Commentary on 2 Peter

THe Person saluting, and the persons saluted are considered, the salutation it self follows; Grace and peace, &c. This form of salutation is usual with the Apostles, and useful for us. Whereby they express the true exercise of their office, to bring Grace and Peace in their mouths. In the salutation consider:

The

• Matter, Grace and Peace.
• Measure, Be multiplied to you.
• Manner, through the knowledge of God, &c.

Grace and peace; this is the matter. It hath been an ordinary custom in the Jewish, Pagan, and Christian world, to begin their letters with salutations: and in these to wish their friends, that they thought the best good. Some wished prosperity, others health and Iovisance, others sum'd up all in a contented mind. Some wrote, Cura ut been valcas: others Cura ut benê vivas. One wisheth soundness to their bodies, another integrity to their lives. All those were far short of that true blessedness, which the Apostles saw to be in CHRIST JESUS: therefore Grace and Peace be to you; this Satius, and Sa • is: this was so good, there could be no better: this was so much, there need be no more. This is a short, but effectual prayer frequently used in the Scriptures, and not seldom in our Liturgy. Such are Dominus vobiscum; the LORD be with you, &c. Those over-devout and factious Pharisees, that love long prayers, and short good deeds, call these short ejaculations, shreddings. But one well answers them, that these shreddings and lists are of more value, than their northerne broad-cloth that shrinks in the wetting.

We are here taught the Christian use of salutings, blessings, and gratulations: such godly complements are not to be neglected. It is the brand of the Churches enemies. They that go by say not, The blessing of the Lord be upon you, nor we bless you in the name of the LORD: therefore they are cursed; Let them all be confounded that hate Zion. Good men have ever used them: Boaz to the reapers, The Lord be with you: and they answered him, The Lord bless thee. A glorious Angel • hus saluted Gideon. The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valor. An Archangel to a poor virgin; Hail thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee; Blessed art thou among women. St Paul spends a whole Chap. in salutations; Romans • he last. What people had not their own forms of saluting: the Idumeans Dominus vobiscum: the Ethiopians Pax vobis: the Hebrews Ave, the Romans Salve. Superiors must perform this duty to inferiors. Inferiors in reverence to superiors, all in love one to another. There is a Generation of men that teach, it is unlawful to salute men with good day, God be with you, or leave be to you. They will salute none with a good wish unless they know his business. As if every man's business required so little hast, as to tarry the leisure of their acquaintance. If all men should pledge them in their own cup, they might pass their whole life without a God speed. They say, we cannot tell whether he goes, or about what: it may be he's going to the Tavern to be drunk. It's but a peradventure that he is going to be drunk, but without all peradventure thou art not sober; that darest so rashly judge thy brother. It is a rule in law and love; every man is to be reputed honest till he be disproved. Charity thinks no evil. In Freesland there was a false Prophet, one George David, who called himself God's nephew; and said, heaven was empty, and that he was sent to choose some to fill it. We have some Separatists such mad Prophets, that will elect and damn whom they please. But as themselves say, the Pope hath no authority to make Saints: so we say, they have no authority to make devils. As many of the Popes Saints are reprobates in hell: so many of their reprobates are Saints in heaven.

But they object, that Christ for Greeting taxed the Pharisees; They love greetings in the markets. I answer; he taxed their ambition, not their gratulation, he blamed not their affection, but their affectation. It was the direct charge; When ye come into an house, salute it. But Saint John forbiddeth the Elect Lady, to give some men the good speed. For he that biddeth them God speed, is partaker of their deeds. The answer is easy, the Apostle spake, of some notorious apostates, and dangerous heretics: now to salute such might induce some familiar conference, which he would not have the good Lady admit. So Cyprian, let there be no commerce with them; but simus ab illis tam separati, quàm illi sunt ab Ecclesia profugi Receive them not to thy private house, that will not communicate with thee in God's house. She might be weak and simple, they strong and subtle. For there are some that creep into houses, and lead captive silly women, laden with sins, and led away with diverse lusts: and then the best way is to shut them out of doors. But is every man an heretic, that we should so blanch him? But they plead further; we know not every passenger to be a brother. The greater their pride, that think themselves too good to brother with them that are baptized into Jesus Christ. Charity would presume all those, that are washed in the same Sacramental water with ourselves, to be our brothers. Indeed to declare them truly they think no man their brother, that holds with Ceremony, decency, and discipline. But Saint Paul tells them, that the true bond of unity, is not one ceremony, nor one policy, nor one discipline: but One God, one Faith, one Baptism, &c. There is difference between another discipline, and another doctrine. But lastly they allege, that in these short passages, men talk of God, but think not of him, and so take his name in vain. Nay but is not this rather to take God's name in vain, to avouch so uncouth an error? why shouldest thou think, that men think not of God. For who knoweth the things of man, save the spirit of man which is in him? yield that there is sometimes less intention in these short blessings, then in settled devotions; what then, shall we forbid men to pray, because their minds are often wandering; or children to say grace, because they do not perfectly understand? Certainly it is good to inure the mouth to gracious speeches. Thus Elisha dismissed Naaman, Go in peace: though he did not approve his fact, yet he bids him farewell; Go in peace. If thou doest wish this good to an evil man; thou art never the worse, though he be never the better. First say, Peace be to this house: if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again. So David prayed and mourned for his enemies; and though he could not be heard for them, he was heard for himself: my prayer returned into mine own bosom. If the saluted be going about some bad enterprise, yet our blessing hath more likely hood to reclaim the error of our brother, then to proclaim any error of our own. If God be with him, his bad purpose will be diverted from the execution: our prayers shall not further, but hinder his intended wickedness.

We are further taught here to use good forms in saluting; Grace and peace, gracious not grievous, holy not hollow, blessings not curses: not an execration instead of a benediction. There be idle, profane, and unrellishing complements: either through Curiositie or Curialitie, Christian salutations are thought gross. Instead of God be with you, I kiss your hand, I am your slave, &c. these are the elegancies of our times. Indeed there is one salutation left us, and frequent with us; good in it self, if it had the luck to light into good men's mouths; it is God save you. But as it hath been Satyrically observed, these days are not altogether uncharitable: for whereas God chargeth men to love others as themselves, many love others better than themselves. You shall have a ruffian salute another with God save you Sir: but after some strange attestations, swear away himself with God damn me Sir. So he wishes his friend saved, himself damned. How wretched is it, and unbecoming the tongue of a Christian, when a curse comes instead of a blessing? When a Master shall curse his servants; as if GOD'S curse could not come to his house, but through his own lips. But when it comes to this, that parents curse their children, O fearful! The child kneels for a blessing, the father gives it a curse. If we wish the plague and such noisome diseases to them that live with us, how should we scape it ourselves.

Let us always therefore wish well to our friends; Grace, peace, and salvation: yea to our very enemies; Bless them that curse you. For if Grace comes, Quamvis antea mali Inimici, jam nec erunt mali nec inimici: though before they were evil enemies, now they shall be neither evil nor enemies. You see now the sweetness of the Apostles benediction: Origen thinks no whit inferior to the blessings pronounced by the Patriarchs: as the blessing of Noah upon Sem and Japheth: Melchisedeks upon Abraham: Isaac's upon Jacob: because they blessed by the same Spirit. For Saint Peter might say with Saint Paul, I think also that I have the Spirit of God. Only it was not usual in the Old Testament to use this blessing of Grace: for the Law was given by Moses, but Grace and Truth came by JESUS CHRIST.

Grace and Peace: this is the voice of the Ministers of the Gospel: so CHRIST directed them. Luke 10. Peace be to you. The Prophets began with vae, woe. Esa. 1. woe to a sinful nation. Hos. 4. The Lord hath a controversy with the land. Amos 1. For three transgressions, and for four, &c. But the Gospel begins, Fear. not, for I bring you tidings of great joy that shall be to all people. We have not received the Spirit of bondage to fear again, but the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father. They come not with bitter violence, like those two hot Disciples, whom nothing could content but fire from heaven. But is there not a time to reprove, as well as to comfort? yes, there is a season when that still voice that came to Elijah, the voice that thou hearest behind thee; those low whisperings can do no good. And then God is content, we should derive from his Throne thunderings, and lightnings, and louder sounds. Revel. 4.5. When Israel in Moses absence had turned-beasts, and calved an idolatrous image: Moses did not dance after their pipe, and laugh at their superstitious merriment: but with great zeal reproved their folly, and with indignation confounded their Idol. Behold, the whole earth sitteth still, and is at rest: the people sit down to eat and drink, and rise up to play. If this be the worlds state, we should be false prophets to cry nothing but peace. If your lives proclaim wars against God, we must denounce God's wars against you. We would fain at every Sermon say nothing, but Peace to this Audience, but our God says, There is no peace to the wicked. We would sing with the Angels, Peace on earth, and good will towards men: But how shall we sing the Lord's songs in a strange land? we have preached honor, and peace, and salvation, and an incorruptible crown of glory; and were not regarded. What remains then, but to preach fire from heaven, mists, and clouds, and darkness, and torments for days and nights, and eternal generations of years? We have sung, With thee O Lord is mercy, that thou mayest be feared: now we change our note, with thee is vengeance, that thou mayest be feared. If the spirit of gentleness can do no good, a rod must come. If the songs of Zion cannot mollify, the thunders of Sinai must terrify. A man is desperately sick, another tells him of great riches, of Lordships and mannors, and fair purchases; alas this is an unseasonable speech: he answers, first Redde me sanum, then Fac divitem: first restore me to health, then talk to me of wealth: me • s souls are sick of sin, and at deaths door; never tell them of heaven and an immortal kingdom, till they be first recovered from the jaws of hell, and delivered out of the snare of the devil: first humble them by the Law, then revive them with the Gospel Videamus Lacrymas, let us see your humiliation, your repentance; let us hear your groans, we will then give your comforts: we dare not apply the oil of consolation, til we have scoured your festered wounds with the sharp wine of reprehension. When we behold your cheeks blubbered with tears, your hands beating your breasts, your cries resounding at heaven-gates for mercy: then is the time to say Grace, and Peace unto you.

Grace. To omit the diverse acceptions of Grace, by it is generally meant, the receiving of the sinner into the Covenant of mercy, into God's favor by Christ. It is our second Birth: our first was ex libidine Carnis, of the lust of the flesh: our second ex aqua & sanguine, of water and blood by the holy Ghost. Thus are we changed into other men: as in the Resurrection we shall be the same and not the same; Caro eadem & non, the same in substance, not in quality. So in our first resurrection by Grace, a man is Idem & non Idem, the same and not the same: the same for constitution, not the same for disposition. For before our hearts were proud, now they are made humble: before covetous, now charitable: before set on worldly delights, now on the righteousness of Christ, and the invaluable riches of a good conscience.

Christian virtues are not natural: a man is not more borne with grace in his soul, then with apparel on his back. There is none righteous, no not one. If there were, what need was there of a new creation? The Philosophers said that Nature had Igniculos & semina virtutum, the sparks and seeds of virtue in it. But Saint Paul says, Novi quod in carne non est bonum: I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing: but if there be any good in me, by the grace of God I am that I am. The Rhemists quarrel with Saint Paul, for calling concupiscence a sin, which he proves to be a breach of the last Commandment. Rom. 7.7. For I had not known Concupiscence, except the Law had said, Thou shalt not covet. They have in their Catechisms put out one of the former Precepts, and to make up again the Decalogue, and number of Ten, they have cut the last Precept into twain. There to serve their turns, they make of the last Commandment, two; here to serve their turns, they make of it, none. They are great patrons of Nature in their doctrines, and enemies of Grace: yet Nature is not so much beholding to them neither. For they take children from mothers, obedience of subjects from Kings; care of preservation from a man's self; hurry them into damageable, yea, damnable precipices; and dissolve all natural combinations. Their Jupiter Capitolinus must drink nothing but human blood. Yet they are all for Nature, as if they cared not for Grace.

