Exposition Upon 1 Peter

Verse 15.

For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.

A Third Reason of the foregoing Exhortation; Its God's will that we submit ourselves, that by this means we may stop bad men's mouths that would, if we did not obey, speak ill of Professors, and of the name of God, and the Gospel itself.

For so is the will of God,] That God's will ought to be that which should lead and bind us, I have heretofore proved at large on the third Petition of the Lord's-Prayer; which as it should upon all other particulars, so ought to prevail with us in this duty of obedience.

That with well doing ye may put to silence, &c.] Of good works what they be, and how needful they are, I have spoken on verse 12. add we here one end more; Namely, that

Good works, or a godly innocent life in obedience to Magistrates, and all things else is of necessity to stop up the mouths of bad minded persons that wait for offenses: Everyone that professeth, must know that he hath many eyes on him, that watch him narrowly, and some very badly minded, our duty is to take away all matter of ill talk from them; as if the wood be taken away, the fire goeth out; and if the water run not, the Mill goes not: By well-doing we stop up their mouths, as David did Saul's, and Daniel his accusers: Or if we cannot stop their mouths, but that they will needs talk, yet that they may have no just cause to speak ill of us, but though in general terms they make a railing, yet being urged in particular to tell what we have done, or with what they can chargeus, or what sin we live in, or what corruption we yield to, which we strive not against, they may be driven to silence.

This rebukes the wonderful carelessness of some Christians, that walk so losely, and lie so open, as the wicked have their will, even matter enough to talk of their covetousness, of their wonderful impatience, and the like; such had need to repent much, and by the contrary to labor by their well-doing to stop their mouths, which they have justly opened against Religion and the professors thereof: O how far are some to blame, who by too severe and sudden censuring, cause many to loath the professors of the Word, as if they were all such proud fellows, and did condemn all but themselves: O its good to have charity, yet I mean not that we are to call black white, &c.

The ignorance of foolish men.] Here is shown what they be that are ready to rail and speak ill of Religion, and open their mouths against the Professors of the Gospel, even ignorant foolish men.

Oh, but many be great men for Wit, and Parts, and Learning, that do thus.

Its all one, such they be, and no other; They that will rail at a Trade for the fault of a Tradesman, and condemn all of a Trade, for the fault of someone of that Profession, might they not be taxed of ignorance and folly? So what ignorance and foolishness is it in a number to speak ill of the way of God, and of the Word Preached, and of the Preachers thereof, and all for the fault of some that profess Religion: Its true, that some speak evil of God's people, not of ignorance, but of hatred and contempt of the Gospel; A good life will stop all cavils of the former, not of these.

Ignorance] Whoso speaketh ill of God, of his Truth, of his Servants that profess his Name, are ignorant, know not what they do, as our Savior said of them that Crucified him; As the Sadducees, They err, not knowing the Scriptures: Had the Pharisees known the Father, they would not have hated and persecuted Christ the Son; Had the Jews known, They would not have Crucified the Lord of glory: When men rail on God's people, O they know not what they say, nor whom they despise, for if they knew them, and whose they be, and their great Glory and Dignity, they would catch them about the neck, and earnestly desire that they may be like unto them! But they know them not; one brings Religion thus complaining, I Religion am a mere stranger in the world, therefore I do not wonder that the Dogs of this world do bark at me, which I do not greatly regard, my Pedegree, my Father, my Brother, my Country is above, yet I wish that while I stay among you, you would not speak evil of me, because you know me not: And assuredly if men knew Christianity and the revenues thereof, they would not only not speak evil thereof, but all the good they could; yet this is not simple, but affected ignorance, therefore their judgment will be the more just and fearful.

1. If therefore we hear any, whosoever they be (rich or poor) reproaching the way of Salvation, and calling it preciseness, and niceness, and railing on the best Preachers, and most zealous Christians, let us not be much troubled at it; Its but the speech of ignorant men, that know not what they say; blind, that cannot judge of colors, but through the darkness that is in them, they call good evil, and evil good, who will one day see otherwise, though it may be when it will be too late.

2. While any is of this mind (let him be what he will be, have what knowledge he will or can have) he is but an ignorant man, that speaks and does he knows not what, and walks in darkness, and knoweth not how soon he may fall.

Foolish men.] Every natural man as long as he so continueth, is but a fool, even till God the fountain of all true wisdom, do give him his Spirit of grace into his heart, and make him wise unto Salvation, whose fear is the beginning of wisdom: Let men have wit to rule a Country, to compound Controversies, contrive businesses, and to be so deeply fighted in the world, as no man can go beyond them, yet if they be in their natural and unregenerate condition, they are fools, the greatest fools that are; such is Solomon's fool throughout the Proverbs, not he that wants wit, but true wisdom; nor one that wants natural parts, but grace: For, is not he a fool that prefers toys and babbles, before matters of great and good worth? such are they that are careful for the world, for Profits, Pleasures, Honors, and such transitory toys, never regarding what shall become of their souls, having no care of the pardon of their sins, to escape from Hell, and to obtain the Kingdom of Heaven; such was the rich man in the Gospel: Were not he a fool, that in the Summer would neglect to prepare his Winter provision, as having then no use thereof? such is he that hath no care in the Summer of the Gospel, and in the time of his health, to lay up against the stormy time of sickness, temptations and death: Is not he a fool that runs on in the score, and takes no care to discharge it? such are they that go on in sin, and in the abuse of God's creatures: Is not he a fool that will wallow himself in mire, and think and speak ill of them that will not so do? such are the wicked that wallow in their sins, even wondering that others run not with them into the same excess of riot: A fool will play with firebrands, arrows, and mortal things, so the wicked make a sport of sin: He is a fool that being condemned of Treason, and yet in possibility to get a pardon, defers to sue for it till it be too late; such are the wicked that put off their repentance: He is a fool that will laugh, being in extreme danger, or being told he is going to execution, doth jest at it, yea, if it were but to the stocks, or house of correction; yet thus do the wicked every day go nearer and nearer the place of their torment: A fool hates those that tell him he is in danger, and would help him out of it, and can sleep soundly, though it be told him the house is on fire over his head; yet thus do the wicked, being told of their sins, and their danger thereby.

Thus are we to repute ourselves, being unregenerate, and to labor by all means for the fear God, which is the beginning of true wisdom.

Verse 16.

As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.

HEre the Apostle prevents an Objection that they might make, whereby he would cure the disease they were sick of, even their not yielding subjection willingly; and that both in respect of their badness which ruled, and of their own liberty, which they misconstrued and stretched beyond the bounds: We be freed (might they say) by Jesus Christ, therefore we know no Reason we should be subject to them: He answereth, you are free indeed, I confess, Christ hath purchased, and that dearly, a happy and blessed freedom for you, but this (as every other good thing) may be abused and stretched beyond the reach thereof, as you do this; for its not such a freedom as sets you at liberty to do what you list, or to shake off Government, and live at your pleasure, and which is not to be used as a cloak of naughtiness and carnal liberty, but you must use it, as those that be freed from sin and the Devil, but not from God and your obedience to him, but to be his servants, and so to obey him, as in all things, so in this amongst the rest, even in obeying Magistracy, which is one of his Commandments.

Here three things are considerable; 1. The liberty of Christians, As free. 2. The abuse of Christian liberty, not using your liberty as a cloak of maliciousness. 3. The right use of it, but as the servants of God; all needful to be known, that in a right manner we may use our Christian liberty to the glory of God, our own good, and the benefit of our brethren.

As free,] Freedom presupposeth bondage: By nature we are all bound till we be freed through Christ.

1. We are all guilty of Adams sin, born in Original sin, infinitely defiled with actual rebellions, whereby we stand under the wrath and curse of God, and all evils in this world, and that which is to come for ever: There is no curse in all the Scripture threatened or executed, or any other that God hath in his infinite storehouse, whereunto we are not liable and daily subject: God is just, and no whit of this can be called back; a fearful condition.

2. We are all the very vassals of Satan, and slaves of sin, taken prisoners of him in the fall, and we have no power of Soul, nor part of body, but are all fast bound to his will, our understanding darkness itself, our will altogether averse and rebellious to that that is good, carried forcibly to all evil, as are also our affections and other parts. The Devil holds us, as a Captain doth his Castle, naturally he rules in our hearts at his pleasure, till through Christ we be delivered out of this power of darkness: He is the strong man that keeps the house, till a stronger then he comes, which is Christ alone: We have no power to think a good thought, to stir a finger in any good, though about the matter of our Salvation; Our wisdom is enmity against God, All our thoughts are only evil continually: Its as impossible for a natural man to do any good, as for a bramble to bear grapes or figs; nay, which is worse, and makes up our bondage, we cannot see we be in this case, believe when we be told it, desire to come out of it, as being weary thereof; nay, we delight in it, think it the only liberty, spend body, goods, name, soul, and all in the service of it, the basest master, and most cruel, the basest work, and most woeful wages, and this yet is worst, that we like of it, and liberty being offered, we loath it. No vassal among the Turks that hath been there never so long, but yet retains a free mind, he would be gone if he might or could tell how; but such are not we, we have no desire from Satan or sin; our bondage being thus made known unto us, we are a little the fitter to listen to the freedom here spoken of, we being in this most woeful bondage, God of his infinite mercy found out a way, a strange way to free us, and that was by Jesus Christ, who hath procured our liberty and makes us free.

This is called Christian liberty, because its purchased by Christ for Christians, namely Believers, and no others: Its a Spiritual and holy freedom, not Civil, such as the Jews looked for (even great advancement in an earthly Kingdom) or the Anabaptists dream of, which shake off Magistracy; nor Carnal, such as that of the Libertines, which live as they list in all silthiness; and procured it is by Christ alone, no other could do it: It stands in these four things, 1. Through Christ we are freed from the wrath and curse of God, and all the punishment [ 1] of our sins here, and hereafter; and this he hath done by his precious blood, having redeemed us, and became also a curse for us: He was arraigned before a worldly Judge, that we might not be arraigned before the Judge of the whole world; He was condemned, that we might be absolved; He died, that we might live; He hath become our surety, and so freed us from the wrath and justice of God, and his payment was most royal, because he was God, and by his Resurrection he declared that it was full and perfect; So that now to all that believe in him, there is no condemnation: It hath nothing to do with them; for though God be just, and will have it once paid, yet not unjust to require it twice. 2. We are freed from the service of Sin [ 2] and the Devil, which he hath done by the virtue of his Word and holy Spirit, working faith in our hearts: So Regenerating and Sanctifying us, washing us in his blood, enlightening our understandings, renewing our wills, reforming our affections and whole man, working a quite change from that was before, an hatred of the sin that before was only loved, a love to the good that before was not regarded, yea of all sin, and of all good, with some power to resist and overcome the one, and perform the other; so that though Satan tempt us, yet shall he not have us at command as before, though our heart and flesh lust after evil, yet the Spirit resisteth it, and provoketh to good, and sin reigneth in us no longer: Thus were Zacchaeus, the Jailor, and Mary Magdalene quite altered from that they were before: So among ourselves, through God's goodness, they that understood nothing to purpose, are now enlightened and ashamed of themselves in respect of their former conversation, hate their sins and old companions, and are turned to love God, and to delight in his Word, Saints, Prayer, good Duties, have tongues that cannot now speak for their liyes as before, but are ready to speak gracious words, which before they could not; and where before they were lame to any good, now they are active, and can find their legs now to carry them to goodness; but we are only thus freed in part: we cannot do what we would, & as we would, and oftentimes also we do also what we would not, yet shall we draw virtue from God by his Spirit in the daily use of the Word, Sacraments, and Prayer, to be more and more freed therefrom, till at last we shall attain the same, even perfect freedom [ 3] in glory forever. 3. We are freed from the rigor of the Moral Law, and the uttermost extremity of it, which of the unbeliever is exacted, but on the behalf of Believers is taken away by Christ, so that though in them there be many wants, yet God in Christ Jesus will accept the will for the deed; he will accept of their hearts, and of the truth of their actions, pardoning their infirmities: Hence it is that now they flee not from the Law as a cruel Tyrant, but come thereto, as to a Schoolmaster to instruct them in God's will. 4. We are freed from the Ceremonial [ 4] Law, whereof the Sacraments, Sacrifices, Rites, Purifyings, &c. were mere shadows till the body came: So from bondage, in all things indifferent, as meats, drinks, days, and the like, which were rudiments serving for the minority of the Church: There is now no indifferent thing we are bound in for Religions sake, or from which we are to abstain for conscience sake; much more are we freed from all men's Traditions, which serve not to bind the conscience, wherewith notwithstanding the Church of Rome endeavoreth to hold people in base and deadly bondage (as the Scribes and Pharisees of old) and that for Conscience and Religions sake: The Kingdom of God is not meat nor drink, neither if we eat are we the more acceptable, or if we eat not, the less.

1. This is a wonderful consolation to every Christian; whoso can prove themselves Believers, they are the only happy persons in the world, they only are free: Art thou such a one? be of good comfort, there's no condemnation to thee; though thou hast been stung with sin, yet seeing thou hast had grace to look up to Christ Jesus, thou art cured, Christ hath died for thee, thou shalt not perish, but have life everlasting, Who shall lay anything to thy charge? Christ hath paid thy debt to the uttermost farthing; when therefore the conscience of thy sin troubles thee, with the danger thereof, and the Devil pursueth thee with temptations, O then look up to thy Surety, stick to him, he hath perfectly discharged thee! Though there be a Hell wide and large, and the burning thereof as it were fire and much wood, which the breath of the Lord as a River of Brimstone doth kindle, and wherein thou hast deserved to have thy portion, yet there thou shalt not come, Christ hath given a discharge for everyone that believeth in him: Thou art humbled, the Spirit of God beareth witness to thine, that thou art God's, and thou findest in thyself the fruits of faith; be of good comfort, God can as soon deny himself, as that thou shalt perish: O what cause have we to thank God for Christ Jesus, and all the means whereby we came to faith, and to be Christians! we can have no curse in this world (crosses for good, are no curses) death shall do us no hurt, yea turn to our especial good: Art thou a Believer? then art thou no longer the Servant of sin, to be at the command, and follow it in the lusts thereof; though thou canst not do as thou wouldest, yet having thine understanding enlightened, thy will and affections reformed, and thine heart changed, &c. thou hast a blessed freedom, a pledge indeed of that perfect freedom thou shalt have in Heaven; yet labor every day to be more freed from the bondage of thy corruption, and set at liberty to serve God; And is it not a wonderful comfort, that we may offer up Spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ? and that we are enabled in some measure to do the will of God, and that with delight; and that our works, though imperfect and done in weakness, yet being done in Truth are accepted of God, who hath compassion on us, as a father on his son: He that is indeed a true Believer, is the only free person in the world, so free as nothing can make him otherwise; let him be bound with sickness, with poverty, with imprisonment, let him be tied hand and foot, let him be chained about the neck to a prison wall, &c. yet is he free; free from sin and damnation, free from the bondage of the Devil, is a conqueror over temptations, hath a free mind to serve God, and even then with Paul and Silas, and the three children, can sing and laud his name: O praise God for this, walk thankfully and joyfully, love the word, and search it, where these blessed prerogatives and privileges be enrolled: Its a great fault we rejoice no more herein, especially considering the price that our freedom cost.

2. For them that cannot prove themselves Believers; O let them labor to have a part in this freedom. Rome had great privileges, therefore many sought and that with great sums to be free of it: When the Jews were freed from Haman's conspiracy, and had the Kings favor, many become Jews; O so, me thinks, many should desire to become Christians, that they may partake of this freedom, which is more to be desired then the whole world: Till you be freed by Christ, you are in woeful bondage; When the Son shall make you free, then shall you be free indeed, till which time you are bound indeed, and that in a fearful manner; the curse of God follows you whithersoever you go or ride; you go not over a style, but you may break your neck; get up on your horses, but you may receive some deadly blows to send you to Hell; take tools in your hands, but you may mischief your selves thereby, you may be swallowed up as Korah, drowned as Pharaoh, burnt with fire from Heaven as Nadab and Abihu, eat up with worms as Herod: Being unbelievers, you have no warrant to the contrary, every minute you hang over the pit of Hell, for whom it gapeth: You are also slaves of the Devil, at his command, and do base work for a woeful master, whose wages will be accordingly: But this the world will not believe, they dream not of Spiritual bondage, neither consider that their hearts are fast locked in unbelief; were they sensible hereof, they would seek by all means to be rid of the same, they would be afraid even to sleep this night, lest Hell should catch them ere they awoke, lest their souls should be fetched from them being in this condition: O never be quiet till you know yourselves freed by Christ; to this end humble yourselves, confess your deadly bondage, bewail it to God, cry for pardon, rest not till you receive a gracious answer; never leave waiting on God in his Word, and craving his Spirit, till he change your hearts, and make you free, whence will spring peace of Conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost: What are Riches, Wit, Civility, yea the gifts of Knowledge, Utterance, and hearing of the Word with joy, and the like, without this? This is to be known by Faith especially; But how do most content themselves to hold the hope of Heaven by sleight conceits of their own, rather then seek by sound arguments from the Word to be assured thereof? Is not this fearful? Its time for us to awaken our selves, and to ransack our Evidences; weak holds will vanish when strong temptations come: O get we the shield of Faith, which will quench all the fiery darts of the Devil: He is such an adversary, that we had need be thoroughly armed, being to encounter with him.

And not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness,] Here's the abuse of Christian liberty: They were freed indeed, but he would not they should stretch their liberty further then was mere, or abuse it any way as a cloak and cover for any licentiousness or naughtiness whatsoever. Here note, That

Through the evil heart and corrupt nature of man, not only the creatures of God, but even his holy Ordinances, and the very best things are subject to be abused: The Gospel was foolishness to the world, and Christ Jesus himself a stone whereat many did stumble: Thus the Doctrine of Predestination, many turn to a desperate course of doing what they list: The Doctrine of God's great mercy most take as an emboldening to sin; so is the Doctrine of Justification by Faith only, and of Christian liberty abused unto licentiousness: Even the Apostles writings were by some wrested to their own condemnation.

1. Seeing our nature is so apt to abuse such things, it behooves the Ministers of God to pray to God for wisdom, that they may deliver wisely and warily as all points of Doctrine, so especially those that are most apt to be abused: They must so handle the Doctrine of God's judgments against the wicked, that the godly humble be not dismayed; and so comfort the godly, that the wicked be not emboldened, but each have his portion that's due to him.

