EXPOSITION THE SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL ST. PETER. BY THE REV. THOMAS "aDAMS, RECTOR OF ST. GREGORY'S, LONDON. A. D. um. V.ILWSKD ANIi COBBECTEn BY JAMES SHERMAN, MINISTER OF SrilKEY CHAPKL. EDINBURGH: JAMES NICHOL. LONDON: JAMES NISBET & CO. MDCCC.LXIL AN EXPOSITION UPON THK Cmtf. L Simtm Pftrr. » ttrrmwkl mmd mn mimlU »f Jumi tl Ihr thirl nicO ' 'ihrr hi« A u n t. ' Ikmi ■nd C«MHB« pOfW: )fr,. . KTmal. ' nr ao bal Ihry f >. I.il l,r ' l',li-r »l. ' \t> tf «tl ■ a« im-'\ -k« r Awi« ^ w t' .an I TW itinl I *4 ywvttl «Ww MMT* »■ -i -Abu » I*. l»t «aat ^ .Imw Mfaa*« - • Ik* r '■«■ .><«««» ■■■ W iMK. « rM. 1 ffk TV ^« «> if ml V »■• fkv m»m" '•f«nl «r««H«ik ll« tkM* *4I art W«w*« «>. ->'••«• •11- — ' ' ■— !< »»<•>.'••>» Ik.-' «M< <»^ -^ ttm* •« •faawk •• kM > • m ■ »■» easy U. •»».:- 1^1 .<.ri «1 ••'^« M«J M>^ I^&1«* -jcrc 1 • i»» !■! ■ Mil n W aa^ :::ld "XTJS ~^ V •fCZ! ^.a «i-<pr& I *« "IX" ».*■• ' •♦•— ^*i**-%l F.MNBCKr.n : pkikted by ballasivne axd company, padl's work. TRULY NOBLE AND WORTHILY HONOURED SIR HENRY MARTEN, KNIGHT, JUDGE OF HIS MAJESTY'S HIGH COURT OF ADMIRALTY, AND DEAN OF THE ARCHES COURT OF CANTERBURY. Noble Sir, The merchant that hath once put to sea, and made a prosperous voyage, is hardly withheld from a second adventure. It hath been my forwardness, not without the instinct of our heavenly Pilot, the most blessed Spirit of God, to make one adventure before ; for he that publisheth his meditations, may be well called an adventurer. God knows what return hath been made to his own glory ; if but little, (and I can hope no less, though I have ever prayed for more,) yet that hath been to me no little comfort. I am now put forth again, upon the same voyage, in hope of better success. For my commission I sue to you ; who have no small power, both in the deciding of civil differences, and in the dispo.sing of naval aifairs, and matters of such commerce ; being known well worthy of that authority in both these ecclesiastical and civil courts of judicature ; that you would be pleased to bless my spiritual trafBc with your auspicious approbation. I dare not commend my own mer- chandise ; yet, if I had not conceived somewhat better of it than of my former, I durst not have been so ambitious as to present it unto you ; of whose clear understanding, deep judg- ment, and sincere integrity, all good men among us have so full and confessed an experience. Yet besides your own candid disposition, and many real encouragements to me your poor servant, this may a little qualify my boldness, and vindicate me from an over-daring pre- sumption : that my aim is your patronage, not your instruction ; not to inform your wisdom, which were to hold a taper to the sun ; but to gain your acceptation and fair allowance : that under your honoured name, it may find the more free entertainment, wheresoever it arrives; which (I am humbly persuaded) your goodness will not deny. That noble favour of yours, shining upon these my weak endeavours, will encourage me to publish some maturer thoughts, which otherwise have resolved never to see the light. The sole glory of our most gracious God, the edification and comfort of his church, with the true felicity of yourself and yours, shall be always prayed for, by Your ever honoured Virtue's humble and thankful servant, THOMAS ADAMS. PUBLISHER'S ADVERTISEMENT. The following Works are offered to Subscribers for the Three Volumes at 25s. 6d., and separate volumes at 10s. ; after publication the price of each volume will be raised to 12s. : — I. A COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST PETER, By the Kov. Thojias Adams, Rector of St Gregory's, London, (1633,) (in October 18*32.) II. A COMMENTARY ON THE PROPHECY OF HOSEA, By the Rev. Jeremiah BuRRoroHs, Rector of Tivetshall, (1043,) (in January 1803.) III. A COMMENTARY ON THE GENERAL EPISTLE OF JUDE, I'ly ihtj llcv. William Jenkyx. Itcctur of Blackfriars", (1G.")3.) A COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLES TO THE PHILiPPIANS AND COLOSSIANS, By the Rev. .Jeak D.\ille, Minister of the French Reformed Church at Charenton, (1039,) (in April 1863.) Is publishing a new edition of the above important Works at little more than one-third of the pre- \-ious cost, it is only due to the memory of the late Mr Sheema>", by whom they were ably edited, and whose property they were, to give publicity to the following letter : — 12 Pakagos, Blackheath, Ju/i/ 1861. Dear Sir, — I am very much delighted with your Prospectus for a Series of the Writings of the Puritan Divines. You are aware that I republished several volumes of their writings some years ago, such as " Adams on Peter," lirc. The plates of these Works are quite perfect, and equal to new. Should you be disposed, as in the case of the " Parker Society," to allow a difference of size in the volumes you publish, I shall be glad to present you with those plates, so that you may be able to furnish them to the Public in your Series at a much cheaper rate than they have ever been published before. If you think well of the proposal, and are disposed to accept the i)lates as an entire free gift to your Series, I shall be happy to give you an order for the plates immediately. As this comes from what I believe is my dying bed, what you do must be done promptly. — I am. dciir Sir, yours truly, JAMES SHERMAX. J. NiCHOL, Esq. It was stated in the original Prospectus of the " Series of Standard Divines," that it was not intended to include in it any of those St^indard Works which had recently been rei>ublished, but to confine the Series to reprints of works which had become rare, and which, by the teneral con.sent of students of theology, were esteemed of great value. The Commentaries edited by Mr Sherman were in consequence not regarded by the Publisher as being within his range ; but on the receipt of the above letter, he gladly expressed his readiness to bring out a new edition of them at as che;ip a rate as the " Standard Di^•ines." He has endeavoured to fulfil ilr Sherman's wish, and though the Works are already in the possession of many pastors, he trusts that Mr Sherman's generosity will enable many more to obtain the Works at the reduced price at which they are now cflFered, who could nut easily aiford the cost at which they were originally published. The Publisher embraces tliis opportunity of stating, that so soon as the unhappy struggle which exists in America is brought to a termination, and the usual business relations with that country are restored, it is his intention to carry out his plan of reproducing the Commentaries of the Puritan period, uniform with the " Standard l)i\-ines." The almost total arrest on the sale of books wliich has taken plate in the States of America renders it necessjirj- to postpone any important undertaking regarding which it might fairly be estimated that in ordinary circumstances the demand would be as great on the one side of the Atlantic as on the other. It is hoped that the time is not far dist;uit when peace will be restored, and co-oj)eration again secured between the two countries in all those relations which hitherto have led to results so iniiH>rt;int. EmSBfRGH, OcroBEB lMi2. EXPOSITION? THE SECOND EPISTLE GEXEE.IL OF THE HOLY APOSTLE SAINT PETER. CHAPTER I. .'ERSE 1. SiMOX PETtn, A SERVANT AND AN APOSTLE OF JESCS CHRIST, TO THEM THAT HAVE OBTAINED LlKi PKECIOIS FAITH WITH IS THROVGH THE RIGIITEOrSNESS OF GOD AND OIR SAVIOUR JESCS CHRIST. The hooks of the New Testament have been dis- tinguished into three kinds ; Historical, Doctrinal, and Prophetical. 1. Historical ; such as contain the birth, life, death, and resurrection of our blessed Saviour, with his divine sermons, and mira- culous actions, written by the four evangelists : seconded by the memorable and famous story of the Acts of his Apostles. 2. Doctrinal; such as concern our instruction in the knowledge of Christ, and teach us the way of salvation. Tliese are the holy Epistles of St. Paul, St. James, St. Peter, St. John,and St. Jude. 3. Prophetical; such as foretell the estate and condition of the church militant to the end of the world : of which kind is the Revelation of St. John the Divine. Yet doth not this distinction debar the history from altogether meddling with pro- phecy, nor the prophetical part from touching upon hisforj', nor the doctiinal part fiom the use of both the former. So the evangelists, that WTOte the stoiy of Christ, do nevertheless abound with heavenly doctrines, containing in them the life-giving of that supreme Bishop of our souls. Neither are they with- out plentiful predictions ; as of the destruction of Jeru- salem, and the end of the world. So the holy apos- tles in their epistles, together with their doctrines, by which they build up tlie church, do also prophesy of future things : as St. Paul doth of the calling of the Jews, and of the coming of antichrist ; and the last chapter of this present epistle hath been aptly called St. Peter's prophecy. Concerning which, there have arisen two ancient doubts, like clouds to obscure the light of truth. Some have questioned the authority of this epistle; others, the author. 1. For those that have contra- dicted the autliority of it, excluding it out of the number of canonical books, Eusebius, (Hist. 3. cap. '25.) Kicephorus, (Lib. 2. Hist. 3. cap. 4C.) Hierome, (De Yiris lUustr. in Petro.) and Gregory, (Horn. IS. in Ezck.) make mention of them. They tell us of some such quarrellers : they tell us not their names : such there were, but who they were they do not say. Therefore, let their opinion be buried in the dust with them ; fur this book lives while tht■^- ai-e dead. 2. For the author: some have denied it to be St. Peter's ; and to this error the supposed diversity of the style hath induced them. As if the same author might not diversify his style upon due occasion, ac- cording to the difference of the matter or argument upon which, or difference of the person to whom, he writes. The Epistle to the Hebrews is of a more ac- curate style than St. Paul's other epistles : yet by a universal consent it is agreed upon to be St. Paul's. Certainly the author of this must be some grand im- postor, if he were not one of those three apostles that were present at Clirist's transfiguration upon the mount, Matt. xvii. 1, where he solemnly professeth himself to have been. The three witnesses of Christ's clarification there, were Peter, and James, and John : no man affirms James or John to be the author of this epistle, therefore it must be Peter. And if he were not the author of it, with what impudence should another secretaiy call himself, " Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ ! " To allege that Paul, writing to the Galatians, doth plainly testify, that he withstood Peter to the face, and that he was to be blamed. Gal. ii. 11, there- fore it is not likely that Peter would Anite so fair an encomium of Paul, 2 Pet. iii. 15 ; such critics are far from the sanctified spirit of an apostle ; for they, without respect for their private affections, or particular praises, sought only th.e truth of the gospel, and the glory of their Master Jesus Christ. The majesty of the Holv Ghost appears in every line of it, therefore the authority is indubitate. The name prefixed warrants it to be St. Peter's, therefore we cannot deny the author. It remains only that we directly come to the matter: in which proceeding, the Spirit of illuminaticm direct me to write, and the Spirit of sanctificaiion direct you to read ; that all of us, believing and living according to the holy doc- trine delivered, the name of God may be glorified, and our dear souls everlastingly saved, tluough our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. I. Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jeaus Christ, ^c. Wherein we find a double description: 1. Of tlic author, who sends ; " Simon," &c. 2. Of the per- sons to whom tlie salutation is sent; '■ To them that have obtained," &c. I. The autlior dcscrilies himself by His name, Simon Peter. Mis condition, A servant. His office. An apostle. His Master, Jesus Christ. His name shows him humble, his condition holy, his office gracious, by his Master who is glorious. " Simon" was his proper name, given him at his cir- cumcision. It is observable, that this Simon was commonly a happy name in the Scriptures. There was Simon Zelotes, a zealous man ; Simon a tanner, this Simon's host, a charitable man ; Simon of Cyrene, that helped Christ to bear his cross, a com- passionate man; and Simon Peter, a sanctified man. Not that grace is tied to names; for there was a Siiiinn Magus, a sorcerer, a witch, little other than a devil : but the favour of God makes any name as liappy. No man hath now the mystery of his fortune written in his name. Names are not prophetical, much less magical. The civil use of names is for distinction, nomen quasi notumen : the religious use hath by good antiquity been observed at our baptism. So oft as thou liearest thy own name, call to mind the covenant between God and thyself in holy bap- tism ; when God promised on his part to be thy God, thou on thy part to forsake his enemies, and to dedi- cate thyself to his sen-ice. It is a wretched forgct- fulness not to remember thy own name. What can he remember that forgets himself? It is jiity the sacramental water was ever spilt on such a face, as forgets himself to be a Christian. Whatsoever thy name be, let thy heart be Simon's. It is said to signify, hearing, or obeying: so do thou confess, profess, love thy Master and ^laker. Con- fess him with thy mouth ; profess him with thy life ; love him with thy heart. So thou shalt have Simon's omen, thougli not Simon's nomen. Albeit thou be not called Peter, thou shalt be saved with Peter. Thus shall Christ bless thy name with a good report upon earth, " The memory of the just is l)lessed," Prov. x. 7 ; with better reward in lieaven, by writing it " in the book of life," Luke x. 20. " Peter " was his surname, given him by Christ himself, who was in this sense his Godfather. " When Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona ; thou shalt be called Cepha.s, which is by interpretation, A stone," or Peter, John i. 42. Si. Matthew seems to insinuate that Christ gave him that name in allusion to that rock of his confession, " Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my <hurch," Matt. xvi. 18. But then Peter seems to be that rock on which the church is built. Not so : Peter, in making this confession, " Thou art Christ, the Son of tlie living God," either spake before the rest, as Ambrose; or for the rest, as Augustine: ho was prolocutor, or mouth of the rest. Therefore what was promised to Peter, pertained to the whole college of the apostles. To this exposition mns the stream of the fathers. If thou confess with Peter, if thou be Christ's disciple, thou art Peter, thou art a rock. (Origen, Hum. 1. in Malt.) Peter is derived from the rock, not Ihc rock from Peter; as Christ fetchelh not his name from a Christian, but a Chris- tian from Christ. (Aug. Tract. 124. in John.) Put We " are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Clmst himself being the chief conier-stone," Eph. ii. 20. Our foundation is in heaven. Aristotle said, that a man is a tree growing with the root Jipward : so the church is a house turned upside down; for the foundation is above. "Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, winch is Jesus Christ," 1 Cor. iii. II. Peter in this kind is not the rock of the church; time was he seemed rather to be a wave than a rock, when Christ said to him, "Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an olfence unto me," Matt. xvi. 23. Let Peler have his desire, and his Master shall not die ; so Peter himself and the whole world had been lost. This defeats the pope of his infallibility of judgment. Thus Peter is a name of addition, imposed by our Saviour on Simon. Divers of the papists have de- rived the authority of changing the jjopes' names from hence, because the two chief a^iosllcs had their names changed ; Saul into Paul, Simon into Peter. But Lorinus the Jesuit denies this to be the ground of their mutation. Indeed there is a double difTer- ence : — for authoiily, the apostles changed not their own names, but God; for efTect.s, their natures were changed with their names, a privilege that few popes had the happiness to demonstrate. Though Sylvius, elected pope, could disclaim his wanton and idle books, and seem to promise future gravity. Forget JEneas, and receive me a pious father ; yet the new names have not altered the old conditions, they have jiroved the same men still. The first altcrer of popes' names is held to be Sergius II. whose proper name was Us porci, a swine's countenance : the name would have served, had he separated his swinish pro- perties. Divers others followed, but they lost not their former vices. One of their own brings a testi- mony against them ; that of all Christians Italians are the worst; of all Italians, the Romans; of all Romans, the priests; of all priests, the cardinals; and commonly the most lewd cardinal is chosen pope: yea, some have objected, and they stick not to grant, that a man that is not a member of Christ, may yet be head of his church. Though change of names import an excellency of grace, yet not a singularity. James and John were sons of thunder; were none so but they? Barnabas, son of consolation ; none so but he ? Peter, a rock; no rock but Peter? Israel, called so be- cause he was strong with God ; yet so was Abra- ham and Moses. Whereas some observe, that our apostle puis in two words into the epigraph of this epistle, which he left out in the former, " Simon" and "servant;" and that our Saviour did usually chide him by the name of Simon, but commend him by the name of Peter; whence they obscr\"e, it was Simon that erred, not Peter, his person, not his office. So, "Simon, sleepest thou?" Mark xiv. 37. And in his confirmation, " .Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?" John xxi. 15; repeating that word Simon thrice. But they forget that, " Get thee behind me, Satan," Matt. xvi. 23; not Simon, but Salan. Indeed Peter's name was not changed, but only he had one added : he was still Simon, but W'ithal Peter. Abraham was not afterward called Abram, but Abraham; but Peter still was called Simon. So here he slyles himself, Simon Peter. The Jesuits say, he Wiis always after called Peler. I cannot call them the fathers of lies, that were to do the devil wrong; but the sons of lying. I am sure he is many limes after called Simon. But will they now disjoin these two names in one man ? I wonder, when Simon sinned, whether Peter was guillless? \i Os porci had been damned, what would havp become of Sergius sectmdus * Thus I he poor shepherd said to the great bishop of Coleine ; Ver. 1. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. admiring his pomp as a prince, when his calling was but a bishop. Some replied, that he wore not such robes as he was bishop, Imt as he was prince. Aye but, quoth the shepherd, if the duke should go to hell for pride, what would become of the humble bishop ? Their names cannot secure their persons, not though they were /If t MommiV. And yet as their lives have commonly been ungodly, so the name of piety hath been least usurped among them; for there nave been but five PH. Here observe three circumstances. 1. The apostles did prefix their names to their epistles. Indeed neither did Moses set his name before his book, nor the evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, before their Gospels ; because they, writing to those that were present, had no cause to put to their names : but the apostles, writing to those that were far off, could not well avoid it in their epistles. (Chrys.) But why then did Paul suppress his name writing to the Hebrews? That apostle was not in their books, they had no good alfection toward him ; so that finding his name in the frontispiece they might haply have rejected the Epistle, and not vouchsafed to read it. The apostles could not always instruct men by sermons, as did the prophets ; nor by commentaries, as the evangelists ; nor by dialogue, as Job: but writing to remote per- sons and places, they were compelled to signify their mind by letters ; and the form of an epistle requires a prescription of his name that sent it. They prefixed their names, therefore, that it might be kno\TO by what authority such letters were Avritten, and with what certainty of credit they are to be received. For as no prophecy, so no epistle of the Scripture is of any private motion, 2 Pet. i. 20. The pen a quill, the writer an apostle, but the inditer the Holy Ghost. This binds us to believe and obey these sacred writings. He that will not believe what is written shall feel what is written. Read the historj', lest thyself be made a historj', and an ensample to the reading of after-times. 2. The apostles did prefix, not suffix, their names, according to our custom in our familiar letters. Let no man herein tax them with a proud prelation, for where God's Spirit is the dictator we must look for no compliments. And though in themselves they were the most humble men upon earth, yet being to write in apostolic right, in the name of Jesus Christ, and to signify themselves such as he had chosen to lay the foundation of the evangelical church, it was fit and necessary they should premention their names and office. Paul endured all reproach to his own person patiently, yet did still magnify his office, lest the contempt of the apostle should prejuchce the majesty of the gospel. 3. They prefixed their names, though upon them stuck some blemishes : to show that albeit themselves were guilty of manifold infirmities, yet the gospel they delivered was pure from all imperfection. The blots of the writers were no blots to the things writ- ten. Paul was a great sinner; Peter, a greater. Apostaey in Peter was greater than persecution in Paul ; the one a sin after knowledge, the other be- fore ; the one was done of ignorance, the other against conscience : yet Peter still speaks his name. Human pens are dipped in the oil of ostentation, not Scriptural pens ; they spit in iheir own faces. Moses wrote his own incredulily ; David, his own bloodiness ; Jonah, his own repining at that mercy without which he had been most miserable : as if they acknowledged themselves not only to have erred after the manner of men, but even to have sinned after the manner of evil men. This they did, that none of God's glon,' might cleave to their earthen fingers. Let this teach botn you and us. You of tlie laity, not to patronize your sins upon the example of others ; as if you would fortify your profaneness from the infirmities of your teachers. The falls of the saints are recorded, not as warrants to encourage our wantonness, but as cautions to pre- vent and retard our precipices. 1. Wicked men love that in the saints, which the saints never loved in themselves, -Nices : and shall a man make their foil his jewel, their shame his glory ? 2. Thou speakest of their sins, but not of their repentance. When Theodosius excused a foul fact, because David had done the like, St. Ambrose makes this answer ; Thou that hast followed Da^ad in his exorbitance, follow him also in his repentance. Hath thy mouth denied with Peter, let thine eyes weep with Peter. 3. They look on the evil of good men, whereas they should rather look on the good even of evil men. Noah's virtues are not Ham's admiration, but liis drunkenness is his sport. Like flies, that skip over all the soimd parts of the body, and light upon sores and ulcers. The cloud that waited on the camp of Israel, was light towards themselves, dark towards their enemies; it saved them, drowned the Egyp- tians. Let every Christian follow the light part ; that shall guide him, the other will deceive him. 4. By disregard of the minister's person they evacuate the force of this doctrine. Therefore God usually plagueth the contempt of his preachers, by the invalidity of his own ordinance upon their souls. " When ye come into an house, salute it. And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it : but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you," Matt. X. 12, 13. Let us rather take the best, than make the worst, of good men's lives. Us of the ministry, to preserve zeal and humility. " Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine," 1 Tim. iv. 16. To thyself, how thoulivest; to thy doctrine, how thou teachest. But still, after our best endeavours, to ourselves, weakness and shame, to God, the blessing and glory. He hath a pulpit in heaven, that teacheth the soul, that touchetn the conscience. It is he only that mellows the heart, and softens it with fitness for the impression of an^ sermon. Thus for his name, now for His condition, " a servant." Hugo obser\'CS, that he doth omit this title in his former epistle, which he inserts here : but I do not like his reason. Be- cause, saith he, there he spake of persecutions and troubles, which ought not to be borne with slavish cowardice, being rather honours than miseries. In- deed Christ's cross must be borne \v\ih a courageous mind : but still this sufferance rather insinuates than exempts service ; for they properly belong to all those tliat faithfully serve God. " All that virill live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution," 2 Tim. iii. 12. They are laid on them as it were by a fatal kind of destiny, because they are the Lord's servants. For outwardly there are generally in tbe world poor saints, and prosperous sinners. Neither is filial service a thing tliat does hinder pa- tience, but beautify it and help it. This reason then wants the weight to be received. Yet I confess there may be something in it, and a cause may be rendered why the apostle here useth that formerly omitted title. True it is, that when God dictates, the will of the writer is a sufficient reason for the scription. But in the holy Scriptures nothing is done by chance: every word, syllable, point, hath the efficacy: no blot ever fell from the pen of the Holy Gliost. There be reasons, though our shallow understandings cannot reach them. I. Perhaps this may be a reason: our blessed apostle wrote this, knowing his dissolution to be at hand ; as he confesseth, " Knowing that shortly I AN EXPOSITION UPON THE CUAP. I. must put off this my tabernacle, as our Lord Jesus Christ hath showed me," ver. 14. Therefore he comforts his own soul in this title, as old Hilarion did after him : These seventy years and upwards thou hast scr\'cd the Lord, therefore now go forth, my soul, with joy, &c. Thou hast served the Lord in life, in death he will crown thee. " Lord, now lettest thou thy scrs-ant depart in peace, according to thy word," Luke ii. 29. '2. Perhaps in regard of others he useth it : for he writes of the coming of Clirist to judgment; which shall be a blessed day to those, whose consciences can witness with them that they have served God. When rebels shall be cast to the prison of rebels ; then. Come, thou good and faithful sen-ant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord, Matt. xxv. 21. Tlien all hearts shall confess, It was not in vain, nor with- out profit, that we have served the Lord, Mai. iii. 14 : for " they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his o\ni son that serveth him. Then shall ye return, and discern between him that sci-veth God and him that scrveth him not," ver. 17. Man servetli God; God saveth man. "When the wicked shall acknowledge the godly, with groaning and anguish of spirit : " We fools accounted his life madness, and his end to be without honour: how is he numbered among the children of God, and his lot is among the saints ! " Wisd. v. 3 — 5. Thus, as on earth the sergeant at law is often made a judge ; so, " That yc which have followed me, in the regene- ration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glorj-, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel," Matt. xix. 2S. 3. Perhaps because tlie time of his scr\ice was now almost ended, and therefore he might more boldly style himself, the scnant of Christ ; for, let not him that puts on his armour boast, but he that puts it olT. He may now look sweetly both ways, with comfort to his life past, with joy to his reward to come. It is good for a man to accomplish his life before he ends it. The young man is hajipy that lives well, but the old man is blessed that hatli lived well. Praise the mariner that brings the vessel safe into the haven. Blessed .soul, that hath passed the apprenticeship of ser\ncc, and is now gone to be made free in glor>-. There are two special observa- tions in this title, "ser^'ant;" Christ's excellency, and the apostle's humility. 1. This extols the dignity of Christ, that so famous an apostle creeps to him on the knees of lowliness; Lor(f, I am thy servant. The world esteemed him without form or comeliness; and when they see him, withoul beauty, that they should desire him, Isa. liii. 2. Tlie psalmist speaks in his person : " I am a worm, and no man ; a reproach of men, and de- spised of the people," Psal. xxii. G. To the Jews a slumblingblock, to the Greeks foolishness, 1 Cor. i. 23. But Peter styles himself, the seiTant of him that was crucified. Indeed, the ser\iee of Christ is the honour of the Christian. Our Saviour admitted and accepted this ji-.st honour : " Yc call me Master, and Lord ; and yc say well, for so I am," John xiii. 14. Many in the world arrogate great dignity to themselves, because so famous men arc their servants. Ahasuerus might vaunt of his viceroys; the Turk of his bashaws : but let all sceptres be laid down at the foot of the Lamb: all sheaves bow to the sheaf of Joseph ; all crowns be subjected to Ilim that is crowned with unspeakable glory for ever. 2. This is a clear rcmonstnnice of St. Peter's hu- mility : a famous apostle ; some have given him more, the primacy of the apostles; yet what is his cMTi title ? " a servant of Jesus Christ." The godly are no further ambitious, than to belong to Christ. There is a great suit to be retained in the service of princes ; but the best is, to sen-e the Prince of princes. AVhat need he wait upon a channel, that may dwell bv a whole river? or serve him that serN'cs, when he may serve him that reigns ? A poor estimation of ourselves, gives us the richest estima- tion with God. AVhen thou wast little I then made thee great, 1 Sam. xv. 17. Abraham .says, I am not worthy, &c. God dignifies him to be the father of them that believe. AVhen the lot was to be cast for an apostle to sujiply Judas's room, two were ap- pointed, Joseph and Matthias, Acts i. 2.3. Joseph, of three appellations : Joseph, the son of rest ; Bar- sabas ; and Justus, sumamed so for his equity. Yea more, he was the Lord's brother; " Are not his brethren, James and Joses," &c. Matt. xiii. 55 ; that is, Christ's near kinsmen. Matthias, but twice named in the Scriptures, both times in that one chapter. Acts i. ; yet the lot fell upon Mattliias. Matthias signifies, A little one : so the gospel ap- pointed for the daj' of his feast and memorj', com- mends little ones ; " Thou hast hid these things from the wise, and hast revealed them to babes," to little ones. Matt. xi. 25. Notwithstanding the great titles and privileges of the other, God sent the lot upon the little one, it fell upon Matthias. He that seems little in his own eyes, is the greatest in God's account. It hath been the humble and blessed ac- knowledgment of the saints, that they are seri-ants. Though we be new-bom to our Father's inheritance, yet now we are in our nonage. " The heir, as long as he is a child, differcth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all," Gal. iv. 1. Men make difference of their ser\-ants, children, and friends ; God none. His friends must serve : " Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command yo>i," John XV. 14. children must serve; even the Son must serve him, ^lark iii. 11. Everj- Christian soldier's- scutcheon must be, Patience, and liis motio, 1 serv'e- Yea, not only saints, but angels are glad of this title ; " Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?" Heb. i. 14. When St. John would have wor- shipped before the feet of the angel, he replied, " See thou do it not, for I am thy fellow-ser\-ant." Rev. xxii. 9. And let me go yet higher; the natural Son of God, and that by an eternal genera- tion, ptit on him a serviceable nature ; he " took upon him tne form of a scrv-ani," Phil. ii. 7- He was so formed, so habited to service, that he endured all sorrow, and fulfilled all righteousness. Art thovi better than aposflcs, better than angels, better than the Son of God himself, O proud dust, that thou de- spised the title of a servant ? I cannot so briefly pass over that, wherein we must dwell all our lives, the service of God; let me consider in it three things ; the liberty, the dignity, I lie reward. The liberty must be weighed, both in the will of the agent, and in the frccdimi of the action. It is a voluntary service : constrained obedience is not worth a thanfc-you. The wickedest reprol>ales, yea, the very devils, must needs serve God; but can expect no wages but hell. We know there is a ne- cessity, that shall draw him against his will, whom command cannot lead with his will. Either God's will shall be done by thee, or be done on thec; but howsoever, it shall lie done in thee. Therefore the noMe disposition is led, not forced. They are slaves, wluim the fear of plagues only terrifies from rebellion. But this servant willingly puts his neck into Chrisl|s yoke : he denies his own lusts, his own gains, his own pleasures, his own self. "Behold, we have for- Veb. I. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. saken all, and followed thee," Matt. xix. 27. A good servant hath these properties ; a quick eye, a listening ear, a ready foot, a working hand, an honest heart. A quick eye ; attending the least beck of his com- mander. " As the eyes of senants look to the hands of their masters; so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God," Psal. cxxiii. 2. Paul speaks of eye- service, " SerA'ants, obey your masters, not with eye-ser\ncc, as men-pleasers," Col. iii. 22. This is a fault with men : but let us serve our God no longer, no fiirther, than he sees us; it is enough, his eye is never off our hands, our hearts. " Whither shall I go from thy spirit ? or whither shall I flee from thy presence ? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there : if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea ; even there shall thy hand lead me. If I say, The dark- ness shall cover me ; even the night shall be light about me," Psal. cxxxix. 7 — 1 1- Heaven hath the pre- sence of his glor)', earth of his providence, the sea of his wonders, the darkness of his light, hell of his power ; no where to avoid his sight. Heaven, earth, sea, hell ; all places named but purgatory ; perhaps God is not there. If he fills all iilaces, and not pur- gator)', rather than doubt his omnipresence, I will believe there is no purgatory. A listening ear ; sucli a one as Eli taught Samuel to find, when God calleth ; " Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth." A ready foot : an obedient servant makes no de- lays. God's Spirit often useth the phrase of rising early : Abimeleeh rose early to tell his dream, Gen. XX. 8. Abraham rose early to sacrifice his son, chap. xxii. 3. Elkauah and Hannah rose early to worship God, 1 Sam. i. 19. Job rose early to sanctify his children, Job i. 5. We say with the sluggard, By and by, Lord : this same dilation hath no measure. The sen'ice shall find no thanks, that found no readiness. A good work, the longer it sticks in our fingers the less acceptable. A working hand : the life of service is work, the work of a Christian is obedience. The centurion de- scribing his good servant, said no more but thus, I bid him do this, and he doth it. Matt. viii. He that worketh not, is not God's labourer, but his own loiterer. We are all masters of servants, or servants of masters ; or servants to the state and commonwealth, or commanders of such sen-ants : some may be all of these, all are some of these. We know what we re- quire of our ser\-ants, what our masters required of us. It were an easy thing to be a servant, if service con- sisted only in kissing our hands, in making courtesies, in taking wages, and wearing liveries. Many wear Christ's livery, all live upon Christ's trencher, but most have gouty fingers, they will do no work in God's ser^-ice. There is an habitu.il service ; so tlie slave while he eats or sleeps is in service still. But the actual service pleaseth God, which consists in holiness and righteousness before him, Luke i. 75. Many thus call themselves, but God doth not call them so. It is an everlasting nile. Ye are his ser- vants to whom ye obey, Rom. vi. 16. There is much senice in the world, but it is to a wrong master ; but such can God point out, and put out ; and order it, like Jehu, when he inflicteth vengeance on the world, not one servant of the Lord be among them, 2 Kings X. 23. If any think to pass in the crowd, and press among God's servants, without their cognizance, the wedding garment, a question shall be asked them whereat they shall stand speechless ; How came you in hither? Matt. xxii. 12. An honest heart : and to make up this is requirable the accession of two things, sanctity and resolution. For sanctity : God that hath given thee a whole heart will not be served with a piece of it. Some make show servire, when indeed tney study swiire ; as Herod, Let me come to worship the child, when he meant to worry the child. They are like the Phi- listines' temple ; there is the ark, but Dagon too. Or like the temples of Egypt, fair without, but within full of crocodiles. The eye is in the pulpit, the heart in the warehouse. Rotten kernels under fair shells : full of Herod's and Naaraan's exccptives. In this for- bear us. W^hat show soever be made, there must be some hidden good within. The oak that is rotten at the heart, will never be good for building. Say to the hypocrite, as Simon Peter did to Simon Magus, Thou hast no part nor lot in this comfort : for thy heart is not right in the sight of God, Acts viii. 21. For resolution : there must be no reasoning, no dis- puting ; let no man dare to " speak to the Almighty," or " desire to reason with God," Job xiii. 3. It is too far, if, \\ith Jeremiah, any man put him to his Wherefore ; " Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? " Jer. xxii. 1. Abraham told not his wife, when he went to olTer Isaac. Paul conferred not with flesh and blood, when he went to preach among the heathen. Gal. i. 16. The Jesuits commend blind obedience ; and call the novices that examine theirimpositions. Searchers. They exact a condition of their inferiors, as Nahash did of the Gileadites, that they may thrust out their right eyes, 1 Sam. xi. 2 ; otherwise allow them no covenant of peace : yea, they put out both the eyes of their people. To God this blind obedience is good, taken in that sense, without asking a reason. When man commands, inquire what is bidden, not, who bids. AVhen God commands, consider who charges, not what is imposed. Believe what God saith, though in our thought impossible ; do what he commands, though in our judgment imreasonable. Galerius Maximus, seeking to pervert that blessed Cyprian to idolatiy, wished him before sense of punish- ment to bethink himself; Take heed you do not cast away yourself. His answer was short, but resolute ; The case is so clear that it refuses deliberation. Say goods, liberty, life itself is hazarded, yet God can reward all. 'The apostles were cited by Clirist to Jerusalem, and commanded not to depart thence, but to wait for the promise of the Father, to receive the Hilly Ghost, Acts i. 14. They never allege. Is not this that Jerusalem which was a provocation to anger from the first building ; the slaughter-house of the prophets ; the common sink or sewer of all sins ; yet wet with the blood of our Master Christ ? Why Jeiiisalem ? Is not any other jilace fitter ? No, they dispute not, but go thither with joy ; what danger or unlikelihood soever might affront them, they put on the resolution of Esther, If I perish, I perish. But there can nothing be lost that we piously trust God withal. For the liberty of this service : know that God's ser- vant is the greatest free-man. He that is called in the Lord, being a senant, is the Lord's free-man, 1 Cor. vii. 22. The good man is fiee, though he ser\es ; the evil is bond, though he reigns. (Aug. de Civit. 10. lib. 4.) Nor is the vicious person the slave of one man ; but, which is more grievous, he hath so many masters as he hath vices. Wouldst thou have thy flesh sei-ve thy soul, let thy soul ser\-e God ; thou owest to thy King the right of government. Sen-e therefore willingly, and be free continually. For the dignity of this office : the saints have ever had a holy pride in being God's servants ; there can- not be greater honour than to serve such a Master as commands heaven, earth, and hell. Do not think thou dost honour God in serving him ; but think how God honours thee, in vouchsafing thee to be liis ser- AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. I. vant. David could not study to give himself a greater style than, "O Lord, truly I am thy servant ; I am thy servant, and the son of t'liine handmaid," Psal. cxvi. 16 : and this he spake, not in the phrase of a human compliment, but in the humble confession of a Chris- tian. Yea, so doth our apostle commend this excel- lency, that (if we note it) he sets the title of scr\ant before that of an apostle ; first serwint, then apostle. Great was his office in being an apostle, greater his blessing in being a servant of Jesus Christ : the one is an outward calling, the other an inward grace. There was an apostle condemned, never any servant of God. Judas preached to others, not to his own heart ; he healed their bodies, not his own soul ; wrought miracles upon others, not upon himself; cast out devils, yet himself was cast out as a devil. All which justifies that of Samuel, " To obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams," 1 Sam. XV. 22. Prophets have been excluded : many say, Lord, Lord, we have prophesied in thy name ; to whom it is answered, I never knew you ; depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Matt. vii. 22, 23. But never were servants excluded. For the other, their book and clergy cannot save them : it will be demanded of them at that day, not what books they have read, but what life they have led ; not what they have taught others to do, but what they have done themselves. (Bern.) God by this title commends Job, the great- est man of the east : " Hast thou considered my ser- vant Job ? " Job i. 8. Paul calls James the Lord's brother; "Other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother," Gal. i. 19. James calls himself the ser\'ant of Christ; " James, a sen'ant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ," James i. 1 ; quite leaving out the remembrance of that other style. If it were such a noble pri\'ilege to be a ser- vant to Ca!sar, and free of the Roman state, that the captain confessed, with a great sum of money he ob- tained that freedom, Acts xxii. 28, what an honour is it to serve the King of kings ! The good emperor Theodosius held it more noble to be a member of the church, than head of the empire. It is better to be God's sei-vant, than lord of all the world. This is the dignity ; now for The reward : it is immense and glorious. " Bread, correction, and work, are for a servant," Ecelus.xxxiii. 24. For bread ; God gives us our daily bread ; we are all at his keeping. For con-ection ; he chastiseth us, because he loveth us, Heb. xii. For work ; he sends us to work in his vineyard, Matt. xxi. We have from him protection and provision. For pro- tection ; If God be with us, who can be against us ? Rom. viii. 31. For provision; Even the hired ser- vants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, Luke XV. 17. But what is all this to that future glory, which was from everlastingness ])reparcd for those servants ? I know, they do not ever speed best in this world. Out of a related story let me draw this conclusion in earnest. A ser\'ant con^^cted of some misdemeanour before a magistrate, besought some favour for his master's sake. Why, whom do you serve, said the magistrate ? I serve God, said the delinquent. With that his mittimus was quickly made; Away with liim, he scofls at authority. Not long after a great lord sends for enlargement of this his servant. The magistrate, upon the receipt of the letters, sends in all haste for the jnisoner; of whom he frettingly demands, why he told him not that he scr\'cd such a lord ? The servant answered. Because I thought you cared more for the I^ord of heaven. You say this is but a fable ; you count him a fool that makes it a moral. Would to God it w-cre but a tale, and that our courses did not justify it. Well, though our reward be short on earth, let us look for it witli comfort in heaven. Ambrose said on his death-bed. We are happy in this, we serve a good M;uster. "Where I am," saith Christ, "there shall also my scr\'ant be : if any man serve me, him will my Father honour," John xii. 26. If we have done good and faithfiil service to him, we shall hear him say to us, Well done, good and faithful ser^'ants ; enter into the joy of your Lord, Malt. xxv. 21 : and this joy be to us all. " An apostle." Here he specifies his office ; where obser\-c two things. First, He joins together service and apostleship ; and that for two reasons. 1. To distinguish and ex- emplify his calling; for every man that is a ser\'ant of God, is not an apostle of Jesus Christ. "No man taketh this honour to himself, but he that is called of God," Heb. v. 4. There must be a calling ; or else sin will answer when it is questioned, as Satan did when he was conjured, " Jesus I know, and Paul I know ; but who are ye ?" Acts xix. 15. Christ himself did not preach publicly, till he was declared by God to be the great Prophet of the world ; and had his confirm- ation from heaven, with, Hear ye him. Neither is it enough to say we are all priests. Rev. i. 6 ; so we might say we are all kings, and turn rebels. There must proceed a mission and commission ; or else whosoever runs abroad had better have stayed at home. 2. To show that apostleship was a matter of sen'ice ; as an honour, so a burden. None are called into God's harvest, but "labourers," Matt. ix. 33: Christ never bade us pray for loiterers and lookers- on. As earthly kings have some servants in ordinary, olh(frs extraordinary ; all Christians are God's sworn scnants extraordinary,', so vowed in holy baptism, to scr\-e him all the days of our life. By )u-ofessing the tnie faith we wear Christ's liver}', and by exercise of charity, the cognizance of that livery. "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another," John xiii. .35. I'rinccs and preachers are God's ser\-ants in ordinary : the magistrate is (as it were) a finger of God's hand ; the minister, a steward in his house. Though, in a large sense, all arc the Lord's ministers; and it is usually said to those three states, Tu supplex era. In protege, tuque labora. The prince must govern all, the priest pray for all, the people work for all ; yet strictly this office, as it hath especially the name of ministry, so it hath the nature, for it consists in service. Secondly, It was the custom of the apostles to mag- nify their office. So Paul to the Romans. "Inasmucll as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office," Rom. xi. 13. And this they did the rather to weaken the credit of false intruders. " Am I not an apostle P am 1 not free ? have I tiot seen Jesus Christ?" 