believe, because of the gracious promises he hath made to believers: because of the experience of as miserable sinners as he, have believed, and were not disappointed: because faith stils God's displeasure, and makes the Lord put on the bowels of tender kindness; yea here appears the wonder of faith, that though it know that it is God's own hand that fighteth against sin, yet it will run only to God to heal them again, Hosea 6.1.

Ob. But must we not believe in Christ, as well as in God?

Sol. If by this title of God we understand the essence of God, then CHRIST is included: for we believe in the promises of the whole Trinity, and so in Christ, who is the second person. But if by God we mean the first person in the Trinity, and the holy Ghost, then it is spoken to our capacity, the more fitly to express the means of our reconciliation, which is by the mediation of Christ the middle person of the Trinity: so that the word God doth not exclude Christ from being the object of our faith with the Father; but it includes, that Christ is more then the object, for he is a means of our acceptance with the Father, &c.

The Use is twofold.

1. Here again we may take occasion to try our faith: If thy faith be a true faith, thou mayest know it by the object of it, if it set thy thoughts and affections on God, if thou canst say as David, Psal. 73.25. then certainly thou hast faith, and so contrariwise.

2. Is God the object of faith? then be of good comfort, he will never deny his promise, Tit. 1.2. He is able to keep what thou committest to him, 2 Tim. 1.12. He is an Ocean able every way to fill thee with all sufficiency and happiness.

The third thing follows, viz. the nature of faith, which is to believe in God. To believe, is more then to understand, conjecture, hope, remember, or affect: It is to do all that with affiance, assent, or persuasion, and that is more plain i • we note the phrase of speech in God; for we may be said to believe four ways:

• 1. To believe that God is.
• 2. To believe God.
• 3. To believe of God.
• 4. To believe in God: for this latter doth import a casting of ourselves upon God.

There are also four things distinctly in faith.

• 1. The understanding of the Doctrine of the promise of grace.
• 2. The second is the ••• ent unto the tender of grace signified.
• 1. By earnest desire after the happiness revealed in the Gospel.
• 2. By a willing base estimation of all earthly things, in comparison of the excellent knowledge of God's love in Christ.

3. The third is the relying upon God, or the resting of the heart upon the truth of God's promises, as having found the chief good, in which we will trust, and beyond which we desire no more: All this is imported in this phrase, if we note it.

4. The fourth is the resolution to acknowledge and avouch this confidence in God both by our cleaving to God's promises in all estates, and by our profession of the doctrine of God's free grace herein.

The Use is a gain for trial: If the Lord have enlightened thee to see the doctrine of his grace in Christ: if he have gotten thy consent to his truth, especially if he have won thy affections, so as thou canst with love, and joy, and affiance take his word, and rest in his love to thee, as persuaded of his mercies toward thee, and that thou canst also vow thyself to the profession of it: assuredly thou dost believe.

2. This doctrine confutes the Papists, and carnal Protestants, that think faith is no more then to believe the story of Christ, and to hope well for the rest, whereas to believe in God doth evidently import more then to believe that God is, and to believe God to say true.

The opinion of those that think, that to believe that Christ is the Son of God is enough to salvation, hath more charity then authority in it: Many places of Scripture prove we must believe that Christ is the Son of God, and it is a charectiristicall difference between the true Church, and divers false assemblies: but yet the Scripture shows, we must believe more then that, or else we may perish: For the condition, John. 3.16. is not to believe that he is the Son of God, but to believe in him, which is to receive and apply him, John 1.12.

4. The fourth thing is the cause of faith: By him. It is by Christ that we believe in God, and that for divers reasons.

1. As he is the expiatorie cause of God's favor to us: For did not he satisfy for on • sins, we had no reason to believe that God should regard us: Our faith is in his blood, Rom. 3.15.

2. As by his intercession he covers the weakness of our faith, and appears before God for us.

3. As he is the giver and worker of our faith, Eph. 2.8, 10.

4. As he is Protector of our faith, and preserves it, Heb. 12.3. he is called the author, and finisher of our faith.

5. As he crowns our faith, it is he that gives power to every believer to become the son of God, John. 1.12. It is he that gives them eternal life, John. 17.2, 3.

The Use is first for confutation of merit, not only of works but of faith, we nei • her could obey the law, nor yet believe the Gospel of ourselves, Eph. 2.8. therefore there is no boasting of ourselves.

2. It should teach us to keep our faith with all diligence, and to continue grounded, and established in it, seeing it is a treasure Christ hath entrusted us withal.

3. Thirdly, if we find any sickness or weakness in our faith at any time, run to Jesus Christ for succor, he that is the author of it, will be the finisher of it also.

The last thing is the time: Do believe.

It is to be observed, that he speaks of faith in the present time, which imports [ 5] divers things.

1. That there was a time wherein they did not believe.

2. That a Christian hath continual use of his faith; the just live by faith, Habac. 2.4.

1. He cannot go into God's presence without it.

2. He cannot hear the word without it, Heb. 4.2. 2 Tim. 3.15.

3. He cannot use well his calling, but must live by faith, Mat. 6.

4. He cannot bear afflictions without faith, 1 Pet. 1.7.

3. That there is no time, wherein a Christian believeth not, this must be understood thus.

• 1. There is a twofold man; the old man and the new man: In respect of the new man, he always believes; for faith is the life of the new man, Gal. 2.20.
• 2. That a distinction must be made between the act of faith, and the habit of it: the habit can never be lost, the act may cease.
• 3. We must distinguish between faith, and the Concomitants of faith: Actual joy, & peace in believing may be intermitted, but not belief it self.
• 4. Distinguish between faith sick, and faith found: Faith sometimes in spiritual diseases may have a Lethargy, a palsy, a swone, a trance, &c. and so for the present is, but not discerned.

The Use is therefore.

1. First, for consolation to such, as are afflicted under the want of sense of faith: it doth not follow, thou hast not faith, because thou feelest it not, because there is no time, wherein thou believest not.

Quest. But what should one do for comfort, when the sense of faith is gone?

Answ. First look to time past, think of the times wherein thou didst stand, and rejoice in the grace of God.

2. Look upon the present fruits of faith, and by that thou mayest discern that faith hath roots, though they be under ground: those fruits are:

• 1. An unfeigned desire to forsake all sin.
• 2. Griefe, because we have not faith, as we would have it.
• 3. Love of such as fear God, even the meanest of them.
• 4. The hatred of such, as by following foolish vanities, forsake their own mercy.
• 5. Griefe for the evil of our best works, though never so secret, joined with the abhorring of ourselves, so as we are confounded for our sins, which seem to us to be as so many abominations, Ezech. 36.
• 6. By the desire of God's favor above all things.

3. Pray to God to help thy unbelief, and make thee sound in the faith. instead of froward complainings, that thou hast not faith, go to God and make thy humble moans unto him, and he will hear thy tears, and give thee faith. For it is his gift, and he will be fought unto, Psal. 143. the whole, & 142.3.7.