There is Gratia gratis agens, a grace that works freely, but not effectually; which may be had, and lost; and this is short of the Apostles wish. There is Gratia gratum faciens, a grace that makes him acceptable to God that hath it; this the Apostle wisheth, and it can never be lost. It is the living fire of the Spirit, that can never be quenched. Mittam Paracletum in aeternum: I will send you a Comforter, that shall abide with you forever. But how did the Grace of this Spirit abide in David and Peter, in the midst of those fearful lapses; which might be called in respect of Manners, plain apostacies? Spiritus concussus, non excussus: gratia mota, non amota: The grace was shaken in them, not shaken out of them: it was moved, not removed. There was Gratiae remissio, non amissio: A weakening, not annihilation of grace. This is that Grace, which makes our bodies the Temples of the Holy Ghost; whereas sin renders them the Devils kitchens.

Grace; what need the Apostle wish this to them that already had it: for all they that have received the Gospel, have also received grace? To this we answer diversely: 1. By Grace in these Apostolical benedictions, Ambrose only understands the remission of sins: Tollet Donum animae, a certain gift of the soul which makes men acceptable to God: but no gift of the soul can make it acceptable to God, but only his favor in Christ. The Poets took Grace pro venustate, for a delectable beauty, sightlinesse, or trimnesse of behavior. But Divinity teacheth us, that it is the favor of God towards us in his Son JESUS; By whom we have access into this Grace wherein we stand; that is, the favor of God. It is his Grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved. And we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his Grace. In a word, Grace is Bifrons, like John the Baptist, it looks two ways, and is taken so especially. First, for God's favor whereby we are made just: then for the Gifts of the Spirit, whereby we are made holy: that's the mother, these the daughters: that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , these 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Now then here is Grace taken in the effects: as Paul, Ephes. 6.24. Grace be with all them that love the Lord Jesus. Now all they that love the Lord Jesus, have the mother grace, that's the favor of God: therefore the Apostle wisheth the multiplication and confirmation of the daughters, the blessed effects of this favor. If any man object, What needs man more than the grace of God? I answer, the grace of God that justifies hath neither majus nor minus, admits no latitude, as being absolute and perfect in it self: for a man cannot be more than justified. But the grace of God that sanctifies, needs continual increasing: the Talents entrusted by the Lord to his servants, Matth. 25.15. are Graces given: the husbanding, trafficking, and thriving with those Talents, is the improvement of those graces. I hope there is no man hath so much grace in his opinion, that he will scorn or refuse another's apprecation; The Grace of Jesus Christ be with thee.

This is one answer; that Grace may be very well wished to them that already have it. But that distinction which Saint Paul himself implies, Rom. 6. betwixt being in grace, and being under grace; doth yet more contentfully satisfy. For as Augustine said; It is one thing to walk in the Law, another thing to walk under the Law: so it is one thing to be sub gratia, and another to be in gratia. To live under grace is opposed to the state of the Law: Ye are not under the Law, but under Grace. To live in Grace is opposed to the state of Sin. Vers. 2. How shall we that by grace are dead to sin, live any longer therein? There are four differences:

Some are

• In Grace, but not under grace.
• Under Grace, but not in Grace.
• Neither in Grace, nor under Grace.
• Both in Grace, and under Grace.

1 Many Prophets and holy men of the first times lived in Grace, but not under Grace. They desired to see the day of Christ, and to hear such things as we have heard, and were not suffered, yet were they saved by faith in the redemption to come, and led their lives in the grace of Christ.

2 Many in our times live under Grace, but they live not in Grace: hearing the Gospel, and receiving the Grace of God in vain. They have normam gratiae in their heads, and formam gratiae in their dissembling professions, but not veritatem gratiae, the truth of grace in their hearts. They are in the light, but the light is not in them. They have accepted the show, but denied the power of godliness: they say, they are Grac's, but grace is none of theirs.

3 The unbleeving Gentiles were neither in grace, nor under grace. Not in it, for they walked after their own lusts. Not under it, for they were without Christ, and strangers from the covenant of promise. The Sun was not risen to them, they could not see it.

4 They that now believe are both under grace, and in it. Under it, as released à damnatione peccati, from the damning power of sin; for no damnation to them that are in Christ. In it, as delivered à dominione peccati, from the reigning power of sin; that they no more obey it in the lusts thereof. The God of all mercy be blessed, that hath given us this grace; and may our thankful hearts ever acknowledge it. For we are no more strangers and forrenners, but Fellow-citizens with the Saints, and of the household of God. Christ now speaks to us by the mouth of his Ministers, Come servant, Intra in Domini gratiam; Enter into thy Masters Grace: one day he will speak by his own mouth, Intra in Domini gloriam, Enter into thy Masters Glory.

Peace, is also diversely accepted: here I take it specially for the tranquility of conscience; that which follows righteousness. For the Kingdom of Heaven consists in righteousness, in peace, and joy of the Holy Ghost. Being justified by faith, we have peace with God. In the latitude it may comprehend all those things that conduce to our well-being. It is a sweet nature; Pacem te poscimus omnes: who loves not peace? If any man hate peace; his nighbour-hood, his company, his breath, his very sight is offensive to men. My soul hath too long dwelt with him, that hateth peace. If some particulars be divided, and lose their peace, the General mourns. For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart. Let it be the Epitaph of Antichrist, Discords common Incendiary, as of Pope Sixtus. Non potuit saevum vis ulla extinguere Sixtum: Audito tandem nomine Pacis, obit. No war, no contention could kill Sixtus: but when he heard the name of Peace, he swooned and died. But let it be a Simeon's song; Nunc dimittis in Pace. Lord, let thy servant depart in peace. There is Peace external, Peace internal, Peace eternal. An outward peace of the world. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. An inward peace of the mind, consisting in the tranquility of well ordered affections, and in the conscience of a man's own innocence; men's sancta, pax sancita. An everlasting peace of God; when the Holy Ghost dwelleth with us, and in us. This comes not alone, but hath before it Iugum meum, Matth. 11. Take up my yoke, and you shall find peace. And Crucem meam, take up my Cross, and you shall have peace. And Luke 2.29. Servum meum, he must be my Servant: and Verbum meum, follow my Word: and then he shall have Pacem meam, my Peace. And so I come from considering this sweet pair of Graces asunder, to join them again together, as I found them: whence derive we three observations:

1 It is not enough to wish grace to the souls of our friends, but also peace; that is, health to their bodies, and other temporal blessings? Nothing but Grace? Yes doubtless. Paul begins his second Epistle to the Corinthians with Grace and Peace: and ends it with a Farewell; Valete Fratres. Which demonstration of love extends as far as all manner of prosperity; for heaven or earth, for soul or body. Our Savior's Prayer was not only for Grace, Thy kingdom come; but also for daily bread. Saint John to his well-beloved Gains, wished above all things that he might prosper, and be in health, as his soul prospered. He that wisheth not well to his brothers body, never wished well to his soul. The good man's desire is for both; Vt sit men's sana in corpore sano: That there may dwell a sound soul in a sound body. And this not in a formal complement, but an inward heartiness. For there are some that speak peace to their neighbors, but mischief is in their hearts. And Judas had an Hail Master, so well as Gabriel an Hail Mary. We pray for you, only do you wish well to yourselves: cross not another's prayers for your own good.

2 The Apostle puts Grace before Peace: so Nature told us in the mouth of her great Secretary, Aristotle; that Justice, is the elder sister to Peace. Agreement in evil is not love, but conspiracy: such men have only Metum & noxam conscientiae pro foedere: The terror and guilt of conscience for their combination. The Scrip • ure tells us, that Righteousness and Peace have kissed each other. Aug. Fiat justitia, & habebis pacem: Live righteously, and thou shalt have peace. Depart from evil, do good, seek Peace, and pursue it: nay thou shalt not need to follow it, for it shall f • llow thee: Peace will come of it self to seek Righteousness. On the contrary, where is no love of goodness, there can be no goodness of love. We ask our Watchman, as Jehoram did Jehu; Is it Peace? He must answer, Alas what peace, when there is no grace? There is many a Dives dreaming of nothing but ease and peace in his life; Soul take thy rest, eat, drink, and be merry. There is many a Balaam desiring nothing but peace in his death: but he must live in grace, that would die in peace. It is a vulgarisme; such a man died like a Lamb, though perhaps he lived like a Wolf. As though Consumptions might not spend men's choleric humors, Apoplexies stop the passages, which otherwise would not be fuller of pains than reluctations; as though palseyes might not take away speech, Lethargies dull, and Dropsies drown the vital spirits. There be many causes in Nature to make men die quietly, not sanctifiedly. Sisera after a draught of milk was no more sensible of Iaels hammer, than Holofernes after a tun of wine was of Iudiths sword. But true Peace will not sup, where Grace hath not broken her fast. Our peace below is a continual war against Satan: shall be above, an eternal victory over Satan. Be diligent, that you may be found of God in peace, without spot and blameless. You see the way to be found of God in peace; it is to be furnished with Grace, to be without spot and blameless.

3 The Apostle wisheth to us the best things, Grace and Peace. There be two Fiends that torment us, Sin and a bad Conscience. Now Grace delivers from Sin, and Peace doth quiet the Conscience. By these two mentioned, may all graces and blessings be Synecdochically understood: howsoever, where these are truly, the rest cannot be wanting Jehoshaphat gave all his children portions, and legacies, silver and gold: but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram: God gives the best to the best. Spiritual things from God in Christ are most to be desired of us, and they love us best that wish us these things. It is not pleasure our Apostle wished them; pleasures are like Jairus minstrels, music in a house of mourning: there is more need of Lachrymae and lamentations for our sins. Not security; for a wicked man's secure and untroubled mind is mare mortuum, like the dead sea; smooth and even at the top, but deep and deadly in the bottom. Not honor and advancement; this builds up many like Babels Tower, that their end might be confusion. Not riches; they are often like Absalom's hair, an ornament to hang himself: or an unruly Iade, that knocks out his masters brains, when he hath once cast him out of the saddle. No nor an outward pomp, and glorious pride of state and ceremonies: thus Rome hath lost the blood of her heart to paint her garments. These outward things may swarm together like those Idolaters to the house of Baal, 2 King. 10. But if you ask, as Jehu did there, Is there not a servant of the Lord amongst them? Is there not one grace among all that rabble and throng? No, never a grace: then must all the rest perish, as the worshippers of Baal fell by the sword of Jehu. None of these things our Apostle wisheth; but that which truly makes happy, and brings with it enough of other comforts, Grace and Peace. This makes men equal to Angels, and the want thereof casts down to devils. That which causeth a man to stand before Princes, is noble birth, honorable valor, abundant wealth, oraculous wisdom, eminent place and offices. But that which makes a man stand boldly before the Judgment seat of God, is only Grace and Peace, the free and eternal favor of the Deity in the merits of Jesus Christ. To conclude this; as we say we have grace, let us lead gracious lives: as we would have peace, let us decline unrighteousness which dissolves it. And then God shall fulfill in your hearts Saint Peters wish; the Grace of our Lord shall be with you; and the Peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall preserve your hearts and minds in Jesus Christ.

