Exposition Upon 1 Peter

Verse 7.

That the trial of your Faith being much more precious then of Gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise, and honor, and glory, at the appearing of Jesus Christ.

HEre also he qualifieth their troubles from the end of them: They come not for our hurt, but for our good; Thereby we are no more hurt, then Wheat is by threshing, or Gold by fining, they come for the trial of our Faith, and tried Faith, is better then any tried Gold; For that will perish, and be lost, but this will abide, and come forth to our honor and praise, at the great appearing of Jesus Christ: It may be conceived, as if he had said, The affliction and persecution which you now suffer, bear patiently, as serving for the trial of your Faith, which (how painful soever the trial thereof may seem for the present) will be found to your praise at the great day. This being so, who should not willingly undergo them? If we take pains and toil our selves to get riches, and so long as we get them, forget our toil; should we not much more be consent to endure some trouble, that our souls may get the true riches?

Now particularly for the trial of our Faith afflictions come, 1. To try whether we have any at all. 2. Whether it be so much as we take it to be. 3. To purge and refine that which we have.

1. To try whether we have any Faith; as God doth it sometimes by false teachers and heresies, so doth he also by afflictions, wherein many that have not received the love of the truth have been carried away; whereas others, though haply of less parts, but more soundness, have resisted and stood to the truth; for there be false Faiths, and our hearts are deceitful, and the Devil is subtle to make as believe we have the right, when we have nothing less. Affliction will prove this, as in those whom our Savior termeth the stony ground, They went far, yea farther then most in most congregations go, yet had they not that which would serve to Salvation; affliction discovered what they were, that they were not such as before they were taken to be. The Israelites were proved in the wilderness, whose troubles manifested their unbelief; for which they were both plagued in the wilderness, and shut out of Canaan. Many a one thinks himself a tall man, till he comes into the field with his adversary, where he proves himself a rank coward; many think they can do great matters till they come to it: A Mariner is not tried till a storm, nor a friend till adversity; he that then stick • to one, is a friend indeed: So afflictions have discovered many that have thought but too well of themselves: Many talk that they believe in God, and put all their trust in him, yet when they are visited with sickness, losses, and the like, they run to witches and wizards for help, or in poverty, steal, lie, dissemble, or use any other unlawful courses to help themselves: Many also that in prosperity profess the Gospel very forwardly, when trouble comes fall quite away, are not only shaken as Peter, or a good man may be on the sudden, or for a while, but fall quite away, when many poor souls, it may be of less gifts, have stood out and suffered.

Seeing then that God will try us by troubles, we should labor to have true Faith against troubles come, that we prove not dr • ss: Therefore let us try the Faith which we think we have by the touchstone of God's Word, if it will abide that, then will it endure the furnace of affliction. It may be tried, 1. By the manner of God's working it, even through humiliation. 2. By such companions as go with Faith, or follow it, as peace, joy, and the like; so if we love God most dearly (as they that have much forgiven, love much) if we love his Saints and people most heartily, if we wonder at and admire his unspeakable mercy to us, passing by so many thousands of others, with one hearts and mouths enlarged, praising him secretly and openly for the same; if we pity, comfort and strengthen others, if we long to go hence where we are absent from God, and to be with him; if we mourn for our sins committed against him, who was kind to us when we wandered from him, and have an hatred of all evil, with an unfeigned care hereafter in all things to please him, they are infallible tokens of a sound Faith: Its needful that we should thus try our Faith, as being of that absolute necessity, that by it Christ and Salvation are made ours, without it, no hope of either. In so weighty a thing we had not need to venture without trial, without it no person or work is pleasing to God, and its the foundation of a good life, and all true comfort therein.

2. To try whether our Faith be as much as we take it to be, or more; this affliction will discover: sometimes we think we have more then we have, as Peter, who notwithstanding his bold and confident protestations to our Savior Christ, shamefully upon the trial denied him. Contrarily, others think they have little Faith, that upon the trial appears more, and shines gloriously, as Jobs and David's. Who also could have believed that there had been so much in many poor Martyrs, if they had not come to the field and encountered with Tyrants, and their Torments? as who would imagine such sweetness in Spices, till bruised?

We should not be against such afflictions as are sent for this end; for whats more comfortable then to know we have more Faith then we knew of? and what more necessary, then to know that our Faith is weaker then we imagined, that so we may labor to have it strengthened? If it appear weaker, then be we humbled, and distrusting our selves, let us ever fly to God for more grace and strength against temptations, so will God give us as much as shall stand with his glory: but if we trust to ourselves, and be slack in seeking to God, then are we like to bewray our own weakness.

3. To purge and purify that true Faith which we have, and increase the same; this also is most necessary: for though a small Faith, being true, will save us, yet the more and purer it is, the better it will carry us to Heaven; and though by a weak Faith and mingled with corrution, we shall see the face of God, and his loving countenance, ye • the clearer and brighter it is, the more certainly & comfortably shall we see him: As they that have weak eyes, yet see so as they are directed to their ways end, who if they had clearer, would be there sooner, and with less danger.

As therefore its requisite to have those gross humors purged th •• dim the sight, so those, corruptions that dim the eye of our Faith. Beside, such is our corrupt nature, that much dross and corruption is mingled with the grace of God in us; so as except it be subdued by continual affliction, it will wax wanton against God, and hinder his grace in us. Standing waters corrupt, and bodies not exercised, are full of gross humors: So would it be with our souls, were we not continually exercised with troubles; as the finest Wheat not fa •• ed, will be musty with dust, the finest clothes catch dust and moths, if not continually brushed; the finest vessels take soil, if not continually scoured: so our Faith not looked to, is quickly overgrown, as the 〈◊〉 with weeds, if the husbandman plucks them not out: As far, brush, weeding-hook, wisp, furnace, are to these things, so afflictions to the children of God. We are as an untamed heifer, if not held under the yoke; God therefore purgeth, scoureth and weedeth us, that his graces in us may shine in their perfect colors: As the Vine-dresser shreds his Vine, and cuts off much, which one would think were against the Vine, yet makes it more fruitful, so doth the Lord deal by afflictions with his servants, which are his Vine branches.

Though the outward man decay (by sickness, poverty, disgrace, imprisonment, and the like) yet is the inner man (Faith, Hope, Comfort, &c.) increased daily; for Faith the more its cut, the more it grows; the more its trodden on, the thicker it comes up. And by afflictions there's purged away a great deal of pride, self-love, worldliness, hypocrisy, and the like, which long peace gathers, whereof Jonah had experience when he was cast into the Sea; those tame us also: A man that was conceited against his neighbor for small causes in prosperity, in sickness and affliction will be glad to take everyone by the hand; therefore are the most afflicted, for the most part, fullest of Faith and Grace, and purer then others; and a man is never better then when he is in, or newly come out of affliction. Hence it is, that we are willed to be thankfulfor them, yea to account it exceeding joy when they come, those being blessed that are so affected.

Being much much more precious, &c.] He sets out tried Faith by comparing it with the most precious metal we have, even gold, preferring it by far before the same, which is elsewhere termed also precious, and much more precious is it every way. 1. Gold comes out of the earth, Faith from Heaven, whence every good and perfect gift is. 2. Faith is more rare, termed therefore the Faith of God's elect, whereas most, even of the most wicked, are not without gold. 3. Faith cannot be purchased with all the gold in the world. 4. Its hardly gotten and hardly kept, and hath many and strong enemies, our own nature, the world and the devil are all against Faith, but not so against getting of gold. 5. It apprehends Salvation and life eternal, and so is the instrument of our happiness; so is not gold, but the instrument of many a man's damnation, by unconscionable getting, and covetous keeping the same, many cast away their souls. 6. It will comfort a man with true comfort in his life, carry him strongly through troubles, and boldly through the gates of death. 7. Gold perisheth, here canker and rust consume it; we may be taken from it, as it from us, but Faith endureth till Christ's appearing, to our full Redemption, as the fruit thereof forever.

The uses hereof are,

1. To them that want gold, and yet have Faith, know that thou art rich, richer then he that hath thousands of gold, and hath not Faith; thou hast enough, that hast Faith, it assures thee of eternal life, and entitles them to Christ, yea, hath the promises even of this life. Seest thou a worldly rich man, and wouldst thou change states with him? Oh but both would do well: Thou canst not tell if both would do so with thee; besides, God divides his gifts, they that have much of the one, have less or none of the other; therefore as long as we have of the best kind, let us think ourselves well dealt with.

2. To the rich, Rejoice not that thou art rich, but that thou hast Faith: Again, think all your pains to become you well, and well bestowed in getting this precious Faith. If any should say, What you? such wealthy men; its a disgrace to you to toil so in hearing Sermons, which few do but mean persons; do not these exclude themselves with their own mouths? But do not rich men travel to London, and to Markets and Fairs to enrich themselves, and take great pains, and is it a shame then or a disgrace for them to travel for that which is much more precious then gold? Hereat if any wonder, tell them, You seek that which is more precious then fined gold; and that you are so far from thinking yourselves too good for this, that you highly thank God for vouchsafeng you this favor: yea, that you are so far from thinking that you credit the Gospel, and its beholding to you, that you confess freely, that its your credit; and that if you have any thing in you worth the commendation, you may thank the Gospel for it: for, as for wealth it commends not a man, even reprobates are not without it.

3. To them that have not Faith, poor souls, labor after it, that you may be made inwardly rich; seek for it in the means appointed, the preaching of the Word. But O poor & miserable creatures, that regard it not for the most part, but think their poverty here shall serve for all; but worse in the highest degree remaineth behind, if not prevented in time, could any look into your souls, they might perceive them more empty of grace, then the poorest houses are of provision.

4. To rich men that have toiled for gold, seek this that is so much better: Many toil by Sea and land, and undergo no small perils to get gold, and to wax mighty, but as for Faith, they will scarce stir over the threshold for it: But will your gold procure a pardon for your sins? Alas, its no payment with God for anything, especially sin: Will it shelter when Death and Judgment comes? Alas no, it bears no sway in the other world, see Job 36▪ 18, 19. Prov. 11. 4. Zeph. 1. 18. No, it will not abate your pains in Hell one jot: O once consider your folly, and labor for that whereby you may have comfort when you draw away, and your friends are thinking of a Coffin to bestow you out of the house, and thereafter you may enjoy life everlasting.

May be found unto praise, and honor, and glory.] The farthest end of our affliction that our Faith thereby tried, may come forth to our honor at the great day. Tryed Faith is better then anything that can be set by it, for all else vanisheth, but our Faith will be crowned at the last day: Then will it be said, Well done good and faithful, servant, enter into thy masters joy; and, Come ye blessed of my Father, &c. They that confess him before men, he will confess them before God, which shall be no small honor: They which followed him in the regeneration, shall sit upon twelve Thrones, judging the twelve Tribes of Israel; and The Saints shall judge both the world and Angels: what pains soever we have taken to come to our Faith, and to keep it, it shall not only comfort and honor us here in the Church, but hereafter also in Heaven.

What an encouragement is this to them that have Faith, and a provocation to all to labor for it? It will not only comfort us now, and make us please God, but will give us boldness also at the great Day, when the fearful and unbelievers shall stand trembling, and be cast into the lake which burneth with fire and brinstone; yea, though our Faith be tried by afflictions and persecutions, yet we should rejoice, for they will turn to our glory: Our shame, reproach, infamy, imprisonment and troubles, will turn to our praise, and honor and glory at that day; when we are reviled (by private persons) when persecuted by public Magistrates and false Witnesses coming against us, yet we should not be troubled, but rejoice, For great shall our reward be in heaven; our poverty shall be recompensed with great riches, our shame with honor, and if we be rejected of men, we shall be taken in of God: Yet do not our afflictions or persecutions deserve any of this honor, as the Papists would gather from hence, and from 2 Thess. 1. 5, &c. Alas, no; For the afflictions of this present time, are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us: God indeed will crown his own graces in us, and hath promised to reward the sufferings of his servants with glory; and so he is become our debtor, not by taking anything of us, but by promising us all things: We should therefore be comforted in all our sufferings, and oppose unto the ignominy thereof, the glory and honor we shall then have, which is infinitely greater: O who would not endure casting out by men, being a token that we shall be honored of God, and taken in at that day. Indeed if there were no day of Judgment, nor reward, we might be sorry; but seeing there is, let us lift up our heads, and wait for that day: As the wicked shall have a second course to mar all their mirth, so contrarily the godly to swallow up their sorrow.

At the appearing of Jesus Christ.] Namely, to Judgment: True it is (as we have heard) our souls enter into glory at death, but our perfect happiness is not till the end of all; besides, that which we have at death is not seen but to ourselves, whereas then it shall be manifest to all. We must be content to wait for our full Redemption till then; on that most solemn day shall we be honored by the Lord himself: Then shall our Savior come to judge the quick and the dead; and though he defer to gather his Elect, and be gone into Heaven, yet he will come, and that in another fashion then he came first; namely, in wonderful majesty, glory and power, which cannot but be a terror to his enemies.

1. This must needs comfort all that have and do still embrace Christ Jesus as their Savior and King, for he shall be their Judge, and therefore shall it go well with them.

2. But woe to them that have despised him, where shall they appear? Not to appear is impossible; for He numbereth the stars, and calleth everyone by their name; he will not be bribed, for he is more just, and besides, we have nothing to give. To escape also is impossible, for he filleth all places, and whether can he go, that hath this revenging Judge over his head, Hell under his feet to swallow him, on each side Angels and Devils to torment him, within a tormented Conscience, and without all the world on fire? And to abide his wrath its intolerable; for if when its but a little kindled no man can stand, then how when its all on fire to consume his enemies utterly? Kiss therefore the Sun, seek to be reconciled, get him thy Savior and thy King, get pardon of that which is past, not adding more to the score against thyself.

One thing more. The phrase here used seems to imply, that

The reward of God's servants shall not be privy, but seen and known, yea and that of those that have most hated, disgraced and persecuted them, accounting them mad, and esteeming basely of them; even before them, I say, they shall be honored of God: As it will be a torment to the wicked to see Christ whom they have pierced to be in such high dignity and power; so will it increase their torment to see them whom they so basely esteemed of, as not worthy to live, to be received into honor, and stand on Christ's right hand, and themselves, of whom they were so well conceited, cast out: But its just with God, that they which willingly and of purpose have vexed and disgraced his servants here on earth, should against their wills see the glory that he hath prepared for them.

Verse 8.

Whom having not seen, ye love, in whom though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.

HEre he proceeds to commend these believing Jews (yet withal admonishing and exhorting them) and that for the great measure of their faith, and the fruits thereof, love and joy, which are described by that which might have hindered their faith, namely, that they never saw Christ, and yet believed in him, and rested on him for salvation, and so loved him, as they were well content to suffer for his Name, yea and rejoice with such a joy, as for the excellency and greatness thereof could not be expressed. In that he commends them, its to this end, that he might encourage and provoke them to go on forward, and increase more and more. To this end doth the Lord commend the good Churches in the second and third of the Revelation; and S. Paul in all his Epistles, even that he might provoke them to go on in well doing: And this must be the end of all good Ministers in the commendation of their people, not of flattery (that were abominable, and being men-pleasers, they could not be Christ's servants) nor out of a conceit that they have gone far enough, and now may stand at a stay (that were senseless, for that we have is nothing to that we might have had, or should have, and want) but to be a spur to provoke them to go on forward, it being a shame for them not to satisfy the expectation of such as have a good opinion of them; and so must the people take such at any time, not being lifted up therewith, but rather humbled thereby; conceiving, that the Minister rather showeth what he would were in them, or should be in them, then what is indeed in them; and that he would not have them stand at a stay, but proceed and go on more and more.

Speak we particularly first of their faith, though last set down, as without which there can be no true love.

They never saw Christ, yet they believed in him; they saw the Scriptures speaking of him to come; they heard of him also by faithful witnesses; the Apostles had preached of his person, birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension, and that he came to save them that were lost: This they believed, and so believed in him for salvation, though they saw him not.

This shows the nature of true faith, namely, to believe things, not only that we see not, and are hidden from our sense, but such things as are above the reach of our reason, and which we cannot comprehend. So Abraham, when a son was promised by Sarah, stood not to scan this by reason, but believed it, and is accordingly commended for it; So Joshua and the Israelites compassing the walls of Jrricho: Therefore both Zachariah and Sarah failed, in that they doubted of God's Promise, for that it was against reason: Hence it is that our Savior rebuked for his Thomas infidelity. If all that Thomas had gone and preached to, should have been of his mind, he would have made a poor preaching; Christ must have come to the earth again, and here tarried: No; Faith hath eyes, as well as the body; Abraham saw Christ's day, and rejoiced; and Moses endured, as he which saw him that was invisible: Yea, it hath a more certain eye then the body, for it depends upon that which is more constant then Heaven and Earth, even God's Word, which shall endure when the others shall vanish away; therefore is faith called a knowledge, not a guessing uncertainty.

Hereby we believe the Incarnation of Christ, the framing of his body in the womb of the Virgin, she untouched of man; so the mystery of the Trinity, and the Resurrection, the Union of Christ and Believers, the glorification of our bodies in the Kingdom of Heaven, and the like; yea, we so believe them, that (as Moses was content to part from the honor of Pharaohs Court for the Kingdom of Heaven, so) for the assurance we have of them, we are content to forego both pleasures and profits, which we have eagerly followed after; yea, to endure present pains and losses, and that grievous ones, for the joys to come, not seen, but believed, whereof we have store of Examples, both in the Scriptures and Church Histories.

1. This condemneth Atheists, that reject all that they cannot conceive in their foolish and corrupt brain; but Religion is not a matter of Reason, but of Faith: Woe were to us, if there were nothing for us, but that which we see with bodily eyes; the wicked were then in better case.

2. It stirreth us up to try whether we have faith, or not; If we so believe the things to come, as whatsoever would let us from the joys of Heaven, we avoid it, and would rather endure anything, then be deprived thereof, we are not without faith: The wicked will not do so; they will provide for the present time, they will have their will, will here take their ease, enjoy their unlawful profits and pleasures; as for the time to come, they are ignorant of it, what it will be: If any come after, so it is, but they will make sure work for the present; a Bird in the hand, is worth two in the bush: Neither will they suffer anything for Religion, or the Gospel, or hope of Heaven; a sign they want that grace of true faith: They have Carnal eyes to see these things here below, but no Spiritual ones of faith to see the things to come, and so give no glory to God: But the just shall live by faith, and We walk not by sight, but by faith; Thus must we do here for maintenance, thus for deliverance out of dangers. As Historical believing the truth of these things, puts a difference betwixt Atheists and common Christians; so the particular believing and applying these things, between these and true Christians. The servants of God would not lose their part in that which is to come, for all that is here present: They say, the Bird in the bush is worth two of that in the hand. If the world count themselves wise that can save themselves from danger, and God's servants fools for suffering, be it so; it shall one day appear who hath made the best match: Oh, say they, we are sure of this, we have it in hand, that you look for is uncertain; Well, as uncertain as it is, we will not change with you, for we know whom we have believed.