4. Know that this will be but for a short time: Faith will revive, and be found unto praise and glory, 1 Pet. 1.6, 7. Psal 30.6. David said in his haste, he was cast out of God's sight: yet he found, that God even then heard the voice of 〈◊〉 . cry, Psal. 31.22.

[ 2] Secondly, this should teach us to look to our faith, and to provide for the daily use of it to live by it, that if it might be, we might be so ready and prepared, that Christ when he came at any time might find us so doing. Now that we might attain unto this daily use of our faith, divers rules must be observed.

1. We must be more afraid of doubts and cavils against our faith, making conscience of unbelief, to avoid it as a grievous sin, and to see manifest reason from the Word, before we doubt.

2. We must more study the promises of God, and shake off the slaggishnesse of our natures, especially we should be more careful to attend upon the careful application of them.

3. We should speedily run to Christ, when we find any disease, or neglect in our faith, whose glory it is to be the finisher of our faith.

4. We should often think of those that have been examples of much faith, that have been full of faith, Heb. 11. & 12.1.

5. We should watch against all things that might slacken our love to the means: For it is certain, the love of the means is strong like death.

6. If we find we have offended God, let us not go long without humiliation, but quickly run and confess our sins, and not be quiet till we be reconciled: It is dangerous to defer our repentance, and neglect our communion with God long.

7. Especially we should study for business, to be employed in well-doing, in our general or particular calling, 1 Cor. 15.18.

Hitherto of the sixth point.

Who raised him from the dead, and gave him glory.

These words contain the seventh motive in the doctrine of redemption, namely, the ratification of it. God himself was pleased after an admirable manner to ratify the work of our redemption, and therefore it should much work upon us for holiness of life. Now God ratified it two ways.

First, by raising Christ from the dead.

Secondly, by giving him glory in heaven.

1. Of the resurrection of Christ from the dead, divers things may be here noted.

1. That Christ was amongst the dead: this may show the hatefulness of sin, when Christ became a surety for it, it divided his soul from his body, and chased him down among the dead.

Hath Christ been among the dead? then let us believe him in all the comforts he hath taught us against death. For he speaks by experience, we may trust what he says; for he hath been there himself.

2. Therefore dead men have a being: it were good for us so to live, as we may have comfort in our being after death: For Christ found a world of dead men, with whom he was after his death.

3. How worthy is Christ to be loved, that thus adventured himself for us? how is it meet he should reap of the travels of his soul.

2. That Christ was raised from the dead.

Therefore it is not impossible for dead men to rise, we see the proof of it in Christ: Secondly, we should never be out of hope in the desperatest afflictions, if we were brought as low as ever Christ was.

3. God raised Christ from the dead.

Therefore it is wonderful evident that our debt is paid, in that the creditor came himself, and set open the prison door, and released our surety; especially in the time of distress, we should know, that God doth not require our debts at our hands. For he hath hereby acknowledged full payment by our Savior, and we did owe nothing but unto God. Secondly, this imports, that the righteous God may sometime forsake us for a time, and leave us to our thinking in unmedicinable distresses, so as we should cry, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? and yet he will return speedily to our succor, and put to the proof of his greatest power, rather then abandon those whom he loves.

4. That the resurrection of Christ is a great wonder, therefore it is here mentioned as a marvelous course that God held in the ratification of our redemption.

The Use is, Therefore cursed be those mockers, that scoff at the resurrection of the dead, and let us glory in the faith, knowing the victory of our Messias: as also that the time will come, that God will glorify us also before men and Angels by missing our bodies also from the grave, Rom. 8.11. 1 Thes. 4.14.

5. God looks we should be specially affected with his glory in this great work of raising Christ from the dead.

The Use is, Therefore let us be humbled before the Lord for the deadness of our spirits, and slowness of our hearts, and beg of him pardon, and the renting of the cursed veil of ignorance, that lets us from beholding the great glory of God herein.

6. Lastly, we see that the exaltation of Christ stands of two parts: viz. Resurrection, and Glorification, and that all works of humiliation ended with his coming out of the sepulcher.

And thus of his resurrection.

And gave him glory.

This is the second part of the ratification: The glory God gave unto Christ shows, that he is fully pleased with him, and that Christ hath perfectly paid our ransom.

Quest. What glory did God give unto Christ upon his death for us?

Answ. Great and greatly to be praised, and admired: For

• 1. He assigned him all the honor of a triumph is his ascension, when • ee led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men, Eph. 4.7. Col. 2.15.
• 2. He removed from him all infirmities both of body and mind.
• 3. He gave him all power in heaven and earth▪ even preeminence in all things Mat. 28. Col. 1.18. For he made him,
  • 1. Prince of Angels, Col. 2.10.
  • 2. Head of the Church, Col. 1.18.
  • 3. Heir of all things, Heb. 1.3.
  • 4. Judge of the world, Act. 17.30.

4. He assigned him his own best house to dwell in, and that with equal honor with himself at his right hand in heaven.

5. He bestowed all the Elect upon him, John. 17.

6. He commanded all creatures to worship him. This was the grace of adoration, Phil. 2.10.

7. He gave him promise to grant whatsoever he asked, Psal. 2.8▪9.

8. He proscribed all his enemies, and undertook to make them his footstool, Psal. 110.1.

The Use may be, first for consolation. All these honors done to Christ, may assure us of our reconciliation with God, and that our redemption is accomplished: and it may encourage us to go unto God, trusting in his mediation: for God can deny him nothing, yea his glory is our glory. The crown is set upon our head, when Christ is exalted; and therefore being his members, we should rejoice, as if it had been done to us, and the rather, when he appears we shall appear with him in glory, Col. 3.4.

Secondly, in all affliction it should teach us to live by faith, and with patience to run the race that is set before us, thinking upon the end of our faith, the salvation of our souls, which is urged from the example of Christ, Heb. 12.3, 4. 2 Cor. 4.17, 18. Rom. 8.17.

That your faith and hope might be in God.

In these words the eighth point is contained, viz. the end of our redemption, viz. that our faith and hope might be in God, that is, that knowing our debts to be paid in Christ, and God to be well pleased in him, we might forever rely upon God for present favor, and future salvation. Faith and hope are not all one.

Faith looks upon Christ exhibited and made present in his ordinances: Hope looks upon Christ hereafter more fully to be revealed.

Faith believeth the promises to be true: Hope expecteth performance.

Faith believeth eternal life is given us: and Hope waiteth when it will be revealed.

Faith is the mother of Hope, and Hope is the nurse of Faith.

Faith takes notice of present prerogatives: and Hope chiefly looks to things to come.

The doctrines that may be observed from hence are divers:

Though we do truly believe, yet we do need to be often stirred up to faith and hope still: For

• 1. We believe but in part.
• 2. We need faith all our life long.
• 3. We are hard of belief in ourselves.
• 4. There is nothing the devil more opposeth.
• 5. There is nothing God or Christ more desireth, as the coherence shows.
• 6. Nothing more glorifieth our profession, and daunteth our adversaries, then an unmoveablenesse of hope.
• 7. Nothing more provides for us: A Christian could live by his faith, if he had nothing else.