2. This rebuketh as in general all such as shall thus abuse any holy things of God, so in particular all abusers of Christian liberty, whether such as turn it into carnal licentiousness (as the Familists and Libertines, and too too many in this Land, in solemnizing the Feast of our Saviors Nativity) or such as turn it into civil liberty, and freedom from civil subjection, as of old the Jews (which looked for earthly privileges and immunities by Christ) and of late the Anabaptists: How many hearing that we are freed by Christ from the rigor of the Law, make no more account of it, as though a believer freed from the curse and rigor of it, were not yet under it while he lives? How many make Religion a cloak for their naughtiness and whoredoms, being very diligent at Sermons, and outwardly very devout, that they might be the less suspected? as the Scribes and Pharisees, which devoured widows houses, and under color made long prayers? How many hearing that the Ceremonial Law is abrogated by Christ, will not therefore read any part thereof; nay scarce any of the Old Testament, shaking off the Testimonies cited out of it, ignorantly saying, O the old Law is abolished. How many now hearing that we be not under the bondage of anything indifferent, rush out into all excessive and vile abuse of the same, without keeping any bounds, or going by any rule? They will eat and drink excessively at all times, wear what apparel they list, without respect of their degree for the matter of it, or the fashion for the manner: So for recreations, they dare run unto those that be unlawful, and use those that be lawful without all bounds of moderation.

But of the use of things indifferent, there be three restrainers, God's Words, The Laws of Magistrates, and the rule of Charity: God's Word, where are rules whereby to guide us in the use of things indifferent, as that they be decent, of good report, done to edifying, used in sobriety and modestly, tend to the glory of God; and to make us fitter for duties.

The Laws of Magistrates, whether Civil or Ecclesiastical; for if they command in things indifferent, and be so in their use also as well as their nature, and be according to the rules of the Word, then they are by the Magistrates commandment made necessary, as for abstinence from flesh not for Religion, but civil respects: So if they forbid men to wear silk upon some special causes, or to hunt within such a compass; these were before indifferent, but now necessary.

The rule of charity; we must not use indifferent things to the offense of our weak brother, or to cause him stumble, or hinder him any way in the course of his Salvation: Indeed for obstinate ones that will not be persuaded, we are not bound to respect them; as Paul, that was content for the week Jews to circumcise Timothy, would not after, because of their obstinacy, consent that Titus should be circumcised.

Our Christian liberty is an holy thing, precious indeed and dear: O let's not abuse it, let's not suffer ourselves to be entangled again with sin, or the works of the Devil, and fashions of the world, from which Christ hath freed us! Neither let us suffer ourselves to be made the Servants of men, or to be brought into subjection of men's Traditions, or the superstitious use of things indifferent (as the Papists thus hold poor people in bondage) it cost Christ a dear price to purchase our freedom: Contrarily, Take heed we abuse it not to wantonness and licentiousness, but use it to the glory of God, our own good, and the benefit of our Brother: Remember we also, that our freedom by Christ doth not exempt us from subjection to Magistrates: Christian liberty, and civil subjection may well stand together; Even Christ himself and his Apostles were subject unto the higher powers, neither hath he purchased liberty for any to do hurt, or cross his Fathers order.

But as the servants of God.] Here's the right use of Christian liberty, we must use it as God's servants, that are freed from sin to serve him in obedience to all his commandments, and this of subjection among the rest.

A Christian though he be free, yet is he a Servant still; He is freed from Sin, Hell, Damnation, and the Devil, to serve the Lord of Heaven and Earth; an happy service, a most blessed change: A Christian is of all others the most free, and yet the greatest Servant: The greatest Christian, the greatest Servant; He that will be greatest, let him be servant of all: We must serve God in the duties of his worship both privately and publicly, and that zealously, and we must serve men to the good of their souls and bodies, by Admonition, Exhortation, Consolation, Example, and Prayer: This is no bondage, but the happiest liberty that may be; Comfort and joy accompanies this service for the present, whereof the end will be life everlasting: Not to serve thus, but to be under the service of sin, is of all others the basest bondage.

As therefore we would serve the Lord with all our might, and shake off all tediousness and wearisomeness that comes upon us in the performance of any duties, whether private or public, and would zealously and cheerfully run the way of his commandments, do we consider our freedom (who were sometimes the lackies of the Devil) from what, and by what price are we freed; let's remember what service we have done for sin in the days of our vanity, and now as much, or rather more for the Lord; we thought it no burden to sin all day long, and must not now to be godly all the day long; we have forgotten our meat for play, and yet thought the time short; yea, have sat up whole Nights at Cards and Dice, and have spent a good part of our Goods, and taken great pains to do evil, and should it now be irksome unto us to serve the Lord? far be it from us.

Verse 17.

Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the King.

THis Verse consists of four Branches; whereof the former two concern the duties which we owe each to other, which following upon that which we are to perform towards Magistrates, implieth this much; That

To reverence and obey our Governors is not sufficient, no not to make us good subjects, except we also live well one with another; for as the members both of the Natural and Spiritual body are not only coupled and joined to the head, but also each to other, so accordingly are we in duty bound to both: Not only do Children obey their Parents, Servants their Masters, and Subjects their Governors, but they must also live orderly and respectively between themselves one with another: He that doth not thus, cannot be a good Subject; He that shall deal injuriously with his fellow-subjects, wrongeth his Prince (whose welfare dependeth on the multitude and flourishing state of his Subjects) whether it be in body, goods, name or life; he wrongeth his Prince, I say, if the party whom he harmeth be but an ordinary man, much more if he be a true Christian, being therefore one of his best Subjects.

This therefore condemneth all such as will stand in awe of Magistrates, and keep out of their hands, but for others, they care not how much they wrong them; How will some profane desperate wretches of brazen faces, by their songs and lying Libels misuse both rich and poor, Ministers or others, which cross them in their vile courses? And are there not others close fisted (like the rich man in the Gospel) that will be careful to keep out of danger of the Magistrate, and do their duties to them, but despise all others; partly blessing themselves in this; that they live of nobody, are beholding to none, have no need of any, and partly of a base mind, only seeking themselves, and regarding nobody else, oppressing and griping whomsoever they catch? Neither of these be either good Christians or good Subjects.

Honor all men.] That is, have regard, and give due respect unto all (whether they be Jews or Gentiles, good or bad) according to their places, and that which is lovely, and to be regarded in them; contrary hereunto, is contempt, which (as a thing not to be endured) we are to avoid by all means.

Touching those whom we ought to honor, they may be considered both as they are to us, and as they are in themselves: As they are to us, they are either Superiors, Equals, or Inferiors, all which we are to honor, yea our very selves also.

Our Superiors, whether in Wealth, Wisdom, Years: This we must show in these and the like particulars, 1. To rise up before them. 2. When they are coming towards us, to go and meet them, as Abraham did the three Angels, and Solomon rose to meet Bathsheba. 3. To bow, as Abraham to the children of Heth, and the rich man to our Savior Christ. 4. To give them the highest seat or place if we sit, or the wall and the right hand if we walk: Josephs brethren sat down according to their age. 5. To give them liberty to speak in the first place: Thus did Elihu, we must not be full of words in the company of our Superiors. 6. To give titles of reverence that we owe to them; so did Sarah to Abraham, Calling him Lord; as Hanna did to Eli, and the young man in the Gospel coming to our Savior Christ, called him, Good Master: We must give every man his due, honor to whom honor belongeth.

Our Equals: 1. In esteeming them better then ourselves, without contention or vain glory: This is indeed one of the hardest things in the world, because of the pride that is naturally in us, but if we look for this grace of humility, it may be obtained, even by seeing others virtues and our own frailties and infirmities, we shall come to this in truth, esteeming others better then ourselves. 2. We must in giving honor go one before another; modesty is a great cherisher of love, neither is there a more deadly poison to peace and agreement, nor greater mean to stir up contention and hatred, then when any shall think themselves despised: What a folly and madness is it in numbers that so strive for seats and places, or that sometimes they cannot contain even in the public and holy place, to justle for the wall, or the way? What deadly hatred ariseth between many about such things, that they can never be reconciled? Alas, This is not the way to honor, as which flieth further from those that do most run after it: If in modesty we would yield, rather then contend, either our adversaries would yield to us, or if not, yet the wise would commend us, and disallow them.

Our Inferiors; we must without all contempt, in meekness of Spirit respect them as Brethren, as our own flesh; one God made them and us, and of one mold and matter, they may belong to God, and be heirs of glory as well as we. Besides, as the meanest member of the body could not be spared, so could not we be without them; they toil, dig, delve, card, spin, &c. Thus will they do their duty the more cheerfully, and bear the place of their Inferiority, when they shall see themselves, though mean, yet not despised, which else might occasion in them discontent and impatience, and increase their burden, which they do already think to be heavy enough; we must be so far from being harsh, cruel, or strange to them, as that we ought to hear them speak, and regard their counsel; if they be persons of understanding and good carriage, as often as the Lord-will, let an Inferior see that which the Superior doth not, that the one may regard the other: Naaman the Syrian hearkened to the counsel of his Servant to his great good; neither did Job despise the cause of his Servants, when they contended with him: True it is, Superiors are not to lose the places God hath set them in, neither are bound to set up their Inferiors in them, yet are they to use them kindly and with respect.

Yea, a man is bound to honor himself, for he is the workmanship of God, he may not therefore defile or abuse himself at his pleasure: He must therefore keep his hands free from cruelty and oppression, his tongue from lying, swearing, railing, mocking, as his whole body from evil and filthiness: Its God's will that we should possess our vessels in holiness and honor, we must not disgrace or deface the work of the Lord; they that thus do, shall not enter into Heaven, for no unclean thing shall come there: And as we desire to procure honor unto ourselves, we must labor in all things to honor God, and in all our doings aim at his glory; them that thus do, God will honor: Contrarily, they that seek themselves, and not God, in that that they do, living even openly to his dishonor, and not regarding at all to glorify him, disgrace and shame shall be cast on them; the honor they seek flies furthest from them, yea, such have often fearful and shameful ends: Dishonoring God, he dishonoreth them; and as we are to labor to be approved of God, so also to have good report in the Church of God; for a good name is greatly to be respected, is of much worth, and an especial blessing of God. Thus as men are to us.

As they are in themselves, they are either good o • bad, both which we are to honor: Honor all men (saith the Apostle) good, bad, Jews, Gentiles, Believers, Unbelievers, Regenerate, Unregenerate, Christians, Pagans, &c. for the good there is no doubt, and that is to be spoken of in the next Exhortation, but the doubt and difficulty is of the bad, how and why we must honor them: We must have a good respect to all, though not to all alike; and there are none so bad, but there is something in them to be regarded, some scratch of God's image; if ancient men, an image of God's eternity, reverence that, and speak to them as to aged men; if wealthy, an image of God's infinite abundance; if wise to manage matters of the world, reverence God's wisdom; if a Father or Master, an image of God's Fatherhood and Authority: Besides, they have many active parts of good use, for Peace or War, by Sea and Land, are skillful in the Tongues, in Arts and Sciences, are Civil, Kind, Courteous, Pitiful, and the like; for every of which we are to honor them, to reverence them, to give them their due, so much as in us lies living peaceably with them: In their prosperity we must use them friendly in all points of Neighborhood, Lending, Borrowing, Commercing, Dealing Justly and Righteously with them, to bring them to the love of Religion; in their adversity we must be helpful to them; if hungry, give them meat; if thirsty, drink; if naked, raiment; at all times give them a good example, pray for them, and give them their due for anything that's in them, that they may see themselves regarded, not despised, and so keep peace, holding out contention, which is the floodgate of all evil: Thus dealing well with them, and walking wisely towards them, we may bring them in time to a liking and love of Religion.

1. Therefore for Christians, let them not reject men altogether whom they see to be bad, but give them their due, we know not what good may come by our amiable and wise carriage towards them; but if we shall despise them, we do thereby harden them against us and Religion too.

2. For them that be yet carnal, let them labor for grace, which deserves true and large honor: If God will have you regarded for your natural parts, how will both he himself honor you, and cause you also to be honored of others, having grace? ye see Christians use you kindly and respectively for your common and natural gifts, O how should they embrace you, if they saw the lively image of God in you?

Love the Brotherhood.] More especially he now teacheth our duties to godly men, to the true servants of God: These we must embrace with an entire and hearty affection; we must love all, and do good unto all, but especially unto the Brotherhood; brotherly kindness, which is a very natural and entire inward affection, is due to the children of God. Speak we first of love to their persons, then to their fellowship and Company.

For their persons; We must love them with a more then ordinary affection: The more lively we observe God's image to be in any, the more we must love such; others we are not bound to love with the like affections: Those did David love, in such did he delight, a fit pattern for our imitation. We must love such,

1. Because of their nearness to us if we belong to God; They [ 1] are our Brethren, we have the same Father, God; the same Mother, the Church of God; born of the same immortal seed, nourished up with the same sincere milk of the Word, have the same Sacraments, the same Savior, our eldest Brother Christ Jesus, and look also for the same Inheritance in Heaven, and is not this very near? They are also members of the same body that we be, fellow-members with us, and of the same Household and Family, even the Household of Faith.

[ 2] 2. In respect of their excellency; They are washed in Christ's Blood, covered with his righteousness, are more glorious then the Sun, endued with the sanctifying Spirit, have Angels to their attendants, all the Creatures theirs, they live under the hope of eternal glory, the world was made for them, and abides for their sakes: If a man saw the honor of a Christian and Child of God, he would fall down before him, and kiss the ground he stands on.

[ 3] 3. For that they are in great favor with God; He loves them dearly, and hath rebuked even Kings for their sakes; He that toucheth them, toucheth the apple of his eye: Now those whom God loves, we should also love, yea whatsoever is done to them, good or ill, he counts it as done to himself.

1. This rebuketh those that are so far from thus affecting them, as that of all persons they cannot away with them, but mock them, as Ishmael did Isaac, and Michal, David, but rail on them as Shimei, tell Tales of them as Doeg, persecute them as Saul, seek to entrap them, as the Scribes, Pharisees, and Herodians, yea and like Judas betray them; of this sort all places are full, neither is there any so base in a Town, or so ignorant that he cannot say the Lord's-Prayer, but he can mock and rail on them that make conscience of their ways; yea, the Devil is such a cunning School-master, as that though we can beat nothing into some men's heads they be so blockish, yet the Devil can teach them to be very expert to jest at them that fear God; and this hath ever been the fashion of the world: They hate men for their goodness, and the better they be, the worse they like them; whom whilst they were profane, companions with them in disorder, they were the only men with them, Why were Abel, David, our Savior himself hated, but for their goodness? If they pretend that they mislike them, and speak against them for this or that fault, its but for a color, for why then do they like and nourish the same things in themselves, and those like themselves? Neither can such things be found in God's people, as are daily palpable in them and their companions; Its therefore because the light of the godly's good conversation discovers their ill deeds, which (were the others like them) would not be seen, or taken knowledge of: O the fearful condition of such! If he shall dwell in God's Tabernacle, in whose eyes a vile person is contemned, but he honoreth them that fear the Lord, where shall they dwell that honor vile persons, and contemn them that fear the Lord? Such 〈◊〉 not of God, are not translated from death unto life: As Ishmael was cast out of the Church, God will forever Excommunicate all ou • of Heaven, that continue to be Enemies to his people: Though ye have no mind to be as they are, yet misuse them not, for he that loveth them and will take their part, is mighty, and hath been revenged of Kings for their sakes: But if you will be wise indeed, labor to be such, who are therefore set up, either that you should follow them, or else that they should be your Judges, as Noah in condemning the old world: If you will needs continue to despise them, yet know that the time shall come, when you shall desire to be as they, but it shall be far from you: Haply even in this life, when you shall be visited with sickness, or in some other extremity and misery, you may with Balaam wish this; but howsoever, on the great and terrible day of Judgment, when they shall stand on the right hand, and you on the left, they be received up into everlasting glory, your selves cast out into eternal torments, you would be glad hereof: But you must not think to be as Dives in this world, and as Lazarus in the world to come: O then, love ye the grace of God, wheresoever ye see it, and the people of God, though never so poor and mean, yea, more then them that are in gold Chains without grace! Shew your inward affection towards them, by rejoicing in their welfare, grieving at the contrary, living peaceably with them, doing them all the good you can, or they stand in need of, whether in soul or body.

2. This rebuketh such as break this near knot of love for toys and trifles, not worth the speaking of; welfare Abraham, that would rather yield to his Inferior, then thus do: Many wax hollow, and strange, and conceited one against another, and live at odds in heart-burning, even with them whom they cannot, they dare not but think to be God's people; Is not this monstrous wrong to Christ, to pull one member from another? and is it not a great distemper, when one member of the body will hurt another? O that these days of peace should produce such an effect! If God should send days of trouble, we would be glad one of another: O that wicked pride and covetousness (the main causes hereof) or anything else in this world should be of such force, as to sever those whom God by his Spirit hath joined together! Thus of their persons.

For their fellowship and company; This follows upon the former, for that which we love, we desire as much to enjoy as may be, as the Husband the Wives company, and she his; so Parents their Children, one Friend another's: They therefore love not the people of God (whatsoever they say or pretend) that care not for their company.

But whose fellowship are we to love? The Brethren's, even the people of God; we are to honor all, even bad men, but are not to have society or keep company with such: Enter not into the way of the wicked ( saith Solomon) and walk not into the way of evil men: I wrote unto you in an Epistle ( saith the Apostle ) that ye should not company together with fornicators, &c. and again, We command you, Brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh inordinately, and not after the instruction which he received of us.

Reasons. 1. We shall hereby make them a ••••• ed, and so be a means [ 1] of their Repentance: When they shall see themselves after a sort excommunicated out of the society of the people of God, they will begin to take notice of the ground thereof, namely, Their sins, and thereupon thus question with themselves, If for these and these sins I am thus rejected of men, how much more will God reject me? otherwise we shall strengthen them in their sins.

[ 2] 2. We shall provoke others by our example, not to have any fellowship with them, who else might continue therein to their destruction.

[ 3] 3. Lest we be defiled, for who can touch pitch, and not be defiled therewith, or walk in the Sun, and not be tanned? A companion of fools shall be afflicted: Their company is like an east wind, to blast the tender plant of the grace of God in us: If we shall use the same, they will soon rob us of our good qualities, as Hamor did Dinah of her chastity; we shall quickly lose our good name, quickly learn their works, A little leaven, leavens the whole lump: Sin is of an infectious nature, the infection thereof far worse then the plague; Solomon the wisest man, yet was wonderfully carried away and defiled thus; and David with being a little among the Philistines, learned to dissemble, making as if he had been willing to fight against his own people; Peter being but a while in the high Priests Hall, fell foully; Lot having sojourned in Sodom, did so far forget himself, as that he proffered his two daughters to be lain with, and they learned to be monstrous unshamefast; Ahaziah did evil in the sight of the Lord (saith the Text) like the house of Ahab for he was the son in Law of the house of Ahab: He was unequally yoked, had the company of an ill wife, and ill friends.

[ 4] 4. Lest we partake of their punishments: The curse of God is in the house of the wicked; They are cursed abroad and at home, and in all they put their hands unto: Its dangerous to be in their company; Lot being in Sodom, was at first taken prisoner, and afterward (if he had not been plucked away by the Angel) had been there burnt; Jehoshaphat hardly escaped his life for going with Ahab; St. John would not enter the bath where Cerinthus was, Lest (saith he) the bath fall upon us, where this wicked enemy of God is.