If this be so, then why may we not believe that Christ's body is bodily in the Sacrament, under the signs of Bread and Wine, though our sense and reason say otherwise, seeing our faith goeth beyond both.

Though faith believeth that which no sense nor reason can comprehend, because God hath said it, yet it crosseth not our senses, and the things which are daily subject to the same, wherein there is certainty: If we might give no credit to our senses, there would be no end of conceits; therefore seeing all our senses say it is Bread and Wine, we are to believe it to be no other.

Whom having not seen, ye love] Now of the fruits of Faith, love and joy; for its impossible for us to love him, unless by faith we be assured of his love to us, for we have not loved him, but he us first; so is it not possible, but believing in him, we should love him, and his love must constrain us, having done so wonderful things for us. Then

True love is the fruit of faith, and it cannot be sundered from love to God, and our brethren for his sake: He that knoweth, and believeth that he hath much forgiven, must needs love much.

1. This confutes the Papists, which distinguish faith into formed and unformed, and that this latter is sufficient to the salvation of the people, Charity giving a form to it; but we must know that there's no true faith without it.

1. It serves to confute that Slander wherewith they burden, not us, but the Doctrine of the Gospel; namely, That Justification by faith only, is a Doctrine of licentiousness: But while we establish faith, we set up good works, as who teach that they cannot be sundered: Though works have no place in our Justification, yet they are necessary to our Salvation.

3. Perceive the force and power of faith; faith made them love Christ, though they had never seen him, as which told them of so great things done for them by him, whereby they could not but be exceedingly knit in love unto him, and be content to suffer for him. Its an increase of love, to love one we never saw; for sight moveth much, and draweth the heart: but by faith we love that we never saw; as we love many good Christians which we never saw, because by faith we believe that they be members of Christ, and fellow-members with us: So we love Christ, because we believe what great things he hath done for us, and that we shall see him one day in his glory, when we also by him shall be set in possession thereof; so that if we believe these things, we cannot but love Christ, though we never saw him: Faith is not idle, but worketh by love to God, and to our brethren; and hereby we may try our faith, as our love, by the fruits thereof: namely, 1. If we take care unfeignedly to keep his Commandments in one thing, as in another. 2. If we love the brethren, which are members of Christ, so as we dare not harm them; yea, love them, not only because they have his image restored in them, but are a part of Christ, as it were, and of ourselves. 3. If we be content to suffer for his sake, and will not be plucked from him, but are vexed to see him dishonored by any. 4. If we long for his coming, that so we may be with him, and married to him, to whom we are already betrothed: Its the Churches voice (and should be ours in particular) Come Lord Jesus. If the husband be gone a long journey, his wife doth not much love him, if she never desire his coming home. 5. If in the mean time we desire to hear often of him, and from him; as the wife that loves her husband, will send or be often at the Carriers to hear of her husband, and receive Letters from him: So must we frequent the Word upon every occasion, where we may hear of him, and of his great honor and glory, and of his providing us a place there, and of the glory there, and how he would have us in the mean time to carry our selves, taking heed of any other lover in his absence, which also doth inform us, That his coming draweth nigh, and is at hand; Thus to hear of him, and from him, as much and as often as we can, we should be desirous. By this Touchstone we may thus try both our faith and love.

In whom though now ye see him not, yet believing,] Here's the object of our faith, the Lord Jesus Christ.

The common people say, They believe in God, and trust in God; which is in truth but mere self-deceiving: for though when we believe in Christ, we believe in Father, Son and holy Ghost; yet our faith must directly fasten itself upon Christ Jesus, who hath wrought our Redemption, and on our behalf suffered all things; and so he must come in as a Mediator between the Father and us, else how should we poor worms come to put our trust in that glorious God, and being vile sinners, dare to look for any favor at his hands, but in and by him; who without him is a severe Judge? How dare any poor wretch put his trust in God for all good, that knoweth not that he is his God, nor how to bring it to pass?

Here also the Divinity of our Savior Christ may be noted; for we may believe in none, but in God: If even he be cursed that putteth his trust in any other for outward things, how much more for Salvation? He created all things, Tryeth the hearts, Forgiveth sins, Stilled the Sea with his word; Raised the dead by his own power; all which point out his Deity: yea, it appeared even in his greatest abasement; He took upon him the seed of Abraham, but in this seed were all the Nations of the earth blessed; He was compassed in the Virgins womb, yet even then at his presence John the Baptist sprang in his mothers belly; He was laid in a Cratch, but even therein was he worshipped by the Wise-men of the East; He was hungry, but he fed five thousand with five loaves, and a few small fishes; He slept, but at his awaking he caused the winds and waves to cease; He paid Tribute, but out of the fishes mouth; He wept for Lazarus, but he raised him from the dead; He was taken by wicked hands, but then he healed him with a touch whose ear was cut off; He was crucified and died. but at the same time he darkened the Sun, and shook the earth, the veil of the Temple rent, which made the Centurion say, He was the Son of God; He was buried, but he raised up his body the third day; He was manifested in the flesh, but justified in the Spirit.

And it was necessary that he should be both, else had he been no Savior for us, which showeth our gret misery, and God's great mercy: Who should not embrace him, that abased himself so low for our sins? as if a King should rise from his throne, and row in a galley-slaves room; what then should not we be willing to do for him? yea, to abase ourselves to any service he requires of us on the behalf of our brethren; but how few embrace him? how few entertain him with an humble and contrite heart?

Ye rejoice] The other fruit of Faith is joy; being assured of so great things done for them by Christ, and so great things prepared for them by him, they could not but rejoice; for as the feeling of God's wrath for our sins is fearful, and cannot be endured ( a wounded spirit who can bear? ) as may appear by the heavy cries and complaints of some of God's servants in agony of conscience, O I am cast out of his sight, I shall perish, O what shall I do! but especially by the desperate horror of the wicked, who feel it so intolerable, as that they cannot bear it, as Judas, who went and hanged himself; for no man seeing and feeling himself under the wrath of God, and no way to be freed therefrom, but must needs wish he had never been, or now were not, or were a Toad, or the vilest creature: so contrarily, they that feel themselves freed from this, and called to the hope of so great glory, must needs rejoice; as Joseph doubtless was a glad man, when being delivered out of prison, he was advanced to honor.

The way hereunto is true Faith: Worldlings indeed think Christianity a dumpish estate, but its the only estate wherein we may be merry; and whoso is merry, not being assured of God's favor, is a desperate person: as if one were merry that hanged over a deep pit by a twined thread.

In the midst of their mirth, the wicked have secret gripes; as thieves condemned, though they drink and play at cards, yet to think that on the morrow they must be executed, chokes them and their mirth.

The wicked also can be merry in nothing but some wickedness or other, as if one should be merry when he eats and drinks poison, when he slashes and cuts himself; for hereby provoking God, they increase their own damnation.

This joy then coming from Faith, comes not from our works, or anything that we can do: These cannot bring sound peace to the mind, or quiet to the conscience, or joy to the heart; for 1. We have many sins, and therefore can merit nothing of God. 2. We know by ourselves, that even many of them are unto us unknown: who knows the errors of his life? no man can say, he hath found out all his sins, or the corruptions of his heart, so that he can say, now here be no more. 3. Our best duties be mingled with much weakness and imperfection; so that though they may appear before men, and be well accounted of and reverenced, yet when they come before God, then they must hide themselves; as the Stars and Moon show a goodly light in the night; but when the Sun appears, they appear not. The Nazarets vow was pleasing to God, yet the time thereof being expired, there was a sacrifice appointed for the sin of such a one; what, of such a one, as had lived and served God in that strict order? yea, even they must acknowledge no desert, but as they stand in need of mercy, earnestly call upon God for it, Who will show mercy to thousands of them that love him; and keep his commandments: our works then, or anything that we can do, cannot bring us sound peace and joy, as being imperfect and unable to abide the justice of God; but Faith, that layeth hold on the all sufficient merit and satisfaction of Christ, and his most perfect Righteousness, whereby they are made ours, brings us great joy, as whereby we dare come before God with boldness and confidence.

Unspeakable and full of glory] What manner of joy is that of believers? Unspeakable, such as cannot be uttered with the tongue: why? because it is for glory and happiness, which is unspeakable; for such things as neither eye hath seen, nor ear heard, therefore such as the glory is, such is the joy, its an everlasting weight of glory: a wise man joys according to the object of his joy, but a fool reioyeth in a trifle of nothing; unspeakable things are believed, therefore it must needs be an unspeakable joy.

Full of glory] Not a vain, carnal or flitting joy; that will fail and shame them that have had it, but a glorious joy, in the glorious Lord Jesus Christ and everlasting glory; glorious things believed, bring a glorious joy: What was David's when he said, Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless his holy name, &c. and, What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me? What the Virgin Mary's, when she said, My spirit rejoiceth in God my Savior? and cannot many a Christian say, that after long and heavy seeking after God and Christ Jesus, God hath sent down such glimpses of joy into their hearts, as they could not express; and would think, O if this would always last, it were a little heaven; and so it were indeed, for its the same joy for quality, that we shall have in heaven, though the quantity be but small in comparison.

Here then see the happy estate of a Christian above all other men, and the difference between the joy of all rich worldlings, that fat themselves in their rich comings in, and richly furnished tables, and coastly attire, and the godly's; for do these bring unspeakable joy? O no! there's indeed small joy in them, besides much vexation that accompany them; and what a torment is it for such to think, that they must be snatched from this in a moment, and are provided for no better? neither is their joy glorious, but base and childish, that turns into shame in a few days; their joy is in vain things, and not in things that abide; they rejoice in the Creature, not in the Creator; yea, their glory is their shame.

Verse 9.

Receiving the end of your Faith, even the salvation of your souls.

HEre's the ground of their joy, the end and reward of their Faith, the salvation of their souls: Salvation of their souls, why, was there any danger of the contrary? O yes! By nature, and through sin, we have deserved the utter damnation both of our souls and bodies, but through Christ we escape it, and obtain, the salvation of both; every man is in this danger, neither is there any help to be had, but in and through Christ apprehended by Faith.

How then doth it behoove every man to bestir himself about this so weighty a matter? For what shall it profit a man, to win the whole world, and lose his own soul? yet the most makes small account hereof, but rather set themselves altogether about their profits and pleasures, O madness to be condemned! nay, if they see any earnest about this, they wonder what they mean; what they mean? they seek salvation; if thou wonder at that, wonder still; but the time will come, when thou wilt wonder at thine own folly, that sought'st not after this, though thou hadst missed of whatsoever else: when thou seest any grieve and mourn, wonderest thou what they ail? Its for the want of salvation, as thou art when thou wantest money; if thou thinkest their grief and heaviness to be but melancholy dumps of foolish weak folks, which they may shake off at their pleasure, and be merry as formerly they were wont, thou art much deceived.

Receiving] He saith not you shall receive, but receiving in the present tense: Whence note, that

The Servants of God by faith do even here enjoy Salvation and Eternal life, even presently we have glory, though not in the fullness thereof; 1. Because we are as sure of it, as if we had it, as who have God's Hand for it, even his Word, his Seal, his Sacrament. 2. Because even here we have the earnest of it, which is his Spirit; when earnest is given between honest men, there's no going back; and shall God say, and not do it? shall he promise, and not perform? He is not a man, that he should lie or repent: He that believeth on the Son (saith the Son himself) hath everlasting life. 3. Because by faith we are already entered into the first degree of it; being knit to Christ, and so perfectly justified, we are come to the suburbs of our glory, and are as it were at the gate, lacking nothing but to be let in by death: As we say to our friends, having come a long way to a City, and are but at the walls thereof, and not entered therein, Now we are at it, ye are welcome to this place; so having received the first-fruits of the Spirit, we may thereupon affirm that we are in Heaven. This showeth the happy estate of true believers, that are so sure of their happiness, and as it were entered upon it already: Thou therefore that believest, be of good comfort, thou art even as sure of Heaven, as if thou wert there already; Rejoice always, serve God cheerfully, and bear afflictions patiently: Being at the suburbs, thou wantest but letting in, when Death as the Porter shall open the gate. Thou hast paid the price, and hast good Evidence to show for it, which by thy learned Council is judged sound and good; God hath given thee his own Writings, and thou hast sure under his Hand and Seal, only thou wantest Livery and Seisin, which thou shalt have in good time, which in the mean time is never the farther from thee.

The end of your Faith] Or the reward which God hath promised so often, who would not take any pains to get faith, being so rewarded? The world wondereth at them that take pains to hear the word, yet this is the means of faith, which is the instrument of Salvation; yet wonder they not at themselves and others, that travel weekly as much and more for worldly trash, who for faith would scarce stir their foot over the threshold: But do not we rest ourselves either upon our gifts of Knowledge, Utterance, Profession, show of Zeal, outward Civility, and the like, for nothing will save us but faith, and Salvation is the end hereof. If a man had lived in the days of Christ, and both heard him, conversed with him, and seen his miracles, yet without faith he might be damned, as Judas: Were one the kinsman of Christ, should he handle him in his arms, nay, were one his mother, what would the same avail without faith? Therefore refuse no pain to get faith; for though its beginning be bitter, yet its end is happy.

If the Apostle had said, End or reward of your works, the Papists would have had their mouths made up, and run away with a full cry, Lo here, whether our Works merit not Heaven and Salvation, or no: Alas! there's no such matter; Can they not distinguish between Merit and a Reward freely given? True, the Scripture calleth Heaven a Reward, and promiseth the same to them that hold out in well-doing; but doth it not also call in an Inheritance? and who knows not that that is free? There are two kinds of debt, one of desert, and another of promise; Herod made conscience to keep his rash Oath to the daughter of Herodias, she deserved it not, but he promised it: And when God promiseth Eternal life to constancy in well-doing, is it to puff us up, as if we did deserve it? no such matter, its only to help our weakness.

He calls us to deny ourselves, to wean ourselves from the pleasures of this world, to suffer Reproach, Persecution, and the like; now these be harsh to our nature, therefore to encourage us, God makes these Promises, and accordingly at the end of our work, we shall have the thing promised, not because we have earned it, but because Christ hath purchased it, and God hath promised it to us. That we cannot merit heaven, may thus appear; 1. Because our best works be stained with many imperfections; and what's good in them, is God's gift, not our goodness. 2. Because there must be some proportion between the thing merited, and that wherewith, but here there's none; as a man cannot buy a great Manor for a trifle, so the things we can do or suffer here, are not worthy the glory to be revealed. 3. Because that whereby we must merit, must be free, and that which we are not bound to do; but we are bound to do all that we can, and having so done, we have done but our duty, and consequently not merited; As if we had a lame servant, and as soon as he did a little service, he would think he merited of us, when if he could do much more, by the state of a servant, he owes us more; David said, Seemeth it a small thing to you, to be son in Law of a King? (yet hereby should not he have had the Kingdom) howsoever by his Victories he deserved well; what then should we in respect of God? But as the whole Scripture labors to beat down our Pride, Arrogancy, and any Conceit that we might have of anything in ourselves, so this place saith, The Salvation of our Souls, is the end and reward of Faith, not of Works; and yet not the reward of Faith, as if it merited any such thing, as it is a Grace in us, no, but only it apprehends it an instrument, that whereby we are justified and saved, and that which meriteth our Salvation.

The Salvation of your souls.] Not but that the servants of God shall have Salvation of their bodies also, as being made by God, rede • r • ed by Christ, and shall be glorified after the Resurrection; and therefore Christ took not only a soul, but an human body also: but he speaketh of the soul, as of the principal part, which first entereth into Glory; and for the bodies of God's servants, wherewith they endeavor to praise and glorify God, they shall be glorified as well as their souls.

Be we therefore encouraged even in our bodies, to take pains in God's service; never a member that honors him, but shall be filled with honor at the last day, and forever.

But what's that we have, and our Faith finds in Christ Jesus? not Ease, Health, Worldly Honor and Preferment, but Salvation; CHRIST was not made these unto us, but Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification and Redemption: We have by him also right unto outward things, and possession of as much as shall be meet, but so as we may have and must expect, to drink of the same cup that our Master did, even to meet with Reproaches, Afflictions and Trouble.

Whe must therefore when we follow Christ, or embrace him and his ways, not expect all Prosperity here, and Ease and Contentment outwardly, but rather think of the contrary, that it may appear that we follow him not for any by-respect; but Salvation we shall have, and he that thinks not that sufficient, though it be joined with troubles, knoweth not its worth. The favor of God, the Kingdom of Heaven, is great riches, though not accompanied with outward either pleasure or profit: Many profess Religion for advantage, and many will profess so long as no hurt comes of it, but if any trouble arise, then they give over.

Verse 10.

Of which Salvation the Prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the Grace that should come unto you.

HAving spoken of Salvation by Christ, laid hold upon by Faith, which they had obtained; He now commends and sets forth this Salvation and the means thereof, to be the only true way, and the Gospel revealing it to be the most blessed and excellent Doctrine that ever was: for 1. Its no new device of any, or first preached by the Apostles, but that which the holy Prophets that have lived in all ages (men endued with the Spirit of God) have studied and inquired into, and found, and have in their writings prophesied of the same; enquiring also to know the time when our Savior Christ should be exhibited into the world; who understanding by the Spirit, that he was not to be born in their days, but in the last ages of the world, yet seeing him afar off, were glad, and took it thankfully, and so believing in him, were saved by him. 2. That the Gospel and Salvation by Christ, was preached by the holy Apostles, men set apart by God for that business, endued with his Spirit that came on them from Heaven; and so its the same that was known to our Forefathers, and Patriarchs, and Prophets, not varied, but the same Doctrine and constant way of Salvation. 3. That the very Angels as they wondered at the wonderful mystery of Christ's Incarnation, and learned (as is very probable) something by the Apostles Ministry, which they knew not before; so, into the fullness of this Salvation they desired to see. So we have a commendation of the Gospel, or the way of Salvation therein preached: 1. By its antiquity; the Prophets knew and embraced it: 2. The Apostles not of their own heads, but by the Spirit extraordinarily sent upon them, preached it. 3. The Angels desire further to see into it. In the Prophets search we are to observe, 1. The substance they sought. 2. The circumstance of time: for the substance, it was privately for their own benefit, who therefore inquired into it, and searched it our diligently; and publicly, for the benefit of the Church, who therefore prophesied of it.

Of which salvation the Prophets have inquired, &c.] In that the Apostle, to prove that this was the true way of salvation, produceth the writings of the Prophets in the Old Testament, learn, That for all matters of faith that we reach the people, and would have them receive, we must ground them on no other proof, but the Word of God; no point ought to be admitted touching salvation, whereof God is not the author, and author he is of nothing, but of that which is in his written Word, which is a perfect Rule, able to teach all truth, and confute all error.