The Uses also are divers: for therefore

• 1. We should stir up one another, and be examples one to another in believing, and receive the exhortation one from another.
• 2. Especially everyone of us should be careful to increase in faith, and provide to believe in God at all times.

Quest. But what must we do, that we may do so?

• Answ. 1. Desire the sincere milk of the word, 1 Pet. 2.2.
• 2. Be frequent in the use of the Sacraments.
• 3. Pray to God to increase thy faith, Luke 17.5.
• 4. Practice holiness, and be diligent about those graces mentioned 2 Pet. 1.10 in the coherence.

Quest. But how can we believe still? For

1. We have not always means to accomplish the good we desire.

Answ. Do as Abraham did, Rom. 4.10. believe the promise above hope.

Quest. 2. God himself sometimes fights against us.

Answ. Say with Job, Though he kill me, yet will I trust in him, Job 1.3▪

Quest. 3. But our crosses are desperate.

Answ. Yet say as David did, Psal. 23.4. Though I walk in the shadow of death, yet, &c.

Quest. 4. But we have sinned.

Answ. Christ hath prayed that thy faith might not fail, Luke 22.32.

Quest. 5. But our faith is so weak, we fear we cannot believe still.

Answ. There are comforts for that in these places, Isaiah 42.3. 2 Cor. 12.9. and God hath received the weak in faith, Rom. 14.1, 3.

Quest. 6. But I have so many hindrances, and have so many things to pass through.

Sol. Yet be persuaded, as Rom. 8.38. and say with Paul, Through Christ I can do all things, Phil. 4.13.

3. All this ado about faith and hope, should make us careful to inform ourselves of the things by which faith is assaulted, that when such things befall us, we may be armed against them. Now besides such things by which faith is assaulted, intimated before, there are many things without us (to omit our own doubts, and Satan's temptations within us) that have assaulted and tried faith.

• 1. False doctrines.
• 2. Contentions in the Teachers of the Church.
• 3. Treacherie of brethren.
• 4. Prosperity of the wicked, and impu • ity of wickedness.
• 5. The small number of believers.
• 6. The deformity and oppression of the Church.
• 7. The falling away of many from the faith.
• 8. The delay of God's promises.
• 9. The tokens of God's wrath.
• 10. The scoffs of mockers.

4. Lastly, hence we may gather a reproof to ourselves for our marvelous neglect in faith and hope: how might the Lord justly have left us forever, as a people without Christ, and without hope in the world?

There is one faith and hope in all God's servants, Your faith, Eph. 4.5.

The use is therefore to love one another, seeing we have all one faith, one I say in respect of the Author, means, object and end.

2. It should comfort poor Christians: whatsoever difference God hath put otherwise, yet they have the same faith that Abraham, David, the Martyrs, or any had.

Here is implied, that all faith and hope in other things besides God is vain.

Hope in the wedge of gold is vain.

The Hypocrites hope in credit is vain.

Trust in the arm of flesh is vain, &c.

And the truth is, a Christian is never perfectly well, till he can place his faith and hope only in God. It is good for him sometimes to be stripped of all other things, that he may put his confidence in God.

Verse 22:

Seeing you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit, to the unfeigned love of the brethren, so that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.

THE fourth reason to enforce the exhortation in the 13. verse, is contained in these words, and is taken from that relation, and respect we bear unto the godly, & it is in effect this: By repentance and holiness we are all made brethren, and in repentance and reformation of our lives, one main thing we aim at, is the advancement of our happiness, and holiness in the love of the brethren, whom we prefer before all people in the world, and resolve to rest in the contentment of their communion: and therefore we ought so to resist the impediments within us, or without us, and to order our lives with such holy sobriety, and so to stir up our hearts in the hope of the happiness to come, that we may in all purity of nature and life, and earnestness of affections cleae unto them in this world, as the only people we shall live withal in the world to come.

There are two things in this verse. 1. A proposition of doctrine. 2. and an exhortation by way of Use.

The proposition is this:

Ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth by the spirit unto unsained love of the brethren, or brotherly love: The Use is, therefore see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.

The proposition properly and in it self concerns sanctification, which is here described in five things.

• 1. The nature of it, imported in that metaphorical term, purified.
• 2. The subject of it: their souls.
• 3. The form of it: in obeying the truth.
• 4. The cause of it, which is twofold: 1. The principal, the Spirit of God. 2, The cause in some respect is themselves: ye have purified.
• 5. The end is brotherly love, amplified by the special property of it, viz. unfeigned.

Before I enter upon the particulars, in general and for the coherence divers things may be noted. The Coherence is double, 1. both with the verses immediately before: 2. and with the 13. verse, upon which it depends, as the reason of it.

1. From coherence with the verses next before, we may note, that God expects love to the brethren at our hands, as well as faith in Christ: As we are joined to God by faith, so he stands upon it to have us joined one to another by love: nay it is certain, true faith will work this love: He cannot believe in God, that loves not the godly.

2. From coherence with the 13. verse, we may note, that an affectionate love to the godly is a strong inducement to holiness of life, and therefore used here as a reason to enforce it.

3. Contrariwise, unless we look to those three things in the 13. verse, we cannot love the brethren as we ought to do. For

• 1. Unless we gird up the loins of our minds, such as our self-love, concupiscence, anger, &c. we shall be unfit for society with the godly.
• 2. Again, unless we be sober in the use of the delights and profits of the world, our affections will be stolen away from the godly.
• 3. And thirdly, unless our hope carry us steadfastly to the contemplation of the glory to be revealed upon the godly in the day of Christ, they will in their present condition seem to us many times of all men most miserable.

4. A Christian should look to his heart and ways, if not for his own sake, yet for his respect to the godly, to whom he hath joined himself, that he neither shame them, nor grieve them. Now he may shame them, and dishonor the profession three ways.

• 1. By sluggishness in his profession.
• 2. By inordinate living.
• 3. By doubting and despair.

These three stand opposed to the three things in the 13. verse.

5. That God is not only careful, we should love one another, but he stands upon the manner and measure of it, as the whole verse shows, and therefore we should look to two things, that our affections grow neither 1. cold, 2. nor corrupt.

There are four things do usually abate affection to the godly.

• 1. Self-love and pride, when men grow into great thoughts only of themselves.
• 2. Discord and vain janglings.
• 3. Worldlinesse.
• 4. Too much viewing of the infirmities, reproaches, or miseries of the godly: and thus affection grows cold.

It is corrupt three ways.

• 1. When we love the godly for carnal ends.
• 2. When it is fruitless: it is fellowship, but not in the Gospel.
• 3. When we respect persons.