Be multiplied unto you. I come from the matter to the measure of his wish; the increase and multiplication of these blessings. For the goods of this world the best point of Arithmetic is Division: Beatius dare quàm accipere, said our Lord Jesus. It is a better thing to give than to receive. But for heavenly and unperishing graces the best point is multiplication. As he that for worldly riches doth not divide whiles he lives, shall find an empty Quotient when he is dead. So he that for heavenly gifts doth not multiply in life, shall find his Summa totalis in death; poverty, vanity, vacuity. Here observe two inferences.

1 That there is no plenary perfection in this life, for we must still be in multiplying our graces. Bern. Quomodo profitis, si jam tibi sufficis? Who cares to thrive, that thinks he hath sufficient? The highest Saint on earth, is but like the Ark of the Covenant; a Cubite and a half high: perfectly imperfect when he begins, unperfectly perfect when he ends. When we have done all that is commanded us, we are not only confined to be, but also charged to call ourselves, unprofitable servants. There was a sect of Puritans, that thought themselves so full of grace, that they refused one Petition in the Lord's Prayer; Dimitte nobis debita nostra, Forgive us our trespasses. And Philip Nerius conceited himself so full of God, that he used to say, Recede à me Domine; Depart further from me Lord, for I am holy enough: perhaps he thought, if God should pour in more wine of Grace, it would burst the vessel; and that he was full before. He spake not with Peters intention, Discede, quia sum peccator; Depart from me, for I am a sinful man: but out of a plethory of pride; Discede, quia sum sufficienter justus; Depart, for I am sufficiently righteous. Nor as Elias, It is enough, take away my life from me, for I am no better than my Fathers: but, It is enough, take away thy hand from me, for I am better than all my fathers: cease thy bounty, stay thy hand from giving, I need no more. As Cain with his Major iniquitas, confessed his sin greater than GOD could forgive: so this man with his Minor iniquitas, esteemed his sin less than GOD need to consider. But as there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath much riches; so there is that maketh himself rich, yet is very poor. There is not a poorer wretch than Laodicea, that bragged, she had need of nothing. They that think to overcome God with a thousand of their good works, God will come against them with ten thousand of their sins; a huge army: and one thousand sins will bea • down ten thousand good works. Cant. 1.11. We will make thee borders of gold, with studs of silver. The worlds fashion is to gild silver with gold, and to put the best side outward: but the manner of the Saints is to overlay gold with silver, and to be like the Kings daughter, most Glorious within. Moses had a glorious countenance, but he covered it with a veil: these have base and deformed minds, yet boast a shining perfection.

2 That we seek to multiply our grace and peace. Qui sat habet, nihil habet. He hath nothing, that thinks he hath enough. If Christ have healed thee of the palsy, he chargeth thee not to stand still, but Take up thy bed, and walk. We must like the Israelites, every day gather Manna till the Sabbath comes; be multiplying graces until our eternal Sabbath in heaven. In my Fathers house are many mansions; thither must a Christian arrive, before he can sue out his Quietus est. Every thing now is either Vinculum or Vehiculum; a Chaine or a Chariot, an hindrance or a furtherance. O happy soul that can make vincula vehicula, his thwarters that cross him, become his Porters to carry him, to the place of his rest. And can climb up by the ragged rocks of afflictions, to the victorious garrison of heaven. Crescite & multiplicamini; as God said to the man and to the woman when he put them into the world; increase and multiply: so he blesseth his graces, when his holy Spirit sows them in our hearts. Qui requiescit tempore laboris, laborabit tempore quietis. He that rests in the time of labor, shall labor in the time of rest. Let them both grow together, saith God, of the corn and tares, until the harvest. Matth. 13. Now if the tares grow so fast for the fire, let the good corn grow faster for the barn. The vessels whereinto Christ miraculated wine, were filled up to the brim. The vessels of God's grace, which by a greater miracle are made to hold a celestial nature, must be full up to the brim. It is said of Steven, that he was full of the Holy Ghost: full? so was Christ only. The School answers, there is three degrees of fullness; Apta, AEqua, Cumulata. An apt or fit and meet fullness; as when a house is well furnished, we say it is full. An equal or measurable fullness, when it is even with the content of the receiver; so a vessel is full to the brim. A cumulate or heaped fullness, when it overflows the continent: such a fullness in Christ; in whom dwelleth all the fullness of the God-head bodily. This filled his humanity with fullness of grace, the oil of gladness prae suciis; above all his fellows, and for all his members: and of his fullness have we all received, grace for grace. Ours then is Plenituao sufficientiae, his Superabundantiae; ours sufficient, his superabundant. Now this same Apt plenitude we may have in this life, but that Equall plenitude is only to be expected in heaven.

Seeing this multiplying to fullness is required, let us not content ourselves with a vacuity, or with little more than will cover the bottom. There are some utterly empty, and void of the Spirit. Quantum est in rebus inane! What an emptiness of grace is in many men's hearts! There are some that turn this grace into wantonness: as if God were bound to fill the vessel so fast as they empty it; or to multiply their peace when they spend it in riot. You shall see everywhere a fullness of iniquity: a measure so heaped, and pressed, and thrust together, and yet running over: that Non habet ulterius quod eorum moribus addat Posteritas; No after generations can exceed them. Where is a vacuity of grace, must needs be a plenitude of sin. Inopem me copia fecit, too much fullness keeps them empty. They have hands full, eyes full, mouths full, houses full, hearts full. Hands full of blood, and bribes. Isaiah 1. Eyes full of adultery and covetice: mouths full of cursing and bitterness: houses full of spoils: hearts full of impletie: they multiply sins like the sands; but diminish Graces. Two sorts he • e reprovable.

1 Temporizers, that never multiply, but stand at a stay; neither ebb nor flow, but just standing water between Religion and profaneness. Neither hot nor cold, but luke-warm: heat and cold have their uses, but between both is good for nothing, but to trouble the stomach. They go about many things, but bring about nothing. Omnia pro tempore, nihil pro veritate, Optat. They are all for the Time, nothing for the Truth. Like a Toppe, that goes always round, but never goes forward unless it be whipt. Like a Mill-horse that runs about in a circle all day, at night you take him out where you put him in. Or like a door, that rides all day on the hinges, and keeps out, or lets in visitants; but it self is never the nearer home at night. Ephraim is a cake not turned: their cake is dough, it will never serve for bread at GOD'S board. One propounded to Athenaeus this riddle: How a man and no man, with a stone and no stone, should kill a bird and no bird, sitting on a tree and no tree? He resolved it; that the man was an Eunuch, the stone a Pumise, the bird a Bat, the tree a Fennell. The Temporizer expounds that riddle in himself; for he is a Christian and no Christian, like that man and no man: his courage is no courage like the Pumise, which is a stone and no stone: his profession is no profession, like that Bat, which is a bird and no bird: (wherefore let him cast away either his wings or his teeth, and so become either a bird or a beast) his conscience no conscience; like the Fennell, a tree and no tree. His whole religion is like adulterated Wine, some of the Bastards; when the guest asks the drawer what Wine it is, he presently replies; Sir, what would you have it to be? his religion is the same you would have it. The Mustard hath the least seed, but grows up to the greatest tree: this man you would take to be the greatest tree, but his fruit is so small you can scarce see it. These time-servers love to prey upon novelties, as Atalanta on the golden apples, and lose the prize. Among the unclean fowls forbidden; Levite. 11. one is the Sea-maw, which we call the Gull. Unclean, saith one; Quia sicut ales volat, & sicut aquatile nat at: Because it flies like a fowl, and swims like a fish. Not unlike the Syriphian Frogge, Mthi terra lacusque. We have such fowls and unclean Gulls; that fly in England with the wings of hypocrisy, and swim in the sea of Rome with the sins of Idolatry. These be stragglers, far from hitting the mark of salvation. When Diogenes saw a bungling archer about to shoot, he ran as fast as he could to the mark: the lookers on demanded the reason, he answered. I stand here to make sure work that he may not hit me: for this fellow never means to come near the mark. It will be hard for him that observes the time, to preserve the truth.

2 Revolters, that do not multiply, but subtract; growing worse and worse; so far from acquiring graces they had not, that they lose them they had. Like Nebuchadnezzar's dreamed Image, the head might be of gold, but the feet was of clay and dirt; they have a muddy ending. In the Roman Indictions, the first year they paid gold as to the Crown: the second year, silver for the soldiers pay: the third year brass, for armor. So some have been in persecution golden Saints, in peace silver professors, at last brazen or leaden worldlings. I have read of certain trees, that on the Monday have been growing in the Forest, and before Sunday following, under sails on the sea. Neere to Calipolis there are by report, certain trees, that shoot up apace, and grow in a short time to such height, as a man may from their tops see the City Ilium; and then they presently wither. These men spring fast at first, and seem tall Cedars in profession: but when once they come to the sight of the City of God, then they waste away: not like the good tree, Psalm. 1. that brings forth his fruit in due season: but rather when the season comes wherein fruit is to be gathered, they elude the Masters expectation. Rome, that was once so famous for the Faith, yet apostated; How is that faithful City become an harlot! It is a fearful saying; It is impossible for them who have been made partakers of the Holy Ghost, &c. if they fall away, to be renewed again by repentance. I suppose he means a moral impossibility; so great a difficulty, that setting aside the almighty power of the Spirit, they cannot be recovered.

Let us then be like the Sun and the Moon; without retrogradations. There was an ordinance for the Israelites concerning their entry into God's house: He that entereth into worship by the way of the North-gate, shall go out by the way of the South-gate: he that entereth in by the way of the South-gate, shall go out by the way of the North-gate: no man shall go out the same way he came in. So the Wise-men were charged, to depart into their own Country, another way. Teaching us a straight course, to go continually forward. It is but a Poetical fiction, how Orpheus went to fetch his wife Euridice from hell; which was granted him on this condition, that he should not look back upon her, till he had brought her to heaven. But, Flexit amans oculos, & protinus illa relapsa est; he looked back, and lost her. It is a Scriptural truth, that Lots wife for looking back to her desired Sodom, was turned into a pillar of salt. Therefore, Remember that woman, saith CHRIST: that pillar of salt, ut te condiat; that it may season thee, saith Augustine. It is observable, Ephes. 6. That Paul describing the whole Armor of God, and numbering all the pieces; makes no mention of a back curet for the Christian soldier. There's a helmet for the head, a corselet for the breast, a shield for the fore-parts; but no guard, no regard of the back. It is a panoply, a complete Armor, yet no defense for the back. Teaching us that we must never show our back in God's wars: we must rather die than fly; continuing faithful to the end, not leaving the banner of Christ, till we have gotten the full victory. When Bias fell into the hands of his enemies, his soldiers flying, and crying: What shall we do? He answered with noble resolution; Tell ye the living, that I die fighting: and I will tell the dead that ye did escape flying. When William the Conqueror landed his Army in Sussex: he presently caused his ships to be sunk, that there might remain no hopes of running back again; they must stand to it. Let us all learn to multiply our graces: he that spends of the stock and never increaseth, shall come to beggary. Be not enticed with every vanity, to forsake your first love. Intemporall lendings, you think it scarce enough to have the surplusage of ten in the hundred: in spiritual things you think it enough and enough again to hold your own. You lend one money, if he comes and tenders the principal without interest, you grudge at it: yet God lends you grace, and you come at last, with Domine ecce tuum; Lord, behold thine own: You know the reward; Cast that unprofitable servant into outer darkness. No, but let him that is righteous, be righteous still: and let him that is holy, be more holy. Let us go from strength to strength, till we all appear before God in Zion.