1 Cor. ix. 1. Our Saviour himself accepted this honour. " Ye call me Master and Lord : and ye say well ; for so I am," John xiii. 1.3. Is the term (minister) contemptible to any ? That Christ who nuist save you, or you shall never be saved, calls him- self a minister. "The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister," Matt. xx. 28. If therefore men are bound to glorify the good master even in the evil servant ; and not only to " know them," but " to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake," I Thess. v. 12, 13;' then much more "let the elders that nile well be" (yes, they arc. but also be) " counted worthy of double honour," 1 Tim. V. 17. " Of Jesus Christ." Here he declares liis Ma-stcr ; where three collections arise. 1 . They were apostles of Christ ; for none ever called themselves apostles of God the Father, because Christ himself only was the Father's A]H)stlc. He had other pastors under him, but he was that great Shepherd Ver. 1. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. and Bishop of our souls. He sent others, hut him liath the FiUhcr sent. 2. Christ only hatli authority to make apostles: he chose lliem to the work, that could enable them to the work. Therefore none ought to take this eliarge upon them, unless they he either mediately or immc- (hately called of God. Some have no calling either of God or men, hut nm on their own errand. "I have not sent these pro- phets, yet they ran : I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied," Jer. xxiii. 21. Let them that set them on work pay them their wages. " He that cnfereth not in by the door into the shccpfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber," John x. 1. Either, like the Sodomites, they cannot find the door ; or, like the Jesuits, they will not find the door. These latter have run as far as the Indies ; but who sent them ? These merchants went not to fetch sheep to Christ's fold, but to shear their wool and flay their skins. They were not apos- tles, but alehymists ; they went to fetch gold. I have heard much talk of their miracles ; if I had all faith, even to remove mountains, I could not believe them. But whatsoever their miracles were, I am sure their morals were naught. The ]ioor Indian refused (after all their commendations of celestial glory) to go to heaven if the Spaniards should be there. Some are called of God without man, by an imme- diate vocation. So were the twelve apostles by Christ in his state mortal, Paul in his state immortal. Acts ix. Some arc sent of men without God. So Jason and Menclaus sought the priesthood by unlawful means of Antiochus : so Jeroboam made his priests. Alli- ance, favour, simony, have brought men of bad learn- ing and worse living into the ministiy ; which made one to say, that horses were more miserable than asses, in that horses went post to get asses preferment. Others are sent of God by man. So Joshua was ordained of God by Moses, Timothy and Titus by Paul, the bishops in Crete by Titus. For " how shall they preach, except they be sent?" Rom. x. 15. They that in these days go without this warrant climb in at the window; and that we know is no fair possession of the house. He that enters in at the windows shall be cast out at the doors. God seals his approbation of the church's calling, and answers it in the conversion of many souls. So that an in- dustrious pastor may say to his people, " If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you ; for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord," 1 Cor. ix. 2. 3. They came not in their own name, but in Christ's; "an apostle of Jesus Christ." We are ambassadors for Christ, and God doth beseech you by us, 2 Cor. v. 20. We are tutors, not for ourselves, but for him ; desiring to espouse you to one Husband, and to present you pure and chaste virgins to Christ, 2 Cor. xi. 2. . We preach not ourselves, but Christ : neither our own glory, nor our own gain. Not our own glory : God is glorified in our infirmities. Woe onto us if we arrogate that, whereof God is so jealous that he will not give it to another! Not our o^\-n gain : we would then take any profession rather than this. There is no calling wherein a man may not live better, and grow rich sooner. A cluster of law is worth a whole vintage of any other profession. Indeed in Rome, and throughout the papal jurisdic- tion, where respect of gains, not of pains, guides men's dispositions; where little learning and less honesty will serve to hear up, and to bear out, much worship, more wealth ; there great riches is in clerical hands. It is their main policy, by blowing up other states to enlarge their own. Like the floods that made war against the woods; Let us subdue them all, and make us more countries, 2 Esd. iv. 15. But for con- science, not a pope preached these nine hundred years; yet I hope they have not been poor. They have not Petcx-'s net to catch the souls, but Peter's hook to take all the fishes that have silver in their mouths. It was said of Leo X. that whereas others were only popes but while they lived, he was pope many years after he was dead. Sacra sub eilrcma si forle reqtiirili's lioru, Cur Leo non poluit suiiiere ; vendiderat . John XXII. left behind him two hundred and fifty tons of gold : so that one wrote of him, Erat ponli- fex nmximus, si lion inrtutc, pecu7iid tamen maoiimui; Whatsoever he was in piety, he was the chief priest in money. They inveigh against us for providing for our own lawful wives and children ; yet admire themselves for providing for their harlots, and bastards, and minions. They come into the church, as it were to a golden harvest. The friars were so long wilful beggars; that they had beggared all the Christian world. The Jesuits hate all other orders but the Capuchin ; because the Capuchin asks nothing, the Jesuit would have all. Their artillery hath been thus wittily described; the Capuchin friars shooting from the purse, the Franciscans a little wide of it, the Jesuits hitting it in the midst. I know who said, " If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?" 1 Cor. ix. 11. Yet let us win your souls, though we never have your purses : the gain of one soul is greater than the Indies. " For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming ? " Ye.s, " ye are our glory and joy," 1 Thcss. ii. 19, 20. II. " To them that have obtained like precious faith \y\{)\ us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." Here he comes to the per- sons to whom this Epistle is written ; wherein con- sider six circumstances : The generality of the persons. To them, all them. The qualifications of this generality, "That have faith. The excellency of this qualification. Precious faith. The equality of this excellency, Like with us. The means of this equality, Have obtained it. The ground of this means, Through the righteous- ness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. " To them," all them ; heix' is the generality of the persons, for the word is indefinite. This is called a "general epistle," not in a metaphorical sense, as Paul calls the Corinthians, " Ye are our epistle writ- ten in our hearts, known and read of all men," 2 Cor. iii. 2 ; or as one calls Christ, an epistle sent us from God the Father ; or as August, (in Psal. xc. cone. 2.) calls the Scripture, God's letter or epistle sent us hither, from that city to which we travel. But in a proper and usual meaning ; a letter of a friend sent to his friends. It is called a "general epistle," not only, 1. Because the doctrine contained in it is nrthodoxal and catholic ; 2. Nor because the use of it is general ; even to us, as well as to those to whom it was written ; but, 3. Because it was not directed to any one man ; as those of Paul to Timothy, Titus, Philemon ; of John, to the elect lady, and Gaius ; no, nor to one particular church, as those of Paul to the Romans, Corinthians, Sec. ; but to all the saints and worshippers of Jesus Christ, howsoever distress- ed, wheresoever dispersed, or whensoever despised ; to all them that with humble faith and sincere re- pentance seek our Mediator. For with God is no respect of persons. Behold that Lamb, which takes away the sins of the world, John i. 29. " Men and brethren, children of the stock 8 AX EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. I. of Abraham, and whosoever among you fearethGod, to you is the word of this salvation sent," Acts xiii. 26. There is no difference of countiy, of condition, of estate. All which are cxcniidificd hy our Sa\-iour Christ, Matt. viii. n\mn the Jew and the Gentile, the leper and the centurion. For countiy, the leper was a Jew, the centurion a Gentile. For condition, the leper a man of ))eacc, the ccnturicn a man of w ar. For estate, the leper poor, the centurion rich. J know the greater danger is to the rich, and the sweeter promises are made to the i)oor ; yei let not tl'.e poor presume, nor the rich despair. The one may be poor in money, poorer in grace : the other may be rich for this world, yet richer for the world to come. " There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female : for ye are all one in Jesus Christ," Gal. iii. 2^^. " To them all ;" let no man deny his soul this comfort. " That have faith." Here is the qualification. The definition and excellency of this grace I refer a Httle further. Here, that we may a little conceive the nature of it, we find it often called a " hand;" and that for two reasons: 1. As the hand fastens hold upon the object, to which the heart directs it ; so faith apprehends Christ, with his blessed merits, whereby only we are saved. 2. As the hand is fittest for operation, and doth execute that Imsiness which no other member of the body can ; so faith worketh godliness, and produceth those effects which no other grace in the soul can. For this purpose it hath an instrument, " Faith worketh by love," Gal. v. 6. The hand can receive a gift of itself, but it cannot cut a jiicce of wood without an instmmcnt ; but by the help of that it can divide or fashion it to pleasure. So faith can receive Christ into the heart, that most excellent "gift of God" the Father, John iv. 10; but for the duties of the law, faith of itself cannot produce them. Join love to it, and then it can; for faith working by love performs all duties to God and man. NuW of this hand there Ijc five fingers, which for method's sake we may order according to the letters. There is fraitfulness, it is not barren ; for " faith without woi'ks is dead," James ii. 20 : nudifidians are nuUifidians. We will never take her for a tnic lady, that hath not her gentleman usher liefore, and her servants following after. If you see not repent- ance going before faith, nor works attending on her, know it is not .she. Good deeds do batten faith. (Luther.) Faith hath the appellation from doing. (August.) Two syllables sound when we pronounce Jides: the one is derived fiom fact, the other from God. (Bem.) Dost thou believe ? Yes, I believe. Do what thou sayest, and that is faith. We may call faith a vine, virtues the branches, woi-ks the grapes, devotion the wine. False faith is like a sandy earth : rain it never so much, no fruit arisetli. There is appropriation of Christ : by faith he is made ours, by love we an! made his. It was a piece of the philosophers meditation, that that man hath all in himself that hath himself: the believer adds, he hath himself that hath Christ, and he hath Christ that hath time faith. " This is the victory that overeometh the world, even our faith," 1 John v. 4 : yea more, it overcomes Christ himself. The world is overcome by faith, because it cannot wilh- .stand it ; Christ is overcome by faith, because he will not withstand it. Christ in a duel overcame the devil. Matt. iv. A Canaanitish woman so over- came Christ himself. He yielded, "0 woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt," Matt. XV. 2S. This is able to smooth his counte- n;mee, though it be frowning; to tie his hands, though thev be strikin,-- Tlie lion of this world raged long, and still rageth, '■ seeking whom lie may devour," I Pet. v. 8. " The Lion of the tribe of Juda" conquered him. Rev. v. 5. Now faith con- quers tlie conqueror. How great is the power of fiiith, that overcomes him who overcame all! Thus is God pleased to let faith have a holy victory over himself: he loves this sanctified violence, and bids faith wrestle courageously with him, like Jacob; permitting his Almighty self to be conquered, and manacled from executing deserved vengeance. So Ji;b, Albeit thou kill me, yet I will trust in thee; and because (saith God) thou dost trust in me, I will not kill thee. It were honour enough for faith to " subdue kingdoms," Heb. xi. 33, but to achieve the kingdom of heaven ; enough to " stop the moutlis of lions," but to vanquish that roaring lion, and to resist him, 1 Pet. v. 9 ; enough to " quench the violence of" elementaiy " fires," but to deliver from the eternal fire of hell ; enough to " escape the edge of" men's swords, but to escajje the sword of God's justice ; oh the matchless virtue of faith ! There is imitation of Christ. Faith hath two eyes ; one looks to Christ's merits, that we may be saved ; the other to his righteousness, that we may be sanctified. In imitation there be two things, action and affection. Action ; for it is not enough to commend and admire the pattern, but we must follow it. Affection; for it is not enough to forgive because we cannot revenge. (Zanch.) This is no suf- ficient imitation of Christ's love; for he can, if he please, bruise sinners to pieces, and " break them with a rod of iron," Psal. ii. 9. But we must forgive «ith a mind to forgive, and give alms with the mind of charity. Faith doth not think that heaven will fall into the lap, but endeavours to work out salva- tion, not without fear and trembling; and seeks to follow Christ to blessedness, the same way that he went thither. There is trust in Christ ; for there can be no faith in him without trust and de;)endence on him. This point, thoroughly examined, would call in question many men's faith. The covetous worldling dares Irubt Clu'ist to raise his body, and to save his soul, and to give him the kingdom of glory hereafter ; but he dares not trust him for his daily bread here. The fowls are fed and the flowers are clothed by him: and will ye vex your souls with solicitous cares ? If ye do, may not Christ say trulv, that ve are "of little faith ? " Matt. vi. 30. Shall we trust God with our jewels, and not with the box? As if thou durst not commit thy children to his protection, thou scrapest up wealth with the hazard of heaven and eternal peace ; yet if thou be (luestioned concerning thy salvation, thou answerest, thy trust is in Christ. This is a false and deceiving faith : take heed, lest « hiles he doth grant thee that wherein thou dost not ti-ust him, worldly riches, he take away that wherein tlimi dost trust him, everlasting joy. There is honouring of Christ : no man ever be- lieved on him, but he desired to honour him. It is fit he should look for glor)- from ns, ;is well as we look for gloiy from him." We honour the king under whom we enjoy our own with peace ; we honour the physician that preserves the liealth of our bodies ; we honour the soldier that defends us from our enemies : oh how much more should we honour him that saves our souls ! We are bought with a jirice. therefore let us glorify him both in our bodies and spirits, for thev are his, 1 Cor. vi. 20. These be the five fingers of' faith. Let us lay hold on Christ in life, tliat he may lay hold on us in death, and bear us up in his holv hand to everlasting gloiy. " Precious' faith." Here is the excellency of this qualification. As Athens was called Greece of Greece, \E8. 1. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. so faitli may lie. e;illed the grace of grace. It is V precious in regard of the object, the subject, the act, \he effect, the use. ,1. In respect of the object; which in a larger ac- cejtation is the whole Scriptiu'c, wlicrcof eveiy parcel must be believed, without diminution or ad- dition. Strictly, this is Christ, who is not only the Word of God, but God himself in the word. " I am the way, the tnith, and the life." Lord, how shall we go ? Thou art our way. Whither sliall we go ? Thou hast the words of eternal life. (Aug. Tract. 22. in Joh. cap. vi.) There is no way but by him, no light but from him, no life but in him. Christ is a mutual hand; to the Father one, another to us. A hand to the Father, by which he reacheth us ; a hand to us, by which we reach the Father. The Father's mouth, whereby he speaks to us ; our mouth, whereby we speak to him : our eye to sec by, foot to go liy ; our pillar of fire by night, and cloud by day, guiding us through the desert of this world. It is a precious faith that lays hold on this precious ob- ject. " If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him up from the dead," (not only dead, for so the Jews believe him, but risen again, for that is the faith of Christians ; if thou have this faith,) I tell thee from Paul, and Paul from God, to the com- fort of thy soul, thou art presently justified, and shalt be everlastingly saved. " For the Scripture saith," (it is not the promise of man, but the assurance of God,) "Whosoever bclieveth on him shall not be ashamed," Rom. x. 9, 11. God forbid I should re- joice in any thing, " save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ," Gal. vi. 14. There is nothing wherein men usually rejoice, but the faithful find it in Christ. Doth any man gloiy in knowledge ? I desire to know noiliing among you, but Jesus Christ, and him cnicified, 1 Cor. ii. 2. This is the blessed know- ledge ; for it is eternal life, John xvii. 3. Doth any man glory in honours ? It is Christ that hath made us kings. Rev. i. C. Doth another glory in riches ? Christ is a treasure never failing, and " of his fiilness liave all we received," John i. 16. In liberty ? ('hrist hath delivered us out of the hands of all our enemies, Luke i. 74. In princes' favours ? The King of kings accepts us in him ; " He made us accepted in the beloved,'' Eph. i. 6. All good things are to be found in him; therefore he is a precious object, and this a " precious faith." 2. In respect of the subject : the seat of faith is in the heart ; " with the heart man believeth unto righteousness," Rom. x. 10. It is not placed in the mind and understanding only, but in the will and aTFeclions. Faith, as a knowledge, resides in the mind ; as an assured persuasion, in the w'ill. It is not a prattle of the tongue: Herod's tongue belies his soul. Men say what they believe, do not always do what they say. (Heming.) Nor is it a floating opinion of the brain, a contemplative speculation of mysteries ; but a certain persuasion of the heart. There is a forged faith, and a forced faith ; forged, in heretics, who will believe no God but one of their own making. They believe all that they do believe with a f^iith of their own, not with the faith of the elect, of the church. No oracle, no article of holy faith, but they will conceive it, and receive it, their own way, or not at all. This is rather an art of treacherv than of faith. Forced, in devils ; they acknowledge from their own horror, and against their wills, that there is a God. It was the relation of a reverend di\-ine concerning an atheist in England ; A young man was a papist, but soon fell in dislike of their superstition. He became a protestant, but that did not please him long. England could not content him; he reels to Amsterdam. There he fell from one sect to another, till he lighted upon the Familists. The first principle they taught him was this. There is no God : as indeed they had need sear up their conscience, and dam up all natural light, that turn Familists. Hereon he fell to a loose life, committed a robber)-, was convicted, condemned, and brought to die. At the execution he desired some stay, utter- ing these words, " Say what you will, surely there is a God ; loving to his friends, terrible to his enemies." Even the lewdest reprobates, that spit in the face of Heaven, and wade as deep as Jesuits in blood, yet they shall have a forced faith. Though perhaps they say for the time, as Nero, J'ereior esse cum faciam, Deum ? When Seneca reproved him for his vices, and bad him live, that God might approve his actions ; he answered, Stulle, vcrehor esse, cum Ikbc faciam, deos ? Thou silly man, shall I fear there is a God, when I go about my villanies ? But they shall one day believe and feel. There may be atheists on earth; there are none in hell: no sooner come thither, but they know, to their endless soitow, that there is a God. Bellarmine saith, that the faith of reprobates and devils is a right and true faith in re- gard of the object. (De Justif. lib. 1. cap. 15.) And Augustine, comparing Peter's confession, " Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God," Matt. xvi. 16, with the devil's acknowledgment, " I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God," Mark i. 24 ; saith, that though Peter for this was commended, and Satan expelled ; albeit the same confession was beneficial to the one, and not to the other; yet the faith in both was not false, but true; not to be denied, but acknowledged ; not to be detested, but approved. (De unieo Bapt. eontr. Petil. cap. 10.) Let this faith be granted true, so far as it goes ; yet as it hath many other difl'erences, so this one espe- cially. The faith of reprobates and devils is com- pelled by the demonstration of the signs; faith of the elect, by the exadence of the Spu-it. Theirs against their wills, oiu's from the ground of our hearts ; for that is the seat and subject of all approved faith. 3. In respect of the act : it believes on Cluist. There be three degrees or faculties of faith, as the school speaks out of Augustine. First, to believe there is a God ; and this is a faith incident to devils. Next, to believe God ; to credit the histor)- of the gospel, and to assent that what God saith is tiaie. This is called an historical faith, and ma)' be in repro- bates. Last, to believe on God, which ariseth from both the fonner, and, as Chemnitius says, doth pre- suppose and comprehend both the former. The faith of a reprobate is a true faith specifically. A spark of fire is true fire, though it be not able to warm : a drop of water is titie water, though it be not able to carry a vessel : a little sprig may be a true cedar, though it be not yet fit for timber. That fig tree which our Lord ciu-sed, though it bare no fruit, was a true fig tree. As the Israelites required to go three days' journey in the wilderness, before they did offer sacrifice, Exod. iii. 18 ; so faith hath three degrees before it come to that perfection as may justify the soul. Saving faith in a man hath this precious act, to rely on God's mercy in Christ for his salvation. He disclaims not his part in Christ, as the devils, " What have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Naza- reth?" Mark i. 24; nor loseth it, as reprobates, " He that bclieveth not is condemned already," John iii. 18. But he challcngcth his portion in the blood of Christ. " I am my Beloved's, and my Beloved is mine," Cant. \-\. 3. His body is in heaven, there I shall find it mine ; his divinity on earth, there I do find it mine ; his gospel in my ear, to beget him mine ; his sacrament, in my eye, to confirm him 10 AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. I. mine : liis Spirit in my heart, to assure him mine. Angels are mine, to light for nie ; prince mine, to rule for me ; church mine, to pray for me ; preacher mine, to feed mc. " NVIicthcr Paul, or ApoUos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things pre- sent, or things to come;" all are ours, and we are Christ's, and Christ is God's, 1 Cor. iii. 22. This fuitli doth not only, with reprobates, believe the major of the gospel, that Christ is salvation ; but the minor, with Mary, that he is my Saviour. The devils believe much; but they cannot believe their o\ni reconcilement. (Bucer.) Therefore, saith James, they " believe and tremble," Jam. ii. 19. Fear is the child of unbelief, saith Basil, in Psal. xxxiii. " Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith ? " Matt. via. 26. Why are the apostles called timorous, but because they were of little faith ? But " being justi- fied by faith, we have peace with God through Jesus Christ," Rom. v. I. " In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him," Eph. iii. 12. A traitor condemned to death, knows the king, and his prerogative royal, that he is able to pardon ; his disposition, that it is mild and merci- ful ; yea, he knows that the king hath forgiven many sucli offenders. But now for himself, he hath no friends to the king; no word from the king to warrant his pardon ; no hope, if he should entreat favour, that himself was a fit subject for this exercise of mercy. Still he trembleth ; he feels himself miser- able, though he know the king to be merciful. So the reprobate knows God's omnipotency; " Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean," Matt. viii. 2: he knows his infinite mercy, that it reaeheth unto the heavens, and his faithfulness unto the clouds, Psal. xxxvi. 5 : he knows God hath forgiven many, Da^id for adultery, Solomon for idolatry, Peter for aposlacy, Paul for blasphemy. But for his ov\ti part, he hath no friend to God, no mediator betwixt God and him, no Christ to speak for mercy ; he hath no word whereby he can apply this mercy; no hope that mercy would come upon his submission and seeking. He wants that justifying faith, to do this precious act of application. A man is deeply in debt, in no case to pay ; he hears and believes, that his creditor is an honest man, that he hath dealt mercifiilly with others; remitted a third, half, the whole debt ; but he hath neither promise from his creditor, nor persuasion in himself, that he will deal so kindly with him : for all this, he fears arrest and imjirisonment, without bail, mainprize, or any hope of deliverance. The wicked is deeply run into God's debt by his sins, (yea, every man is taught to pray, " Forgive us our debts," Matt. vi. 12,) for which he is subject to convention, conviction, condemnation. He knows how this Creditor dealt with a servant. Matt, sviii. 27 ; because he had not to pay, the Lord was moved with compassion, and forgave him the debt. But tliis reprobate, through want of applying faith, hath no promise, no security, no hope tnat he shall be freed : but he fears the prison, where if he be once clapped under the hands of that cruel jailer, the devil, he cannot depart thence till he hath paid the uttermost farthing. It is then a " precious faith," that hath this powerful art to believe a man's own reconciliation. 4. In respect of the effect, because it liath precious consequents. Amongst many, consider five sweet fruits. (I.) Peace with God, which is produced by that faith which justifies us. Receive peace, and be bless- ed; believe, and thou hast received it. Upon our ap])rehension of Christ by faith, follows his satisfac- tion for us ; upon this satisfaction, we luve remission ; upon remission, reconciliation : upon reconciliation, peace. There is no quarrel against us in heaven ; notliing but peace and joy, because we h&ve truly believed. (2.) Peace with our own conscience. When that stern sergeant shall take thee by the throat, and arrest thee upon God's debt, Pay that thou owest; let thy faith plead, I have paid it. How ? Pro- duce thy acquittance, that bloody acquittance, sealed in the wounds of thy Saviour, and given to thy faith. This shall turn the £ro\nis of thy conscience into smiles ; and that hand which was ready to hale thee to prison, shall now embrace thee with joy, encourage thee with kindness, and fight for thee with conquest. (3.) Victory : faith knows no other language but victor)-. I have kept the faith, now is laid up for me a crown, 2 Tim. iv. 7. 8. It " subdued kingdoms," even the kingdom of the devil, there is victory; " wrought righteousness," though the world and sin withstood it, there is victor)' ; raised strength out of weakness, there is victory over nature ; " turned to flight the armies of the aliens," there is victor)' over malice and hostility ; raised the dead, there is vic- tory over the grave ; with patience and greatness of spirit, it endured mockings, scourgings, &:c. miseries worse than death, there is glorious victoiy, Heb. xi. 33 — 35. It "overcomes the world," I John v. 4; it overcomes the prince of tliis world ; " Whom resist stedfast in the faith," I Peter v. 9. It quencheth all the " fiery darts of the wicked," Eph. vi. 16. They are darts in I'espect of their sharpness, and fier)' for their violence ; one sin kindling another, dnmk- cnness adult en', adulter)' murder. The whole world lieth ill wickedness, set on fire of tlie devil. Yet faith quencheth all : though they were as fiery as the gunpowder treason, yet this shall bear them off, beat them ofl", and infatuate their malice. It is a shield, this faith : this shield covers all, head and heart, understanding and will, that neither the mind be confounded, nor the affection amazed. (Royard.) Yea, faith overcomes the King of heaven himself; appealing from God justly ofl'ended for sin, to God sweetly pleased for Christ. (Diez.) It is able to re- move mountains ; the great hills of distrust, the great heaps of iniquities; therefore "precious." (4.) Good report : all those saints through faith ob- tained a good report, Heb. xi. 39. They say, A^on patitur ludum fania,Jides, octilux, A man's credit, faith, and his eye, endure no jest. Yet let thy faith be sound ; and though injury wound thy eye, igno- miny thy fame, yet tny faith shall make all whole. That man's righteousness, through all clouds, shall break forth as the sun, and his integrity shine like tile noon-day. All unjust aspersions are but as rub- bish; they may seem to sully him for a while, that he may shine bright for ever. How little is that man hurt, whom malice condemns on earth, and God commends in heaven ! Let the world accuse us, so long as our God doth acquit vis. I suffer these things, and am not ashamed ; " for I know whom I have believed," 2 Tim. i. 12. " For not he that eommendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth," 2 Cor. x. 18. Let God justify', and let all the fiends on earth or in hell accuse. (5.) It blesselh to us all other blessings : " He that putteth his trust in the Lord shall be made fat," Prov. xxviii. 25. Without this faith, we are accountant for ever)' thing we receive, to a bit of bread. There is no right to tne creatures but by Christ, no right to Christ but by faith. Without this, as much horror as honour ; no less wretchedness than wealthiness. But faith makes thy dignity comfortable, thy wealth helpful, thy wife, children, friends, delightful ; bc- causr what thou uscst in the world, thou enjoyest in the Lord. Yea, it blesseth even crosses and curses. Vbb. I. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETEE. 11 (Fulgent.) Thou wantest a gaitncnt for thy hody ; faith gives thy soul a rich one, the righteousness of Christ : thou lackest a house to dwell in ; thou dwcll- cst by faith even in the Lord Jesus, and he dwells in thee. If thou want bread, it reacheth thee the bread of life ; if friends, it assures thee the favour of God, and the inseparable company of the Holy Ghost ; if health, it performs to thee everlasting life. Let me say with Seneca in another sense, I had rather want fortune than want faith. Whatsoever worldly thing be lacking, faith can supply it ; but if faith be lacking, who can supply that ? Faith keeps us for ever from that mourning note,We have been happy. 5. In respect of the use ; faith clears our ways as we go, cheers our hearts as we work, perfumes the places ■where we rest, and refines our actions from that dross and feculency, which would else make them odious in God's sight. For " whatsoever is not of failh is sin," Rom. xiv. 23. Faith, like John the Baptist, pointeth to the " Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world," John i. "29. Without this, God is no hearing God, no helping God, no saving God, no loving God at all. The Spirit shall convince the world " of sin," saith Christ, " because they be- lieve not in me," John xvi. 9. All sins are retained to unbelief, remitted to faith. Faith is the nest of good works, saith our church (Homil. 1. of Good Works) : let our birds be never so fair, our actions never so glorious, they will be lost, except they be brought forth in faith. This is the nest, where the sparrow and swallow maj- lay their young, to keeji them safe ; even faith, which is close by " thine altars, Lord of hosts," Psal. Ixxxiv. 3. Heretics and hypocrites may produce many goodly acts and honourable deeds; but wanting this nest of faith, they have no where to lay their young. Therefore, as the lawyers speak, their works are damnable with their persons. A recusant in coming to church against his conscience, rather to satisfy the law than to sanctify his soul, is guilty before God, because tliat work was not done in faith. Now a short corollary, or recollection of all these scattered branches to their root. Faith is precious. Conceive it some precious jewel : " Thy cheeks are comely with rows of jewels, thy neck with chains of gold," Cant. i. 10. Gregorj- Nyssen makes one of those chains to be sound and religious faith, w-hicli is made of the pure gold of divine knowledge. (Orat. 3. in Cant.) And to this pure and golden chain he applies Prov. i. 9, " They shall be an orna- ment of grace unto thy head, and chains about tliy neck." This is the richest collar that can adorn any sotil. It is an ornament to all trimmings, for nothing is so garnishing and gracing, that it can become us without this. (Salvian.) It is a jewel given us out of God's own treasury. Though faith be not itself eternal, yet it shall make all those blessedly eternal that have it. It is brought by the best messenger, God's Spirit : not the wortliiest man on earth, not an angel from heaven, is dignified to bring this treasure ; but only the Holy Ghost. It is laid up in the best coffer, in the sanctified heart : no treasure-house is good enough for this jewel, no cabinet, but the heart. Lastly, it gives us the place it came fiom : it came froni heaven, and it brings heaven with it. It is Christ's wedding ring ; to whomsoever he gives it, he gives himself with it. It is beyond all estimation precious ; it brought us more lands and revenues than the whole Indies. This is Marj-'s choice, tliat belter part that shall never be taken from us. "Like precious faith with us." I come to the equality, or rather parity, of this excellence ; "Like with us." The faith of the poorest believer is-as pre- cious as the richest. Peter is above them in office : in the cflfect and fruit of his office they are like him. But Peter was thrice confirmed, and that by the mouth of Christ himself, to make him strong : how then could they have faith like him ? The compai'ison is not of the quanrity, but of the quality of faith : nor doth he say, they had obtained the same measure and degree of faith which he had himself, but the same kind of faith ; not so much, but such faith. The act of faith is to apply Christ to the soul ; and this the weakest faith can do so well as the strongest, if it be true. A child can hold a staff as well, though not so strongly, as a man. The prisoner through a Yiole sees the sun, though not as perfectly as they in the open air. They that saw the brazen serj-jcnt, though a great way off, yet were healed. The poor man's " I believe" saved him; though he was fain to add, " Lord, help my unbelief." So that we may say of faith, as the poet of death ; that dominos servta, et icepira tigombus cequat, it makes lords and slaves, apostles and common persons, all alike acceptable to God, if they have it. I confess, that this excludes not the degrees of faith: thereis a little faith. Matt. vi. 30; and there is a great faith ; " O woman, great is thy faith," Matt. XV. 28. God deals in spiritual proceedings, as in natural, to extremes by the mean. We are not bom old men ; but first an infant, then a man, then old. We are conceived of immortal seed, bom of the Spi- rit, so go on to perfection. There is first a seed, then a plant, then a tree. We get not at one jump into heaven, nor at one stroke kill the enemy. A little faith doth not a little good at some times ; as in the beginning of conversion, or in the storm of an afflict- ed conscience. Peter was strong, when he resolutely protested his infallible adlierence to Christ ; " Lord, to whom shall we go ? thou hast the words of eternal life," John vi. 68. Peter was weak, when he sat by the fire in the high priest's hall, and denied his Master; and when he dissuaded Christ from sufl'ering for us, " Be it far from thee. Lord," Matt. xvi. 22. But where God gives great means, he looks for great measure ; ac- cording to liis portion of grace, he expects our propor- tion of goodness. It is enough for them that see only a glimmering of the gospel, to be but dwarfs in belief : we have the sunshine, and therefore must have growth ; and be higher by the head, as Saul, if not than all the children of Israel, yet than all the sons of Rome, whose faith is so hoodwinked with enforced igno- rance, that they cannot see further than their popish doctors will give them leave. Thus there may be degrees of faitn : Lord, increase our faith. " Him that is weak in the faith receive ye," Rom. xiv. I. En- deavour that your faith be increased, 2 Cor. x. 15. Grow' from faith to faith ; yea, from one measure of faith to another. Yet the least faith (shield it from weakness of tmth, though it have truth of weakness) is as precious to the the believer's soul, as Peter's or Paul's faith was to themselves ; for it lays hold upon Christ, and brings eternal salvation. In this simili- tude of faith, we find three observations. 1. The universality of God's mercy without differ- ence of persons ; that admits all sorts of men, without any acception or exception of sex, state, nation, or condition, into the same covenant of mercy, and pre- cious object of faith, that the glorious apostles had. Here the unspeakable goodness of God is commended to oui- meditation : whereas he might in justice have left us in our superstitions and infidelity, of his infinite goodness he hath called us to the same profession of the gospel ; and to a faith of the same price and reward with his own choice servants : " In every nation he that fcareth God, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him," Acts x. 35. Other lords cannot reward all their followers, as being poor and unable j or will 12 AX EXPOSITION UPOX THE Chap. I. not, as being base ancT illiberal ; but our Lord is im- :niense in majesty, and proi)ense in mercy ; good in greatness, and great in goodness, of great goodness. Poor Bartima'us begging, rich Zacclieus climbing, old Simeon in the temple, young John in tlie womb, covetous Matthew at the receipt of custom, the loving centurion buikhng a synagogue, the people watching under the cross, the thief hanging on the cross ; " This day thou shalt be with me in paradise." For, whoso- ever believeth on him shall not perish, John iii. IG; no, not although they were of the number of his cruciiiers. 2. The apostle's humility and charity : he ac- knowledgeth the poorest saints to have " like pre- cious faith" with himself. Many Miriams are i)roud of the Spirit, despising their poor brethren : St. Peter matcheth tlicm with himself. They are as dear in the Master's blood, therefore as dear in the sen-ant's love. " Bear ye one another's burdens," Gal. vi. 2. In other buildings, one stone lies upon another, all upon the foundation : so let us support the weight one of another ; and the foundation, Christ, support us all. The pebble must not envy the marble, nor the marble despise the pebble : the pin in the tem- ple seiTes for use, as well as the pinnacle. "The members should have the same care one for another," 1 Cor. xii. 25 : Christian shoulders should bear the weakness of others. The rich and the i)oor are piled together in God's house : the burden of the poor is beggar)', the burden of the rich his superfluous estate. Now if the poor lie upon the rich, and the rich be contented to sustain the poor ; here the rich hath his burden lessened by giving, and the jioor hath his burden cased by receiving. (August.) If a brother be fallen, do not you tratnple him down, but help him up ; i-elieve and " restori- such a one in the spirit of meek- ness," Gal. vi. I. When thou hearest thy brother to have lapsed into some grievous fault, pity him, l)ray for him, recollect him, saying. He fell yesterday, I may fall to-day. As Augustine, when he saw a poor miserable man, took occasion to admonish himself and the company ; ylut sitmus, autfuimus, velpossuinus es-ic quod hie est, We have been, or may be, as wretched as he. 3. This comforts our fainting hearts : there are many gusts, and storms, and floods, that attempt the overthrow of our faith ; be our house founded on the rock, it shall never be demolished, Matt. vii. 25. Sense of sin may be often sjreat, and more felt than grace ; yet not to be more than grace. A man feels the ache of his finger more sensibly than the health of his whole body ; yet he knows that the ache of a finger is nothing so much as the health of the whole body. The sun under the clouds is still a sun ; the fire in embers, still fire ; the sap is shut up in the root, and confined thither liy the cold of winter, that it cannot show itself in production of leaves and fniits, as in the spring, yet is there still life in the tree. So in the distressed heart, during the storm of affliction, there is still some hidden grace, some spark of fire in the smoking flax, whicli the Lord Jesus will not quench. Though thou be wounded with God's own arrows, Ihat seem to drink up thy blood; although thy own .sins be presented to the eye of thy soul ; thougli the serpent (to increase thy terror) put, forth his dismal countenance; yet, canst thou believe? take comfort, there is more health in the Seed of the woman, than there can be venom in the head of the serpent. " That have obtained like precious faith :" here is the means of this eciualily, tliey have obtained it. Not by our own merits; there was no congniily of nature to receive this i)recious treasure : we arc not bom, but new-bom. Christians. It is indeed natural to every one, like Simon Magus, to think himself some great man, Acts viii. 9 ; cither the man, or somebody. Luther was wont to say, that ever)' man by nature hath a pope bred in his belly, too great an opinion of his own worth : we are Narcissus-like, enamoured of our own shadows. Righteousness is almost the only cause of imrighteousness; righteous- ness in opinion, of unrighteousness in deed: we think ourselves so just, that we make little reckoning of Christ, for want of whom we remain unjust still. But the highest mountebank in his proffei-s, is the lowest dwarf in his merits. Not by our ow7i pur- chase: many have so obtained lordships and manors; as the captain bought his burgess-shii), with a great sum of money. Acts xxii. 2S. Wert thou as glorious as an angel, thy meat as good as manna, tliy gar. mcnts richer than Aaron's ephod, and thy breath sweeter than the perfume of the tabernacle ; yet all this could not get thee faith, nor give thee title to the kingdom of heaven. " Thy money perish with thee," that thinkest the gifts of God may be bought with money, Acts viii. 20. But we obtain it by God's mercy ; for it is given us for Christ's -sake to believe, Phil. i. 29. Faith is the fair gift of God ; not only the grace of faith, but the very will of belie\'ing is God's work in us. If any ask, saith Augustine, Why this man is converted to believe, that man not convinced to believe. I answer with St. Paul, " O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!" Rom. xi. 33. If any man dislike this answer, let him seek better ; but beware lest he find worse. " By the grace of God I am what I am," 1 Cor. xv. 10. All the good we have, is either God himself, or what comes from him. (August.) All my goods, Lord, are thy gifts. He that shall reckon to thee his merits, doth no more but reckon thy mercies. " Have obtained :" they have obtained it by lot, so the original imports ; so it is said of Zachiirias, " his lot was to burn incense," ^c. Luke i. 9. So that we read, '• He made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance," unto the part of the lot "of the saints in light," Col. i. 12. Not that we draw these blessings by a lotteiy, or imaginaiy fortune, but by the ordination of God; for though the lot be cast into the lap, yet the whole disjiosition thereof is of the Lord. It is therefore called our lot, because the Lord hath destinatcd it to be our portion. Though the land of Israel were divided by lot, yet the Lord had decreed in himself, and told Joshua, what lot and iiortion cvcit tribe should have. There is a threefold lot belongs to the faithful. 1. The lot of the saints is the suflerings of the saints. " The rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the right- eous," Psal. exxv. 3. It is their lot to have the rod, not the rod of the wicked; or if it salute them, it shall not dwell with them. " All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall sufler persecution," 2 Tim. iii. 12 : it is their inevitable lot to be chastised on earth ; it is their lot to be saved in heaven. 2. The lot of the saints is not only that light and happine-ss they have in this world. ' The lot is " fallen to me in plea- sant places, yea, I have a goodly heritage," Psal. xvi. (i. When David sat at the sheepfold, the kingdom of Israel was given him by lot from God. But more si)ccially faith, grace, andsanctification : which gives them just right and title to the inheritance of glorj-. Thus heaven is their lot now, a lot drawn out of the bloody side of Christ ; though not in pos.scssion, yet in succession. They have the earnest of it ; let them grow up to stature and perfection, and take it. The inheritance is the eldest son's lot, even while he is a child. 3. Lastly, they have the lot of faith, that thcv may have the lot of salvation. Hell is the lot of the wicked: "Behold at evening-tide trouble; and before the morning he is not. This is the per- Yri!. I. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 13 tion of them that spoil us, and the lot of them that rob us," Isa. xvii. 14. Therefore it is said of Judas, that he went " to his own place," Acts i. 25. " Upon the wicked God shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest : this shall be the portion of their cup," Psal. si. 6. But the lot of the righteous is faith, and the end of their faith the salvation of their souls. God gives them heaven, not for any foreseen worthiness in the receivers, for no worthi- ness of our own can make us our fathers' heirs ; but for his own mercy and favour in Christ, preparing heaven for us, hnd us for heaven. So that upon his decree it is allotted to us ; and unless heaven could lose God, we cannot lose heaven. Here then consider how the lottery of Canaan may shadow out to us that blessed land of promise whereof the other was a type. The allusion may be led on through three principal passages; the pre- paration, the qualification, the possession. 1. For the preparation : Canaan was not a new-made country, out of baiTen and uninhabitable deserts ; but was already famished to their hands : nature had enriched it with commodities, and industry' beautified it with buildings and maturities ; which were not done by the Israelites. They came to goodly cities, which they builded not ; to houses full of all good things, which they filled not ; to wells digged, which they digged not ; and to vineyards, which they plant- ed not, Deut. vi. II. So heaven was prepared of old ; " Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world," Matt. xxv. 34. That glori- ous city, whose wall was of jasper, and the fabric pure gold, the foundations of precious stones. Rev. xxi. 18, 19, was neither formed nor furnished by the saints ; but the builder and maker was God, Heb. xi. 10. So Paul ; It is the " building of God, an house not made with hands," 2 Cor. v. 1. God made it for his chosen ; and as the Canaanites were cast out, that the Israelites might enter, so the Lord hath throMii the devils out of heaven, that elect men might dwell there. 