1. This confutes the Papists, who lean so much on Councils, as they banish the Scripture as a dumb Judge: Of those, howsoever the more ancient of them are to be reverenced, and did worthily oppose & conclude against the Heresies of their Times; yet even in them some things are left rawly, whether those worthy men intending the greatest, less regarded smaller matters, or whether they erred as men, that we might not put too much confidence in them, or give too much to them: But for many latter ones, they are patched by the Pope and his Adherents, which will be sure to do nothing against him, and the greater part overcomes the better part; Therefore we are not to rest in these, but go to that Law and to that Testimony, which alone must Judge and bear Rule in the Church: For, though Christ hath promised, that where two or three be gathered together, he will be amongst them, yet they must be m • t in his Name; which is, when they all submit themselves to the Word of God, and suffer Christ to be President of their Assembly by his Word, and not when they will set up Conceits of their own devising.

2. Ministers must learn in all matters of faith, to bring forth the written Word of God, and not men's Judgments, which are of no force to stablish the Conscience, neither Popish Traditions, by them termed Apostolical and unwritten Verities.

3. People also for their part must receive nothing, but that which they see grounded hereupon: To this end they are to search the Scriptures, and with the Berea • s to confer place with place, to find out the truth: If an Angel from heaven should bring any Doctrine contrary to this, we are to hold him accursed. Assuredly, for want of Catechizing publicly, and reading the Scripture privately, if a cunning Heretic should in most Congregations open his pack of Wares, they would go for currant, few or none being able to control him.

Enquired and searched] The words imply the great pains they used herein, as Daniel by prayer, fasting and meditation: They had a little hint from God, and they found the savor of it, so as they followed it most earnestly to get out more, and plodded upon it to see further and further.

What then are all of us to beat our heads, and to set our hearts upon? even upon the mystery of our Salvation by Christ, that we may 1. Know it, and every part thereof. 2. Give full assent thereto. 3. Labor for a particular persuasion thereof by faith. These things belong to us, whom it much concerneth to know this by an effectual knowledge, feeling the power of Christ in us, causing us to die to sin, and live to righteousness; and this we should do: 1. For that its the chiefest thing in the world; Its life eternal to know him, and all is dung to this; yea, we should desire to know nothing but Christ, and him crucified. 2. Because in seeking we may find more in one day, then all the Prophets and Fathers could find by all their diligence all the days of their life.

This condemns the monstrous Unthankfulness of our days, that make no reckoning of this so blessed Gospel, of those glad tidings that should be the glory of the world, without which the world is dead in sin, and comes to confusion. O how few regard to hear the Word? Many run to Sports and Pastimes, others to Markets and Fairs, but in many places, what thin Churches? their Oxen and Farms draw them away: Others hear, yet it is without any regard, any life; Israel never loathed Manna more, then most do the preaching of the Gospel; O they have had Sermons in many Congregations, until they have even loathed them! O how few can be brought to see their own misery! how few to prize Christ, and to whom he is indeed welcome, how few that will stoop to his yoke! Sundry in show would have him their Savior, and talk that they hope to be saved by Christ, but that's but a Bawd for their sins, whereby they may go on the more freely in them; yea, are not the truest and painfullest Preachers and Professors of the Gospel hated? what this will come to, is easy to see; assuredly (being like Ch • razi • and Bethsaida ) we may justly fear some judgment at hand. Time was, when Christ was welcome amongst us, and the kingdom of heaven suffered violence (as haply it doth still in some parts of the land) but O dead hearts, and unthankful in most places. Those under the Law, saw but a little, yet took it thankfully; we have much revealed, yet little regard it: To prize the Gospel, and seek after Christ, will be our wisdom and welfare; then to inquire for Salvation by Christ, there can be no greater thing, it becomes us well: if for this we be counted fools, well, we be such fools as the Prophets were, who inquired and searched after Christ; God be thanked for our so doing, let us continue in God's name; this shall bring us comfort living and dying, when carnal Wordlings shall perish for want of comfort, and go to hell.

But did they only inquire after Salvation, and the way to it, and found it not? Yes, as they foretold Christ to others, so did they find that in him they sought for, and were saved by him.

The Prophets and old Fathers were saved by Christ as well as we.

This confutes two pestilent Opinions, 1. That of the Anabaptists, That the Fathers had no other but earthly Promises and Rewards, and there was an end, and had no heaven, nor hope of any such thing; most vile; for 1. God gave them his Word, which was to convert their Souls, and to be an immortal seed, to beget them to eternal life; and the Prophets in their times were filled with the Spirit of God; but God did not all this for nothing. 2. He made a Covenant with them, I will be your God, and you shall be my people: Now to have God to be our God, contains not only Earthly things, but Heavenly and Eternal, For blessed is the people, whose God is the Lord: Our Savior Christ saith, God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, not of the dead, but of the living; so that they live not in Soul only, but in Body also to Godward, for he will surely raise them up again: Jacob speaking unto Pharaoh, mentioned the days of his Pilgrimage; both he and the rest confessed themselves Pilgrims: see what construction the Holy Ghost makes hereof, namely, That this was in respect of some other Country; but what Country, Earthly or Heavenly? If Earthly, then that from whence they came, Chaldea; but if it had been that, they had leisure enough to have returned thereunto, but they desired a Heavenly, therefore God prepared for them a City, even such a one as they desired, an Heavenly one. Job believed that his Redeemer lived, and Abraham's bosom is put for Heaven.

But such speeches as Jobs, are of some few principal men, and not of the people, with whom no doubt it was as with us, most understood not, neither believed, though others did.

This comes of a false understanding of the Promises. The Lord provokes them to keep his Law, and promiseth them a plenteous Land▪ and threatened the loss thereof if they obeyed not; But who knoweth not, that as Egypt was a Type of their Spiritual bondage, so Canaan, of Heaven, and Heaven promised under it? even as the Lamb in the Passover was a Type of Christ, the true Paschal Lamb and Christians Passover, as the Apostle affirmeth.

2. That of those which affirm, That they were saved by some other way (not by Christ as we) and what? by the keeping of the Law, its otherwise; The Law was not to this end given them, that they might be justified thereby, more then to us, or that they could keep it more then we; for never could any keep it, but to show God's perfect righteousness, and their own sinfulness, and so drive them out of themselves, to Christ the true Sacrifice: Notable is that Speech of Saint Peter, Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the necks of the Disciples, which neither our Fathers nor we were able to bear: He meaneth not here, the Ceremonial Law, wherein an hypocrite might go as far as another; nor the bodily observance of the Moral Law (whereof the young man bragged so much) but the true Spiritual Rule of Righteousness, which never any could keep; so they were saved by the Grace of Christ as we: Abraham's Faith was imputed unto him for Righteousness, and he was justified both before he was Circumcised, and four hundred years ere the Law was given.

Who prophesied of the Grace that should come unto you.] The Doctrine of the Gospel is no new device of man, nor first Preached by the Apostles, but almost as old as the World: The Spirit hath given testimony of it in all ages, all the Prophets have looked into it; some Promises were given unto particular persons, some did concern all in general; those especially which were delivered by the Prophets: This was signified by all the Sacrifices and Washings in the Law, wherein there was an acknowledgement of guiltiness and uncleanness, and a promise of something to satisfy and cleanse; which was not the blood of Bulls or of Goats, but of Jesus Christ, who is therefore said to wash away our sins by his blood, and to be the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

This condemneth that wicked slander of the Church of Rome, that style our Religion, The new Gospel, or a yesterdays Religion; Nay, theirs is a new Religion; who knoweth not, that though the Mystery of Iniquity began already to work in the Apostles times, and the Devil had spread some Heresies; yet alas, Popery was not then hatched, and it was not come to the top, till within these three or four hundred years by-past, the whole being at several times patched up with several pieces, by one Pope after another: and new it is, as being of man's brain, most things therein having no ground in the Word of God, nay, altogether contrary thereunto.

The Prophets foretold of Christ, and that very fully, of his Nature, Offices, Birth, Life, Death, Sufferings, Patience, Resurrection, Ascension, &c. See Gen. 49. 10. Isa. 7. 14. Isa. 9. 6. Jer. 23. 6. Isa. 53. 8. Zach. 12. Psal. 110. 1, 4. Isa. 61. 1. Dan. 9. 25. Mic. 5. 2. Psal. 22. 16. Psal. 16. 10. Psal. 68. 18. Hag. 2. 7, &c.

This showeth what an agreement and blessed harmony there is betwixt the Old Testament and the New; no diverse matters, but the same Christ, the subject matter of both, driven at in the Law, pointed out in all the Sacrifices: The Old Testament is the New folded up, the New, is the Old unfolded and opened, the one proving the other; and hence are these Phrases, As it is written, And that it might be fulfilled.

1. This condemneth them that reject the New-Testament and Christ Jesus, and yet retain the Old, as the Scribes and Pharisees did, and Jews and Turks do; but hold one, and hold both, deny one, and deny both. O the lamentable blindness of the Jews, that were so well acquainted with the Old Testament, which did so foretell Christ! and yet when he came, in whom all was fulfilled, they could not see it; a forestalled conceit of an earthly Potentate hindered all.

2. It teacheth us to labor to be acquainted with both, and reverence both, the one giving light unto the other; and they especially that are of better understanding, and have more time, let them read orderly, not here and there a Chapter, and that most or always in the New-Testament, but going on throughout both; They that are slow and dull, and can read little, no matter though they hold themselves most to the New; but for the others, let them be acquainted with both: Are we ignorant of the one? its for want of acquaintance with the other; Hath God set on work his holy Prophets, to Prophefie such things as be greatly for our Confirmation, and kept them through so many storms of Persecution, and shall we not be conversant therein? yea, those Chapters that seem of least use in Leviticus, touching cleansing of many sorts of uncleanness, have this main use, even to teach, That God cannot abide sin, but that it must be cleansed through the blood of his Son: the Chapters also of Genealogies in Numbers and Chronicles, are of good use for the understanding of the rest of the Scriptures, though but a few understand the same.

Of the Grace] He calls Salvation Grace, and that most worthily, as being freely both Elected, Redeemed, and Effectually called.

1. This condemns, 1. That Luciferian conceit of Merit or Worthiness in us, poor miserable sinners: 2. Them that challenge part in Christ, and all that he did, and yet show no part of thankfulness and duty again, but live as they list, and will not only not part with their lives, but not with their lusts for his sake, they are liars, and deceive their own souls.

2. It should teach us to acknowledge the whole work of our Salvation to be of Grace, and thereupon to walk the more thankfully and zealously; yea, often meditate of this Free-grace and Salvation, whetting up ourselves thereby.

That should come unto you.] Why? were they not partakers of Salvation themselves? Yes, as we have heard, but they never saw the time of Christ's exhibiting in the flesh, nor so clearly; They received not the promises, only saw them afar off, a • d were persuaded of them.

Verse 11.

Searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

SEarching what or what manner of time] They took great pains to know Christ, & would gladly have learned that he should have come in their days, so they should have had a clearer Revelation; yea seen him whom they so much longed for and loved. Simeon waited for the Consolation of Israel, as many Prophets and Kings desired to see and hear thereof; and this was lawful, unless God had enjoined the contrary: If then we know a thing to be good and profitable to be known, we must refuse no pains in searching it out, but Study, Meditate, Pray, Confer, Read, &c. We must call for Wisdom, and cry for Understanding; we must seek and search for her, as for silver: The Word is like a Noble man, that one must make some suit, and use some means to come unto; with which being once acquainted, wherein can it not pleasure us? when we have sued to it by pains, it will be beneficial unto us indeed: whereas profane Books (easily enough attained unto) usually work much mischief; many of us read much of the Scriptures, but take no notice whether we understand the same or not, or take no pains to come to knowledge: to be inquisitive of the meaning of this or that place of Scripture, were profitable when Christians meet together, whether Ministers or others, or both.

As they desired to see Christ's first, so should we long for his second coming.

The Spirit of Christ which was in them] See how they sought into this matter, not of their own heads, but by the guidance and direction of the Spirit; and that 1. Because it was a matter so high and above their reach, as in which they could know nothing without the help of the Spirit. 2. To avoid curiosity, searching no further then God should see good to reveal unto them.

This teacheth us, that when we search into any point of Doctrine, or to know anything, we must not go to work by our own head or wit (for that were Pride and the way to Error) but by the help of the Spirit; and therefore no further then the Spirit shall guide us: this we do, if we keep ourselves to the written Word of God; for God's Spirit teacheth us according to the Word, and no otherwise.

This condemneth the frenzy conceits of the Anabaptists, which boast of Revelations of the Spirit; counting whatsoever comes in their head, and they conceive (though contrary to the Scriptures) to be a Revelation, which is wicked; for the Word and Spirit cannot be divorced, either the one contrary to the other: We must hold us to the written word, searching thereinto according to sobriety, proceeding no further then it, and there staying where it stayeth.

This is also contrary to the Papists, that will have their human Traditions and unwritten Verities, whereby upon the point they overthrow the Scriptures. Again, in that the Spirit of Christ was in the Prophets when they prophesied, see the authority of the Old Testament; the Spirit of God is the Author of it, therefore is it to be highly esteemed as the New, and all questions are to stand and fall by the sentence thereof.

Read, believe and obey it, and be out of all doubt of it, without ifs and ands: As the Papists most wickedly would have the authority of the Scriptures, to depend upon the testimony of the Church; and because they say its Scripture, therefore they believe it, and otherwise would not; they would give no more credit to Paul's Epistles, then to Aesop’s Fables, if the Church did not give testimony thereof, which is a blasphemous Opinion: The Scripture is above the Church, and that whereon its grounded, and hath no greater testimony then from itself: we testify that God is the true God from all Idols, and Christ from all false Christ's; do they therefore depend upon our testimony? and are we above them? Though the Church discerneth the Word or Scriptures from false writings, and therefore rejecteth a great many of Epistles and Gospels, of Bartholomew, Thomas, Thaddeus, as adulterous; yet this proves not that they depend on the Churches testimony. A Kings Letters come to a City, the Officers thereof, by the style, sign, or some other thing whereunto they are accustomed, accept of them, yield to them, and testify that they are not false or counterfeit; are they therefore above the King or his Letters?

Further, here is a testimony of the Divinity of the third Person; for the whole Scripture is given by inspiration from God, and here its said, it was by the Spirit; and who could foretell things so long before but God? confer Acts 1. 16. with 4. 25.

When it testified beforehand of the sufferings of Christ] Namely, That he was to suffer for us, and so to enter into his glory: This we find in the Old Testament both plainly expressed, and under types and figures; as of Isaac's offering, the Brazen Serpent, the Paschal Lamb, Jonas, &c.

This serves to answer all profane Infidels, that scoff at Christians because they believe in a crucified God, for so do they contemptuously speak of Christ.

A. He suffered what was necessary for the Savior of the world to suffer, and what the Scripture foretold he should suffer; and though he suffered and was abased, yet he overcame it, and entered into glory: Had not these things been foretold, they might have been offended at his dejected estate, for so were the Disciples notwithstanding, but being foretold, they are not; yea if he had not suffered for us, we had been yet in our sins, yet under the curse, as if he had suffered, and had not conquered and entered into glory, we had been never the better.

It was needful that Christ should suffer for us, for we by Adams fall were plunged into sin, and so in danger of the curse of God, and liable unto all wrath here and hereafter; This God's justice could not suffer him to remit, but the death threatened must be paid: To this end our Savior became man, and suffering all that was due to us, thereby discharged us: He was arraigned before an earthly Judge, that we might never be brought to our answer before the heavenly; accused, that we might be cleared; condemned, that we might be acquitted before God; counted among vile sinners, that we might be reckoned among the Angels; spitted on, that we which had deserved that God should forever have spitted on our face shame and confusion, might be received into favor; did undergo the curse, that we might be blessed; died, that we might live, &c. then this, there was no other way whereby we could have been discharged. See Isa. 53. 1 Pet. 1. 19. & 2. 24. 1 John 1. 7. Rev. 1. 5. Hence perceive,

1. The depth of our misery.

2. The unspeakable love of God, and Christ Jesus.

3. Comfort to all that have their part in Christ, all their sins and punishments are discharged, crosses and death are now become blessings, no punishments of sin; whoso do not by Faith take hold on him, must suffer for their own sins, and that forever.

4. That as we are to hate sin with a deadly hatred, so must we testify our love to him that hath redeemed us at so high a price; Numbers will talk of Christ, that he died for their sins, which yet are so far from being humbled to repentance hereby, and to turn from sin to God, as that they seem rather emboldened and heartened to run on in sin, and sin more freely; such vile wretches crucify Christ again, neither shall have any benefit by his death.

And the glory that should follow.] It was necessary that he should have overcome, else had his death been in vain.

Hereof there were three degrees, 1. His resurrection. 2. His ascension. 3. That he shall one day come into judgment, & bring all his servants into his glory; whereunto may be annexed the consequents of each.

But how shall we come to glory? even by the same way that our Head, our Lord and Master hath gone before us, namely, by sufferings; for through many afflictions we must enter into the Kingdom of God, and God will have the Members made conformable to the Head. It followeth hereupon,

1. That afflictions or persecutions are no ill sign, but rather of the way to Heaven and glory; it should encourage us to suffer, seeing glory follows, and a great reward ensues thereupon.

2. That those which will suffer no affliction nor persecution for Christ and the Gospel, but shifting themselves therefrom, aim at the glory of the World, are not in the way to glory, but shame hereafter will be their portion.

Verse 12.

Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us, they did minister the things which are now reported unto you, by them that have preached the Gospel unto you, with the holy Ghost sent down from Heaven; which things the Angels desire to look into.

YE have heard what the Prophets searched into, and by what guide; now see what was revealed unto them, & how far forth they were satisfied; namely, that the things which they sought into, even the time of Christ's coming, should not be in their days, but in ours; They took the pains, we have the gains; They laid the clothe, and we come to partake and feed on the dainties; The fruit of their ministry, was to our benefit: So that we have the advantage of all our Forefathers of the Old Testament.

Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, &c.] Lo, say the Anabaptists, the Jews foretold many things of Christ, but had no part in him themselves, those concerning us; They had Canaan, and temporal benefits, and looked no further; But how absurd this is, we have already shown, having sufficiently proved the contrary: And these words are not to be understood of Christ, or of the substance of salvation, but of the time of his coming, and of the manner and measure of revealing him to them more darkly, to us more clearly; to them more sparingly, to us more fully: They believed in Christ that was to come, we hear of Christ already come, and that he hath finished all things, and how; and thus are we to understand, Heb. 11. 13, 33, 39. where there seems an opposition: They received the promises, that is, the fruit of them, and salvation by Christ; and they received not the promises, that is, saw not the exhibiting of Christ, who was promised to the World: For more plainness, there was never but one Covenant between God and his people, from the beginning till now, nor shall be, which is the Covenant of Grace, except we mean the Covenant of Works, which was between God and all mankind in Adam; the foundation and matter whereof was our own strength and righteousness, but this was soon at an end; Adam had soon broken this, and overthrown himself, and with him all us: The Covenant of Grace then the Lord entered in his great mercy with Adam in Paradise, which was founded in Christ Jesus, requiring of us to believe in him, and repent of our sins, and he would forgive us our sins, and give us salvation and life eternal: This for the substance thereof, was never altered one jot, only the Lord hath revealed his Son more fully to us, more sparingly to them; more plainly to us, more darkly to them: Herein may be considered, both the Author, Matter, Form and End.