Through the knowledge of God, and of JESUS our Lord. I have done with the matter, and the measure; nor come to the manner. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Which intends not simplicem cognitionem, sed super agnitionem, sive posteram cognitionem Dei: It is not a mere and simple knowledge, but an acknowledgement; a reflective and doubling knowledge. By 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 they understand such a knowledge of God, as was in the Philosophers, Poets, and Naturalists; Vi naturae congenita; acquired by the light of nature. That which may be known of God, &c. But this 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is such a knowledge, as comes by God's word, which makes us wise to salvation. The word is accepted and read three ways. Ordinarily for knowledge: sometimes for acknowledgement. 1 Cor. 16.18. Acknowledge them that are such. Sometimes for knowing again: there is knowledge Mental, Sacramental, Experimentall. The first is by the light of Nature; the second is by the power of Grace, the third by the practice of life, and continual proving the favor of God: of this knowledge more largely hereafter: here only observe two things.

1 The means of multiplying grace and peace in our hearts is knowledge of God. This is eternal life to know God, and whom he hath send, Jesus CHRIST. They that know thy name; will put their trust in thee. The cause of sin and ruin is want of knowledge; Hos. 4.1. swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing abound, because there is no knowledge of God in the land. Therefore Christ shall come in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God. The want of the Sun is the cause of darkness, the privation of knowledge the position of all ungodliness. Though it be true, that Peccata scientium peccatis ignorantium praeponuntur; The knowing offender shall be scouraged with sharpest rods: yet multi ut liberius peccarent, libenter ignorant; many affect an ignorance not necessary, that they may sin with the more security. Nondum scient? aliquando sentient. Will they not know? they shall feel.

2 There is something in grace and knowledge still wanting, that must be multiplied and increased: for we know but in part. Therefore a man should be often perusing and looking over his own evidence; as we review our assurances of worldly possessions; that he may be sure of the whole and every part of it: for it is dangerous to have any flaw or defect in our conveyance of salvation: which albeit it be ever sound on God's part, is not so on ours. The falls of a regenerate man much darken his knowledge: therefore when we have sinned, it is not enough to renew our repentance, but we must rub over and polish our knowledge. Men may know much in their understandings by thinking of it; but we must double this knowledge in our affections and hearts, by feeling it. For there is no knowledge so comfortable, as the experimental certainty of God's favor. Mans heart is like a vessel, the means of conveying knowledge to it is like a pipe: the Spirit of God like the wheel that pours the water into the pipe, the Minister is the servant that opens the cock. Now the reason why our knowledge is so small; is either because the cock always runs not, or not in that measure, or rather because our vessels be stopped, or it runs out by leakage, or it runs over, by reason of the former fullness; and repletion with the lusts of this world: man's heart is so full of crackes and flaws, that it cannot hold the water of life.

And of Jesus our Lord. There is no knowing of God with comfort, but through Jesus Christ. No man knoweth the Father but the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. Otherwise we may know him Fortem ultorem, a just and omnipotent avenger: in Christ only misericordem Patrem, the Father of mercies, and God of all comfort. No man can see me, and live; saith God to Moses, Exod. 33.20. Woe to that man, who removing Christ will attempt to comprehend God in his Majesty. Without Him he that increaseth knowledge, increaseth his own sorrow, his own torment. In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom, and knowledge. By the Son is the Father known: If ye had known me, ye had known my Father also. Other religions begin at the highest, the Christian at the lowest; God manifested in the flesh. He that will climb to heaven, must ascend by this ladder: begin therefore as Christ began; in the womb of the Virgin, at the manger, then get up to the Cross, and lastly mount up to the Crown. Wouldest thou know God? run first to the cradle, embrace the Infant; behold him sucking, growing, roaring, crying, dying: and thou shalt thus arise from knowing God in Christ by faith, to know him in himself by glory.

It is observable, that our Apostle often gildeth his Epistle with the name of JESUS, and CHRIST. Twice in the first verse, once again in the second, four times after in the Chapter. He runs upon this note, as David did upon mercy, Psal. 136. Little difference; for no mercy but through JESUS, and JESUS is all mercy. It is the sweetest music; Melos in aure, Iubilus in cord: Angelical melody in the ear, Evangelical harmony in the heart. Saint Paul in his Epistles mentions the name of JESUS four hundred and sixty times, and upwards. Neither is this repetition only of love, but of necessity: for it is impossible that grace and mercy should be to us, but by JESUS CHRIST. Si scribas, non placet nisi legam ibi Iesum, &c. If thou writest, I like not thy letters, unless I find them beautified with JESUS: if thou conferrest, thy discourse is without relish, if it be without JESUS. Mallem non esse, quàm sine Jesus esse: I had rather not be at all, than be without JESUS. A reverend Father was so ravished with the sweetness, and transported with the zeal of this name, that he professed; I had rather be out of heaven with CHRIST, than in heaven without Christ. But our heart is far too narrow to comprehend this infinitely sweet Savior, therefore I will end with that end of a divine sonnet; O CHRIST, I would fain receive thee; but

Now as all grace and peace is from our LORD JESUS CHRIST; so let us ascribe all honor and glory to our Lord Jesus CHRIST; forever and ever Amen.

THe Connection shall be forborne a little, and give way to the distribution. The whole Verse may be distinguished into two generals; the Fountain; wherein observe the

• Hope of the Petitioner; According as he hath.
• Ability of the Giver; Divine power.
• Liberty of the Action; Hath given.
• Necessity of the Receivers; Unto us.
• Universality of the Gift; All things that pertain to life and godliness.

Cistern; wherein observe the

• Water of life; wherein consider
  • Who; God.
  • What; Hath called.
  • Whom; Vs.
  • Whether; To glory and virtue.
• Pipe or Bucket to draw and derive all to us; Through the knowledge of him.

The whole being thus let fall into parts, let us proceed orderly to take up the first, and view it. This is the hope of the Petitioner; which with a remarkable de pendance knits this Verse with the former; and begetteth this doctrine from the Coherence. The experience of former mercy, works a persuasion of future mercy. The Apostle desired the multiplying of their grace and peace; and he grounds it on this hope, because the LORD hath already given them much. He hath begun, therefore he trusts that he will finish. There is no stronger argument of God's infallible readiness to grant our requests, than the experience of his former concessions. So David reasons. The Lord that delivered me from the Lion and the Bear, will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. This is argumentum a priori, the voice of a strong faith, that persuades the conscience God will be gracious to him, because he hath been gracious. The Prophet thus often comforted his soul: Thou Oh God, hast enlarged me, when I was in distress, therefore have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer. So Psalm 86.13. Thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell: therefore Verse 16. O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me. Let the Iustitiaries deduce arguments from their own present merits, my soul from God's former mercies. Thou, O Lord, madest me good, restoredst me when I was evil, therefore have mercy upon me miserable sinner, and give me thy salvation. Thus Paul grounded his assurance; because the LORD had stood with him, and delivered him out of the Lions mouth; therefore the Lord shall deliver me still from every evil work, and preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom. Hence was his Novi, I know whom I have believed. The Prophets distressed soul cried; Will the Lord cast off forever? is his mercy clean gone forever? hath God forgotten to be gracious? No, he recollects himself, Ver. 10. with the memory of precedent favors; I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High; I will remember the works of the Lord, and his wonders of old. Man useth to reason thus; I have been good to such a one, therefore he need not exact upon me, and over-burden my kindness. God thus; I have been liberal, therefore I will be liberal; multa dedit, sed plura daturus. To him shall be given; because the good he hath, is but an earnest of God's greater bounty. He takes up man's soul as a poor beggar at his door, strips off her tattered rags, gives her a suit out of her own wardrobe, adorns her with rich Jewels, and then as if all this were too little, loves her still better and better; lastly marries her to his own son, and so interests her to the inheritance of glory. You see the foundation of the Apostles prayer, the experience of God's sweet nature; who multiplies his graces. Let not this point part with us, till it hath taught us two things: to pray faithfully, and to live thankfully.

1 Let us pray in confidence that God will hear us, because he hath heard us. Come we boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy. God's facility in his wonted grants, gives us strong consolation. A noble Princesse asked a Courtier, when he would leave begging: he answered, when she left giving. God never ceaseth to give, let us never cease to beg. Who can go with more courage to the King, than the man experienced of his goodness? But if we be so confident, how comes it to pass, that we sometimes fail of our suits, and return denied. I answer, the defect is in ourselves; God is the same in bounty, but we are not the same in duty. We ask either Mala, or Male; either bad things to a good purpose, or good things to a bad purpose.

Evil things, either evil in themselves, or to the petitioners: in themselves one calls Prayer Petitio decentium, a Request of convenient things. What a good father will not give, let a good son not ask; not a serpent instead of a fish, nor a stone for bread. We must not beg a serpent, lest it should hurt ourselves, nor a stone, lest we should hurt others. Non petitur in nomine Salvatoris, quod petitur contra rationem salutis. August. That is not requested in the name of our Savior, that is requested against the rule of salvation. The Disciples asked many things, and had them: but when they asked fire from heaven, they had it not. If it be not fit f • r God to give • , it is not fit for us to ask. The Lord hears ever Q • u • d finem, though not ever Quoad formam: audit ad sanitatem, if not ad voluntatem. If our will be not according to our weal, God denieth the form of our requests, and gives us the end: he withholdeth the worse, and affordeth the better. Paul besought the Lord thrice that the thorn in the flesh might depart from him. God did not hear him in that particular, but heard him in the general; my grace is sufficient for thee: my strength is made perfect in weakness. He was not quite delivered from the temptation in himself, but he was fortified with the sufficiency of God. The man sick of the burning fever cries to his Physician for drink; he pities him, but does not satisfy him: he gives him proper physic, but not drink. So God, saith Augustine, Non tribuit quod volumus, ut tribuat quod malimus: he does not give us what we would have, but what we should have. Perhaps he crosseth us in our affection, but blesseth us in our salvation. The younger brother shall not have all his portion, lest he run to riot: nor the gallant ever enjoy health, lest he be too proud. Saepe Deus facit opus quod non est suum, ut faciat opus quod est suum. Thus a man is afflicted, that he may be humbled and many sores are on the flesh, that fewer sins may be in the soul.

Or when we ask good things, but to an evil purpose. So the envious begs honor, that he may revenge himself on his enemies. Young men ask health, that they may be strong for licentiousness. Others require great places and offices, and to have somewhat to do about the fire, that they may warm their own fingers. As if a man should be ambitious of the Pretorship in the City; that so with mulcts amercements, warrants, and bribes, he may maintain his family, and never go to his coffers for money. Some desire learning, that they may be factious: others riches, not to serve God, preserve the state, nor relieve the poor; but to grow fat with idleness, and domineer over their neighbors. Ye fight and war, yet you have not, because you ask not. Ask not! alas we beg continually, yet cannot speed: the error is not in the want of asking. Where is it then? ye ask and receive not, because you ask amiss. Ver. 3. you fail in your manner of requesting, therefore God doth not satisfy your desires. You ask and miss, because you ask amiss. No, we pray as earnestly, and with as devout affection as others, yet speed not. Look a little further into the Apostles words, and your own hearts: ye ask, that you may consume it upon your lusts. Heres the reason, you beg good things to be wanton with them; silver and gold to give unto Baal: corn and wine to riot. Perhaps you may faintly pray against that sin, which you would be loath to lose. This is to pray in jest; as Augustine speaks of his unconverted estate; that he desired God to cool the fire of his concupiscence; but orabat extingui, malebat expleri: his tongue besought an extinction, his heart desired a satisfaction; he had rather have it pleased, then expelled. He prayed indeed, but as if he were afraid lest God should hear him.