Purified. ] The term is a metaphor borrowed either from the Goldsmith, or the Physician, or else from the ceremonial law. The Goldsmith purifieth his metal, so doth God his chosen ones: The Physician purgeth his distressed patients, so doth God distressed sinners: seldom is there any found conversion, but there is some purgation taken; even some sound practice of mortification, which pains the spirit, and throws out forcibly the filthy matter lies in the soul. But I think the term is chiefly borrowed from the Ceremonial law, and so shows us, that in the effecting of sanctification is wrought that which was signified in those Legal purifyings, either of women after child-birth, or especially of the Leper after the healing of his leprosy.

It is true, that seldom or never is there a birth of saving grace, but there follows it a flux of mortification, a vehement casting out of natural impurities, and there must be also a purifying of the soul: But I take the term to be most fitly borrowed from the cleansing of the Leper, for that most nearly expresseth the state of our souls both in nature and grace.

And so divers things may be here noted: some implied, some expressed in those ancient shadows.

The things implied are,

1. That by nature we are all of us polluted in ourselves, and so polluted, as we have reason to do as the Leper, Levite. 13.44. and cry unclean, unclean.

2. That the infection of sin is such, that it will infect the very house we dwell in, and the garments we wear, even all the creatures we use, so as all things are to us impure, Lev. 13. Tit. 1.13.

3. That in our native condition we are out of the campe, even strangers from the common-wealth of Israel, even when we profess ourselves members of it, Num. 5.2, 3. Eph. 2.11.

The things expressed in the state of our souls in respect of sanctification, are lively shadowed out in the ceremonies of purifying, mentioned Lev. 34. 4. to 33. which howsoever they contain more then the precise respect of this Text calls for; yet for the more full explication of the ceremonies of cleansing, I handle them as they are set down in order.

Now before we enter upon the particular explication of the Text, we must understand,

1. That the ceremonial law did make two distinct things in sanctification: 1. Healing. 2. Clensing: for first the Leper was healed, then cleansed. Now this word here used doth express only the likeness of the cleansing of the Leper: there is such a difference to be put in our sanctification: For first our hearts are turned to God, and then we fall upon divers exercises of faith and repentance, by which we settle our own hearts in the assurance of our conversion. The ceremony shadowed out the first of these degrees: the Leper was clean, when after his confession of uncleanness, his leprosy stayed and spread no further, and did not fret inward: So are we truly turned to God, in that moment, when under the sense of our own vileness, we so judge ourselves, that our hearts begin to cease from evil, and sin loseth his dominion, and that it doth not prevail over our hearts, but groweth less and less: but yet though this be done in a moment many times, yet there is a great deal more to be done, before we can have comfort in our conversion, or be soundly cleansed, and settled in our consciences before God.

2. We must know, that sanctification shadowed out by that cleansing, is taken in the largest sense, even for all that righteousness that is conferred upon us either in justification, or sanctification, as it is strictly taken.

3. That in the business of sanctification none of the Lord's people healed of their leprosy, should trust only upon their own judgments, but seek all direction and help they can from their faithful and able Teachers: There was nothing done in the law, but the Priests said and did all, as it were, whether it were in discerning the disease, or the healing of it, or in judging of the state of the Leper, they took the testimony of the Priest in all things; yea when one would have thought they might have done all by the same rules of discerning.

The cleansing or purifying of the leprosy was either more slight, or more exact. In some leprosies it was but to wash, and so be clean, Lev. 13.53, 54, 55. to note, that repentance in some, and from some sins is far more easy then in others.

The more exact cleansing is distinguished into the actions of three several days.

• 1. Some things were to be done the first day, verse 4. to 9.
• 2. Some things the 7. day, ver. 9.
• 3. Some things on the 8. day, ver. 10. to 32.

These several days noted the different degrees in the sanctification of the sinner.

In the first days work we may consider, 1. what the Priest doth, ver. 8. 2. what the Leper to be cleansed was to do, ver. 8. In the first consider the things prepared, ver. 4. and the application of them, or use of them, ver. 5, 6, 7.

Verse 23.

Being borne anew, not of mortal seed, but of immortal by the word of God, which liveth and endureth forever.

IN these words the Apostle intreats of the immortality of the soul of man. Now there is a double immortality of the soul: For sometimes immortality signifieth an everlasting continuance of man without ending, dying, or ceasing to be; and so the souls of the wicked are immortal. Sometimes it signifieth an everlasting happy being, from which a man cannot fall, and so the godly are immortal, and so their immortality differs from that of Adam also: for he was immortal, that is, such as might have continued happy forever, and might also not continue.

The first kind of immortality begins at birth : the second at new birth, of which he intreats here.

These words must be considered in their coherence, and in themselves: In the coherence both with the 13. verse, and with the former. As they depend upon the 13. verse, they are a fifth reason, why we should regard those three things, viz. because our souls are immortal. For if we soundly consider of it, it evidently follows,

1. That therefore we should gird up the loins of our minds, and get established our celestial cogitations and resolutions, as such as still mind an eternal being, and therefore will strive against all impediments, which might hold us down.

2. That therefore we should be wonderful temperate in the use of earthly things, seeing these serve not unto immortality.

3. That therefore we should with all industry make sure all those evidences of hope, concerning the grace to be brought unto us in the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Now as these words depend upon the former verse, they confirm us in the love of the brethren: we should therefore love them fervently and purely, because we are borne together as heirs of the same hope, and must live together forever in another world: Look not upon the godly according to their birth, but according to their new birth: nor according to their present condition, but according to the happiness they are born to, and the fellowship thou shalt have with them in another world.

The words of themselves entreat of immortality two ways: First, in respect of the fountain: Secondly, in respect of the means of it▪ The fountain of immortality is the new birth: The means is set down negatively and affirmatively. Negatively, it is not corruptible seed: Affirmatively, it is the incorruptible seed: which is expounded to be by the word of God which liveth and abideth forever.

Borne again. ] Being turned unto God by true faith and repentance: A metaphorical tear • e.

We are borne again four ways:

• 1. Sacramentally, by Baptism.
• 2. Spiritually, by the Word.
• 3. Corporally, in the Resurrection.
• 4. Eternally, in our Glorification.

Quest. But why is our repentance likened to a new birth?

Answ. To distinguish true repentance, from that which is false and feigned: for it imports five differences.

1. That in true repentance there is an utter disclaiming of all happiness in a natural life, or what doth, or can belong unto it.

2. That in true repentance, there is a total change in the whole nature of man: He hath grace in every part; a new mind, and a new heart, a new memory, and a new conscience, a new language, and a new carriage both to God and man: for birth is the producing of all essential parts of man.

3. That in true repentance, there is the pain of contrition, a broken spirit, the throws and pains of travail, there is true godly sorrow and grief in the birth of grace.

4. That there is in true repentance, a daily hunger and thirst after the sincere mild of the Word, 1 Pet. 2.2.

5. That in the things of God's Kingdom there is new life, and sense, and feeling, and motion.

Secondly, to show the privilege of the penitent: For it signifies he gets more by his new birth, then any child in nature can do by pleading his birthright: For if in repentance we be borne unto God, then it shows,

• 1. That we have received power to be the sons of God, John. 1.2.
• 2. That with our adoption we enjoy the privileges of sons.
  • 1. The favor of God, as a father.
  • 2. The care of God to main • a • eus, Mat. 6.33.
  • 3. The pardon of God in saving us from condemnation, Rom. 8.1.
  • 4. The portion of God, even the inheritance which God gives as a Father, which is spoken of Rom. 8.17. Gal. 4.7.