This rebuketh the monstrous wickedness of our times, wherein there are none so bad, but others will keep company and join with them in all kinds of Societies; yea, oftentimes even Professors will match their children with such, especially if they be wealthy; but what a woeful yoke is it to have an honest or well minded person, or one of good towardness, to be yoked with one of an ungodly and vile life, one that's both loose in manners, and corrupt in judgment, whether Atheist, Papist, or any other? So men care not where they dwell, nor with what Neighbors, if the ground like them, and it be for their profit: Our young Gentlemen are scarce complete, if they go not over to Italy to learn some of Machiavels villainy; A number of our Merchants care not where they buy or trade, so it be for gain, though they live amongst all God's enemies, and often defile themselves with bowing their knee to Baal: Many care not how vile Servants they have, so they do their work, which yet proves oftentimes the poisoning of their Children: Most are for all companies; if good, so it is, they will frame themselves accordingly; if bad, they are also for them: This is the cause of so much overflowing and overspreading evil in the world, for one infects another; O how many Youths of good towardness, falling into vile company, have been spoiled! How loath are we that our Children should look asquint, or be deformed? Ill company will quickly make them look quite awry from God; therefore saith David, Depart from me ye wicked, for I will keep the commandments of the Lord. As we love ourselves, as we would escape the Judgment of God upon us, such as Pain, Sickness, Poverty, and such like here, with everlasting Torments hereafter, keep we our selves far from the wicked, depart we from them in whom we see not the lips of knowledge. If we be to choose our dwellings, do not we dwell in Mesech, as we would not cry with the Psalmist, Woe is me, &c. If already we dwell in such places, yet be we watchful over the pollutions there, lest we be defiled: Haply the wicked will hereupon tax us for pride; but better it is that they should speak ill of us falsely, then that God should hate and punish us justly: If one should wallow himself in a mire, and term another in new and clean garments proud, for not wallowing as he did, or rubbing upon his dirty clothes, whereby he might be defiled, who would not account him a fool? Those, I say, we must not love, neither frequent their company, but we must love the Brotherhood, frequent the company of God's people: David made choice of such; so Cornelius, even of such as did fear the Lord: We must love to have fellowship with them both publicly (in hearing the Word, joining together in Prayer for a blessing thereon, and offering up the sweet perfume of Thanksgiving; where thousands have found such comfort and refreshing, as they would not give for a world) and privately, conferring one with another, Admonishing, Exhorting, Edifying, Comforting and Encouraging one another; Thus we shall strengthen and confirm one another (for he that walks with the wise, shall be wise) Thus stir up and provoke one another to good works, whereof (considering our dullness and weakness) we have great need; Thus we may open our temptations one to another, and accordingly receive both comfort and counsel. The wicked meet to strengthen one another in evil, hereby making others twofold more the children of the Devil then themselves; and should not we be as wise in our generation? Oh! How many have cause to thank God highly for good company, by whom, upon the discovery of their temptations, they have received both comfort and strength? by whom (being formerly much daunted by Reproaches, and other harsh measure used against them for their Profession) they have been notably heartened; yea, even the wicked themselves have been the better for good company, as Joash whilst Jehoiada lived, and the Sodomites whilst L • t was amongst them: Two are better then one, and as iron sharpeneth iron, so good company proveth beneficial unto such as make use of the same.

1. This rebuketh the Brownists, that separate and rent themselves from us, and our both public and private Societies, as if we were no Church, but an Antichristian company, having neither Sacraments, nor Ministers: But we have not only a true, but a worthy Church, that maintain all Principles of true Religion as soundly, as any Church in the world, as in our Articles of Religion appeareth. We have also Ministers inwardly called of God, with competency of gifts, and graced of him by the fruit of their labors, in the Conversion of thousands of souls, which is a good seal of their Ministry from Heaven; and if these have any good in them, where had they it, but from those Ministers, and that Church from which they now separate, and on which they most unchristianly rail as Antichristian? to whom our Church may say indeed, Give me that which you have had of me, and then go your ways, and see what will become of you: What an ungracious part were it in a Son (if being grown to some years, and able to shift for himself) he should turn, and miscalling his Father, spit on his face, calling also his Mother Harlot and Whore, and then running away from them, when he should show his thankfulness to them? No less ungracious are these men.

2. It rebuketh those profane ones, that cannot abide the company of God's people, think an hour there as long as a day elsewhere, account such a Family a prison, wherein theres reading the Word, Catechizing, Prayer, and the like duties; yea, when they should be in the house of God, they will be at home, or in some Alehouse, or walking abroad in the Fields, or loitering in the Church-yard; or if they come, its to no purpose, as being against their minds: such stragglers are in danger of the Devil, out of God's protection, and may fall into any evil; What blind beasts be these, that count that a prison, that is comfort and joy, true and sweet liberty? Well, if they will not walk with them while they live, their end shall not be like theirs; severed in life, severed in death.

But what? have they no company then? Yes, to swagger, swill, swear, game, and to all manner of disorder, as well on the Lord's-day, as other times: There's a great deal of such fellowship in this Land, falsely called good fellowship; indeed hellish fellowship, whereof not God, but the Devil is the Author, and Master of the meeting; little brotherly fellowship, except it be as Simeon and Levi, brethren in evil: O the drunken fellowship of these times! Some are mad and beastly drunkards, others (to whom there's also a woe) strong to pour in strong drink, glorying in making others drunk, but their glory is to their shame, and their end will be damnation. How few Gentlemens houses can you come to, wherein its not the glory of Serving-men to make those drunk whom they can get into the Cellar, and thereupon rejoice? Poor woeful Creatures, that little think, that for this they shall one day come to Judgment, and their jollity be requited with everlasting torments in Hell: If they must answer for every idle word, and for such pleasures (though in themselves not unlawful) wherein they have regarded neither time, place, person, measure, nor end, how much more for their wicked companionship, in Swearing, Blaspheming, filthy talking, Prophaning the Lord's-day, and the like? Such would one day give the whole world, if they had it, for one hour to repent, but in vain: They now treasure up wrath to themselves, and as they now delight in evil company, so shall it be said unto them, Go ye cursed of my Father, &c. There, there shall they enjoy their company in whom they have so much delighted, but to their further Torment.

3. It rebuketh a marvelous fault in Christians, that so little regard one another, so seldom meet together, or when they do, spend the time to small purpose, not edifying one another as they should do: Some through Pride are so conceited of their parts, as if they did not stand in need of any, as others think themselves too good to converse with any, and others through covetousness, will not spare any time this way: But time was, when Christians made much one of another, and often in simplicity and plain-heartedness, met together to talk of good things, and to further and strengthen one another, and then Religion prospered, and people grew in grace; but now, though there be more knowledge, there is less zeal, and true-heartedness, and this is the cause of the decay of goodness amongst ancienter Christians; when the brands are pulled in sunder, and the heat decays, the fire goes out: Welfare our younger Christians which cling together. Beware, you that have been long professors, lest they that set out after you, outstrip you, and go far before you, which many may see to your shame: O is it not pitiful that when Christians meet, the time should be spent in worldly talk without ne • d, or in vain idle frothy talk of News, or other folks matters, and things of no edifying! This comes to pass sometimes through want of matter, their hearts being barren of good things; sometimes for that their hearts and minds are earthy, and delight not in those things: Hence it cometh to pass that Christians become the worse one for another's company, not a few leaving an ill example and savor behind them to the poisoning of others; this is hard in Christians, let us strive by all means that this may be amended.

To this end these Rules are to be observed by Christians in their private meetings:

1. That they do not hereby neglect their Callings to the hindrance of their families (except it be an extraordinary case of heaviness of mind, when a poor soul for a while will borrow a little of the body, as he hath beguiled the soul before, so to procure comfort) for thus shall they open the mouths of bad people against Religion, [ 1] as if it made men idle.

[ 2] 2. Break up at reasonable times, and that for avoiding of offense, especially if there be other then our own Family, yet as often we sit up till midnight at Cards, &c. so at sometimes we may take more liberty herein.

[ 3] 3. Keep within bounds for the business in hand; they must not meddle above their reach, as some in expounding the Scriptures, plunge themselves over head and ears; they must wade (as the Lamb) as far as they see ground, to presume further is dangerous, and leadeth into Error, besides the abuse of Scripture: Neither must they meddle with Church-Government, and matters of controversy; its the Devils policy to set such things abroach, to hinder more profitable matter, and that there may be jangling, no godly edifying: Instead of these, they must confer about points lately heard, or about their own spiritual conditions, doubts, temptations, and the like, or about the lets and means of faith, &c.

[ 4] 4. Though there should fall out some differences, yet they must not fall out in wrangling and contention, but (though they are in the right) break off for the time to avoid contention: Neither must any be so conceited, as to stand upon their own wit and skill, but refer themselves unto those which have their senses exercised to discern between truth and error.

[ 5] 5. That none desire to have all the speech, but be willing also to hear others, for some that are not so forward in speech, may yet put in his part to as good purpose, as they that think well of themselves.

[ 6] 6. That they avoid meddling with other folks matters, or censuring others (this is an ill use of meeting together) especially their Ministers Sermons, wherein they should take everything well that may be so taken; and before they blame anything, they must be sure they understand, and are not deceived or mistaken; yea, and then it must rather be humility to inform one another, then to censure them with over-much harshness and boldness, and to blaze the same abroad to their disgrace: Many through their indiscretion do their Ministers much hurt, and put them into strange courses of invectives (whom in meekness they might easily win) and so mar a good cause with ill handling. Thus of their Fellowship.

Fear God.] This is the fountain whence as well the forementioned duties flow, as those which follow, and all other must be performed: They must be such as will stand with the fear, service, and duty we owe unto God.

But God is perfectly good, and we are to fear nothing but that which is evil.

We must fear to offend God, and stand in awe of him: This is not slavish, in respect of punishment either inflicted or threatened, such as Ahab's, Belshazzar's, &c. but Filial, which cometh of love especially, yet with consideration also of his Majesty, Glory, and Greatness: This is often commanded, and throughout the whole Scriptures highly commended, as being the beginning of wisdom, the whole duty of man, a spur to obedience; whereof these are infallible signs, To hate sin and depart from evil (every sin, the inward as well as the outward, secret sins as well as open, such as might seem advantageous as well as others, unlike those which will say thereof, Its naught indeed, and we should not do it, but flesh and blood is frail, God help, and so living in it) To keep the Commandments (all the Commandments, all the Commandments always, yea always with delight) To tremble at the Word, as also at his judgments: The want of this is the floodgate of all Iniquity, Profaneness, Security, Hypocrisy, and hardness of heart, utter. Enemies hereunto: This is the preserver of the heart against evil and temptations, a main provoker unto that which is good; when we would yield unto this or that temptation, commit this or that evil, slubber over this or that duty, up starts the fear of God, and saith, Nay, that must not be yielded to; O the marvelous privileges and sweet promises annexed hereunto: Such as fear God, need fear neither Hell, Death, Devil nor Judgment; they need not fear Poverty, Sickness or Persecution, for either they shall not befall them, or be sanctified to them: O how should we labor to increase herein, by considering God's greatness, and our base poverty, together with his justice against sin throughout all ages? yea, considering his wonderful goodness in himself to the Land, to ourselves both for soul and body, who is not to fear such a glorious, such a merciful God? but notwithstanding both of his mercies and judgments plentifully manifested, who doth truly fear him? There's indeed little fear of God in the world, in England, in most of our Towns; O the fearful condition of such! they have cause to fear all things they see, as if all did conspire their ruin, which also sometimes falls out, as the Lord threatened by Moses: Were not people hardened, bold, nay desperate, they would not thus shake off God's fear; O let such haste out of this case! O labor to get assurance of the pardon of your sins, and so turn to God, and walk in his fear! Go not away hence to live loosely anymore, as heretofore you have done, but fear the great Lord of Heaven and earth, who is able to plague you both in Body, Minds, Goods, Children, here and hereafter; rear him that hath made thee, fed thee, and kept thee out of Hell, and hath been so good to thee every way, yea, and will yet do more to thee if thou turn to him.

Honor the King.] For the coherence of these words with the former, Note we,

1. That the duties to God and our Neighbor, the duties of the first and second Table, are to accompany one another; they must not be sundered, God hath knit them, and they must go together; He that loveth God, must love his brother also: The second is like the first; promises are annexed to the performance of both, punishments threatened for the breach of either: He that commandeth the one, enjoined also the other.

1. This rebuketh such as make show of great zeal in the duties to God and of his worship, but in the mean time make no conscience of Deceiving, Oppression, Falsehood, Backbiting, Idleness, and the like; break their word and promises, wrong men in their bodies, goods, chastity, good-names; whatsoever such make, their Religion is vain: The Prophets cried down such hypocrites in their times; there's now no less cause so to do: Let men join both duties together, and justify the truth of the one by the other; else as we commonly say, He that will swear, will lie; he that will lie, will swear; he that makes no conscience of his duty towards his Neighbor, makes no conscience of his towards God.

This rebuketh also such as are very civil and just in their dealings, sure of their word, and kind neighbors, and yet make no conscience of the duties of the first Table, regard not the Word, Sacraments, Prayer public or private, the observation of the Lord's-day, and the like; O they delight not in these, they savor not of such things: Howsoever the world count such right honest men, yet is God little beholding to them; What though they give men their due, if they defraud God of his? what though they steal not from men, if they rob God of his Sabbaths and times of worship which he challengeth as his, converting the same to their private uses? Let the world think as well and as highly of these as they will (wherein they do well, they are to be well thought of) they are not such as can abide the trial of the Word, neither shall be able to stand before God on the great day; but as they have sundered that which God hath coupled, so will he (if they repent not) sunder them forever from his Kingdom.

2. That the knowledge and fear of God is the fountain of all our duties to men in their several places; none can be a good servant indeed, a through good servant, one to be trusted with business of weight, with hope of blessing and success (as Eleazar Abraham's servant) but such a one as feareth God; So (according to the Text) no man can truly honor the King, and be an absolute good subject, except he fear God; no man will honor him from his heart as he ought, nor obey him for conscience sake, nor pay duties cheerfully, venture his life for him faithfully, and pray for him heartily, but such as fear God: This is the only sure bridle (all others of credit, fear, &c. will break) to keep people in duty; where this hath been wanting, there have been mutinies and risings, yea, what else can be expected where this bears not sway?

1. Let all that fear God, show it in their several places, by the performance of their duties to men, especially of subjection to their Governors, that so they may bring the same in esteem, and procure credit thereto.

2. Would any be good Subjects, let them begin at the right end, perform their duties in the right manner, even for conscience sake, as being required of God: Thus shall the Prince be much the better for them, and they themselves have comfort in the performance of the same: Thus shall not they dare fail herein for fear of the highest, whereas worldly men perform theirs merely for fear of men.

3. Magistrates are to trust those most, which do most fear God, and accordingly to use them kindly and countenance them, as being indeed their most loyal Subjects; yea, to further the Gospel what in them lies, whereby people may be brought to fear God, that so they may prove true and loyal to themselves, and so add strength to the Kingdom: Thus of the coherence.

For the words themselves, Honor the King, I have already spoken at large of the duty contained herein: Know we only, that by the King here, is meant Caesar, who was an Heathen Emperor, one that intruded himself, ruled tyrannously, and was an Idolater; and by Honor, not Divine and Religious honor (for that is due to God alone) but Civil worship and honor. The difference between those is not in the outward gesture of the body, or bowing the knee, but in the intention of the mind; Divine is, when we bow both knee and heart, and soul to God, and that for his own sake, as the Lord of Heaven and Earth, and the Author of all good to us, to whom we pray when we want it, and whom we praise as the Author of any mercy for soul or body: Civil, is when bowing the knee, yea and the affection of the mind to men, we do it yet for the Lord's sake, and as the Lord's instruments, and whom he hath set over us for good, as excelling us in gifts and graces, to whom we present Supplications, as the instruments of God to convey many good things to us, and accordingly render thanks for the same; yet must not we attribute to them anything proper to God, as Herod's and Nebuchadnezzar's; flatterers did, which the three▪ Children and Daniel refused. As our duties to them must flow from the fear of God, so must the same Rule direct and square them, so that they neither come too short, nor go too far.

Under this honor is understood, the inward reverence in heart to be declared outwardly by obedience to all their godly Commandments, cheerfulness in payments, prayer and thanksgiving, &c.

Now if all this be due to a wicked King, as here, and now to be performed of us, if we had a wicked King, what then is to be done of us to such a King as God hath bestowed on us? a natural Prince, and of our own Nation as it were, lineally descended of the ancient Kings of our own Realm, and a Christian King, that maintains the Gospel, and sets against Popery, a King honored of God with so rare gifts and virtues, with so peaceable an entrance, and such an hopeful Posterity, &c. O do we honor him, reverence him, be thankful for him, pray for him, cheerfully pay such Taxes and Subsidies as shall be imposed on us (for the maintenance of his Royal Pomp and Charge) to the encouragement of others.

Verse 18.

Servants, be subject to your Masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.

NOw of the duties of another sort of Inferiors to another kind of Superiors, namely, of Servants (all Servants, whether Menservants or Maid-servants) to their Masters (Dames and Mistresses too) they must be subject to them; that is, not only content themselves with the place of Inferiority they are in, giving them the place of their Superiority, but to perform all duties to them which they may justly challenge, and that from a reverend respect of them and of their place; and that not only if they be good and gentle (of the best natures, and that use them well) but also if even they be froward, or such as use them ill.

Before I come unto the words in particular, note we two or three generals:

1. The exactness and absoluteness of the Word of God, It teacheth us in all things how to carry ourselves: No man's place so mean, no action so common (eating, drinking, sleeping, &c.) none so mean in the meanest calling, but the Word reacheth thereto, and giveth direction therein; Its a Schoolmaster, able to convince, teach, instruct, correct all; Its as an Apothecaries shop thoroughly furnished; Its like a pure Fountain, that sends water by pipes, not only into the chief rooms, but even into the meanest; It doth noth only instruct us in our duties towards God, but towards • o our Neighbors also, towards our Superiors, towards those that are set over us, though in an inferior degree.

This teacheth every man to search the Scriptures, and to labor to be acquainted therewith, and to make them their Counselors and Guides, A light and lanthorn to their feet; They must also hear them opened by Preaching, for their fuller understanding thereof: If any shall say, What shall I do at Church? I am a poor Wench in the Kitchen, I am a poor Plow-boy, its fit for my Master to go, &c. Know, that its fit and needful for thee also so to do, not only because thou hast a soul to save as well as thy Master, but that thou mayest learn to become thy place, and do thy duty aright.