2 Seeing that God gives more where he hath given much, let us be thankful: for how should God bless us with that we have not, if we do not bless him for that we have. Let me be a little bold to enlarge this point of praising God: there is a six-fold manner of praising him; mental, monumental, chordall, cordial, vocal and actual.

There is a mental praise, when we bear in our minds the favors of God; I will remember the works of the Lord. It was the wretchedness of Israel to forget his wonders. They soon forgot his works. What can he remember, that forgets the mercies of God!

Monumentall, when we erect trophies, pillars, and monuments, to continue the memory of God's deliverances. This shall be written for the generation to come, and the people which shall be created, shall praise the Lord. Thus Abraham and Jacob reared diverse pillars, which were dumb catechisms to the posterities unborne: answering the charge of God, and the practice of Israel; Our fathers have told us, we will not hide them from our children, showing to the generations to come, the praises of the Lord.

Cordall, I call that praise which is framed to God upon Instruments. Psalm last. Praise him with the sound of the Trumpet, praise him with the Psalterie and Harp, praise him with stringed Instruments and Organs. For this cause, musical Instruments are retained in our Churches; that they may elevate our drooping affections, to bless GOD: Let all our music, like David's harp, resound his praises.

Cordial praise, is that which enlivens all the rest, and comes out of a pure heart: not hypocritically for fashion, but sincerely for devotion. This is that form of thankfulness God requires: if a man looks into a pure fountain, he shall see there a reflection of his own image: in the pure heart God beholds an image of himself. If Caesar requires his own image in his coin, shall not God expect his Image in thy soul! He loves little, that can tell how much he loves. Let all thy powers of body and soul do their best to bless God; but let thy heart exceed all; and what they want in expression, let that make up in affection. Bless the Lord all that is within me; all that is within me, and all that is without me; but especially that within me, bless the Lord O my soul.

Vocall, let our lips praise him, and let not our tongues lie still. Sing to the Lord a new song; show forth his loving kindness in the morning, and his faithfulness every night. God's glory will make a good man speak, even when terror it self hath commanded silence. Luke 11.14. Our Savior cast out a dumb devil and when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake, and the people wondered. Many are possessed with this dumb devil: their mouths open not to sound forth God's praises: to hear one of them speak in CHRIST'S cause, would make all the people wonder. I know that Satan's children are talkative enough: there are gaping devils; like Demetrius, that think to carry it away, with Great is Diana of the Ephesians. For this cause I think, they were first called Rorers whom Christ may well conjure, as he did that devil. Mark 1.25. Hold thy peace, and come out. But Gregory answers; He that sins horribly, and confesseth not heartily; though he roars much, yet holds his peace. To hear blasphemers wound and tear the sweet and sacred name of CHRIST would make a dumb man speak. Herodotus writes of Croesus his son, being borne dumb, yet seeing his father endangered in a battle; on a sudden cried out, O spare him, he's the King. So when God's glory is in question; what • dumbenesse, what a dumbenesse is it, not to say, O spare him, he's the Lord. The tongue that yields not this defense, is tied by Satan, not loosed by God.

Actual, is when our lives praise God. Let your conversation be honest, that they beholding your good works, may glorify God in the day of visitation. So the master had taught the disciple, as the disciple taught us. Matth. 5.16. we, like blind Isaac, cannot see your hearts therefore we say, Let me feel thee my son. If your lives be rugged, like the hands of Esau; we will not trust your voices for the voice of Jacob. Have you righteousness? seal it, and deliver it as your act and deed. Aug. Noli gloriari quia linguâ benedicis, si vitâ maledicis. Never say you praise God with your words, when you dispraise him with your works. Honor the Lord with thy substance, this is substantial honor. GOD gave Samuel to Anna, Anna gave Samuel back again to God. Return part of thy riches to him, that gave all to thee. David loved Mephibosheth for Jonathan's sake: is Jonathan gone? yet we have many Mephibosheth’s. The Lord disposeth his part of thy substance to his ministers to his poor members: he increaseth thy part, for shame do not thou diminish his.

His Divine power: we come to the next circumstance; the Ability of the giver. Here is Power, yea Divine power; not only Great, but Good. For mercy and Majesty must meet together in the donation of all things that pertain to life and godliness.

It is Power: God is Almighty. Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, and in the seas, and in all deep place. But is there nothing that God cannot do? yes, he cannot lie, he cannot die, he cannot deny himself. He is for potent, not for impotent works. Aug. Dicitur omnipotence faciendo quod vult, non patiendo quod non vult. H s Almightiness consists in doing what he will, not in suffering what he will not. The doing of some things were an argument of weakness, not o • power. For herein is a remonstrance of our might; not that we have ableness to sin, but to withstand sin. Therefore, Augustine wisheth; Vt potestas non detur nisi contra vitium; that no man had any strength, but against wickedness. Let every man desire such power; Vt potens sit in serpso, & miro modo adversus seipsum, pro seipso: that he may be strong in himself, and (after a strange manner) against himself, for his own good. For a dominion over ones self is greater than the grand Seigniory of Turkey. To be strong to sin is no credit for man; as it is no discredit for GOD that he cannot sin. Vae fortibus ad potandum. Esa. 5. woe to them that are strong to drink. Dost thou pride thyself in this strength? thou shalt howl for that glory. This power is the greatest infirmity. There are that oppress a man and his heritage, because it is in the power of their hand. This Potestas in malum, strength to sin, is to be strong to go to hell. Commonly to beasts of the greatest power, is given the lest immanitie, and to those of the greatest immanitie the least power. The ox hath strength but tamenesse: the be wildness, but weakness. Either they have power to hurt, and not will: or will to hurt, and not power. This is happy for us, but it would be more happy in respect of our sins, if God should take away from us, aut facultatem, aut voluntatem, either our will or our ability to do mischief. They say, Lions do not prey on yielding things: that thou canst do harm, and wilt not, is the praise of thy Innocence: that thou wouldest do harm, and canst not, is the praise of God's providence. Saul would kill David, and could not: David could kill Saul and would not. The two disciples would command fire from heaven, but could not: CHRIST could command fire from heaven, but would not. Posse & nolle noble.

It is Divine power, as for the mightiness, so for the mercifulness: his goodness doth sweetly temper his greatness. Not only a power; but a good, gracious, divine power. He abideth faithful, He cannot deny himself. If we desire worldly wealth, he may deny us, for that is not himself. If we desire preferment, he may deny us, for that is not himself. If we desire revenge, he may deny us, for that is not himself. But if we desire Grace, goodness, sanctity, mercy, he will not deny us, for that is himself; and he cannot deny himself. No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. Against this divine power there is no resistance: he is able to do whatsoever he will, yea he is able to do more than he will. Our God is in heaven, he hath done whatsoever he pleased. He can do more than ever he was or will be pleased to do. His divine power could have made many worlds, his divine will hath decreed but one. The passengers in mockery bad CHRIST come down from the Cross: he was able to descend, and let the work of redemption alone, but he would not lose them to save himself, but rather lose himself to save them. The Father was able to have given him more than twelve legions of Angels for his rescue. Matth. 26.53. But he would not, but rather delivered up his son to his enemies, to save his friends. So John the Baptist to the bragging Jews, that pretended the father-hood of Abraham; God is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham. His power is without limits, as his will is without injustice. His power teacheth us to fear him; his Divine and gracious power to love him: both together make for our humility and comfort.

The knowledge of GOD'S Power will humble the proudest heart: was he able to make thee of nothing; to bring thee back to worse than nothing; how darest thou displease him? It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living GOD: yet there is no way to avoid it, but by falling into it; strive not to run from him by wickedness, but to run to him by repentance. Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God: it is a mighty hand, humble yourselves under it, lest you be humbled by it. His power is so mighty, that it bootes not a man to strive with him, for he was never yet over-masterd. The wrath of a King is like messengers of death, and man quakes at his anger that can but kill the body: yet how little do we fear him that can destroy both body and soul in hell? Do we provoke the Lord to anger? are we stronger than he? saith the Apostle, do we challenge him that can confound us? we are like to get little by such bargains. Let him take away his rod from me, and let not his fear terrify me; Then would I speak. As if Job should say, there is no meddling with him so long as his sword is by him. First Lord take away thy weapons, and then let us talk together. It might be said of Jove • , Si quoties peccent homines, sua fulmina mittat Jupiter, exiguo tempore inermis erit: if for every sin of men he should send down a thunderbolt, either Vulcans one-eyed Cyclops would be soon weary, or his flock of thunder soon empty. Mars ultor gal • am quoque perdidit, & res non potuit servare suas; Mars his sword might be wrung out of his hand, and himself disarmed. But who hath resisted the Lord? who hath entered the lists with this divine power, and not measured his length on the ground? It is time for the poor child to quake, when he sees his angry father come with the rod. There is no struggling with it; the best way is to yield ourselves, and be silent; I was dumb, and opened not my mouth, because thou didst it. God tells revolted Israel, that in quietness they should be saved; not by fight, nor by flight. Aaron was sorry for his two perished sons; but when Moses told him that God would be glorified before all the people; Aaron held his peace. Peter was accused by the Apostles, for going in to the Gentiles: but when he made his defense, and rehearsed the matter from the beginning, Acts 11.4. proving that he was directed to that course by a vision, Verse 18. They held their peace, and glorified GOD.

The knowledge of this Divine and giving power may comfort the most dejected heart: it gives us many consolations. 1. Concerning the salvation of others and ourselves: how desperate so ever we judge their estates, by reason of their continual habit of sinning, yet this divine power is able to convert them. No man can seem to be further lost than the Jews, who are cut off from CHRIST through infidelity, Upon whom the wrath of God is come to the uttermost, and a malice of 16 hundred years burning is not wasted in them: yet saith Paul, even they may be grafted into the Olive again, if they abide not still in unbelief: and his reason is; Because God is able to graff them in again. But alas, I have been frozen many years in the dregs of worldly lusts, and I do not find my heart yet thawed: I know this is a fearful case for a man to lie so long under the tyranny of the devil: yet despair not, apply the means of thy deliverance, strive to extricate and unwind thy soul from this maze of destruction, break thy heart with compunction for thy iniquities: this divine power is able to implant thee to the true vine, and make thee a member of Jesus CHRIST. Thou shalt feel the working of his mighty power; which he wrought in CHRIST, when he raised him up from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in heaven. What was the power which he wrought in CHRIST? When malice had spent it self upon him on the Cross, and insulting death began to triumph over him in the grave; even then this mighty power raised him up. We are as dead in sin naturally, as any man in the grave corporally; can neither move hand nor foot: there was a power that raised him, there is a power that can revive us. All our care must be to find in ourselves the Power of his resurrection. 2. This comforts us in the midst of all afflictions; we are weak in ourselves, unable to stand under the lightest cross: but there is a Divine power that strengthens us. Though it doth not nullify our sonrrowes, yet it doth fortify our patience, we are strengthened with all might through his glorious power, unto all patience and long suffering with joy fullness. 3. This comforts us in prayer: there is no speeding prayer but that is made in faith, and it is no easy matter to pray in faith: now the foundation of our faith is this Divine power of CHRIST. Let us speak confidently with the Leper Matth. 8. LORD, if thou wilt thou canst make me clean. After the wisdom of heaven had abridged all our necessities into six petitions; he binds up our faith with a reason, and bids us wait confidently, for the blessings craved heartily; For (or because) thine is the kingdom, the Power, and (to thee be) the glory forever. 4. This comforts us against all oppositions, even those Principalities that wrestle against us; the assurance of this divine power. Non timeat Inimicum fortem, qui amicum habet fortiorem. Let not him fear a strong enemy against him, that hath a stronger friend with him. If God be on our side who can be against us? Let their force and malice strive which shall be greater, we shall overcome them all by the blood of the Lamb.