2. For the qualification : as none had right to Canaan but the children of Abraham according to flesh, so none have right to heaven but the children of Abraham according to faith. This qualification stands in our Captain, and in our combat. For the captain, they had Joshua, we have Jesus. Thougli there were a Canaan, there would have been no lot without a Joshua : though there be a heaven, there would have been no room for us in it without a Jesus. The lot of every tribe was known to Joshua ; the por- tion of every saint is purchased by Jesus. Joshua had the city which he asked for himself. Josh. xix. .W. Jesus obtains whatsoever he asketh for us ; " Aslc of me, and I .shall give thee," though thy demand be more than Herod's ofier, half my kingdom, though it be "the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession," Psal. ii. 8. For the combat ; Canaan was given to Israel by promise, yet they could not enter it with- out a combat ; they fought many sore battles, before they were settled in a victorious rest. So must the kingdom of heaven suffer violence, before it afford residence ; and we must be content to war with greater giants than the sons of Anak, even with principalities and powers, before we triumpli. Let us bear the country in our minds, and we shall find courage in our hearts. Caleb dares fight with the Anakims, if Joshua give him Hebron, Josh. xiv. 13 : and complaining Ephraim enlarge his territories, if Joshua promise them the wood countri.', chap. xvii. m. If Dan complain of too little room, let him fight it out for more ; let him conquer Leshem, and possess it, chap. xix. 47. Christians must not pine and repine, that others exceed them in graces ; but buckle on the arms of faith, and with a reverent courage strive for more. Nor is it a good argument that we share the lot of faith, if we strive only for ourselves ; Christians thus truly qualified seek also the salvation of others. The Reubenites, Gaditcs, and half the tribe of Manasseh had their lot allowed already ; yet were they not suffered so to rest, but to pass before their brethren armed, all the mighty men of valour, and to help them. Josh. i. 14. Nor is it enough for Peter and Paul to comfort themselves in the security of their own salvation, but they must labour the conversion and confirmation of their brethren. Thus are they qualified, to whom the lot of faith, and of eternal life by faith, is ordained. Heaven is not for every one, but for the saints : would any man have a lot in Ca- naan, let him be sure he be a true Israelite. It is not the bare hope and probability of a little, that can give the soul the satisfaction of comfort. For a man to stand to the courtesy of his minister, for all the knowledge which he requires in heavenly blessings, had been for an Israelite to take it upon trust of the spies, who were sent to view and report the goodness of the land, and never to enter it himself. 3. For the possession itself, no mortal eye hath seen it, nor ear hath heard it ; blessed souls, whose lot it shall be to enjoy it ! But I leave this point to your meditation ; for our apostle speaks here of the pre- paring lot, not of the possessing lot. Let us get the lotteiy of grace, and we shall be assured the lot of glon,-. But, alas, how slowly do we go about this holy business ! Joshua was fain to chide the seven tribes, for neglect of their inheritance ; " How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, which the Lord God of 3-our fathers hath given you ? " Josh.xviii. 3. We may be all thus justly reproved; how long defer we to make sure our election, and to get the earnest of everlasting life ? Thus we have considered this precious jewel of faith, and how we have obtained it : by no worthi- ness of our 0MT1, but by lot ; that is, the free gift and disposition of God, who gives it, <w denies it, accord- ing to his own good pleasure. If he have given thee this lot of believing, the thanks be to him : if thou draw a blank and dost not obtain it, yet he hath done thee no wrong : who shall command that inde- pendent Proprietary to give away his own ? " That have obtained" it : here is matter of cor- rection, of direction. First, This corrects the error of two sorts. I. Such as have not obtained faith; who think that they may believe when they list : respecting only the sufficiency and indulgence of God ; not re- garding the obduration of their o\ni hearts, and their indisposition to receive it. Whatsoever is received, is received according to the measure and capableness of the thing which receives. Stones and sand will not be leavened, but meal. There is mat- ter in the rock to build a house of; not form and proportion, till it be hewed out. Those five foolish vir- gins. Matt. xxv. thought they might get oil at their pleasure ; but because their lamps were out, them- selves could not be let in. Many think, wheresoever they lost their faith, they shall find it on their death-bed. But let no man promise himself that, which the gospel doth not promise him. If they cannot find it in the church, they will hardly find it in the chamber : if the ordinary means to beget faith have not wrought it, how shall it be taken wnen it is not offered ? But saith Augustine, Faith is in a man's power : but that father never meant that an infidel can believe when he list, but when God gives him that list man's will is not compelled. As he adds, When a man's v.ill is to believe, he does believe. But 14 AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. I. rthence hath he that will ? The finger of God moves his will. Faith is a voluntary persuasion of absent things, saith another. But "it is not of him that ^vilk•th, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy," Horn. ix. 16. God must give the will, act, effect, and all. The fathers never averred, that an unbeliever can make himself a believer by his own ijower ; but when God hath given liim the power of faith, he can then believe. "Without me ye can do niithing," saith Christ, John xv. 5: not a very little, but nothing at all. The members must be set in the body, before they can execute any offices for the body; neither are they members because they are working, but arc therefore working because they are members. The tree brings forth the fi-uit, the fruit doth not bring forth the tree. Papists in their congruities, and libertines in their potentials, run too much upon a veiy base figure, the cart before the horse; merit before mercy. Do not think to believe so easy a matter: the death of Christ darkened the sun, shook the earth, clave the rocks, opened the graves, and raised the dead; yet did not put faitli into the Jews' hearts. It was a great miracle fin- God to be bom of woman ; a great miracle, for a vir- gin to bear a child, and still to remain a virgin ; but the greatest miracle of all is, fora man's faith to believe these things. Bernard makes this to be the most won- derful mixture and composition of the three. First, God and man, a strange union ; that he should begin tobcman, whois God without beginning, without end- ing ; Divinity and humanity in one individual person ; this is vcr)' mystical. Next, a mother and a virgin ; that she should be a virgin still, whicli was now a mother ; that she should be a mother, which remain- ed a pure virgin ; this was singularly admirable : maternity and virginity at once in the same individual person. Lastly, man's heart and faith ; a natural understanding, and supernatural objects mixed to- gether. Fire and water would sooner be reconciled then these two, without the supernatural combining work of God's Spirit. This is the most wondcrfiil mixture and mystery. This faith is no easy thing to obtain. Tho\i mayst fall off" from thyself, not recover thyself: he only that made thee can restore thee. (August.) Faith is God's gift ; no man can obtain it, if he detain it. 2. Such as have obtained it, that they be not proud of it. " What hast thou that thou didst not receive ? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou gloiy, as if thou hadst not received it?" I Cor. iv. 7- Let not the most famous disdain the meanest, nor the meanest repine at the mightiest: insultation and malice are enemies to grace and faith. "Be not high-minded, but fear," Rom. xi. "iO. Pride was the first sin that ever was in the world, and it shall be the last. As other infirmities decrease in us, so pride doth increase. Though he abounded with many vir- tues, yet he lost all by his self-conceitedness, sail h Chiysost. on that Pharisee, Luke xviii 11. "God, I thank thee," (for he was not a petitioner, but a jiro- claimer, ) " t hat I am not as other men are, extort ioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this ))ublican." Yet he was all these : an extortioner, for in relying on his own merits, he did rob God of his glory, and extort that from him which he will not give to another. Unjust, in condemning the publican without due proof; so being himself a guilly person worthy to be condemn- ed, he usurps the oflice of a judge, and censures another. An adulterer, in being wedded to vain- gloiT, and enamoured of popular apjdause : leaving the humble and chaste love he owes lo Ciod, lie runs a whoring after his own proud inventions. St. James calbi tllem adulterers that emliraee the friendship of the world, Jam. iv. 4. Thus he was like a bad mill, that keeps a great clacking and grinds little. (Jerome.) Howsoever all sins may be said to be in the devil, in respect of guiltiness; yet only pride is in him, in respect of his desire, saith Thomas. His darling sin, his character, is pride. Hens use to cackle as soon as they liave laid their eggs, and by this means they are instantly taken from them. The jiroud man may do some good works, but by his clacking and boasting he looseth them. The phari- saical papists have haply laid some eggs, but they so cackle them that tliey quite mar their market. Poor men advanced, and growing proud, are like clouds drawn up on high by the sun ; and when they are there, they darken the sun that drew them up. God may say to them, as Sarah spake to Abraham concerning Hagar, I have given thee my handmaid, and now I am despised in thine eyes. But it is cer- tain, they have least faith that think they have all faith. Men that make themselves so sure of heaven, that they will scarce change places with the departed saints, may perhaps wish themselves one day in the poor publican's case and place ; " I^ord, be merciful to me a sinner." Thus much for the reproof of those two errors ; one in the defect, the other in the excess ; neither whereof have indeed obtained faith. Now for direc- tion to those that have obtained it ; this twofold. 1 . Learn to acknowledge the Author. Hast thou obtained that precious jewel denied to thousands, be the more thankful. As Thales Milesius asked no other reward of his readers, but. Where thou readest nie, acknowledge me ; so God requires of his crea- tures, that where they find the benefits, (hey thank- fully acknowledge the Benefactor, (iod halh kept nothing to himself but his glor>-, and this lie will not give to another; as Pharaoli gave all to Joseph, only excepting the throne ; yet in this gloiy we are too forward to be sharers. When the Babylonians heard the music, comet, flute, harp, &c. they fell down and worshipped the idol, Dan. iii. 7- So men, wlien they hear the music of their own praises, idolize them- selves, and worship a golden calf. The wife is bound to be chastely reserved to her own husband, and not with a tempting dress to invite adulterers. Vain- glorj- tricks us up, not for God our Husband, but for strange lovers ; ne will acknowledge no such wife. Joab sent messengers to David, that he should bring in his forces and take Rabbah ; his reason was, " lest 1 take the city, and it be called after my name," 2 Sam. xii. 2S : not Joab thy servant, but David the king, must have this honour. So God cannot endure that his creature should divide the glory with him- self: give him all willingly, or he will have all in despite of thee. Let thy thankful acknowledgment go up. that his great bounty may come down. 2. Learn to preserve what thou hast gotten. "That which ye have already hold fast till I come," Rev. ii. 25. This was St. Paul's happiness, that having finished his course, yet he had still " kept the faith," 2 Tim. iv. 7- The loss of faith is a dangerous shijv wreck, 1 "Tim. i. 19: if it be possible, save your vessels, save your goods, save your wares, save your bodies; but though you lose all, save your faith, save your souls. Imagine thyself a vessel ; the sea this world, thy freight faith. There is a man of war against thee:' the bark is diffidence; the soldiers, atheism, heresy, schism, profaneness; the charged cannons and ordnance are pride, lust, hypocrisy, to which drunkenness is the master-gunner, and gives fire. The arch-pirate is the devil, who so violently assaults us, and boards us with his temptations, that often we are fain to blow up our docks, lose some of our necessary appurtenances; glad, like the young man in the gospel, to save ourselves, though we leave Ver 1 SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 15 our case behind us. There be also rocks of persecu- tions, and gulfs of errors ; horrible gulfs in the sea of Rome, dangerous swallows about Amsterdam. When opinion goes before us, it is a great question whether truth \vi\\ follow us. Look to thy faith. Shipwreck thy faith, and drowii thy soul. Cast Judas out of the ship, and take Jesus in. That ship is troubled that harbours a traitor : the ship is safe that hath in it the Saviour ; now he hath Christ that hath faith. If therefore by faith thou be freed from the bondage of Satan, take heed lest by laying down this refuge thou be again captivcd. Let not the world, like a crafty thief, steal away thy faith : look to your faith, ye covetous ; forsake not the word to embrace the world. Be not like plaices, which have a black side as well as a white : w'hen their turns are once served by the white, they instantly show you the black. Though the faith of Christ be in their mouths, the love of the world is in their hearts. Let no extremity of sorrows or sufferings enen'ate thy faith. When a lewd malefactor, being condemned to die \sath just Phocion, railed at the judge, the law, his enemies, and looked on death with terror and amazedness, he thus cheered him with encourage- ment. Dost thou grudge to die with Phocion ? O thou faint-hearted profrssor, dost thou grudge to die with Christ, or for Christ ? Keep thy shield of faith, and thou shalt victoriously march with the saints on earth, and triumphantly sing wnth the angels in heaven. Faith obtained, faith retained, shall with- out fail advance thy soul to eternal glory. " Through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Christ." Here is the ground of this means, tlie justice of our Redeemer. Some read these words by disjoining them ; of God, and of our Saviour. This reading may stand where righteousness is referred to God, as to the cause efficient, and to Christ, as to the cause meritorious. Augustine admonisheth us of the Trinity here, and teacheth us to collect it from such places. By the name of God he understands the Father, by Saviour the Son, by grace and peace the Holy Ghost. But with St. Ambrose, they are better read together; and this is plain from the Greek context, where all are contained under one article. Aquinas thus : of God, that is, of Christ, secundum divinilalem effective : of our Saviour, that is, of Christ, secundum humanilnlem vierilorie. But I leave that as too curious, and take the words to be construed only copulatively ; answerably to that of Paul, " Looking for the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ," Tit. ii. 13. Here can be no distinction of persons thought on : for it is the great God that appears in judgment ; but no person of the Deity properly appears in judgment at tne last day, but Jesus Christ. " For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son," John v. 22 : therefore Christ is there called the great God. For the Mediator betwixt God and man, is perfect God and perfect man ; and yet not two, but one Christ : one not by conftision of substance, but by unity of person, as Afhanasius. Here is then fidl testimony that Christ is God, against the Arians. But when I read that Fevarden- tius reports ; how many of the Polonians have dero- gated from this eternal Deity of Christ, and that from the writings of Cahnn, and other Reformed Catho- lics ; I must sigh with Polycarpus, Good God, what times do I live in, to read and hear such impious and impudent slanders ! Let any indifferent man judge, whether they or wc derogate more from our Saviour Christ J we in resting our whole salvation upon him, or they in joining other saviours with him. They say, that if God will bear half the charges in co-oper- ation, we may merit our own glory, fulfil the law, have works to spare for our neighbours ; whereol Rome hath such store, that she can spare England some out of her superfluity, if we will pay for them. But that we think, as when one boasted how fair a she-slave he had bought for a pound, another answer- ed that she was too dear of a groat ; so if we should bestow our moneys on such supercrogatoiy stuff, every pennyworth would be worse than other. We teach that our best actions are full of sin, our satisfactions debts ; that no merit can do us good, but the merits of Jesus Christ. Whether of us more wrongs our Sa- viour? No, let them take their own egg out of our nest ; we never laid it, we will never hatch it. He is "over all, God blessed for ever. Amen," Rom. ix. ."). He is the God of salvation, and he shall be found a God in judgment. They that have denied it in their mortal flesh, shall acknowledge it in immortal fire. I cannot say logical!}', what he is, but who he is : there is no logic sufficient to express Christ. No man can speak of the light, but by the light. (August.) The best apprehension of him is negative : he cannot lie, he cannot die, he cannot deny himself. He is God of the Father, as a branch from the root, as fra- grance from the pomander, as words from the soul, as light from the sun. Man of the \nrgin, by over- shadowing of the Holy Ghost, who withal halh cast a shadow over this mysteiy. Man, not by taking man's nature into his own nature, but by taking man's nature into his own person. But in all this, 1 will rather humbly acknowledge my ignorance, than proudly profess my knowledge. Therefore, as the philosopher sitting on the bank of a river, and observing it to ebb and flow seven times a day ; be- cause he could not by philosophy find out the hidden cause, he threw himself headlong into it, with these words. Because I cannot conceive thee, do thou receive me. So I offer myself in all humility to Christ, God and man, my blessed Saviour ; O Lord, I cannot com- prehend thee, do thou therefore comprehend me for ever. "Through the righteousness," &c. Upon this ground let me build five instructions, or conclusions, which are naturally deduced from it. 1. All grace to our souls, all good to our bodies, all peace that may concern this life or that to come, is derived to us through the righteousness of Christ. Whatsoever good descends from God to us, is granted through Christ; what good ascends from us to God, is accepted through Christ. We are elected in Christ, redeemed by Christ, ingrafted to Christ, saved for Christ. God gives to all gifts ; but they are only true comforts to those that enjoy them through Christ. David out of the great love he bore to Jonathan, which was " passing the love of women," was also loving to Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, 2 Sam. ix. 7 ; he set him at his own table, and re- stored him all the land of Saul his father. Mephi- bosheth was lame and decrepit, yet David loved nim for Jonathan's sake. Infinite is the love of God to his own Son, therefore he is called, the Son of his love, Col. i. 1.3, in whom he is well pleased. We are lame and deformed, warped, wicked, wretched ; there is nothing in us that he should desire us ; yet he re- stores us all the lands our father Adam lost, yea, and ten thousand limes more than ever he was owner of; and will one day set us at his own table, yea, in his very throne. Rev. iii. 21, and make us partakers of his glory. So did David to Mephibosheth for Jona- than his father's sake ; so doth God to us for Jesus his Son's sake. Consider man in a four-fold estate ; confeclionis, as he was made ; infeclioni.s; as he was mar- red ; refeclionis, as he was repaired ; perfectionis, as he shall be "accomplished ; and see how all mercy still IG AX EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. I. fame to us through Christ. First, God made man hapjiy, because holy ; without misery, because witli- out iniquity. Tllis I have found, that God made man rigliteous, Eecl. vii. 29 j and in that righteousness he had the image of God, Ejih. iv. 24. If a glorious lioaven above him, a fruitful earth under him, com- mand of the creatures below him, the guard of angels iibdut him, the peace of conscience witnin him ; if r.ll this could make him happy, he was not scanted, lie was created thus through Christ. ''By him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible," kc. Col. i. IC. Second- ly, Man stood not thus long ; he fell from his holi- ness, so from his happiness ; he lost the favour of the Creator, the service of the creature ; a curse fell upon him for his sins. Lo, now he lies welteinng in his own gore, who shall heal him ? God redeems him through Christ : he " so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son," John iii. 16; he sent him to doit. Behold him hanging, bleeding, dying upon the cursed cross to save us. Thirdly, A Redeemer is come ; what is man the better for it, if he hath not power to be- lieve on him ? Faith he can have none, if it be not given him through Christ. It is given to you in the behalf of Christ to believe, Phil. i. 29. Again, Lord, help; for Christ's sake grant us a third mercy ; make us believers, or we are never the better; we had as good have no Saviour, as not have him our Saviour ; and ours he cannot be, unless himself make us his. Lastly, For the state of perfection and immortal bless- edness, it is through Christ. There is laid up for me, saith Paul, a crown of righteousness ; and not fnr me only, but for all those that love his appearing. 2 Tim. iv. 8. Who shall give this to us ? " The righteous Judge;" and that is Jesus Christ. Thus all good comes to us through Christ. Again, all our good is accepted only through the righteousness of Christ. Our very persons arc " ac- cepted in the beloved," Eph. i. 6. If our persons, then our good actions. If we pray, he chargcth us to do it "in my name;" then we are sure to speed; God will give it you, John xvi. 23. He praycth for us, as our Advocate ; he praycth in us, by his Holy Spirit ; is prayed to of us, ns our "everlasting Father," Isa. is. 6. (August, in Psal. Ix.xxv.) We pray unto him, we pray by him, we pray in him. " I am the way, the truth, and the life," John xiv. G. I am the way, you come by me ; I am the truth, you come unto me ; I am the life, you shall dwell for ever in me. He is the beginning of salvation, therefore the way ; the midst of salvation, therefore the tnith; the end of salvation, therefore the life, saith Ferus. The way of them that begin, the tmth of them that go forward, and the life of them that are perfect. In matter of disputation with atheists or heretics, con- cerning God's wisdom, majesty, power, &c. exercise all thy wit and industiy, to convince the adversary. But when thou comest into another school, to wrestle with the devil, with the law, with sin and death, in the matter of thy justification ; then fix thy eye upon no god, but the person of the Godhead incarnate; " Behold the Lamb of God, that takes away the sin of the world." God's scat is said to be compassed about with a rainbow. Rev. iv. ,3. The rainbow was a sign of his covenant made with man; here, doth signify his perpetual mercy to us in Christ. If he should marK what is done amiss, who is able to stand? If he enter into judgment with us, no flesh living shall be justified. But here is our comfort, there is a rainbow about the throne: he can look r.o way upon his church, but through the rainbow, through Jesus Christ. Hence it is not to ns a ter- rible throne ; but a throne of grace, so fidl of mercy, that v.c may boldly come unto it, Heb. iv. IG. Though out of the throne proceed lightnings, and thunder- ings, and terrible voices; though there be seven lamps of fire burning before it. Rev. iv. 5; yet all is well so long as there is a rainbow about it. Thus all good things come to us in Christ ; that we may humbly acknowledge, and heartily sing with Paul, " Of him, and through him, and to nim, are all things : to whom be glorj- for ever. Amen," Rom. xi. 3(J. 2. The faith of a Cliristian is well-grounded, upon the righteousness of Christ. " For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ," 1 Cor. iii. II. That house of faith only shall stand, that is built on this rock. Matt. vii. 25. Neither the rain that falls in whole showers of pros- perity, nor the voluminous floods that roar out perse- cutions, nor the adverse winds that blow with the loudest violence of opposition, shall overthrow that house, because it is founded on a rock. " Thou art Peter, and upon this rock" (which thou hast ac- knowledged to be the Son of the liWng God) " I will build my church ; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it," Matt. xvi. 18. Though Stephen Gardiner, apostatized, did read that text with the pope's spectacles, in the days of Queen Mary, and made the pope supreme founder of faith; yet formerly, in the days of King Edward the sixth, he preached it othenvise, that the rock was only Christ. Saith Augustine, The foundation of God's house in man's heart, is faith. First place the foundation, then rear up the building; the instru- ments of which edifice are the word and sacraments. Here is no place for traditions of men, or constitu- tions of popes; the ground of faith is the righteous- ness of Christ, not our own merits. If in thy garden any grace or good works spring over the wall, and saucily challenge to itself a prerogative of merit; deal with it as the gardener doth ^vith sujierfluous branches, prune it off; or as Torquatus with his over- venturous son; cut it down ^nth the sword of the Spirit for daring beyond the commission. The justice of Christ is the sole compass of faith : our adversaries oppose this both with pens and tongues, violently in the schools, invectively in the pulpits: but come they to their death-beds, to argue it between God and their own souls; then grace, and grace alone; mercy, and only mercy ; Jesus, and none but Jesus. This their great bclwether is driven to confess : By reason of the uncertainty of our own righteous- ness, and the danger of vain-glory, the safest course is to put our whole trust and confidence in the only goodness and mercy of God. (Dc Justif. lib. v. cap, 7.) But perhaps Bellarmine spake this as a mere Jesuit ■ and afterwards being made papable, he was willing to retract and unsay it. God threatens to destroy the world with a flood, because the imaginations of man's heart were evil continually, Gen. vi. 5: and God promiseth no more to curse the ground for man's sake, because the imaginations of man's heart are evil from his youth, (ten. ^ii. 21. The same reason, that is alleged why God will not spare the world, is also alleged why he will spare the world. It ser\-cs to prove, that not man's merit, but God's mercy, is the cause why con- fusion is withholden. " I am the Lord, I change not ; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed, Mai. iii. G. Let them trust in their o\ni works ; our souls believe on this ground, the righteousness of Jesus Christ. This is the faith, and thus grounded, that our church commends, that God requires: in this we live, in this, and for this, (if need be,) let us die, that we may live for ever. Let the memon,- of her be blessed, even that our Deborah, whereof all tnie- hcartcd English are glad to hear. She was tnily Veb. 1. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 17 the defender of this true, ancient, catholic, and apos- tolic faith : she reared up the preaching of this faith, she maintained this faitn, she lived in this faith, in this faith she died; applying to her own soul the mercies of God through the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Let this teach every soul humbly to cast himself down at the feet of Christ, and to be beholden to him only for liis salvation. Our best works are but blanks, and when they come before him shall blush for shame. Let us then go out of ourselves, and know that we are only saved by the righteousness of our Lord Jesus. 3. We collect hence, that it is not faith which properly saves us, but the righteousness of Christ whereon it is grounded. " For by grace are ye saved^ through faith," Eph. ii. 8 ; by grace effectually, through faith instmmentally. The hand is said to nourish the body, not of its own nature and \-irtue, but because it is an instrument to reach meat to it. It was the blood of the paschal lamb, for which the destroying angel passed over the Israelites' houses ; faith only sprinkles the posts. We are not justified only for the act and quality of belic\-ing; it is the justice of Jesus that justifies us, which faith appre- hends. Faith brings the cripple to the Beautiful gate of the temple, Ac's iii. to the word and promises of the gospel ; and there it is able to receive (though with a sick hand, yet with a hand) the arms of grace, Christ's merits and mercies. It was the brazen ser- pent that healed, noi the eye that looked on it ; yet without a looking eye, there was no help to the wounded party by the promised \-irtue. 4. Obser^-e, that faith had need of a good founda- tion, for it is a heavy and weighty building. All other virtues lie upon faith, as their basis. Hope upon faith, for no man hopes for that which he be- lieves not : as patience is the daughter of hope, so hope is the daughter of faith. Repentance lies upon faith ; for how should contrition for sin be admitted, if remission of sin were not believed ? Charity upon faith ; why should we part with our goods for God's tause, if we believe not that God would with ever- lasting charity embrace us ? Faith bears a great weight ; yet the righteousness of Clirist bears that and all. How great is faith, that is able to bear up such a burden ! how much greater is Christ, that is able to bear up faith ! Our sins are of infinite number and pressure. Doth any man extenuate them with a self-flattering miti- gation ; think that he hath but a few, and few shall not bring him to judgment ? No ; they are infinite in number, heinous in nature, swelling in measure ; the sands of the sea, hairs of our heads, stars of heaven, are sooner reckoned. No soul of itself is able to stand under them : the wncked shall one day find them so heavy, that they will think rocks and moun- tains far lighter ; eiying to the rocks, Fall on us, and to the mountains. Cover us. Rev. vi. 16. Now faith takes all this burden upon her shoulders ; she brings it to Christ, and he takes it upon his shoulders ; being confident of his fidelity, that it shall answer the invitation and promise of his mercy : " Come unto me, all yc that labour and are hea^-y laden, and I will give you rest," Matt. xi. 28. Our miseries are many and mighty, dejecting us under the load ; we know not how to bear them. We bring this burden also, and lay it upon faith, and faith lays it upon Christ. Some are afflicted in reputation, as Susanna ; others in children, as Eli : some by enemies, as David; others by friends, as Joseph: some in body, as Lazams ; others in goods, as Job ; others in liberty, as John. In all extremities let us send a messenger to Christ for- ease, faitliful prayer. If faith can but carry the burden to him, he will carry it for us and from us for ever. Our cares are many and mighty ; loo great a load for ourselves to bear. Fear of what may come, ex- pectation of what will come, desire of what will not come ; no redress of all these in ourselves : what flesh and blood can support this burden ? None ; therefore faith takes Christ's word, and lays all these doubts or sorrows upon his righteousness, that who- soever hath found trouble in the world, may find rest in the Lord. Our sicknesses, our pains, our departures, are heavy. Christ hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. We have all erred like sheep, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all, Isa liii. 4, 6. When death, that proud champion, comes in his fearfullest shape to affront and affright us, faith hath recourse to the righteousness of Christ, and beseecheth him to help us with this burden, to ease the pangs and sweeten the bitterness of death, and he doth it. 5. Lastly, we infer, that our salvation stands sure in the Lord, because it hath this ground, the right- eousness of Christ. God doth not trust us with our ovvn life, but hides it in his Son Jesus. " Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God," Col. iii. 3. Otherwise, if it were in our own hands, we should easily be tempted to sell it ; as Adam did for an apple, and Esau for a mess of pottage. But po~ vilur in tiilo, quia reponitur in Christo, it cannot but be safe, which the Lord keeps. Happy soul, whose treasure is thus laid up, where no nist or moth can coiTupt it, no thief break through to steal it ! An English merchant that trades in Turkey, does not build or plant in Turkey, but transports all for Eng- land. The burgesses of heaven may admit some slight traffic in this world, but they lay up all for their own countrv". What folly is tliis for a man, to hoard up his treasure there, where he is sure he must not continue ; and not to convey it thither, where is con- tinuance for ever ! (Chiys.) If earth should vanish and nature dissolve ; yea, if heaven pass away with a noise, and the elements melt with heat, mat or- cus, et ortus, I will look to the righteousness of my Saviour Christ, and stand upright. Let all our ene- mies do their worst, the devil tempt, the world afllict, sin menace, death affright ; yet faith shall vanquish all through the righteousness of Jesus Christ. He is righteous that hath promised. " It is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you ; and to you who are troubled rest with us, wiien the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels," 2 Thess. i. 6, 7- Let no man dare to call the righteousness of Clvrist into question: woe unto him that shall make God a liar! Shall he say, Whosoever believes shall be saved, and shall we doubt ? Shall we annihilate his cross, evacuate his blood, ran into the fire from whence we are ransomed, and die past hope ? God forbid it, and the faith of our own souls forbid it ; there is as- surance of salvation tlu-ough the righteousness of Christ. Verse 2. Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord. The person saluting, and the persons saluted, are considered ; the salutation itself follows, " Grace and peace," &c. This form of salutation is usual with the apostles, and useful for us. Whereby they ex- 18 AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. 1. press tne trae exercise of their office, to bring grace and peace in their mouths. In the salutation consider, I. The mailer, Grace and peace. II. The measure, Be multiplied unto you. III. The manner, Tlu-ough the knowledge of God, &c. I. " Grace and peace ;" this is the matter. It liath been an ordinary custom in the Jewish, pagan, and Christian world, to begin their letters with saluta- tions ; and in tlicse to wish their friends that they thought the best good. Some wished prosperity, others health and jovisance, others summed up all in a contented mind. Some wrote, Cura ut bene Vttleas ; others, Cuia ut bene vivas. One wishcth soundness to their bodies, another integrity to (heir lives. All those were far short of that true blessed- ness, which the apostles saw to be in Christ Jesus : therefore, Grace and peace be to you ; this salius, and satis : 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, 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 arc of more value tlian their northern broad- cloth that shrinks in the wetting. Wp are here taught the Christian use of salutings, blessings, and gratnlations : such godly compliments are not to be neglected. It is the brand of the church's enemies, " Neither do they which go by- say. The blessing of the Lord be upon you," nor, " We bless you in the name of the Lord," Psal. exxix. 8 : therefore (hey are cursed; "Let them all be con- founded that hate Zion," ver. 5. Good men have ever used them : Boaz to the reapers, " The Lord be with you. And they answered him. The Lord bless thee," Ruth ii. 4. A glorious angel thus saluted Gideon, " The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour," Judg. vi. 12. An archangel to a poor virgin ; " Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee : blessed art thou among women," Luke i. 28. St. Paul spends a whole chapter in salutations ; Romans, the last. What people had not their own forms of saluting ? the Uunu^axi?,, Dominun vobiscum ; the Ethiopians, Pax vobis ; the Hebrews, v-lve : the Romans, Salve. Superiors must perfonn 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, Peace be to you. They will salute none with a good wish xmless they know his business. As if every man's business required so little haste, as to tarry the leisure of their acquaint- ance. If all men shouhl jdedge them in tlieir own cup, they might pass their whole life without a God speed. They say, We cannot tell whither he goes, or about what; it may be he is going to the tavern to be drunk. It is 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 andc in law and love. Every man is to be reputed honest till he be disproved. " Charity thinketh no evil," 1 Cor. xiii. 5. In Friesland there was a false prophet, one George David, who called himself God's ncpnew ; and said, heaven was empty, and that he was sent to choose some to fdl it. We have some separatists such mad prophets, that will elect and damn whom they please. But as themselves say, (he pope hath no aM(hority to make saints; so we .say, they have tio aulhority to make devils. As many (if the pope's 8ain(s are reproba(es 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,'' Matt, xxiii. J. I answer, he taxed their ambi- tion, not their gratulation ; he blamed not their affection, but (heir affectation. It was the direct charge, " When ye come into an house salute it," Matt. X. 12. But St. John forbiddeth the elect lady to give some men the God speed; " For he that biddelh him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds," John ii. 11. The answer is easy. The apostle si)ake of some notorious apostates and dangerous lieretics : now to salute such might induce some familiar conference, which he would not have the good lady admit. So Cyprian, Let there be no com- merce with them ; but 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, led away with divers lusts," 2 Tim. iii. 6; and then the best way is to shut them out of doors. But is every man a 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 witn 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 tliem truly, they think no man their brother that holds with ceremony, decency, and discipline. But St. Paul tells them, that the true bond of unity is not one ceremony, nor one policy, nor one discipline ; but " one Lord, one faith, one baptism," kc. Eph. iv. 4. There is dilference between another discipline and another doctrine. But, lastly, (hey 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 shouldst thou think that men think not of God. " For what man knoweth tlie things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him?" ICor.ii. II. Yield that there is sometimes less intention in these short blessings than in settled devotions : what then, shall we forbid men to pray, because their minds are often wander- ing ; or children to say grace, because they do not perfectly understand? Certainly it is good to inure the mouth (o gracious speeches. Thus Elisha dis- missed Naaman, " Go in peace :" though he did not approve his fact, yet he bids him farewell ; " Go in peace," 2 Kings v. 19. If thou dost wish this good to an evil man, thovi art never the worse, (hough he be never the better. " First say. Peace be to this house. And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it : if not, it shall (urn to you again," Luke X. 5, (5. So David prayed and mourned for his enemies; and though he could not be heard for them, he was heard (or himself, " My prayer returned into mine own bosom," Psal. xxxv. 1,'3. If the saluted be going about some bad enterprise, yet our blessing hath more likelihood to reclaim the error of our brother, than (o 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 (aught here (o use good forms in sahuing. " Grace and peace," gracious, not grievous; holy, no( hollow; blessings, not curses; not an exe- cration instead of a benedicrion. There be idle, pro- fane, and unrelishing complimen(s : either (hrough curiosi(y or curiali(y. Christian salutations arc (bought gross. Instead of, God be with you, I kiss your hand, I am your slave, &-c. : these arc the elegancies of our times. Indeed there is one salutation left us, Ver. 2. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 19 and frequent with us, good in itself, if it had the luck to light into good men's months ; it is, God save you. But as it hath been satirically observed, these days are not altogether uncharitable ; for whereas God chargeth men to love others as themselves, many love others belter 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, oh fearful ! The child kneels for a blessing, the fether gives it a curse. If we wish the plague and such noisome diseases to them that live with us, how should we escape it ourselves ? Let us always therefore wish well to our friends, Grace, peace, and salvation ; yea, to our veiy enemies, "Bless them that curse you," Matt. v. 44. For if grace comes, though before they were evil enemies, now they shall be neither evil nor enemies. You see now the sweetness of the apostle's benedic- tion : Origen thinks no whit inferior to the blessings Sronounccd by the patriarchs ; as the blessing of foah upon Shcm and Japheth, Melchisedek's upon Abraham, Isaac's upon Jacob ; because they blessed by the same Spirit. For St. Peter might say with St. Paul, "I think also that I have the Spirit of God," 1 Cor. vii. 40. 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 tnith came by Jesus Christ," John i. 17. " Grace and peace ;" this is the voice of the minis- ters of the gospel : so Christ directed them. Peace be to you, Luke x. The prophets began with woe : Woe to a sinful nation, Isa. i. The Lord hath a con- troversy with the land, Hos. iv. For three trans- gressions, and for four, &c. Amos i. But the gospel begins, Fear not, for I bring you tidings of great joy that shall be to all people, Luke ii. 10. We have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father, Bom. viii. 15. 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 wlien that still voice that came to Elijah, the voice that thou hearest behind thee, Isa. xxx. 21, those low whisperings, can do no good. And then God is content we should derive from his throne thunderings, and lightnings, and louder sounds, Rev. iv. 5. When Israel in Moses's absence had turned beasts, and carved an idolatrous image, Moses did not dance after tkcir pipe, and laugh at their super- stitious merriment ; but with great zeal reproved their folly, and with indignation confoimded their idol. "Behold, all the earth sittcth still, and is at rest," Zcch. i. 11. The people sit down to cat and drink, and rise tip to play, 1 Cor. x. 7. If this be the worhi's state, we should be false prophets to cry no- thing 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 j" but "how shall we sing the Lord's songs in a strange land?" Psal. cxxxvii. 4. We have preached honour, and peace, and salvation, and an incorruptible crown of glory, and were not regarded. AVhat 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 mayst be feared :" now we change our note. With thee is vengeance, that thou mayst be feared. If the spirit of gentle- ness 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 manors, and fair purchases; alas, this is an unseasonable speech : he answers, First restore me to health, then talk to me of wealth. Men's souls are sick of sin, and at death's 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. Let us see your humiliation, your re- pentance ; let us hear your groans, we will tiien give you comforts : we dare not apply the oil of consola- tion, till we have scoured your festered wounds with the sharp wine of reprehension. When we behold your cheeks blul)bered vnth tears, your hands beat- ing 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 divers acceptations of grace, by it is generally meant, the receiving of the sinner into the covenant of mercy, into God's favour by Christ. It is our second birth : our first was, of the lust of the flesh ; our second, 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 ; the same in substance, and not in quality : so in our first resurrection by grace, a man is the same and not the same ; the same for constitu- tion, not the same for disposition. For before our hearts were proud, now they are made humble ; be- fore 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 bom with grace in his soul, than with apparel on his back. "There is none righteous, no, not one," Rom. iii. 10. If there were, what need was there of a new creation ? The philosophers said that nature had the sparks and seeds of virtue in it. But St. Paul says, " I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing," Rom. vii. 18 : but if there be any good in me, "by the grace of God I am what I am," 1 Cor. XV. 10. The Rhemists quarrel with St. Paul for calling concupiscence a sin, which he proves to be a breach of the last commandment. " For I had not known concupiscence, except the law had said, Thou shah not covet," Rom. vii. 7- 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 command- ment 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 beholden 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 a grace that works freely, but not effectu- ally ; which may be had, and lost ; and this is short of the apostle's wisli. There is a grace that makes him acceptable to God that hath it ; this the apostle wisheth, and it can never be lost. It is the uvmg ao AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. I. fire of the Spirit, that can never be quenched. I will send you a Comforter, that shall abide with you for ever, John xiv. 16. But how did the grace of this S|)irit abide in David and Peter, in the midst of those fearful lapses, which might be called in respect of manners, plain apostacies ? The grace was shaken in them, not shaken out of them : it was moved, not removed. Tliere was 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 devil's kitchens. " Grace : " what need the apostle wish this to them that already had it ? for all tney that have received the gospel, have also received grace. To this we answer diversly : 1. By grace in these aposlolical benedictions, Ambrose only understands the remis- sion of sins ; 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 favour in Christ. The poets took grace for a delectable beauty, sightliness, or trimness of behaviour. But divinity teacheth us, that it is the favour of God towards us in his Son Jesus ; " By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand," Rom. v. 2; that is, the favour of God. It is his "grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved." And " we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace," Eph. i. G, 7- In a word, grace is bi- frons, like John Baptist, it looks two ways ; and is taken so especially, first, for God's favour, whereby we are made just ; then for the gifts of the Spirit, whereby we are made holy : that is the mother, these the daughters ; that x'^P'Sj these x'lP'i'^'"""- Now then here is grace taken in the efl'ects : as Paul, " Grace bo witn all them that love our Lord Jesus," Eph. vi. 24. Now all they that love the Lord Jesus, have the mother grace, that is, the favour of God ; therefore the apostle wisheth the multiplication and confirmation of the daughters, the blessed elTects of this favour. If any man object, What needs man more than the grace of God ? I answer, the grace of God that justifies hath neither more nor less, admits no latitude, as being absolute and perfect in itself; for a man cannot be more than justified. But the grace of God that sanctifies, needs continual increasing. The talents intrusted by the Lord to his sen-ants, !Matt. -XXV. 