2. How Ministers ought to have a care of, and stoop to the lowest and meanest of their charge: The Apostle Paul, in the midst of all his great businesses, travels and cares, yet in no Epistle lightly forgets to teach Servants their duties towards their Masters, that so doing their duty, they may adorn the Gospel. Thus doth our Apostle here, and thus must we do in our places. A faithful shepherd will not willingly lose any of his sheep, but tender them all; and we must be so careful, as to be free from the blood of everyone.

True it is, that Masters must not turn this off from themselves, and put it wholly on the Ministers; but do their duty to the uttermost, pressing upon them at home what they hear publicly taught, both which are little enough; yet must the Ministers also speak to the understanding, and apply themselves to the capacity of the meanest, accordingly taking care that they come not to the Sacrament hand over head.

3. That not only the Church and Common-wealth, but even particular families are to be well ordered and looked to, as from whence will flow either good or ill: They that be good in their families, will be good abroad in what place soever they be set; if the Master be godly at home, he will be a good Parishioner, a good Subject, so their Children and Servants? Whats the cause of so much disorder abroad everywhere? even for that there be so few families in any good order and government. Thus in general.

Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, &c.] Here three things are observable: 1. The duty to be performed. 2. The manner. 3. Towards whom; where's the removal of a secret Objection, showing that Servants must be subject even to them that use them hardly, and deal most injuriously with them.

Touching the duty to be p • rformed, and the manner thereof, I have heretofore spoken at large, in handling the fifth Commandment: It proceeds from that reverent respect which they have of their Masters, and the parties set over them by God in his wise and merciful providence: If they do inwardly reverence them from their hearts, and see God in them, and the face and image of God in their face, they will also outwardly declare the same by their obedience, faithfulness, care, diligence, and the like.

1. This condemneth the monstrous insolency of youth in these our days, which can abide no yoke of good Government, daily bewraying their want of inward reverence, by the fruits thereof, in their countenances, gestures, words, behavior, blazing abroad their Masters infirmities, and the like: How many even of professors, set light by their Masters, vilifying their persons, slighting their gifts, and use them basely, especially if they be poor?

2. Let Servants repent for this want of reverence, & know, whatsoever is done against their Masters, is against God himself, whose Deputies their Masters are; yea let them amend this, and learn to reverence their Masters, so shall they perform all the other duties they owe them: have you failed: heretofore? make more conscience for the time to come, and do your duties cheerfully without grudging; for your state is by far better, then their's to whom the Apostle wrote (of whom many were bondmen and slaves, whom their Masters might have almost used at their pleasures) or their's now in other Countries, who besides their want of the means of Salvation, live in woeful toil and misery: You have the means of Salvation, and for the most part outwardly live but at too much liberty; your lots have fallen in pleasant places, walk thankfully, obediently, and cheerfully.

3. Let such as are Masters and Mistresses of families, learn here what duties their Servants owe them, that they may the better instruct them therein, and look for their performance thereof: And if they have now ill, stubborn and unfaithful Servants, let them call to mind whether when they themselves were Servants, they were not such, that so they may repent thereof, in the mean time acknowledging God's justice, in paying them in their own coin, and deal with them, as they dealt with others.

4. For those that are yet young and in their Parents houses, let them mark these things, that when they shall go to service, they may not be to learn their duties; but ready and apt therein, skillful in the several branches thereof.

Not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.] These words are a comparison between Masters, or the prevention of an Objection, that might quickly be made by some, to shift off the foregoing Exhortation: I would be content to do my duty, if I had a good Master, or served such a Master as some that I know; but my Master is so cursed, that one cannot tell how to speak to him, and in correcting, cruel without all reason, and that as well for no fault, as for a fault, yea, sometimes I am beaten for well doing, and for my forwardness in serving God: Well, saith the Apostle, you must be subject, and do your duties in all points, even to such.

By good is meant liberal Masters (so indeed Masters ought to be to their Servants, both while they be with them, and at their departure from them;) as by gentle, such as care not what they do to them by Law, but what they may do in equity and good conscience. By froward, are meant such Masters which will be pleased with nothing, to whom (such was Nabal ) one cannot tell how to speak; yea such as will afflict their Servants without cause, or color of cause. Whatsoever they are, Servants must be subject to them, must reverence them from their hearts, must obey them, serve them faithfully, and pray for them: They must thus do even to the worst Masters, of the very worst conditions, God will have it to be so, and they represent God's person and place, though they are of such bad qualites: Hereby they shall show forth their Christianity in a work of such difficulty (for to serve and do duty to good, kind and courteous Masters, is no great mastery) which is indeed worthy of a Christian: If they do not their duties to us, but be bad, we must not meddle with it, God will call them to an account, we shall not answer for their sin, but if we do not our duty, we sin also, and make ourselves guilty; if in humility and patience we do our duties, God will take our part in his good time, as he did Jacob's, who served a churlish, harsh, and covetous Master twenty years together: If we do our duties, though they consider it not, nor deserve it, yet do we it to God, who accounteth thereof, and before whom it shall not be forgotten: Are they froward? Its the cross God hath laid out for us in his providence, which we must take up and bear; to shake it off by unlawful means, were to resist the hand of God: It may be its greatly for our good, even to tame and subdue our stout, sturdy, proud and rebellious nature; knotty logs must have hard Beetles, and a rough horse, a rough rider. Besides, it may make us fitter to govern others another day; for as none prove worse then those that have been Cockneys, and have known no hardship, so they that have met with much, will be the better to others, as having loathed it so much when it was their case; yea, this may be a means in time to persuade the mind of such a Master to a better course, and make his heart to smite him, when he seeth his own unreasonableness, and his servants patience; as Saul, who upon this ground acknowledged, that David was more righteous then he.

1. This rebuketh the common sort of servants, which if they meet with a little hardship this way, murmur, shake off the yoke, deal unfaithfully, or run away; What's their plea? Oh, my Master is such an unreasonable man, my Dame so unquiet, as that there's no living with them, &c. Well, well, your Master or Dame is unreasonable, who shall be Judge? If a number of servants (they are so lazy and illminded) that if their Masters do but call them to good duties, rebuke them for their ill speeches, or for their tarrying abroad at unseasonable times, and using bad company, few Masters but will be counted unreasonable, and such as are not to be endured; yea, to be held to their business, and kept in, with the licentious youths of these days will be counted unreasonable: But grant they be somewhat unreasonable, see whether you by your negligence, crossness, and unfaithfulness have not made them so (as some do) if so, you can do little if you cannot bear what you have deserved: But say they be unreasonable, and you have not deserved all you meet with, yet for all that, its your duty to remember your place, you must not sin for company; O who can do it? why, is God so unreasonable to require of you that which cannot be done? best charge God with unreasonableness by and by: True, its no easy matter, but servants must labor for grace, that they may be able to say as Paul, I am able to do all things; But alas, when we provoke servants to mind goodness, and to spend their time well, they think this unreasonable; they work hard, and they must have their pleasure, and they may be godly all in time, and so they be void of goodness: Hence arise such stirs in families, which were there grace in servants, might be prevented: Oh! nobody can please them, say they; no careless body it may be, whereas a little more then ordinary diligence and carefulness would please indeed. But though servants must do their duties to such froward Masters, yet this is no justification of them that be so, or encouragement toothers to be such; for though their servants must put it up, God will be revenged of it, They have a master in Heaven: If therefore they shall abridge them of their necessary food, apparel or rest, hailing them to work beyond their strength, or shall curse and ban them, shall beat them without cause, shall be cruel in their correction, smiting them with what comes next to hand, throwing things at them to spoil them; or if with things fitting, cruelly, unmercifully, and without measure, not regarding the offense against God, nor the quality of the fault, not the best way to bring them to amendment, but following the rage and fury of their own hearts, God will call them to an account for the same: He forbiddeth cruelty against beasts, much more against those that are made according to his own image: They were or are the children of others, though now your servants, to whom being fatherless, you had need be the more merciful; and may not your children also be servants: Do you to other men's children, as you would others should deal with yours; are they not also your own flesh, and it may be as dearly bought with the blood of Christ as yourselves? Though you are to keep a good strait hand over your servants, yet must it be with moderation.

2. If servants be bound thus to carry themselves towards bad Masters, how much more then to the good and gentle? to such as are careful of their good every way, to such as give them good counsel, instruct them, bring them to good duties, give them that's fit for them, teach them their trade, and govern them with moderation? What shall we say then to the servants of our times, that have such Masters and Dames, and yet be unfaithful, lazy and negligent? Where shall these appear? assuredly, its no small favor to be under such Governors; the times we live in are grown to a strange pass: In times past, about twenty or thirty years ago, when the light, alas, was dim, what diligent and painful servants were there, who would tarry at least seven or ten years in an house, whereas now they are so unruly, that no house can hold them long? they find fault for the most part when there's no cause: Formerly servants were careful to please their Governors, and glad if they could and would accept of their endeavors, and be pleased with them; but now, Masters and Dames are fain to please their servants, if they can do anything, they be so teachy and masterly, as they may not be spoken to; belike the course of things must be turned, the order of nature perverted, Masters must be as servants to please, and servants as Masters to do what they list: Hath God honored the servants of these times with the Gospel denied to former ages, and do they thus requite God, and profit by it? will it not be to their further condemnation? The monstrous pride of youths is the cause of all this disorder; the peace and plenty that God hath given us, hath so lift them up, as they have forgotten the ancient simplicity and plainnefs that was heretofore, and have their minds so high set, as their study is to prank up themselves brave, and get gay clothes, to keep company, and have their swing; this they mind, and not their business: If they thus continue, they shall never be worth a servant themselves, or else shall be plagued with such as themselves were, nay, who knows whether for their pride and unconscionableness, they may not come to rags, and a bit of bread?

3. Now what is here required of servants towards bad Masters, must also be performed by us to those we have any way to deal withal: Thus Subjects are to do the duties of Subjects towards their Princes, though they should be Tyrants, or deal hardly with them: Thus, though we live by neighbors that be untoward and contentious, we must live quietly; Thus must husbands & wives live together; We must not be overcome of evil, but overcome evil with goodness: God hath no where bid us do to others, as they do to us (that's the leaven of the Scribes and Pharisees) but to love our enemies, and to do good to them that hate us, &c. yet must not this hearten any to be bad, but every man must make his Neighbors yoke as easy as he can, not laying too much upon him: They must not say (as some husbands to their wives) they must do their duties to us, whatsoever we be: What! are you so cunning indeed? know you so well other folks duties, and your own no better? you should know your own duties best: How great then is their sin, that cannot live with good Neighbors? How great that wives, that having a kind and careful husband, is ever fretting, complaining and vexing him? How great that husbands, that having a loving, dutiful, careful wife, doth not use her kindly, but hoggishly, yea it may be loveth others better? He that cannot live with bad ones, and do his duty, is scarce a good Christian; but he that cannot do his duty to good ones, is not so good as an Heathen and a Publican.

Verse 19.

For this is thank-worthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.

NOw follow the Reasons to persuade to patient suffering of the hard dealing of unconscionable Masters (and needful it was to use a great many Reasons to persuade to such a duty, being so hard to nature, which accordingly he doth) If you do so, and do as you ought, you please God, and its acceptable to him (as the word is translated in the following verse;) for being referred to God, we can do nothing thank-worthy to God (when we have done all, we are unprofitable servants) but we may do that which by Jesus Christ may be acceptable to him. This is the first Reason: Whence may be noted, That

To enforce the performance of any duty how difficult soever, this is enough, that its pleasing to God, that's to be looked at of us in all our life and actions.

Hereby the Apostle exhorts Children to perform their duties to their Parents, as all to do good, and to distribute: What Tenant would not be glad to do that which will please his Landlord, or a Subject that which will please his Prince? And should not we readily do such things as will please God, yea, if it should be to the laying down of our lives? Is not he the Sovereign Lord of the whole world, that made us and all things? Hath not he (as he is most holy, pure, and good in himself) been admirably merciful to us? Is not his will a right will? Is he not pleased with that which is good? Doth anything displease him but sin? Should we not do that which is pleasing to him, though difficult? Should we not fly from that which displeaseth him, though we might get thousands by it? If we please him, hath he not a Kingdom for us? If we displease him, is he not a consuming fire?

Oh! this may make us hang down our heads, that we are no more careful to please such a great and good God. Alas! if a thing have any difficulty, we pass it off, though the doing thereof would please God never so well: Oh! why do we not pray oftener, and with better affection? why hear we not the Word more diligently? why are we not more heavenly minded, more patient, more liberal? would not God be pleased herewith? and is there anything better becoming us, then to please God with all our might? Hath he not made us? and chosen us to life before the world? given his Son to die for us, and save us? given us his Gospel and Spirit? hath prepared a Kingdom for us, and will we not please him? yea, if a thing stand with our profit, though we know it will displease him, can we be content to do it? O that we should offend so good a God, and so merciful a Father as he hath been unto us! O do we endeavor to please him, whosoever be thereat displeased, whatsoever we lose, or whatsoever trouble we bring upon us! But, O the monstrous course of this world, that of all things cannot abide what pleaseth God! that so live, as if God had nothing to do with them, as if they were neither in his debt nor danger, as if they were not afraid of them, or he could do them no hurt. Are you not woeful creatures that thus abuse God? Are you not in his debt? Who gave you these Bodies and Souls? who fashioned them? whence was it that you were not Toads, Monsters, mad persons, and fools? who hath maintained your lives? who hath kept you, that you have not been ere this consumed, or are not now in hell? Art thou not in his debt, who hath let thee live under the Gospel, the means of saving thee, denied to most of the world? Should you not then please him? Art thou not in his danger? Cannot he make the earth to swallow thee, the worms to eat thee up? Can he not smite thee with an incurable disease in thy bowels? Can he not strike thee with madness, cast thee upon thy bed, and there forsake thee, and give thee up to a desperate mind? Is he not able to send thee to Hell ere night? Can he not make every joint of thy body, every tooth of thy head so to torment thee, that thou shalt be weary of thy life? Canst thou promise thy meat shall nourish thee, or that when thou liest down thou shalt have one wink of sleep, for pain of body or vexation of mind, or shalt ever rise again? When there is the greatest hope of fruit, cannot he in one night by a Frost destroy it all? Do we not stand at his courtesy for every shower of Rain, for the Bread we eat, and everything else? and should we not then please him? If he smile on us, whose frown need we regard? If he frown, whose smiles can do us good? Who can stand before him when he is angry? He rendeth the rocks, and maketh the mountains to tremble: O that any through fear, or to procure the favor of any, or for any other by-respects, should displease him!

For this is thank-worthy, or acceptable,] Whence note, that

The actions of God's Children, done as they ought and may be done, are pleasing to God; howsoever, they are not (as the Papists from this and the like places affirm) Meritorious: They are pleasing to God, as being done by such as are justified by Faith in Christ, the weaknesses of their actions being covered in his Death and Obedience.

1. This is a great comfort unto all such as can prove themselves God's Children, and strive to do their duty in the best manner they can; though the same be done weakly, yet being done in truth, is pleasing to God; then which, what greater joy, comfort and encouragement unto any duty can be wished?

2. This may be a terror to all that cannot prove themselves justified persons; they never did that thing throughout their whole lives that pleased God: A carnal man can no more make a good action, then a Painter or Carver can make a living man. The actions of unregenerate men want a soul. Till a man's person please God (which is not till he be justified through Christ) his actions cannot but displease him; Even the sacrifice and prayer of the wicked, is abomination before him: What joy can a man have, when being old and full of years, he cannot truly approve that ever he spake, thought, or did that which was good: Did men believe this, they would endeavor with all speed to come out of their unregenerate condition.

If a man for conscience towards God endure grief, &c.] Here he shows the manner how servants must do their duty to such unconscionable Masters, even for conscience towards God, because God so requires the same; for if servants should bear quietly with such a Master, and do their duty, because they know no remedy, know not how to help themselves, or know, that though he be wondrous hasty and boisterous, yet to them that can bear with him, and let him alone, he will be good and bountiful; whoso do their duties, I say, for such respects, please not God, neither shall have any reward with him: what we do for conscience towards God, is pleasing to him, not otherwise; whoso looketh asquint at profit, pleasure, honor, credit, favor of this or that man, or the like, is far from pleasing God; whoso doth for conscience sake, may with comfort look up to God in life and in death.

This rebuketh the common sort, which do many duties, and abstain from many sins, but not in a right manner; for carnal and sinister respects, and not for conscience towards God: Such hypocrites shall have their portion with the hypocrites.

Q. How may we know whether we do our duties for conscience sake, or not?

A. By these Notes: 1. If we make most conscience of the greatest things first, and then of less in their place, and so of the greatest sins; for God hates greatest sins most, as in D •• id, of whom its said, He walked in uprightness all his days, saving in the matter of Uriah: He had other faults, rashness towards Nabal, pride in numbering the people, [ 1] rashness to believe Zibah, yet that against Uriah was the worst of all. Greatest sins rob God most of his glory, do most disgrace the Gospel, make greatest wounds in our souls, procure most numbness and hardness of heart, and greatest outward punishment; we must make conscience of all, but especially of the greatest: Such as seem very earnest against some small things, and make no account of greater, are Hypocrites, like the Scribes and Pharisees which strained at a g • at, but swallowed a Camel: Such were the high Priests, they made conscience of putting the thirty pieces of silver into the treasury, which Judas returned to them, but made no conscience of putting Christ to death: They made Conscience of going to the Common-Hall, least they should be defiled, and made unfit for the Passover, who yet made no conscience of shedding innocent blood.