The Author, the same God to them and us.

The Matter, Christ Jesus the same to them and us.

The Form was generally also the same, for as God required Faith and Repentance of them, as well as of us, so he gave them the same means for the working thereof, the Word and Sacraments.

The End the same ( viz. ) the Salvation of his Elect, and Eternal life.

The difference is in the measure of his giving them, as also in the persons to whom; then was it to the Jews only, who were the peculiar people of God; now the partition wall is broken down, and the Covenant is to the Gentiles as well as to the Jews: So also for the measure, he spake to them by visions and dreams, to us by his word, and when to them by his word, it was both more sparingly, and more darkly: Also our Sacraments compared with theirs, are, as fewer, so more easy, and more significant; and for the Spirit, they had him more sparingly (except some extraordinary persons) whereas it was promised, that he should be poured upon us: And for the common people, they are far inferior to Christians now; they saw Christ to come afar off, we already come, yea, that he is dead, risen, ascended, and shall come to judgment: They had him under Types and Shadows, we have the substance, the body itself; theirs was as the seed time, our time as the harvest; they had the twilight, we have the noon day: And there was great reason that the time when Christ himself should come, should bring more glory with it; as the coming of a King himself, hath more solemnity and privileges, then when the Kings Harbenger comes before; and that when the sun of Righteousness should arise, there should be more light then before.

But why did God send his Son no sooner, and not in their time rather?

A. We must not quarrel with God, we may as well ask him, why he made the world no sooner, why he put distinction between the summer and winter, day and night: We must know, that all things are done in infinite Wisdom and Justice by the Lord, though we know not always the reasons of his dealings: He came in the fullness of time, he could come no sooner, nor tarry any longer; we are to thank God that he is come.

The difference between them and us, is only in the measure of Revelation and means; therefore we call their time the Old Testament, or Covenant, and ours the New, not two, but one; only the Covenant to them was sealed in the blood of Bulls and Goats, ours in Christ's own blood, as he himself witnesseth.

The cause why their time was called the time of the Law, ours the days of the Gospel, was not but that they had the Gospel also preached, as Adam in Paradise, so Abraham, so the Jews in all their sacrifices and cleansings; but because then the Law was so much preached, and the Gospel so darkly and sparingly, as now the Law more sparingly, the Gospel more frequently.

Neither is God to be charged with inconstancy, because he taught his Church otherwise then, then now he doth, no more then a Father, for training his children up otherwise when they be children, then when they are men grown; he doth both in wisdom. The Lord trained on his children in their infancy, by those babish rudiments, fit for the time, reserving greater things for the grown age of his Church; yea, such is his constancy, that he hath never altered the way of Salvation, but hath ever been the same from the beginning, and shall be.

Seeing then that the Lord hath honored us to live in these days, and revealed his will so plentifully, O how joyfully should we embrace Christ Jesus, and labor to be found answerable in Knowledge, Faith, Repentance, Zeal and Holiness! Our Forefathers saw but a little, and took great pains for it, and were glad of it; How glad then should we be of that we have? Simeon waited for the consolation of Israel, and was so glad that he had seen, and taken Christ in in his arms (though then in his swaddling clothes) that he was willing to die; O how joyful would he have been if he had seen his Miracles, heard his Preaching, known his Resurrection, Ascension and Glory, as we do. David was so glad of the Word, that he accounted it better then gold and silver, and sweeter then the honey, and the honey-comb; and Job esteemed it above his appointed food: Alas, What a little had David (especially Job ) in respect of that we have? we have the whole Old Testament, which some of them had not, and the New also, an Exposition and Commentary thereof, which they had not at all; How cheerfully then may we come to Christ, and believe in him? How should we walk, that know he is gone up to heaven to prepare a place for us, and will come again to receive us? But alas, if the Lord come to look for these fruits, where be they? Alas, to whom is the Gospel welcome? How many be there that would as willingly there were no Preaching as any? and are there not many that hear only for the fashion, that will hear but when they list? The Lord publisheth his Gospel, and offereth his Son to the world; but alas, men have more mind to their Oxen, Farms, Pleasures, then to embrace it; many savor not of the Gospel, many count it rather a burden then a jewel: yea, of those that hear the word usually, How few are there that hear it with delight? how few find such need of Christ, as they desire him more then all the world? as they will willingly stoop to his yoke, and serve him? And as many have no more knowledge, then if they had never had the means thereof; so even they that have some measure of knowledge, make no conscience of their ways, are utterly void of Reformation: Thus do not they take thankfully this great jewel of the Gospel, the only glory of the World, but most unkindely requite the Lord; yet whats their saying? They hope to be saved by Christ, as they that believe steadfastly in him; but how they came by their Faith, or any good fruits thereof, they can show none: For this God must needs have an heavy controversy with the Land; and wereit not for a remnant that he hath to gather, we should quickly perceive it: O therefore let our conversation be such as becometh the Gospel, bring we forth meet fruit, to the pains God hath bestowed on us: But as for those that live and make no account of, nor receive any profit by this Gospel, their condition will be heavy, God will take his Word from them, or snatch them from it; and not only Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and old times shall rise up against such, but even the good Souls that saw but a little light fifty or sixty years ago, and had but a little knowledge (for the means were small) yet were zealous and godly, and sundry gave their lives for the Truth; even these, I say, shall rise up and condemn them: Then would they be glad of one of the days they have had, but shall not have any. Awaken therefore today, while it is called to day, for we may fear it draws to night-ward, towards the Sun-setting of the Gospel.

The things which are now reported unto you, by them that have preached the Gospel unto you, &c.] The second part of the commendation, The same Gospel preached by the Prophets, was also preached by the Apostles since Christ, men that were trained up with Christ all the time of his preaching, and were witnesses of his Life, Death, Resurrection and Ascension: These have preached this Gospel, and that not of their own minds, but by the Spirit of God, which was sent down from heaven upon them, and that in an extraordinary and visible manner. The Prophets preached of the same Christ, and that by the Spirit (as we have heard) so that they and the Apostles agree notably in one; but the Apostles received a greater measure of the holy Ghost, and a more plain and visible sign, not only perceived of themselves, but of others.

In that he addeth, Which the holy Ghost sent down from heaven, he alludes to that of Acts 2. 17. taken out of Joel 2. 28. And it shall come to pass in the last days ( saith God ) I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh &c.

If then the Gospel was also preached by the Apostles, and that by the Spirit sent from heaven upon them, Hereby may all that hear it be induced to embrace it; as on the contrary, their case must needs be fearful which reject and despise it: Such is the case of the Jews, though they killed the Prophets, yea, though they rejected Christ and his preaching, yet were they not cast off, till they had rejected and resisted the preaching of the Apostles, who with one consent bare witness of him; confirming also their Doctrine by Miracles from heaven: having done this, their sin was at the highest, and from them the Apostles turned unto the Gentiles. Such is the condition of the Turks, utter enemies of Christ and true Christians. Such is also theirs, who among ourselves despise this Gospel: 〈◊〉 but none do so: Yes, many in sundry degrees; for all that receive not the Gospel, embrace not the Gospel, do not believe, obey and repent, all these despise it; for to believe and repent, are the Commandments of the Gospel: therefore he that yields not unto them, despiseth the Gospel. He that is not with me (saith our Savior) is against me; All these have a dreadful account to make: For, though now it be preached by sinful men, yet it is the Gospel that was preached by Christ himself, and after by the Apostles inspired by the Spirit, and it hath been abundantly confirmed by Miracle: This is that (I say) which we preach; let everyone therefore take heed, lest they set light by it, as though it were not the Gospel of Christ, but of men.

Again, in that the Apostles were so filled with the Spirit to preach and write, we learn, That they have left unto us a perfect Direction for all things needful for our salvation, and for the good estate of God's Church, and that therefore there's nothing to be added, detracted or altered.

1. This condemns them that trust in new Gospels of Thomas, Thaddeus, Bartholomew, &c. and in Traditions and unwritten Verities; which is to accuse the holy Ghost of want of care for his Church, as not having left that which is sufficient for salvation.

2. It condemns them also that take away and alter at their pleasure; what is this, but to tax the holy Ghost for leaving something not necessary, nor profitable for his Church, and by altering or taking away the same, to make ourselves wiser then he?

Which things the Angels desire to look into.] The third commendation of the Gospel, The Angels desire to see into the further end of that salvation that is preached therein. They are not ignorant of any thing the Church knoweth; but they have gathered some things they knew not of, or not so much till they came to pass; as, touching the Incarnation of the Son of God, both Natures in one person, &c. This they desired to see before he came; and this was figured by the Cherubims looking down toward the Mercy-seat, which covered the Ark, which was a figure of Christ, signifying that they desired to look into that Mystery of his Incarnation; and when they saw it, they admired thereat, even to see the Eternal Son of God joined to man's Nature, it to be worshipped without Idolatry, and his Manhood to suffer, the Deity remaining free without suffering: So also by the Church they learned the Mystery of the calling of the Gentiles. But now that which they desire to see, is that which is yet to come, namely, the fullness, perfection, and accomplishment of the salvation of God's Church and People; namely, to see the day of Judgment, when God shall be perfectly glorified in his Saints.

They desire this; 1. Because they are enforced to see now a great deal of sin in the world, yea those duties which the Saints themselves perform, full of corruptions and weakness, which after that day they shall see no more: 2. Because that day shall be our perfection; Alas, here we are imperfect every way, and weak, then shall we be perfect and free from sin, and in a most happy estate both in body and soul, which for the love they bear to God and us, they long to see: for as God revealed himself more darkly to the old world, more clearly to us; so when we shall come to heaven, much more clearly then now: There shall be as much and more difference between that which we shall know then, and that which we know now, as between us and the darkest times before us under the Law; Here (as children) we are weak, and rather stammer, then speak plainly of God, his Word and Works; but when in the life to come we shall come to man's state, it will be far otherwise: Here we see with spectacles of the Word and Sacraments, but there without, and that most perfectly.

1. Is there such an happy condition remaining for all Believers? O how should we rejoice, that are entered into the first degree of it, and expect the other! How should we bless God for his Gospel, and for the pains which we have taken herein to attain the same! Yea, how should we walk thankfully, that look for such a state? how zealously and heavenly-minded, not defiling ourselves with this world, nor sticking here, but mounting up in our affections, and having our conversation there?

2. How should we long for the day of our dissolution, to enter another degree; but especially for that last day, when we shall be made perfect? The Angels have what they shall have, yet in love to God and us, they long to behold our perfection; what should we then do, that shall have the benefit of it?

3. This should teach them that be yet void of grace, to embrace the Gospel, that they may come to this happy estate, else they shall go to one as miserable as this is happy; from which the Lord deliver us.

Verse 13.

Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end, for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

HEre followeth the 2 ^d part of the Epistle, containing matter of Exhortation, built on the foregoing Doctrine. Being begot again to the hope of such an inheritance, and to such salvation, whereinto the very Angels desire to look; they were thereupon to trust steadfastly, (without wavering) to the end, honoring this hope and Gospel by an holy life and conversation, not only renouncing the lusts of the time before their calling, but also living in Sanctification of life, wherein they might resemble God their Father, who being holy, requires that his children should so be; even holy, as he is holy: whence may be noted, That for the building up of God's Church, Doctrine and Exhortation must be joined together. Thus our Savior preached, thus also the Apostles; as the one must inform the judgment, so the other pull on the affections (which are as much or more corrupted then the understanding part) whereby Knowledge, Conscience and Practice may go together.

Knowledge without Zeal is blockishness, as Zeal without knowledge rashness; but better less Knowledge and more Zeal, then more Knowledge and less Zeal or care of obedience. Doctrine without Exhortation, is to set a dull Horse in the way, and not spur him on: Exhortation without Doctrine, is to spur a Horse forwards, before he be put into the way; the one is the Foundation, the other the Building, both which must go together.

Ministers that would go to work indeed, must go with their tools, use both Doctrine and Exhortation; as he that would cleave a knotty Log, must both use Beetle and Wedges, the one without the other would be to no purpose: We must be like careful Messengers, not delivering barely our Masters message, but earnestly entreating on his behalf: We must not bear the air as it were, multiplying words, yea good words, without a ground: Neither must we deliver sound Doctrine strongly proved, so leaving it, but urge and apply it, Practice being the life of all, and people being unapt to make particular Application; yea, it is the principal part of our Ministry, to draw on the will, and to persuade and work upon the affections, for want of which many find but small fruit in their Ministry; for people are grown to that pass, that it is not the excellency and weight of the matter that will move (which for the most part proves but a sound with the most) if it be not whetted by some enforcement of Exhortation.

People also must not only be willing, but glad of this kind of teaching, suffering (as the Apostle speaks) the word of Exhortation; but too too many had rather have general Doctrine, then be called upon to Practice and examination.

In this Verse our Apostle Exhorts to stedfastness in Faith, and to rely and trust on the Salvation, to the hope whereof they had been called by the revelation of Jesus Christ, even the Gospel of Christ, and therefore to remove from them all such impediments as might hinder the same: Those were of two sorts; 1. Such as were in the understanding part, implied in the first part of the Verse: And 2. Such as were in their affections, implied in the latter.

Gird up the loins of your mind,] A borrowed speech from those that wore long garments, which when they went any journey, or were to stir about anything, they were wont to gird up, lest they might be troubled or hindered thereby. The meaning is this, As men do thus gird and truss up their clothes, lest they should be hindered in their work or journey, so shake off all that may hinder you in going your Spiritual journey to Heaven, and doing the work of the Lord. By the loins of the mind, we are to understand all lets in the understanding part, namely, all corrupt opinions about Salvation, contrary to the Word; Those must be reformed, else can we not trust perfectly, or hope to the end. The Jews wanted not theirs, nor we ours: for the Jews, 1. They looked for earthly promotion by Christ, as a Potentate of the world; This could not but much hinder them from trusting in him for Salvation; This they must gather up, if they would profit by him, knowing that he is made of God unto them not ease, riches, &c. but Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption. 2. They did still stick much to Moses his Law and Circumcision: This also hindered them from resting wholly and only upon Christ for Salvation; This also they must tuck up, acknowledging Salvation to be by him alone. 3. They prized not Salvation at so high a rate as they should, and this also was no small let unto Salvation.

For ourselves, How many corrupt conceits be in people's heads that hinder them from Faith? As some think that they be no great offenders, and hope to be saved by good prayers, good meaning, civil life, &c. Others, that its no such hard matter to be saved, but if that men call to God for mercy, they shall do as well at the last, as they that make all the stir: These conceits be as it were the strong Castle of carnal People, whereinto being once got, all that we can say, proves unable to beat them out; Others hope to be saved by Christ, who yet live in their sins; Others think that if they should Repent, and go to Sermons, they should never be merry again: Now these, and such like, must be reformed, finding these lets, we must gird up our loins, and remove them: Nay, even God's good servants that are truly humbled in conscience for sin, and • it to believe, hungering after Christ more then all the world, as desirous to turn to him, yet are held off by some false conceits, O they be unworthy that God should forgive them! Therefore he will not, their sins be too many and too great; and, O if they could sorrow as deeply as some, and serve God as well, then they would hope, &c. and, O they have so many corruptions, and such a rebellious heart, as they know God will not forgive any such; whereas it is not that will hinder, so as our hearts be unfeignedly bent to strive against our corruptions, and serve the Lord in truth.

Neither do the very best prize so highly this Salvation as they ought, we weigh not what God hath done for us in Christ: This is the reason why we walk not more thankfully, joyfully, and zealously; let us gird up these loins, rid ourselves of these impediments, up, and be sound of these points, and whatsoever thought would hinder us from resting on Christ Jesus for Salvation, let us cast it from us, as the blind man did his cloke, when he went to Christ.

Be sober] Sobriety is a virtue that keeps us not only from things unlawful, but moderates us in the use of things lawful, that we exceed not our bounds therein: These may be referred to two heads, Profits, and Pleasures, which we are most subject to abuse, and are therefore dehorted from them.

For the former, which is Pleasure, thereto may be referred meat, drink, apparel, recreation, &c. All which we must use soberly to the glory of the giver, our own good, and the good also of others.

1. For our meat and drink, we must neither be excessive, nor over curious, as Dives that fared deliciously every day, making his belly his God; we must eat to live, and thereby be more fit for duty.

2. For our apparel, we must not exceed for the matter of it, nor for the fashion, God hath given it for necessity, comeliness and decency; it must not be newfangled, either we use it to wantonness or pride.

3. For Recreation, it must be sparing in time, place, measure, to make us more fit for our duty; for God hath not set us here to satisfy and pamper the flesh, but to mortify the lusts thereof; not to play, but to do his work; to this end is Recreation to be used.

1. This rebuketh those that wallow in beastly and unlawful lusts, in whoredom, chambering, wantonness, drunkenness, &c. so in games altogether unlawful, yet many make a practice of these, to whom Solomon's speech would well suit, I said of laughter, thou art madness: For a man to sport at God's dishonor, and their own destruction, is madness: Can we play with nothing but edge tools? the Lord will laugh such to scorn; O turn your beastly pleasures into weeping and wailing.

2. This rebuketh also such as are drunk with lawful things, as some that so glut themselves, and so pamper the body, that they make themselves unfit for any duty; many waste and consume themselves this way, Bodies and Goods, yea, Souls and all: Others also are so curious in their meats, as that nothing can please them, nothing's good enough for them; yea, are more angry for any want this way, then for any sin in themselves or others; they have fat Bodies, but lean Souls: O, think they, this is a goodly life, but indeed it is a swinish life, fitter for beasts then men, most unseemly for a Christian: So for Apparel, they that follow every new fangled Fashion, and are so proud and costly, and so over curious, as they spend no small time in trimming themselves, taking no care to trim their Souls with Christ's Righteousness and Spiritual Graces, How are they to be reprehended? What painted Sepulchers are these? may not an image have gay clothes put on? yet how many spend their precious time and goodly patrimonies about this vanity? So for Recreations, some are so mad on them, as they think and speak of nothing else, as if they were set here to eat and drink, and rise up to play; thus spend they the greatest part of their time.