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, tliat he will scorn or re- fuse another's appreciation. The grace of Jesus Christ be with thee. This is one answer ; that grace may be veiy well wished to them that already have it. But, 2. That distinction which St. Paul himself implies, Rom. vi. betwixt being in grace, and being under grace, doth yet more contcntfuUy 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 under grace, and another to be in grace. To live inidcr grace is opposed to the state of the law : " Ye are not under the law, but under grace," Rom. vi. 14. To live in grace is opposed to the state of sin. How shall we, that l;j- grace are dead to sin, live any longer therein ? ver, 2. There arc four (hfTcrences : Some are in grace, but not under grace. Some are under grace, but not in grace. Some are neither in grace nor under grace. Some arc 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, Luke x. 24 ; yet were they saved by faith j\. 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, 2 Cor. vi. 1. They have nvrmam gratiw in their heads, anHformam graliiB in their dissembling professions, but not 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 grace's, but grace is none of theirs. 3. The unbelieving Gentiles were neither in grace nor imder grace. Not in it, for they walked after their own lusts. Not under it, for they were " with- out Christ, and strangers from the covenants of promise," Eph. ii. 12. 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 from the damning power of sin ; for there is no damnation to them that arc in Christ, Rom. viii. I. In it, as delivered 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 foreigners, but fellow- citizens with the saints, and of the household of God," Eph. ii. 19. Christ now speaks to us by the mouth of his ministers, Come, ser^■ant, enter into thy Master's grace : one day he will speak by his own mouth. Enter into thy Master's g\ov\. "Peace" is also diversly accepted: here I take it specially for the tranquillity of conscience ; that which follows righteousness. For the kingdom of heaven eoi sists in " righteousness, and peace, and joy in the K^ly Ghost," Rom. xiv. 17. "Being justi- fied by faith, we have peace with God," Rom. v. 1. In the latitude it may comprehend all those things that conduce to our well-being. It is a sweet nature ; pacem le poscuims onmes, who loves not peace? If any man hate peace, his neighbourhood, his com- pany, his breath, liis very sight is offensive to men. " My soul hath long dwelt with him that hatcth peace," Psal. cxx. 6. If some particulars be divided, and lose their peace, the general mourns. " For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart," Judg. v. 15. Let it be the epitaph of anti- christ. Discord's ccmmon ineendiarj-; as of Pope Sixtus, Non poluit stpvum ris iilla eaitinmiere Sijilum : AMdito tandem nomine pads, 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. Lord, let thy ser\-ant 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," Rom. xii. 18. An in- ward peace of the mind, consisting in the tranquillity of well-ordered affections, and in the conscience of a man's own innocency ; mens sancia, pax sancita. An everlasting peace of God; when the Holy Ghost dwelleth with us, and in us, John xiv. 17. This comes not alone, but hath before it. Take up my yoke, and you shall find peace. Matt. xi. 29; and. Take up my cross, and you shall have peace ; and. He mu>t be my senant, Luke ii. 29, and follow my word, and then he shall have 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 obser\'ations. 1. It is not enough to wish grace to the souls of our friends, but also peace; that is, health to their Vtp. 'i. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 21 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, 2 Cor. xiii. 11. Which demonstration of love extends as far as all manner of prosperity, for heaven or earth, for soul or body. Our Saviour's prayer was not only for grace, " Thy kingdom come," but also for " daily bread." St. John to his well-beloved Gaius, wished above all things that he might prosper, and be in health, as his soul prospered, 3 John 2. He that wisheth not well to his brother's body, never wished well to his soul. The good man's desire is for both, that there may dwell a sound soul in a sound body. And this not in a formal compliment, but an inward hearti- ness. For there are some that " speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts," Psal. xxviii. 3. And Judas had a " Hail, Master," as well as Gabriel a " 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 ijrace before peace : so nature told us in the mouth of tier great secretary, Aristotle, that justice is the elder sister to peace. Agreement in evil is not love, but conspiracy : such men have only the terror and guilt of conscience for their com- bination. The Scripture tells us, that " righteous- ness and peace have kissed each other," Psal. Ixxxv. 10. Live righteously, and thou shalt have peace. (August.) "Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it," Psal. xxxiv. 14 : nay, thou shalt not need to follow it, for it shall follow thee ; peace \(nll come of itself to seek righteousness. On (he contrarj-, where is no love of goodness, there can be no goodness of love. We ask our watchman, as Joram did Jehu, " Is it peace ?" 2 Kings ix. 22. He nnist answer, Alas, what peace, when there is no grace ? There is many a Dives dreaming of nothing Imt ease and peace in his life ; " Soul, take thine ease, eat, drink, and be meny," Luke sii. 19. There is many a Balaam desiring nothing but peace in his death ; but he must live in gi'ace, that would die in peace. It is a vulgarism. Such a man died like a lamb, though perhaps lie lived like a wolf. As though consumptions migiit not spend men's choleric humours, apoplexies stop the passages, which other- wise would not be fuller of pains than rcluctations ; as though palsies might not take away speech, lethargies dull, and dropsies drown, the vital spirits. There be many causes in nature to make men die Huietly, not sanctifiedly. Sisera after a draught of milk was no more sensible of Jael's hammer, than Holoferncs after a tun of wine was of Judith's sword. But tnie 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 ye may be found of (iod in peace, without spot, and blameless," 2 Pet. iii. 14. 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 caintot be ^\■anting. Jehoshaphat gave all his children portions and legacies, silver and gold; but he gave the kingd(mi 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 jdeasure our apostle wished them ; pleasures are like Jairus's minstrels, music in a house of mourning : there is more need of weeping and lamentations for our sins. Not security ; for a wicked man's secure and untroubled mind is like the Dead sea, smooth and even at the top, but deep and deadly in the bottom. Not honour and advancement : this builds up many like Babel's tower, that their end might be confusion. Not riches : they are often like Absa- lom's hair, an ornament to hang himself; or an un- ruly jade, that knocks out his master's brains, when he hath once east 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 Kings x. But if you ask, as Jehu did there. Is there not a sei-vant 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 causcth a man to stand before princes, is noble birth, honourable valour, abundant wealth, oraculous wis- dom, eminent jilace 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 favour of the Deity in the merits of Jesus Christ. To con- clude this ; as we say we have grace, let us lead gracious lives ; as we would have peace, let us de- cline unrighteousness which dissolves it. And then God shall fulfil in your hearts St. Peter's wish ; the grace of our Lord shall be with you, and the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall pre- serve your hearts and minds in Jesus Christ. II. " 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 : It is a better thing to give than to receive, said our Lord Jesus. But for heavenly and unperishing graces, the best point is multiplication. As he that for worldly riches doth not divide whilst he lives, shall find an empty quotient when he is dead ; so he that for hea- venly 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. AVho cares to thrive, that thinks he liath sufficient ? (Bern.) The highest saint on earth is but like the ark of the covenant, a cubit and a half high ; perfectly imper- fect when he begins, imperfectly 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, Luke xvii. 10. There was a sect of puritans that thought them- selves so fidl of grace, that they refused one petition in the Lord's prayer, " Forgive us our trespasses." And Philip Nerius conceited himself so full of God, that he used to say. Depart further from me, Lord, for I am holy enough : perhaps he thought, if God slwuld pour in more wine of grace, it would burst the vessel ; and that he was full before. He spake not with Peter's intention, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man ;" but out of a plethory of pride. 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, 1 Kings xix. 4: but. It is enough, take away thy hand from me, for I am bet- ter than all my fathers ; cease thy bounty, stay thy 22 AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. I. hand firom giving, I need no more. As Cain with Ikis migor iniquilwi, confessed his sin greater than God could forgive ; so this man with his minor iniquilas, esteemed his sin less thiin God need to consider. But as there is (hat makdh himself poor, yet hath much riches ; so (here is tliat maketh himself rich, yet is Teiy poor. There is not a poorer wretch than Lao- dicea, that bragged she had need of nothing, Rev. iii. 17. 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 amiy ; and one thousand sins will beat down ten thousand good works. " \Vc will mSke thee borders of gold with studs of silver," Cant. i. 1 1. The world's 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 king's daughter, most glorious within, Psal. xlv. 13. 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. He hath nothing, that thiuKs he hath enougli. If Christ have healed thee of the palsj-, he chargeth thee not to stand still, but, Take up thy bed, and walk. Matt. ix. C. We must, like the Israelites, every day gather manna till the sabbath comes; be multiplying graces until our eternal sabbath in hea- ven. " In my Father's house are many mansions," John xiv. 2 ; thither must a Christian arrive, before he can sue out his discharge. Every tiring now is either a chain or a chariot, a hindcrancc or a further- ance. happy soul, that can make his thwarters that cross him, become his porters to carry him to the place of his rest ; and can climb up by the rag- ged rocks of alTlietions, to the victorious garrison of of heaven. As God said to the man and to the woman when he put them into the world, " Increase and multiply;" so he blessetli liis graces when his Holy Spirit sows them iu our hearts. He that rests in the time of labour, shall labour in the time of rest. Let them both grow together, saith God, of the com and tares, until the harvest. Matt. xiii. 30. Now if the lares grow so fast for the fire, let the good com grow faster for the bam. The vessels whereinto Christ miraeulated wine, were fdled up to the brim, John ii. 7. The vessels of God's grace, which by a greater miracle are made to hold a celes- tial nature, must be full up to the brim. It is said of Stephen, that he was " full of the Holy Ghost," Acts vii. 55. Full ? so was Clirist only. The school answers. There are three degrees of fulness: 1. An apt or fit and meet fulness ; as when a house is well furnished, we say it is full. 2. An equal or measur- able fulness, when it is even with the content of the receiver ; so a vessel is full to the brim. 3. A cu- mulate or heaped fulness, when it overflows the con- tinent : such a fulness in Christ, in whom " dwelletli all the fulness of the Godhead bodily," Col. ii. 9. This filled his humanity with fulness of grace, the oil of gladness, above all his fellows, and for all his members : " and of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace," John i. 16. Our fulness then is sufficient, his superabundant. Now this same apt plinilude we may have in this life, but that cjual pUiiiiude is only to be expected in heaven. Seeing this multiplying to fulness 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, Jude 19. "What nn emptiness of grace is iu many men's hearts! There are some that turn this grace into wantonness; as if God were bound to fill the vessel as fast as they empty it, or to multiply their peace when they spend it in riot. You shall see every where a fulness of iniquity; a measure so heaped, and pressed, and thrust together, and yet running over, that Aon habel ullerius quod eorum nwn'bus addat Poaleritas, 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 fulness keeps them en)i)ty. They have hands full, eyes full, mouths full, houses full, hearts full. Hands full of blood and bribes, Isa. i. ; eyes full of adultery and coveticc; mouths full of cursing and bitterness, Rom. iii. 14; houses full of spoils ; hearts full of impiety : they multiply sins like the sands, but diminish graces. Two sorts are here 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 lukewarm. 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. They are all for the time, nothmg for the truth. (Optat.) Like a top, that goes always round, but never goes forxvard unless it be whipped. Like a mill-horse, that runs about in a circle all day, at night you take him out where you 1 ut him in. Or like a door, that rides all day on the hinges, and keeps out or lets in visitants, but itself is never the nearer home at night. " Ephraim is a cake not turned," Hos. vii. 8 : their cake is dough, it ■Bill never serve for bread at God's board. One propounded to Athenaus 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 a euimch, the stone a pumice, the bird a bat, the tree a fennel. 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 pumice, which is a stone and no stone ; liis 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;) liis conscience no conscience, like the fennel, 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. Lev. xi. one is the sea-mew, which we call the gull. Unclean, saith one, because it flics like a fowl, and swims like a fish. Not unlike the Syriphian frog, jl/i'/ii" terra lacusque. We have such fowls and unclean gulls, that lly in England with the wings of hypocrisy, and swim in the sea of Rome with the fins of idolatr)-. These stragglers be far from hitting the mark of salvation. AVhen Diogenes saw a bungling archer about to shoot, he ran sis 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 preser\-e the truth. 2. Revolters, that do not multiply, but subtract ; growing worse and worse; so far from acquiring graces they liad not, that they lost them they had. Like Nebuchadnezzar's dreamed image, the head Vkr. 2. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 23 might be of gold, but the feet were of clay or dirt ; they have a muddy ending. In the Roman indic- tions, the first year they paid gold as to the crown; the second year silver, for the soldiers' pay ; the third year brass, for armour. So some have been in per- secution golden saints, in peace silver professors, at last brazen or lea.den worldlings. I have read of certain trees, that on the Monday have been gro\ving in the forest, and before Sunday following under sail on the sea. Near 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 ace the city Ilium ; and then they presently witlier. 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, Psal. i. that brings forth his fruit in due season ; but rather, when the season comes wherein fruit is to be gathered, they elude the Master's expectation. Rome, that was once so famous for tlie faith, yet apostatized ; How is that faithfiil city become a harlot ! It is a fearful saying, It is impossible for them who have been made par- fakers of the Holy Ghost, &c. if they fall away, to be renewed again by repentance, Hcb. vi. 4 — IS. 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 rctrogradations. There was an ordinance for the Israelites concei-ning their entry into God's house, " He that entereth in by the way of the north gate to worship shall go out by the way of the south gate: and he that entereth by the way of the south gate shall go forth by the way of the north gate :" no man sJiall go out the same way he came in, Ezek. xlvi. 9. So the ivise men were charged to depart into their own country another way, Matt. ii. 12; teaching us a straight course, to go continually for- ward. It is but a poetical fiction, liow 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 ocutos, et protivus ilia relapsa est, he looked back, and lost her. It is a Scriptural truth, that Lot's wife, for looking back to her desired Sodom, wa.s turned into a pillar of salt. Therefore, Remember that woman, saith Christ : that pillar of .salt, that it may season thee, saith Augustine. It is observable, that Paul describing the whole armour of God, Eph. vi. and numbering all the pieces, makes no mention of a back curet for the Christian soldier. There is a helmet for the head, a corselet for the breast, a shield for the foreparts; but no guard, no regard of the back. It is a panoply, a complete armour, yet no defence for the back. Teach- ing us that we must never show our back in God's wars : we must rather die than fly ; continuing faith- ful to the end'; not leaving the banner of Christ, till we have gotten the full victory. AVhen Bias fell into 'he hands of his enemies, his soldiere flying, and crj'ing, What shall we do? he answered with noble resohition. Tell ye the living, that I die fighting ; and I will tell the dead, that ye did escape fl>-ing. ■\yhen William the Conqueror landed his amiy in Sussex, he presently caused his ships to be sunk, '.hat 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 incrcaseth, shall come to beggar)'. Be not enticed with eveiy vanity, to forsake your first love. In temporal lendings, you think it scarce enough to have the surplusage often 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, Lord, behold thine own. You know the i-cward. Cast that unprofitable sen-ant into outer darkness, Matt. xxv. 30. No, but let him that is righteous be righteous still ; and let him that is holy be more holy. Rev. xxii. 11. Let us go from strength to strength, till we all appear before God in Zion, Psal. Ixxxiv. 7- III. " Through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord." I liave done with the matter, and the measure ; now come to the manner. 'Ev intyvioau tov eiov. Which intends not a mere and simple know- ledge, but an acknowledgment, a refiective and doubling knowledge. By yvuiaic they understand such a Knowledge of God, as was in the philoso- phei-s, poets, and naturalists ; ri natiir<B congenita, acquired by the light of nature. " That which may be known of God," &c. Rom. i. 19. But this (jri'yvumf is such a knowledge, as comes Ijy God's word, which makes us wise to salvation. The word is accepted and read three ways. Ordinarily for knowledge. Sometimes for acknowledgment ; " Acknowledge ye them that are such," 1 Cor. svi. 18. Sometimes for knowing again. There is knowledge mental, sacramental, experimental. 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 favour 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 sent, Jesus Christ, John xvii. 3. " They that know thy name will put their trust in thee," Psal. ix. 10. The cause of sin and ruin is want of knowledge : swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing abound, because there is no knowledge of God in the land, Hos. iv. 1, 2. Therefore Christ shall come " in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God," 2 Thess. i. 8. The want of the sun is the cause of darkness, the privation of knowledge the ])osition of all ungod- liness. Though it be true, that llic knowing offender shall be scourged \rith sharpest rods ; (August.) yet many aflect an ignorance not necessary, that they may sin with the more security. (Bern.) 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 thinkino' of it ; but we must double this knowledge in our affections and hearts, by feeling it. For there is no knowledge so com- fortable, as the experimental certainty of God's fa^ vour. Man's 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 fulness, and repletion with the lusts of 24 AN EXPOSITION UPON THE L'bap. 1. this world : man's heart is so full of cracks and flaws, that it cannot hold the water of life. " And of Jesus our Lord." There is no knowing of God with comfort, hut through Jesus Christ. " No man knowcth the Father but the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him," Matt. xi. 27. Otherwise we may know him a just and omnipo- tent Avenger; in Christ only, "the Father of mer- cies, and God of all comfort," 2 Cor. i. 3. " There shall no man see me, and live," saith God to Moses, Exod. xxxiii. 20. Woe to that man, who removing Christ, will attempt to comprehend God in his ma- jesty ! Without him, he that incrcaseth knowledge, increaseth his own sorrow, his own torment, Eccles. i. 18. In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, Col. ii. 3. By the Son is the Father known : " If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also," John xiv. 7. 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 uj) to the crossj and lastly mount up to the crown. Wouldst thou know God? run iirst 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 glor)% 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 nms upon this note, as David did upon mercy, Psal. cxxxvi. Little difference ; for no mercy but through Jesus, and Jesus is all mercy. It is the sweetest music ; angelical melody in the ear, evangelical harmony in the heart. St.' Paul in-his epistles ment,ions the name of Jesus four hundred and sixty times and upwards. Neither is this repe- tition only of love, but of necessity ; for it is impos- sible that grace and mercy should be to us, but by Jesus Christ. If thou writest, I like not thy letters, unless I find them beautified with Jesus: if thoueon- ferrest, thy discourse is without relish, if it be without Jesus. (Bern.) I had rather not be at all, than be without Jesus. (Ansclm.) 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 compre- hend this infinitely sweet Saviour, therefore I will end with that end of a divine sonnet : O Christ, I would fain receive thee ; but " Now I want space, now grace, to ease all smart ; Since my heart holds not thee, hold thou my heart." Now as all grace and peace is from our Lord Jesus Christ, so let us ascribe all honour and glory to our Lord Jesus Christ, for ever and ever. Amen. Verse 3. ■According ns his diiitie potcer halh giren unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that halh called us to glori/ and virtue. The connexion shall be forbom a little, and give way to the distribution. The whole verse mav be (listin™islied into two generals : I. The fountain; wherein observe, 1. The hope of the petitioner, According as he hath. 2. The ability of the giver, Divine power. 3. The liberty of the action, Hath given. 4. The necessity of the receivers, Lnto us. 5. The universality of the gift, All things that pertain unto life and godliness. II. The cistern ; wlierein observe, 1 . The water of life ; wherein consider, (I.) Who, God. (2.) What, Hath called. (3.) Whom, Us. (4.) Whither, To glory and viitue. 2. The pipe or bucket to draw and derive all to us. Through tlie knowledge of him. The whole being thus let fall into parts, let us Jiroceed orderly to take up the first, and view it. This is, the hope of the petitioner ; which with a re- markable dependence knits this verse wth the former, and Ijegetteth this doctrine from the cohe- rence : The experience of former mercy works a per- suasion 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 bcgim, there- fore 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 out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine," 1 Sam. xvii. 37. This is the argu- ment a prio);', thevoiceofastrongfaith,that persuades the conscience God will be gracious to him, because he hath been gracious. The prophet thus often com- forted his soul: "Thou, O God, hast enlarged me when I was in ihstress;" therefore, "have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer," Psal. iv. 1. So, " Thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell ;" therefore, " O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me," Psal. Ixxxvi. 1.3, Ifi. Let the justiciaries 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 lion's mouth ; therefore the Lord shall deliver me still from every evil work, and pre- serve me unto his heavenly kingdom, 2 Tim. iv. 1/, 18. Hence was his, " I know whom I have believed." The prophet's distressed soul cried, "Will the Lord cast oflf for ever ? Is his mercy clean gone for ever ? Hath God forgotten to be gracious?" Psal. Ixxvii. 7 — '•■ No, he recollects himself with the memory of precedent favours ; " I will remember the yeare of the right hand of the Most High. I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember thy wonders of old," ver. 10, II. 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 nave been liberal, therefore I will be liberal. To him shall be given ; because the good he hath is but an earnest of God's greater bounty. He takes up man's seul as a poor beggar at his door, strips off her tattered rags, gives her a suit out of his own ward- robe, adorns her with rich jewels; and then, as if all this were too little, loves her still better and belter ; lastly, marries her to his own Son, and so interests her to the inheritance of gloiy. You sec the founda- tion of the apostle's pr.iyer, the experience of God's sweet nature, who midtiplies his graces. Let not this point part with us till it hath taught us two things; to pray faithfully, and to live thankfully. I. Let us pray in confidence that God will hear us Ver. 3. SECOND EPISTLK GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 25^ because he hath heard us. Come we boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, Heb. iv. 16. God's facility in his wonted grants gives us strong consolation. A noble princess asked a cour- tier, 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 om-selves ; God is the same in bovmty, but we are not the same in duty. We ask either bad things to a good purpose, or good things to a bad purpose. Evil tilings, either e^l in themselves, or to the petitioners. In themselves. One calls prayer, a re- quest of convenient things. What a good father will not give, let a good son not ask ; not a serpent in- stead of a fish, nor a stone for bread. Matt. vii. 9, 10. We must not beg a serpent, lest it should hurt our- selves ; nor a stone, lest we should hurt others. That is not requested in the name of our Saviour, that is requested against the rule of salvation. (August.) The disciples asked many things, and had them ; but when they asked fire from heaven, they had it not, Luke ix. 54. If it be not fit for God to give, it is not fit for us to ask. 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 alTordeth (he 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 : for my strength is made perfect in weakness," 2 Cor. xii. 8, 9. He was not quite delivered from the temptation in him- self, but he was fortified with the sufficiency of God. The man sick of the burning fever cries to his physi- cian for drink : he pities him, but does not satisfy him ; he gives him proper physic, but not drink. So God, saith Augustine, does not give us what we would have, but what we should have. Perhaps he crosseth us in our affection, but blesscth us in our salvation. The younger brother shall not have all his portion, lest he nin to riot ; nor the gallant ever enjoy health, lest he be too proud. Thus a man is afflicted that he maybe 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 pur- pose. So the envious begs lionour, 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 cotfers for money. Some desire learning, that they may be factious ; others riches, not to ser\-e God, prcscr\-e the state, nor relieve the poor, but to grow fat with idleness, and domineer over their neighbours. " Ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not," James iv. 2. 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 ye ask amiss," ver. 3 : you fail in your manner of requesting, therefore God doth not satisfy your de- sires. You ask and miss, because you ask amiss. No, we pray as earnestly, and with as devout affec- tion, as others, yet speed not. Look a little fiirther into the apostle's words, and your own hearts : ye ask, " that ye may consume it upon your lusts." Here is the reason, you beg good things to be wanton with them ; silver and gold to give unto Baal ; com and wine to riot. Perhaps you may faintly pray against that sin which you would be loth to lose. Tliis is to pray in jest ; as Augustine speaks of his unconverted estate, that he desired God to cool the fire of his concupiscence ; but his tongue besought an extinction, his heart desired a satisfaction ; he had rather have it pleased, than expelled. He prayed in- deed, 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, chordal, cordial, vocal, and actual. There is a mental praise, when we bear m our minds the favoiu-s of God: "I will remember the works of the Lord," Psal. IxxWi. II. It was the wretchedness of Israel to forget his wonders : " They soon forgat his works," Psal. cvi. 13. What can he remember, that forgets the mercies of God ? Monumental, when we erect trophies, pillars, and monuments, to continue the memory of God's deliver- ances : " This shall be written for the generation to come : and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord," Psal. cii. 18. Thus Abraham and Jacob reared divers pillars, which were dumb cate- chisms to the posterities unborn; answering the charge of God, and the practice of Israel : " Our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, showing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord," Psal. Ixxviii. 3. 4. Chordal, I call that praise which is framed to God upon instruments. " Praise him with the sound of the trumpet : praise him with the psaltery and harp : praise him with stringed instruments and organs," Psal. el. For this cause musical insti-uments are re- tained 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 look 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 Cicsar require his own image in his coin, shall not God expect his image in thy soul? He loves little, that can tell how much lie 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," Psal. ciii. 1, 2. Vocal : 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, Psal. xcii. 2. God's glory will make a good man speak, even when terror itself hath commanded silence. Our Saviour cast out a dumb devil, and when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake, and the people wondered, Luke xi. 14. 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, 1 think, they were first called Roarers, whom Christ may well conjure, as he did that devil, " Hold thy peace, and come out," Mark i. 2.5. But Gregory 'J6 AN EXPOSITION IPON THE Chap. I. answers, He that sins horribly, and confesseth not heartily, though he roars much, yet holds his peace. To hear blasphemers wound :ind tear the sweet and sacred name of Christ would make a dumb man speak. Herodotus writes of Croesus' son, being bom dumb, yet seeing his father end.ingercd in a battle, on a sudden cried out, O spare him, he is the king. So when God's glory is in question, what a numbness, what a dumbness is it, not to say, O spare him, he is the Lord ! The tongue that yields not this defence, is tied by Satan, not loosed by God. Actual, is when our lives praise God. Let your conversation be lioncst, that they, beholding your good works, may glorify God in the day of visitation, 1 Pet. ii. 12. So the Master had taught the disciple, Matt. V. 16, as the ihsciple taught us. We, like blind Isaac, cannot sec your hearts, therefore we say, " Let me feci 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. Never say you praise God with your words, when you dispraise him with your works. (August.) " Honour the Lord wntli thy substance," Prov. iii. 9; this is substantial honour. God gave Samuel to Hannah, Hannah gave Samuel back again to God. Return part of thy riches to him, that gave all to thee. David loved Mephibo- sheth for Jonathan's sake. Is Jonathan gone? yet wc have many Mephibosheths. The Lord dispos'eth his part of thy substance to his ministers, to his poor members : he incrcaseth thy part, for .shame do not thou diminish his. " His divine power." We come to the next cir- cumstance, the ability of the Giver. Here is power, yea, divine power ; not only great, but good. For mercy and majestj- must meet together in the dona- tion 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, in the seas, and in all deep places," Psal. cxxxv. 6. But is there nothing that God cannot do ? Yes, he can- not lie, he cannot die, he cannot deny himself. He is for potent, not for impotent works. Hisalmightiness consists in doing what he will, not in suffering what he will not. (August.) The doing of some things were an argument of weakness, not of power. For herein is a remonstrance of our might, not that we have able- ness to sin, but to withstand sin. Therefore Augus- tine wisheth, that no man bad any strength, but against wickedness. Let every man desire such power, that he may be strong in himself, and (after a strange manner) against hiniself, for his owti good. For a dominion over oneself is greater than the grand seigniory of Turkey. To be strong to sin is no cre(ht for man ; as it is no discredit for God that he cannot sin. Woe to them that are strong to drink ! Isa. V. 22. Dost thou pride thyself in this strength ? thou shalt howl for that glory. This power is the greatest inlirmity. There are that oppress a man and his heritage, because it is in the power of their hand, Micah ii. 1, 2. This strength to sin, is to be strong to go to hell. Commonly to beasts of the greatest power, is given the least immanity, and to those of the greatest immanity the least power. The ox hath strength, but tameness; the bee wHldness, but weakness. Either they have power to Imrt, 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 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 l)iy innocence; that thou wouldst do hai-m, 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 com- mand fire from heaven, but would not. Posse et nolle nobile. It is divine power, as for the mightiness, so for the mercifulness ; his goodness doth sweetly temper his greatness. Not oiuy a power, but a good, gracious, divine power. " He abideth faithful, he cannot deny himself," 2 Tim. ii. 13. If we desire worldly wealth, he may deny us, for that is not himself. If we de- sire preferment, he may deny us, for that is not him- self. If we desire revenge, ne may deny us, for that is not himself. But if we desire grace, goodness, sanctity, mercy, he will not deny us, for that is him- self, and he cannot deny himself. " No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly," Psal. Ixxxiv. 1 \. 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 the heavens : he hath done whatsoever he hath iileased," Psal. cx\-. 3. He can do more than ever lie was or will be pleased to do. His divine power could have made many worlds, his di\-ine will hath de- creed but one. The passengers in mockerj- bad Christ come downi from the cross, Matt, xx^'ii. 40: 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. Matt. ssyi. 53; but he would not, but rather delivered up his Son to his enemies, to save his friends. So Jolui Baptist to the bragging Jews, that pretended the fatherhood of Abraham; " God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham," Matt. iii. 9. His power is without limits, as his will is without injustice. His power teacheth us to fear bim; his divine and gracious power, to love him ; both together make for our nimiility and comfort. The knowledge of God's power will humble the proudest heart. Was he able to make thee of no- thing, 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," Hcb. x. 31 : yet there is no way to avoid it, but by falling into it. Strive not to ran from him by wickedness, but to run to him by repentance. " Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God," 1 Pet. v. (> : it is a mighty hand, humble yourselves under it, lest you be hum- bled by it. His power is so mighty, that it boots not a man to strive with him, for he was never yrt over- mastered. 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 ! Matt. x. 28. " Do we provoke the Lord to anger ? are we stronger than he?" sailh the apostle. Do we challenge him that can confound us? We are like to get little by such bargains. " Let him t.ike away his rod from ine, and let not his fear terrify me: then would I speak," Job ix. 34, 35. 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, 5i' qtiolies peccent homines, sua fulmina mitlat Jupiter, t\iigiio tempore inermts erit, If for every sin of men he should send down n thun- derbolt, either Vulcan's one-eyed Cyclops would be soon weaiT, or his stock of thmider soon empty. Mars ultor galeam qiioqiie perdidit, et re* ^'on poluil scnare xtiax. V'i:u. 3. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 27 Mare's sword miglit be wrung out of his hand, and himself disarmed. But who hath resisted the Lord ? Rom. ix. 19; 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, I opened not my mouth ; because thou didst it," Psal. xxxix. 9. God tells revolted Israel, that in quietness they should be saved, Isa. nxx. 15 ; not by sight, nor by tliglit. 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, Lev. X. 3. Peter was accused by the apostles for going in to the Gentiles ; but when he made his defence, and rehearsed the matter from the beginning, proving that he was directed to that course by a vision, they held their peace, and glorified God, Acts xi. 4, 18. The knowledge of this divine and giving power may comfort the most dejected heart. It gives us many consolations: I. Concerning the salvation of' others and ourselves : how desperate soever 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 sixteen hundred years burning is not wa.sted in them ; yet, saith Paul, even they may be grafted into the ohve again, if they abide not still in unbelief: and his reason is, because " God is able to giaft them in again," Eom. xi. 23. 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 ease 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 shall feel the " working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised lum from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in heaven," Eph. i. 19, 20. What was the power which he wrought in Christ ? When malice had spent itself 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 corjiorally ; c.in 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," Phil. iii. 10. 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 sorrows, yet it doth fortify our patience ; we are " strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness," Col. i. 11. 3. This comforts us in prayer. There is no speeding prayer but what 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, " Lord, if thou wilt thou canst make me clean," Matt. viii. 2. After the wis- dom 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 king- dom, tne power, and" to thee be " the glory for ever." 4. This comforts us against all oppositions, even those principalities that wrestle against us; the assurance of this divine power. 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," Rev. xii. 11. "Ye are of God, and have overcome them." Whom ? All the adversaries of your faith and manners. How ? " Be- cause greater is he that is in you," that is, Jesus Christ by his divine power, " than he that is in the world," 1 John iv. 4, tliat 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, Lord, art with me ; thy rod and ihy staff do comfort me, Psal. xxiii. 4. Lastly, let this hearten us to cheerful liberality ; because whatso- ever we lack or lose, there is a divine power able to require it. Thus Paul encourageth the Corintliians' bounty ; because God is able to make all grace abound toward them, that they having all-sufficiency in all tilings, may abound to every good work, 2 Cor. ix. 8. " Hath given." I come from the faculty of the Agent to the libert)' of the action : he gives. He doth not set, nor let, nor sell, nor lend, but give. The covetous landlord sets his tenements, the griping usurer lets his money, the wasting prodigal sells his estate, the charitable neighbour lends his goods ; but the most liberal God gives. Thus doth God, Satan, and man, dispose their things. God gives, Satan sells, and man restores. God and Satan have two several warehouses. A\'e come to the devil's warehouse, look on his wares, like them well ; they have a fair gloss. The gloss of drunkenness is good fellowship; the gloss of adulteiy 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 reli- gion. To make good this gloss, his shop hath two false lights ; man's law, and man's example. First, human laws; .so we shall neverbe 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 ndll not be this two days. Well, men thus liking the wares, they come to the price; that is 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 ? No, they had a price set on them ; it must be a crouch of his knee, he must worship the devil for it, Matt. iv. 9. He makes show of Robin Hood's pennyworths, and may forbear his debt- ors until death ; but then lays a heavy execution on them, and condemns them to an everlasting prison. Munera magna quidem ■prabet, sed jtrtpbet in lianio, He puts forth large baits, but there be damnable hooks hid in them. A worldling is beset with exigents, he complains his wants. Satan promiseth ready help; Judas shall have money in his nurse, Gehnzi 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 : Come ye to the waters, come, buy ■wine and milk ivithout money, Isa. Iv. I ; yea, bread and fatness, ver. 2. Let us see the wares. First is water. Water ! alas, a poor and pUntifiil commodity ; cheap enough ; every channel affords it. No ; for first, literally, water was of great use in Palestine, a diy country. Poor Hagar with her little 28 AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. I. boy were almost lost with thirst. How did her heart leap when " God ojjcncd her eyes, and she saw a well of water!" Gen. xxi. 19. Isaac's herd-men strove with the herti-men of Gei-ar about waters ; therefore he called the name of the well Esek, that is, Contention. Israel murmured for water, and were plagued for it. Water hath a manifold use; it scr^•es for drink, for medicine, for washing, for purging, for hoiling, for quenching, for fructifying. Water was held liy some the beginning of all other tilings ; wpia, quasi a aua omnia. It was esteemed a principal pre- scrver 01 life, therefore called living. Gen. xxvi. 19. Isaac's sen-ants found a well of living water: it is translated, springmg, but the original gives it, /(Vino- 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 salva- tion," Isa. xii. ,3. " I will pour water upon him that is thirsty " (which he expounds of grace): " I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed," Isa. xliv. 3. " Who- soever is athirst, let him take the water of life freely," Rev. xxii. 17. Next is wine. Is this so goodp Wine is the nourishment of lust ; the Mani- checs called it, the gall of the prince of darkness. No; wine is good, hath manifold benefits; it helps the stomach, nourisheth the body, wliets the wit, rherisheth the heart, and cheers the whole man. Christ's first miracle in Galilee mentioned, was turn- ing water into wine; and the last thing he used in the sacrament was wine. It is said to cheer God and man, Judg. ix. 13. Thirdly, bread : this is called the strength of man's life. It was a great curse God tlireatencd to Israel, " I will break their staff of bread. I' 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," 1 Pet. ii. 2. Bread necessarv- for life, oil for oma- mcnt, water for use, milk for' nourishment, wine for delight. These are good wares. The water of re- generation, the wine of compunction, the bread of life, the oil of gladness, the milk of the gospel ; who would desire better purchase ? AVe like tliem well ; what is the price ? Nothing; a very easy reckoning. The Lord gives, and that lietter things "for nothing than Satan will sell us for our souls. Those thrifty men, that try all shops for the cheapest pennyworths, 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, wlicn 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. lilan .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 s;ike, to man for God's sake. To God; what is that ? Thanks. " What shall I ren- der unto tlie Lord for all his benefits?" Psal. cxvi. 12. I will magnify and bless his name. That is, not to m;ike his name great, but to declare it great. " Sing fiirlh the honour of his name: make his liraise glorious," Psal. Ixvi. 2. How can man make his praise glorious ? By singing forth the honour of his name. This is a plain restitution, yet goes under tlie name of a contribution. So willing is God to accept man's duly, that he takes it as his bountv. 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 tliis in matters either of equity or charity. Of equity : " If I have taken any tfiing from any man by false accusation, I restore him four-fold," Luke xix. 8. This necessity Nehemiah imposed on Israel : first, by entreaty : " I pray you, let us leave off this usur\\" 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 sacra- mental 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 be he shaken out, and emptied. And all the congre- gation said, Amen," Neh. v. 10 — 13. The very bar- b.irians abhor the neglect of restitution. A great lady, being a widow, called to her an English mer- chant, trafficking in those parts, with whom she knew her husband liad some commerce, and asked him if there were nothing owing to him from her deceased lord. He, after her much importunity, acknowledged what, and showed the particulars. She tendered him satisfaction, yea, (and after his many modest re- fusals, as being greatly benefited by the dead barba- rian,) she forced him to take of her hand the uttermost penny ; saying thus, I would not have my husband's 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 St. Augustine delivers for doctrinal tioith. 