So the Papists stands altogether upon meats, days, and such trifles of their own devising, making no conscience of God's great Commandments, of the 2, 3, 4, &c. So many among ourselves will speak very hardly of some small blemishes in a Professor, and, Oh! is this agreeable to God's Word? &c. who do yet live in foul sins. Again, someone hath deceived them or wronged them, and they can speak very hardly against falsehood and ill dealing, who yet can see foul faults in others (but such as have not touched them) and not speak against them at all: Some make great account of their truth and honesty, and, Oh, they would not deceive their Neighbor, nor carry away anything out of his house, and why? fie on it, hath not God forbid it? who yet will rob the Lord of a great part of his day, which he saith is his: Some also make conscience to give their Servants victuals enough, but make no conscience to give them any good instruction, or to pray for them, and with them, &c. These things they [ 2] ought to have done, and not left the other undone. 2. If a man have a care of all God's Commandments, hate all sin, and do all good, always endeavoring to keep a good conscience in all things: He hath an ill conscience that nourisheth any sin; He that bears with himself in one sin, shuns none for conscience: Some are very forward to the Word, Sacraments, good Company; ask why, Because, say they, God requireth the same; but why follow they not their calling, pay every man his own, deal justly? doth not God require these also? He is an Hypocrite that doth the former, but makes no conscience of the latter: Contrarily, some follow their calling, pay every man his own, &c. who yet robs God of his due and the times of worship, Requireth not the Lord as well these as those? Again, such a man dares not do such and such a sin, rob, kill, steal, &c. Why? because of God and his Word, who yet will swear, lie, rail, break the Sabbath, hate their Neighbors, &c. Why? hath not God as well forbid these as [ 3] those? 3. If a man be careful to do his duty zealously, as in Prayer, not to bow the knee only, but the heart also; at the Word, not to hear only with the outward ear, but from the heart to reverence the same, with a purpose to be ruled thereby; He that slubbers over duties [ 4] coldly, its a sign he looks only to men, not God. 4. If a man be as careful to do his duties in private, as he is in public, as in private to pray, as he is in public to hear, so to meditate, to be oft making moan for sin, begging mercy and grace, wrestling against his corruptions, &c. Every Hypocrite doth outward duties, true Christians are in secret the same: How many froward husbands will show much kindness to their Wives before company, whereas he that makes conscience of his ways, is most kind in private? So a man must make as much conscience of secret sins, as of open sins▪ of private sins in a corner, of secret corruptions, pride, hypocrisy, distrustful, impatient and lustful thoughts; so of wandering thoughts in Prayer, and at the Word and Sacraments, and of worldly thoughts on the Lord's-day; He must be grieved for them, pray against them. 5. If a man be not for a brunt, but hold our constantly, and continue, [ 5] yea and that in persecution; as well where wind and tide is against him, and he meets with ill will and hard measure for so doing, as when he hath good countenance, and may so do without control: Thus David, Daniel, and the three Children, though Princes both spake, sat, and did against them; most part do contrarily: Some make a show a little while, but quickly through love of the world, through fear or favor fall away; as questionless if Religion should alter, most would go with the strongest side, and many which now come to the Gospel, would as readily go to Mass, yea, carry a faggot to burn them that now sit with them in the same seats: These be they that know not the truth, that receive not the love of the truth, that live as they list, and will not obey the truth.

Examine yourselves by these Notes, and as you are to repent, and ask mercy and pardon for all thats past, even your best actions, and the manner of your performance thereof, so for the time to come do not any duty in Hypocrisy, but all for conscience unto God's Commandment.

Verse 20.

For what glory is it, if when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

THat which the Apostle said in the foregoing Verse, he doth in this amplify by the contrary; and then repeats in the end of this, that he said in that.

In the first clause, speak we first of suffering for faults, then of patient suffering for the same.

For what glory is it, if when ye be buffeted for your faults, &c.] Here note, That

All suffering is not commendable nor comfortable, to suffer for faults is a shame and matter to hang the head, for all sin hath shame belonging thereto: Therefore when our Savior saith, Blessed are ye when men revile you, he addeth, for my names sake, and falsely; and Blessed are they that suffer persecution, he addeth, for righteousness sake: Whoso suffereth deservedly for his faults, is herein a companion with the Devil and Reprobates, a companion of the old world, Korah, Achan, Gehazi, &c. who were deservedly punished.

1. This condemneth them that boast of their sufferings without cause; The Papists keep a book of Martyrs, executed here in England in the days of our late Queen and King; Woful Martyrs, the Devils Martyrs if they be any, like those which be hanged with us every Assiz, for Murder and Robbery, and the vilest things; they suffer for high Treason, for their bloody and devilish conspiracies against their Prince and State: They might be ashamed of such, if they were not devilishly impudent; its the cause, not the punishment, makes the Martyr; and as one saith, None can die the death of a Martyr, but he that beforehand hath lived the life of a Christian; so did they never, they put to death hundreds, yea thousands in former times, both here and in other Countries, only for not yielding to their blasphemous lies, but not one of these hath suffered for Religion, but for their Treasonable facts; who if they had suffered for their Religion, yet had been no Martyrs (for their Religion is lies) and it had not been for Christ and the Gospels sake; and its possible for an Heretic to be as stubborn and impudent in maintaining a lie, as the child of God can be constant in the Truth, yea, to die also for a lie, though not with the like comfort as the other for the Truth.

2. Among ourselves some will say, I think I have as many troubles as anybody, and have been as ill spoken of; but if it was for thy faults, thou hast no cause to boast: Hast thou got an ill name for a Company keeper, for suspicion of uncleanness, for an oppressor, for an unquiet man with thy wife, for a proud person, rash, censorious, idle, and one that followest not thy calling (especially being a Professor) and hereof causest the people of God to speak with grief, thou hast cause to grieve and shame for giving them such cause, who would gladly they had not the cause to speak thus of thee: Yea, but the wicked speak ill of me, wilt thou say; But why? If it be justly and deservedly, whosoever they be, that's no matter, more shame that thou hast discovered thy nakedness to the Chams of this world to scoff at, and at the Gospel withal; fie upon it: Its too usual in these days, Christians give too much cause of offense; howsoever, the wicked speak not thus out of any hatred of the fault, but of ill will to the Gospel: O therefore take heed, let us not suffer as evil doers; look we so warily and narrowly to our conversation, that if they should watch us as narrowly as the Nobles did Daniel, yet they might find nothing against us but in the cause of our God; yea, might be enforced with Saul of David, to acknowledge our innocence: If they will needs speak ill of us, let it be falsely, and for well-doing. If any should be smitten by Sea or Land travelling on the Sabbath, or any lose their lives at a Play, no cause to rejoice, no comfort in it. Note further, That

If there be no patience in suffering, but when its deserved, its counterfeit patience, and hath no reward of God; its in comparison nothing, its that which reason teacheth; but to bear patiently for well-doing, is a lesson for an high scholar: Howsoever, being simply considered, its good and commendable; as for any being justly afflicted or punished by God or man, meekly to submit themselves, to confess their faults, and be desirous to amend thereby: Aaron held his peace, Eli and Hezekiah were submissive in theirs, the Thief at the right hand acknowledged that he suffered deservedly: Thus when Delinquents are punished by the Magistrate, people be rebuked of their Ministers for their sin, servants and children are of their Masters and Parents corrected for their faults, they must take it patiently, and learn to amend.

But if it be no great matter, having done a fault, and then being punished justly, to bear it patiently; are not those to be condemned which be impatient under deserved corrections? Some being afflicted of God, fret, rage and boil, curse, blaspheme, run to Witches, or use other unlawful means to get out: What a beast art thou? hast thou not deserved the same, and yet wilt not thou be patient? Is not this in effect to say, What hath the Lord to do to punish me? I have not deserved the same; if I can get out of his fingers any way, I will not abide to be thus used: thus take they the rod by the end, and pull it out of God's hand; What do those but desire there were no God to see them, or that hated sin, or that would punish sin? Belike they would have God like, but he will be like himself, who at the beginning joined punishment and sin together, and so will do to the worlds end; you will not get anything by resisting, by humble confession, hearty Prayer, and promise of amending, you may. Again, there are others, who being punished of the Magistrates for their faults, do as well curse and rage against those their Rulers, as those that informed against them: Thus when honest men tending the glory of God, and good of the places where they live, knowing that Alehouses for the most part are Pest-houses, Devils houses, Breeders of all mischief, Receptacles of the scum of the earth, and means to increase the number of sinners, complain of such riotous persons, as would there keep Revel-rout, and endeavor to suppress the same; O how do drunkards and such others, the friends of sin, rage and fume? would not such wish that there were no Law nor Magistrate to punish, but that all might do as the list? but this would bring all to confusion: Are there not some also who being reproved by their Ministers, fret and rail at them, fall out with them, and with Ahab, account them for their Enemies? nay, sometimes will sue them at Law to their utter undoing? And are there not also such servants and children, which being corrected by their Governors, will murmur or resist, or run away, a sign of a proud mind, of a lewd heart, and far from grace: Such resist God, and shall receive to themselves condemnation; they provoke the Lord to take the rod, nay scourge in his own hand, or give them over into the hands of the Magistrates: whence it cometh often to pass, that not a few despising the rod and correction, which giveth life and wisdom, have been whipt, burnt in the hand, imprisoned, yea hanged up, and that justly: Thus daily too many seek their own ruin.

But if when ye do well, &c.] Here's the praise of patient suffering for well-doing: There's a suffering wrongfully, and without cause, which yet differeth from that which is here laid down, namely, suffering for well-doing.

Suffering wrongfully, is when men are accused of that they are not guilty of, or are punished without a fault, whether it be only in words, or proceed to deeds: David was unjustly censured of his brother when he came to the camp, Hanna unjustly censured of Eli, and John the Baptist of the Scribes and Pharisees; so Mephibosheth, Naboth, and Stephen were wrongfully both slandered and punished. Thus in these days days monstrous lies and slanders are raised, especially against Christians and godly Ministers: Its an unrighteous world, calling the best of God's servants, Proud, Hypocrites, and laying vile things to their charge, which they never deserved; as, that they are enemies to the State, would put down Kings, &c. Hence sometimes men are punished by Magistrates without cause, as also Children and Servants of their rash and inconsiderate Parents and Masters. In this kind Papists are exceeding expert; what lies have they spread of Luther, Calvin, Beza, Junius, and such others? And had their horrible villainy in the Gunpowder Treason taken effect, the blame would have been by them laid on the Puritans. But as God hath at no time done wrong, but judgeth the world with righteousness, giving every man according to his works; so will he be revenged of them that wrong others: For them that sharply censure others, let them know, that what measure they mete to others, it shall be measured to them again. For Magistrates that punish any wrongfully, if it be wittingly, they profane the sacred seat of Justice, and what in them lies make God a wrong doer: for nothing should be there done, but as God would; and lest they should fail of ignorance or through negligence, with Job, they must search out the matter diligently: For slanderers that devise lies of men, they are fools; they are a Hammer, a Sword, and sharp Arrow; they are like the Devil, who both slandred God to Adam and Eve, and Job to God, and to this day is the accuser of the Brethren: Such shall not be established on Earth, neither shall they come into Heaven, no place fit for them but Hell; yea, not only the devisers, but spreaders of Lyes (so common a thing) is fearful. Thou shalt not walk about with tales among thy people, saith God by Moses: The receivers also of a false report are excluded out of Heaven, and they that love lies.

Oh! let none wrong their Neighbors any manner of way, Magistrates, Informers, or whosoever; Let none devise or spread abroad lies, no nor truths to their Neighbors discredit, without a calling: But alas, what more common (all folks talk) then to talk of other folks matters, and many times of their faults, not at all of any good that's in them. We must not rashly believe what we hear against any, especially having before given good testimony of their goodness; yea, as we would have God deal with us and ours, we must not wrong any, do right even to our poorest servant.

For them that suffer wrongfully, its their duty to behave themselves patiently, looking up to God (as David did when Shimei railed) not fretting, or raging, or saying (as its usual) It would never have grieved me, if it had been so; rather say, It grieves me much less, because it is not so; I thank God for the same, it might have been, if God had not kept me; it was of him, and not for any goodness in me, more then in others; I will bear it patiently, for though I have not deserved it of men, yet of God I have, even to be made a threshold for all to tread on, and a by-word; and though I have not deserved it of men in this, yet in some other things I have; I have been faulty towards my Neighbors good name, and now its come home to me, I pray God I may make a good use of it. Besides, it may be the Lord sees I might have fallen into that or some other sin, and hath sent this to prevent it (preventing Physic is good) blessed be his Name, or he doth it to keep me humble, &c. Thus God, that brought light out of darkness, teacheth us how to bring good out of evil: Thus we may make use of a slander. Neither must we think, that because it is wrongul, we may fret and rage, and make a stir, and rail (so should we make our selves guilty, who were innocent before) but may open our innocence, and clear ourselves, as Job; yea, if it should concern us nearly, but especially the Gospel, then may we have recourse to the Magistrate for redress. Thus of suffering wrongfully.

Touching suffering for well-doing, Abel, Isaas, Joseph, Micaiah, are pregnant Examples hereof: So David met with enemies, because he followed goodness; so our Savior Christ, so suffered the Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs: Thus many at this day, even for their goodness they are hated, and the better they be, the worse they are hated; They are not of the world, and the world hateth them: As sore eyes cannot abide the Sun, so cannot the ill lives and consciences of worldlings, who wallow in their works of darkness, abide the light of God's Word, or the good conversation of godly men; it makes their wickedness the more seen, and they must mislike either themselves or the others; but themselves you are sure they will not, nay, so wretchedly minded are they, as to hate those that they know not, but as they have heard of their goodness, and rail on them; and its pity they live, or are suffered, will they say, who notwithstanding, if they were put to it, were unable to say one word justly against them. By this time the Gospel ought to have been so beloved, as that all that have shown any good countenauce thereto, should have been the better thought of; but now (Oh fearful!) thats become a Reproach which should be every man's glory, Oh, you are a Professor of the Word, &c!

For those that thus hate men for their goodness, its as dreadful a sign as can be: They be like the Devil, are in darkness, shall not enter into Heaven; they are of Cain's generation, and Ishmael's brood. God loves men because of goodness, and the Angels rejoice at a sinners conversion; but these hate them for their goodness, and so are unlike unto God. If such as give but a cup of cold water unto a disciple, in the name of a disciple, shall not lose his reward, shall not they be extremely punished which mock and despise them, which hate and persecute them, and that for their goodness? They that do the least wrong to them in that respect, or eo nomine, shall not go unpunished: For they that will smite with the tongue now, would with the fist if they might, yea carry to the Prison, and to the Stake, if times would give leave: Well, let them know, the persecutors reward belongeth to them, and how hath God from time to time dealt with such? The examples of Cain, Ishmael, Ahab, Jezebel, Herod, &c. witness the same. Besides, when they would be glad to have part with the Children of God, they shall be banished, and have their portion with Devils and Reprobates, and that in a fearful manner: For if they shall stand on the left hand, and hear that dreadful sentence, Go ye cursed, &c. that have not given them meat and drink, &c. What shall become of them, and what place shall they have in Hell, that take away their meat and drink, that cast them into Prison, and do there deal cruelly with them? The Papists are notable in this kind, who have even been drunk with the blood of the saints: God will recompense tribulation to them that thus trouble his.

For those that are hated and punished for well-doing, let them learn to bear the same patiently; Its not without God's will, that hereby they might give glory to him, and a seal to his truth: We must not flinch away when trouble comes, as many and most have done, and so save themselves whole, and leave Christ and his cause to shift for itself; the world count them fools that will suffer anything for his cause, and themselves wise that can carry themselves so as they will be for all assays; but Moses was not of that mind, He chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season: These will prove fools at last, that for a few days of short life in pleasures and profits transitory, have sold away their part in that which is eternal: For he that saves his life, shall lose it, and they which deny Christ before men, them will he deny before his heavenly Father.

When we suffer for well doing, we must not suffer frettingly, with raging against them, and with ill speaking, as it were with revenging ourselves, but in meekness commend ourselves, and the cause to God: Its a fault in some Christians that being hated at some hands for their profession, and forwardness (and yet some need not be so much if they would walk more wisely and discreetly) they then fall to taunting of them again, & calling them by • names, and thus use this carnal weapon of the world; this becomes not Christians: what would they do if they should suffer great matters? The Martyrs gave no ill language, Christ and Steven prayed for their Enemies, we must (abating our ranco • ) imitate them: neither must we write bitter & enveighing things against them in a carnal, scoffing or railing manner, as Martin Mar-Prelate; but behave ourselves patiently, yea joyfully, we are God's witnesses, an high honor, few called thereto: Is not the Gospel the truth? Is not the Word of God the only true Religion? we must then testify the same to the world, and set our seal to it, yea to die for it: O its a great advancement, and so have God's children acknowledged it! Its a token of Salvation to them that thus suffer, Great is their reward in heaven: The souls of them that are slain, lie under the altar: The holy Martyrs went singing to the stake, and thought that there they were as in a sweet bed of roses; and St. Paul boasted of his Chain, and of the marks of the Lord Jesus.

Verse 21.

For even hereunto were we called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.

FOr even hereunto were ye called: ] Another Reason taken from the Ordinance and wise disposition of the Lord, who hath so ordained that all his shall suffer troubles, therefore we are to look for them, and bear them patiently: Through many afflictions we must enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, here in this world we must undergo manifold troubles and sorrows: All God's Servants find the truth hereof (as the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles did in their days) less or more, someone way, some another: God knoweth how ill we can bear prosperity, but are ready to surfeit thereof, as Children do of sweet-meats: Who can long enjoy prosperity, and not be the worse? David, that in all his troubles spent his time so holily, and made many Psalms, in his prosperity foully forgot himself; so Solomon: Standing waters gather mud; as the Israelites in their journey to Canaan suffered much, so must we in this wilderness, before we come to Heaven; thus is God pleased to exercise us for his own glory, and our good. Therefore

1. We must not think the worse of any, because of their afflictions, or conclude them to be bad men and hypocrites, which was the fault of Jobs friends, and of the Disciples of Christ.

2. We must not think the better of ourselves, for prosperity, God can afford the dogs the bones, the things of this world; Of hated Esau came twelve Dukes; the fatness of the Earth, and the dew of Heaven is but a Reprobates portion, the Legacy of Ishmael, nay, no worse sign then to prosper in an ill course.

3. We must not dislike ourselves for our afflictions; Its an argument of God's love, and not of his hatred, Whom he loves he chastens, and they are Bastards that be without affliction; to have afflictions, and to profit thereby, is the sign of an happy man.

4. We must prepare for afflictions, not dreaming for ease or continuance of Peace, but looking for troubles in this valley of Tears; they are the better born, when they be looked for, and be the more grievous, when they come unexpected: In the midst of prosperity, its good to think of affliction, as in health, how we shall do if sore, or long sickness, or pain come upon us; so in wealth, of poverty, whilst we enjoy our liberties, of Imprisonment and banishment, yea, after our affliction we are to look for another: If we be spared for a while, we must take it for an advantage, and labor to be better prepared against it comes.

5. We must bear them patiently, as being of God: They come not only from him that hath Sovereignty over us, but from the hand of a merciful father for our good: They are far less then our deserts, or then others have had, and we have many comforts mingled therewith.

6. We must bear them thankfully, as whereby we are furthered in holiness: Hereby we are was • ed and purged; the Cross is physic, though not toothsom, yet wholesome: We thank and reward the Physician for loathsome pills and potions, that have even for the time made us sick at the heart, as being the means of our recovery: Our fault is, that we look upon our troubles, not to the benefit that comes thereby; our greatest losses are oftentimes our greatest gains.

7. We must bear them joyfully, in respect of the eternal happiness and immortal glory we shall be shortly brought to: Because we look not at this end, we are so unwilling to undergo troubles; as one that would go over a water without fear, must fasten his eyes on the shore over against him, so must we in affliction fix our eyes on Heaven.

8. If the children of God get not to Heaven but through many sorrows, and are often so grievously afflicted in this life, what shall then become of the wicked and ungodly? Have those been chastened with rods, and shall not these be tormented with scourges? Those have been afflicted for a time, that they might live forever, and not die eternally; These shall perish eternally in Hell torments; If they that serve God night and day with all carefulness, and are zealous in his service, and yet are grieved that they can do no better, nor as they would, what shall become of those that blaspheme him daily without ceasing, and their grief is, that they cannot dishonor him more, and rejoice when they most despite him.