3. Let us therefore pare away whatsoever super fluity hath been in us in these things, and learn soberly to use these mercies, as the Gospel teacheth us, so as thereby we may ever be made fitter for our duties, and to serve God, and that they may be as a staff in our hand, to help us on in our journey, and this is to walk pilgrim like; be we more careful in feeding, clothing and making merry the Soul.

For the latter, namely profits, we must also be sober, both in getting and keeping them.

We must not only use no unlawful means to get the world, but use the lawful means moderately, not setting our affections upon the world, or being too earnest to compass it, filling ourselves with too many businesses, and following the same too eagerly, lest we neglect good duties, or be hindered from doing them as we should.

1. This condemns those that use flat unlawful means to get the world, swearing, lying, deceiving, oppression, usury, false weights, and the like: These pull a w • upon themselves, besides that they heap up but chaff, which the wind of God's wrath will scatter; God is an avenger of all such things: O what reckonings do these multiply against themselves! What answer shall they make that sell their souls to hell for pelf?

2. This condemns not those only that get thus, but those that follow the world so eagerly, as they mind nothing else; of which sort most are, all day long nothing but of the world, no Prayer, no hearing of the Word; they think and talk of nothing else but the world, Lord's days and all; they think Prayer would be an hindrance, they savor nothing but of the earth; they make more account of their old Shoes, then they do of a Sermon, they prize not such things; when they are called to the Wedding Feast, they have Farms and Oxen to hinder them, or if they come, all runs over, for they be full already, or as the Pharisees, mock at that they hear, or if they hear with joy, the thorns (worldly cares) quickly choke it; O this world undoeth most men! its an enemy, but not of itself, but by reason of our sottishness and drunkenness, that cannot moderate ourselves, but take too much of it, and wound ourselves many ways; What will it profit them in the end to have embraced this strumpet? she will serve us as Delilah did Sampson, deprive us of our strength, and give us into our enemies hands, and as Jael the Wife of Heber did by Sisera; thus will she serve her favorites.

3. Learn we to be wise indeed, laying up a treasure in heaven, and laboring for meat that endureth to everlasting life, For what will it profit a man to win the whole world, if he shall lose his own soul? O that God's good servants should be so encumbered with the world? O that that these base things should beguile and ensnare those that are born from above, to the hope of so great glory! Many good Christians are half drunk, they are unfit for good duties, cannot mind heaven, from Monday morning till Saturday night, and it is well if they be sober on the Lord's day; many be not, but let both their hearts and tongues be employed on the world, who yet count themselves Christians.

O what excellent Christians would some be, were it not for the world! but how doth it mar many, keep them from good duties, weigh down their minds? its that wherewith they are too easily beset.

O let's wind up our plummets (as the clock-keeper) once every day, keep our minds from being weighed down with the world; we must set apart some time to draw up our mind, especially Saturday night, not letting them down all the day following: We must so use the world, as not to run into evil for it, neither to neglect any duty to God, our Souls, our Families, our Neighbors, the Poor, or any other, we must use it to further us, as the Pilgrim doth his staff: Learn we to prize Spiritual graces, which are the only current coin in the Country we are going to; yet is not the seeking of God's Kingdom the way to hinder us of that which is meet, but rather the only furtherer: would we have more then will do us good? But if we shall have less of the world, are we not more then enough recompensed, if we shall have more peace of Conscience, more credit here, more favor with God, more joy in death?

Hope to the end, for the grace, &c.] This is the main Exhortation to constancy in the Faith, to the which the other two former Exhortations served as furtherances; others read the words thus, Trust perfectly on that Grace, &c. Where we have three things, 1. What they are exhorted to, namely, To trust: 2. How, Perfectly: and 3. On what, Grace; That is, Salvation; which is described by the means how they came by it, It was brought them, and that by the Gospel which revealeth Jesus Christ.

1. They are exhorted to trust and believe in Christ for Salvation; Faith is a particular assurance, that whatsoever Christ hath done, he hath done it for me: This is to put on Christ, to eat and drink his flesh and blood; It hath three parts: 1. Knowledge of the mystery of Salvation. 2. Consent. 3. Particular Application: This is the instrument of our Salvation, and puts a difference between justifying and temporary Faith, what else soever a man hath, there's no Salvation promised to it; This the mother of all true joy and peace, The mother of all obedience, and good life: See it in Abraham's offering up his Son; Hereby we are induced to do or suffer anything for Christ: This we must labor to come to, when we feel our misery, and desire to come out of it, and hunger after Christ: we ought to believe that we shall be saved, This is the will of God (saith our Savior) that ye believe in him, &c. God is willing and de • irous we should believe; The commandment of the Gospel is so, and its commandments are as necessary to be obeyed as those of the Law, He that believeth, hath put to his seal that God is true: Its therefore our fault, that being come to the birth as it were, we stand still and do not believe, when God hath made us fit to believe; either raze your selves out of the number of weary loaden sinners, &c. or else believe you shall be refreshed, and are pardoned in Christ.

2. They are willed perfectly to trust; namely, 1. Sincerely without feigning. 2. Stedfastly without wavering. 3. Constantly without breaking off. Sincerely, nor feinedly, but so believe as we have ground out of God's Word for it: many say, they hope to be saved, and this is all; but put them to prove why, and whereon their persuasion is grounded, they can say nothing: Can you prove it out of God's Word? What promise have you thence? if you have, then its well, else its Presumption, not Faith. Try it by the fruits of Humiliation, and by the fruits of Sanctification, by thy love to the Word and Saints. Stedfastly, without wavering, we must not be off and on, we hope well, but we cannot tell; God's promise is not yea and nay, but most certain and infallible, so that we may be out of all doubt: To this purpose its called assurance of Faith, and (as Abraham ) we are willed to ask in Faith, and not to waver: Its true, no man's faith is so perfect, but there may be sometimes some doubtings, but they are not of the nature of Faith, but being from our corrupt nature, are contrary thereunto.

1. This condemns the Papists, that tell us we may be of a good hope, but are great enemies to assurance; we may be assured, say they, in respect of God, but in respect of ourselves we cannot; he being faithful, changeth not, but we are weak and variable, may be well now, but by and by fall; a tormenting Doctrine: If we look to our selves, we need not doubt, but despair rather; and God hath not promised Salvation to us upon condition of our constancy, as to Adam, but of his unchangeable love, he will never leave us, but finish the good work he hath begun in us; yea, say the Papists, if we hold out: What a foolish repetition is this? God will do great things for us, if we continue; what were this to us, if we were left to ourselves? nay, he will give us a mind to continue, and so do all these things for us.

2. This reproves even good honest humble Souls, that long after Christ, and hate sin with a deadly hatred, and have many excellent things in them, and yet stand at a stay; they would not for all the world, but hope that God will have mercy, but cannot be assured: Why, Is not God faithful? hath he not said, that such and such shall be saved? shall he say it, and not do it? God forbid.

O am I so unworthy.

Therefore he will have mercy on thee; if thou didst not feel and bewail that, he would not care for thee.

O my sins be so great.

Is his mercy only able to take away small ones, or the blood of Christ only for lesser offenses? take heed.

O but its not for me.

He names thee not; but faith he not, All weary and heavy loaden ones shall be eased? all that take up his yoke, shall find rest to their Souls? excludes he any? exclude not thyself.

O but I have such a corrupt heart, and offend him every day.

But how dost thou like thy sins? I hare them, they are as gall to my mouth, I desire to be rid of them, &c. Why, then be of good comfort, no better sign of a child of God, then that thou strivest to mortify them, and to please God: There is none free from corruption, yet if thou fightest this Spiritual combat, thou mayest believe and be thankful; therefore this do, strive against thy corruptions all thou canst, and labor to reform more and more, and then shalt not thou need to doubt of thy Salvation. Lay the foundation of thy Salvation once sure, and never raze it more; if there be any fault in the roof, be mending it, but let the foundation he still: Imitate thy Father Abraham, God promised him a Child, What did he? he neither looked on his own old age, nor the deadness of Sarah's Womb, but looked on the promise of God: So do we look, not on this or that, our own unworthiness, or what Satan saith, but on God's promise; If the Devil do but put into your head, you shall not be saved, it shall prevail more then all we can say out of God's Word; fie upon it: Is not he a liar, and a murderer from the beginning? Doth he not tell them that have no Faith, that they have, as them that have it, that they have none; Cleave to one testimony of God's mouth, and let all the temptations to the contrary be gone: Renounce Thousands of them, and stick to the promise.

O but I feel it not.

No, how canst thou, when thou wiltst not believe; believe first, and thou shalt feel after, but though thou shouldst not feel of a good while, yet believe the promise of God, constantly without breaking off; believe tomorrow as today, next year as this, we have good leave, God is the same, so shall we with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, die in the Faith.

Therefore use all good means to continue it and increase it, hear diligently, receive the Sacrament carefully, pray continually, always keep a good Conscience▪ Wood is not more necessary and apt to nourish fire, then good works and well doing to nourish Faith: Also observe the dealings of God, and grow by your own experience: Many that have believed, and were very earnest in their beginning till they got it; after, growing secure and worldly, and withal neglecting the means, have (with David ) fallen into someone sin or other, thereby losing the peace and comfort they formerly enjoyed: A great loss indeed, more then if a man were stripped of all to his shirt. O lets take heed of this loss, as we are to be wise as Serpents, so let us show our Serpentine wisdom in this one thing especially. The Serpent will be sure (so much as in her lies) to save her head; so must we our Faith, for on this hangs all: and if by any means we have fallen therefrom, recover we ourselves by all means possible.

3. That which they are to hope for or trust on, is Grace, that is, Salvation: Every benefit is grace, but to be delivered out of our lost and undone state, and brought again into the favor of God, and saved, is a most special grace. Our Election is of grace, so our Redemption, so our effectual Calling.

1. This condemns the Papists, that teach partly Grace, partly Works: No, these cannot be mingled, either all or none; they be as contrary as light and darkness, honey and gall, else were grace no more grace. To join anything with Christ, is to pervert the Gospel: They now begin to be ashamed, and mince this Opinion, saying, We be saved most by Grace, yet partly by Works; and, that these Works be died in the Blood of Christ; and, that it is most safe to rest on his merits alone: Well, God make them so ashamed, as altogether to renounce it, and so let us in the mean time.

2. Let us serve the Lord with a cheerful and constant love and service, for his free favor to us all the days of our life.

3. Shew we grace and favor to others, not to such as have deserved well of us, but even to such as have not, nay ill, as we had of God.

Grace] That is, Salvation. See, he calls their minds from looking for earthly preferment by Christ, whereunto they had a lingering mind, and calls them to look for Spiritual riches, even Salvation by him. What are we then to expect by Christ, and by professing the Gospel zealously? not Wealth, Honor, Peace, Credit in the world, but pardon of our sins, freedom from Hell and God's wrath, peace of Conscience, joy in the holy Ghost, that our persons and works shall please God, Angels to be our guard, our Prayers to be heard, our Souls at death to be carried into heaven, both our Bodies & Souls to be glorified at the great day; Will this satisfy us? Hereof we may be assured, if we believe in Christ, and zealously embrace the Gospel. As for other things, his Kingdom is not of this world, he promiseth not plenty, peace, ease, &c. He had them not himself, but (contrarily) troubles, as all shall have that live godly in him.

This teacheth us to lay our hand upon our heart, when we go about to profess, we know what we shall find, but it may be sorrow withal; if we can be content so, then may we go forward, else not. Many having gone on in profession not so advisedly, and after having found the wind and tide against profession, and reproach, trouble and danger for the same, have shrunk away, and with Demas, have forsaken Paul, and embraced the present world: Others seeing how hardly such be dealt with, though in their conscience they think best of such, yet keep in their heads, thinking that its best sleeping in a whole skin: But alas, they make but a weak choice; were they not better have these heavenly comforts and privileges here, and be acknowledged of Christ, and saved at the great day, though with some sorrows here, then to make the world their friend, and God their enemy, and to have him ashamed of them at that day, as he will? for we cannot have it go on our side now and then too.

That is to be brought unto you] God tarried not till they sought Salvation, but he of his goodness brought it them, which he useth here as an Argument to persuade them to trust steadfastly to this Salvation, and look accordingly for it, because God would bring them to the Faith of it, when they thought not thereof.

Note here, That

Salvation is not of our own procuring or seeking: Alas, what could Adam and we in him do? we could fall, but what then towards our Salvation? we could run and hide ourselves, and excuse our sin, and increase our danger, but God was fain to bring him the seed of the woman, he could not make himself an help, a wife (for God made and brought her to him) much less a Savior. So, whats the reason he hath given us the Gospel in this Land, and not to our Forefathers, not to many other Lands? we sought it not, but when Idolaters in darkness, God brought it. So have we not been brought by marriage or by Service into Towns where we have had the Word, when we purposed no such thing? So to our hearts, what were any of us when God called us? Did we seek him? Alas no, we ran from him rather, long ere we yielded, but he followed us, and overcame us: See it in Saul, did he seek Salvation? he was going to Damascus to persecute, God brought it him; so to Zacchaeus, the Goaler, &c. so we.

This teacheth us,

1. To be humble.

2. To be exceeding thankful all the days of our life.

3. To rest confidently on him for the time to come, in the experience of that we have had; as thus, That he that brought us Salvation, the Word to us, or us to it, and gave us to see our misery, long after Christ, have some taste of his love, and some desire to please him that were far from these, he will continue this, and will never leave us: Thus the Apostle reasons; But God commendeth his love towards us, &c. So Jacob in danger of Esau, He came over Jordan with his staff, and God had given him two bands, therefore he was persuaded to rely on God for present deliverance; for why (might he say) I am persuaded thou hast not done all this for me, to be lost in an instant, as an ox should lick up a flower, or a candle be put out at once. We use not God's mercies well, when we grow not stronger by them for time to come.

4. Comfort to a fearful heart, that fears he shall not hold out, or that God will cast him away: O its impossible, did he bring thee Salvation that regarded it not? and now hath given thee an heart to prize it above the world, and to walk in the way to it, will he now disappoint thee? No assuredly: If he would not have saved thee, he would have let thee alone as thy companions and many others, and never have done this for thee.

O but the Devil is so strong and subtle, and I so weak and simple.

He that hath plucked thee out of his hands, will never suffer him to get thee captive again; It were else a disgrace to Christ: Except therefore he be stronger then God and Christ, thou needest not fear.

At the revelation of Jesus Christ.] He plucks these Jews from Moses Law, and the Ceremonies which were out of date, (but they could hardly be so persuaded) and brings them to the Gospel which discovers Christ: He was in that Law covered with Vails of Sacrifices and Ceremonies, &c. All these be done away in the Gospel, where Christ is laid open without any covering. Note,

We have the excellency of the Gospel, that doth uncover and lay open Christ Jesus unto us, brings us tidings of him, who is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and the only Savior of the world; So that the Gospel is the glory of the World: The Sun is not so necessary in the Firmament, as the Gospel is to the world: This teacheth us Christ, which is life eternal, and St. Paul desired to know nothing, but Christ and him crucified, and counted all dung for the excellent knowledge of Christ Jesus his Lord: O how welcome should this be! It is well called glad tidings, so it is indeed: The Gospel is our pardon. If we should find evidences of great Lands and Inheritances to come to us, or a Will wherein were bequeathed great Legacies to us, how glad would we be of the same? How often would we revise and read them over? The Gospel brings us tidings, and tells us the way to come to an everlasting inheritance, and therein are bequeathed such blessed Legacies, Item, I give thee forgiveness of thy sins by my Sons death; Item, Eternal life by his obedience. Item; I give thee assurance that thou shalt be raised here from sin, and that thy body shall be raised at the last day by my Sons Resurrection; Item, I give thee assurance of a place in Heaven by my Sons Ascension.

1. Is it not a marvel then that the Gospel is so hardly entertained? and that the World cares so little for it? Its welcome to most people, not as if it brought them news of a blessing, but as if it would spoil them of all they have.

2. How should they that want it be set on work to labor to get it? as without which there's no Salvation; Its light, food, armor, without which darkness, famine, spoil: If the Sun should be wanting to a Town, and could be procured, how would all join to get it? Or rain for a dry and barren ground; who would not wonder at any that should be against it? yet who joins, who labors for the Gospel.

3. If the Gospel be the revelation of Jesus Christ, then are the Ministers revealers of this blessed Secret, therefore worthy to be acknowledged for their works sake, for the greatness of their work, and the excellency thereof: Pharaoh reverenced and advanced Joseph for smaller matters; O how beautiful are the feet of such: Most people either rate them, or at least set light by them, not reverencing their calling, but esteeming them more base then the meanest Tradesman; But that grieves us not so much, as that unkindeness that we meet with from them, from whom we look for most comfort and encouragement.

Verse 14.

As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance.

TO Faith he addeth Repentance and Sanctification, by the one to testify the other, (as in the second Epistle, he wills them to add unto their Faith, virtue ) as if he should say, You that sometimes were the Children of wrath, and are now by grace made God's Children, walk obediently as becomes such a mercy.

This Sanctification hath two parts: and stands, 1. In renouncing evil, or the lusts, which (before grace) we were wont to be led by. 2. In putting on, and embracing holiness of life, that we may resemble the disposition of our Father who is holy, and looks for holiness in his; yea, holiness in all manner of conversation.

For the order, first goes Faith, then Obedience and Sanctification; for as the light and Sun-beams comes from the Sun, a river from the Spring head, fruit from the tree, so doth obedience from Faith: Till a man be pardoned and believe, he cannot repent nor obey the will of God, no more then a dead stick can bring forth fruit. When by Faith we are engrafted into Christ, then we receive power, not before; one that hath never been humbled aright for sin, cannot hate and fly from sin as he should: He that seeth not the love of God to him, cannot love God, nor set upon a good life; to deny his lusts, being as dear as his life, and to yield obedience, is irksome to nature: for this cause the Devil is such an enemy to our Faith, and labors to shake it, for then he knows he damps our care of a good life.

1. This condemns Papists, that boast of holiness of life, and yet overthrow the foundation of it, ( viz. ) A true justifying faith: They may stir up good moods, and a blind devotion, by scaring men with the pains of hell, and telling them of the joys of heaven, but no sound Obedience, godly Life, renouncing Lusts, &c. without the work of Faith, from that will be Obedience, even to suffering.

2. It confutes them that think Repentance is before Faith; they are indeed wrought at once, and Repentance showeth itself first, but in order of nature, Faith is as the root: Many humble souls hold off, and dare not believe, O say they, if I could repent so heartily as I see some, and could serve God as I would, then I could believe.

3. It teacheth men, that if ever they will set upon a good life indeed, and in time, they must begin at the right end, and lay a foundation of true justifying faith; for want of this, many deceive themselves that have some purpose to do well, being afflicted, or somewhat stirred at the Word, and fall out of a bad course, to leave this and that evil, or take up good duties; and many that never had experience of the work of Faith, that think they live well, or some that upon some occasion thus promise, You shall never hear me swear more, I will never play more, Never come in an Alehouse; yet this lasts not, but they fall to their old byase by and by, because they took not the right course: Many also purpose to repent, and do great matters, but this is a greater matter then the world thinks off; a man must first be the child of God, ere he can obey, and Faith must be wrought first, ere he can come to true repentance; therefore put it not off, its not the work of a day, or sickness the fittest time to be allotted thereto, but constantly to be set upon, till we shall attain thereunto.