Ye are of God, and have overcome them: whom? all the adversaries of your faith and manners. How? Because greater is he that is in you, that is Jesus, Christ by his divine power: than he that is in the world, that is, the malignant spirit of temptation. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death; a place full of horror and amazedness; yet will I not fear: why so? because thou O Lord art with me; thy rod and thy staff do comfort me. Lastly, let this hearten us to cheerful liberality; because whatsoever we lack or lose, there is a divine power able to requite, it. Thus Paul encourageth the Corinthians bounty; because God is able to make all grace abound toward them, that they having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.

Hath given. I come from the Faculty of the Agent, to the Liberty of the Action: he Gives. He doth not set, nor let, nor sell, nor lend, but Give. The covetous Land-lord sets his tenements, the griping Usurer lets his money, the wasting Prodigal sells his estate, the charitable Neighbor lends his goods; but the most liberal God Gives. Thus doth God, Satan, and man, dispose their things. Deus donat, Diabolus vendit, Homo retribuit, God gives, Satan sels, and man restores. God and Satan have two several warehouses: we come to the Devils warehouse, look on his wares, like them well, they have a fair gloss. The gloss of drunkenness is good fellowship: the gloss of adultery is good affection: the gloss of covetousness is good husbandry: the gloss of murder is good courage: the gloss of sedition is good reformation: the gloss of treason is good religion. To make good this gloss, his shop hath two false lights; man's law, and man's example. First, human laws; so we shall never be able to prove sin to be sin, unless we have an act of Parliament for it. Next, human examples; and by that reason we shall never prove sin to be sin, till all great men become good men, and that will not be this two days. Well, men thus liking the warts, they come to the price; that's everlasting torment: dear, very dear! The Devil is no such frank chapman, to sell his commodities for nothing. No, did he not offer Christ kingdoms upon free gift? Matth. 4.9. No, they had a price set on them; Si cadens adoraver is me; it must be a crouch of his knee, he must worship the Devil for it. He makes show of Robin-Hoods peniworths, and may forbear his debtors until death; but then lays an heavy execution on them, and condemns them to an everlasting prison. Munera magna quidem praebet, sed praebet in hamo; he puts forth large baits, but there be damnable hooks hid in them. A worldling is beset with exigence, he complains his wants, Satan promiseth ready help: Judas shall have money in his purse, Gehazi new suits to his back, Nero a crown on his head: but thus he possesseth their wretched hearts, from whence he is hardly ever untenanted.

In God's warehouse we find wisdom at the door, crying for customers, Isaiah 55. Come ye to the waters, come buy wine and milk without money; yea, verse. 2. Bread and fatness. Let us see the wares. First is Water: water? alas a poor and plentiful commodity: cheap enough; every channel affords it. No, for first literally; water was of great use in Palestine, a dry Country. Poor Hagar with her little Boy, were almost lost with thirst: how did her heart leap, when God opened her eyes, that she saw a Well of water? Isaac's heard-men strove with the heard-men of Cerar, about waters; therefore he called the name of the Well Esek, that is Contention. Israel mumured for water, and were plagued for it. Water hath a manifold use; it serves for drink, for medicine, for washing, for purging, for boiling, for quenching, for fructifying. Water was held by some the beginning of all other things; Aqua, quasi A Qua omnia. It was esteemed a principal preserver of life, therefore called living, Gen. 26.19. Isaac's servants found a Well of Living water: it is translated, Springing; but the original gives it, Living water. But it must be here understood in a spiritual sense; so the Water that GOD gives is Grace. With joy shall ye draw Water out of the Wells of Salvation. I will pour Water upon him that is thirsty, (which he expounds of Grace) I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed. Whosoever is a-thirst, let him take the Water of life freely. Next is Wine; Is this so good? Vinum lac libidinis, Wine is the nourishment of lust; the Manichees called it, Fel Principis tenebrarum, the gall of the Prince of darkness. No, Wine is good, hath manifold benefits: it helps the stomach, nourisheth the body, whets the wit, cherisheth the heart, and cheers the whole man. CHRIST'S first miracle in Galilee mentioned, was turning water into Wine: and the last thing he used in the Sacrament was Wine. It is said to cheer God and man, Thirdly, Bread; this is called the Strength of man's life. It was a great curse God threatened to Israel; I will break their staff of bread. Lastly, Milk; the Tartarians were said to live with milk: Canaan is praised to flow with milk; therefore Desire the sincere milk of the Word. Bread necessary for life, oil for ornament, water for use, milk for nourishment, wine for delight. These are good wares; the water of Regeneration, the wine of Compunction, the bread of Life, the oil of Gladness, the milk of the Gospel: Who would desire better purchase? We like them well, what's the price? Nothing: a very easy reckoning. The Lord Gives, and that better things for nothing, than Satan will sell us for our souls. Those thrifty men, that try all shoppes for the cheapest penniworths, why refuse they those rich blessings which GOD gives for nothing, and pay such a hard price for vanity and vexation? Men might pay nothing for the best of things; they do pay the best of things for nothing. In vain doth foolish man exchange good for evil, when he may exchange evil for good.

You perceive how God Gives, Satan sells; now see how man restores: for that bounteous hand which bestows much on us, requires some restitution of us. Man should not sell, as Satan: he cannot give, as God: but he ought to restore, that is his part: this he may do, this he must do. To whom? to God for his own sake, to man for God's sake. To God, what is that? Thanks. Quid retribuam Domino? What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits? I will magnify, and bless his Name. That is not Magnum facere, sed magnum significare: Not to make his Name great, but to declare it great. Sing forth the honor of his Name: make his praise glorious. How can man make his praise glorious? by singing forth the honor of his Name. This is a plain restitution, yet goes under the name of a contribution. So willing is God to accept man's duty, that he takes it as his bounty. The Giver is more blessed than the Receiver: in all other things we are the receivers, and he is the Giver: only in thankfulness we are the Givers, and he is the receiver. Respiration and Expiration are in their vicissitudes alike: we can draw in air no longer than we send it out. If we return no grace, we receive no grace.

To man: and this in matters either of Equity, or Charity. Of Equity: If I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him four fold. This necessity Nehemiah imposed on Israel: first by entreaty; I pray you let us leave off this Usury. Next by command, Restore to them their lands and vineyards, and the monies of your exactions: then by an oath, he took an Oath of them to perform this. Lastly, by a Sacramental curse to the refusers, shaking the lap of his garment; So God shake out every man from his house, that performeth not this promise: even thus shall he be shaken out and emptied: and all the Congregation said, Amen. The very Barbarians abhor the neglect of restitution: A great Lady being a widow, called to her an English Merchant, trafficking in those parts, with whom she knew her husband had some commerce, and asked him if there were nothing owing to him from her deceased Lord: he after her much importunity acknowledged what, and shown the particulars. She tendered him satisfaction, yea (and after his many modest refusals, as being greatly benefited by the dead Barbarian) she forced him to take of her hand the uttermost penny: saying thus; I would not have my husbands soul go to seek your soul in hell, to pay his debts. Here was a fire in a dark vault, great zeal in blind ignorance: they saw by the candle-light of Nature. What Saint Augustine delivers for doctrinal Truth, Non remittitur peccatum nisi restituatur oblatum: Where is no restitution of things unjustly gotten, there sins shall never be forgiven. Of Charity; for even this is but a restitution: Give me, saith GOD, of that I have given thee: De meo quaero, non de tuo; I ask not for thine, but for mine own: Give and restore; Petimúsque damúsque vicissim; If we do not give alms according to our power, GOD will sue us of an action of Detinie. Quare non dedisti? meo jure, tua dispensatione, Matth. 25. Why did you not give things that were mine by right, yours only by use and dispensation; whereof you were not proprietaries and Lord's, but accountant Stewards? Cyprian. Improbi dant multa propter cruciantem Diabolum, nos reddemus nihil propter salvantem Dominum? Reprobates will part with many things for a tormenting devil, and shall we restore nothing for our saving God? most men think when they give, that God and man is beholding to them: not so; Non tribuunt de proprio, sed retribuunt de alieno: They do not give of their own, but restore some of that GOD hath given them. For restoring they shall have recompense, for detaining vengeance.

I am fallen upon a point of Giving; therefore, me thinks, I should not be niggardly in it. God give me a tongue to declare it, and give us all hearts to practice it. Two things it readily teacheth us:

1 How to judge of all we have; as the LORD'S gifts, not our own merits. Bona mea, Dona tua, Domine. It is a wretched thing, Vti datis, tanquam innatis: To use those things that are added to us, as if they had been bred in us. What hast thou, that thou hast not received? If thou didst receive it, why doest thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it? GOD, saith Bernard, is the Author of merit; Qui & voluntatem applicat operi, & opus explicat voluntati: For he both applieth the will to the work, and disposeth the work to the will. Thou doest good works; so much as is good in them is not thine, but GOD'S. Man for these things, Magis Deo debitor est, quàm Deus homini; is rather a debtor to GOD, than GOD to man. Thou canst not so much as give GOD Gratias, Thanks; unless GOD first give thee Gratiam, the grace of thankfulness. Thou canst not be patient under his hand, except his hand give thee patience. Why do we boast then? Seeing that Quae non fecimus ipsi, vix ca nostra voco: We cannot call those deeds ours, which we have not done ourselves. I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the Grace of GOD which was with me. Still if we do good, we are beholding to GOD for it, not GOD to us.

2 To follow GOD'S example, in being evermore giving good things. Beneficence is munus regale, a royal office. It is a poor degree of comfort wherein many bless themselves, to do no ill: for Bonum in effectu, non in defectu: non virtus in non officiendo, sed in proficiendo: Goodness consists in the effect, not in the defect: nor is virtue glorious in being innocent from harm, but in being beneficial for good. I wonder what hope the oppressor hath to be saved; seeing he doth not imitate GOD in giving, but the Devil in extorting? There are that give something to the poor, that they may take away more: Haec venatio, non donatio: This is not a charitable giving, but a subtle hunting. It is foenerare beneficium, to put a good turn to usury. But give; this is GOD'S precept, and must be thy precedent. Yea, though thou have little, give of that little. GOD esteems the little gift of a poor righteous man, above the great alms of a wicked rich man. And that for two reasons; Quia de justo, quia de parvo. First, because it is of that, is justly gotten: so Zacchaeus; Halfe my goods I give to the poor; and restore to them I have wronged fourfold. Observe his words; Do ex meis, reddo ex alienis: I restore other men's goods, but I give mine own. Secondly, because he gives of a little; as the poor Widow did her two Mites, even all her substance. When the Monks complained of want, and that their revenues fell too short for their maintenance; the Abbot replied, that two companions came once together, to sojourn in their Monastery; they were entertained: their names were Date, and Dabitur; Give, and It shall be given you. Whilest these two lived amongst you, you all thrived: now you have thrust out Date, Give; and Dabitur, (it shall be given) will not stay behind.

Unto us. I come from the bounty of the Giver, to the need of the receivers:

To us, that were

• Worth nothing.
• Worthy of nothing.