More particularly and most specially in this place the Apostle meaneth of sufferings that are for well-doing, and for a good conscience, of the men of this world: Hereunto hath God called us; He that will be his Disciple, must take up his cross; All that will live godly in Christ Jesus, must suffer persecution; They shall be hated of all men for his name sake: In the world we shall have trouble; If we be not of the world, the world will hate us: This way hath the Lord sanctified, as the way to glory, and herein have the Prophets, Apostles and Martyrs gone before us. Its impossible it should be otherwise, considering the implacable malice of Satan, and of the seed of the Serpent; God also will have it so, 1. That his true servants may be distinguished from [ 1] hypocrites and time servers: Every body will serve God in prosperity, a man is not tried till affliction comes; as a Soldier in the battle, a Mariner in a tempest, a friend in adversity, so are the godly known in adversity: As the Apostle speaks of Heresy, so may I of afflictions, They must needs be, that they which are approved, may be made manifest [ 2] among us. 2. To confirm his Truth, not in respect of itself, but of men, and to whet on others, as the seed of the Church is the blood of the Martyrs. 3. To make a way for his judgments on his enemies, [ 3] and persecutors of his Saints, whereof though the perfection be to come, yet even here God suffers them not to escape his hand in a notable manner, which doth not a little strengthen his servants. 4. To [ 4] prove the faith and patience of his own children, and to increase the same: Spices smell best when they are bruised, and graces appears most when most tried. 5. To scour off their soil that they gather in [ 5] the world, and make them bright. 6. To stir them up to every duty [ 6] the more fervently. 7. That they may be like to their head Christ Jesus, [ 7] who by suffering entered into glory.

1. When we enter into the profession of Religion, we must beforehand sit down and cast up our accounts, what the same may cost us▪ which if many had done, they had escaped the horrible sin and foul shame of Apostasy: Most profess Religion in the time of peace, but when trouble comes, they will be gone; one would sit at Christ's right hand, another at his left in his Kingdom, but will not be batized with the baptism wherewith he is baptized, neither with him will drink of the bitter cup of affliction: They will save themselves from any hurt, yea, they think themselves wise persons that can shift off sufferings, and them fools that suffer for the Truth; but they will prove fools in the winding up.

2. When troubles come, bear we the same patiently and joyfully; we have the Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, and all the troop of Saints for our companions: To us its a sign of salvation, and great is our reward in Heaven; Its a righteous thing with God, to recompense tribulation to them that trouble us; And to us that are troubled, rest with him; When we have fought the good fight, we shall enjoy a Crown of Glory.

Because Christ also suffered for us.] Another forcible Reason from Christ's example, which was done also for our imitation: If Christ hath suffered, why should not we? If he that was God suffered at the hands of wretched men, how much more may we men, of mortal men like ourselves? If he for you, then good reason you should suffer for him: That he did, was for a pattern for us to follow, and that patiently as he did, his whole life was no other: Though our salvation come cheap to us, and of God's mere gift, yet it came not so to Christ, he paid full dearly for it; God's Justice, which would be satisfied, required the same: There was an infinite wrath due for our sins, which Christ did undergo.

1. If Christ hath suffered, are not we to pledge our Master? if the servants do but what their Master hath done before, they have no cause to complain.

2. If Christ the Son of God most holy suffered, is it such a matter for us poor miser sinners to suffer?

3. If he suffered for us his enemies, should not we be much more willing to suffer for him, and think ourselves happy, as who hath delivered us from the everlasting sufferings in Hell, by his suffering for us▪ and from reproachful sufferings that we might have had for some foul offenses in this world, and hath turned them into a few glorious sufferings for his name.

4. Consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds: Consider who he was, and what thou art, and it will much take away the bitterness of affliction.

For you] (so some read) even for servants, for the meanest, with him is no respect of persons: No rich nor poor, bond nor free in Christ; the one have as good right as the other, nay (though God have some of all) yet most of the mean are Christ's, they receive the Gospel.

This may make the mean of the world to bear their condition the more patiently, and comfortably; they have part in Christ if fault be not in themselves, and may be heirs of grace: but for the most part, the poorest of all exclude themselves, and I know not how, the hand of God goeth out heavily against them.

Leaving us an example, &c.] We must not set Christ before us, and consider him as a Mediator and Savior only, but as a pattern and example to follow, and that a most perfect one; we must labor to imitate him, and if we belong to him, we must walk as he walked; we must thus think with ourselves when we are about anything, what would Christ Jesus do if he were in my clothes? So do thou and not otherwise; so do in thy calling, in patience, forbearance, &c. And in a doubtful case, ask what would Christ do in such a case? That may we know by the rule of the word, for accordingly would he do; this is a good image of Christ, better then Popish Pictures, and Crucifixes: Get we an image of Christ out of the Gospel, and accordingly live we thereby, and be we more and more changed thereinto.

Verse 22.

Who did no sin, neither wus guile found in his mouth.

THe example of Christ's sufferings is illustrated, 1. By his innocence. 2. By his admirable patience: Innocency, that he had no sin, no not so much as ever slipped in his tongue, and so was perfect: Now if he had no sin, suffered patiently, much more should we that are sinful Creatures, and do one way or other deserve a thousand times more then that we suffer: His admirable patience set forth by that he suffered, and his bearing the same sufferings in word and deed, where's shown both what he did not, and what he did: He requited not only not ill words, with ill deeds, but not the worst deeds that were done to him, with an ill word again, and he committed his cause to God, knowing that he knew what was to be done, and would judge righteously between him and them.

Who did no sin, &c.] He had no Original sin, but was conceived by the holy Ghost; The matter whereof he was framed, which he took of the Virgin was freed from all spot of sin, and filled with fullness of grace, yea from the first moment of his Conception, was united into one Person with the divine nature: So did the Angel declare to his Mother, That holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

1. Then he suffered not for his own sins, as they wickedly imagined that put him to death, as was foretold, but from ours altogether, which should make us loath ourselves, that put the innocent Son of God to such things, which we had justly deserved: Oh! How should we hate sin, and love God and Christ Jesus forever and ever?

But how could it stand with God's justice that he should suffer, being every way innocent, and we which were guilty persons should go free?

Christ was an able surety to die, and overcome death, and he was willing, and the Father could not refuse one in our own nature to undertake for us to satisfy his justice, and free us.

Here also we may see how we stand righteous before Almighty God, though we be not perfectly righteous, though not at all till we be sanctified, and then but in part; How? even by the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and reckoned, and made ours by Faith, which is not an imaginary thing, as the Papists scoff at it, but a true and real righteousness: for as Christ was no sinner, yet was counted as a sinner, and being so accounted, bare the intolerable weight of our sins; so we by his righteousness imputed, stand verily and truly just before God, and shall be saved.

2. This should teach us to labor for innocence of life: The more means we have, and the more show we make, we must be the more careful to walk warily, as they that have many observers; some that will be grieved if we do ill, and many, as the Devil and the wicked, that will rejoice: Let the forwardest Towns and persons take heed to themselves that they be innocent in their example; you may do much good this way, else much hurt, look to yourselves, you are watched; and that narrowly.

3. If he suffered, and that patiently, who never offended God nor man, but was the most pure and innocent Son of God, how much more should we, who never suffer, but our hearts can tell us we have deserved the same, and ten thousand times more through our sins against God? we have small cause to be impatient, but must submit ourselves hereto; yea, we have not only sinned against God, and so deserved all evil, and that God should make us a Reproach, a By-word, a Scorn of men, and a Threshold for all to tread on, but we have sinned against our Magistrates, against our neighbors, yea against them that misuse us, whosoever they be, for want of reverencing them, praying for them, doing our duties to them, not carrying our selves so innocently towards them, nor so wisely, patiently, & unblameably as we ought; so that though we deserve not to be thus dealt with for this that we are punished for, yet in many other things we do: Submit we ourselves therefore in all humbleness of mind and patience: What, are we sinful creatures too good to suffer, when as the Lord of all, and he that was the Son of God did yet suffer?

Verse 23.

Who when he was reviled, reviled not again, when he suffered, he threatened not, but committed himself, to him that judgeth righteously.

HEres our Saviors admirable patience, both in what he did not, and what he did; being reviled (and called a Samaritan, a friend of Publicans and Sinners, a glutton, a wine bibber, yea, said, that he had a Devil, that he was a blasphemer, that he cast out Devils through Beelzebub the prince of Devils, that he was a deceiver, and an enemy to Caesar; being, I say, thus reviled, and his Enemies having shot such arrows of most vile, slanderous and cruel words against him, and such as might not only raze the skin, but pierce him to the very heart, yet) he reviled not again, he required them not like for like, thereby to be revenged of them. True it is, in his public Ministry, he told them plainly of their sins, and called them Blind guides and Hypocrites, and denounced God's judgments against them, but that was from conscience of his duty, and of love to win them to repentance, if it might be, not upon spleen to revenge himself; as the Ministers of God may rebuke sin severely, and denounce God's judgments against them that live thus and thus, and yet not out of any malice or ill will, but from an earnest desire of their amendment, and therefore they do wickedly that call that railing; yea, when they posted him from the place where they took him with swords and staves, & brought him to Caiaphas the high Priest, and then led him into their counsel; and then when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the Governor; & from him he was sent to Herod by whom being mocked and set at naught, he was sent again to Pilate; where he was mocked, smitten, scourged, and misused beyond all measure, yet when he thus suffered, he threatened not; He could have commanded fire (as Elias ) to come down and consume them, or Legions of Angels to destroy them; He could also have served them as Corah and his Company were served, but he did patiently put up all.

Here's a fit pattern for our imitation, we must take heed of revenge; The Heathens are accustomed hereunto, but Christians must not be like to them: This is often forbid; say not, I will do to him as he hath done to me, give word for word, taunt for taunt, blow for blow, &c. For 1. This is a work of the flesh. 2. God hath a hand in whatsoever is done against thee: Job acknowledged it, so David; To use revenge, were to resist God, as the dog that bites the staff, would be willing to bite the man if he could; Its as if a Child should pull the rod out of his Fathers hand, and break it before his face, What would we say of such a Child? The Magistrate indeed may take revenge for wrongs done us, we ourselves must not. 3. It were in vain to fight with the world with the worlds weapons, they will be too hard for us; Prayers and patience are our proper wepons, whereby we shall be too hard for them. 4. Thus we hurt ourselves more then them; them a little in body, goods or name, ourselves a great deal in our souls, as the Be, by stinging loses her own life; we have our wills a little, but the wrath of God withal, and that's dearly bought. 5. It proceeds of great weakness; If we had Spiritual strength, we would pass by great things: we do therefore but proclaim our own weakness, when we revenge. Moses, David, and others of God's dear servants, would not give way hereunto, especially, beyond all comparison, our Savior Christ, who suffered so monstrous things of such base persons, and that so unjustly, as one that had never the least ill thought against God or man: O this ought to move us to great patience, yea of the Heathens themselves, there were not a few which were admirable in patience.

This condemneth the monstrous practice of the world, that is set upon nothing but revenge, give taunt for taunt, blow for blow, &c. He is nobody that will not revenge himself to the uttermost, from the least to the greatest: Much is spent this way in Law, only for men's wicked wills upon stomach and to revenge; Some profess, and are not ashamed to say, I will be revenged on him, I will not leave him worth a groat, I will fit in his skirts once in the year, I will be even with him; who, that they may have their will of a man, care not what they spend, though they have the curse of God withal; If they be told thereof, what's their defense? Had he not begun with me, he should have gone long enough before I would have wronged him, but seeing he hath thus done, I will serve him as well: He is counted an honest man that doth not begin to wrong another, but he that doth but requite wrong with the like, O that's very reasonable, and it were no reason to require the contrary: Thus most have no ears to hear any persuasions to put up wrongs, a certain sign that they are fleshly, and that the Devil bears sway in their hearts.

What? Shall I put up abuses? then I shall be counted a fool.

Not of God who bids thee so do, nor of Angels, nor of good men, who count them wise that so do: He that is slow to wrath, is of great wisdom: For the contrary, none but fools and bad men will count you wise, neither are they fit Judges, yea, their dispraise is a praise: He is not strongest that can revenge, but that can up most and overcome himself; Its beastly power to subdue others, but Christians must subdue their own rebellious affections and lusts. But alas, even God's Servants, and they that have good things in them are yet greatly taken herein, as appears in their writings about matters in controversy; they break out into personal disgraces, and bitter invectives one against another, a very unseemly thing, me thinks, not savoring of the Spirit, but of the Fesh, yea the way to exasperate, and so to increase sin: The truth may be sufficiently maintained, and error gainsaid and confuted without such things: That Christians should be stirred one against another, that they should not bear one with another, that they should rip up one another's faults, that they should disgrace one another, that they should either fall flat out one with another into bitter terms, or biting them into worse purposes, not forget wrongs, true or seeming, for a great while: O this is wonderful, yea monstrous pride; where is love that suffereth long? and where is the example of our Savior all this while? And where's our forgiving one another, as we would God should forgive us? This hinders not but that Magistrates may execute justice upon ill doers, so it be upon no private grudge; and that Parents and Masters may correct the faults of their Children and servants, so it be chiefly in regard of the sin against God, and for the good of the party: And a man may take the benefit of the Magistrate, if the matter be of weight, and cannot be well ended otherwise; yea, if he be set upon, and violence offered to him, he may be a Magistrate for himself, if he cannot shift off his enemies, and by defending himself he may be freed of the danger; and if he must needs wound or be wounded, kill or be killed, then no doubt its lawful rather to kill then be killed, and yet to be as free from revenge, as full of pity.

But committed himself, &c.] Our Savior would not revenge himself on his adversaries, as knowing that his Father was wise enough, and knew what to do to them, and being just, would also do right judgment. Whence note, That

They that revenge, think that God either is not wise enough, or just enough to requite the wrongs done them, or to determine of their cases; for if they so thought, they would leave it to him whose office it is, and who will do it to the purpose: He that revengeth, puts God out of his place, and sits down therein; Should any having no Authority, Calling or fitness, intrude himself into the place or seat of a Temporal Judge, would he not be accounted a Fool or a Madman?

Let us therefore beware of revenge, seeing it concludes so wickedly on our parts against God, and know we, that we do always provide best for ourselves, when we commend our cause to God, for he knows how, when and which way to defend his, and revenge them on their Enemies: When Moses bare quietly the abuse of Corah and his company, how did God right his cause? The like may be said of David's, in respect of the wrongs done by Saul and Shimei: If we revenge ourselves, we turn God's revenge against ourselves, and as we become partners with them that have wronged us in sin, so shall we in punishment.

To him that judgeth righteously.] God is the Judge of the world, he daily judgeth, and hath especially prepared one day wherein he will judge the world, and give everyone according to that they have done: His judgments are always righteous, as between Moses and Corah, yea, Moses and Miriam, David and Saul, Ahab and Naboth, &c. they committed their cause unto God, who accordingly righted them; so did he right Hezekiah on Sennacherib, Peter on Herod, the Holy Martyrs on their bloody persecutors: Thus doth God revenge himself of the wicked enemies of God's faithful Ministers; and thus for our weakness, he keeps as it were petty Sessions, but this is nothing to that he will do: He reacheth out his hand as it were from behind a Curtain, and gives now one, now another of his Enemies a rap, thereby to relieve our weakness, and strengthen us, and to curb the wicked that they be not too outrageous; but here's a day coming wherein he will thoroughly judge between his servants and their enemies: Things seem to go crooked now, when the wicked tread underfoot the poor Saints like clay in the streets, and insult over them; but as a Turner or Joyner with crooked tools will make straight and even work, so hereby in God's wise providence is set forth, as well the constancy of his Saints, as the malice of their Enemies, the one being thus prepared to glory, the other to Destruction, both which shall evidently appear on the great day.

O how notably may this comfort God's servants, and make them patient in their sufferings? And how may this terrify the wicked, that dare meddle with any that belong unto God? He that defendeth them is mighty, and he will spoil the soul of them that spoil them.

Verse 24.

Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we being dead to sin, should live unto righteonsness, by whose stripes ye were healed.

OUr Apostle having had occasion to speak of the passion of our Savior Christ, thought it too bare to have spoken of it, as an example to move us to suffer, and that patiently, but continues his speech of it, and sets it out by the ends thereof, and the many benefits that come to us thereby: 1. That we be thereby delivered from our sin, and the punishment thereof. 2. Enabled to die unto sin, that we might live unto righteousness: Having fallen into this argument, he sticks in it, and cannot easily get out, but is like a friend that holds his friend long by the hand, being loath to part with him.

Who] Even Christ himself, the Son of God, Lord of Angels and of the whole world.

His own self] In his own person, not by a Deputy, without any help in the business.

Bare] That is, suffered the intolerable and infinite wait of God's wrath due to our sins, bare our sins, and all that was due to them, which would have swallowed up men and Angels.

Our sins] Even the sins of the Elect, all of them, and the punishment of the same.

In his own body] Not but that he suffered in soul, and therein his chiefest sufferings were, but because he speaks of his putting to death, the cruel usage of his body was evident.

On the tree,] Namely, the Cross, which death he died by the especial providence of God being that kind of death, which God had pronounced accursed; and so fittest for our Savior Christ to endure, that he might bear what we had deserved, which was to become accursed, that we might escape the curse which we had deserved, by the breach of the Law: For, Cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law, to do them: The foregoing words set forth the passion of Christ. The following,

That we being dead unto sin, &c.] The fruits that come to us thereby.

As a child that hath a piece of Sugar in his mouth, is loath to let it go down, but would keep the sweetness still; so doth our Apostle by the Doctrine of Christ's passion, so sweet, comfortable, useful, & admirable, he cannot get out of it, but doth as it were dwell on it, which teacheth us not to be weary in meditating hereon, or hearing hereof: it should be still fresh and new to us, as the song of the Saints and Angels, though the same, yet is ever new: The Angels themselves desire to see further into this mystery of God's love to his Church in giving his Son; They saw somewhat by the Prophets, some more when he was come, especially when crucified, and risen again from the dead, but most of all, when they saw the Gentiles called, and the Gospel Preached so plainly by the Apostles; yet its said, They be not satisfied, but stooping down as it were, they pray and desire to see more, yet is the benefit more to us then unto them, and therefore how much more unwearied should we be? Herewith our Apostle was so taken, as that he desired to know nothing else but Christ crucified, and esteemed all privileges and advantages that he had of being a Pharisee, an Hebrew, &c. as dung in comparison of Christ: The Israelites were often told by the Prophets of their deliverance out of Egypt, how much more should we be content to hear of our deliverance through Christ, whereof that was but a small resemblance and type? But alas, how quickly are we weary of this argument? Because we have heard often of it, its now stale, and people have no more mind to hear it, then the Israelites could be contented with the Manna which God allowed them, but lusted after other Food: As they that go to Sea, think it strange, and for a day or two admire the wonderful works of God, but afterward cease therefrom; so do we in this matter, though most sweet, comfortable, admirable, and of daily use to make us grow in hatred of sin, and love of God, and would also be a spur to our dullness.