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 : I ask not for tliine, but for mine own. Give and restore ; Pelimusque damus- ijtie vicissim, If we do not give alms according to our power, God will sue us of an action of detiny. Why did you not give things that were mine by right, yours only by use and dispensation ; whereof you were not proprietaries and lords, but accountant stewards? Matt. xxv. Reprobates will part witli many things for a tormenting devil, and shall we re- store nothing for our sanng God ? (Cyjirian.) Most men think when they give, that God and man is beholden to tliem. Not so ; they do not give of their own, but restore some of that God hath given them. For restoring they shall have recompcnce, for detaining vengeance. I am fallen upon a point of giving; therefore, me- tliinks, I should not be niggardly in it. God give me a tongue to declare it, and give us all hearts to practise it. Two things it readily feacheth us. I. How to judge of all we have; as the Lord's gifts, not our own merits. It is a wretched thing, to use those things that are added to us, as if they had been bred in us. " What hast thou, that thou didst not receive ? If thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it ?" 1 Cor. iv. 7- God, saith Bernard, is the Aulllor of merit ; for he both applieth the will to the work, and disposeth the work to the will. Thou dost good works ; so much as is good in them is not thine, but God's. Man, for these things, is rather a debtor to God, than God to man. Thou canst not so much as give God thanks, unless God first give thee the grace of thank- fulness. Thou canst not be patient under his hand, except his hand give thee patience. Why do we boast then, seeing that Qu<p }ion fccimus tpii, J'ix ea nostra roco. We cannot call those deeds ours which we have not done ourselves? " I laboured more abundantlv than Ver. 3. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 29 they all : yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me," 1 Cor. xv. 10. Still if we do good, we are beholden to God for it, not God to us. 2. To follow God's example, in being evermore giving good things. Beneficence is a royal office. It is a poor degree of comfort wherein many bless them- selves, to do no ill ; for 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 j seeing he doth not imitate God in giving, but the devil in extorting. There are that give some- thing to the poor, that they may take away more : this is not a chaiitable giving, but a subtle hunting ; it is 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. First, because it is of that which is justly gotten : so Zaecheus, Half my goods I give to the poor, and restore to them I have wronged four- fold, Luke xix. 8. Observe his words ; I restore other men's goods, but I give mine o^^ii. 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. Whilst 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, 1. Worth nothing. 2. Worthy of notliing. 1. To us, that had nothing; miserable beggars. And indeed what should be the object of mercy, but miserj- ? Present thyself, poor soul ! a miserable creature before a merciful Creator. Say not with Laodicca, Rev. iii. 17, "I have need of nothing," but, I have nothing. God doth not only forgive us, because we have nothing to pay, ISIatt. xviii. 23 ; but he gives us, because 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 gen- tleman in Rome, concealing his broken estate, died so far in debt, he sent to buy the pillow whereon he slept. 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 thea- tres, though wretched beggars in heavenly graces. As it is in this world for temporal things, so for the world to come in spiritual things ; poor men sing, and rich men cry. Who is so melancholy as the rich worldling ? And who sings so merrj* a note, as lie that cannot change a groat ? So thev that have store of grace, mourn for want of it ; and they that indeed want it, chant their abundance. Others arc poor and cry : so did Esau, because he could not re- cover the " blessing, though he sought it carefully with tears," Heb. xii. 17. These mad dogs bite the stone, without regard to him that threw it. Sorrow, like a needle, runs through their hearts, but hath no thread of faith in it, to sow the.m to Jesus Christ. Thpy aie worse in the state of this world, yet not better in the state of grace. If God touch a Pharaoh, he will roar; you sliall 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 repent- ant tears in the midst of prosperity, this is like rain in sunshine. He that mourns for the cause of his punishment, shall mourn but a while : he tha* mourns only for the punishment, and not for the cause, shall mourn for ever. Lastly, others curse and are miserable, as Job's wife counselled 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, Dan. v. 17. They have along 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 sen- sible but disconsolate, others sensible and desperate. We were all poor beggars, and had notliing, therefore had need of a giver. 2. 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, neither receiving, nor conceiving, nor de- siring grace ; that had not only a rebellion of will, but a will of rebellion ; this was the wonder. This was not a love to us because we first loved him ; but a love to us though we hated him. He loved us, be- cause he loved us, in our creation, when we could not, in our redemption, when we would not, love him. " All things that pertain unto 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 ^ives " to all life, and breath, and all things," Acts xvii. 25. No silver in Benjamin's sack, till Joseph put it in : no good in man, till God infuse it. WorkUings ascribe things to the goodness of their skill, or great- ness of their pains. " Is not this great Babylon, that I have built by the might of my power ? " Dan. iv. 30. They sacrifice to their nets, Hab. i. 16. But indeed every good and perfect gift comes from above, even from the Father of liglits. Jam. i. 17. It is in vain that you rise up early, and go to bed late : for so he givetli his beloved sleep, Psal. cxxvii. 2. All that pertain " Unto life." Where we may cither by life under- stand our natural life, together with all things that may presei-ve 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, Jer. ix. 23 : wisdom, the good of the mind ; strength, the good of the body ; nches, the goods of fortune. He gives all, let us give him praise for all. He "giveth us richly all things to enjoy," 1 Tim. vi. 17. This is a large field to sur\ey, let your medita- tions supply the defect of my speech. Who cannot say, " Thou art he that toolc me out of the womb : thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts?" Psal. xxii. 9. And because life is not only 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 pertain to life, and resen-es 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 godlmess, and 30 AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Crap. I. jy godliness to life. He provides not only tem- porally for us, that we may live here ; hut eternal- ly, that we may live for ever. The things here- to belonging are the graces and gifts of the Spi- rit. Some think that these principal graces are but seven : because it is said, " There were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God," Rev. iv. 5 : prefigiued by the stone with seven eyes, Zcch. iii. 9 ; by the seven lamps of one candlestick, Zech. iv. 2 ; by the seven horns of one lamp, which are the seven Spirits of God, Rev. iv. 5. Some have numbered and deduced tliem from Isa. xi. 12; 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 accortbng to our account : we may say of them, as of the seven stars, Qiias seplem dicunt, sex tamen esse Solent, Men say there 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 belong to life and godliness. " No good thing will he -withhold from them that walk upright- ly," Psal. Ixxxiv. II. This is an immense fountain ; the Lord fill all the buckets of our hearts at tliis 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 whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required," Luke xii. 48. If there be a receipt, there must follow a return : and that both in portion, the same ; and in proportion, something answerable to it. If the thing given be much, the thing required is not little ; and this shall be exacted in obedience, or extorted in vengeance. " After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, andreckoneth with them," Matt. xxv. 19 ; 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 ■for : " Give account of thy stewardship, for thou must be no longer steward." God is not like Pharaoh and his task-masters, that allow no straw, yet exact the fidl tale of bricks. He is unjustly taxed, to reap where he hath not sown, and to gather where he hath not strewed. Matt. xxv. 24. No, but if he hath Elanted a vineyard, and dressed it with careful cost, e looks for gi-apes. If God fill Joshua's heart with his Spirit, he will fill his hands with business. If St. Paul have abundant grace, he must have abun- dant labours. Every gift is obligatory ; and whatso- ever benefits us, ipso facto binds us. Now what shall we answer for the interest, that have misspent the principal ? Have we received all, and shall we ac- count for nothing? Yes, the books shall be opened, and there are set down all the particulars of our re- ceipts 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, re- ceived garments, laid out pride. Item, received speech, laid out swearing and lying. Item, received sight, laid out lusting ; or perhaps your layings out are niore. Item, so many score pounds laid out in malice and suits at law ; so many liundreds in lusts and vanities; so many thousands in building great houses. Item, to the poor in our will to be paid at our death, forty shillings ; to the preacher for a fimcral oration to commend us, half a sovereign. Will this bill go current when God comes to cast it up ? No, if these accounts be not mended in this life, we shall never have our quietus in the life to come. Let us then be good in our office, and make our reckonings even, that it may T)e said to every one of us, "Well done, good and fditMul servant; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord," Matt. xxv. 2.3. 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 gloiy in heaven. " Through the knowledge of him that hath called us to gloiy and virtue." We have considered the fountain, let us come now to the conduit, the means or meritorious cause, through wliich all these pre- cious gifts are bestowed on us. This ever-flowing and over-flowing conduit is Christ, in whom dwells all fulness. Col. i. I9. Now for us, the more capacious a vessel of faith we bring, the greater measure of gnice we shall receive. In this conduit obser^-e 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 fonner 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. I came to call sinners to repentance : I, not man, nor angels. Matt. ix. 1.3; Luke xix. 10. God only can of stones raise up chiUben to Abraham. He that could turn stones into bread, can turn a .stony heart into that mercy to give bread. He (hat could fetch water from a rock, can di-aw 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 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 ea.sy to think. No, we cannot think a good thought of ourselves. Thought is free. No, the thought is God's bond-servant. It is easv fo believe. No, for foith is the fair gift of God, Phil.'i. 29. Yet, it is easy to will. No, it is he that workelh in us, both to will and to do, at his good pleasure, Phil, ii, 13. ]Man'swill is a fugitive Oncsimus ; God must call home that runagate, subdue that rebel. Yet when we have begim, it is easy to continue. No, he that begun a good work in us, will perform it, Phil. i. 6. Jesus is the founder and the finisher of oar faith, Heb. "xii. 2. But we can suflVr for him at our ] leu- sure. No, it is given to us to sufler for his sake, Phil. i. 29. " Without me ye can do nothing," John XV. 5; notlitlle.hul7iotliing. But in him and through him all things: " I can do all things through Chnst which strengtheneth me," Phil. iv. 1.3. In ourselves we are w'eak captives ; in him more than conquerors, Rom. viii. 37. " If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land," Isa. i. 19. Yet is it neither of the wilier, nor of the runner, but of God (hat shows mercy, Rom. ix. IG. "With my whole heart have I sought thee." Did he bend his own heart to it? No, but prays, "Olet me not wander from thy commandments," Psal. cxix. 10. " I will run the way of thy commandments ;" but when ? " when thou shalt enlarge my heart," ver. .32. " My son, keep thy heart :" yet it is the peace of God that keeps the heart in Christ Jesus, Phil. iv. 7- God's imperative infers no potential, but an optative : Lord, give what thou biddest, and bid what thou wilt. The law chargeth obedience, but faith obtains for- giveness. " 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 c.illed." There was a time when Christ came personally to call ; he " went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vinej-ard," Matt. xx. 1. He went out of him- self, that he might come into thee, that he miglit Ver. 3. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 31 convert thee into liimself. (Pontan.) He went out from his majesty that is invisible, to his mercy that is manifested in his works. Now he callcth at divers times, in divers places, and after divers mannere. At divers times. All hours of the day he is call- ing ; at tlie first hour, the third, the sixth, tlie ninth, the eleventh, Matt. xx. In all ages of the world. Before the law he called Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abra- ham. Under the law, Moses, David, Isaiah, &-c. Under the gospel, apostles, martyrs. Sec. And now us, " upon whom the ends of the world are come," 1 Cor. X. II. This is the eleventh hour at the least, 1 John ii. 1>^. He called some at the first hour; Samuel, John Baptist, sanctifying them from the womb. Others in the third hour, their youth; as young Daniel, St. John the evangelist. That little disciple Christ greatly loved. (Hieron.) Others in the sixth hour; as Peter and Andrew. Others in the eleventh; as Gamaliel, 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, Rom. x. 21. Woe imto 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, others from their shops ; Peter and Andrew fishing on the sea, Matthew fishing on the land. It is a great mat- ter to convert a mariner forth of his ship, but a greater wonder to convert a publican forth of his shop. Some from the market, Matt. xx. .3; some from the hedges, Luke xiv. 23. Paul in his finy, " breathing out threatenings and slaughter," Acts ix. I. Henry VIII. 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 seimon ; you never saw a 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 treble of mercy, and the tenor of judgment. " Out of the throne proceeded light- nings, and thunderings, and voices," Rev. iv. 5. 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," Isa. Ixi. 2. 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 (o the tune of the gospel ; we can hear nothing Vmt Pax vobii; and see nothing but Ecce Jlgnus ; 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. Matt. xvii. ; not the law alone, nor the gospel alone, but Moses and Christ, the law and the gospel, are conjoined. Next he calls by his judgments: thus he heats our iron hearts in the fiirnace of afflic- tions; that nocumcnia might be docitmenla, men's sufferings their instructions. That which makes the body smart, makes the soul wise. Doth God afflict us ? he calls us to repentance ; for " tribulation workcth patience," Rom. v. 3. Whilst we are thus exercised, either with sorrows inflicted, or wjth hopes delayed, God calls us home to himself. He often conveys holiness through the wounds of afflictions : the iiersecuted church flies like a dove to the clefts of the rock, Cant. ii. 14; nestles herself in the wounds of Jesus Christ. Trouble is a messenger that speaks thus to us. Make your peace with God. Thou complainest that thou art afflicted on every side, groancst under thy burden, after many changed sides criest out of unremedied pain ; alas, thou re- pentest not. Trouble came on this message, to teach thee repentance : give the messenger Iiis 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, Rom. ii. 4. God spares the sinner, but let not the sinner spare his sin. We have hard hearts, if the lilood of the Lamb cannot soften them ; stony bowels, if so many mercies cannot melt us. What was Pharaoh's great- est plague ? Not the murrain on his beasts, nor the hail on his fruits, nor the blood in his waters, nor the blains on his fiesh, nor the first-bom slain in his families ; but a hard heart. They write of a northern fountain, that turns all things it recei\"es 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's sake let us go. It is " the voice of my Beloved," Cant. ii. 8 ; let us mn to him. In the last and great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, S:c. John vii. 37 : stood up, that he might be seen ; cried, that he might be heard. He is audible in his word, visible in liis sacraments ; in both he calls. " I stand at the door, and knock," Rev. ii). 20 : 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 him not stand without, till his head be filled with dew, and his locks with the di'ops of the night, Cant, v. 2. He is the way in the truth, and the tnxth in the way, and in both the life. He calls, yet com- plains, " Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life," John v. 40. Go we then to him. Come to him and live, depart from him and perish. (August.) Let not Christ call in vain, nor his ministers say, We have laboured in vain, and spent our strength for nought, Isa. xlix. 4. 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, Prov. i. 2S. 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, depitrt "into fire:" you wouldhave sinned everlastingly, therefore, depart into " everlasting fire :" you have hearkened to the devil's temptations, you nuist feel the devil's tor- ments ; into fire " prepared for the devil and his angels," Matt. xxv. 41. Abuse not his calling, lest he swear in his wrath that thou shalt never enter into his rest, Heb. iii. 11. He sends for us friendly, freely, frequently ; let us make no excuses, lest he vow that none of those bidden guests shall taste of his supper, Luke xiv. 24. Many cry, O Lord, why hast thou forsaken me ? to whom he replies, O man, why hast thou forsaken me ? They say to the Almighty, " Dep;irt from us ; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways," Job xxi. 14; therefore God shall say to them, " Depart from me, ye that work iniquity," Matt. vii. 23. They that forget God call- ing on them in health, shall be rejected calling on him in sickness. The groaning reprobate shall say, Come, Lord, to comfort ; but God to him, Come, sinner, to judgment. Then, as iEneas for his lost wife, Creusa, Nee quicquam ingeminans ilerumque ite- rumque vocabis ; thou doubling thy cries, shalt call 82 AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. I. 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 sensed, you shall xeign : " inherit the kingdom prepared for you," Matt. XXV. 34. 3. Whom hath he called ? " Us : " us miserable sinners; that were deaf, and could not hear him; lame, and could not meet him ; blind, and could not see him ; dead, and could not answer him. Us ; far enough olT, 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. 4. To what ? " To glory and virtue." Some read, h/ glory and virtue ; others, to glory and virtue. The sense is good and receivable either way : a word or two of them both. If we take it, hj 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," Matt. x. 5. " It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs," Matt. XV. 26. Yet when those children put from them the gospel, and judged themselves un- worthy of everlasting life, it came to the Gentiles, Acts xiii. 46 : God did effect it l>y glory and virtue. God promised that all Israel shall be saved, Rom. xi. 26. 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 shepherds, scattered the sheep, bunied the professors, leagued with the Spaniard, yielded all to the pope : all is now bunged up in ignorance, the devil is jocund, men's perdition just as 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 i)atroness 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 king- dom, 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 : fill this by glory and virtue. To glorj' and virtue, according to the common reading. How hath God already called us to glory and virtue ? In two respects ; in present being, and in hope. First, for our i)rcsent estate we must understand by " glory," the honour of being Chris- tians ; by " virtue," the good life that becometh Christians: to both these we are called. To glory. Is there any glory in this world be- longing to a saint ? any account of a man so mortified to temporal things? Are we not the refuse and off- scouring of all things ? I Cor. iv. 13. 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 thraldom, then is there glorj- in freedom. " Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free," Gal. v. 1. We arc not boni free, but new-born free. It is great glor)- for us (naturally) slaves, to be made by Christ free-men ; but greater glor}' to be made kings, Rev. i. 6. So we that believe are tndy noble, brethren and sisters to Christ, and so of the blood-roval of God. To as many as receive him, he gives right and privilege to be the sons of God, John i. 12. O happy Christians ! let others boast their generation, we our regeneration. This is the best ornament of blood, the noblest part of the scutcheon, the fairest flower in the gentleman's garland. 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 great- ness is got by our littleness ; the greatest glory comes by humility. If thou desirest glory, despise it ; so thou shalt be most glorious. (Chrj's.) The world hath the godly in derision, and a proverb of reproach ; count their life to be madness, and their end without honour, Wisd. v. 3, 4; as the filth of the world, and the off-scouring of all things, 1 Cor. iv. 13. But no man is miserable because another so thinks him, but because he so feels himself. But the Lord hath called us to glorj-, and made us sons to a King, John iii. 2, brothers to a King, Heb. ii. 11, heirs to a King, Rom. viii. 17, yea, even to the King of glory. He were a poor sot, that would be ashamed of the alliance which the king should chal- lenge of him; yea, poor is even that king that is ashamed of the Son of God, offering his brotnerhood. Men are ashamed of thy kindred ; the Lord Jesus hath called thee to glory. To \-irtue, as well as to glorj-. " For God liath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness," 1 Thess. iv. 7. All things are yours ; not to abuse with riot, but to use with moderation, and to enjoy with comfort ; because (by faith) ye are, and by obedience you are known to be, Christ's, and Christ is God's, 1 Cor. iii. 22, 23. The grace of God that brings salvation to us, teacheth us to live godly, righteously, and soberly. Tit. ii. 11, 12: that is tlie virtue whereunto we are called ; to despise the world, and please the Lord. Our virtue is to fight with vanity ; and our great hajipiness not to be overcome of happiness. (August.) He that denies himself and sticks to virtue, loseth his own which he could not keep, and getteth that happiness which he cannot lose. (August.) Now Christ that calls us to virtue, gives it. " Somebody hath touched me ; for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me," Luke viii. 46. 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 touch the bread of the Lord, yet not touch that bread which is the Lord, because their faiths and their fingers go not together. Thou art called to this virtue, come and take it ; throng upon Christ for it, let nothing keep thy faith back. " The whole multitude sought to touch him : for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all," Luke vi. 19. If the glorj- of virtue do not first enter into thee, thou shalt never enter into the virtue and triumph of gloiT. Thus hath God already called us to glory and vir- tue, in respect of an inchoative fruition ; hereafter we shall come to a perfect and plenary' possession. The virtue there, is a pure white garment without spot ; and the glory, a golden crown of eternity. God's children have three suits of apparel, black, red, and white. Here we arc either in black, mourning, or in red, persecuted ; there we shall be only in white, glo- rified. " A great multitude stood before the Lamb, in white robes, and palms in their hands," Rev. vii. 9. White is the symbol of iimoccncy, of joyfulness, of Ver. 4. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 33 blissedncss : of innocency, because it is iieilher spot- tid nor died ; of joyfulncss, because oi)poscd to black, wliich is (he garb of sorrow ; of blessedness, because tlie state there is not subject to any change. It mat- ters not what rags we wear below, so we may be clothed with that white above : we now niouru in black ; but those tears sliall work a miracle through Christ, and change all our garments into white. Have virtue, if thou wouldst have glory : be wc liei'c conformed to Clirist's image, and then he shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like his glo- rious body, by that mighty working whereby he sub- dues all things to himself, Phil. iii. 21. For the glory, it is unspeakable: "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things whieli God hath prepared for them that love him," I Cor. ii. 9. The eye hath not seen it, because it is not colour; nor the ear heard it, because it is not sound ; nor hath it entered into the heart of man, because the heart of man must enter into it. (August.) " Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord ;" for it is too great to enter into thee. If wc durst pray with Moses, Lord, show us thy glory ; he would answer. There is no man shall see me, and live, Exod. xxxiii. 18, 20. Therefore, Lord, one day give it us. Yes, he will, for he hath called us to it. There wc shall rest and sec, see and love, love and bless, that glory which is and shall be for ever. What else should we propose for our end, than that glory which shall have no end? Thus I have brought your meditations up into heaven ; and now you say, It is good being here, it is good leaving you there. Enough and enough iigain ; it is high time to bless you with a dis- mission, or dismiss you with a blessing. We have opened the fountain, but you know the cock is behind, that must derive the water of life to your hearts : Through the knowledge of Jesus Christ. I know this point is too ample for the small remnant of the fugitive time, and therefore awhile I suspend it. And now you may say, the sermon is done : and yet would to God you could say so truly, that it was done. But as a learned divine obsei-ved out of The Christian Tell-truth ; when a great lady asked her servants, whether the sermon were done or not ; they answered. It was done : she pleasantly replied. It was spoken, it was not done. Christ hath called you to glory and virtue, to godliness here and salvation hereafter : if now your hearts come home to him in obedience, then the sermon is done indeed ; but if you cleave to the world, and care more to bring wealth to your purses than Christ to your consciences, the sermon is spoken, it is not done. It is spoken and done by the preacher. God grant I may say, it is answered and done by the hearers. Oh how^ beautiful were it to behold your growth and stature in grace confessing, and recompensing, the spiritual food which you have received ! Verse 4. Whtrehy are given unto us exceeding great and pre- cious promises : that by these ye niight be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the irorld through lust. I SHOULD come immediately to these words, but that in the former building there was a piece of timber left out now to be inserted. It was, the knowledge of our Caller. Now this point of knowledge (to avoid multiplicity of discourse upon the same argument) may fitly be considered in the "word of connexion (hat knits the verses together; "whereby." But first I will let the words tail into parts by distribu- tion. In the whole verse we may observ'e : I. A conveyance ; and herein, 1. The instruments. Whereby. 2. The materials, Promises. 3. The latitude of them, for, (1.) Quantity, Great. (2.) Quality, Precious. II. An inheritance, Partakers of the divine naturi . This is qualitative, and may be exemplified in i^ seven-fold relation ; as, 1. Servants of a master. 2. Subjects of a king. 3. Sons of a father. 4. Fellows of a society. 5. Members of a head. (). Branches of a tree. 7. Spouses of a husband. HI. A deliverance; wherein consider, 1. The discovery of danger. The corruption thai is in the world through lust. 2. The recovery from that danger. Ye have escaped it. " Whereby." We begin first with the instrument, and so arc fitly met with the point which before escaped us. For this " whereby " stands like a Janus, looking both to the matter past, and to come. The matter past was the knowledge of Christ, which was to this place reserved, that we might have good occasion to perpend the virtue of it. " Whereby." The sum of the point is this. The true knowledge of Christ is the means, whereby are conveyed to us all the promises of mercy. One was of opinion, that a philosopher excels an ordinary man as much as an ordinary man excels a beast : but every tnie Christian excels a philosopher as much as a philosopher does a dunce. They scarce knew God in his creatures, we know God in his Christ. Ignoli nulla cupido ; as we say. Un- couth, unkissed : we must look before we like, discern before we can desire. " Mine eyes have seen thy salvation," says old Simeon ; therefore, " now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace." My corporal eyes have seen thy manhood, my spiritual eyes have seen thy Godhead ; which is thy salvation, as giving it, and my salvation, as receiving it. Neither is this salutare singulare ; but whosoever hath seen and known this salvation, by his eye of faith, will earn- estly desire it : as Stephen saw the Lord Jesus at the right hand of God, therefore longed to come to him, video, venio. There is no pleasure so sweet as knowledge, no knowledge so sweet as that of religion, no know- ledge of religion so sweet as that of Christ ; for this is eternal life, to know God, and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent, John xvii. 3. There is no entering into heaven without doing the will of God, Matt. vii. 21 ; there is no doing it without knowing it. " If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them," John xiii. 17. Ignorance is not then the mother of devotion, but tlie grandmother of irreli- gion. Let us never think that God will accept our verdict at the bar, when we give it up with an igno- ramus. Let us therefore use the means to get know- ledge. 1. Read the Scripture; that is God's will, there is knowledge, John v. 39. 2. Frequent the temple ; that is his house, there is knowledge. I thought to know this, but it was too liard for me ; until I went into the sanctuary of God, then I un- derstood it, Psal. Ixxiii. 16, 17- 3. Resort to the communion ; that is God's maundy, there is know- ledge : this shows the Lord's death till he come, I Cor. xi. 26. 4. Consult his ministers, for the priest's lips preserve knowledge ; there hear God's oracle : yet after all this, glory not in thy knowledge. 34 AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. I. Qiiamvts Sceva satis per le libi consulis, et scis, Disce docendiis adhuc. (Horat.) He that is proud of his knowledge, is a prodigy ; for he hath the gout in the wrong end : others have it in their feet, he hath it in his pate. They that saw most of God, saw but his hinder parts : and in glory, wiicn we shall see him face to face, it shall not he a comprehensive, but apprehensive, knowledge. It is not possible for men or angels to know so much of God as he knows of liimself. Only the blessed Trinity fiilly knows itself in the unity of Deity. We have now a fit knowledge ; then, a knowledge pro- portionate to our perfection. But evciy man pleads his knowledge ; let him then show- it in the cffecls. Knowledge directs con- science, conscience perfects knowledge. Abused knowledge will enhance judgment and punishment : for this were the sins of the Jews, ccpleris paribus, freater thaji the sins of the Gentiles ; because in ewry God was known, and his name great in Israel : it was not so with other nations, neither had the heathen the knowledge of his laws. The sins of us Christians, other circumstances being matches, are greater than the sins of the Jews, because our know- ledge is more. They had but an aspersion; line to line, here a little and there a little : we have an eflusion ; " I will pour out of my Spirit upon all iiesh," Acts ii. 1 7. Now after you have known God, how turn you again to those beggarly elements ? Gal. iv. (). Will you swear, that know you should not swear ? Will you defraud, that know you should deal justly ? " Ye have not so learned Christ," Eph. iv. 20. If Barbarj- wring her hands for knowing so little, be- ware lest Christendom rend her heart for knowing so much to so little purpose. Knowledge dotii elevate or lift up the soul ; but if it be abused, it shall give her the greater fall. Because the precipice is from on high, like stars that the red dragon's tail swooped from heaven, it shall fall like an angel of light into utter darkness. Deeds prove more than words : never tell me your science, show to me the fruits of your good conscience. Albeit your words Ije never so loud, if your works be lewd : though you were sons of thunder, yet a crack in the instru- ment will spoil the sound; as Jupiter's adulteiy did even among children discredit his thunder. Our knowledge without holiness, is like Uriah's letters that contained his own death, 2 Sam. xi. To such they are letters of blood, commendations to Satan. As that sen'ant in the comedy, Have I brought letters to bind myself? so these two, disjoined, commend a man to hell ; Go, bind him hand and foot, and throw him into utter darkness. Sin even in ignorance is a talent of lead ; but sin in knowledge is a millstone to sink a man to the lowest. To know good, and do ill, make a man's own mittimus to hell. Among arts the mathematics are most commended, because they stand upon infallible demonstration. You think your- selves good artists in Christianity, and profess good knowledge in religion ; let me see your mathematics, some demonstration. Show me thy faith liy tliy works ; there is a demonstration. Let your light so shine on earth, to the glory of your Father in hea- ven ; there is a demonstration. Feed the hungrj-, relieve the poor; there is another demonstration, (live me this mathematical part of divinity, that consists in demonstration. Non injictis, sed in fac- lis : non in leclione, sed in dilectione. (August.) "This practical part is the object of man's eye : we cannot see the knowledge in your brains, but by the works (rf your hands. You must do, if you would be sure you know ; and you must know, if you would be sure of comfort. " Great and precious promises." From the instru- ment we pass to the materials conveyed, promises. This is the conveyance of the gospel, therefore it is called a covenant, the covenant of promise. The law gave menaces, the gospel gives promises. It was the condition of the law. Do this and live : it is the promise of the gospel. Believe and thou shalt be saved. Indeed tliey had promises under the law, but not by the law; for whatsoever was promised in the Old Testament, belongs properly to the New. Lex imperal, fides impetml. The law came by Moses, and by the law death : grace comes by Jesus, and by grace life. Cajetan says truly of the law, that it shuts up all those who are under it, under sin ; by com- mancUng, but not by helping. But the gospel brings mercy, to our houses, to our hearts. Irena;us, to some of his time that asked. What new thing Christ brought with him into the world ? answered, That he had made all things new. " Old things are passed away ; behold, all things are become new," 2 Cor. v. 17- He fulfilled the old prophecies by his new works ; ceased the old sacrifices by his new sacrifice; abolished the old sacraments, those bloody ones of circumcision and occision, by his new sacraments ; gave us a new commandment, a new testament; put in the room of old menaces, new promises. And these new things are for \'irtue greater, for profit better, for use easier, for number fewer. Our faith is more lightsome to believe, in Christum missum: theirs, more obscure, i}i Christum promissum, (Kilius.) But '• is the law then against the promises of God ? God forbid : for if there had been a law given," &c. Gal. iii. 21. Whereto then serveth the law ? Yes, it hath a ciWl and a religious use. Civil, to restrain us from, and chastise us for, sins : and for this cause it is honoured even of the politicians of the world, who though they will not themselves believe the gospel, yet would have other men obsen-e the law, for their own peace' and tranquillity's sake. Religious, for it is our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, Gal. iii. 24. Now the office of a schoolmaster is double, to direct, and to correct ; so the law doth direct to good works, and corrects for evil works. (Aret.) It reveals sin, that, as in a glass, W'c see our miseiy, and the penalty due to transgression. It is a corrosive laid to an old sore, not to heal the sore, that is not the act of a corrosive ; but to eat out the dead flesh, to make it alive and sensible, that so our wounds may be healed by the gospel. Therefore is not the law contrarj- to the promise. Tilings that are subordinate one to another, have a mutual office of serving, not of con- Irarying one the other. Therefore is tne law given, that wc, finding oxir own disability to keep it, might have recourse to the lawgiver; (Leo.) to the suffi- ciency of Christ. For the law so humbles a man ^vith the grief of sin, and terror of judgment, that it sends him packing to Christ. " If any man sin," and the law tells us we have all smned, " we have an Advo- cate with the Father;" and this the gospel shows us, even Christ " the propitiation for our sins," 1 John ii. 1, 2. It makes a man sing with David, " Sweet, O Lord, is thy mercy." The law may express sin, but it cannot suppress sin ; for that were to invade the office of the promise : the office of the law is to kill, the office of the promise to give life. Thus we have in the gospel tiic .promise of life: the Lord give us failh to apprehend the life of the promise, through Jesus Christ. " Great and precious." Here is the latitude of these materials, in their quantity and quality. They are for quantity great, exceeding great; for quality good, ex(!ceding good, precious. Great, for they promise a tiling no less than greatness itself; the love of God, an immense kingdom, the world invisi- Veu. 4. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 35 ble ; in comparison of whose greatness this world itself is a mole-hill. Precious ; for if this temporal life be held so precious, which we know time must determine, how precious is that life wliich is equal with eternity ! If that life be so estimable, wliich is obnoxious to sin, and waited on with miscrj', inso- much that all riches and jewels are nibbish in com- parison of it; " Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath ivill he give for his life," Job ii. 4 ; a ti-uth from the father of lies ; how precious is that life, where a man shall see nothing but what he loves, and love notliing but what he sees ! The best way to exem- plify the great price of these promises, is to instance in some particulars. Hereof the word of grace is abundant ; but a man that w-ould commend a spring- water, needs not chink up the whole fountain, one or two draughts is sufficient. Take a taste from Matt. xi. 28, " Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest :" a great and precious promise, if we consider the Mover, the moved, and the motive. The Mover is Christ. " Come unto me ;" not to the mother, but to the Son ; not to our lady, but to our Lord. Send not others, but come yourselves : come to no other but to me. The moved, " all that laboui- and are heavy laden ;" that labour in your actions, are heavy laden in your passions ; (Fcrus.) that do not carry sins like cork and feathers, lightly on your shoulders, but groan under the unsupportable weight, and send forth prayers mixed with tears for ease. Come, not on yom- feet, but your faith ; not on your legs, but your lives. The motive, I w'ill ease you, or give you rest. A^Tiat ! labour and grievous labour, a burden and a heavy burden, and yet I will ease you ? a great and pre- cious promise ! The physician cannot say to his patient, I will ciu-e thee ; but thus far, I will spare no invention of wit, no intention of will, no conten- tion of power, to help thee. Only the great Phy- sician of heaven can promise absolutely, I ^^dll ease thee. " Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he will sustain thee," Psal. Iv. 22. Take another : " All things work together for good to them that love God," Rom. viii. 28. All things, not only God's good things, but even our evil things. Afflictions that are most bitter, shall make us better; the shai-pest rue shall be an herb of grace. Yea, even our sins ; for such is the goodness of God, that what at first he inflicted for'a penalty, he tarns to a mercy. Sin first \n'QUght sorrow, now godly sorrow shall kill sin : (August.) the daughter shall destroy the mother. They shall "work," not like idle iudifierents, that do neither food nor harm ; but the first Movci-'s and Maker's and sets them a working. " Together ; " not singly and apart, lest their divided forces should drop and faint in their operation; but they shall co-operate, work together, for the surer expedition of their in- tended business. Not to their hiui, as all things concur to the wicked : for as the sua receives many fresh rivers and sweet springs into itself, yet remains salt and bitter still ; so the ungodly are not made the better by God's good blessings. Nor without good or harm to them ; but to the glory of God, and the dear salvation of their souls. Here is a great and precious promise ! Now seeing these promises are such, let us afiy them, and apply them: they deserve our faith and application. For affiance: ifGod so promise, let us trust him. "He is faithful that promised," Heb. x. 23. Woe to him that shall call God's faithftilness into question ! Yet there is a generation of men that object ; Wliat ! nothing but promises ? Promissis dives, qui/ibet esse potest, Every one can be rich in promising, though ne be poor and beggarly in performing. Who can live by promises ? These must, with Thomas, feel, or they will not believe : they are led by sight and sense, not by faith : unless they have an ocular view, they care for no oracular testimony, no miraculous power. Here is nothing in hand, but a bare and naked pro- mise. Thus stands the case w'ith them. Man hath a precious jewel to sell, it is his soul. God and the world come both to buy it. The world first steps in, and thiusts his bags into his hand; here is present possession. God comes and out-bids the world, for he offers grace, and peace, and glory ; but Avithal he craves time for the greater part of it, and gives no- thing in hand but his promise, his word, and some small earnest of the bargain. The worldling cries, A bird in hand is best ; hugs Iris money that he hath. God ho thinks not so good a customer; he dares not trast him, perhaps he fears he will break. Yet this same man \vill rather accept a reversion of some great office or estate, though expectant on the tedious transition of seven years, or on the expiration of anothei''s life, than in present a sum of far less value. What folly is this, rather to take the idle vanities of this world in hand, than faithfully to wait upon God's promise for the gloiy of heaven ! O but we can satiate ourselves with the profits and pleasures of tliis life, and yet take God's word for the kingdom of heaven too. But I say, if a man, if a minister, if a prophet, if an angel should tell you so, believe him not ; for the Judge of heaven and earth hath said otherwise. " Ye cannot serve God and Mammon." It will be very hard for a man to keep both ; it is impossible to sei-ve both. The two poles shall sooner meet, than the love of God and the love of money. The veiy possession of the world is not half so sure as God's promise. For applying : seeing these promises are so pre- cious, store thy heart with them ; that which way soever the blow comes, it may assault thee without fear, not mthout foresight. Art thou molested mth troubles? Remember the promise, "In the world ye shall have tribulation : but be of good cheer ; I have overcome the world," John xvi. 33. And, "Call upon me in the day of trouble : I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me," Psal. 1. 15. All days are troublesome, "Man is of few days, and full of trou- ble," Job xiv. 1 ; but some are worse than other. That aged patriarch told the king of Egypt, " Few and evil have the days of thy servant been." He had many e%'il days, but some w^orse ; when he lost Rachel Iris wife, Joseph his son. The Thames hath always in it water enough to drown a man, but some- times it is more tempestuous and raging than at others. As all times have their incident trouble, so there is one main day of trouble. Jerusalem is threatened her day of visitation. What shall we do when this day of trouble comes ? Remember the promise ; Call upon me, saith God ; I will hear and deliver thee. Do thy friends leave thee ? mayst thou complain with David, My neighbours hid them- selves, and my acquaintance stood afar oflF ? Consi- der the Lord's promise, " I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee," Heb. xiii. 5. In what was spoken to Joshua in particular, Josh. i. 5, the apostle interests every Christian in general ; the infallible promise of God's inseparable presence. Art thou tempted ? Remember the promise, God will not suffer thee to be tempted above thy strength. If God remove not Paul's temptation, he will give him an equivalent help ; "My grace is sufficient for thee." Doth the law threaten thee mth death for thy sins ? Remember the promise, " There is no damnation to them that are in Christ Jesus," Rom. viii. 1. Answer with Luther, Lady Law, thou comest not in season, I have nothing to do with thee. Thou art a bitter lady, but 3« A.N EXPOSITION UPON THE Chai-. I. I nave a sweet Lord. There is death in tliy looks, Init there is salvation in the face of Jesus Christ, who is fairer than all the sons of men. The law is all red, nothing but blood, death, and fire in her looks : Christ is white and red, of the purest complexion; " My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand," Cant. v. 10 : white in his own in- nocency, ruddy with the sufferings for our sins. Such is thy mercy, blessed Saviour ! Let the law do her worst, be thou a trae St. Christopher, and bear Christ in thy heart. In the law is the menace of death, in Christ is the promise of life. We may say concerning any sinner, what Martha said of her brother, "Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died," John xi. 21. Dost thou suffer affliction ? Remember the jjromise, If we suffer with Christ, we shall also be glorified with liim, Rom. viii. 17. Tlie saints are called from bleeding under the hand of persecution, to the marriage supper of the Lamb. Well may we endure a hitter brealifast, even to blood and death, considering that this supper of glory shall close up our stomachs. God makes his chinch three meals, a breakfast, a dinner, and a supper. The breakfast was in the morning of the world, that is tlie law ; somewhat sharp, though they had assur- ance of Christ to come. The dinner is in the world's high noon, that is the gospel : here is good cheer, the fat calf killed, the ilessiah slain ; yet, like the passover, not eaten without sour herbs ; we are fain to mingle our drink with tears. The supper at night shall be sweet, it is eternal glory ; fitly called a sup- per, because then begins rest for ever. After break- fast a man goes to liis labour, so after dinner, but after supper to bed. The sen^ants of God under the law, the sons of (iod under the gospel, must both labour, and work out their salvation with fear and trembling ; but at the supper of glory works cease. Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord, for they rest from their labours. Rev. xiv. 1.3. Lastly, doth the ine^'itable hand of death strike thee, must thou die? Remember the promise, I am the resurrection and the life : whosoever believeth in me shall not die for ever, John xi. 25, 2C. Let me ask thy con- science, as Christ there did, " Belicvest thou this ? " If thy heart can answer, " Yea, Lord, I believe," &c. send fortli thy soul with joy, thou hast a pro- mise that Jesus Christ will receive it. Commit your soul into the hands of a faithful Creator in well- doing, I Pet. iv. 19. Here be great and precious promises ; though thy memor)' cannot retain all that the gosjiel proposeth, yet be sure to hold fast some ; be not without some oil in thy lamp when the Bridegroom comes. Rich men that love themselves well, will have antidotes for sickness ; their cabinets stored with hot and precious waters against swoon- ingsand sudden qualms. And likely the poorest cot- tager, though he cannot go to the price of the better extractions, yet will at least have some aqua-viltB in the house. Now if thy heart hold not such store of these most precious promises as the richer saints, yet be sure to have at all times St. Paul's aqua-vitw ready, "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners," 1 Tim. i. 15. But do thy best to fill the cabinet of thy heart -, thou shalt have need enough of all. Remember who hath promised. All God's promises are yea and amen in Jesus Christ, 2 Cor. i. 20 ; may they be yea and amen in our believing hearts. " Are given unto us." Here is the fourth circum- stance of the conveyance; the form of it, whicli is a deed of gift, are given us. All worldly things are but lent us ; our houses of stone \vhcrein our bodies dwell, our houses of clay wherein our souls dwell, are but lent. Honours, treasures, pleasures, money, mainte- nance, but lent. We may say of them all, as he said of his axe-head when it fell into the water, Alas '. they are but borrowed, 2 Kings vi. 5. Only spirit- ual graces are given : of those things there is only u tnie donation, whereof there is a true possession. Worldly things are but a tabernacle, a movable ; heaven is a mansion ; whatsoever becomes of the for- mer, if thou canst keep the other, say, I have lost that I could not keep, I have kept that I cannot lose. Happy Christians ! though they have the least share of tilings lent, they have the greatest portion of things given. We have little on earth ; they have less in heaven. God shall say to the wicked, I have lent thee an office, give account of it, for thou must be no longer steward. But to the faithful, " My Jieace I give unto you, not as the world givetli," John xiv. 27. How gives the world? It gives a little, that it may take away all : but the joy that I give you, no man shall take from you, John xvi. 22. Whatsoever is freer than gift, it makes a new pro- prietarj- of the same things : such gifts are God's, without repentance. He may repent that he made man. Gen. vi. G ; that he made Saul king : but he never repents that he made a man repentant, or that he hatn given liim grace in Jesus Christ ; but saith of him, as Isaac said of Jacob, I have blessed him, and he shall be blessed. Gen. xxvii. 33. Here the Lord's bounty requires of us some duty ; tlii* three-fold. 1. Call upon the Giver, as the beggar frequents the gates of bounty ; and that in faith. Ask in faith, without wavering, James i. 6 ; for let him spare to speak (hat distrusts to speed. Faith is to God as Bathsheba was to Solomon ; so in favour, that the king will deny her nothing, 1 Kings ii. 17. And when thou movest this bounteous Giver, beg the best things, such as are well worth giving. When we put to sea, we pray for a good gale ; when w'e have sown, for a good spring ; when we reap, for fair weather : we may have all these, and yet be cursed : let us en- treat for grace, this will bless all. God does us no wrong in taking away our temporal things, for they are but lent us ; he takes back his own, he does not take away ours. It is an argument of love in the father, when he takes away the child's knife, and gives to him a book. We cry for riches ; it is a knife to cut our fingers : God gives us a Bible, the riches- of verity, not of vanity. Great works become a great nature : let us not be afraid to ask him a kingdom ; for how unworthy soever we are of things so far beyond us, yet he gives things worthy himself. When Alexander gave a whole city to one of his favourites, he modestly replied. It was too great a fortune for a man of so mean condition. But the monarch answered, I examine not what is fit for thee to receive, but what is fit for me to give. 2. Be thankful to this Giver; not only for spi- ritual, but even for temporal things. It is not enough to take the whole loaves, but let us even gather up the fragments. Lay up in the ark of thy memory, not only the pot of manna, the bread of life ; but even Aaron's rod, the very scourge of cor- rection, wherewith thou hast been bettered. Blessed be tile Lord, not only giving, but also taking away, saith Job. God, that sees there is no walking upon roses to heaven, puts his children into the way of discipline ; and by the fire of correction eats out the nist of corruption. Godsends trouble, then bids us call upon him; promiseth our deliverance ; and last- ly, the all he requires of us is to glorify him, Psal. 1. 15. God " giveth to all men liberally, and upbraid- eth not," James i. 5. Never upbraids ? How then doth he condemn Israel bv the ox and the ass ? Isa. i. 3. How tell David of Iiis favours to him, in de- Ver. 4. SECOND EPISTLK GEXERAL OF ST. PETER. 37 livcrance from Saul, and advancement to a kingdom ? "2 Sam. xii. 8. I answer, God never upbraids but when our ingratitude enforeoth him. Tne widow of Zarephatli said to Elijah, " Art tliou come to call my sin to remembrance?" 1 Kings xvii. 18. But it is our unthankfulncss that calls our sins to remem- brance. '■ How is the faithful city become an har- lot ! " God inquires not the means, but wonders at the matter. Unthankfulncss is .such a fault, that men think it a vice, angels a sacrilege, devils a monster, God himself a wonder. Gratitude pleaseth him: of the Samaritan that gave him thanks, Christ took notice. Of the ten cleansed none were found to give glory to God, but the stranger, Luke xvii. 18. The leper praiseth God, Christ praiseth the leper. Man,- Magdalene gave Christ an unction of thankfulness, he gave her an unction of a good name, a thing better than ointment ; for " A good name is better than pre- cious ointment," Eccles. vii. 1 ; that wheresoever this gospel should be preached, her work should not be forgotten. Matt. xxvi. 13 ; the whole world should ring of her. God gives all gratis, I mean in the ad- verb, not in the noun ; for they are not all thankfid per- sons that receive it. Some arc not made better by God's gifts ; yea, many are made worse. Give Saul a kingdom, and he will tyrannize ; give Nabal good cheer, and he will be drunk ; give Judas an apostle- ship, and he will sell his Master for money. But if God gives all to us, let us give something to him. What shall I give him ? Not only my goods, but myself. Say as that widow might, I am poor, and have nothing to give but my two mites, my body and soul ; take them, and take all. When thou comest, to offer thy sacrifice of thanks, do as Abraham was bidden, slay (not thy dearest son, but) thy dearest sin. If we give our soul to God, as Abraham did Isaac, he will restore our soul to us with joy, as he did Isaac to Abraham ; and that, as he did there to him, so here to us, not without the promises of life. There are that think every thing too much that God receives ; as Lconides a steward told Alexander, that he bestow'ed too much frankincense on his gods. When Mary gave Jesus that ointment, Judas cries. Why is this waste ? he thought it lost. But he that hath given himself to God, will not stick at the rest. It is the apostle's argument of God's liberality to us. He that spared not his only Son, but gave him for us, will not deny other things with him, Rom. viii. 32. So if thou have given him thyself, thou wilt never grudge h.im thy purse, or thy praise. It is a good desire of the soul, with that fatlicr, Whatsoever the Lord would give me, let him deny all and give me himself. So God requires of us, not thousands of rams, nor ten thousand rivers of oil ; not the son of the body for the sin of the soul, Micah vi. J" : but, Man, give me thyself; this is instead of all. above all. As Seneca writes of lilschines, a poor scholar, to his master, Socrates ; I offer thee that one only thing I have, myself. Others have given much to thee, but they have kept more to themselves ; but no man gives more than he that keeps nothing back. Socrates kind- ly accepted, and answered, I will take care that I may restore thee to thyself better than I received thee. So God deals with us ; his return is better than our gift : we give to him ourselves sinful and WTetched, he restores us to ourselves gracious and blessed. .3. Be not proud, arrogate not that to thvself which is God's gift. The apostles restored a cripple that was lame from his mother's womb ; but lest any of God's glorj- should cleave to their earthen fingers, they disclaim their omi power and holiness, and give it to him that owes it, and will not give it to another : The name of Jesus Christ hath made this man strong, Acts iii. 16. The blessed Virgin, that was so full of grace, in se, not a «e, humbly acknow ledgcd the fountain ; even God her Saviour, Luke i, 47. The papists trust in our lady, but our lady did trust in our Lord. And albeit she was sanctified to be the mother of her Maker, though so good a woman, that, A^oh pn'mam .siniilcm vita est, nee habere secjtceiiteni ; though all generations called her bless- ed; yet saith she. The Lord regarded the lowliness of his handmaid. They may tell us, that she doth not command by the right of a motlier, but indeed she did obtain by the faith of a daughter. " give thanks unto the Lord : make known his deeds among the people," Psal. cv. 1 : make known his works, but to his glory ; for some make knowni his deeds, but to their own glor)-. Vain-glor)- easily creeps in even through the crack of our acknowledgment of God's goodness towards us. One says, Sucn a nobleman drank to me, shook me by the hand, discoursed with me : but hereby he insinuates to the hearers some worthiness in himself, for which he was so graced. So some in declaring God's works and favours to them, have a conceit of merit in themselves, deserving such re- spect. To meet with which pride, may seem Christ's charge to the leper, " See thou say nothing to any man," Mark i. 44 : which enjoined silence was not to smother God's glory, but to keep him from vain-gloiy. Thus we have considered the conveyance, in The intent. Whereby. The content. Promises. The extent. Great and precious. The patent. Are given us. Now if all this be not a sufficient assurance, then give me leave to speak according to your capacity in the city ; and to add, that it is signed, sealed, de- livered, and bound with an oath, for your further confirmation. You are well acquainted with these words, with such deeds : I wish, therefore, that as you know them in earthly things to your profit, so you may know them in heavenly things to your comfort. 1. They are signed, God hath put his hand to them in the gospel. If a nobleman should send thee gracious letters of prcfemient, and put his hand to them, thou wouldst credit it. If thy father, taking a long journey, should first pen his own wnll, wherein he did make thee his heir, and bequeath to thee all his substance, and set his hand to it, thou wouldst joyfully and confidently embrace it. This patent is the testament and will of Jesus Christ: " Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am," John xvii. 24. This he hath signed with his own hand ; for the evangelists were but the pens, it was the liand of Christ himself. 2. But it is not enough to have a writing signed. Doth the law require sealing ? These promises are sealed to us : there are two bi'oad seals, the two sacraments. Baptism : Whosoever believeth and is baptized, shall be saved ; there is one broad seal. The Lord's supper: Whosoever eateth the flesh of Christ, and drinketh his blood, shall not perish ; there is an- other broad seal. For the sacraments are not only not bare signs, but seals : so Paul called circumcision " a seal of the righteousness of the faith," Rom. iv. 11. There is also a pri^T seal, miracles ; wrought in the first rising of the Sun, but now, in the glorious day of grace and knowledge, ceasing. Now we ask not for the privy seal of miracles, but the broad seals of the sacraments : herewith we arc content, for by these instniments we receive Christ. We hear the word, we feel the virtue ; we know not the manner, but we believe the presence of Jesus Christ. (Durand.) The Romists abuse both these seals ; God's broad seal in corrupting the sacraments, God's privy seal in their false and lying miracles. AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. I. 3. Is not this yet enough, to be signed with his holy hand, and sealed with his royal arms, except till it be delivered? These are delivered to us : " Ye have received the Spirit of adoption," Rom. viii. 15. That you may be sure of this conveyance, it is put into your hands, into your hearts. 4. If yet the subscription of God's hand, and affixion of his seal, and delivery into your possession, be not sunicicnt ; " God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath : that by two im- mutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation," Heb. vi. 17, 18. In which two versen, that stand like two tun-cts, there are eight fortifications, which all the powers of hell shall never be able lo overthrow. He doth not say, but show ; there is demonstration : not sparing- ly, but abundantly ; extension : to, not servants, but sons and heirs f if so, never to be disinherited ; there is adoption : of promise ; not of man's birth or merit, but of God's promise, who never yet brake his word ; there is ratification : the immutability of his counsel ; friends are inconstant, riches are inconstant, the world is inconstant, but I the Lord change not, Mai. iii. 6 ; there is determination : he intei-posed himself by an oath ; wonderful mercy, that the Creator should swear to his creature! there is confirmation : these be two immutable things ; therefore ^vithout alteration, in which it was impos- sible for God to lie ; well may he deny sinners, but he cannot deny himself; there is impossibility of retraction. Now for the corollary, or use of all these invincible arguments, it is our strong consolation; so strong a fortress, that if we do not betray it our- selves, all the engines of hell shall never endanger it. How much are we beholden to God, that he will swear ! but how Kttle beholden is God to us, if we will not believe him when he swears ! We see the stability of these gracious promises ; which (to shut up the discourse with application) should not pass us without some profitable use. From the stability of God's promises to us, let ns leam to be constant in the performance of our pro- mises to God, and to man. 1. To God. We have all made a promise to liim in our baptism ; let not us forget that, lest God forget us. Did we then promise, and do we now stagger ? The true Christian is fixed on the poles of constancy, not carried on the wheels of change. Let ns " con- tinue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel," Col. i. 23 : so grounded, that if an angel from neaven should preach another gospel, let him be accurse;!. Gal. i. S. The inconstant professor is scarce a Christian, but, like Agrippa, almost a Christian. His r, ligion lies in wait for the parliament ; neither ebbs nor flows, but is just standing water, betmxt both. As a noun, he is only adjective ; as a verb, lie knows no tense but the present. One part thinks him theirs, the ad- verse theirs ; he is with both, with neither; not an hour with himsel£ He might get to heaven, but for his halting; but he knows not what he should hold, he knows not what he doth hold. He is sure to die, but not what religion to die in. He cannot tell whether is best to say his Pater-noster in Latin or in English, and so leaves it unsaid. He that hath pro- mised, and not performed, is in worse case than he that never promised. The fnhfragous Christian speeds worse than the barbarous infidel. 2. To man. Promises are due debts. There might haply have been no sin in not promising ; there is a sin after promise in not performing. There is more alliance than affiance in the world : Frater quasi fcTC alter. Keep thy word with him as with thy- self. But how should he keep touch with man, that breaks with God, with his own soul ? If this point seem obscure, there are too many in this city whose lives may comment upon it. They take care to owe, they think they ought not to pay. These are worse than the procUgal ; he lived on his own portion, Luke sv. 12 : these, like the unjust steward, live on another man's portion. They bear the name and wear the lively, but have not the souls of Christians. A debtor that can pay and will not, makes himself in- capable of pardon. Such men think to set all on Christ's score ; and to say, " Forgive us our debts," is sufficient, though they leave out the other part of the petition, " as we forgive others." But God does not forgive spiritual debts where men have no care to pay temporal debts. Why, but there is more virtue in the Seed of the woman, than can be venom in the head of the serpent ; and repentance makes all reckonings even. But " be not deceived; God is not mocked," Gal. vi. 7. If they mock him, he will mock them : " He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh : the Lord shall have them in derision," Psal. ii. 4. Neither can there be repentance without restitution. A thief takes away thy purse, asks thy pardon, says he is sorry for it, but keeps it still : thou sayest he does but mock thee. If God could be cozened with tricks, how many politic worldlings would go to heaven, whose portion is in the infemiil depth ! Well, let us leam to put away lying, and to speak every man truth to his neighbour; for we are mem- bers" one of another, Eph. iv. 25. There is a thing .forbidden, Lie not ; a thing commanded. Speak truth ; a reason for both, because we are members one of another. Let us be plain in promising, honest in performing. There are some that have double tongues, and speak their promises in a doubtful sense; ambiguous, equivocating terms; epicene and bastard phrases, as the devil gave his oracles ; which must be true every way, certain no way. They be- guile men's plainness, but in plain tnith they beguile their o^\•n souls ; for they that wUl overreach others with the sin of deceitfulness, shall be overreached themselves with the deceitfulness of sin. They sing the song of Curio, Let gain prevail : they had rather be sinners than beggars. Thus according to Daniel's prophecy, truth shall be cast down: covetousness hath got the advantage of ground, and " truth is fallen in the street," Isa. lix. 14. Thus these two wrestle on earth, and truth falls ; but one diiy, when they shall wrestle in heaven, truth shall prevail. Wine is strong, princes are strong, women are strong, but truth is stronger than all, 1 Esd. iv. 35. But now where is this tnith? I will tell you an apologue. Four friends parting inquired where they should find one another again ; the water, the fire, the wind, and truth. Fire said. You shall be sure to find me in a flint stone. Water said. You shall bo sure to find me in the root of a bulnisli. Wind said. You shall be sure to find me amongst the leaves. But poor truth could appoint no certain place of meeting ; for terras axtrcrn relifjuif, no place for truth. Wliat say you to Westminster Hall i* Indeed there is room enough, but small room for truth. What say you to the Exchange ? There be_ fair walks, but they may exchange away tmtli. Where is she then, in" your shops ? That were strange to find truth in shops. Is sdie then in the courts ? We behold there always the scat of truth, but not always truth in him that "supplies that place. Perhaps she lurks in the colleges of the Jesuits. O no, when the truth oflered to come thither, equivocation rci)elled her. She could never abide their main principles. Swear and forswear, rather than tell truth. What, is Vek. 4- SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 39 she in the pope's breast, that we should run to Rome for her ? No, antichrist cannot be a friend to truth. Is she not ferried over to Amsterdam ? No, truth will never follow those that run away from the church. You would wonder to find her in a courtier, in a politician, whose element and position is. He that knows not how to dissemble, knows not how to live. Or in a countryman's budget, shut up with snaphance ? No, you shall have as much deceit under russet as under velvet, though a little more bunglingly. No thanks to them, they would cozen as frequently, if they could do it as cleanly. You would smile to find her in children and fools ; yet they say, Children and fools tell truth. But if it be childhood or folly to tell truth, I am sure we have but a few children, a few fools. Or in a dnmkard ; yet they say. In vino Veritas, Drink utters the truth. But take the ale-bench wthout a malicious lie, or at least an officious lie : a very lie, or a men-y lie : and make a pew of it. Where then shall we find tnith ? I hope in the church, in the pulpits : oh God forbid else ! yet often tnith keeps only in the pulpit, and does not go down-stairs with the man, but stays there till his coming up again. I hope in this scrutiny of truth you will not say that I have favoured our- selves : no, beloved, God give us hearts to know that we are all untrue, deceitful upon the weights ; and mind us to seek truth as precious treasure, (iod is true, every man a liar. There is no certain place to find truth, but in the word of God ; there let us seek her, there we shall find her. Now the God of truth give us the truth of God, in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. " That by these ye might be partakers of the Divine nature." We are come to the second general part of the verse ; which we called the inheritance, consisting in the participation of the Divine nature. And we may well call it so ; for none can deceive us of it before we have it, nor deprive us of it after we have it. It cannot be prevented : Fear not, little flock, it is my Father's vnW. to give you a kingdom, Luke xii. 32. Determined from the beginning, con- cealed a while, possessed in due time : whatsoever our lawyers distinguish between a freehold in law, and a freehold in deed ; this is both. It is a freehold in law, whereto even they have right that have not yet possession. It is a Jreehold in deed : on earth we have a purchase of the inheritance, in heaven an inheritance of the purchase. " That ye might be partakers," &c. Before I show you the vine, let me cut up two brambles ; one whereof the Manichees, the other the Familists, planted (by force) on this ground. There went but a pair of shears between them. That of the Mani- chees was a dream, that we came by traduction from the nature of God himself; and \\hen this temjiorary life had nm the course, we should return to the same ancient estate, and become a Divine nature. They presupposed a commixion of God's nature with ours; as if they were melled together like ^vine and water. This is a blasphemous heresy, to think there is a transfusion of the Di^^ne Being into man, as if Infinitcness could be in a circumscriptible essence. A creature cannot be made of the essence of God, fin- it hath no parts, it is not divisible. The other is of some fanatical spirits, who think we do so pass into God's nature, that our nature is quite swallowed up of his. So they take that place, I Cor. xv. 28, that at the last God shall be all in all. But certainly this delirement never came into the holy apostles' minds, that our natural being should be lost in the essence of God : they meant not that we should lose our nature, but the corruption of our nature ; and that bv a sanctified renovation we should be mi\de par- takers of the Divine immortality and blessedness. Thus we are made one with God, according to the capableness of our nature. The Familists say, we arc deified; so as God became man, man becomes God. Their own words are. Men are deified, and God hominilied. These are new words, such as the ancient fatlicrs never taught nor thought. But those men thought it no treason to coin new words : and indeed it was necessaiT that they who would coin a new religion, should also coin new terms new, para- doxes. 'There were some held, that man's soul was part of God's own essence. DivincE parlicula aurte. (Virgil.) Indeed, it is a breath of God, a work of God, not a part of God. Things may divers ways participate other's na- ture. Omnes species sub eodem genere participant cssentiam generis; as angel, devil, man, and beast ])artake the nature of a living creature. Omnia indi- vidua sub eadem specie participant essenliam speciei ; as Peter and Paul of a reasonable nature ; wolf and lamb of a brute ; cedars and briers of a vegetative. But to come nearer home, and to detain you no longer in the suburbs or entrance : God's nature may be participated two ways, of quality, and of equality. For equality : this is only proper to the three Persons of the blessed Trinity, and not communicable to any other. Our Saviour Christ partakes both the Divine nature and the human : the Divine, by the identity of his es- sence ; the human, by taking man's nature into God. He did not cease to be what he was, but he began to be what he was not. And this assiunption of man's nature to the Divine, did not make it God ; it did rarely beautify it, not properly deify it. For as he was man he had not the essence of the Deity in him, but he Avas in it. Yet did he so glorify it, that all the angels of God worship it. " Wlien he bring- eth in the first-begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him," Heb. i. G. Our neighbours of Rome tell us, that Christ was often worshipped as man : they urge these places, Matt, ii. 11 : \\n. 2; is. 18; xx. 20. But here we doubt two things : first, whether this was religious worship or civil. Next, if it were religious, whether their eye of faith saw not him God, as well as their eye of flesh saw him man. Indeed the flesh of Christ is to be adored for the union of the Deity, be- cause they be inseparable ; but the Arians wor- shipped Christ as a creature only, not as God and man. We adore him in his flesh, not according to his flesh ; as the honour redounds to the King him- self, that is done to the crown on his head. But I diorst here conclude against the papists, that if it be unlawful to worship Christ as he is only man, then much more unlawful to worsliip his image. Thus we see how Christ who is God, partakes of our nature : now consider how we by Christ who is man, partake of the Di\-ine nature. Here the wicked begin to clap their Avings, and boldly to infer, that they partake God's nature, because God partakes their nature. But if this were enough to save men, because Christ took our flesh, call Cain and Judas out of hell, yea, let hell itself be as imaginarj' as is purgatory. A father hath ten sons; nine of them are sick : do they all certainly recover because the tenth is sound? yet they come all from the loins of one father. All the house of Cis are not kings, be- cause Saul is one. It is not enough that Christ comes near thee in the flesh, unless thou come near him in the spirit. Though there be sap in the vine, congruent and potential to bring forth fruit in the branches ; yet doth not this vine communicate his sap to oaks and briers, albeit these partake of the general nature of wood. Yea, after that the very 40 AX EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. I. branches of the vine arc broken oflf and dead, the vine ministers to them no more s.ip, though they retain the Wne's species and naturu. So that it is not our participation of Christ's human nature that makes us happy, but of his Divine : that partaking is by flesli, but this is by faith. It is probable that some were lost, who were even kin to Christ in (lie flesh ; yet it must needs be granted, that to partake of the same blood, is a degree nearer, tlian to partake of the same nature. Matthew and Luke set down Christ's genealogj- ; the one, his line royal j the other, his line natural. But Christ himself sets down another genealogy, a now one, a spiritual one : " My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it," Luke viii. 21. He affirms these to be as near to him in the faith, as his own mother in the flesh. And she was more blessed in being the dauglit<-r, than in being the mother of Christ. The Jews thought it a great privilege to be Abraham's sons; yet one that called himself son of Abraham fries in hell. The damned churl could say, " Father Abraham, have mercy on me," Luke xvi. 24. The llcsh was not made after the image of God, but the spirit ; therefore God is not called, the Father of bodies, but, the Father of the spirits of all flesh, Heb. xii. 9. " That which is bom of the flesh is flesh ; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit," John iii. 6. Esau was not blessed because he was of Isaac's flesh, but Jacob was blessed because he was of Isaac's spirit. Paul is said to travail of the Galatians, till Christ was formed in them. Gal. iv. 19. Thus men may partake of one nature in Christ, and yet be cursed ; but if of his Divine nature, they are blessed. This participation then must be only qualitative: by nature we understand not substance, but quality ; by grace in this world, and by glorj in the world to come. This communication of the Divine nature to us, is by reparation of the Divine image in us. This is cleared by the analogy of other respondent places. " That we might be partakers of his holiness," Heb. xii. 10 : so that to partake of the Divine nature, is to be holy as God is holy. " Put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness," Eph. iv. 24 : to be created after God, is to partake of God's nature ; and this consists in justice and holiness. God did predestinate us " to be con- formed to the image of his Son," Rom. viii. 29 : the conformity to (iod's image, is the participating God's nature. 'This was not wholly unseen to Plato, who .said it was man's chiefcst good to be made like to God. The sweetness of this benefit, and the multi- ])licity of comforts arising from it, I defer a little further; and here proceed to exemplify the rela- tions, which may in some measure shadow out to us this partaking of the Divine nature. For it is in no- wise to be understood really, but by renovation. I propounded in the distribution seven respects, to ex- emplify the benefit of this participation. I. As servants of a Master: not merely as crea- tures ; so all men partake ; " We are also his off- spring," Acts xvii. 2i^. With outward things he maintains all ; the whole world almost these six thousand years at his own proper cost and charges. He feeds the ravens, and the young lions seek their meat at him. How few of the birds of the air lie dead at thy feet for want of provision ! But, alas, as the Canaanite told Christ, these, like the dogs, eat only the cnunbs; the faithful have the fat morsels. All our Father's ser\-ants have bread enough, Luke xv. 17: they arc but servants, yet they have bread enough. Thus we jiartake with God in being his servants, wherein indeed consists true liberty. " For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's free-man," 1 Cor. vii. 22. " Tliou, Israel, art my ser%'ant, the seed of Abra- ham my friend. Tliou art my ser\-ant, I have chosen thee," Isa. xii. S, 9. And this is a sure participa- tion where can be no rejection. But how do God's servants partake of these Divine things? In five re- spects ; in livery, liberty, dignity, cognizance, recom- pence. For their liverj- : it is the profession of the gospel ; that same " new man," restored to the Creator's image. Col. iii. 10. For their liberty : " Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free," Gal. v. I. For their dignity: "If any man ser\e me, him will my Father honour," John xii. 26. It is more credit to be a porter of God's gate, than to command in the presence-cham- ber of a king; " I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God," &c. Psal. Ixxxiv. 10. For their cognizance : it is both visible and invisible. Visible in their charity, " By this shall all men know that ye arc my disciples," John xiii. .S.?. Invisible, as being sealed in their foreheads with the mark of the living God, Rev. vii. 3. For their recompence : the world says, " It is in vain to ser\"e God :" but, " They shall be mine, saith the Lord, in that day when I make up my jewels," Mai. iii. 14, 17 : of so high a value as his special treasure. God does not, as great men commonly do \\ ith their senants, give them counte- nance, and let them shift for themselves. He gives not only protection, but provision; not only counte- nance, but maintenance : " Well done, good and faithful servant; enter into the joy of thy Lord." This is the sweet, but not common to all ; for all shall not have .tenorum omina, the rewards of ser- vants, that have serforinn nomina, the name of ser- vants. God hath many senants, but little sen-ice in the world. We do so trust and thrust his work one upon another, that still it is not done. They say, Many hands make light work ; but it is usually seen, that many hands make slight work. God's holy name is blasphemed : the hearer says, Let the magistrate look to it ; the magistrate says. Let the minister reprove it ; the minister says. Let the hearer reform it ; the company says. Let the offender him- self answer it ; the offender says, Let no man mind it. The sea breaks in : all tlie borderers contend whose right it is to mend the dam ; but whilst they all strive nuich, and do nothing, the sea breaks fur- ther in upon them, and drowns the whole C(Hintrj-. A gentleman having but one servant, thought him overburdened with work, and therefore took another to help him : now he had two, and one of them so trusted to the other's observance, that they were often both missing, and the work was not done. Then he chose another, he had three ; and was then worse sen-ed than before. Therefore he told his friend, Wien I had one servant, I had a servant ; when I had two, I had but half a one ; now I have three, I have never a one. God hath so many titular ser- vants, that when his business comes to be done, not one of them can be found. 2. As subjects of a Prince ; and thus we partake with the King of heaven in many benefits. We have the tuition of his law, through a blessed Advocate. " If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous," 1 John ii. 1 . We are fain to sue in forma pauperis : therefore the great Judge of heaven hath :u)pointed us a Counsellor to plead our cause, Jesus Christ. We have the safeguard of the empire; not only the protection of the King, from which the wricked as outlaws arc secluded ; but also the keeping of angels, to whom he hath given a charge over us, to keep us in all his ways, Psal. xci. 11. So nearly we participateofliis Divine things, that we have his' own guard royal to attend us. I know, that Christ is King over all the world; "The Ver. 4. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OK ST. I'ETKl!. 41 Lord reignictli ; let the people tremble," Psal. xcix. L This kingdom is material and formal. The ma- terial are his subjects : and these arc both elect and reprobate ; for all are under his kingdom, with a different desire, with a different event. The will of the King is done by the obedient, upon the rebellious. The iovm of his government is, to the wicked, the rule of a lord over his slaves ; to the faithful, the rule of a father over his sons. Accordingly he hath a double sceptre ; there is the rod of consolation, " Thy rod doth comfort me," Psal. xxiii. 4; and the rod of confusion, " Thou shall break them with a rod of iron," Psal. ii. 9. Christ's kingdom is eternal ; '• He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever ; and of his kingdom there shall be no end," Luke i. 'Xi. And this not only in respect of the King, but also in respect of the subjects ; for they shall stand continually before him, as the queen of the south lilessed Solomon, 1 Kings x. 8. In the Persian army were ten thousand soldiers cAXeAalhanatoi, immortal ; not indeed because they died not, but because that num- ber was sujiplied, and continually made up. As a di- vine, handling a point of usury concerning a hundred sheep lent to a neighbour, with a certain rate or rent to be paid yearly for them, and the stock still at the year's end to be made good, wittily called these im- mortal sheep, for they never died to the owner, though to the borrower they all miscarried. But Christ says rot as Laban did to Jacob, If any sheep die, thou shalt make them up of thine own ; thou shalt bear tlie loss of it, of thy hand I will require it, Gen. xxxi. 39 : but rather, like David, saves his sheep from the bear and lion, the world and the devil. As himself, when he died, suffered not a bone of his own to be broken, and another put in place ; so his subjects shall have no change: "Those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost," John xvii. 12. Here shall be no interregnum, not muUi principcs ; nor is it enough to say, I 'hat Rex ; but, O King, live for ever. Thine is the kingdom, power, and glory, for ever and ever. A King he is, yet he were but a poor king if he had no subjects ;' but " they shall reign with him a thousand years," Rev. xx. 6, that is, for ever. For if every day in heaven be as a thou- sand years, what is a thousand years of such days but eternity ? He is our King, to make us blessed by his kingdom. Augustus, that (lay he had done no good to his sub- jects, in relieving their wants, said to his friends at night, I have not been a king to-day. It was proverb- ed of Aurelianus, that he was a good physician, but he gave too bitter medicines. Julian used to stamp a bull on his coin, whereupon the Antiochians inferred, that he purposed to gore the world to deatli. The breasts of some kings have been stuffed with a thun- der-cloud, their vapours always venting to the world's terror. But we may say of our supreme King Christ, as (in due measure) of his sen-ant our royal sovereign, if at least we may compare the peace of a prince with the Prince of peace, as he is the fairest blossom that ever budded out of the white and red rosan,-, so he hath brought together red and white : Christ hath reconciled justice and mercy ; anger red as blood, and compassion white as snow. He hath turned our scar- let sins into white wool ; and this by making himself ruddy in passion that was ever so white in innocenev. " My Beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand," Cant. v. 10. Thus we partake the bless- ings of his Divine nature in being his subjects. Let the heathen serve their tyrants, tne Turks their i\Ia- homet, the Romists their pope, worldlings their lusts ; thou, O Jesus Christ, be our King for ever. 3. As sons of a Father : thus we partake many things of the Divine nature. L Children have from their fathers on earth generation, we from our Father in heaven regeneration ; " AVe receive the adoption of sons," Gal. iv. 5. We are not natural sons ; so is Christ only ; but naturalized, as I may say, made his own by adoption and grace. " I will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters," 2 Cor. vi. 18. 2. AVc have nutrition, and that both natural and supernatural. " I have nourished and brought up children," Isa. i. 2. He gives bread to nourish, not stones to choke ; Leneficia, non veneficia ; fishes, not serpents, Matt. vii. 10. Thirdly, we have educa- tion. Earthly parents bring up their children to their own customs : Rachel, though she would go with her husband Jacob, yet would not leave her father's gods behind her. " Our fathers worshipped m this moun- tain," John iv. 20; therefore so may we. That which conies by tradition, is held inheritance. That which is patronized by usualness, slips into the opinion of law- fulness. Tims many children are made papists by the mother's side ; and she is so herself, for no other reason but because her grandam was so. Thus whiles they follow the counsel of their mother on earth, they lose the blessing of their Father in heaven. But God brings up all his children after his ovm law; they are in a strange land, yet live after the laws of their own country, their conversation is in heaven. God deals with us as Bernard observes Isaac did with his son Jacob. Gen. xxvii. First, " Come near, that I may feel thee, my son," ver. 21. Then, " Come near, and kiss me, my son," ver. 26. " Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth," Cant. i. 2 ; that is, with his Spirit ; for the Holy Ghost is oscutum Patris, the kiss of God the Father. Then, Benedicit, he blesscth him, ver. 27 ; gives him a pro- gress of grace, and that irrevocable, " he shall be blessed." Lastly, he gives consolation, and full con- fidence, that we boldly cry, " Abba, Father," Gal. iv. 6. This duplication. Father, Father, is pathetical and mystical. Pathetical: and so it insinuates our certainty, we are sure that God is our Father : and our fervency, that we be importunate, not taking a denial at oiu- Father's hands : so Martyr. Mystical, as Augustine Paul, in using a Hebrew word and a Greek, signifies that there is no difference between Jew and Grecian ; " For the same Lord over all, is rich imto all that call upon him," Rom. x. 12. Every Christian in the world may go " boldly unto the throne of grace," Heb. iv. 16. It is for a Saul to say, Pray for me ; but he that is God's son, dares go himself ^\ ithout sending others. Let no terrors keep us from our Father. " I will arise and go to my father," Luke xv. 18. To such a comer Christ will communicate good things. " Daughter, bo of good comfort," Matt. ix. 22. " Daughter,"' a word of great familiarity; "be of good comfort," a word of great security. " I ascend unto my Father, and your Father," Jolin xx. 17. To his Father! what is this to us ? Yea, also to your Father. He doth not say, I ascend to our Father; but to my Father, and your Father. He is in one respect my Father, in another yours; mine by nature, yours by grace. (August.) Infinite good things we partake, if we be sons ; but all lies in the assurance of this filialty. When God gives a man sanctity, he seems to say, " Thou art my son ; this day have I begotten thee," Psal. ii. 7 : when man apostatizes. Thou art not my son, this day have I lost thee. What say you to the covetous worlilling? Is he the son of God, that is not charitable to the sons of God ? King Richard the holy warrior, having taken a bishop in the field in coat-armour, was requested by the pope to release him. Send me my son. The king sends not the bishop, but liis coat-armour to the pope, with this question, Is this thy son's coat ? alluding to that of 42 AX EXPOSITION UPON THE Chat. I. Jacob's sons, when they had sold their brother Joseph, and dipped his garment in goats| blood ; " Tliis have we found; know now whetner it be thy son's coat," Gen. xxxvii. 32. The pope being asham- ed, returned his answer, that this was not the coat of any son of his. God's sons are known by their coat, that is, charity. Satan lays hold on the covet- oiir oppressor, and makes liim his captive : if God should now say. Deliver me my son ; he would straight .show God the oppressor's coat, his injustice and ex- tortion. Is this thy son's coat? No, God's children wear no such kind of garments : let him either strij) oil' such robes, or perish with them. Let others be ambitious of great and glorious parentages ; only. Lord, make us thy sons and daughters in Jesus Christ. 4. As fellows, in due measure, with God himself: " Truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ," 1 John i. 3. We may have a society with man, this is requisite, for we are all of one mould : but to God, what all fellows ? Yes, we have a fellowship with God ; such is his mercy, not our merits. The proud gallant scorns the poor mechanic; What, are you my fellow? Yet, ^fors scepira ligombus cequat, Death takes away diflference between King and beggar, tumbles Ijuth the knight and the pawn into one bag. Well, let the world despise us, it is enough the Lord doth not disdain our fellowship. " The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all," 2 Cor. xiii. 14. There are divers sorts of fellowships. Such as partake a mutual lot, as fellow-merchants in their adventures. We have thus a fellowship with God. If we rejoice, he joys in us, with us, makes us indeed rejoice in him ; for Christ rejoiceth in the Chris- tian, whensoever the Christian rejoicetli in Christ. That repenting son was not more glad that he had found his father, than the father was glad he had found his son, Luke xv. If we suffer, he suffers with us. Saul, thou persecutest me, saith Christ. He that did once suffer for us, doth still suffer in us. The usurer oppressing thee, takes away the goods of Christ, and shall be called to a strict account. There is consortium, the word by most translations here used. Chamber fellows, such as lodge together; "Come, my Beloved, let us lodge in the villages," Cant. vii. 11. Where the chamber is a sanctified heart, the bed a pure faith, the pillow is the peace of con- science, the curtains like Solomon's, azure, purple, and scarlet. Azure, or sky-colour, noting our hea- venly conversation ; purple, our zeal to God's glory ; scarlet, our charity : so love is praised to have a thread of scarlet in her lips. Thus now God is thy chamber fellow, and inhabits thy holy conscience ; and hereafter thou shalt dwell together with him in everlasting rest. Fellows in a journey ; and thus we have Christ's company. Whilst they walked and talked, " Jesus himself drew near, and went with them," Luke xxiv. 15. They that \vill walk to Christ, shall have Christ walk with them. He is the truth, the way, and the life: they that faithfully seek tlie way of'life, shall find the life of the way. The papists have great pilgrimages to shrines: Christ doth not travel with them ; he hath no fellow.