To us, that had nothing; miserable beggars. And indeed what should be the object of mercy, but misery? Present thyself, O poor soul! Miserum ante misericordem; a miserable creature before a merciful Creator. Say not with Laodicea, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; not, I have need of nothing; but, I have nothing. God doth not only forgive us, because non solvendo, we have nothing to pay: but he gives us, because non habendo, we have nothing to live on. There are three sorts of poor and miserable men: some sing and are miserable, some cry and are miserable; some curse and are miserable. As the Italian says; Thus go a begging; the Germans singing, the Frenchmen weeping, the Spaniards cursing. Some are poor in the world, yet sing care away. When Augustus heard that a Gentleman in Rome, concealing his broken estate, died so far in debt; he sent to buy the pillow whereon he slept. Hi non sunt solliciti ut solvant, sed ut debeant. They do not take care how to come out of debt, but how to come into debt. Thus poor are many; yet they sing in Taverns, and dance in Theaters; though wretched beggars in heavenly graces. As it is in this world for temporal things, so for the world to come in spiritual things; Cantant paupers, lugent divites: poor men sing, and rich men cry. Who is so melancholy as the rich worldling? And who sings so merry a note, as he that cannot change a grote? So they that have store of grace, mourn for want of it: and they that indeed want it, chant their abundance. Others are poor and cry: so did Esau, because he could not recover the Blessing, though he sought it carefully with tears. These mad dogs bite the stone, without regard to him that threw it. Sorrow like a needle, runs thorough their hearts, but hath no thread of faith in it, to sow them to JESUS CHRIST. Miseriores, non meliores: they are worse in the state of this world, yet not better in the state of Grace. If GOD touch a Pharaoh, he will roar: you shall have him howl to his ending, not to his mending. The cloud of a corrupt heart, when it is squeezed and crushed with adversity, will haply pour down some drops: but to shed repentant tears in the midst of prosperity; this is like rain in Sun-shine. He that mourns for the cause of his punishment, shall mourn but a while: he that mourns only for the punishment, and not for the cause, shall mourn forever. Lastly, others curse and are miserable, as Job's wife counseled him; Curse GOD, and die. This is a desperate poverty, when men defy him that should make them rich. They answer GOD, as Daniel did Belshazzar; Keep thy reward to thyself, and give thy gifts to another. They have a long festered ulcer; the Physician offers to cure it: but they madly thrust their nails into it; no, it shall not be healed. Such was our estate by nature: some were poor and insensible, others sensible, but disconsolate; others sensible and desperate. We were all poor beggars, and had nothing, therefore had need of a Giver.

To us, that deserved nothing: it is no wonder that GOD loved the Angels, for they obey him: that he loved the irrational and insensible creatures, for they do not contradict him: but that he should be good to us, Neque capientibus, nec cupientibus; neither receiving, nor conceiving, nor desiring Grace: that had not only a rebellion of will, but a will of rebellion; this was the wonder. This was not Dilectio quoniam, a love to us, because we first loved him: but Dilectio etiamsi, a love to us, though we hated him. He loved us, because he loved us: in our creation when we could not, in our redemption, when we would not love him.

All things that pertain to life and godliness. I come from the necessity of the receivers, to the Universality of the Gift. All things that, &c. This is that extent and latitude of his donation; who gives 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to all life and breath, and all things. No silver in Benjamins sack, till Joseph put it in: no good in man till God infuse it. Worldlings ascribe things to the goodness of their skill, or greatness of their pains. Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by the might of my power? They sacrifice to their nets. But indeed every good and perfect gift comes from above, even from the Father of lights. It is in vain that you rise up early, and go to bed late: for so he giveth his beloved sleep. All that pertain.

To life. Where we may either by life understand our natural life, together with all things that may preserve it. He put a soul to our flesh, gave birth to the child, nourishment after birth; bread when we were hungry, drink when we were thirsty, &c. To the wise-man his wisdom, to the strong man his might, to the wealthy man his riches: wisdom, Bonum mentis, the good of the mind: strength Bonum corporis, the good of the body: riches Bona fortunae, the goods of fortune. He gives all, let us give him praise for all. He giveth all things richly to enjoy. This is a large field to survey, let your meditations supply the defect of my speech. Who cannot say, Thou art he that took me out of the womb; thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mothers breasts. And because vita is not only Vivere, sed valere; not to live, but to live in health; therefore Job calls God, the Preserver of men. Bless him in all, for all, that gives all; he gives us all things that pertains to life, and reserves only this Quit-rent. But by life, here I rather understand our spiritual life; whereby we live to him, and in him, and whereby he lives in us.

To godliness; whatsoever conduceth to grace and glory. By his grace we come to godliness, and by godliness to life. He provides not only temporally for us, that we may live here; but eternally, that we may live forever. The things hereto belonging are the graces and gifts of the Spirit: some think that these principal graces are but seven: because said, Revel. 4.5. There were seven lamps of fire burning before the Throne, which are the seven Spirits of God: prefigured by the Stone with seven eyes: by the seven Lamps of one Candle-stick, Zach. 4.2. by the seven Horns of one Lamp, Revel. 5.6. which are the seven Spirits of God. Some have numbered and deduced them from Isaiah 11.2. The Spirit of wisdom, of understanding, of counsel, of might, of knowledge, and of the fear of the Lord. But to make up the number, they put in The Spirit of Piety; for it is not there expressed; there are but six according to our account: we may say of them, as of the seven Stars; Quas septem dicunt, sex tamen esse solent: Men say they are seven, but they are wont to be but six. But it is certain, this seven-fold number is put for an infinite number; all graces that belongs to life and godliness. No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. This is an immense fountain; the Lord fill all the buckets of our hearts at this Spring: and give us capable souls, as he hath a liberal hand.

But now is there such a receipt, and must there not be an Account? Yes, To whom much is given, of him shall be much required. If there be Acceptio, there must follow Redditio: and that both in Quali, and in Quanto; in Portion, the same; or in proportion, something answerable to it. If the thing given be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , much; the thing required is not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , little: and this shall be exacted in obedience, or extorted in vengeance. After a long time the Lord of the servants comes, and reckoneth with them, though it be long, yet at last to a reckoning. Whether the talent be hid in idleness, or wasted in riot; it shall be spoken. Give account of thy stewardship, for thou must be no longer steward. GOD is not like Pharaoh and his Taske-masters; that allow no straw, yet exact the full tale of bricks. He is unjustly taxed, to reap where he hath not sown, and to gather where he hath not strewed, Matth. 25.24. No, but if he hath planted a Vineyard, and dressed it with careful cost, he looks for Grapes. If GOD fill Joshua's heart with his Spirit, he will fill his hands with business. If Saint Paul hath abundant Grace, he must have abundant labors. Every gift is obligatory; and whatsoever benefits us, ipso facto binds us. Now what shali we answer for the interest, that have misspent the principal? Have we received all, and shall we account for nothing? yes, the books shall be opened, and there are set down all the particulars of our receipts and expenses. There is Item received Strength, and laid out oppression. Item received riches, and laid out Covetousness. Item received Health, and laid out riot and drunkenness. Item received garments, laid out Pride. Item received Speech, laid out swearing and lying. Item received Sight, laid out lusting. Or perhaps your layings out are more. Item so many score pounds laid out in malice and suites at Law: so many hundreds in lusts and vanities: so many thousands in building great houses. Item to the poor in our will to be paid at our death. 40, shillings: to the Preacher for a funeral oration to commend us, half a Sovereign. Will this Bill go currant, when God comes to cast it up? no, if these accounts be not mended in this life, we shall never have our Quietus est in the life to come. Let us then be good in our office, and make our reckonings even: that it may be said to everyone of us. Well done good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy LORD. Thus he that gives us all things that belong to temporal life and godliness on earth, will also give us all things that belong to eternal life and glory in heaven.

Through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue. We have considered the Fountain, let us come now to the Conduit: the means or meritorious cause, through which all these precious gifts are bestowed on us. This everflowing, and overflowing Conduit is CHRIST; in whom dwells all fullness. Now for us, Quantum vas fidei capacis afferimus, tantum gratiae inundantis haurimus. The more capacious a vessel of faith we bring, the greater measure of grace we shall receive. In this Conduit observe two generals: the water of life, which is our effectual calling to glory and virtue: and the Pipe or Bucket to draw and derive it to us, the knowledge of Christ. In the former consider four circumstances; the Mover, the motion, the moved and the term: who, what, whom and whither.

1 Who hath called us, CHRIST: He only can call home sinners. Luk 19.10. Mat. 9.13. I came to call sinners to repentance; I, not Man, nor Angels. God only can make filios Abrahami, ex lapidibus Iordani: can of stones raise up children to Abraham. He that could turn stones into bread, can turn a stony heart into that mercy to give bread. He that could fetch water from a rock, can draw tears from our flinty hearts. Man may imprint a conceit, God only can work a consent. The Preacher may unfold the mysteries of the Gospel, and effect a knowledge in the brain: but Cathedram habet in coelis qui corda docet; he hath a pulpit in heaven, that preacheth to the conscience. To resign ourselves to the truth, here is the finger of God. You will say, it is easy to think; no, we cannot think a good thought of ourselves. Thought is free; no, the thought is God's bond-servant. It is easy to believe: no, for faith is the fair gift of God. Yet, it is easy to will: no, it is He that worketh in us, both to will and to do, at his good pleasure. Phil. 2.13. Mans will is a fugitive Onesimus, God must call home that runagate, subdue that rebel. Yet when we have begun, it is easy to continue: no, perficit, qui efficit: He that begun a good work in us, will perform it. Phil. 1.6. JESUS is the Founder and the Finisher of our faith, Hebr. 12.2. But we can suffer for him at our pleasure: no, datur pati: it is given to us to suffer for his sake, Phil. 1.29. Without me ye can do nothing; not parum, but nihil. But in him, and through him all things: I can do all things through him that strengthens me, Phil. 4.13. In ourselves we are weak Captives, in him more than Conquerors. But if ye consent and obey, you shall eat the good things of the land. Esa. 1.19. Yet is it neither of the willer, nor of the runner, but of God that shows mercy. Rom. 9. With my whole heart have I sought thee: Did he bend his own heart to it? No, but prays, O let me not wander from thy Commandments. I will run the way of thy precepts, but when? when thou shalt enlarge my heart. My Son, keep thy heart: yet it is the Peace of God that keeps the heart in CHRIST JESUS. God's imperative infers no potenciall, but an optative: Da quod jubes; Lord, give what thou biddest, and bid what thou wilt. Lex imperat, fides impetrat; the Law chargeth obedience, but faith obtains forgiveness. Turn us, good Lord; so shall we be turned. None comes to the Son, unless the Father draw him: and if the Father hath once given us into his hands, no devils in hell shall ever be able to pluck us out.

2 What is the Action; Hath Called. There was a time when Christ came personally to call; He went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his Vineyard. He went out; liceat dicere, exiit à se, ut intret in te; imo ut te convertat in se. Pontan. He went out of himself, that he might come into thee, that he might convert thee into himself. He went out from his Majesty that is invisible, to his mercy that is manifested in his works. Now he calleth at divers times, in divers places, and after divers manners.

At divers times; all hours of the day he is calling. Mat. 20. At the first hour, the third, the sixth, the ninth, the eleventh. In all ages of the World; before the Law he called Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham: under the Law, Moses, David, Isaiah, &c. Under the Gospel, Apostles, Martyrs, &c. and now us, upon whom the ends of the world are come: this is Hora novissima, 1 John 2.18. The eleventh hour at the least. He called some at the first hour; Samuel, John the Baptist, sanctifying them from the womb. Others in the third hour, their youth: as young Daniel and Saint John the Evangelist. Discipulum minimum Jesus amavit plurimum, Ieron. That little Disciple CHRIST greatly loved. Other, in the sixth hour; as Peter and Andrew: others in the eleventh, as Gamaleel, Joseph of Arimathea. Some not only at the last hour, but the last minute, as that one malefactor upon the Cross. One so, that no man should despair: but one so, that no man should presume. Thus All the day long he stretcheth forth his hand to call us: woe unto us, if none of these hours can reclaim us; for then the night follows, wherein is no more calling to grace, but to judgment.