But to come to the passion itself; Its usually referred to that he suffered on the Cross, as here, because that was a great part, and the most visible to all, and the end of all; but there were also infinite sufferings before and besides his death: His whole life was a continual suffering, from his birth to his death, from the Manger to the Cross, all full of Crosses: His abasement to take our nature was much, and to become subject to all our infirmities, sin only excepted, and to be in a poor condition, persecuted as soon as born, living obscurely with his Parents till about thirty years old, in the exercise (as is supposed) of a mean Trade, strange abasement for the Son of God; as soon as he entered into his Office and was baptized, the Devil set sore on him: After this as a recompense to his continual toil and travel for men's Souls and Bodies, he was not only content to live in a mean condition without any House of his own, &c. but he was so vilely railed on and slandered (as is set down in the foregoing Verse) as none have been more, or so much, yea, as sometimes in policy they sought to entrap him, so at other times they laid wait, and used means to kill him; At last, they plotted by one of his own Disciples to take away his life, as burning with an irreconcilable hatred against him: But ere he was betrayed, he entered upon his sufferings in a most grievous manner, yea no doubt even before he thought thereof at sundry times, which did not a little trouble and perplex him; as a woman thinking sometimes of the pains of her travel before they come, is set on a sweat, and quakes for fear thereof: But after he had finished the Passover, and instituted the Supper, he knowing that the time of his death approached, went into the Mount of Olives, and there entered into his most bitter Passion, taking with him Peter, James and John, the beholders of his transfiguration and glory, and therefore the fitter to behold his abasement; but alas, pitying them, he left them, only giving them a charge to watch and pray, and went from them a stones cast, for they were not able to behold his agony, nor hear the grievous dolour that he could not but make, and then began his pains as of a woman in travel, save that they were a thousand times greater, he fell on his face grovelling, and cried out, His soul was heavy unto the death, and was in such an agony that he shed drops of blood (a thing never heard of) and that through the extreme force of his pain: O it was the intolerable weight of his Fathers wrath due for all our vile sins, which was so grievous, as it made him pray to his Father for help, and to remove that cup, if it might be; which was but the frailty of his human Nature, without sin, desiring help, feeling itself almost swallowed up, and having that which would not only have taken away the bodily life of all men, if it had been on them, but even have sunk them forever. Thus he went too and fro to his Disciples three times (they being in the mean time asleep) and here in the Mount drunk three draughts (as we may say) of this most bitter cup of his Fathers wrath, which was infinitely beyond all torment his body was or could be put to: Then comes his betraying, treacherously betrayed of one of his own Family, whom he had used kindly; thence carried away with clubs and staves, as a Malefactor, unto Annas and Caiaphas, where he was in the high Priests Hall all night misused in most shameful manner, some smiting him, others spitting on him; and because he said he was a King, they pulled off his clothes, and arrayed him in purple, and crowned him with thorns; and because he was counted a Prophet, having blindfolded him, and smitten him, they bid him prophesy who had hit him: But because they have not the power of death in their own hands, they make use of the secular power, laying many things to his charge, and arraigning him at the Bar as a guilty person, a mover of Sedition, one that denied to pay tribute to Caesar, and who said he was a King: But Pilate seeking to rid his hands of him, because he saw it was nothing but the malice of the Priests, sends him to Herod, who, as if he had been some Juggler to play feats, was glad to see him; whereof failing, he and his followers misused him notably at their pleasures, and sent him to Pilate again.

Before him he was again arraigned, and Barabbas preferred unto him, the Jews in the mean time crying out against him, that he might be crucified: Then was he condemned to be scourged, to be carried away and crucified, was made bear his own Cross, till he could bear it no longer; then were his hands and his feet nailed thereto, himself hanging between to Thieves, many in the mean time mocking him (as did one of the Thieves also) and wagging their heads at him, he being as a But for all to shoot at, and a common Mark for every man's wicked tongue to aim at; On the Cross he was about three hours: All this while besides bodily pains which could not but be grievous, he had again a most bitter cup given him to drink, and he had it poured in so fast, and such load laid on him, as that he cried out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Though God did secretly sustain him, yet his Human frailty felt himself almost overcome and gone: Oh! it must needs be so, for it was that wrath we should have suffered in Hell, though not with the same quality that the wicked feel Hell pains, namely, with being utterly forsaken of God, and despairing and blaspheming on their parts: Oh, this was most grievous, that the Son should have the Fathers wrath poured out upon him! Oh, it was more then all the pains that were ever upon all men together in this world: And from the sixth to the ninth hour the Sun was darkened, and our Savior all that while abode in a most grievous perplexity, during which time he uttered but seven Sentences, and in this while he drunk up this bitter Cup to the very bottom, dregs and all: Then he gave up the ghost, and died, was buried, and held under death for a space. Behold a little poor draught of the lamentable Sufferings of our Savior Christ; to express it as it was fully, no tongue of man or Angel is able: And all these things he endured for our sakes, and for our sins, for he had none of his own. They were our sins that brought all this upon him, and had it not been for this, we had all been damned forever, as the evil Angels that fell, of whom none shall be saved: He was arraigned before the Bar of an earthly Judge, that we might not be arraigned before God's Tribunal Seat; He was condemned, that we might be absolved; He was mocked and spitted on, that we might escape shame here, and confusion of faces hereafter; He was scourged, that we might escape the stripes of God's vengeance; He died, that we might live; died a cursed death, that we might scape the curse and be blessed: and thus he had the smart, and we the benefit; our sins the cause of all his sorrow, and his sorrow the mean of all our welfare; for by this means we are discharged, our Surety hath paid every farthing: Neither could there be any other course taken with our sins, but that a death must be suffered; for God's Justice had pronounced Death the punishment of it, and so required it: He could not remit our sin, but upon a satisfaction; therefore they that look for Salvation any other way, or by their good meaning, good Prayers, good serving God, &c. shall miss thereof, for none but by a payment paid, and death and infinite wrath suffered, can enter into Heaven: No other person or persons could have undergone this; all men were in our case, none able to help himself, much less others; all unable to suffer, and to overcome the least part of this wrath. And for Angels, alas, it was far beyond their power, for it was an infinite wrath that we had deserved, by sinning against an infinite God, but their power is finite. This also was a sufficient satisfaction, being performed by the Son of God; it was more that he should suffer one moment, then all men and Angels for ever and ever: He like a rich Creditor paid that in a few hours, that we poor Creatures could never have overcome; and though the time of his Passion was but short, and that in respect of the dignity of his person, and for that he was enabled through his Godhead to perform this great work in so short a space, yet he suffered so much in that short time, as would have held us work, and kept us under forever and ever.

1. This sets out the ugliness of sin, and that most woeful case wherein we had plunged ourselves by our sins, that if God had not put forth all his wisdom, as we may so say, we must all have perished.

2. This setteth forth the most unspeakable love of God and of Jesus Christ towards us vile wretches: That Christ should abase himself so low, to all that he suffered in body, in soul, from men, from his Father especially, and for us Rebels his enemies, who had no need of us, nay, might have been glorified in our destruction, O the infinite depth of his love! And doth not this call for wonderful and unspeakable love and affection from us to God again, to do and suffer whatsoever he shall at any time require of us, to serve him night and day, on hands and knees, with the whole might both of body and soul (not a thought being out of his Service) yea, if it were to die every day for him? Should we not say with David, What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits? this above all others? Oh! it rebukes our cold serving him, which will scarce lay down our lusts at his request, who yet laid down his life for us, our proud lusts, revenging lusts, covetous and worldly lusts, unclean lusts, &c. O fearful unthankfulness! And how hardly are we brought to do duties? No forwardness therein, negligence every way; and when we do them, how cold and careless are we? O lamentable! Is a cold drowsy service suitable to such a love as this? we may be even ashamed herein: And for suffering, alas, we have no will, no not to endure a mock, a frown of a great person; we will make friendship with the world, rather then to endure the least disgrace; we will forbear many duties, nay, to keep company with God's servants, only lest we should be counted Puritans; How shall we then be able to go to Prison and death for the cause of Christ?

3. To all that mourn in Zion, to all that are heavy laden, hungering after Christ Jesus, and willing to take up his yoke, and to all other Believers, this is matter of most unspeakable consolation: Their sins be gone, and all the punishment due to them; no punishment shall befall them here (as on the ungodly) no wrath or condemnation hereafter: Their afflictions are merciful corrections to further their Salvation; To them death is no death, but a passage to life, that whereupon their Souls are received into Heaven, their bodies committed to the earth, both which at the Resurrection shall be joyfully reunited; O how should we walk worthy of this in all holiness and honesty! But to all that shall not have part in Christ, there remains unspeakable misery, it had been good for them they had never been born; they must bear their own burden, and sink to Hell, there to be forever and ever: This will be the portion of most, because so few receive Christ, so few are humbled, so many through pride and profaneness refuse to be guided by him; O how few will cast away their lusts, and yield up themselves to be ruled by him and his Word! It will be most woeful to the Turks, Jews and Pagans, that shall perish without Christ; but yet of all others, their judgment will be most fearful, which have had him preached daily, and by the Ministers of God have been so often besought to embrace him, and yet have despised him, would none of him; Oh, it will increase their torment, to consider that they had offer of Christ, and many believed in him, and were converted by the same Sermons, whereat they themselves were no whit moved: O this will fret hearts! O lets consider this, we that live in this happy time! One would think every man should receive and embrace Christ Jesus, but alas, how few do this? for them that do not, it will be their undoing: O give no rest unto yourselves, till you can get a discharge in and by Christ, confess, bewail, crave pardon, cry to God, and resolve to turn to him: The water is now stirring, step into this Pool of Bethesda.

4. This condemneth all false ways for Salvation, for other then Christ never was any, neither is or shall be; therefore all that reject him, as Jews and Turks, or embrace him only to halves, as the Papists, are in a fearful case, as all among ourselves that trust to any thing else besides him.

That we being dead to sin, &c.] Another main end of Christ's death, and another great benefit redounding unto us thereby, namely, That he died for us, not only to free us from sins, and wrath, and damnation deserved thereby, but also to kill sins in us, to deliver us from the power thereof, and to dissolve the works of the Devil in us, that being dead unto sin, we might live unto righteousness: Of the words, first in general, then in particular.

In general note we thus much, that

For whomsoever Christ died, he died to kill sin in them, for he died not to free us of half our misery, and leave us in the other half; nor to be at a great deal of cost with us and for us, and yet leave us in a case fit to do him no service (as if one should ransom a man out of the Turks galleys, and leave him in the midway) but hath done all this, that we might be fit to do him service, thereupon giving us his Word and Spirit to humble us, and so to change us, that sin may be mortified in us, and we made live: He is not only made of God unto us Redemption, but also our Sanctification; as he hath redeemed us, so hath he purged us to be a peculiar people unto himself: Christ affords both, and from him we may as well look for the one as the other; yea, whosoever hath indeed his part in the one, cannot be without the other, and in token of our thankfulness, we ought to labor by all means to show forth this latter.

1. This confutes that wicked slander of the Church of Rome: We talk (say they) that we must be saved by Christ's death, and by Faith in him only, and not by anything we can do, and therefore that we set men at liberty to do what they list, and open a gap to all licentiousness; but as the Gospel is not a Doctrine of liberty, so neither do we by preaching give way unto licentiousness: The Gospel requires as strict obedience as the Law doth, to every of God's Commandments (though not in extremity) neither freeth it us from any duty to God or men, yea teacheth us, That denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world, and that none have nor can have part in Christ, which give not themselves to good works.

2. This setteth forth the wonderful goodness of Christ Jesus, that hath not only freed us from God's wrath, and the punishment of our sins (which is unspeakable goodness) but hath appointed to give us his Spirit to free us from sin (for if we should all our life here have lived after our own lusts, or under the power of Satan, what a base and woeful life had this been?) that we might both in heart and body serve him in the works of holiness, and a godly life.

3. This condemneth all those that lay claim to the death of Christ, and yet live in their sins, and old lusts: Numbers in these days have got this by the end, They hope to be saved by Jesus Christ; They be no Papists, that look to be saved by their works, but they believe in Jesus Christ with all their hearts, and yet they are not washed from their old filthiness, but abide still in security in all or some of their lusts: But let such know, they speak impossible things, God hath joined these two ends of Christ's death, and they divide them, yea blasphemous things, that Christ died to set men at liberty to live as they list: O woeful wretches, that can say, They hope to be saved by Christ, and that he died for them, and yet can follow every vain pleasure and wicked lust, to redeem them from which, it cost even the blood of Christ (more worth then a thousand worlds) what is this, but to set light by Christ's death, which none can do, who hath his part therein? yea, what is it but to crucify him again, and to make a mock of his death? what beastly unthankfulness is it, for any to say Christ died for me, and yet to live in sin? nay, whosoever have faith to believe their pardon in Christ, it purifieth their hearts, and the assurance of such a love to us, must needs work love again in us, and that love will constrain us, yet who useth not this shift? who flieth not hereunto, as Joab unto the horns of the Altar? but as there he found no shelter from the Sword of Benaiah, so they that fly to Christ as their refuge, having nothing to do with him, they shall be cut off, and cast down into Hell forever: O that the death of Christ, which ought to be the greatest corrasive to eat out sin out of our hearts (as which cost such a wonderful price) should be made a bo • ster for sin! As beggars go with their licences boldly from place to place, so do worldlings sin boldly, because they can say, O they believe in Jesus Christ, and he hath died for them, &c. but as most of their licences being found counterfeit, and made under a Bush, are taken from them, and they themselves cast into Prison; So when God shall come to examine those, this shall not free them or serve their turn, but they shall be cast into utter darkness. If you live in your lusts, or have the love of any one • in in you, as yet ye have no part in Christ's death.

4. This may be a great comfort to those that can find and feel sin dying in them, and themselves dead to all sin, and the love of any one, and that they are renewed to live the life of God, and yield obedience to all his Commandments: Though this be not as they would, yet if their hearts can bear witness with them that this in truth, let them be assured they have their part in Christ's death. Having their part in the latter benefit thereof, its an argument of the former; For how come they to be now so changed into an hatred of all the sins, which before they loved, and such a true and earnest care to please God? Flesh and blood hath not so taught them, but God's Spirit, and that's an argument we are his, even his Spirit that he hath given us.

But many that would not willingly offend God for anything, and having failed in the least thing, are more troubled then most be at great matters, yea, and study and strive for nothing so much as to please God, yet cannot be persuaded that Christ died for them.

Oh! I fear that Christ died not for me, will such a one say, because I feel such a corrupt and rebellious nature within me, and I am often overcome of sin and Satan.

Its not the mark of such as Christ died for, that they are freed from sin altogether, but that they hate all sin, that they resist it, and often prevail against the same; whereof if at any time they be overcome, yet they rise again by unfeigned repentance, and stand up upon their watch; for in the best of God's Servants, there will some of the Canaanilist brood remain, as pricks in our sides, but so long as we keep them Tributaries, we must not be discouraged; though our corruptions salley out upon us sometimes, yet if we make war upon them, and chase them home, and so weaken them, they shall not prevail over us: The Church is not in this world without spot, except it be by imputation of Christ's righteousness, for in respect of Sanctification, its but begun to be cleansed, and shall be perfected in the world to come. Thus in general.

In particular, the two clauses here mentioned, contain the two parts of Repentance, or Sanctification, namely, Mortification and Vivification, or dying unto sin, and living unto righteousness.

Dead unto sin▪] Its the duty of every Christian in token of his thankfulness to God that hath delivered him from this most woeful state, to set himself to mortify his lusts, and all manner of evil, and that every day more and more: Though we cannot be dead to sin at once (it being a work of our whole life) yet must we be dead to the love of all sin, open or secret, outward or inward, and so die daily; as Christ died, so should we labor, and be more and more dead to our lusts; as he was crucified, so should we crucify them, &c. And can we live in sin, that cost the price of the blood of Christ? Who would not abhor and cast from him the knife that killed his dearest friend? Thus did sin to our Savior Christ, it was that which brought him to his death.

1. The thing then that best beseems a Christian, is to mortify his vile lusts, to find them out, to hate and pursue them to the death, to apply all means to the weakening and killing thereof, ever hacking at the roots thereof, by continual Prayer and Meditation, applying the Word, Mercies, Corrections, all to the throat of our Corruptions; for as nothing is more unbeseeming a Christian, then to be carried away of any lust, so this should be our continual exercise, to be continually weakening our Corruptions. This is true Religion, it stands not in hearing Sermons, but in mortifying our lusts, and bringing our rebellious hearts in subjection to the will of God. And as we are to labor for the subduing of all, so are we especially of our strongest corruptions, that have most foiled us, most broke our peace, most dishonored God, and have been of worst example.

2. This rebuketh a wonderful fault in most Christians, that howsoever they have general purposes to resist sin and to do well, yet think that they are not continually to labor for the mortifying thereof; wherein failing, they do sometimes yield and give way to their lusts to break out into open evils, vain speeches, slight oaths, worldly talking on the Lord's day, gaming, and the like: So for their inward lusts of pride, covetousness, frowardness, security, dullness to duties, unbelief, coldness and customariness in the service of God; Alas, these they look not after, but almost lay the reign on the neck of them, so that if they reign not in them, yet they break out at every turn, and are very rank in them, and show forth themselves grossly to God's dishonor, their own discomfort, and the continual breach of their peace, with much evil example to others. As we would prove ourselves Christ's, let us labor to crucify the flesh, with the affections and lusts thereof; let us deal with our sins, as the Jews dealt with Christ, kill them, bury them, lay a great stone upon them, set a watch over them.

Should live unto righteousness.] Its not enough to be dead to sin, but we must be alive to God, and to his Commandments in doing all good. By righteousness is meant, the whole duty of man in all godliness, throughout his whole conversation to God and Men: When its joined with holiness, then it stands for the duties of the second Table, but alone, it stands for all, as in that of the Apostle, Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness; and to this end hath Christ died for us, even that we should not live after the lusts of the flesh, but after the will of God, serving him in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life: And what should we else do? how else express our thankfulness? we ought to be exceeding thankful, even for earthly benefits, how much more for this, Christ dying for us? O happy change! We that were sometimes the slaves of sin, and drudges of Satan, doing base work for woeful wages, are now become the Servants of God, employed in holy works, whereof here the fruits are, peace of Conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost, and the end everlasting life.