^hip with them that give his honour to blocks and stones. Let my soul, on the holy feet of faith and obedience, travel toward Jerusa- lem; then Christ will say. Thou shalt have my com- pany. The good Christ ian cannot in any cotmtn,- travel alone, he is sure of the fellowship of his Saviour. Such as confer together; so we partake with God in a sweet and familiar discourse : " Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord," Isa. i. 18. Tell me your griefs, saith C'hrist. Are you pained at the heart with true compunction for your sins ? I will heal the broken-hearted. Arc you smitten with vexa- tions ? I will bind up your wounds. Thus it is our part to acknowledge, his mercy to forgive. We speak to him by our prayers, he speaks to us by his comforts. AVe pour our grievances into his bosom, he pours his graces into our bosom. Many camiot hear Christ speaking comfort to them ; no mar\el, for they speak not for comfort to him. Strangeness dotli lose ac- quaintance. We never came humble petitioners for gi'ace to the mercy-seat, but we sped : if the Lord hath at some one time been extraordinarily boimtifiil to us, shall we diswont ourselves from liis presence, be proud of our own stock, as if we needed him not ? This is the way to lose him, and all comfort with him. God loves to have us talk with him : if we forget to pray for good, why should not he forget to do us good ? Such as feast together ; thus we partake with God : If any man open unto me, I 'will come in and sup with him, and he shall sup with me. Rev. iii. 20. Here is a mutual supper : the confession of sins, that is our cheer ; the remission of sins, that is Christ's cheer. We give him meat and drink, he gives us meat and diink. Our dishes are all salads, lilies, and fruits. " My Beloved is gone down into his gar- den, to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies," Cant. vi. 2, the fruits of our right- eousness. Our drink is penitent tears ; though they be sharp to us, they are sweet to him. The tears of penitent siimcrs is the \vine of angels, says a father ; yea, wine for the Lord himself: not a tear falls, but he catcheth it in his o\\'n bottle. If we feast Christ, give him this drink. Let thy heart be a ^"ine-grape, sorrow the wine-press ; crush out this liquor, tne Lord loves it. His meat to us is liis own flesh ; his drink, his blood ; the bread of heaven, and the wine of blessedness. "Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life," John vi. 54. The temple is his banqueting-house, or wine-cellar; " He brought me to the banqueting-house," Cant. ii. 4. There ne broacheth to us the sweet wines of his gospel and sacraments. Here is another fellowship, and so are we fellow-commoners with Jesus Clirist. Indeed all the good cheer is his : alas, wdiat have we of our own to make such a guest welcome ? He may safely discommend our provision : let us not say, as some do to their guests. Welcome, but here is no good cheer for you, when secretly in their hearts they think there can be no better. Christ loves not so proud a mind, when the tongue says it is nothing, and the heart thinks it is too much. But plainly acknowledge thy poverty : if thou have any grace to feast him with, thank him for bringing it, and say in this truly, that he is come to his own cost. Yet thus he is ])leased to feed on his own provision, and to call it thine. He feeds on ours; I have eaten honey, and drunk milk : we feed on his ; " Eat, friends ; drink abundantly, beloved," Cant. v. I : drink liberally of it, for it is a cup of sa-N'ing health to all nations. Sworn brothers. Men not brotlir-rs by nature of blood, are made so by vow of love. Here is another fellowship ; Christ hath vowed himself thy brother. " Both he that sanctifieth and they wb.o are sanctified are all of one : for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren," Heb. ii. II. Thou hast vowed thyself to Christ in baptism ; keep thy vow, make good thy fellowship, lest tliou be a vow-breaker. Thy sin is no less than perjury, if thou become his enemy to whom thou art a sworn brother. Veu 4. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 43 Thus we partake of the Divine nature (with all re- verence be it spoken) as fellows. But not to deny the King his supremacy, we are fellows with Christ in his joy, reserving the throne to himself. Yet he is pleased to promise us a consession with him in his throne ; " To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne," Rev. iii. 21. We have a partnership with him in the plaee of his kingdom, not inequality of reigning. The king sets a subject at his own table ; yet must this subject still acknow- ledge his sovereign. Though we be co-heirs, let Christ be the elder Brother. Though we be made like to the angels, yet not like to the Lord of angels. The wicked know not, care not for this fellowship ; they do not like so Divine company ; they cannot be merry if God be by. Alas ! none know the sweetness of this partnership, but the partners. It is a new name, which no man knoweth but he that hath it, Rev. ii. 17. But he that hath it is truly merry, and keeps Hilary term all his life. " In thy presence is fulness of joy ; and at thy right hand are plea- sm-es for evermore," Psal. xvi. 11. God's company doth not only make us glad, but makes us good. Seneca said, that one special means to stay us from vice, was to think some grave men were in our company ; Semper eos tecum, quos verearis, habe. But we have not only men and angels, but even God looking on us, and associating with us. Peter swore like a ruffian, and forswore like a renegade, till Christ looked on him, and then he wept. There be divers fellowships in the world. There is a generation of men that lavish their estates, as we say, lling the house out at the windows, that call themselves good fellows. But good fel- lows and evU men are incompatible. They are like Simeon and Levi, sworn brothers, but brethren in evil. Perhaps they have more society than honest men, but not so good society. Briers and thorns twine more together than good plants. God is not in this fellowship ; you shall meet him at the church, not at the ale-house. But Satan puts in for a part : sometimes one drunkard plays the devil with another, in stabbing, or over-loadmg with drink : but if there be not always a personate devil, there is always a personal devil; Satan himself stands by. In this fellowship, riot is the host, drunkenness the guest, swearing keeps the reckoning, lust holds the door, and beggary pays the shot. There is another fellowship, a mystical one, a mis- chievous one, the society of Jesuits : yet they write themselves. Of the fellowship of Jesus. What! no meaner? Would not Peter, nor Paul, nor Francis serve ? No, none worthy of these men's company but Jesus. I persuade myself, he \vill give them little thanks for their familiarity. But do they not rather derive their names a conlrario ? Jesuits, not because fellows, but enemies, to Jesus ; as tlie Romans took names from their conquests; Scipio Africanus, be- cause he conquered Africa. Call him not Israel, bat Jezreel : call them not Jesuits, but Jebusites. But Peter is the deputy of Jesus, and they are factors of Peter: indeedthey uphold the chair of their imaginary Peter, and blow up other states with saltpetre. But sure Jesus was never a fellow-iUgger in tneir vaults, nor an engineer in their fire-works. Well, tlius Christ to the faithful vouchsafes his fellowship : he is " the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys," Cant. ii. I ; not a garden-llower enclosed, but he grows in the field ; his company is easily had, if our faith invites him. If thou wilt be of one heart, thou shalt be of one fellowship, with him. Let thy will and obedience agree with his commandments, and then his sweet presence shall accompany thy conscience for ever. Complain not though other men blanch thee, so long as thou hast the fellowship of Jesus Christ. 5. As members of a Head ; and thus we nearly par- take of the Divine nature. " Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular," 1 Cor. xii. 27. Christ is the Head, the church is the body, tlie faith- ful are the members. What doth the Head impart to the body? 1. Sense. He gives us eyes: we see not the mysteries of salvation without him. Lord, enlighten mine eyes. Ears : we may hear the gos- pel of life, but not the life of the gospel, without him. Lord, open mine ears. Taste: for we may have the cup of blessing held to our mouth, and yet can- not taste the sweets of grace without him. Lord, make me to relish thy heavenly gift. Feeling : man's brain is said to have no feeling in itself, yet to give feeling to all parts ; but Christ hath a feeling of our infirmities, and gives us a feeling of our own. We are naturally dead, and cannot feel our misery : it is Christ our Head that gives the life of sense, and the sense of life. 2. Understanding. The head is the seat of understanding ; we can have no comfortable knowledge of God but by Christ. "Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficethus," John xiv. 8 : do thou show us, we can see nothing but by thy light. This is " the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world," John i. 9. Hence it is, that no member can be ignorant, because he is joined to the Head. Though tliey cannot know so much as the Head, yet they shall know so much as shall make them blessed. 3. Motion : Christ our Head gives us motion. "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me," John xii. 32. If the Head be gone before, the mem- bers must needs follow after. We have moved from God by nature. Acts x\ni. 28 ; but to move to that which is good, from God by Christ. 4. Lastly, life itself; " for we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones," Eph. v. 30. There is a quaiTcl be- tween philosophers and physicians about the princi- pal seat of life, whether it be in the heart or in the head. But in divinity the case is clear, for all our life is from our Head. " I live ; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me : and the life which I live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God," Gal. ii. 20. Our breath is in our bodies ; the life of our souls is in heaven. " Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God," Col. iii. 3. Our bodies move on earth, our hearts dwell in heaven. (Anselm.) Let us be sure we are members of Chi-ist, then sure that we are partakers of the Divine nature. Wlio is sure of that ? Not the adulterer ; for he takes the members of Christ, and makes them the members of an harlot, 1 Cor. vi. 15 ; he hath lost the ligaments of purity. Not the oppressor ; he hath lost the liga- ments of charity : for lie that is not a good member of the commonwealth is not a true member of Christ ; and if the usurer can prove himself a good member of liis country, I will yield he may be a member of the church. Not the drunkard ; he hath lost the liga- ments of sobriety : our heavenly Head hath no stag- gering members. It will be very hard for a man to reel into heaven. Not the contentious ; for he hath lost the ligaments of concord, and broken the unity of the Spirit, which is in the bond of peace, Eph. iv. 3. That religion that is derived from Christ, pre- sents unity \vith Christians. He that will not keep the peace of God, shall not bo kept by the God of peace. Not the furious striker, who if he receives words, returns wounds : he is no member of Christ, for one member doth not strike another. Not the repiner ; for the eye says not to the hand, I have no need of thee, I Cor. xii. 21. The foot will not in- vade the office of. the ear, nor the arms of the lips. The magistrate vn\\ not administer the sacraments, AX EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. I. nor the minister bench it. Not the swearer ; for he is no member that strikes the Head. If we be members, the passion of others will work compassion in us. 6. As branches of a Vine ; and so we partake of the Divine nature. " I am the true vine," saith Christ, John xv, : a true vine indeed; for, 1. He was set on a blessed ground, the womb of the virgin, whom all generations shall call blessed, Luke i. 4S. In this fruit all nations are blessed. 2. He was cut and pnmed, wounded for our transgressions, till there ran out the life with blood, that was to us the blood of life. 3. He was dunked, soiled with the filthy excrements of the Jews : liis mouth prays for them, their mouths spit on him. 4. He was dig- ged, his side opened with a spear, his hands and feet with nails ; " They digged my hands and my feet," Psal. xxii. l(i. 5. As' the vine is fastened to some wood or wall, so was Christ fixed to his cross, till death and hell had done their worst. Yet there is still life in him, and he spreads this life to his branches, far and wide ; sending out his boughs unto the sea, and his branches unto the river, Psal. Ixxx. II. We are all naturally dry sticks, fit for nothing but the fire ; but being ingrafted into him, there is the living sap of grace derived to us. " As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, ex- cept it abide in the vine ; no more can ye, except ye abide me," John xv. 4. This, saith St. Augustine, comforts the poor publican, confounds the proud Pharisee. Qui riiet in foliis,venil a radicibus humor. Thus also we are partakers. There is a three-fold Divine union. 1. Essential; so God the Father is one with the Son and the Holy Ghost. 2. Personal; so God's Son is united to human nature. 3. Mysti- cal ; so the faithful are united to Christ. " He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit," 1 Cor. vi. 17. This is infinite comfort ; we cannot want grace and felicity, unless Jesus Christ should want it. "What- soever the Divine nature hath communicable to man, ive participate by being branches of this Vine. Per- iiaps he doth cut us till we weep and bleed : he purg- eth us, but to good purpose, that we might bring forth more grapes, John xv. 2; for we are most fruit- ful under the cross. Such is the pity of our hea- venly Father to us, that even his anger proceeds from mercy; he scourgeth the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of Jesus Christ, I Cor. v. 5. Yea, Lord, cut us even till we weep and bleed, so we may partake thy joy and glory in heaven. 7. As spouses of one Husband, Christ : this is a near partaking. " k man shall be joined to his wife, and they two shall be one flesh," Enh. v. 31. The husband and the wife are one flesh, t lie believer and Christ are one spirit. This is an inefTable mystery ; my heart feels it, no tongiic can express it. Here all language is lost, and admiration seals up every lip : we may drowsily hear it, and coldly be affected with it ; but let me say, principalities and powers, nature and reason, men and angels, stand amazed at it. But what do we thus partake of the Divine na- ture, by this marriage to Christ? 1. We have his kisses; and this is the earnest of love and faithful- ness; 0iX)//»o, a kiss, of (jiiXdv, to love: whom God kisseth, lie loveth : as the father welcomed his re- turning son, he " fell on his neck, and kissed him," Luke XV. 20. No token of affection more lively, more lovely than a kiss. 2. His embracings. His left hand is under my head, and his right hand dolh embrace me, Cant. viii. 3. God is said to have a right hand and a left, Prov. iii. 16 : with riches and honours, which are the gifts of his left hand, he lifts up my dejected head; with eternal life, which is the gift of his right hand, he embracelh my sides for ever. Whoso puts his trust in the Lord, mercy em- braceth him on every side, Psal. xxxii. 10. 3. We sleep with him: '"Our bed is green," Cant. i. Ki. Make ready his bed, if thou wouldst have b.is com- pany : sweep the chamber of thy heart from all the dust of evil thoughts, and annoyance of lusts : give him fine linen, innocency of spirit ; a pillow of charity ; a covering of obedience to keep him warm ; and let the down-bed of thy faith be prepared ; then he will lodge with thee. 4. He gives his spouse a join- ture or portion. As in the solenuiizing of a marriage on earth, the husband says to his wife. With all my worldly goods I thee endow; so Christ endows us with his riches of glory. "My Beloved is mine, and I am his," Cant. ii. 16. Blessed exchange ! he is ours, we are his; yea, all ours are made his, all his is made ours. We brought him a portion of wickedness, of wretchedness ; the fee-simple of sin, death, and hell: he bore all those torments, and so took them that he took them away. He brings us another man- ner of jointure or endowment; justification, sanctifi- cation, freedom, grace, and peace on earth, glory and joy in heaven. Here is a blessed wedding. In our marriages we have these requirable things ; the bride- groom, the bride, the father to give the bride, the priest to tie the knot, the witnesses, and the wedding ring. Here the bridegroom is Christ, the bride the church, the giver God the Father. (^VHio gives this poor Vjeggar woman, man's soul, to be married to this rich Man, this Prince ? God himself.) The priest that makes the knot is the Holy Ghost, he is the sealer of this union : the witnesses are angels ; the wedding ring is our faith. Dost thou plead, thy soul is married to Christ ? show me thy wedding ring, look well to thy faith. The best way to reconcile two disagreeing families or enemy kingdoms, is to make a marriage between them ; for the uniting of bloods ends all quarrels. AVe were all adversaries to God, and he was ready to figlit against us with eternal death; how should peace be made but by a marriage ? So Hamor persuaded the Shechemites; "Let us lake their daughters tons for wives, and give them ourdaughtcrs ; " so shall we have peace, Gen.xxxiv.21. Lo, the Kingof heaven gives his only Son to mortal man's daughter, that is, his soul ; and though she were a miserable beggar, jointures her in his own kingdom. Be not then married to the world, it is a misshapen stigmatic : not to lust, it is a black and leprous witch ; not to the de\-il, he is a foul and ugly monster: run not greedily after riches, pleasures, and wantonuesses ; remember thy chaste love to thy one and own Husband: " I have espoused you lo one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ," 2 Cor. xi. 2. Abhor bigamy, lest lie divorce thee: have one Husbaml; the bed brooks no rivals. Raise thy affections above a common pitch, and let thy soul bear herself as the spouse of the great King. It is a wonderful joy that a man hath with the wife of his vouth ; but it is a greater joy in being spouses to Christ ; the faithful soul knows only the sweetness of his embraces. But the greatest of all is to be married to him in heaven : " Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb," Rev. xix. 9. (hily that marriage is the merrj' age, where shall be joy. great joy, eternal joy; our music shall be the choir of heaven, and our banquet ever- lasting gloiy. I have been over prolix in this point of partaking the Divine nature ; but it is tedious only to those that liave no right in this p:irticipatiou. Let me excuse myself; my tongue followed my heart, and I could not but speak what was my comfort to feel. It hath given sweet content to my own spirit ; God grant it may give no less consolation to others. Tliis parti- cipation is not a transfusion of the Divine essence or Yer. 4. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 45 nature into us; but a communication of the mani- fold blessings wrought out liy Christ. Of nothing, we have being; of being worse tlian nothing, we are restored to God's image; formed with reason above the creature, and reformed with grace above reason; now immortal in our souls, hereafter to be immortal in our bodies. AVhat honour, what glor\- is this, that a man of dust, a worm creeping out of the mud, auUeat credos ad sijderu lollere luHus, should look up inito heaven, and call the omnipotent God his Father I How gracious is this promise ! how glorious this participation! Let not the blind judgments of the world trouble us ; we believe and know, know and feel, feel and joy that we are partakers of the Divine nature. Wc might here infer with Athana- sius, that Clirist is the same substance and nature with the Father; because they that are partakers of the Son, are also partakers of the Divine nature. (Contr. Arrian, Orat. 2.) He says further, that the beginning of this partaking, is by the consignation of the Holy Spirit in our baptism. (Epist. ad Scrap.) Ambrose refels the Arians from this scripture, who condemn the voice of substance and nature in Divine things ; as if Christ could be the Son of God, and not the substance of God. But if the name of sub- stance or nature trouble them, let this text satisfv them. (De Fide ad Grat. lib. 1. cap. 9.) He adds, who can deny the Holy Ghost to be equal with the Father or the Son, whenas it is his work whereby we gel a participation of the Divine nature ? (De Spir. Sane. lib. 1. cap. 2.) Cyril says, that the faithful comnmnicant, in receiWng the sacrament, is made partaker of the Divine natiu-e. (Cyril. leros. Catech. 4. Mystag.) Leo from hence takes occasion to ex- hort us to piety and holy life: Remember whose thou art, the member of Christ, and temple of the blessed Spirit : do not drive away so sweet ;m in- liabitant by thy sins, and again subject thyself to the devil's sen'itude. (Ser. 1. de Nat. Doni.) To the same purpose speaks C)"rillus, (Alex. lib. 4. in Levit.) and Origen, (in Levit. Homil. 4.) All of them striving to show us, that we by faith partake of Christ's flesh, by his flesh of his soul, by both of his Spirit, by all of his Deitj-. Thus you have seen the conveyance and the in- heritance. In the one was a word of promise ; in the other a word of preferment. Now all these pri- vileges we partake as we are true Christians. Plato said he was beholden to nature for three things : first, that she had made him a man, not a beast. Next, that she had made him a man, not a woman : for mulier quasi motlior, or mollis aer ; but vires in riris, vera sedes lirian, sexus sotet esse tirorum. Lastly, that she had made him a Greek, not a barbarian. Well, in all these preferments he acknowledged himself but beholden to nature ; and for all these we, as well as he, are beholden to the God of nature. But there is a fourth thing, for which, as he to Greece, so we must be thankful to grace ; that we are not only men, and not beasts; Greeks, that is, knowing, and not igno- rants; or philosophers, and not fools; but yet infi- nitely more, that we are Christians, and not infidels. By this only we partake of the Divine nature ; only glory in this. " Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man gloiy in his riches : but let him that gloricth glory in this, that he understand- eth and knowtth me, saith the Lord," Jcr. ix. 2.3, 24. Nothing is more worthy thy pride, than that which will make thee most humble if thou hast it ; that thou art a Christian. When an ambassador told Henry the fourth, that magnificent king of France, concern- ing the king of Spain's ample dominions : first, saith he, he is king of Spain. Is he so, saith Hcnr)- ? and I am king of France. But, saitli the other, he is king of Portugal : And I am king of France, saith Henry. He is king of Naples : And I am king of France. He is king of Sicily : And I am king of France. He is king of Nova Hispania : Anil I am king of France. He is king of Ihe West Indies : And still, I am king of Fi-aiice. He thought the kingdom of France equivalent to all these. To wliat purpose is all this ? Yes, if thou ap- ply it rightly. Another hath great learning and wit : Well, I am a Christian. Such a one hath great honours : I am a Christian. Another hath abundance of riches : I am a Christian. That man hath large dominions : Well, I have more in heaven, I am a Christian. He is of the blood royal, partakes the na- ture of kings : Yet I partake of the nature Di^-ine, am of the blood royal of Jesus Christ, I am a Christian. Let them glorj- in their great and Iionourable rela- tions, it shall content our souls that we partake of thy Divine nature, Jesus Christ ! " Having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." This is the third main point, our deliverance. It hath the last place in the words, not so in effect with us ; we must first escape this cor- ruption, before we can come to that Divine participa- tion. As you have seen what you are, partakers of the nature of God ; so now see what you were, soiled with the corruption of lusts : " Such were you ; but ye are washed," &c. 1 Cor. vi. 11. In this deliver- ance we considered two general parts, a discoverj', and a recovery ; a discovery of great danger, a re- cover)' from that danger. The danger discovered was the corruption of lust ; the deliverance is specified, an escaping. In the danger or wretched estate wherein they naturally stood, consider, 1. The infection, cor- ruption of lust. 2. The dispersion, through the world. For the infection, conceive in it two things: 1. 7'i(- 7iiorem, the corruption. 2. Humorem, the lust. The one that is bred, the other whereby it is fed. In all we shall find, that the greatness of the danger com- mends the greatness of our deliverance. " Corruption ;" this is the tumour, a universal dis- ease. All flesh have eornipted their ways. This monster is not coagulated all at once ; but Gradalim spargere vires ; Prorsits et ex multis vnum coalescere morbum. Stone after stone, Babel is builded : stick after stick, the burning pile is made up : from the confluence of many diseases, ariseth death. First, it gets into the thoughts, that the imagina- tions of the heart are evil. Gen. vi. 5. This we think little danger; but when it hath got the citadel, it commands all the sconces, and forts, and guards. The heart is a castle, the outward senses are the gates. When it hath got into the castle, the watchmen were to blame, that let the enemy in. Turpius ejicilur, quam non admiltitur liospes. These be partus tnenlis, pri- mogenili Mgi/pti : if thou canst not hinder the con- ception of sin, but it must be born* ; yet, like the midwives of Egypt, despatch it betimes, lest it de- spatch thee. For "lust, when it hath conceived, bringeth forth sin : and sin, when it is finished, briugeth forth death," Jam. i. 15. Spare not the little Babylonians, lest they one day grow great enough to vanquish Israel. Kill the young wolves, and secure thy flock : destroy the brood of the viper: let it never 'come to this, I would I had prevented it. Sin is easily committed in act, if admitted in thought. Labour first to purge thy heart from this corruption : let not thy " vain thoughts lodge within thee," Jer. iv. 14. Job, though he were well persuaded of his children in respect of their outward demeanour, yet he doubted their hearts, " It may be that my sons 46 AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. I. have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts," Job i. 5. "Keep thy heart with all diligence," Prov. iv. 23 : the hands and feet must we well guarded and regarded, but especially look to thy heart. Let thy thoughts examine thy thoughts: thy conscience must not only extend to deeds and words, but even to secret thoughts. They that arc accustomed to evil thoughts, can seldom bring forth good words, never good deeds. As the corn is, so will the Hour be : if the meal be bad, the fault is not in the millstones that ground it, but in the miller that put in such base com. All thy senses and members are but the millstones ; the heart is the miller : if thy words and works be ill meal, thank the miller, thy heart, for such corrupt thoughts. As the wood is, so will the fire be : if it be wet and stinking wood, look for an unsavoury and unwholesome fire : if the wood be sweet and dry, it will perfume the room \vith a sweet and pleasant air. Such fuel as you lay on your thoughts, such fire shall you have in your actions. There is a knowledge projected, which only looks upon outward things ; and even beasts do in some measure participate this with men. There is a knowledge reflected, that inwardly beholds a man's self. Many men know many things, but they know not themselves. Man's knowledge should not be a gadding harlot, whose feet cannot keep within doors; but a good housewife to stay at home. When Dinah would be rambling abroad, to see fashions, and to observe the ladies of the land, she was defloured by Shechem, Gen. xxxiv. : if our affections be noctiva- gant, night-walkers, they will easily come home quick with child. Next, this corruption gels into the senses. It passeth through the eye. " Death is come up into our ^vindows, and is entered into our palaces, to cut off the children from without, and the young men in the streets," Jer. ix. 21. It hath terrible elfects; it invades the palaces, the secret chambers of the heart ; abscindit pueros, it cuts off the little masculine virtues of the soul ; yea, even the young men, the graces that begin to get strength in us. All this death comes in at the window, that is, the eye. Cur aliquid lidi, cur noxia lumina feci ? Mine eye hath betrayed my soul. Epiphanius gives an apt moral reason, why, in the old law, when a dead coi-pse passed by any house, they were commanded to shut their doors and windows. When a work of death, abhorred sin, is proposed, shut both the doors, your mouths, and the windows, your eyes. It is said that Judith's pantofles ra\-ished Holofemes' eyes ; her sandals took him, Jud. xvi. 9. Wliat good men tread under their feet, that wicked men are seduced by. Therefore says Solomon, Look not on the colour of the wine, when it moveth itself aright, Prov. xxiii. 31 ; be not tempted with the colour or dancing of it in the cup. Nimium ne crede colori. That sense is accessary to the sin, that opens the door, and lets the thief come in. Iniquity is the thief, the eye is the gate : therefore says Job, " I have made a cove- nant with mine eyes." Adultery is such an ugly mon- ster, that it could never enter the city of the heart, unless it did first corrupt the watch. Lord, " turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity," Psal. cxix. 37. The ear is another passage ; through that door Satan often sends in his errand. Woe is me, because I have heard that which made me either angrj- or gtiilty ! Keep him out, and be safe : stop thine cars to his charms, so shall he not touch thy heart. But he cries to the porter, Let mc but come in, I will desire no more : do but give him the hearing, it is sufficient to take thy soul. It stays not wholly in the senses, but gets also into the tongue ; and this must needs babble the corrup- tion. Democritus called speech the image of life : and another used to say, Speak, that I may know what thou art. "A fool uttereth all his "mind," Prov. xxix. 11. As wise men carrj' their mouths in their hearts, so fools carrj- their hearts in their mouths. Fools first speak, and then deliberate ; they bluster out their follies. A wicked man bears his words in his mouth, as a dog doth an arrow in his ribs, never rests till it be drawn out. He is pregnant of slander or blasphemy, and either he must be de- livered, or he will burst. O evil servant, out of thy own mouth I will judge thee, saith God. God doth judge, and man may guess. Diogenes said. You will ehoose men to service before you hear them speak, yet will not buy an earthen pot before you tr)' it by the sound. A bell may have a crack, and you can- not sec it; but take the clapper, and strike it, you shall soon perceive it is flawed. The damsel told Peter, Sure thou art of Galilee, for thy speech be- wrayeth thee. Many lap the water, bending on their knees; none but a right Gileatlite can with- out lisping pronounce Shibboleth. Lastly, you shall find it in the hands too, and there it exceeds itself; in the heart it is but corrup- tion, in the hands it is ei-uption. Ex ungue leonem, you may know a covetous wolf by his paws. A troubled fountain sends forth impure streams : an evil heart hath a most evil hand. If the hand grope for a bribe, as Felix did of Paul, Acts xxiv. there is a most unjust heart. If the hand scramble for wealth, there is a covetous heart. If the hand be still strik- ing and stabbing, there is a bloody heart. The actions of the hands are so many characters, whereby we may spell the meaning of the heart. The hands speak a man. What a man does, I am sure he thinks, not evermore what he says. Saul's tongue could say, " Blessed be thou of the Lord : I have per- formed the commandment of the Lord," 1 Sam. xv. 13. But Samuel heard the language of his hands; " WHiat meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear ?" ver. 14. 'The corruption that is secreted in the heart, is declared by the hand. The deaf man would think the air quiet ; but he that hears it thunder, knows it is troubled. Many look fair and sky-coloured in their profession, but they thunder in their works. They imagine mischief, and practise it, " because it is in the power of their hand," Micah ii. 1. They have breath as sweet as sirens', but their deeds leave a stink behind them. Now swell all these comiptions into one imposthu- mated head, and here is not only the corruption of the world, but a world of corniption : as the prophet calls Jerusalem and Samaria, not only sinners but sins, Micah i. ; or as Lucan speaks of a wounded body ; Totum est pro vutnere corpus, The whole body was as one wound. A land overflowed with sea is said to be all sea; so a heart overrun with sin is all sin. That is land still, and this is a heart still ; but by reason of this deluge we say, that is all sea, this is all sin. And this corruption is so pleasing to the wicked, that they think it health itself. Men take such delight in this bestiality, that, as Pliny re- ports, Grillus being transformed to a hog, would not endure to be turned to a man again. Wlien God offers the dnmkard to make him sober, no, he thanks him, he is better as he is. Doth he undertake to let out the usurer's corruption by charity ? no, he had rather be a usurer still. Divers uses are to be made of this proposition; which arc generally two-fold; concerning others, concerning ourselves. Concerning others, that we lice the persons in whom this corruption rages; as being willing to avoid the plague, we do balk the Vek. 4. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 47 house wherein the infection dwells. Miserable folly ! we hate the plagiie which may kill our bodies, we love the plague which may spill our souls. The condition of sin is better than "the condition of sickness. (Na- zian.) For if a man lie sick in the strcet.s, others are dainty and shun him, walking aloof. But let a rich man be an adulterer, a swearer, a usurer, we close with him ; yet only of tlicse we have a charge, not to accompany them. Which of these corrup- tions, in your o^vn souls, do you think the worst ? To see this corruption, the Lord give us eyes ; to let out this corruption, prick our hearts ; and from this cor- ruption, save our souls. Concerning ourselves : better not know our dis- ease, than no means to cure it. For this pui-pose, something must be done upon us, something Viy us. The thing to be done to us, which may properly get out this natural corruption, is salting. For salt doth not only preserve from corruption, but also eat out corruption. It hath divers effects, fit to shadow out the work of the Spirit on us for this purpose. First, it preserves from corruption and rottenness : the Egyptians used to WTap their dead bodies in salt. All are corrupted, subject to rottenness, and need salting. The ministers of the gospel are the " salt of the earth," Matt. v. 13. It is not enough to have quirks of wit, but soundness of doctrine. They that preach, not only after a new method, but new things, swell your brains, but leave your hearts empty ; they do not salt you. That is good salt, which keeps your souls from stinking before God. Secondly, it is searching, and goes to the quick : there must be acrimony in salt, else it is not good. Do we cut, and fret, and trouble you : remember we are salt, the sharper the better. Indeed a man may over-powder, and there is discretion in salting. There are some that have had too much salt, till they are ready to throw the church out at the windows : the name of a bishop frights them, a surplice makes them run ; they fear a cross worse than the de\nl does. These are over-powdered, but -ndth ill salt ; they arc cor- rupt, and must be new salted. There is no medicine profitable, but it is sharp: our acrimony is good, though thereby we endanger the loss of your loves. This should not make you fret at us, but at your ovsti sins. " I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance," 2 Cor. vii. 9. If you hear these things sorrowing, give me thanks for it, saith Chrj'sostom. Show yourselves gratos non gra- vatos. The preachei-'s reproof is like salt, it may bite ; but better sharp corrosives, than festering woimds. I am most loved where I am most salted. (Bernard.) At last you will say with David, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, that God of all grace, that hath sent thee to meet me this day, with thy admoni- tion. Blessed be thy advice, the doctrine thou hast preached ; and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from shedding blood, 1 Sam. xxv. 32, .33 : even a benediction upon thy person, that hast been the instrument of preventing my sin, by thy salting. There is nothing more against the grain of our afTcc- tions at first ; but when by this means we shall find ourselves preserved to heaven, where no cormption shall enter, for this salting we shall thank the Lord. Lastly, salt gives a taste or relish to another thing. " Can that which is imsavoiiry be eaten without salt?" Job vi. 6. Corruption shall not inherit in- corruption, 1 Cor. xv. 50. Without tliis salt there is no taste in us. Unsavoury meat is called foolish meat : Vt mpiant fatuw f'abrorum prandia bel<p. (Mar- tial, lib. 13. ep. 13.) One manner of God's entering into covenant was called, the '•_ covenant of salt," for the perpetuity of it. Numb, xviii. 19. So were the sacrifices seasoned in the old law. Lev. ii. 13; so must every soul be relished in the gospel ; •• Every one shall be salted with fire," Mark ix. 49. In that was the covenant of salt, in this, the salt of the covenant. Love them best that salt you most. Had you rather stink than be salted, and so presented a ser\'ice to God. The sermon may delight us, but not better us, that hath no salt in it. Nulla est in tanlo corpore mica satis. (Catull.) If thou yet find no good by thy pastor, yet love him, in hope of the good he may do thee. Thus, to get out this eorniption, we see what is to be done on us: now what is to be done by us? Two things ; a vision of it, and a provision against it. First, we must endeavour to see it. Physicians say, if the disease be once known, the cure is half done. If we could see corruption in the tnie form, we would loathe it : but as tlie conjured devil ap- pears not to the necromancer in hideous and fright- fiil shapes, but in some familiar representation ; so ^^ee shows itself in forms most delectable to flesh and blood. If half so much were knowTi to man as God knows, we would hang down our heads for shame. Man's heart is beyond all geometry ; " de- ccitfiil above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it ? " No man can measure it, but he only that spans the heavens ; " I the Lord search the heart," Jer. xvii. 9, 10. It is a little piece of flesh, it will scarce give a kite her breakfast, yet fills the whole world with corruption. Therefore learn to see this conuption. Sin in itself is not to be seen ; therefore behold it in concrelis : the tyrant like a lion, the fraudulent like a fox, the lustful a goat, the drunkard a hog, the oppressor a wolf, the traitor a devil. If we would see any thing, it is requisite that the object be rightly placed ; not behind us, not beside us. Not behind us, there we cannot see it. We hang other men's faults at the pommel of the saddle, put our own in the cloak-bag behind us. Like barbers, that trim all men but themselves. Not be- side us. If thou wouldst plainly behold an object on this side of the room, thou must go on the other side. Wouldst thou see the eorniption of pride? thou canst never do it so long as thou art proud ; thou standest on the same side. Go on the contrary side, that is, to humility, then thou shalt behold pride in her gaudy and ridiculous colours. Wouldst thou see the cormption of adultery? thou canst not so long as thou art an adulterer ; the harlot is on the same side with thee. Go over the way to chastity, and there see the harlot in her proper and foul deformity. Desirest thou to contemplate the sordid corruption of drunkenness ? thou canst never do it so long as thou art drunken ; thou and thy cups are both of one side. Go and stand in opposito, to sobriety; then thou shalt see a blear eye, a reel- ing foot, "a stammering tongue ; thou wilt abhor it. Wouldst thou grow into dislike of usury ? never so long as thou art a usurer. Go on the other side, to charity ; then see a covetous heart, an oppressing hand, an unquiet conscience. It is impossible to dii^cem the tetrical and horrid countenance of sin, so long as thou sidest with it : set thyself against it by repentance, and thy dislike will be greater than ever was thy love. Next, when thou hast discovered it, strive to expel it : tliis is not done by nature ; for nature, accord- ing to the temperature of bodies, increaseth tliis cor- ruption. The Italians have a proverb. If little men were patient, if great men were valiant, and red men were loyal, all the world would be equal. The same causes in nature that concur to such a constitution, concur to such a- corruption. Therefore they say, From a white Spaniard, a black German, and a red 4f) AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. I. Italian, libera nos Domine, good Lord, deliver us. And we in England confess much trust or danger in men according to tlieir complexions. To a red man read thy read ; with a brown man break thy bread ; from a pale man still remove ; from a black man keep thy love. But this is only according to nature ; for grace can ahcr nature, and purge out this original corruption. AVhen an astrologer told a cardinal to what misfortunes he was bom ; he answered, But I am new-born, and tlie good of my second birth hath crossed the bad of my first. Humours cannot be durable, because their prime matter is capable of so many forms and changes; but graces, having their root in the Deity, must needs be eternal, as is tlieir Author. Strive then to cast out nature by grace, corruption by Christ. Do not keep it in, but cast it out. A wicked man may restrain e\'il, as do the godly ; but here is the difference, that man keeps in corruption, this kills corruption : only to refrain evil is to be evil still. Haman was angry for want of Mordecai's reverence, yet he smothered the tire of his wrath, which nothing but the last drop of eveiy Jew's blood could extinguish, Esth. iii. 6. The good man dotli not only cheek it, but choke it. If he cannot nullify sin, he will mortify it ; that this corruption shall never hurt liim, shall never please him. And when he hath gotten this upper hand of it, he never loseth it ; for if it be forborn, it will re- turn. Corniption is like a candle new put out, it is soon lighted again : if Satan but blow upon it, its own heat inflames it. Let us therefore always be tilling the paradise of our souls with good works, that God may delight to walk there. Will Christ himself become the door-keeper of the heart ? he will be as ready to be the door-keeper of our house, to keep out our enemies, as David was willing to be the door-keeper of God's house, to let in his friends. It is only the Lord. who. with tlie sweet breath and perfume of his Holy Spirit, doth cleanse the air of our hearts from this corruption. We see our duty, to cast it out : now let me add two circumstances ; when, and whence. First, when we must cast it forth; and that, 1. Whilst corruption is young. Kill the enemy whiles he is young, that he may leave no posterity to hurt thee. (Hieron.) Sin long customed, is hardly con- quered. Frequent actions constitute a habit, whether in good or ill. He that hath done well once, shall more easily do it the next time. He that hath done evil once, shall more hardly resist it at the next assaidt. There arc evils that naturally grow in us, and evils that we sow in ourselves. Whatsoever grows of its own accord, let us strive to kill ; but sow none. Suppress the beginnings of evil. Sin is like a nettle, the older it is, the hardlicr killed. AVell hath our church ordered that preparative every morning prayer ; " To-day, if ye will near his voice, harden not your hearts." '2. Whilst we are young : for corruption grows the older the stronger, and man the older the weaker. Whom thou being young en- tcrtainest for tliy play-fellow, when thou art old thou shalt find thy master. Our Saviour began the work of our salvation whilst he was very young. The very first day that great Prince was courted in a stable: he shed some blood in his circumcision when he was but eight days old. And is it loo early for us, being yoimg, to work out our own salvation ? Sliall Satan have tlie rose-buds, and God only the stalk ? Satan tlie veins full of blood, bones full of marrow, God a carcass ? We vowed in our baptism, all the davs of our life to his service ; for shame let us not, An.inias- like, keep back part of the iirice. " If ye ofTer tlie blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil?" Mai. i.'8. The go- vernor of your bodies will none of if : will the Governor of your souls accept it ? Scr\-e God in old age ? a sweet piece of service ! If God come in youth, and find no fruit, beware the fig-tree's curse, " Never fruit grow on thee hereafter." The sealing of a bond without a time set, makes the debt presently due. God doth not bid the drunkard abstain when he can drink no more; nor the usurer leave oppress- ing when his bags be full. To leave sin when sin leaves us, will never pass for true repentance. Next, whence we must cast it forth ; out of the heart. For as in generation, so in regeneration, life begins at the heart. Now to cast it quite out from thence, that no dregs remain, this is not possible on earth ; but the strength and principality of it. As when many birds are caught in a net, if a pelican or some great fowl can break the nut, and get out, all llie little birds follow: so cast out the grand cori-ujv tion, that is most predominant ; as lust in the adul- terer, covetousness in the worldling, j)ride in the haughty ; then all the inferior will follow ; as if the master be dead, all the servants will attend the funeral. If it cannot wholly be now buried, it shall be one day. God suffers sin in his chosen till the last, that then they may have a full triumph. When the five kings were hid in a cave atilakkedah, Josliua charged the soldiers to pursue their enemies, and consume tliem : for the kings, he brought them out at evening, and then made his men of war set their feet on the necks of them. Josh. x. So at evening you slall set your triumphant feet on the necks of these tyrants, having first captivated them, and slain your enemies with the sword of mortification. Yea, God shall shortly tread Satan himself under your feet, Rom. xvi. 20, and give you a full victory in Christ. " l/ust." We perceive the tumour tliat is bred, now look upon the humour whereby it is fed. Lust, concupiscence in itself, as it is a faculty of the soul, and gift of God, is not sin ; but may be the hand of virtue, or the instrument whereby she works. Keep her at home, and set her on work, to light the candle, and sweep the house ; let her be under the correction of grace, and she may prove a chaste virgin, fit to meet the Bridegroom at his coming. Lust is in itself as they write of the planet Merciir}- in the horoscope of man's nativity; if it be joined with a good planet it makes it better ; if with a bad one, it makes it worse. There is a lusting of the Spirit ; for " the Spirit lusfeth against the flesh," Gal. v. 17. But it is most commonly taken in the worse sense, and so two ways ; strictly, and largely, or in the full scope. Strictly, it is taken for the sin of uncleanness ; which albeit God hath in so many places threatened to confound, yet that filthiness which God hath condemned is not without its patrons. Such are, first, libertines, and they will have Scripture for it. Hosea was commanded by God to take a wife of whore- doms, Hos. i. 2. Some answer, this was a figure, not a fact ; not a history-, but a mysterj- : that God would cast off his old wife, the church of the Jews, for their whoredoms, and choose a iicw one, even a wife of fornications, the church of the Gentiles ; that he might sanctify it, and present it to himself a glo- rious cIiuitIi, Eph. V. 2". So the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband, 1 Cor. vii. 14. But grant it a histoPi', yet was not the prophet to be blamed, that of an impious stnimpct he made a chaste wife ; but rather they that of chaste wives make impudent stmmpets; which is the condition of these times. Howsoever, to the prophet this act was commanded ; to all us, the like is forbidden. The other defenders of incontinency are the pa- pists ; and that not only with arguments, but with authority. Their common plea is, that in hot coun- Vkb. 4 SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 49 tries they are necessary evils : but by their leave Israel was a hotter climate than Italy ; yet, " There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel," Deut. xxiii. 