In divers places; some from their ships, other from their shops. Peter and Andrew fishing on the sea, Matthew fishing on the land. It is a great matter to convert a mariner forth of his ship: but a greater wonder to convert a Publican forth of his shop. Some from the market, Matth. 20.3. some from the hedges, Luke 14.23. Paul in his fury. Acts 9.1. breathing out threatenings and slaughter: Henry 8. in his discontent: the Pope denies his just divorce, hereon he justly denies the Pope. Let none despair; he can call Gallants at the Court, Ruffians at the Tavern, covetous merchants at their warehouses; yea he can call usurers at their banks. But indeed these last he seldom does call; those baptized Jews seldom repent. You have seen drunkards, thieves, and adulterers weep at a Sermon; you never saw an usurer shed a tear.

After divers manners. First, by the preaching of the word; and herein he useth two bells to ring us to Church: the Trebble of mercy, and the Tenor of judgment. Out of the Throne proceed lightnings, and thunderings, and voices. Lightnings that illuminate the dark air of the world: thunderings, the menaces against corruption and vices; lastly, the sweet voices of comfort that preacheth liberty to captives, and proclaims the acceptable year of the Lord. One said, our hearts are all of sin, but our ears are all of mercy: he that will please us with a song, must set it to the tune of the Gospel: we can hear nothing but Pax vobis: and see nothing but Ecce Agnus: as if the Law were of no further use, like an old Almanac out of date. But we know that Moses and Christ met upon the mount, Matth. 17. not the Law alone, nor the Gospel alone; but Moses and Christ, the Law and the Gospel are conjoined. Next he calls by his Iudgments: thus he heats our iron hearts in the furnace of afflictions: that nocumenta might be documenta; men's sufferings their instructions. Quod leviter nocet, salubriter docet, that which makes the body smart, makes the soul wise. Doth God afflict us? he calls us to repentance; for Tribulation works patience. Whilest we are thus exercised either De malis illatis; vel de bonis dilatis: with sorrows inflicted, or with hopes delayed; God calls us home to himself. He often conveys holiness through the wounds of afflictions: the persecuted Church, Cant. 2.14. flies like a Dove to the clefts of the Rock; nestles her self in the wounds of Jesus Christ. Trouble is a messenger, that speaks thus to us; make your peace with God. Thou cmo plainest that thou art afflicted on every side, groanest under thy burden, after many changed sides criest out of unremedied pain: alas, thou repentest not: trouble came on this message, to teach thee repentance: give the messenger his errand, and he will be gone. Lastly, by mercies, thus we have him frequently calling; he sows mercy upon us with a liberal hand now the patience and long suffering of God lead us to repentance. Romans 2.4. God spares the sinner, but let not the sinner spare his sin. We have hard hearts, if the blood of the Lamb cannot soften them: stony bowels, if so many mercies cannot melt us. What was Pharaohs greatest plague? not the murraine on his beasts, nor the hail on his fruits, nor the blood in his waters, nor the blaines on his flesh, nor the first borne slain in his families; but Durum cor, a hard heart. They write of a northerne fountain, that turns all things it receives into stones: and a choleric stomach converts all meats into choler: so a hard heart turns even God's softest mercies into hardness.

Thus God calls; for Christ his sake let us go. It is the voice of my Beloved; Let us run to him. In the last and great day of the feast, Jesus stood and Cryed, &c. stood up, ut conspiratur, that he might be seen: cried ut audiretur; that he might be heard. He is audible in his word, visible in his Sacraments, in both he calls. I stand at the door and knock. Revel. 3.20. Ostium est & ad ostium pulsat: he that is our door of entrance, knocks at our door for entrance. It is fit we should knock at his door, not he at ours. But if he does knock, let not him stand without, till his head be filled with dew, and his locks with the drops of the night. He is In via veriteas, in veritat via, in utraque vita: He is the way in the truth, and the truth in the way, and in both the life. He calls, yet complains, Ye will not come unto me that you might have life. Go we then to him; Reficieris si accesseris, Deficieris si recesseris. Aug. Come to him and live, depart from him and perish. Let not Christ call in vain, nor his Ministers say; We have labored in vanity, and spent our strength for naught. Faith and repentance are two short lessons, yet Israel was forty years before they could learn them. If God call upon us, and men will not answer: they shall call upon him when he will not answer. God shall say to the reprobates. Be it to you according to your deserts. To sin is to depart from God; therefore Depart from me: you loved cursing, therefore depart ye cursed: the fire of anger, of malice, of lust hath burned in your hearts, therefore depart into fire: you would have sinned everlastingly, therefore depart into everlasting fire: you have harkened to the devils temptations, you must feel the devils torments; into fire prepared for the devil and his Angels. Abuse not his calling, lest he swear in his wrath that thou shalt never enter into his rest. He send for us friendly, freely, frequently: let us make no excuses, lest he vow that none of those bidden guests shall taste of his supper. Many cry, O Lord why hast thou forsaken me? to whom he replies, ô man why hast thou forsaken me! they say to the Almighty, depart from us, we will none of thy ways: therefore God shall say to them, depart from me ye that work iniquity. They that forget God calling on them in health, shall be rejected calling on him in sickness. The groaning reprobate shall say, Veni Domine ad solatium, come Lord to comfort: but God to him, veni improbe ad judicium, come sinner to judgment. Then as Aeneas for his lost wife Creusa, Nec quicquam ingeminans iterúmque iterúmque vocabis; thou doubling thy cries, shalt call for him that will not hear. But to the faithful and obedient shall be a sweet voice Come for you desired to come; ye blessed, you loved blessing, and it shall be unto you, you have served, you shall reign; Inherite the kingdom prepared for you.

Whom hath he called? Vs, us miserable sinners; that were deaf, and could [unspec 3] not hear him: Lame, and could not meet him: blind, and could not see him: dead, and could not answer him. Vs, far enough off, without God, without hope in the world. It was not sufficient, that he paid himself our debt in the blood of his own Son; and made a glorious Treasury of his inestimable merits; but he must also call us to the participation: otherwise Christ might have been rich enough in merits, and God in mercies; and yet we still beggars.

To what? To glory and virtue: some read By glory and virtue, other To glory and virtue, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. The sense is good and receivable either way; a word or [unspec 4] two of them both.

If we take it, By glory and virtue, the sum is this, CHRIST'S calling is so effectual, when he joins with the word of his grace, the grace of his word, that it shall work without control: it shall take virtual and glorious effects. God had a purpose to call the Gentiles, there were bars against it. Go not into the way of the Gentiles: it is not meet to take the children's bread and cast it to dogs. Yet when those children put from them the Gospel, and judged themselves unworthy of everlasting life, it came to the Gentiles: God did effect it by glory and virtue. God promised, Romans 11.26. that all Israel shall be saved: there were obstacles enough against it: the blood of Christ on their heads, they revile and curse him in their synagogues, they are wanderers on the face of the earth; yet they shall be brought to the fold, by glory and virtue. So it was with us, God had purposed the Gospel to England, sealed up many souls there to eternal redemption. Were there no impediments? Yes, Queen Mary made a stop, put out the light, smote the Shephards, scattered the sheep, burnt the professors, leagu'd with the Spaniard, yielded all to the Pope: all is now bung'd up in ignorance, the devil is jocund, men's perdition as cock-sure as he would wish it, saving only he must stay the time of their coming to hell. Yet shall there be no elusion of God's will; even then the Patronesse of superstition died; Queen Elizabeth of blessed memory was advanced into the throne, all the clouds of error were dispersed. God now lifts his Church out of her swoon, dilates his kingdom, to save our souls, our fathers before us, our children after us; which the mercy of God continue to us and ours, so long as the Sun and Moon endure: all this by glory and virtue.

To glory and virtue, according to the common reading. How hath God already called us to glory and virtue? In two respects: quoad inchoationem in present being, quoad perfectionem in hope. First, for our present estate we must understand by Glory, the honor of being Christians: by virtue, the good life that becometh Christians: to both these we are called:

To glory; is there any glory in this world belonging to a Saint? any account of a man so mortified to temporal things are we not the refuse, and off-scouring of all things? well, we have still a great glory by our calling, albeit carnal eyes cannot see it; or will not take notice of it. For if there were ignominy in thralldom, then is there glory in freedom. Stand fast in the liberty, wherein JESUS CHRIST hath made you free. We are not borne free, but new borne free. It is great glory for us (naturally) slaves, to be made by CHRIST free-men: but greater glory to be made Kings, Revel. 1. So we that believe are truly noble, for brethren and sisters to CHRIST, and so of the blood royal of God. To as many as receive him, he gives right and privilege to be the Sons of God. O happy Christians! Let others boast their Generation, we our Regeneration. This is the best ornament of blood, the noblest part of the Scutchion, the fairest flower in the Gentleman's Ga • land. The youngest brother bears the arms of the eldest; so we of our elder brother CHRIST. Not my blood, but my Christianity makes me noble, said that noble martyr. Now this greatness is got by our littleness, the greatest glory comes by humility. Si gloriam cupis, gloriam despice: sic omnibus eris gloriosior, Chrys. If thou desirest glory, despise it: so thou shalt be most glorious. The world hath the godly in derision, and a proverb of reproach: count their life to be madness, and their end without honor: as the filth of the world, and the off-scouring of all things. But Nemo miser alieno sensu, sed suo: no man is miserable because another so thinks him, but because he so feels himself. But the Lord hath called us to glory: and made us sons to a King, John 3.2. brothers to a King, Heb. 2.11. heirs to a King, Rom. 8.17. yea even to the king of glory. He were a poor for, that would be ashamed of the alliance which the King should challenge of him: yea poor is even that king that is ashamed of the Son of God, offering his brotherhood. Despicit mundus, respicit Dominus: men are ashamed of thy kindred, the Lord Jesus hath called thee to glory.

To virtue, as well as to glory. For God hath not called us to uncleanness, but to holiness. All things are yours; not to abuse with riot, but to use with moderation, and to enjoy with comfort, 1 Cor. 3.22. Because (by faith) ye are, and by obedience you are known to be Christ's, and Christ is God's. The grace of God that brings salvation to us, teacheth us to live godly, righteously, and soberly: that is the virtue whereunto we are called; to despise the world, and please the Lord, Magnae virtutis est cum faelicitate Luctari: magnae faelicitatis est a faelicitate non vinci, Aug. Our virtue is to fight with vanity; and our great happiness not to be overcome of happiness. Qui deficit sibi, ut adhaereat virtuti, amittit quod suum est, accipit quod aeternum est, Aug. He that denies himself and sticks to virtue; loseth his own which he could not keep, and getteth that happiness which he cannot lose. Now CHRIST that calls us to virtue, gives it. Some body hath touched me, for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me. There is no virtue but it comes from him: the woman touched him, but it was not her finger, but her faith, that drew out that virtue. Nor was this virtue in his garments; for living they thronged him, dead they parted them, yet were never the better. So many now may tangere panem Domini, touch the bread of the LORD: yet not contingere panem Dominum, not touch that bread which is the Lord; because their faiths and their fingers go not together. Thou art called to this virtue,