The Use should be twofold: 1. That we try ourselves carefully in the business of our repentance by the former signs: and secondly, that we comfort ourselves in the privileges of our new birth, rejoicing in our portion, and the favor of our heavenly Father.

And thus of the reason of the phrase.

Concerning the new birth here we have occasion to consider of 2. things.

1. That it is needful often to be remembered of the doctrine of regeneration: the Apostle having spoken of it before, falls upon it here again. There is great need that men should be put in mind of it often for divers respects.

• 1. Because of the extreme necessity of it, and the unspeakable danger if it be neglected, John. 3.5. Gal. 6.15. 2 Cor. 5.17. Luke 13.5.
• 2. Because of the dignity of it: It is a second creation of as great fame and wonder, as the making of the world: therefore Christ is called the beginning of the creation of God, Rev. 3.14.
• 3. Because of the marvelous impediments with which men are hindered from the effectual endeavor after it, such as are
  • 1. Extremity of blindness: A Ruler in Israel knows not what it is, unless it be to go into his mothers womb again. This is still the case of the most.
  • 2. Evil opinions about it: as
    • 1. That it needs it not: God made them, and therefore will save them: yet as John. 3.5.
    • 2. That Baptism did it; yet but a seal, Rom. 4.11.
    • 3. That a civil life is it: yet as Mat. 5.20.
    • 4. That the purpose of it hereafter will serve.
  • 3. Forgetfulness: the doctrine runs out, Heb. 2.1. the heart is so weak and impotent in keeping alive the sparks of resolution, and remorse, and desire.
  • 4. Prejudice that lieth in the minds of many in respects of the reproaches lie upon such as teach it, or practice it. It could not be, but we should be more respected in this doctrine, were it not that many of you have strange opinions of us, the truth of which you seek not to be resolved in.
  • 5. A dumb devil: many have throws and give over: will not propound their doubts, nor seek directions.
  • 6. The marvelous pleading of the world, sin, and Satan, that they might not be cast out or forsaken; especially the unspeakable methods of Satan.
  • 7. The lethargy of the soul, which appears in such as cannot leave sin, that is hateful, hurtful to themselves, even gross sins, as we see.
• 4. Because it may be a means of conversion to such as are not yet converted: The opening of the doctrine may open a way unto Christ into their hearts. Who knows what, and when God will work? And it is certain, the work is done more easily and successfully, when we go about it while the doctrine is fresh in our memories.
• 5. Because of the excellent use of it, both
  • 1. For consolation: for this doctrine comforts,
    • 1. Against the fiery darts of the devil, Eph. 6. that is, the temptations of unbelief.
    • 2. Against present affliction, when we consider what we are borne to.
    • 3. Against the scorns of the world: we are borne, not of bloods but (which is better) of the blood of Christ, John. 1.12.
  • 2. For Instruction: for the remembrance of our new birth quickens us to a care to live as becomes our new birth, which is the true reason why it is mentioned here.

The Use is first,

1. First for Ministers, to bend the whole course of their ministry hitherto: what do we profit them, if we gain them not to God? Yea hereby the glory of many Ministers is to be judged, He is the excellentest teacher, that can convert most to God. Here God will be free.

2. For all sorts of men, as

• 1. For all godly men,
  • 1. If they be strong, to build themselves up in the contentment of their birth.
  • 2. If they be weak, to look to the establishing of their hearts in the assurance of it.
• 2. For unregenerate men: it should awaken them to a care to shake off their lamentable security, procrastination, prejudice, silence, sinfulness, or what else hinders them from this glorious work.

To this end,

Think of death, and the threatenings and anger of God seriously.

Judge thyself for thy sins.

Pray with David for a clean heart: beg a new heart, Ezech. 36. Parable.

Get out of ill company.

Be warned to fly from the wrath to come.

Neglect not so great salvation.

Be not deceived, Gal. 6.7. 1 Cor. 6.9.

Take heed lest God leave you with the very discourse of regeneration.

What shall it profit to be borne of great blood, &c. if thy soul perish forever?

I beseech you therefore by the mercies of God, save your souls, that you perish not in the condemnation of the world.

Consider God would not have you die, &c.

The second thing that may be noted from hence, is, that our blessed immortality begins at our new birth: for by the Gospel God brings immortality to life and light, 2 Tim. 1.10. and by the Spirit of Christ we are then quickened, Eph. 2.1, 4. being by nature dead in respect of true immortality: For from this moment of time Christ lives in us, Gal. 2.20. we are alive to God, though we be dead to the world.

The Use should be, first to put us in mind of the marvelous power and glory of the Gospel, that brings this life & light unto us, 2 Tim. 1.10. 2. We should be comforted against all our fears, and doubts, and against all the afflictions or temptations of our natural life: for immortality is begun in us already. Those divine sparks are so kindled, as they shall never be quenched: God hath kindled the light of heaven in us: This is very eternal life we have here on earth, John. 17.3. God hath made us immortal creatures already; for though we have not yet attained to the full degree of the shining brightness of our immortal happiness, yet from degree to degree we shall proceed, till we be like the a •• ient of days.

Immortality may be distinguished into four degrees or states.

1. The first i • the life of the infant in grace, and then we live as babes; two things being eminent companions of that estate, viz. weakness and crying, that is, many frailties, and much grief for sin and wants.

2. The second is the life of young men in grace, 1 John. 2.14. Heb. 5.13. and here two things are eminent: 1. affections, and 2. strength, or might, or power of gifts.

3. The third is the life of them of ripe age, or of fathers in grace, 1 John. 2. 14. Heb. 5.13. Here likewise two things more shine: 1. greatness of judgment, or experience. 2. an habitual conquest over all sorts of sins, so as the very taste of them, or temptations to them are enseebled, and more seldom: These three are on earth.

4. The fourth estate is that wherein we shall be like the an • ient of days, even God himself in the perfection of all gifts, and possession of all happiness.

Lastly, this doctrine may show the miserable estate of all such as will not be informed by the Gospel: They fail of immortality, and must die in their sins; for if they be not borne again, they perish forever.

Thus much of the fountain of new birth: The manner follows, considered 1. negatively, 2. affirmatively.

Not of corruptible seed.