We ought therefore to give ourselves to an holy life in all things, showing hereby whose we are, and to whom we belong, as its said of the Merindolians, That they were known by their godly behavior, wheresoever they became. It was a custom among the Romans, that everyone should carry some note of his Trade or Profession as he went in the streets, a Carpenter his Rule, a Taylor his Yard or Measure, &c. So ought we to carry a badge of our Profession every where about us, whether we go to Church, be at home in our Families, go to Market, to our Shops, or Workfolks, &c. even holiness throughout our whole conversation. In prosperity we must show forth sobriety; in adversity, patience; at all times the fruits of love, faithfulness, uprightness, &c. Are we in company? our speeches must be gracious and godly; if alone, holy and heavenly minded: And this we ought not to do a little by fits in a good mood, and when we list, but we must walk in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life; we must be continually ready to every good work, we must be a peculiar people, zealous of good works: If these things be in us, and abound, great profit will redound unto us, and hereunto must we employ all our endeavors.

By whose stripes ye were healed.] Now he returns again to Servants, applying the benefit of Christ to them. By stripes, or wales of the stripes, he means not only the stripes he had of men, but all his sufferings; he useth the word stripes, in respect of Servants, because they suffered stripes of their Masters, and that for their especial comfort, as who did not suffer alone, and whose stripes were healed through the stripes which Christ suffered.

All that Christ suffered for us, was wholesome and saving, his shame, our glory; his condemnation, our absolution; his curse, our blessing; his strokes, our peace; his death, our life. The most grievous stripes that he suffered, have healed the most ugly and deadly sores of our sins, which otherwise had been incurable: We ought therefore to be content to suffer some stripes for him and for his sake, and for the profession of his Name; he was mocked and reviled for us, may not we then be content to suffer the like for him? What are we to him? He became poor, to make us rich; if we be cut short for his sake, shall we not endure it? Dost thou suffer anything for Christ? bear the same patiently; and great reason, Christ suffered much for thee.

Note further, that Christ died even for poor Servants, and that therefore the meanest are to labor after their part in Christ (and yet who are more negligent then the poor are for the most part?) and those poor that have their part in him, are to be highly thankful, and bear their outward wants patiently, and think that God hath dealt wonderfully for them, having passed by so many great, wise and learned ones.

In the words also these particulars are implied,

1. That sin is a wound or disease; as a disease weakens the body, so doth sin every faculty of the soul: As the former also brings deformity on the body, causeth pain, and thereupon followeth death, so doth the latter on the soul.

2. That our bodies are subject to many sicknesses, and the diseases thereof are oftentimes very grievous; and if those be such, what are the diseases and pains of the soul? the one may put us in mind of the other.

3. That Christ is our Physician, both for body and soul; He hath both skill, will, compassion, healeth us freely, and is ever near us; he hath by his Passion purchased all good for us; he wrought many cures and miracles in the days of his flesh, now he worketh by means, and his blessing thereon.

4. That sin is hateful to God, as for which Christ suffered stripes.

Seek we therefore help in Christ, we are sick of many diseases, we cannot help ourselves by any Medicine we can devise, Christ only can cure us: This Faith apprehends, for that the wounding of one should heal another, is above Nature. Oh! how will men being sick in body bestir themselves, that they may be cured; but being inwardly diseased through sin, how slack are they? how do they defer it to the last, when its too late? There be but certain seasons to be cured in, as the man at the Pool of Bethesda observed; miss we not our opportunity, lest we perish altogether. And that we may speed at the hands of this our Physician, 1. We must feel our disease, and be humbled, confess also and bewail the same to him. 2. Earnestly beg of him to heal us. 3. Hurt ourselves no more as near as we can. 4. Believe he will heal us. 5. Suffer the words of Exhortation, the preaching of the Word being the means to cure our sinful Nature. 6. Take heed of daubers, that cry Peace, peace. 7. Take heed of all false cures, as by ourselves, Masses, Pilgrimages, Indulgencies, &c. 8. Abide the Lord's leisure in the use of the means, though we should be cured by threatenings of the Word, or by afflictions; yea, being once cured, do we acknowledge the same to his glory, and be we thankful; for its he alone that hath satisfied for our sins, he alone through whom our sinful Nature is cured.

Verse 25.

For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the great Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

THese words are a confirmation of those immediately going before, that they were healed by Christ, by comparing their former state wherein they were, with their present state: They were once in a poor case, in a piteous taking, in a miserable and dangerous case; but now through God's mercy they were come home to Christ, who most carefully did and would protect them to their Salvation: Before they came to Christ, their case was woeful and dangerous (as is the state of all unregenerate persons) but now having taken hold of Christ, their condition was safe & happy, as its with all believers and penitent persons.

For ye were as sheep going astray;] Speak we first of the miserable state of all unregenerate men, of all men without Christ, they are as sheep going astray.

1. Every Natural man is like a beast, who is therefore in Scripture compared to several sorts of beasts, for one ill quality or another; as to Dogs, for their malicious barking and biting at them they live with; to Wolves, for their greedy devouring of the poor; to Lions, for their cruel tyranny; to fat fat Bulls, for their proud abuse of their prosperity; to Hogs, for their rude and irreverent base esteeming of Spiritual things, as the Word and Sacraments, and God's Ministers; to Foxes (as Herod ) for their craft; so to Horses and Mules, for their ignorance and unruliness; yea, sometimes the beasts are preferred before them to shame them, and sometimes they are sent to school to them: nay, all God's Creatures are more serviceable then Man, they obey God in their kind, and abide in their first estate; the Sun, Moon and Stars obey God in their courses, the huge Sea rageth, and is calm at his bidding; if he command it to stand as a wall, it doth so, to let Israel go through, and will return again upon the same warrant and drown Pharaoh; if God bid the Whale swallow Jonah, and cast him up again, it obeys him in both; if he forbid the Lions to touch Daniel, they stir not, though very hungry, as the fire did not burn the three Children, &c. But man, that should be best of all, and for whom all were made, as he for God, yet walk stubbornly and rebelliously, omitting what's required of him, and doing what's again and again prohibited: therefore God calls all Creatures to witness against man; yea, they are many times to set themselves against us (as when the heavens become as brass, and the earth as iron, &c.) and to groan because of us, as being weary of doing any further service to such as we are.

O how ought this to humble all that be such, that know no mark of conversion or change in themselves from their unregenerate condition, small cause hast thou to be proud; the Horse thou ridest on is far better then thou art, it doth that for which God did ordain it, but thou doest not that which the Lord requireth of thee; nay the Dog that keeps thy Yard, and ears bones under thy table is in a better case then thou art, its serves God in its kind, thou never didst anything that God set thee here for.

O humble thyself before God, & crave of him to work an alteration in thee, for he only can do it, and that by the Ministry of his word: Thus can he bring it to pass, delivering thee from thy brutish nature, & turning thee into a Christian man, renewing in thee his image, and working of grace, that so thou mayest serve him in a better manner then other creatures either do or can do; so shalt thou be more happy then they, for they as they have no pain, so they shall have no glory, but thou shalt go from hence to everlasting glory in the Kingdom of Heaven.

But as for all that continue in their Rebellion, as they are worse then beasts in their life, so shall they be in their end, for their death is but a beginning to eternal misery: O how happy were it for every man that shall die in his sins, if he were turned this day into a Dog or Toad, and no further account to be taken of him!

2. As a Sheep that wandereth is out of his way, so is every natural and unregenerate man quite out of his way, out of the way to Peace and Happiness: We were created in the right way, but in Adam all went astray; we have no mind but of wandering and roaming further and further the longer we live, till God take us into the right way; so that whosoever dies in the way he was born in, and lived in first, must needs perish; its the way of ignorance, of sin, the broad way to destruction: Some go out of the way by ignorance, some by superstition, some by profaneness, by hypocrisy, by trusting to civility, &c. naturally we do all go from God and Peace, to Hell and the Devil. Abraham was out of his way whilst he was an Idolater, so Paul whilst he was a Persecutor: The wicked they go astray even from the womb, they wander from every good work, and do nothing well or pleasing to God: They delight to wander and take pleasure in their sins; yea, that they thus wander, may appear by these signs, They refuse instruction and reproof, whether public or private, whereas the regenerate account those to love them indeed which tell them of their faults; they live even in known sins, they are altogether for the world, having no communion with God in holy duties; they have no love to good company, but associate themselves with others like themselves, and of their own stamp: If they do good duties, its for sinister respects, not out of conscience: Thus the Devil misleads some; Antichrist seduceth thousands by false Doctrine and miracles, as wicked Ministers by seldom or erroneous teaching and bad lives: So is the world a great deceiver by bad examples, by false reports of the servants of God, and by the profits and pleasures thereof; yea, a man's own heart is a great deceiver, as whereby many think they are in the way to Heaven, when they be in the way to destruction: Ignorance also of the Scriptures is a great cause of being deceived; Ye err (saith our Savior) not knowing the Scriptures; nay, God in justice gives some over to believe lies, as Ahab was seduced by false Prophets to his destruction: they may provoke God so long by their wandering, that he will never reclaim or bring them home, but swear in his wrath, they shall never enter into his rest; they may despise the means so long, as no Sermon shall do them good: These are in a fearful state, marked to destruction, as Trees to be felled.

This also should humble men (for what are they but straggling creatures?) and make them desire to get into the right way: But how few will take knowledge they be out of their way, thinking still their case to be good enough, as the Lord complained by Jeremiah, I hearkened and heard, but none spake aright, no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? &c. There's a way that seemeth good in a man's eyes, but the issues thereof are the issues of death: To those whom God means to save, he sends his Word and Spirit, and so opens their eyes to see that they be out of their way, and that not only profane persons, but also some hypocrites, that have contented themselves with some common things, as Herod did, and sometimes civil persons, that thought their state very good, that God opens their eyes to see it to be woeful, and make them hasten out of it, saying as those in the Acts, What shall we do to be saved? we find we are in the way to damnation; but most men will not be persuaded of this, but go on with a liking of their way, though it be to their destruction: To this end Ministers must preach the Law, and show men that be out of their way, & people must take out this lesson; and this is the first, till this be, nothing is.

3. As the sheep is most subject to wander, but of all Creatures hath least wisdom to find the way home again; so no natural man can come home to God alone: we can go further and further from God, but to come home one step we cannot; we are blind and cannot see a step of the way, have no mind but to wander, All the thoughts of man's heart are only evil continually, & we cannot think a good thought; No man can come to me (saith our Savior) except the Father draw him.

If any be come home to God from his wandering state, let him give all the glory to God, and know, that there was no difference between them and those that yet wander, if God had not sought them, and as it were fetched them home on his shoulders; if God had not thus done for us, we had wandered to this hour, yea to our dying day, as well as others, therefore wonder and praise God: And for those that yet wander, let them not bless themselves, as if they could turn to God when they list, as many think, Oh, they will cry God a mercy at their end, &c. but while you have life and time with the means, entreat God to bless the means from Heaven to be mighty, to open your eyes, and to bring you home from straying, into the way that leadeth into eternal life.

4. As the sheep that is wandered is in manifold dangers, so and much more certainly is every natural man in inevitable danger, if he so continue: He is out of God's special providence, as the stray sheep is from the tendance of the Shepherd, his eye is not over him: He hath no certain abiding, as Cain, knows not what to do; he is separate from the company of God's people, and what evil may not then befall him? As a sheep is in danger to be carried away by diverse Lord's, into whose several grounds he cometh; so is a natural man in danger of the Devil, the World, his own lusts, in danger to fall into every sin (what hath he to stop him?) into any plague or punishment that ever fell upon any (what promise hath he to the contrary?) yea, as sheep are apt to fall into the mouths of Dogs and Wolves, so may the natural man fall into the paws of the Devil, and be turned into Hell, he knows not how soon: Is not he in danger that is naked in a field, and beset with Bills, Bows and Guns, all bent against him to destroy him? so is it with every wicked man, as being subject to all the plagues of God: Is not he in danger that hangs over a pit by a twig? so is every wicked man by the thread of his life over Hell: When a wicked man riseth in the morning, doth he know what may befall him ere night? can he tell but he may fall even into the foulest sins? can he tell but that the earth may swallow him, a thunderbolt may strike him through, he may have any curse befall him or his? can he tell but he may be in Hell ere night, and at night, ere morning? and is not this danger enough? Thus hundreds of this Land drop into Hell every day, and in every corner some, at one time or another, by one means or another the Devil lays hold on them.

This may make every wicked man weary of his condition, and to have little joy of himself, till he be out of this state, who can abide to live in a continual danger? For them that be gone, and of whom Hell hath already caught hold, there's no hope or help: You that are alive, look to yourselves, were you out of this condition, you could not be overcome, you could not be plucked from God by Angels or Devils, all the world could not prevail against you, being under Christ's keeping, he would keep you unto the end.

But are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.] Here's the safe state of Believers: They are now converted, not by any power or goodness in themselves, but by the mighty power and goodness of God, to the Shepherd and Bishop of their souls, Christ Jesus, who having redeemed them, will not now lose them, but safely preserve and keep them to life eternal both in body and soul. So that

All that are come to God in Christ Jesus, be in a most safe state; for besides that they have pardon of sin (the Robe of Christ's righteousness being put on them) they have the Spirit to sanctify them from the power of sin, and to enable them to please God in a new life: Neither can they fall from this estate, nor can fall into any sin unto death; theres no condemnation to them, neither the Devil nor World shall be able to draw them to their old state, Christ that hath redeemed them will never lose them; Who will lose a purchase dearly bought? but so are we to Christ; Who will not keep his Limbs? we are made Members of Christ; Will he suffer one to be pulled off? God forbid: Christ having redeemed us, commits us to his Fathers keeping, and who being under his protection, is not in a safe Castle or impregnible Fortress? Not only they are sure they can never, fall finally, but also Christ hath a care of every sheep, to keep him in the right way, to fetch him in when he wanders, to comfort him being heavy, and to bind him up being broken: What Christian finds not this by daily experience, that God preserves him daily by his grace from many falls, comforts him in many heavinesses, reduceth him from many wanderings?

1. Here's matter of unspeakable comfort for those that be come into Christ's sheepfold; If we look to ourselves, or our Enemies being so strong, we have cause to fear, but as Elisha said to his Servant, There are more on our side, then they that be against us: We have much opposition against our good and standing, but we are not left to our selves; Our Salvation now is, not as it was in Adam, but its in God's keeping, and we are by him kept as in a Castle, we are kept by his power, which is Almighty, above all power, but how long? for a few years, and then left to ourselves? O if we were left the last year, last day, last hour, we would fall from God if occasion were offered, but kept we are by the power of God to Salvation, till we come to Heaven. O let us be thankful to God for this safe and happy state, and keep ourselves close to him, and continually seek him, and commend ourselves to his keeping, and then we be safe. Here is no cause indeed of security or boldness, for though we cannot fall finally, yet dangerously, and to our hearts smart we may, if we wax careless, as many times even Christians come to the sheepfold, yet keep not so close to their shepherds voice as they ought, but are bold to be straying into one by-way or other; as of pride, covetousness, contention, and the like, and this costs them dear, who if they would have been ruled by their shepherds voice outwardly in his Word, or inwardly in his Spirit, no question they might have spared this.

2. Let those that be yet wandering, hasten to come home to Christ, and be in this most safe and happy estate; let them confess, and humble themselves, and seek for pardon, and listen to the voice of their blessed shepherd Christ Jesus, who calls them to him; if they so do, they shall make a happy change: But when we require this of a number, they set light by it, and think they are well enough, and better already; now they may have their will, and be merry, and speak what they list, and do what they list, and get gain as they can, but if they should be convert, and be ruled by the Preacher, they should then be tied too short, as they should do nothing, have no liberty, but be in bondage, &c. O poor Creatures, that think that liberty which is deadly bondage; little do those consider, that their sweet meat (Sin) will have with it a great deal of sour sauce: And the service of God is perfect freedom, tying from nothing, but from sin, and to nothing, but that which is good and holy, to our comfort here, and Salvation hereafter, and doth not this shrewdly hurt us? Do not therefore let the foolish and beastly pleasures of sin keep you from turning to God, for it will be woeful in the end: If we saw a man going to Execution in brave apparel, with music, and his companions bringing him bowls of wine, would we delight herein, or count him happy? would we not rather pity him for all this? more need have they of pity that will needs run on in sin, and following their lusts and pleasures, refuse to return unto Christ the Shepherd and Bishop of their souls.

Shepherd, &c.] Christ performeth the office of a Shepherd and Bishop to his people, outwardly by the Ministry of his Servants, the Ministers of the Word, and inwardly by his holy Spirit: His Ministers be the inferior Shepherds, under the chief Shepherd Christ Jesus; He useth them to feed his people with green Pastures, to lead them to the still waters of comfort, to fetch home the wandering, &c. who are therefore called Watchmen, and Shepherds. Its the duty of all Ministers that have the charge of souls, to be most vigilantly watchful, and exceedingly careful over the people committed to their care: As watchmen must be careful in keeping the City from their Enemies; as those shepherds to whom the Angels appeared in the Gospel, were watching over their Flocks by Night; yea, as Jacob in tending his Flocks, endured both the cold by night, and the heat by day; so much more must they, in Preaching in season and out of season, praying, holy living, and by all means seeking to gain men to God, fetching home the stray ones, binding up the broken, comforting the feeble, &c.

1. This rebuketh those Ministers, that instead of watchmen, are blind, and careless, sleepers, that delight in sleeping, instead of shepherds are wolves, devouring the flock, eating the fat, & clothing themselves with the fleeces: Those as either they cannot feed, or come not at their flock to feed them; so do they not care to fetch home them that are astray, but rather by their ill example keep them from returning; and so far are they from comforting the weak, and binding up the broken, as they have no skill herein, or list hereto, but rather set themselves against such: There are but few that make Conscience to hear the Word abroad, when they have it not at home, yet those are more baited at for going to the Word, then all they that sit in Aleho • ses, or are gaming or rioting on the Lord's-day: Those are also to be reproved that feed with froth instead of sound meat, as those that are negligent in feeding, feed them to halves, and half starve them: O Lord, what shall become of those, when the great Shepherd Christ Jesus shall come to Judgment? where shall they stand? for even they that have been most careful, yet are far short; of all men's answers that I know, I would be loathest to have the answer of a wicked and unfaithful Minister to make.

2. As the Ministers must do their duties, so ought the people like sheep that wander, suffer themselves to be brought home into Christ's flock and sheepfold, and not let the Ministers labor with them year after year, and yet they never the nearer being brought home to Christ: And those that be brought home to Christ, must be careful that they be led out still, and fed in the green Pastures, that they listen to their shepherds voice, and follow it carefully, that so the Ministers may yield up their account with joy, and not with grief, and that is good for the people, Heb. 13. 17. Thus if we do, God shall have the glory, Ministers the comfort, and the people shall save their own souls; And the great shepherd shall say to us, Come ye blessed of my Father, and set a crown of immortal glory upon our heads.

CHAP. III.

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