As obedient children] Or children of obedience, that is, given to obedience, and studying thereto with all their might of body and soul, as if you could imagine obedience to be a creature, and a mother that had children, resembling herself, so must we be; the contrary hereof is elsewhere expressed, Children of disobedience, that is, given over unto all disobedience, and in other places the like phrases, and to the same purpose are used, see 1 Kings 21. 5. Psal. 50. 18, 19. Mat. 7. 23.

Hereunto the Apostle exhorteth, for that they were called to be children, which strongly enforceth this duty of obedience.

Obedience is that which God still calls for, which he doth again and again require at our hands; its better then sacrifice, as contrarily, rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. The Israelites (doubtless) spake well, But O that there were such an heart in them (saith God) that they would fear me, and keep my commandments always: Neither hearing the Word, nor knowing or speaking of it, pleaseth God, without obeying; nothing else can comfort our Souls and Consciences in death; nothing else can approve us to be the servants of the Lord, or that we love him, or that we shall continue to the end, His sheep hear his voice, and follow him.

For the manner of our obedience:

1. We must obey, not to halves, or where we lift, but in all things, not as Saul or Herod, Nadab and Abihu; there were the same persons, incense, censers, altar that should be, only the fire was not the same, who therefore were punished by fire from heaven.

2. We must not on the other side run without our errand, nor do things whereof we have no commandment; this is no obedience, be it never so costly or painful, have it never so goodly a show: And here falls to the ground all Will-worship of the Papist, to whom it will be said, Who required these things at your hands? as also all good intents without warrant of the actions: How was God displeased with them that offered their sons and daughters to the fire, having no such commandment from him.

Moreover, we must obey the Commandment of the Lord, be it never so strange, harsh, unpleasing, or contrary to Nature, denying ourselves contrary to custom, though all the world counsel to the contrary: and that not indenting or covenanting with the Lord beforehand for wages or success; as to say, I would do such a thing, so I thought no hurt would come of it, or that I should thrive in that course, or that I should not meet with trouble: no, we must follow the Lord, as the blind man follows the staff of his leader, and chooseth not his own way. Thus did Abraham in forsaking his own Country at God's Commandment in his old age; it was his Native Country, that wherein he had lived so long, he was to go he knew not whether: He had questionless contrary counsels of his Neighbors, What a mad man are you to remove now, and seek a new dwelling in your old age; you are here known, here are your Kindred, you know the Country, and have thriven: Its as if one should remove a tree that hath grown long in place, into another place when its old: Well, for all those he persisted in his obedience to God's Commandment.

The Jesuits train up their Scholars in strange obedience, as that they must do whatsoever their Superiors bid them, and that speedily without questioning; as to water a rotten tree, to pour a vessel of good wine into a gutter, to set trees with the roots upward, &c. when his Superior calls him to go in an instant, and not to stay to make up the circle of an O; when he is writing and made the one part of it, he must not stay to make up the other part: They to justify this, and provoke to obedience, tell a miracle, That one thus called of his Superior, and leaving his O in the midst half made, at his return found it made up a perfect O, and so gilded, that it shined, &c. Such obedience owe we to God, and these rules be very good, so as the Commanders and Commandments were good. We must obey God directly, and never cast about beforehand what shall be the end, we must leave it to him, and to obey him must needs fall out well. Abraham did not amiss, but sped well in obeying God: So Noah and the rest. Abraham never shifted for himself, but twice about his wife, and he was like then to have spoiled himself, if God had not helped him out of the briars; So Jonah: Our own Devices never succeed, though never so likely. But we have such reaches beforehand, that mar our obedience: Oh, if I were ruled by the Preacher, I should not thrive by plain dealing, nor wax rich; or if I should leave such a course, or such a course, I should be poor; If I should do thus and thus, I should come to trouble: but let us do our duty, and let the Lord alone for his part to look to us; in obeying him we cannot do amiss. The wicked will leave their sin a little while it may be, through Sickness, or Fear, or Counsel, as the Dog that is beat from the Carrion, or called away, yet hath a Dogs eye back again after it, and will be at it again, as soon as one's back is turned; yea, and if haply they give good words, yet will not their doings be answerable.

3. We must obey without reasoning the case, or consulting with flesh and blood; we must bind Reason hand and foot to follow God (as it were) blindfold, as Abraham in offering Isaac, and Joshua in compassing Jericho, and not as Naaman the Syrian: Our Reason proves a very great enemy to obedience.

4. We must obey, whosoever or whatsoever be against it: If Profits, Pleasure, Farm, Oxen, &c. calls us away, and God invite us, we must follow him, else have we no part in him: If Father, Mother, Friend, nay the Wife of our bosom entice us from him, we must not give ear to them; nay, if our right hand, eye, or foot offend us, we must cut them off and obey God. He that hates not father and mother, wife and children, yea his own life for my names sake (saith our Savior) is not worthy of me; yea, if any should command and threaten us contrary to our obedience unto God, we must not yield to them, but rather obey God then them.

5. Speedily, not hereafter, but today, while it is called today, &c. not repent hereafter, when I have taken my pleasure a while longer, hear Sermons when I am thus rich, have Prayer in my Family when such businesses and lets be over; nay, thou mayest be dead, or meet with more ere they be gone.

6. Voluntarily, not be hailed only by pain and misery, as Pharaoh; God loves a cheerful servant.

7. Constantly, not for a while, as Joash, but as Caleb and Joshua followed the Lord to the end, yea when most revolted: See the contrary punished in the Prophet that came from Bethel. We must not be weary in well doing.

Reasons hereof may be these:

[ 1] 1. God's Sovereignty over us, we Clay, he our Maker.

2. His Will a rule of Righteousness. [ 2]

3. His great mercies every way, even to the worst, but to his children [ 3] wonderful ones.

1. This condemns them that are so far from obeying, and that in all things, and after this manner, that they will obey in nothing, but as if they were set to cross the Lord, what he forbids, they love, what he enjoins, they cannot away withal: They live like masterless men, as if they ought nothing to any, were beholding to none; What, art thou not a piece of Clay, the Lord thy Maker? even he that threw Angels out of Heaven, Adam out of Paradise, opened the Earth, rained down fire and brimstone on Sodom, &c. If his Sovereignty move thee not, consider, I beseech thee, his Goodness; Who hath nourished thee up? given thee a comely body, a reasonable Soul, and so long kept thee, that thou art not now in Hell? Whats all this for, that thou shouldst fly in his face that gives thee bread? He lets thee hear his Word, calls thee to Repentance, &c. Is it that thou shouldst tread these things under thy feet? Oh, thou art of thy father the Devil, whose works thou dost; and except thou fall down at the Lord's footstool, and humble thyself before him, he will confound thee▪ O consider this, all ye that now forget God.

2. It condemns such also as obey God to halves, and in what they list, in the mean time lying still in some beloved lust; So Pharaoh obeyed, so Herod and Saul: But as Moses would not part with one hoof, so will not God have us cast off any one Commandment; God will have no parting Stakes: The Devil, like the Harlot, would be contented with the one half, but God, like the true Mother, will have all or none. If God were so revenged of half-obedience under the Law, what then now? This halving is an Argument of no true Faith, for that purifieth the heart; also of no Repentance, for he that repents truly of one sin, repents truly of all: Whosoever therefore thou art that dost thus, thou art in the gall of bitterness, and bond of iniquity, thou art in the state of damnation. If thou livest in the practice and love of one known sin, profitable or pleasing, this one shall be enough to sink thee down to destruction, as one leak in a Ship may endanger the whole, and one gate in a City open let in the Enemy.

3. This rebukes the servants of God that yet walk not in that obedience that were meet, but leave undone this and that duty, slighting over others, and letting loose their affections and lusts; O this is not the cheerful and constant obedience that we ought to perform in all things. If neither his Authority, nor his outward Benefits will move us, consider we his love towards us in Jesus Christ, that of children of wrath he hath made us his children, that by giving his Son, he hath freed us from Damnation, and means to save us: Oh, the Name of Children calls for much obedience, as the Name of Brethren should still all Controversy. And this is the Argument which the Apostle here useth to persuade to obedience: Oh, we be God's Children, Children ought to obey their Parents, there's nothing more uncomely then the contrary, much more we the Father of our Spirits: Christ the natural Son was obedient to the death, How obedient then must we be, being but adopted ones?

Again, That he hath called us to the hope of such an Inheritance, what obedience doth this challenge? For this is the force of the coherence of Verse 13. with those that go before. Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, &c. That is, Seeing God hath done such and such things for us, let us trust perfectly on that grace that is brought unto us, and walk obediently: Yea, the more we profit in obedience, the more comfort we may have, that we be the Lord's, and have true Faith; the more will our comfort be also in our death: So many of us therefore, as can prove ourselves the Lord's, do we labor to walk worthy hereof in all due obedience; and for others that know not they are the Lord's, let them try it by obedience.

Many Covetous, Usurers, Oppressors, Swearers, &c. will say, they believe: no, be tried by this rule, If your heart stand to obey all God's commandments, it is so; but while you live in anything you know is sin, you are void of Faith.

Other poor humble Christians that hate sin deadly, and unfeignedly desire to please God in all things, yet say, they cannot believe; Why? who hath wrought these things in you? Not flesh and blood, they are the gifts of God's sanctifying Spirit, therefore they come from Faith; as if we see a Sun-beam, we say, the Sun is risen; if an Apple that is good, we say, there is a good Tree: Except therefore you will say that men can gather Figs of Thistles, or Grapes of Thorns, you cannot deny but that you have Faith; wheresoever Sanctification is, there Faith went before; O but I find it but weak, yet as long as it is in truth, with desire of increase, it presupposes Faith: as if we see a Sun-beam, though but dimly, yet we say, the Sun is up, after it will shine out more clearly: So we say, its a good Tree, though the fruit be small at first, so long as it is good.

If any shall say, I feel in me no such thing now, therefore I have no Faith, what shall become of me?

Was it ever so with thee? Look to the time past, and thou must not deny the mercy of God shown thee: Thou canst not deny, but it hath been so, then thou hast had Faith, then hast thou Faith still, though it seem raked up in the ashes: when thou with the bellows of Prayer and the Word, and God with his Spirit shall blow away these ashes, it will uncover itself, and burn out again.

Not fashioning yourselves, &c.] There are two parts of Obedience, or Repentance, a dying unto sin, and a living unto righteousness; a renouncing of lusts, and embracing holiness; a ceasing to do evil, and a learning to do well; an abhorring of that which is evil, and cleaving to that which is good; a putting off of the old man, and putting on of the new; he that hath the one, hath also the other, they are married by the Lord, and none can divorce them: Therefore if any man seem to have the one, and not the other, he hath neither in truth: If therefore any leave evil, and do not good, or if any do some good, and hate not all evil, he is but an hypocrite.

For the order here used, he sets renouncing of our lusts first, before embracing of holiness; men put off their old rags, ere they can put on new apparel; purge the stomach of ill humors, ere they take good nourishment; dig up the weeds, ere they sow or set herbs: so in this case.

Where therefore there remaineth the love of any lust or sin, there is no true grace in that heart, neither will any grow till that be rooted out, God will not plant any of his grace there, till the Devils planting be plucked up. Many think they be Christians, and do many things well, though they keep the love of some sin; no, mark, the love of grace and goodness, and the love of any sin, cannot be in one heart, they are so contrary the one to the other; therefore while thou livest in any known sin, and lovest any lust, as sure as God is in heaven thou art an hypocrite, and let me perish if there be one dram of true grace in thee, but thou standest in the state of damnation.

Therefore renounce and bid adieu to thy lusts; and seeing you make a profession, and do many things, will you lose heaven for your lust, for one sin? so run that you may obtain, lose not heaven for a little, make either something or nothing of thy profession, banish from thee all sin, that God may work some true grace in thy heart.

In your ignorance] He fathers their following of lusts on their ignorance; and ignorance is the cause and root of a wicked and bad life: For till men know the will of God out of his Word, how can they do it? and what are we prone to by nature, but to all the evil in the world? Therefore the devil labors by all means to hold people in blindness, & of all books, hath most been an enemy to the Bible, and to sincere and diligent reading and preaching the Scriptures, for were those away, he knows all iniquity must needs abound, as there did in Popery, when people were nuzled up in blindness; O what abundance of sin was committed? but it did not so much appear, because they were in the dark, and the light of God's word discovers sin, which was then very rare: As if one come into an house at midnight, he • ees no faults, but when the morning comes, then he sees a number of things out of order; so in this clear light of the Gospel, we see the wickedness that then appeared not in the dark. Whether will not our nature run? and whether may not the devil and world lead one, when he hath no eyes to see whether he goes? The blind eats many a fly, and a man may lead a blind man into the deepest pit. As the Raven first picks out the Lambs eyes, and then kills it at his pleasure, when it cannot see to escape away, so doth the devil by people: Ignorance is often compared to darkness, and they that go in the dark often stumble, fall, and hurt themselves: Sampson when blind, was led to anything, as to grind, to make Sports, &c.

1. This teacheth us to desire that the clear light of the Word may shine more and more brightly into all places of this land, for there are many places that have either no preaching, or else very seldom; So as for want of knowledge, people wallow in a number of lusts most fearfully, the Lord's day most grievously Profaned, preachers slighted, &c.

2. Every Minister is to endeavor to the utmost of his power, to bring their people to the knowledge of their duty, that so they may be either truly converted, or at least hereby restrained.

3. People are to labor for knowledge, else they must needs be captives of many lusts: Think not as many do, because ye are poor and not book-learned, therefore you shall be held excused; many think their very ignorance shall be a good plea, because they know nothing, God will hold them excused: Is light come into the world, and shall men's sin (their ignorance) hold them excused? its otherwise.

4. All parents are to have a special care, where and in what Towns and houses they place their children; they must place them where they may learn to know God, to discern between good and evil, and if it prevail not with them by and by, yet there's hope it shall lie as seed in their hearts, that will shoot up in time.

But how can he say, In their ignorance, seeing they were well instructed and expert in the Law, having it read among them daily? and had they not good knowledge in the Law, and in the Prophets? True, yet he justly calls them ignorant; 1. Because though they were so cunning in the Law and Prophets, yet they knew not Jesus Christ, the end of the Law, and so the sum of all. 2. Their knowledge was only in their brain, and not effectual in their hearts to renew and reform them, but they were carried away by their lusts, notwithstanding of their knowledge.

1. Then all the knowledge in the world without the knowledge of Christ Jesus, is nothing: If a man could measure the heavens, tell the number of the stars, had skill in all Arts and Sciences whatsoever, yet without the knowledge of Christ it were vanity. Paul knew much being brought up at the feet of Gamaliel, But he counted all things else loss and dung for the excellent knowledge of Christ Jesus; He desired to know nothing but Christ Jesus, and him crucified. If a man were the wisest in a County to arbitrate and compound controversies, yet all this were nothing without the knowledge of Christ.

2. All the knowledge of the world, if it reform not a man, is but ignorance; So much a man knows as he obeys: That is not knowledge that is in the brain, but that which soaketh down into the heart, and transformeth a man into the similitude thereof; so much men know, as they mortify their lusts: He that lives after his lusts, let him have never such store of knowledge, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know: what if a man know he should not Swear, Lye, commit Adultery, &c. yet doing these is he any whit the better? Is he not rather much worse? Yea, the Devil himself hath more knowledge then any man: The world wonders many times to see men of great knowledge do such and such things: Alas, Knowledge and Conscience are two several things, and often sundered in the subject.

1. Then, let no man boast of his Knowledge: Many love to hear themselves talk, but look what power they have over their lusts, what mastery over their affections.

2. Do not we labor so much for knowledge, as for the power of it; Therefore when we have heard a Sermon, let's not content our selves that we can repeat it, have a good memory and utterance, but by ourselves pray earnestly, and travel upon our hearts, that it may effectually work in us: A little well learned of an humble Soul, craving to be ruled by it, is better then much that a vain bragger can repeat, that will be ruled in nothing but when he list.

But he would not have them live now they had Knowledge, as they did in Ignorance, and now God having wrought in them the hope of eternal life, he would have them walk far otherwise then they did ere they had this; being called out of the world, they were not to live after the corrupt manners thereof. Men and women would be loath to be seen abroad in such attire as they go in on nights; were it not a gross thing for any to do their work as badly by day light as in the dark night?

People therefore that live under the Word, must not do as they did before they heard it: Why may we not do this or that, will some say? we do but as we have done, and as other Towns do? well, is it not enough if upon your true humiliation God pardon the time of your ignorance, though he now expect obedience? and so must you now obey, else your sin will be great, and ye must be beaten with the more stripes: will God look that your work should be done no better then theirs that have no light, when he allows you candle? our conversation must be such as becometh the Gospel.

So for Christians that have received assurance of God's love, and entered covenant with God, they must not yield to their lusts as others, to whom God hath not shown such mercy, or as themselves did before they knew God in Christ Jesus: they must not be as worldly now as before they knew God to be their Father, and that there was a better inheritance for them; as proud now of apparel, following every fangle, as before they knew the true apparel of Christ's righteousness, & to be decked with grace to be the best attire; as froward as before they had the Spirit to refuse these corruptions; they must not backbite, slander, talk of other men's faults, rejoice in their infirmities, as they did in the time of their ignorance; they must not talk of worldly matters on the Lord's day, as they were wont ere they knew the holiness thereof, and what a strict rest & observation God requireth; nor follow gaming, as before when they knew no better mirth; nor be so vain in talk, as before they knew it to be a fault, & as carnal persons be: Then what singular thing do we? We must be now as much altered in our behavior, as our case, we hope, is altered from top to toe; as from being heirs of wrath, to be heirs of heaven: Kings sons and daughters must not live as every ordinary base person, nor God's Chrildren as Worldlings. Let us therefore so many as have given our names to Christ indeed, and know ourselves delivered out of this evil world, and are assured that God is our Father, and we his children, walk as it becometh children of such a Father, and such an hope of so glorious an inheritance, not avoiding gross and outward ungodliness only, but resisting our own lusts; for Christians must make an account they have themselves, their own very hearts to strive against: Our adversary is in our bosom and bowels, no marvel then if our strife be somewhat hard, for our crown after our victory is wonderful great.

Verse 15.

But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.

Verse 16.

Because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy.