Two things are here imported concerning the natural birth and propagation of all men: The first is, that our natural birth doth not advance our immortality and everlasting happiness: we hold not our happiness by any title from our carnal birth, Mat. 3. Rom. 9. We are not borne heirs of heaven. In our birth we receive the beginning of natural life from the seed of our natural parents, but not of eternal life. The second is, that this natural seed is corruptible; we so live, that we must die; we cannot hold out even in that estate; for men will die, and they come of men that have died, H • b. 9. Job 10. Ps. 89. and therefore the Use should be, 1. To abate the great thoughts that arise in great persons about the nobleness of their birth. 2. We should all be thereby the more quickened to the care of new birth. 3. Therefore we should look for death, and prepare for it, and patiently bear the infirmities accompany our mortal bodies, till the time of our change come. 4. Impenitent sinners should awake to live righteously, seeing their perfections must come all to an end: they cannot long abide in the greatest glory of the world they can attain to. 5. Here is a manifest difference between the children of the two Adams: the children of the first Adam are borne corruptible, the children of Christ are borne incorruptible. 6. Lastly, here is a singular consolation to the godly about their perseverance: They are confirmed, as the Angels of heaven; they cannot fall away, they are not borne of corruptible seed. Thus of the manner, negatively considered.

In the affirmative observe two things: 1. what the means is; 2. and by what it is. Or thus: The means is seed, described by the properties▪ It is incorruptible; and by the cause, or instrument of generation, viz. the word of God.

Seed ] To omit the usual acceptation of the word seed: It is taken in Scripture in a restrained sense many ways: Sometimes for Christ; He is that seed, in whom all the nations of the earth are blessed: Sometimes for the godly; The children of the promise are the • eed, Rom. 9.8. Sometimes for the body of man within the grave, which is cast into the earth as seed, in the day of burial, 1 Cor. 15.43. Sometimes spiritual things in general, 1 Cor. 9.11. Sometimes the fruits of righteousness or mercy, James 3.18. 2 Cor. 9.6. So there is sowing to the Spirit, Gal. 6.7, 8. Sometimes for the word of God, Mat. 10.13. Sometimes for saving graces, conceived in the hearts of the godly, and so I take it here. And thus grace is like seed, either that is sowed in the field, or in the womb. If it be taken in the first sense, then the seed is grace, the sower is Christ, the field is the heart of man, or the world, the sowing time is the day of redemption, and the harvest is the end of the world.

But I rather take it in the other sense, and then the seed is grace, the womb is the heart, the Father or sower is Christ, 1 Cor. 15.43. the instrument of generation is externally the word, internally the Spirit of God; the birth is the practice and exercise of the gifts of grace; the nurse is the minister, and the means of nursing are preaching and the Sacraments.

Saving grace is likened to seed in the womb, because first it is formed by an admirable coition of the Word and Spirit in the heart of man, causing unspeakable delight in the soul: Secondly, because the gifts of grace do thrive and grow up in the godly from small beginnings, though at the first but as a grain of mustard seed, yet after it is once conceived, it will grow marvelously and speedily.

This doctrine may serve for a threefold use:

1. It may comfort, and that divers ways.

1. Because it imports a marriage of the soul with Christ. It is God that gave the soul in marriage with Christ: a great preferment.

2. Because thou art cured of barrenness, and therefore rejoice, oh thou soul that wast barren, Christ hath made thee a mother of many children.

3. It may comfort thee against the weakness of thy gifts, and the grace received: though thy faith, joy, feeling, &c. be but as a grain of mustard seed, yet that God that giveth to every seed his body, can make his grace to thrive and prosper in thee.

4. From hence a godly man may know that he is truly borne again: for if thou have felt that sweet delight when the Word and Spirit of God did join with thy soul, this delight is an infallible sign of thy regeneration, and that Christ is formed in thee.

Ob. But the temporary faith feeleth joy.

Ans. There is great difference between the joy of the godly, and the joy of the wicked, in receiving the word: for first, in the wicked, there is no grace left in the soul after hearing, nor new gifts, or dispositions; the soul is empty, and void of seed for all that joy. Secondly, if there were some seeds of grace, yet it abideth not; it is like the morning dew, there is no true • once • tion. Or thirdly, if it did abide for a time, yet it increaseth not as the fruit of the womb doth: the godly grow in grace.

2. It may serve to teach us, 1. highly to prize the graces of the soul; they are the divine seed of Christ in us; Christ in the same is formed in us: The light, love, desires, joys, humility, &c. in the heart, have the true picture of Christ upon them. 2. To be careful to preserve the grace we have received, seeing it is the seed of God in us. 3. To carry a high opinion of all the godly, seeing they are the beloved ones of Jesus Christ.

3. Lastly, for great reproof of the whorish affections of all wicked men, that shutting the doors of their hearts against Christ, suffer the devil and concupiscence to engender in them, and to fill the soul with multitudes of bastardly births of sin, I am. 1.14.

Incorrupt • ble. ] The grace begotten in the hearts of the godly is incorruptible, and so it is in divers respects.

• 1. In respect of the matter of them. For this grace consists of innocence and in •• r • uption: so meekness is called incorruption, 1 Pet. 3.3.
• 2. In respect of the Author of it: it proceeds from the incorruptible God.
• 3. In respect of the continuance of it, it never dieth.
• 4. In respect of the end it tends to: it is that fair fruit that will grow up to eternal life. This may serve for consolation and instruction: for consolation many ways.

1. This shows, that every godly person is an excellent one, they are immortal creatures; they have divin • sparkles in them: How dare wicked men despise them, when God hath thus honored them. His God, King, Crown, Inheritance, gifts are all immortal.

2. They may conceive comfortable hope, that God will be careful to preserve, and bless his own work, God's blessing shall be upon thy seed, and his Spirit will refresh thy buds: For upon all the glory must be a defense.

3. It may comfort thee against death, when thy corruption hath put on this incorruption of true grace, thou being made thereby immortal, thou mayest triumph over death, as 1 Cor. 15.54. Art thou an immortal one, take heed of discontentment: This was the first s • one, even the devils sin.

This may comfort thee in thy perseverance to the end, the seed is immortal, and therefore thou shalt never fall away: Therefore hath God given thee his Spirit within thee, to tend these little graces: yea the Angels of God perform their service no doubt to the spirits of the godly. That thou canst not fall from grace these Scriptures may establish thee. 1 John. 5.9. Mat. 12.20. Isaiah 65.22, 23. Ier. 23.4. 1 Cor. 1.8, 9. 1 Pet. 1.5. 2 Tim. 1.12. John. 13.1. Ier. 32.40, 41. Heb. 12.3. & 7.37.

For instruction, and so it may teach both godly men, and wicked men: Godly men should the more enforce their affections to the love of the Lord Jesus Christ in incorruption, Eph. 6.24. and be careful to avoid all the enticements of sin and Satan, by which their hearts might be corrupted: they should walk in the spirit, Rom. 8.1. And keep themselves from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit, desiring to know no other happiness, then Christ and him crucified. And wicked men should take notice of it, that corruption cannot inherit incorruption, and unless they repent of their sins, and set their hearts upon the word of Christ, they can never be made immortal.

Hitherto of the property of the seed: the instruments of the generation of it follow: viz. the word of God, which is f • rther praised, 1. For the Author of it: 2. For the vigor and effiacie of it, it liveth: 3. For the continuance of it, it liveth forever.