HEre's the other part of Sanctification, namely, The affirmative, which showeth what we must do; this must necessarily be added to the former: so that its not enough that we fashion not ourselves to our former lusts, but we must also be holy. Our Savior Christ cursed not the fig-tree because it bare bad fruit, to poison them that came by, but because it bare none; as that also for which the dresser of the vineyard pleaded: Every tree that brings not forth good fruit, is hewn down; The bad servant bound hand and foot, not for rioting out his talent, but for not well employing it; so on the day of judgment shall it be said, Go ye cursed, &c. not for casting me into prison, but not visiting me therein, &c.

This is the more to be urged, because a great many as long as they be not hurtful, think themselves in a very good case as can be, though in the mean while they do no good: They do hurt to none; alas, this is but half, God forbidding an evil, commands a contrary good: what if one do not that which is forbidden, and yet leave the duty commanded? what obedience is this?

Let a number that think they have repented, and a number of civil persons try themselves by this: You have left, or do keep no ill company, but do you care for and delight in good company? alas, a number have no savor nor mind to such: You do not profane the Lord's Day, but do you carefully sanctify it publicly and privately? You have banished Cards and Dice out of your house, or never had any, but have you entertained Reading and Prayer in their stead? banished the Devil, and entertained God in his room? you are peaceable, and not boisterous and spritish in your Family, but do you any good? So, its not sufficient that we drive none from God and his Word, and well doing, by mocking or any other discouragement, but provoke one another to goodness, the Husband the Wife, Parents their Children, Masters their Servants; and so on the contrary, Wives their Husbands, &c.

Its not sufficient to say, I hinder them not; this shows only, thou art not so bad as some, but proves not that thou art indeed good: So many in a Town think it enough if they do no hurt in it, but they will sleep in a whole skin: But they must not only haunt no Alehouses, or be disordered, but seek to suppress such as be; else if they gather not with Christ, they scatter; if not with him, then against him: for this Meroz; was cursed. How a number of rich men in Towns can shift this curse, I know not: O what evil is this that ye do? Too many are content to let goodness go by; they are no enemies to good Ministers or people, &c. but they will do nothing to procure the Gospel to a Town, or to hold it where it is, but if we have any truth in us, we will, though we meet with hard measure for our labor; Christ hath done more for us: So much have we profited in the hatred of evil, as we have gotten in the love and practice of the contrary good, and no otherwise.

If this would serve for men, to leave evil, many would be Christians, but this is but half; he that stands here will come but half way, almost only with Agrippa to heaven, not altogether: Repentance hath two feet, he that stands not on both is a lame Christian. If there were a Preferment for a man at London, and he should go half way, and there stay, would he not lose it? might he not also be justly accounted a fool, a negligent and lazy person? Such are we, if through lack of one part of Repentance we deprive ourselves of heaven.

But as he which hath called you is holy, &c.] Speak we first of the Exhortation unto holiness, ver. 15. then of the Reason enforcing the same, ver. 16.

Touching the Exhortation, its to Holiness, whose extent is in all manner of Conversation, which is set out by a Simile, viz. As God is holy; who is described by a main benefit bestowed on them, Their Calling: But as he that hath called you is holy, so be ye holy, &c.

The Exhortation then is to Holiness; we were made holy at the first, we are now filthy and unclean; we must have the image of sin put off, and a new image of God put on; we must be sanctified persons, set aside for the Lord's use, as the Shew-bread, that none might meddle with, or put to any other use. We must be for the use of neither Flesh, World, Devil, but for God's use only; we must have no more Body, Soul, Wit, Will, Reason, Hand, Eye, Finger or Foot, but for the Lord's use. This is the will of God, even our Sanctification: Angels our fellow servants be holy, Heaven the place we look for is holy, no unclean person comes there; God hath also given us his holy Word, and holy Sacraments to increase us in holiness; so holy Sabbaths, and his holy Spirit.

This the end of our Election,

This the end of our Redemption,

This the end of our Calling. Yea,

As without holiness no man shall see God: So,

The inheritance is prepared for them that are sanctified.

1. This condemns such as are so far from holiness, as they give themselves over to all manner of lewdness and profaneness, and mock at those that desire any better, Oh, you be of those holy ones, of the holy brotherhood: and what are you? of the profane ones, as Esau? Take heed, you will speed as Esau did. If you be not holy, you shall never see God, but (as Belshazzar saw the hand-writing) to your terror: Is it not too much you be profane yourselves, but would you that others also should be so too? Doth not God enjoin holiness? speaks he not to all? Therefore except you will publish to the world that you are marching in the Devils Rabble, and have renounced your part in heaven, and vowed your own destruction, break off your fins by Repentance, and cease to be for the Devils use any longer: Confess and cry for pardon of that is past, enter a new Covenant, renounce thy old Master, with whom is ugly works, base scullery, woeful wages.

2. This also condemns all civil persons that rest herein; you must exceed this, else you cannot enter into the Kingdom of heaven. Its great pity, that many men of very fair carriage are no better for themselves, and they trust to their honest and just dealing with their Neighbors; but alas, it will deceive them for want of holiness. Alas, that you will see nothing into the first Table: How little do most regard the true Worship of God, and the Spiritual use of it? How seldom do they pray, or have any divine Meditation? How little regard they the Sabbath? How often swear? and such persons be the best Papists we know.

In all manner of conversation. ] Not where, when, to whom, and what we list, but at all times, in all places, towards all persons, and in all things, as God is holy in all his ways and works.

1. This serveth to rebuke those that will yield in some things only: what is it if a man be not covetous, if he be proud or unclean, &c. some will yield in great matters, but in small do as they list; as to swear by their Faith and Troth, especially in that which is true, talk vainly, play a game or two on the Lord's day, put a little false Ware, deceive a little, &c. Some again will yield in all small matters, but in some great thing they will not; as to give all diligence to increase in every grace, and that no corrupt communication should come out of their mouths: though thou hast spoke many good words, yet hadst thou better be silent, then have no more good to speak. There are some devout in the Church, but Spirits in their houses at home; In their own Town well ordered, but in strange places as the company is, riotous, wanton, deep in gaming, &c. as though God were God of the Mountains, and not of the Valleys, of one place, and not of another. Some must be vain at the Table, and Christ-tide, howsoever at other times. Some in adversity will be very humble, good words, golden promises, but in prosperity nothing so. Some in prosperity carry themselves well, in adversity not stick to run to a Witch: At the Communion, or a day or two after, will be demure, but not so long. Some use their Superiors well, their poor Tenants or Workfolks hardly: Alas, there is no part of our life, wherein God gives any license to do evil; in our particular Callings let us show the truth of our Christianity. Some servants will make a show of Religion, and be desirous to hear, but are lazy and unthrifty in their Callings: Some men carry themselves very forwardly, that in their shops and dealings show it not. Papists seem very devout in some things, yet you shall lightly ever know any that make Conscience of an Oath, or of the Lord's day

2. Let us prove the truth of holiness in us, by the generality of it; keep a constant tenor, an even hand, and let there be a proportion between every part of our life, not one part as it were devout, another profane and wicked; like Nebuchadnezzar's Image, one part gold, another silver, another brass, &c. These cannot hang together, but let it be in all things, and this will afford true comfort on our Death-beds, and give us a large entrance into the glorious Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ: True it is, we cannot come to any perfection here on earth, but shall be subject to offend; yet this were to be wished, that all our actions and behavior, and all our speeches and thoughts were such as become holiness; and its that we should endeavor unto, the beginning whereof is simplicity, and truth of heart, desiring without dissembling, or feigning to walk so as we may please God in all things.

Wonderful is the weakness of most part of Christians, who howsoever in many things they do well, yet many of their actions and speeches are not answerable: Well, let us notwithstanding endeavor it, and that every day more & more; and lets not be discouraged, though we cannot attain to all we would, but if we can gain ground this way, though it be but a little at once, yet our labor shall not be in vain: we must every day exceed ourselves a little, and so not bearing with ourselves in our corruptions, but unfeignedly striving against them, we may receive no small comfort; let us therefore not bear with our selves in the least evil, but strive to reform ourselves in everything; in the mean time (with the Apostle) mourning because of the corruption.

But as he that hath called you is holy,] That is, God: This is the Simile, whereby the Exhortation to holiness is set forth, which hath in it also the force of a double reason to persuade thereunto: 1. From the person calling. 2. From the calling itself.

The person calling, God: he is holy, therefore must we be so. Concerning God's holiness, we need say little; Its his very essence, and uncreated in him, he hath been so forever, and is so infinitely: The Angels cannot cease praising the same, Holy, holy, holy, &c.

He is the Fountain of holiness, and conveyeth the streams thereof into his Creatures, Men and Angels: He is holy by nature, whatsoever holiness is in Angels or Men, is not by nature, but by grace: He sanctifieth the place where he manifesteth himself, as the ground whereon Moses stood by the bush where God appeared; much more Heaven, where he most clearly showeth himself to the Saints.

This should teach us, as to acknowledge him so in his Word, and in all his Works, and that we should not dare admit a thought to the contrary, though we cannot see the reason of all things, so the use hereof is, That we should study after holiness, that so there may be some agreement between him and us, as we are bidden be merciful, and perfect, as he is, and our Savior faith, Learn of me; not that he requires an equality, which can never be here and hereafter: Here we cannot be perfectly holy as he is, in Heaven we shall be perfectly holy, but not infinitely as he is, because we are finite; but so that we labor to imitate him, that we may have his blessed Image renewed in us daily, and grow more and more like unto him, going from strength to strength, till we appear before the God of gods in Zion: Can the most holy God abide unholy persons? He hath pure eyes, and hateth sin, abhorreth iniquity, what agreement between light and darkness? God and Belial? Therefore the Lord so often called upon the Israelites, to keep themselves from all kinds of Pollution, and instructed them unto holiness in innumerable things, whereof some were very small: Therefore as we take God's holy Name upon us, hear his holy Word, partake his holy Sacrament, and take his holy Name in our mouths, let us also study after holiness, else never look to see God's face: He can no more endure profane persons, then we to take a Toad in our mouths. This holiness stands not in coming to Church, mumbling over a few Prayers without understanding, coming to the Communion at Easter, &c. The Pharisees fasted oft, prayed long, gave Alms, had broad Phylacteries, yet were rejected by our Savior Christ; It stands in the purity of the heart, and the whole conversation. But how little doth this example of the Lord prevail to bring men to holiness? most follow after their own hearts lusts, and the corrupt example of men, we do as we see others do, and why, (say we) should we be wiser then our Forefathers, then all our neighbors? and thus being willing to follow such examples, we draw one another to all evil: But follow we not those in evil, but the blessed example of God himself, as in holiness, so in sanctifying his day. Thus of the person calling.

The calling itself. A great benefit indeed: why, Is it so great a benefit to be called? Yea, as is here meant.

There is a twofold calling; 1. Outward: When God calls men by every days new benefits, by every new correction, by his Word, whereby yet they are never awe hit the better, nor converted, for many are called, but few chosen, and this is common to Reprobates. 2. Inward and Effectual: when besides and with the outward means, God speaks inwardly by his Spirit to the Conscience: The parts hereof are,

[ 1] 1. The enlightening of the mind to understand the Principles of Religion, which though alone it be not sufficient, nor more then may be in a Reprobate, yet its the foundation of the rest, without which no effectual calling.

[ 2] 2. The opening of the heart to believe (as Lydia 's was) when one believes everything particularly to belong to them, and so the promise of Salvation among the rest, till then her heart (as all ours) was [ 3] fast locked up, not able to believe.

3. The change of the whole man: This is essentially necessary to Salvation, for by nature we are slaves of sin; as long as we continue as we were born, we are far from Salvation.

The fruits hereof are,

1. When a man goes about the works of the same, and labors to walk worthy of it in an holy life. [ 1]

2. When a man highly esteemeth his calling, and the hope of [ 2] glory he is called to, as Paul accounted all dung in respect of the excellency of Christ crucified; and the things he esteemed highly before his calling, afterward he made no reckoning of.

3. When he will suffer anything for the same, rather then be [ 3] drawn from the hope thereof.

Some are called sooner, some later, as in the Parable of the Laborers hired into the Vineyard.

Examine we our calling, for much hangs upon this, Our Election past, and Glorification to come. Calling is the fruit and proper effect of Election; if the one, then certainly the other: Notes hereof are both Negative and Affirmative. Negative,

1. Not to hear the Word, and that diligently; so doth the Devil, he will not miss a Sermon, nay marks every point in a Sermon, to [ 1] keep thee from the obedience thereof, or turn it one way or other to hurt.

2. Nor to hear joyfully. [ 2]

3. Nor to reform many things, as Herod. [ 3]

4. Nor to do some choice duties, as Ananias and Sapphira. [ 4] Affirmative; But

1. To seek above all to be at peace with God, and to have his Spirit [ 1] to assure us of our everlasting Salvation, not to serve the time, nor any such thing, but above all to be assured of God's favor.

2. That we hate unfeignedly all evil, but especially the special [ 2] evils of the Time, and of our own Nature.

3. To affect heartily all good, but especially those good things [ 3] that the World and Times least regard, and ourselves be most untoward unto.

If by these notes we find we be called, then have we cause to rejoice, and to praise the Free-grace of God, who for no desert, but his mere mercy, hath vouchsafed to call us that were vile, as Abraham an Idolater, Paul a Persecuter, Zacchaeus a covetous person, the Goaler a desperate Ruffian; and hath now put a difference, and that for no goodness in us, rather then in others: And hath he done so to all our companions? No, they abide in ignorance, unbelief, impenitency: And now our work must be this, even to study after holiness more and more, being called out of the world, that we should no longer fashion ourselves according to the same, having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but reproving them rather: As you would be loath to be put back with the world, and have as they shall, so be not as they, no not in the least things; and as our hope is in Heaven, so have we our conversation there, as being called of God to that high Privilege: If you be not effectually called, and have had so long and so great means of calling, its a fearful sign that you hearken not, because the Lord will slay you. The earth that after much cost, yet yields nothing but briars and thorns, is reproved, reprobate ground, near the curse, whose end will be to be burned. If the Gospel be hid, its hid to them that perish. So many as were ordained to eternal life, believed; therefore if thou hast hitherto stopped thine ear against the Lord's calling, take heed thou provoke him not further, but today, whilst it is called today, give ear and obey: Its more then thou couldst have looked for, that he should have all this patience, abuse it no longer, lest it turn into fury, and the Lord in his wrathful indignation flying away from thee, pronounce that he will never more speak to thee, and either snatch thee from the Word, and send thee to Hell, or the Word from thee; or if thou hear, that he yet bid the Minister preach to harden thee, and let thee alone: agreeable to that, He that is unjust, let him be unjust still, &c. which is most fearful, and curse thy heart, as Christ did the Fig tree, never fruit grow on thee, never good motion come in thy heart, or if any do, let them die presently & not live, and give thee over to be more strongly tempted by Satan; Devil, take him, and hurry him at thy pleasure, & lay down thine own corruption unbridledly, which is the fearfullest curse under heaven: O lets seek to escape it, and tremble, to prevent this fearful judgment, which lighteth on many that have long lived under preaching, and are hardlier won at last then before. Some of you haply having barren Trees in your Orchard, and having resolved to cut them down, have tried one year more ere you cut them down: We may fear there be sundry of us in this place going upon our last year (who they be God knows) If now you listen not, the Lord will hew you down, and cast you into the fire; and then will you call and cry to God, but in vain, he will not answer you then. When God shall cast such into their deserved place, how shall they then fret and vex themselves? What beasts were we that we did not yield to the Word of God, which so often called upon us? Others obeyed, and they are well: O that we had profited at such a time, when such good motions came in our minds! O that we had yielded to them, and not cast them off as we did! but then all too late; they may fret, and gnaw their tongues for vexation, but to no purpose: Endeavor we therefore in time to prevent this. Thus of the Exhortation.

Now follows the Reason of the Exhortation laid down in the 16 Verse, Because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy; where's to be considered, 1. That he urgeth still the matter in hand, and cannot have done with it. 2. How he urgeth it, even by Scripture, It is written. 3. The Text itself, Be ye holy, for I am holy.

1. I say, he still urgeth the matter in hand, much pressing his Exhortation unto holiness, and is very earnest herein.

The Reasons may be these: 1. Because the thing in hand is so excellent and necessary, then which nothing can be more: Holiness makes us like God and Angels, unlike Devils and ourselves; without which there's no seeing of God. 2. Because we are altogether so untoward thereunto: Who seeth not what a work we have to bring any to turn from their sins, and to take an holy course? how few such, and with what a deal of pains? and when converted and brought to a love of holiness, and desire to please God, yet who finds not what a stir he hath to bring himself to any good Duty, Prayer, Meditation, Examination of his heart, &c. or when we are brought to do good things, yet to do them in a right manner, but the heart will be gone? especially in all things, and in our whole conversation; therefore no marvel though the Holy Ghost dwell long upon it.

1. This teacheth us Ministers in weighty points, to dwell as it were upon them, and not sliding from them too quickly, to urge them again and again, questioning their hearts whether indeed they will do so and so, or not, &c.

2. People, when they perceive their Ministers so to urge such and such a point, they must consider it the more seriously; so when we read anything, wherein the holy Ghost is more earnest or repeats it often, as to search and examine ourselves, we must take knowledge of the weight of the matter, and of our own dullness, dwelling the more thereon in our observation and attention; where the holy Ghost is earnest, we must not pass it slightly over.

2. He proves it by Scripture, and so must we when we would prove anything to the Conscience; for God's Word is the Judge of all truth and falshhood, good and evil; its the Golden rule, the Ballance of the Sanctuary. Philosophers prove things by Reason, in God's School proof must be from the Scripture: We must not look what this man, or that man, or twenty men say, this stablisheth not the Conscience; but the Word of God, that bears meat in the mouth, that is of weight and authority, either to make to yield, or at least to leave without excuse: One Testimony of Scripture, is of more weight then the testimony of a thousand men, for that is the Word truth, and all men are subject to error, and thereto may people say indeed, The voice of God, and not of man.

A number of people in Cities and great Towns, if Preachers allege, Fathers, Councils, School-men, &c. O how they applaud them! but if any shall allege Scripture, properly and plainly, Oh, he is a plain homespun Preacher, he may do well in a Country Town; but Christ's sheep do otherwise, they reverence and adore above all the Word of God.