By the word of God.

Before I enter upon the particular observations of it, we may observe the effectualness of the Apostles speech concerning the word: He doth not mention it, but with a lively praise of it, and that he doth not casually do, but with a great deal of reason: For it is exceeding needful to have the praises of the word often, and lively expressed. For it may be a means to heal that contempt of the Word, that usually reigns in the most. Besides, the praise of it may lift up our hearts to consider the greatness of God's mercy in bestowing his word upon us. The word he gave to Jacob was a greater gift then he bestowed upon all the world besides. And the praises of the word do also raise up in the godly sparkles of appetite after it, and delight in it, and care to have recourse unto it in all estates. It quickens to a continued diligence in exercising themselves in it: and therefore we should study the continual praises of it, and pray God also that he would give his Ministers a door of utterance to set out the glory of those mysteries contained in it, Col. 4.3. and besides it should much humble us for our marvelous neglect both in faith and obedience, especially if any way we have caused the word of God to be blasphemed by our indiscretion or sin: we cannot worse vex God, then by neglecting, or despising, or dishonoring his word, and contrariwise God is wonderfully pleased with us, if he may find his word to be had in honor, and respect with us; and therefore such as love the word heartily, have great cause to comfort themselves. For they are dear to God and Christ ever for that reason, as these places show, John. 14.23. & 17.6. 1 John. 2.5. Revel. 3.10.

The particular doctrine may be raised either from the coherence, or from the words in themselves.

From the coherence we may note, that the Word is the only ordinary instrument outwardly for the begetting of the seed of true grace in us, I am. 1.18. Rom. 10.14. &c.

The Uses are divers.

1. For first this may inform us concerning the distinct offices of the word and Sacraments: The Word begets grace: the Sacraments confirm it: the beginning of grace we have from the Word: the strengthening and nourishing of grace from the Sacraments.

2. This may inform us, how much we are bound to God for his Word, and how much we are beholding to the ministry of the Word, 1 Tim. 5.17. spiritual things are hereby ministered unto us: Hereby we are begot again to God, we had perished forever without the Word.

3. This may inform us concerning the woeful estate of all such congregations, or particular persons, as live without the Word of God in the life and the power of it: they sit in darkness and in the shadow of death. There is neither womb to bear thee, nor breasts to give thee suck. Oh the depth of the judgments of God upon millions of wretched men! Oh the sore famine of the Word: and this distress is the more miserable, because people are less sensible of it! Oh if men would think, without grace I cannot be saved, without the Word I cannot have grace, and therefore what shall it profit me to win the whole world, if I lose my own soul by living in places where I cannot hear the voice of Christ!

Note, that the Spirit of God as the internal efficient is not mentioned: of purpose it is lest out to compel in us a care of the outward means, in which we are sure to find the Spirit working.

Ministers should therefore speak it boldly, and pray that God would open their • ou • hes to speak of these mysteries, as becomes the mysteries of God and Christ, Phil. 1.14. Col. 4.2.

Hence we may know also how to judge of those that consent not to the wholesome words of God. See 1 Tim. 6.3, 4.

In themselves the words afford us three doctrines:

1. The Word is of God ; and it is of God as the Author of it. For man wrote it by the inspiration of the holy Ghost, 2 Pet. 1. ult. and men preach it now by the commandment of the everlasting God▪ Tit. 1.3. And it is of God that disposeth of the due times of publishing it, Tit. 1.3. and God is the subject of it. For the Word principally intreats of God, his nature, and his works: All the success also of the Word it depends upon God.

There are divers Uses may be made hereof.

1. It should set us on longing after God's word to hear God speak, or write to us: we see men long to read, or hear the speeches of the King, much more of GOD the King of Kings.

2. It should teach us to hear the word, as the word of God, and not of men, 2 Thes. 2.13. that is,

• 1. Reverently, as if the Lord himself spake to us from heaven.
• 2. Without ascribing to men the praise and glory is due to God, we should glorify the word, Act. 13.48.
• 3. Not daring to let it run out, lest God require it, Heb. 2.2. If the Angels keep them, how much more we? Rev. 22.9.
• 4. With confident assurance trusting upon it infallibly, 2 Pet. 1.19.
• 5. With subjection of our reasons, and conscience to it, nothing but the word hath this sover • ignty.
• 6. Without adding or detracting, Rev. 22.18, 19.
• 7. With passion or wickedness, I am. 1.18. &c.
• 8. With all possible care to practice it, I am. 1.18.

3. We may be assured it will have effect: it cannot be bound, no malice of men can hinder the will of God, 2 Tim. 2.9.

4. Therefore let not men despise it for the Ministers sake: It is of God, and that will appear when the dust which we have shaken off our feet, shall witness against the world that receives us not, Mat. 10.24.

Which liveth.

This which may be referred to either seed, or God, or the Word ; but that in the original the word for seed is not of the same gender, and the testimony of Isaiah in the next verse quoted shows, it must be referred to the word.

The word lives in God: It is a fountain issuing out of the spring of God's knowledge and will: It lives in Christ the personal word of the Father: The word of life is attributed to Christ, 1 John. 1.1. to the Scriptures, Phil. 2.15. It lives also in the heart of a Christian, who conceives by virtue of the seed cast in by the word: It lives by effect as it makes us live, and so it doth in divers respects: both in respect of our natural life, and in respect of eternal life. In respect of natural life: First, Man liveth not by bread, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God, Deut. 8.3. and the creatures are sanctified by the word of God and prayer, 1 Tim. 4.4, 5. Secondly, because the word upholds the godly in their afflictions: David saith, he • had long since perished in his aff •• ctions, but for the word: and our Savior Christ prays, that God would keep his by his word, John. 17.14, 15, 16, 17.

Now for spiritual life: The word lives by effect, in that it enlives us three ways: For first it quickens us in regeneration, so in this verse. 2. It sanctifies us to live holily, John. 17.17. 3. It preserves us in the most deadly spiritual assaults, in which else we might perish, 1 John. 2.14.

The word may also be said to live, because it is lively, Heb. 4.12. It may be said to live, because of the sure performance of that which God promiseth, though the promise were made many ages since, and because the efficacy of the Scriptures abideth still, they are as lively now, as in David • time, or in Christ's time.

There may be many Uses made hereof.

First, it should teach us divers things.

1. If we desire the kingdom of God should come, pray that the word of the Lord may run, and have a free passage: for it will wor • mightily in gathering souls to the kingdom of God, 2 Thes. 3.1.

2. Would we have life put into us? Let us come to the word, it liveth by effect: If anything in this world will either direct or comfort us, it is the word.

3. Look to thy heart for uprightness: make conscience of thy ways: harbor no secret sins: For the word is lively in operation, and is a discerns of the very thoughts, and intents of the hear • , Heb. 4.13. If thou wouldst have the fruit of the lips to be peace, walk uprightly.

4. Such as profess love to the word, should hold forth this word of life, and make it appear in their conversation that it is a living word.

Quest. But how should we show the life of the word in our conversation?