This condemns the Papists, that deal most treacherously, and will not have the scriptures to be judge, but Fathers, Councils, the Church; And who is the Church but themselves? and the Head of Councils but the Pope? and so upon the point, the Pope is the Church, and so its like enough to go well on their sides: And in their Councils, who is anything but the Pope and his Consistory? as he will have every thing, so it shall be, as in their last Council of Trent, which they so magnify as the most sacred Assembly that ever was, which indeed was nothing else but a conspiracy of Traitors, against the Crown and Dignity of Christ Jesus, and his Truth; there such were picked as were fast to the Pope and the Religion of Rome, and such as were sworn to be true thereto; and when some few spake somewhat more boldly in some things, then was well liked of, they were quickly packed out, and this charge they had after they had sat a while, That they should interpret no Scripture, but such as might stand with the Doctrine of Rome; this was good stuff, that whereas they should have brought their Doctrine to the rule of Scripture, they must bring Scripture to their Doctrine, as if the Carpenter should cut his rule according to the piece, and not the piece according to his rule: And howsoever they sat there at Trent, disputing for a fashion, yet nothing was concluded, but such as the Pope and his Consistory at Rome devised, which being set to them, they were to publish; and thus the parties become Judges, and they that should stand at the Bar to be judged, sit on the Bench to judge their own cause, therefore it must needs go well on their side: They cannot away that the Scripture should be the Judge, because they then know how it would go with them and their Doctrine, but we must receive it, and try all Doctrine by it, and stand to the sentence thereof, as being the only Judge: So here the Apostle enjoining holiness, takes this as a sufficient proof, It is written, though that was against their nature and disposition; though by following after it, they might be counted Puritans, Singular, Proud, Hypocrites, &c. yet they must not stand reasoning the case with flesh and blood, they must be holy, for so it was written.

If then we know anything once proved by the Word of God, we must make no more ado; if the Word command a thing, we must yield and obey; if forbid a thing as vile, we must dare no more meddle therewith, then to eat poison.

For the Word of God is the Royal Law, that Rule of Righteousness that must command all the world, Prince and people must stoop hereunto; This is the Law of his Kingdom, whereby all we his Subjects must be ruled: If the Lyon roar, the Beasts tremble; and if the Lord speak (who is our Sovereign) is it not meet that we should take knowledge hereof, and yield obedience thereto? this was ever Preface enough to the Prophets in their Sermons, Thus saith the Lord, The Word of the Lord, &c. and his Word not being left us in vain, to shake it off at our pleasures, the same may command obedience.

1. This condemns the profane and dissolute world, do men go by any such rule, and try, ere they do anything what God saith of it in his Word? O that were too much preciseness: But by what rules then? If it stand with my pleasure, with my profit, with my ease, with my credit, most do so; I shall be accounted a fool if I do not so: O cursed rules, What? shall Profit, Pleasure, Mammon, and our Lusts become now as it were our God? dare we cast the word of God behind us? do we provoke the Lord to anger? are we stronger then he? Oh let him that thinketh, he standeth, take heed lest he fall: Its written, we must be holy, therefore we must be so; why, then its written, we may not swear; therefore we must not swear; so, oppress, deceive, commit uncleanness, &c. because the contrary is prescribed in the Word: And yet how dare men live in those very sins against the Scriptures? Hath not the world smarted sufficiently yet, whereat to take warning? What threw Adam out of Paradise, drowned the old World, brought such variety of Judgments upon the Jews from time to time, if not their disobedience? have there drunkards enough, swearers, profaners of the Lord's-day, Usurers, &c. been plagued, and sent to Hell already? This rebelling against the Word of God, hath made all the racket and havoc in the world, and hath brought to confusion the Proudest and Mightiest: If we had not the Word, but were left to the light of nature, God might condemn us for our sins, how much more when by the Word he hath told us all his mind? Well, let us look to it, if the Word may not be a light to guide us, it will be a fire to consume us; If it be not strong enough to make us yield obedience, it will be strong enough to throw us headlong to confusion, as whereby we shall be judged at the latter day: If when God smites any one part of us with pain in extemity, we be weary of ourselves, when yet we have many comforts, and many to pity us, and hope also of an end thereof, what shall their care be that are smitten and plagued in all parts of Body and Soul, there being no eye to pity them, nor hope of an end? which yet ensueth upon the disobedience to God's Word; Then will they fret and vex themselves, O beast that I was, that took not warning at such and such a time, &c.

2. For as many as are willing the Word should guide them, and be it with or (in appearance) against them, are willing to be ruled, let these be of good comfort: Its a good mark of Christ's sheep, they hear his voice and follow him, and he is of God that heareth and obeyeth his word.

Again, in that its said, It is written; we note, That the Word of God is the rule of all Truth and Doctrine.

This condemneth the Papists, which as if the written Word of God were insufficient and imperfect, and the Prophets and Apostles either would not, or could not, or might not leave a perfect direction for us, divide the word into written, and unwritten; Thereupon imposing a great number of Traditions, Degrees, and old received Opinions and Customs upon the people, as matters whereon to ground their Faith, and bind their Conscience, as much as any of the written Word, and that upon peril of Damnation; which is a fearful Abomination.

They have indeed need of unwritten Traditions, to shore up a number of points of their Religion, or else they would fall to the ground for all the written Word of God, as having no authority from thence: But what a Religion is that, which must thus be maintained without the Testimony of the Scripture? we must learn to detest all such Traditions, else what a Flood-gate should we let open, to let in all Errors and uncertainties without end; Yea, were this granted, every dream of a Friars brain, and any old Custom, would be imposed 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 upon the people for a Law: Cursed be they that add to the All-sufficient Word of God, God will add to their plagues.

3. The Text itself, Its written; where? In Leviticus 11. 44. & 19. 2. The Word is the Rule, the written Word, the Canonical Scripture, that only.

There are other Books called Apocrypha, usually joined with the Bible, which are not God's Word, nor of equal authority of the same, but are the writings of men, of good men, and have also good use; some part for the helping out of the story of that dark time, from Malachi to John the Baptist, and other parts for instruction in good manners, and to a godly life, and are therefore to be read of us; yet were not they written by any Prophet, are not Originally in the Hebrew (as all the Old Testament is) but in the Greek; neither were received of the Jews, to whom were committed the Oracles of God, for which they were not blamed of our Savior Christ, as questionless, they should have been, if they had done amiss. Further, we find no Testimony of our Savior Christ, Evangelist or Apostle, cited out of them: They have also their weaknesses and imperfections, and the best parts thereof savor of a man, and have not the majesty and weight of God's Word; Therefore are they not sufficient whereon to ground any part of our Faith, or to say, This is true, fo • so its written in such a book: No, but to read them and try them, and where they consent with the Word, then say its true, not because its so there, but because the Scripture approves it; where they jar from Scripture, there are we to leave them: we must walk in a middle path wisely and soberly, as not to match them with the Word of God, so not to reject them, as some have done, for that they observed others magnify them too much, hereby running into a contrary extremity. As nothing makes a handmaid so much despised, as when she is set in her Mistresses Chair, so long as she stands as an handmaid, all like her, and say, she becomes her place well; So when the Apocrypha is equalled with the Scripture, it is justly to be disliked, when made to serve it, of good use.

It is written,] But he tells not where, because they were so well acquainted with the Scripture, as they could straightway say, Oh, we know where it is, Its written in such a Book, such a Section.

This showeth how cunning we should be in the Scriptures, and every part thereof, reading them diligently, as by ourselves, so with our Families; and great cause: We have a corrupt heart within us, therefore had need have the Word dwelling in us to subdue it; We have plenty of duties, therefore had need of plenty of knowledge in the Word; we shall have plenty of strong and subtle temptations from the Devil and World, and therefore had need to be ready herein to resist them: Herein must we meditate day and night, that we may observe, and do and prosper, that we may be as fruitful trees, that we may become wise in all our ways, yea, wiser then our Enemies, then our Ancients: This is unto God's Children a storehouse of all good things; its Food to nourish us, Armor to defend us, a Light to guide us, an Apothecaries shop containing all things for meat and medicine for the food and health of our Soul, Purgations to purge out our sins, Cordials to comfort us, Preservatives against every poisonful temptation of Satan: Herein is our Fathers Will, wherein are our Legacies, in every leaf and line some good.

1. This condemns the Church of Rome, that make it a deadly sin for the people to read any part of Scripture; one of them saith, He thought it was the device of the devil that the common people should read the Sriptures, which might make all loath their Religion; for is it anything else, but as thieves which blow out the candle that they may not be seen.

2. This condemns those amongst ourselves, that say, It was never merry world since every Plowman and Weaver could talk of the Scripture, and that the world was far more quiet before; these be no • led by the Spirit that Moses was, who wisht, That all the Lord's people could prophesy, and the Apostle Paul, who often speaks of the increase of knowledge.

3. This condemns the woeful carelessness of most people, that regard not to read the Scriptures, and therefore are exceedingly ignorant therein, so that if a Minister quote a place, he had need name both Chapter and Verse; nay, if it be amongst the books of the Old Testament, yea, some Epistles of the New, they cannot tell whereabouts to find them, but are often fain to turn to the Table of the Book. Rich men are so mad of the world, that they can find no leisure, Mammon is so mighty with them, as God and his Word have no time with them: And might they not find that in one leaf of the Bible, whereof if they could make use, it would profit them more then the whole world? Some are all for the world, out of one business into another; others can find leisure to play at Tables, Cards, Bowls, &c. or to stand in shops two or three hours, spending the time in idle discourses, and unprofitable frothy talk, if not in hurtful slandering and backbiting their neighbors, and reproaching the servants of God, who yet can find no time for the Word: Others are very cunning in their Statute Books, but not so in the Scriptures: As for the poor, because they be poor and not Book-learned, they think it concerns not them, or that God looks for any such thing at their hands; and therefore are as ignorant as if they lived in Turkey, altogether without fruit (as the fig-tree whereunto our Savior came) foolish, and carried away with every temptation, and all for that they meditate not in God's statutes: They live ignorantly and loosely, and die blockishly and miserably; yea, and they perish worthily, for that being offered a guide, to take them as it were by the hand, and lead them through this wilderness, this narrow unbeaten path, from all by-ways, and bring them to Heaven, yet will not entertain the same. If the King should send a Letter to any of his Subjects, and they would not vouchsafe to open it, or look therein to read it, What a contempt were this? The Scripture yet is the Lord's Letter, sent to us to inform us of his will: O what shall the condemnation of this Land be, that having the light, love darkness better? and God having given us his Word, (which he gives not to all) we make so light account thereof, we will not bestow the searching of it: Nay, every toy proves sufficient to keep us from it, O woeful unthankfulness! How did our Forefathers make account of the Word, Job, David, they in Queen Mary's time, whereof some read it by stealth in Hay-gofes, &c.

O how precious was it to them! Cra threw away his Money, but kept his New Testament when he suffered Ship-wrack: Many poor Christians and dear servants of God in Spain, and elsewhere, do now read the Word of God, and other good Books with peril of their lives: O how shall they rise up against us, which may with peace and much liberty, and sundry encouragements, read and be conversant in the Scriptures, yet regard it not? God sends his Letter to us, we will not vouchsafe to open it: What will we regard, if we regard not the Scriptures? I tell you, God hath no greater blessing to bestow on Mortal man: This little Book is the glory of the world, without which all the world is but a dung-hill, and if this were taken away, it were better for us not to be, then to be, for we should do nothing but grope in darkness, and be devoured of our lusts till Hell snatch us away; lets learn therefore at last to be wiser, and that whilst we may: Casting away our toys and vanities, learn we to be better acquainted with the Word, then at any time heretofore; all that be strangers to it, be strangers to true comfort: Yea, resolve we that no day shall pass us, without reading some part of Scripture for our instruction, else how shall we do our duties each to other? how use prosperity and adversity? how to learn either to live or die? Here (as good householders) we may provide store both for ourselves and others.

For the words themselves, Be ye holy, for I am holy: They are taken (as ye heard) out of Leviticus; Them the Lord used to his people, whom he had chosen from all others, on whom he bestowed many outward mercies, and betrusted them with his Word, who thought they should see round about them the Gentiles abounding with idolatry, and all manner of sin, yet they must not follow them therein: But as I have set you out from all other, for myself (saith the Lord) so set yourselves apart to my use, and service, and be ye holy to me, as ye observe me to be.

Hence learn, That

Where God bestows on a Land, or Corner, or Town, more mercies then on others, he looks they should not be as other places (that have not had the same favors, but have been left to themselves) but abounding in holiness, holy as he himself is holy.

Here I might speak of this Land, what God hath done for it, and what he expects at our hands, even that we should be better then any other Nation; and then, how we are so far from being more holy then others, that if any Nation have any sin, we get it from them, and appropriate it to ourselves: What should I speak of the common sins of the times? The last Assizes, and everyone shows what state we are in, what horrible incests, the daughter being with child by her own father, and the Wife burning the child; another ravishing his own daughter, being thereof accused by his own child and wife; What cruel murders? besides the common mother sins, ignorance, extreme worldliness, and that overspreading canker and leprosy of this Land, the contempt of good persons: If any be more forward, careful, zealous then the common sort, he is hated, mocked, discouraged all that may be: Not the simplest fellow in a Town, though he cannot understand one petition of the Lord's Prayer, but will mock at those that be anything toward in Religion, or forward to hear the Word, refrain from disorder, and keep the Lord's Day, &c. this sin abounds most fearfully in this Land: In other Religions, which are indeed false and irreligious, look who is most zealous and forward, he is most reverenced and regarded; only in the true Religion, if any be but careful to bring into use and practice, that which he hears & knows, and dare not do as others, but rather reprove them, he makes himself as a wondering stock, and is hooted as an howl, & one that shall sure be hoysed up in charges, hu • cht at, complained of and vexed: This sin (not repented of nor left) will be the moth & confusion of this Land, as we may justly fear. God is every year upon us with one new punishment or other, but they prevail nothing, we are as bad still or worse: what therefore may we not look for? How sped the Israelites at last? we may fear, lest God make us as famous for judgment, as we have been for mercies; we may fear, that it shall be said of all that pass by, How is this famous nation become thus desolate? and answered, Because they despised the Lord, his Gospel and servants, after many mercies bestowed upon them, to have brought them in love therewith.

Be ye holy, &c.] Some urge this exhortation and the like to establish Free-will, but without cause: They show not what we can, but what we should do, and what God will require of the wicked, or else condemn them, and what he will enable his servants unto, as give their endeavor thereto; to the wicked they are commandments of conviction, which God may justly require of them, because he made them able to do the same; to his servants they are not so, but with the exhortation he conveys such grace, as whereby they are enabled to do the same.

Lastly, this place is abused by sundry, to cry down the married estate, & to magnify single life, but there is no holiness in the one, more then in the other; for neither if we marry not have we the more (as the Apostle speaketh about eating) or marry have we the less, the Kingdom of God not consisting in these things: The benefit of the one more then the other, consists only in this, That a single life hath freedom from many troubles and cares, and so more liberty to every good duty, but this gift is given but to few; therefore rather then they should live discontentedly, he persuades them to marry: Let them therefore that live single, take heed they put no holiness therein, or think that thereby they please God the more, but rather let them use it well, and profit thereby, in being so much the more zealous and forward in every good work, public and private, else that their single life will one day be a witness against them; but especially take heed of a filthy sole life, for many wanting the gift of continency, yet to avoid troubles, cares, and charges of marriage, and that they may live easily, proudly, and gather riches, will live singly, though impurely; Such shall one day know, that they had better been married, then here to burn with lust, and hereafter in hell forever: Marriage is no opposite to holiness, but an help thereto, ordained by God in man's innocence for holy ends, Honorable amongst all men, and the bed undefiled: Hereunto if a man enter holily, and in the fear of God, beginning with prayer, then choosing for the fear of God with consent of Parents, and care to know his duty, and praying for Grace to bear the crosses of marriage, he cannot but find it holy. Thus of the Reason.

Verse 17.

And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear.

HEre the Apostle proceedeth in matter not unlike the former: Before he exhorted to holiness in all manner of conversation, now to pass our time in the fear of God; the same thing, but in other words, and urged with new Reasons: Or this may be the intent of the holy Ghost, to meet with a secret corruption of man's heart, placing holiness in outward observance of duties (as the Jews were much given that way) thereupon exhorting not to rest in the outward doing of them, but to do them carefully, and in the fear of God, with desire therein to glorify God, and to do the most good: And this fear of God is a great help and fnrtherance to holiness. Herein he wills us to pass our time here in this world, using three Reasons for the same; 1. From this Privilege, that we call God Father, we must then so behave our selves as Children of such a Father, and as he may not be ashamed of us, when we so call him, saying, Callest thou me Father? away varlet, and bastard, thou art none of mine, I acknowledge thee not, neither hast thou any quality of my Child. 2. From the nature of God, who is a Judge, and that an upright one, who will Judge every man, and that without partiality, and give him not according to the outside, but the inside of his works. 3. From the invaluable price of our Redemption, laid down in the following Verse. Speak we first of the Exhortation, then of the Reasons thereof.

Pass the time of your sojourning here in fear.] This is the Exhortation; and very requisite it is, to speak of the fear of God, that knowing the nature thereof, we may the better try whether it be in us; for though most men will challenge it to themselves that they love, fear, and put their trust in God, and serve him, yet alas, there's no such matter in them, there belongs more to it then the world thinks, as I hope we shall see ere we part.

There be three kinds of fear; 1. Natural, being an affection planted in man at his creation, as his other affections, whereby he shuns any evil thing that comes towards him, which is not in man only, but in all sensible creatures: This in itself is not evil, it was in Adam in his innocence, it was also in Christ, who was heard in that which he feared. If a man should see a beast run at him, or a man with a drawn sword, he cannot but fear; only the excess of it is a fault, when men having promises of God's Providence and Blessing, do not believe them, but are swallowed up of fear, are at their wits end, made unfit for any duty, or reach out their hand to any unlawful shift or means. Jacob no doubt was afraid when he heard of Esau 's coming against him, but yet his faith comforted him in his fear, and made him pray to God, and use wise and lawful means. David, when they of Ziklag were ready to stone him, feared, no doubt, but yet by faith comforted himself over it, that it did not swallow him up, which is a thing worthy to be spoken of, because many good servants of God, are yet fearful to be alone in the dark, fearful of death, of the day Judgment: The best may be so a little, but we must take head of too much fear, being in our way, and having God's Promises, as our Savior to Peter, when he cried out, Save, Master, I perish, so may it be said unto us thus fearing, O ye of little Faith. 2. Slavish; when men fear God only in respect of his wrath and punishment, and abstain from sin, not for any hatred thereof; or do good, not for love, but either because God's judgments are on them already, or hang over them, wereit not for them, they would not care what they did: As a galley-Slave that rows and toils but only for fear of the whip, and wereit not for that, he would do nothing, being in the mean time so far from any love, as he could eat his heart for whom he works; or as a Trewandly Boy, that learns only for fear of the rod, not out of any love to his Book or Master: This may be and is in the reprobate, as in Ahab and Pharaoh, but is not that (as neither the former) which is meant here. 3. Filial or son-like fear, whereby the Children of God considering his Power, Justice and Truth, and especially his Goodness in itself, and shown towards them, stand in a reverend awe of him, and are careful to please him, fearful to offend him, even chiefly for the love they bear him, yea, and would not grieve him, though they knew they should not be punished for it, as having been so gracious and merciful a Father to them; as a good and gracious Child would not willingly grieve his father, though he knew he would not cast him off, or shut him out of doors,