Answ. Many ways.

1. By practicing it: It seems but a dead letter till thou put it in practice. For there is the life of hearing.

2. By living without rebuke: Then thou showest effectually, that the word hath a lively power ever thee, if it can make thee unrebukeable, Phil. 1.15, 16.

3. By the unmoveablenesse of thy conversation in all estates: There is life in godliness, when a man hath learned to be content with that he hath.

4. By thy affectionateness and cheerfulness in the manner of doing holy duties.

5. By the depending upon it, as upon the life of thy life, Psal. 119.

6. Lastly, by thy confidence in believing all that is written in the word.

And thus for instruction.

Secondly, this may serve for humiliation.

1. To such as hear not the word at all: they sit in darkness, they want the very life of their lives, that that should be the very joy of their hearts.

2. To such as hear it, but feel no life in it: If the word of God have no life in it, woe unto thee, if the book be sealed to thee, when it is open to others; fear lest the god of this world hath blinded thee, that thou mightest perish: search thy soul; there is abundance of soul stuff in thee, if the word cannot quicken thee.

3. To such as find some kind of life in the word, and put it out by the cares of life: such as by covetousness or voluptuous living extinguish that remorse was bred in them, and so make the word an instrument of death, inasmuch as such remorses or quickenings serve but to leave them without excuse.

4. To all hypocrites: For here they must know that which they have often found, if they hear much, that they cannot be hid: though they may deceive men, yet God and his Word will find them out, the shame of their secrets of corruption shall be discovered: this word of God will ransack them, and give them a very glimpse of the judgment to come, Heb. 4.13.

5. This may in special smite dreaming, and careless Preachers, that do the work of the Lord negligently: such must know, their work shall never prosper; for it is the word of God in the life of it, that gathers souls to God; a dead, dull kind of preaching the word, will never do it. Besides, they dishonor the word, as if it had no life in it, whereas the fault is in their dull and dreaming kind of handling of it.

Thirdly, this may inform us.

1. That the word is not a dead letter, as many think of it, and have blasphemously reported.

2. That it is the Gospel, (that is, that part of the word, that settles the conscience in the assurance of God's love in Christ) that is the principallest treasure in the scripture: For the Law is a killing letter, and the ministry of it, the ministration of death.

3. That it is never likely, that powerful preaching and sincere practice shall have any long peace in the world: For this life of the word makes such a stir where it comes, that wicked men will not be quiet, but ever hate the godly for this very reason, as experience shows, John. 17.14▪ &c.

4. That the wits of men, and the wisdoms of men's words and conceits are not necessary unto the unfolding of the word: for the word is a lively word in it self, it needs not the conceits of men's brains to quicken it, 1 Cor. 2.1, 4, 13.

Fourthly, this may be a great comfort to all the godly that love the word: they may have sure recourse to it: it is as full of life now, as it was many hundred years ago: it shall abide forever: it is as mighty now to cast down strong holds of sin, or Satan, as ever: It is as able to refresh them in all afflictions, as ever: It will quicken them in all their dumps and distresses: It lives and will live forever.

And abideth forever.

VERSE 24, 25.

24. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man is as the flower of grass: the grass withereth, and the flower falleth away:

25. But the word of the Lord endureth forever, and this is the word which is preached among you.

THese words contain the sixth and last reason for the enforcing of the exhortation in the 13. verse, and it is taken chiefly from the mortality of the body; where his drift is to set before us the marvelous vanity and brevity, and transitorinesse of the natural life and condition of all men: amplified by the eternity of those spiritual effects, which are wrought by the word of God preached, that so we might be induced with the more sincerity and earnestness to deny the world, and to provide an infallible assurance of hope, in the grace to be brought in the day of Christ; and so it impliedly shows, that the reason why the most men are so entangled with all sorts of impediments, and why men so greedily, and excessively seek the profits and pleasures of this world, and why men are so slenderly furnished with arguments of sound hope of a better life: I say the reason of all this is, the forgetfulness of our mortality, and our transitory estate in this world.

The words in themselves contain a lively description of our transitory and mortal condition in this world, amplified by the commendation of the word of God, by which we are borne again, and fitted for a better world: The vanity of man is set down verse 24. the eternity of the word verse 25.

The vanity of man is both propounded, and repeated: propounded in these words, All flesh is grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass: repeated in these words, the grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away.

The proposition concerns either the persons of men, or the condition of men. For their persons, all flesh is grass. For their condition, the glory of man is as the flower of grass ; and so the proposition shows, that he is mortal. The repetition shows, how he is so: His body withereth as grass, and his glory falleth away as the flower.

From the coherence with the former verse I might note two things.

1. That man is a creature both mortal, and immortal: mortal, as he is borne of his Parents: immortal, as he is borne of God: mortal, in respect of his natural life, and immortal in respect of his spiritual life: mortal in repect of his flesh, and spiritual in respect of his soul.

2. That the consideration of the mortality of our bodies will quicken man unto a care of the immortality of his soul. But I pass from these.

All flesh is grass.

The words of the proposition are all plain, taken in their proper signification, save that by flesh is meant the nature of man in respect especially of his body: but for the doctrine of these words three things would be weighed.

• 1. The affirmation concerning the body of man, that it is like grass.
• 2. The extent of the affirmation, when he saith all flesh is grass.
• 3. The consideration of the time, when he saith in the present time, It is grass, not it shall be.

For the first: the word rendered grass is translated sometimes the blade of wheat, as Mat. 13.26. sometimes hey, as 1 Cor. 3.12. but most usually grass, and so the sense gives it here. Now for the phrase of speech: It is true that sometimes it is spoken in the praise of God's Elect, that they are like grass, viz. for their growing, and flourishing in grace and happiness, as Isaiah 44 4. Psal. 72.16. Rev. 9.4. but usually in scripture it is taken to signify the misery of all men by nature: And so it notes especially the frail condition of man in this life, he is like grass, because as the grass is today, and tomorrow is cast into the oven: so is man today, and tomorrow is cast into the grave: he is suddenly gone, and in short time spoiled of all his earthly glory. The world of men might be resembled to a field of grass in many respects, but this is that the Holy Ghost chiefly aims at.

So then the first doctrine is, that a man by nature is like grass for the brevity of his life, and the suddenness many times of his death.

The Uses are divers.

First, for reproof of three sorts of men. 1. Of all those that mind only the things of the flesh; why do men so study for the provision of the flesh? can men remember that their flesh is as grass, and yet seek great things for this life only? let all men know, that they that sow to the flesh, shall certainly of the flesh reap corruption. 2. Of such as place their trust and hopes in man: for this reason, he is cursed, that maketh flesh his arm, seeing all flesh is grass. 3. It reprooves divers of God's children too for their too much fear of the rage of wicked men. The Apostle, when he said, we wrestle not with flesh and blood, meant to show, that we should not be so much distressed for that kind of combat, as teaching, that it were better to wrestle with ten adversaries, than with one temptation, but most plainly,