1 7. But they cite Augustine, Take away whores, and wear your wives ; that were the way to make stews of your own houses. This might Augustine say, but St. Augustine never said it. Such a gal- lant he might be in his unruly youth ; but after that same lolle and lege, when he lighted upon that text, Rom. xiii. 13, no more chambering and wantonness now, but lie put on the Lord Jesus, and disclaimed the lusts of the flesh. He confesses. Indeed I did once beg of God the g^ft of continency ; but to tell truth, I desired that he should not hear me : I had rather it might then be satisfied, than mortified. (Confes. I. 8. c. 7-) But we justly abandon that remedy, that is worse than the disease. As an em- peror said of the means prescribed him to cure his leprosy, which was the blood of infants, I had rather be sick still, than be recovered by such a medicine. Thus they that put away honest wives and go to harlots, dc,al as wisely as he that cuts off his own legs to go upon crutches. Causa patrocinio non bona pejor erit. This lust is a sin hardly subdued. Old Lot, whom all the fire that consumed Sodom could not touch, yet was inflamed with his own heat. Ambrose saith of Samson, He could choke a lion, not his lust. Another of Hercules, Lenam non potuil, poluil stiperare leipnam ; Quern f era non valuit vincere, vicit Hera, He found the lioness weaker than his lust, and no beast so savage as his harlot. Lust is a hellish fire, whose fuel is fulness of bread and idleness, evil words the sparks, infamy the smoke, pollution the ashes, the end hell. For this sin God rained fire and brimstone upon Sodom ; he sent down hell out of heaven. (Salvian.) The delight is short, a minute determines it ; the torment is everlasting, no worlds •of ages shall end it. Plutarch writes of Lysimachus, who being besieged, himself and all his people ready to perish by thirst, gave up the keys of his city to the enemy for one cup of cold water : when he had tasted this cold comfort, he cried out. Oh that for so short a pleasure of a king, I should be made a slave ! So the pleasure of adultery is short, the punishment of the adulterer is everlasting. (Hieron.) Consider this lust in the body, as a pot boiling on the fire : it may be two ways cooled. First, by taking away the fuel. Uneleanness is the daughter of surfeit. That harlot breeds bastards, and lays them at the rioter's door ; the soul stands charged to answer what the body does. When the mouth is made a tunnel, the throat a wine pipe, and the stomach a vat, wantonness bien venu. After glut- tony and drunkenness follows chambering and wan- tonness, Rom. xiii. 13. Gregory observes, that the chief of the cooks, which was Nebuzaradan, first overthrew the walls of Jerasalem, and first put fire to the temple. By the chief of the cooks, he un- derstands gluttony ; by the walls, our senses ; by the temple, our heart : riot gives the first overthrow to all these. Secondly, the pot is cooled by pouring cold water into it : only abundance of sorrowful tears can put out this unruly fire. The Amalekites had spoiled Ziklag, and taken their ^^^ves and their children pri- soners; which when David and his people found, they wept till they could weep no more. David asked counsel of the Lord, and upon his direction followed them, and smote them from the twilight till the evening of the next morrow. So there escaped none, save four hundred young liien that fled upon camels, I Sam. xxx. Conceive lusts to be these Amalekites ; they spoil our Ziklag, sack our city, captivate our wives and children, our senses and alTec- tions : now let us cast cold water into this pot, weep till we can weep no more, lament we day and night. Then let us pursue these brutish Amalekites ; so shall we overcome our untamed lusts, and smite them from the twilight of our youth to the evening of our old age. Some young men may escape, some vain words and unclean thoughts may remain in us; but for the old Amalekites, gross and foul faults, we shall conquer them. So recover we o\ir wives and daughters, our aflfections so dear to us ; and they that were the prisoners and drudges to lust, shall now do good service to God. "The land is full of adulterers; for because of swearing the land moumcth," Jer. xxiii. 10. Shall the land mourn for the inhabitants, and not the inhabitants mourn for their sins ? We have preventions, lawful marriages. The Garaman- tes of Libya have all their women common. Wicked infidels ! no marriage, no chastity. We have mar- riage, but not chastity. The more unsufierable their impiety, that have such a remedy. Though we can- not quench this fire, we will weep upon it ; we wnll mourn for these lusts. Let the offenders use this remedy, and by God's assistance they shall get the victory. " Thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters," Psal. Ixxiv. 13. The heads of the dragon are broken in the waters ; great lusts are drowned in a flood of tears. Moses in zealous indig- nation did drown Israel's sin ; he drowTis the idol, lest the idol should drowTi the people, Esod. xxxii. : as the philosopher did with his wealth. So beat your lustful affections to dust, drown them in your tears, and let your souls drink those tears ; as the prophet says. My tears have been my drink day and night. These shall so blot Satan's accusation and bill of complaint against us, that the court of heaven will not read it. There was a hand-writing against us, but it was engraven in brass ; no aqua fortis of our tears could eat out that ; only Christ's blood did expunge it. Col. ii. 14. The devil still puts up new declarations and quarrels against us, but they are written (as it were) in paper; if we weep on them, we shall easily blot them out. Antipatcr wrote to Alexander a long epistle, containing accusations of his mother Olympias ; to whom Alexander shortly replied, Alas, doth not Antipater know, that one tear of a mother will wash out many letters of an accuser ? So one tear of the child of God shall obliterate all the indictments of the devil. Thus penitently /)ec- cata dolere, est peccata delere: for God esteems sin in deed repented, as if it had never been in deed com- mitted. Weep therefore here, that thou mayst not weep hereafter. One remorseful tear shed on earth, is better than whole buckets in hell. Weep here, and weep never ; weep there, and weep for ever. " They tnat sow in tears shall reap in joy," Psal. cxxvi. 5. All this while we have considered lust in the nar- rowest bounds, as a particular effect of that grand beldam concupiscence. But lust is of a greater latitude, and is not only to be taken for the desire of fleshly company, but for the whole general corrup- tion of our nature, prone to all sin. There is in the world, " the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life ;" therefore it is called the lust of the world, 1 John ii. 16. St. John divides the world into three parts, and gives lust tvvo of them there ; all in the next verse, " The world passeth away, and the lust thereof." Whatsoever is in the unregcnerate will of man, that is lust. " The works of the flesh are manifest," Gal. v. 19; that is, of lust, it is all one. When they are conjoined, as lusts of the flesh, then flesh 50 AN EXPOSITION' UPON THE Chap. I. is as the mother, and lusts the daughters ; when they are found in several places, know they are but diverse names of one and the same thing. Paul, in reckoning them up, mentions many, and concludes more, with "and such like." He says first they are so manifest that he need not, and last so manifold that he cannot, reckon them all up. Now if St. Paul, numbering (he sins of his times, was fain to break off his catalogue with an et ctptera, how shall we in these days deliver up a fnie inventory of them? Alas, we have now those sins, to which they then wanted names. Theirs were serpents, ours are dragons; the first were evil, but the last are worst of all. The consummation of times and sins are met together upon us. Tlie world, like that image, had a head of gold, there was some puri- ty; his shoulders of silver, there the metal declines ; his arms of brass, baser still ; his legs' of iron, yet more rusty ; but now come to his feet, they are all of clay, nothing but earth, earth. And as commonly in a diseased body, all the humours fall dowTi into the legs or feet, and make an issue there ; so the corrup- tion of all ages hath slided down into the present, as into the feet, and their lust hath made an issue, to the annoyance of all the world. This lust is a friendly Judas within us, a familiar devil : she is indeed the mother of all -n-ickedness : yield the fatherhood to the devil, lust will challenge the motherhood to herself. " When lust hath con- ceived, it bringeth forth sin : and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death," Jam. i. 15. St. James seems to speak of a womb, lust conceives ; of a birth, it bringeth forth ; of a growth, it is finished ; of a death, it lastly kills, brings forth death. The psalmist describes the bringing her to bed, Psal. vii. 14. First, she conceives miscliief, and grows quick with child. Then, she travails with iniquity, there is her labour. Lastly, she brings it forth, there is her delivery. The prophet gives her a quicker de- spatch ; She conceiveth mischief, and bringeth forth iniquity, Isa. lix. 4 : she doth but conceive, and presently bringeth forth. Let me take leave to follow this significant allegory. We have found out the mother of sin, lust ; but can she be with child without a husband, or one instead of a husband ? Sin must have a father as well as a mother; though it be an illegitimate bastard, it must have a father. You all know the father of sin, that is, the devil. We have now a father and a mother : the father begets, and the mother conceives : she is big with child; but how shall she do for a midwife? she cannot be delivered of her burden without a midwife. There is one ready at her call, that is, consent. We have now a father, a mother, a midwife : suppose the child is begotten, conceived, and born ; how shall we do now for a nurse? it will otherwise die for want of keeping. Lust is some great lady, and scorns to nurse her own children. There is a nurse provided too, and that is, custom. Here are all things too fit and ready for the production of this monster. The devil is the father, lust the mother, consent the midwife, and custom the nurse ; if con- sent bring it forth, custom will bring it up. AVhen sin was first brought forth into the world in that first human person that ever sinned, Eve, this was the proceeding. Concupiscence the mother kept com- pany with the devil the father, and he suggested to her his seed, that was, temptation; presenting a fair frait to her eye, and dissuading from confi- dence in the truth of God's charge : upon this seed she begins to conceive; she saw it pleasant to the sight, and desirable to make one wise. Gen. iii. 6. After this conception in the thoughts, she knew not how to be delivered but by consent; she did take and cat. Now the child is bom, lest it should perish for want of keeping, lust puts it forth to nurse. Dame custom takes it to keeping, and promiseth to bring it up. And she hath been as good as her word ; so nursed it, and nourished it, that it is now past a tender stripling; Paul calls it an old man, •' Put off the old man," Eph. iv. 22 ; above 50(X) years old, and yet it is not only alive, but lively and lusty to this day. First, for the father of sin, whom all confess to be the devil ; " When he speaketh a lie, he speakcth of his own : for he is a liar, and the father of it," John viii. 44. Christ calls him the father of lies, not of liars, for all men are liars. Now as every lie is a sin, so some have obser\-ed that eveiy sin is a lie, because it is done against the truth. If so, then he that is the father of all lies is the father of all sins ; and by a lie he engendered all sins. God had said, " In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die," Gen. ii. 17. Eve, first receiving Satan's seed, reporting this, coniipts it ; and says only, " Ye shall not touch it, lest ye the," Gen. iii. 3. Satan says peremptorily, " Ye shall not die." So God's plain affirmation, Ye shall die, was first turned to a dubitation. Lest ye die ; at last, to an impudent nega- tion. Ye shall not die. God affirms it, the woman doubts it, the devil denies it. (Bern.) Thus he is the father of sin. In the devil there be some good things : — substance ; for he is good as a creature, not as a devil. God made him an angel, he made himself a devil, Deus Jion odit peccatum causa dia- boti, sed diabolum causa peceali, God does not hate sin for the devil's sake, but he hates the devil for sin's sake. Immortality ; for he is a spirit, and can- not die. Faith ; " the devils believe, and tremble," Jam. ii. 19. Truth; for they confessed Jesus to be the Son of the living God. But these two last are enforced, not voluntary. His whole purpose is to beget sin, and by sin to beget death. " God made not death," Wisd. i. 13. How then came it into the world? It entered by sin. How entered sin? By the malice of the devil. This Satan works in a double spite. In a spite to man ; because he is God's image : he cannot hurt God, therefore have at his image. Be- sides, man is to be advanced to that heaven from which he is hurled down for ever. If therefore he possibly can, he will pluck him to hell where himself must be for ever. Thus Satan gave life to sin, that gave death to all the world. In a spite to Christ ; for Clu-ist and Satan were never friends. The Lion of Judah and the lion of this world were never at peace. The devil doth what he can to bruise Christ's heel, in hurting his members; and Christ hath thoroughly burst his head. In Christ's birth Satan set hard to kill him by Herod ; in the wilderness he tempted him; he never rested till he had brought him to the cross ; he had him then where he would. But as the devil came to destroy Christ, so Christ came to destroy the devil ; " For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil," 1 John iii. 8. But as Christ resisted him when his living body was on the pinnacle of the temple, so he overcame him when his dead temple Ining on the pinnacle of the cross. Scaliger writes. That the cameleon, when he spies a serpent shading under a tree, gets up and lets down a little thread, not unlike a spider's, breathed out of his mouth ; at the end whereof there hangs a little drop as clear as crystal, which falling on the serpent's head, kills him. So Christ, mounted on the tree of his cross, sends down from his side a tliread of blood, that fell on the old serpent's head, and for over slew him. Now if thou wouldst prevent this generation, infatuate the father of sin, disable the devil. Allow Ver. 4. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 51 him no bed of fornication in any member of thy body, or corner of thy soul. AVoiild he beget adul- tery in thee ? afford him not the bed of an unclean thought. Would he beget revenge ? afford him not the bed of anger. Would he beget usurj- ? allow him not the bed of covetousness. Debar this copu- lation, prevent this conception, and thou shalt never have that bastard laid at thy doors. We have had much ado \vith the father of sin ; we shall yet be more troubled with the mother. I could not be blamed for accusing him, that accuscth all the world; neither must I be partial to the bel- dam, lust, an old decrepit woman, growing on apace to six thousand years, and yet she is not past chil- dren. This lustftil mother is ready to conceive, as that devilish father is forward to beget. Pugnabit prima fortassis, et (improhe) dicet : Pugnando vinci se tamen ilia volet. (0\"id.) She wrestles with a desire to be overcome. I will consider how this is done in some particulars. An offence is done you ; the devil comes, and joining with concupiscence, suggests the adulterous seed of anger : lust, the mother, conceives malice, she travails with the pleasure of revenge, she grows big with conspiracy, and at the last, she brings forth murder. There is beauty in a woman, God's admirable workmanship, rich colours upon a piece of clay. By some wanton look, lascivious speech, or light be- haviour, the devil suggests the seeds of uncnastity. Lust conceives desire, she travails with expectance of opportunity, grows big with immodesty, at last, brings forth adultery. In another, the devil suggests the seed of pride ; lust conceives it by thinking on honour ; she travails in the imagination of high places, how great things she might do, how bravely quit her enemies, if pre- ferred to some dignity : she grows big with an office, and at last brings forth scorn and tyranny : now still she runs upon Pompey's motto. Semper ego cupio prcp- cetlere, et esse siipremus. Satan suggests the seed of discontent; lust con- ceives a child; like ice, it begets the mother again. Wine begets lust, and lust begets a desire of wine. Bacchus and Venus are near neighbours ; only volup- tuousness hath a house between them. This is the mother, and thus prone to the forbid- den bed. What shall we do ? Because we know the dishonesty of the father, let us be sure to keep in the mother; restrain lust, and so sue a divorce betwixt the devil and concupiscence. The only way is to put enmity between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman ; that though the devil be never so busy in suggesting, yet concupiscence may be kept from conceiving. There are two good herbs to make this woman barren, agnus castus and lettuce, prayer and fasting. If this kind of devil have adul- terated \Wfh lust, he goes not out but by prayer and fasting. It is fasting spittle that must kill this ser- pent. If this take not effect, present to thy mind a spiritual crucifix, the remembrance of him that died on the cross for thee. Think thou dost see Jesus coming toward thee ; his head crowned with thorns, his hands, his feet, his side, his heart bloody ; his eyes full of tears. Behold him : adulter)- sits "not in those eyes ; those feet were not made to please Herod with a measure ; those arms were wonted to no wanton embraces, but to embrace the cross with patience, our souls with comfort. For thee, lust, for thee have I died ; thou only didst murder me : do not make these wounds bleed afresh ; open not my side again to let forth new streams of blood ; pull me not from my throne in heaven to the grave again. Wouldst thou keep lust from the adulterous company of Satan ? set in the view of thy conscience, Jesus Christ crucified. The next is the mid-wife, consent. Well might the child be conceived by suggestion, but without con- sent it could never be bom. The devil suggests into Absalom's heart pride, his lust conceives a crown, consent of will is his mid«-ifc, and delivers him of treason. The devil suggests into Demas gain ; his lust conceives heaps of money, case, the pleasure of the world ; consent of will is his midwife, and de- livers him of apostacy. Satan comes to a young beginner, one newly set up for himself, and suggests the sweetness of being rich ; lust conceives all ways of gain, and propounds being one day an alderman ; consent of will plays the midwife, and brings forth fraud and lying. If thou wouldst prevent the birth of sin, deny lust her midwife, consent. " My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not," Prov. i. 10. Could arti- sans and women master great difficulties, and wouldst not thou ? saith Augustine to himself. It is no easy achievement. It was as great a miracle that Joseph in the arms of his mistress should not bum with lust, as it was for those three saints to walk in the fiery fiimace \\-ithout scorching. (Luther.) If lust will yield, and sin must be bred, yet be sure to lock up the midwife ; that it may be an abortive brood, stifled in the womb, still-bom. He was a great prince, that on the diffi- culty of his queen's deliver,-, when the midwife put him to the choice, whether the mother or the son should be saved, seeing one of them must on neces- sity be lost : the king answered, Save the fruit, though the tree fall ; preserve the son, albeit you lose the mother. But in this case do the contrary ; save the mother, and let the child perish ; kill sin, and preserve nature alive. Thou art tempted, con- sent not ; allow no midwife, and the child shall never be bom. We have all lust about us, a very body of death, Rom. vii. 24 : the father is ready, the mother is willing ; keep away the midwife, that though sin be done upon us, we may have this comfort, we con- sented not. The last is the nurse, custom : this feeds, sustains, and brings up the bastard. Though it be bom, it could not batten, thrive, and grow to stature, but by sucking on the breasts of custom. The curse that the Cretians used against their enemies, was not fire on their houses, nor a sword at their hearts ; but that which in time would bring on greater woes ; that they might be delighted with an ill custom. " If I have done this, if there be iniquity in my hands," &c. ; then " let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it ; yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth, and lay mine honour in the "dust," Psal. vii. 3 — 5. Hugo Cardin. on those words of the psalm conrments mus : Let him persecute my soul by sug- gestion ; take it by consent ; tread down my life by action ; and lay mine honour in the dust by custom. This is not only a grave to bury the soul in, but a stone rolled to the mouth of it, to keep it down. Sin, but now bom, iniquitas est ; matura, natura fit, when it is ripe, it becomes a nature. The disease is incur- able when vices are made manners. Custom is not only another nurture, but another nature. Lawyers say, That which is done by many, is at length thought lawful in any. Take an apologue : Four things meeting, boasted their comparative strength; the oak, a stone, wine, and custom. The oak stood stoutly to it, but a blast of wind came and made it bow; the axe felled it quite down. Great is the strength of stones, yet continual drops wear them ; a hammer breaks them to pieces. Wine overthrows giants and strong men, senators and wise men ; et quid non pocula possunt .* yet sleep overcomes wine. 52 AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. I. But custom remains unconqucred. Many would not endure Jesus Christ, because he came to break their customs. The masters of the pythoness objected this against Paul and Silas ; that they did teach cus- toms not lawful for them to receive, Acts xvi. 21. For this cause was the uproar in Ephesus ; the copy- hold of Diana was touched j and the town clerk had no means to appease the tumult, and deliver the apostles, but by saying, These men are no blasphem- ers of your goddess ; they come not to break your customs. Acts xix. 37. Tell a papist that his two meals' fast makes the third a glutton, he defies you for a breaker of his customs. Tell a countrj-man that it is unlawful to keep his town-wake on the Sunday, lie hates you as a puritan, that comes to break his custom. It is custom that hath undone our church : when the pastor comes to demand his tithes, he is answered, as the man of Romney Marsh did his minister from Scripture, " Custom to whom custom." But the minister well replied, " The churches of God have no such custom." This is the nurse, custom : and so you have all four ; the father, the mother, the midwife, the nurse. And here is the generation of that monster, sin ; born from the womb of that con- cupiscence, which my text calls lust. Now God hath given us means to conquer all these. The father is Satan, " Whom resist stedfast in the faith," 1 Pet. v. 9. Faith in the Lamb shall put this roaring lion to (light ; " They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb," Rev. xii. 11. For the mother, overcome her by mortification, " Mortify your mem- bers which are upon the earth," Col. iii. 5 : not only lay her asleep, but lay her dead. The midwife is consent ; disable her, by resolution not to obey her in the lust of the flesh. "Let not sin reign in your mortal body," Rom. vi. 12. He says not, let not sin tyrannize ; but, let it not reign. Be not sin's volun- taries : if you be only jiressed against your wills, it is not you that offend, but sin that dwelleth in you. The devil will suggest, and concupiscence will adniit, but take away the midwife, consent not. There will be sensus, let there not be consenms. Wlien the fair Lucrece was ravished by Tarquin, Augustine ob- ser\-es. There were two persons, and but one adul- terer; a conjunction of bodies, but a distraction of minds. A regenerate man's case is like that of Lu- crece ; sin is rather done on him, than of him. But lastly, let us all confess, that the father hath begot, and the mother conceived, and the midwife brought forth sin in us : we have gone too far in this birth ; yet, in the fear of the Lord let us not put it to nurse, not accustom ourselves to it ; but break off sin by repentance ; otherwise, lust, when it is finished, brings forth death. " That is in the world." Wc have seen the infec- tion, let us now look upon the dispersion; through the world. The world is taken two ways ; for the frame and constitution of the world, and for the men and inhabitants of the world. Now this corruption extends itself to both : the content hath corrupted the continent ; men's sins have infected the world, as the plague in persons infect the very walls of the house. The latter acceptation is here strictly meant ; yet let us see this corruption in both. First, for the men of the world ; for this is rather a depravation of manners, than of elements. The prince of this world shall be cast out, .John xii. .31. Not the Prince of the great world, for that is God ; but of the little world, evil man : the wicked are his vassals, because they arc sin's vessels. The devil is called the "prince of the power of the air, the spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience," Eph. ii. 2. Christ " was in the world, and the world knew him not," John i. 10. What world knew not Christ ? The heavens knew him, for the sun was eclipsed at his death, and that at full moon : the earth knew him, for it shook and quaked with fear : the stones knew him, for they rent and clave in sunder. The world that knew him not, was man ; not the sub- stance, but the inhabitant of the world. Every thing is (hat which it loves ; so the wicked are (he world, because they afTect the world. But if the world be ever (akcn in the worst sense, how then is it said. So God loved the world ? When Donatus opposed that, " The whole world lieth in wicked- ness," 1 John V. 19; Augustine answers him with, " Christ is the propitiation, not for our sins only, but for the sins of the whole world," 1 John ii. 2. And, " God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto him- self," 2 Cor. V. 19. Here a distinction shall make all clear. Where world is taken in an evil sense, it is meant of evil men ; where in a good sense, of good men ; where in a general sense, of all men. The godly are called the world, but (he marrow of the world : when this marrow decays, the world will perish. " Help, Lord; for (he godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men," Psal. xii. 1. If the godly be diminished, now, help, Lord. Chrj-sostom says. Many things are spoken of the land that shall not be fulfilled but in the cross. But the wicked are properly called the world; for though they be reasonable men, and have souls from heaven, yet they are corrupted by and corrupting the earth. There is a river in Spain full of fishes; but those fishes are corrupt and unwholesome, by reason (he river runs three or four leagues under the groimd : so the wicked, though they had some sparks of natural goodness, yet by running through the earth, they become loathsome. " Many walk, that are enemies of the cross of Christ," Phil. iii. 18: if many in Paul's time, more now. For Satan, who was then bound, is now loosed again out of prison; and hath " great wrath, because he knoweth that ho hath but a short time," Rev. xii. 12. So te- trical and horrible is this, that a man would think the whole world were turned de\-il. Therefore pray we with David, From men of the world, good Lord, deliver us, Psal. x\'ii. 14. Secondly, (he world in (he very frame and sub- stance of it is thus corrupted ; all is vani(y. A man that would taste the saltness of marine waters, needs not drink up all the sea : it is enough for me to give you a taste of this world. In (he creation of every day's work, God saw that it was good ; but in the sixth day, having done all, and viewing all in the harmony, they were vcn,' good. The things of the world were made good for man, but he made them c\-il to himself; so that now the whole creature groaneth under this corruption, Rom. viii. 22. So it labours, as if it desired release, and rest: so it is cor- rupted, that it must perish. "The heavens shall pass away with a great noise," &c. 2 Pet. iii. 10 : the dif- fering doth not discredit the certainty. If the world itself be so perishable, what think you of all the pomp and vanities of it ? They are corrupt themselves, and cornip(ing odiers. " Love not the world," 1 John. ii. 1.5. What is the world? The apostle expounds it to be " lust of the fiesh, lust of the eyes, and pride of life." Blessed is (he man that is delivered out of them ; wretched is he that is wrapped in (hem. There's only one way left, not (o admit The world's cormption; to be none of it. Now, shall I wrap up both these worlds into one bundle, and teach you how to loathe it ? This yon will do by considering the villany, misery, in- constancy, insufficiency of it. The villany. The world shall hate you, saith Christ. "Then Christ hath not told us truly, or the Ver. 4. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 53 world will use us hardly. As Tertullian observes on Nerva's epistle to Pliny : he would not have Chris- tians sought for, as if he confessed them innocent ; yet being found, he would have them punished, as if he professed them guilty. Good men commonly find as much favour of the world, as Vitellius showed Julius the senator ; when the emperor Commodus commanded he should be slain with the sword, Vi- tellius in favour did beat him to death with cudgels. Plead what they can for their own innocence, the wolf will answer the lamb. Indeed thy cause is bet- ter than mine, but my teeth are better than thine, I will devour thee. There are not wanting, that, like Fimbria of Rome, who meeting a citizen that he hated in the street, gave him a deadly thrust into the body with his sword; and the next day entered an action against him, that he had received but part of his blade into his body, and not all, as he meant it. iSic noeet innocuo nocmis : what can the lamb expect else of the butcher ? Indeed sometimes the world useth a man, as Jerome notes the praetor handled a soldier, to make him renounce Christ. First he im- prisons him in his own house, allows him a cham- ber well furnished, soft lodging, dainty cheer, wine, music, all delights. When this course would not take, (yet. Lord, how many are thus tempted to leave their Saviour !) then he casts him into a dark dun- geon, loads him with irons, starves him with the hungry allowance of husks and puddle-water. When nothing would do, he bums him. If the devil can- not win men to hell as he seems an angel of light, he will strive to accomplish it as he is a spirit of terror ; if not transformed to another shape, then deformed in his own shape. The misery. So soon as Christ was baptized, and the Spirit descended on him, presently Satan had about with him. No sooner do we give our names to Christ, and receive the Holy Spirit, but instantly the devil rages and roars against our poor souls with might and malice. If we begin to please God, we displease the world ; if God be our friend, that will be our enemy. " When we were come into Mace- donia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side ; without were fightings, within were fears," 2 Cor. vii. 5. When we once put oiu- endea- vours to godliness, expect no quiet. ^iniqitam belta bonis, nunquam dissidia eessant : Et quocum certet, mens pia semper habet. (Prosp.) Say we then with David, " God, my heart is ready ; " ready for good things, ready for evil things, ready for high things, ready for low things, ready for all things. (Bernard.) The kine of Betnshemesh might low after their calves at home, yet they kept one path, and turned neither to the right hand nor to the left, 1 Sam. vi. So although we mourn for parting from our temporary delights, yet let us keep the way of truth, that will bring us to the end of our faiths, the salvation of our souls. Scrape not then on the dunghill of this earth for pearls, where nothing will thrive but toad-stools. In me you have peace ; in the world you shall have tribulation, Johnxvi. 33: leave me to affect your own misery. The inconstancy. At most we can get but the figure or fashion of this world, and the ftishion of it perisheth. The partridge may sit on eggs, and hatch them, Jer. xvii. 11 ; but then" (because they are none of her own) the true mother calls them, and they fly away. The worldling is this brood-goose, hatchcth chickens, gathers riches; but when God calls them, they nm away from him, and leave him a fool. Thou fool, this night shall they fetch away thy soul from thee; then whose shall these things be? Luke xii. 20. Swallows will not build in houses ready to fall ; yet we, more unwise, build our nests in this perishing world. Sea passengers have written, that about the TcnerifTe there be certain islands, called the flitting islands ; they are often seen, but when men come near them, they flit away. The world itself is such, a flitting island : to-day thou thinkcsl it thine ; to-morrow it shall not find thee his : thou art quickly gone from (hat, or that from thee. Solvet amicitias mors inffratissima veslras. O blessed place, where peace hath no change ! The insufficiency. It can never content us. They tliat have most, crave most : the richest usurers are the poorest beggars. " He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silvei," Eccl. v. 10. As the poor man cries, What shall I do because I have nothing ? so the covetous cries as fast, What shall I do because I have so much ? " What shall I do, be- cause I have no room to bestow my fruits ? " Luke xii. 17. But what is this ? have we any hope to cast out worldlincss? No: indeed your judgmen's here can make no resistance, but your affections cannot be brought to it. Most men desire Esau's blessing, the fatness of the earth : they care not for Jacob's ; yet he went away witlt the covenant. Cain's out- lawed stock were yet excellent in worldly things ; Jabal in cattle, Jubal in music. Tubal in brass and iron ; they were the fathers of those professions. What worldly thing is there, but some reprobates Iiave had it ? For beauty, Absalom was very fair; and the daughters of men by beauty insnared the sons of God, Gen. vi. 2. For strength, Goliath was ver>' potent ; for swiftness, Hazael was a swift run- ner ; for wealth, Nabal was very rich ; for honour, Saul was a king : in man one dram of grace, from God one drop of mercy, had been better than all these. " There appeared a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars," Rev. xii. 1. The sun is Christ, the twelve stars the twelve apostles, the moon is the world, and that is under the church's feet. We that have the earnest of the Spirit, and the first-fruits of salvation, while we are awake know and acknow- ledge this to be the best of all. Yet if a little rest of quiet, or ease of health, or luggage of wealth, be missing, we mutter as if God had done nothing for us, and are often ready to leave the music of Zion, and to run back to the world. Strabo hath a tale of a musician, that had got together many delighted hearers, whom with sweet charms he held by the ears ; they praised his music, he was well-pleased with their company. On a sudden the market-bell rung, away they ran all, and stayed not so much as to give him thanks ; only one somewhat deaf stayed behind. The musician heartily thanked him that he would tarry with him, when all the rest went away at the ringing of the market-bcU. Why, but hath the market-bell rung indeed? says he. Yes, (juoth the musician. Away trudges he too. You can apply it. Preach we never so well against worldlincss, when the charms and chimes of the world ring, it is hard to keep your minds from run- ning. Oh how diflicult is it to conquer this world ! yet faith can do it; "This is the victory that over- comet h the world, even our faith," 1 John v. 4. Every true Christian is greater than William the Conqueror, greater than Alexander the Great, greater than Pompey the Great, greater than the Great Turk : for they conquered in many years but a few parts of the world ; but the believer in one hour, with one act only, subdues the whole world, with all things in the world. Terra fremal ; regno alia crepent, mat or/us et orcus ; 5(' modo firma Jides, nulla ruina nocet ; An thou a Christian ? hast thou vanquished the 54 AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. I. worl J, that vanquisheth all the wicked ? Bless God for this conquest : the king of Spain's overrunning the Indies was nothing to it. Merchants would give much to know a short cut to those remote places of traffic, wthoLit passing straits, or fetching bouts : the shortest cut to the riches of the whole world is by their contempt. Here is a short description of the world's vanity, by reason of this corruption: but what can he expect that speaks against the world ? When Christ himself came to dissuade men from the world, he had ill luck in that point. He might preach, " Make to youi-selvcs friends of the mam- mon of unrighteousness," Luke x^•i. 9 ; and, " Ye cannot serve God and mammon," ver. 13. But when the Pharisees, that were covetous, heard all these things, they derided him, ver. 14 ; he had but a flout for his labour. But let those that have hope of heaven, cease to love this world ; and know that if Christ make us to deny this world, he will give us a better : we shall be no losers by him, he %-ouchsafes us the kingdom of heaven ; for if in this life only we had hope in Christ, we of all men were most miser- able, 1 Cor. XV. 19. Take this cori-upted world that like it ; let that glorious world be ours. " Having escaped the corruption." We have con- sidered the infection, and the dispersion, and therein the discovery ; now one word of the recovery, we have escaped it. I call this a deliverance, for we have escaped, not by our o^ti power, but by his grace that hath delivered us. " Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers : the snare is broken, and we are escaped," Psal. cxxiv. 7- The snare of the fowlers were the lime-twigs of this world; our soul was caught in them by the feathers, our affections : now indeed we are escaped, but tlie Lord delivered us. We that were once taken cap- tives of Satan at his will, are now freed. There is a four-fold mamier of freeing captives. I. By manu- mission, a voluntary making free of a bond-servant : so we are escaped from the service of Satan into the glorious liberty of the sons of God. " If the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed," John viii. 36. 2. By commutation. We were prisoners by sin to death. God therefore made a change with death: Take thou my Son prisoner, give me my servants free. Death and hell were forced to ex- change; so they killed Christ, and we escaped. 3. By price, when a ransom is paid. Now Christ " gave himself a ransom for all," 1 Tim. ii. 6. No silver or gold could serve : but the precious blood of that immaculate Lamb, 1 Pet. i. 19. We are bought with blood, and this is the blood of God. So Tertul- lian, No blood could have saved us, but the blood of him that was God. Here was mercy, great mercy. Christ to have mercy upon us, had no mercy upon himself: the price is paid, and we are escaped. 4. By violence. Thou hast plucked my feet out of the snare, when they were too hard for me : with a strong hand and out-stretched arm God hath de- livered us out of this Egyjit. As David delivered his sheep from the lion, so the Lord hath delivered us, 2 Tim. iv. 17. Clirist did cast out devils: like Alexander, he stood not to untie the knot, but he cut il. By all these ways we are escaped; may our thankful hearts give praise to our Deliverer Jesus Christ. But did God all this for us, and shall we do nothing for him, for ourselves ? Alas, we shall then soon again be entangled with the corniption of this world. Here we learn the due and true use of fail h and repentance : faith, to lay hold on the blood of Christ, to cleanse our souls from this corniptitm of lust ; and repentance, by true remorseful tears to purge ourselves continually. No day is witliout sins, let no day pass without sorrows. These show- ers shall kill the weeds c f lust, and spring up the herbs of graces. When he over-waters earth, there follows temporal plenty ; when earth waters heaven, there follows spiritual plenty. Let me now give you the picture of repentance ; which I desire not to be set up in your houses, but to be laid up in your hearts. She is a Wrgin fair and lovely, but sorrow seems to do violence to her beauty ; yet indeed increaseth it. You shall ever see her sitting in the dust, her knees bowing, her hands WTinging, her eyes weep- ing, her lips praying, her heart beating, her lungs panting. She comes not before God with a full belly, and meat between her teeth, but her soul is humbled with fasting, Psal. xxxv. 13. She is not gorgeously attired ; sack-cloth is her garment. Not that she thinks these outward forms will content God, but only are the remonstrances of pure sorrow within. And indeed at that time no worldly joy will down; only pardon and mercy in Jesus Christ. She hangs the word of God as a jewel at her ear, and ties the yoke of Christ as a chain about her neck. Her breast is sore with the strokes of her own penitent hands, which are always lifted up toward heaven, or beating her own bosom. Sorrow turns her lumina mtoflumina, fronteni into fontem ; her eyes into fountains of tears. The ground is her bed ; she cats the bread of affliction, and drinks the water of anguish. Her knees are hardened with continual praying, her voice hoarse with calling to Heaven ; and when she cannot speak, she delivers her mind in groans. There is not a tear falls from her, but an angel holds a bottle to catch it. The windows of all her senses are shut against vanity : she bids charit}' stand the porter at her gates, and she gives the poor bread, even while herself is fasting. She would wash Clirist's feet with more tears than Mary Magdalene, and, if her estate could reach it, give him a costlier unction. She thinks every man's sins less than her own, eveiT man's good deeds more. Her compunctions are unspeakable, known only to God and herself, and to no creature else. She wish- cth not only men, but beasts, trees, and stones, to mourn with her. She thinks that no sun should shine, because she takes no pleasure in it ; that the lilies should be clothed in black, because she is so apparelled; that the infant should draw no breast, nor the beast take food, like the Niuevitcs, because she hath no appetite. She hath vowed to give God no rest, till he have compassion upon her, and seal to her feeling the forgiveness of all her sins. Now mercy comes dov\Ti like a wliite and glorious angel, and lights on her bosom. The message which mercy brings from the King of heaven is this : I have heard thy prayers and seen thy tears. The Holy Ghost comes with a liandkerchicf of comfort to dry her eyes. Lastly, she is lifted up to heaven, where angels and cherubim sine her tunes of eternal joy, and God bids immortality set her in a throne of glory. Verse 5. Atid beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue ; ana to virtue knoicledge. The fonner part of the chapter is spent in comfort- ing; now he comes to exhorting. A father does not only promise his son, I will make thee mine heir; but wathal imposeth on him some duties, by perform- Veb. 5. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 55 ance whereof he may assure himself of inheritance. If we shouhl speak nothing to men instructively, or reprehensively, but all comfortably, it were the next way to send them comfortably to roin. Sat Dews ; at nobis (jucpilam facienda reliquil ; It is not fit that heaven should take all the pains to bring earth to it; earth must do somewhat to bring itself to heaven. God's bountifulness is beyond our thank- fulness ; yet thankfulness is not enough, there is matter of labour and diligence in it. He that lies in a dark pit, will yet offer his hand to him that will help him up. Jeremiah did put the cords under his own arms, that Ebed-melech let down to draw liim out of the dungeon, Jer. xxxviii. 12. If the lord of a manor have given thee a tree, thou wilt be at the charges to cut it down and carry it home. He that works first in thy conversion, hath in wisdom made thee a second. Thou seest God's bounty ; now look to thine own duty. This is taught us by, I. The quality, Diligence. II. The quantity, All diligence. " Give diligence." Here first for the quality. There is no matter wherein we hoj)e for good in the event, accomplished without diligence in the act. He that expects a royalty in heaven, must admit a service on earth. The good man is weary of doing nothing, for noticing is so laborious as idleness. Bernard calls it a dumb numbness of the soul, which neglects to begin, or is weary to prosecute any good work. Deny sloth not only continuance, but coun- tenance. Satan's employment is prevented, when he finds thee well employed before he comes. Thomas a Becket, no good man, in no good cause, when he was admonished to be less stirring in state matters, answered, that he sat at the stem, and therefore ought not to sleep. This is a Christian's case : Is the world tempting, the devil attempting, my flesh betraying, and shall I sleep ? Do I steer the helm of my own vessel, wherein my soul is the passen- ger, and my hope of blessedness the freight, and would you have me to sleep ? Jacob complains, that the sleep departed from his eyes, Gen. xxxi. 40 ; so careful was he to make his reckoning even with his master. I am sure we have a greater charge, greater Master, greater account, and yet we sleep. Lepidus lies in harvest under the cool shade, I would this were to take pains j so some stretch themselves upon their ivory beds, Amos vi. 4, and invite their curious morsels with rich wines ; and. Oh that this were the way to heaven ! Augustus, hearing that a Roman, far in debt, slept quietly during his life, sent after his death to buy his pillow. It is a strange pillow whereon some slumber, that owe so much to God and man. When the oyster gapes, the crab throws into her a little stone, which ninders her from shutting again, and so he devours her. Satan watcheth our idle gaping, tlirows in his bait, lust or drunkenness, and so preys upon us. It is observable, that albeit the Romans were so idle as to make Idleness a god, yet they allowed not that idle idol a temple within the city, but without the walls. It grieves me to think that our suburbs abound with so many worshippers of this lazy devil ; yet I still pray that none may be within the walls. Let us deal with idleness and wantonness as Philip of Macedon did with two such persons, cause the one to drive the other out of our coasts. The old world snored when the great shower came : Sodom slept, but her dam- nation slept not. It was Gog's presumption, " I will go up to the land of unwalled ^-illages ; I will go to tnem that are at rest," Ezek. xxxviii. II. So Satan presumes to set on the sluggish, as an undefenced city: the devil shoots in a slug, and hits none so soon as the sluggish. The unjust steward out of office forecasts, " I cannot dig ; to beg I am asham- ed," Luke xvi. 3. We have those can dig, yet are not ashamed to beg. Many a one says, not, I can- not, but, I will not, dig. It is mercy to give them three things, correction, work, and meat. A gener- ous spirit is of Maximinus' disposition; Quo niajor sum, eo viagis taboro ; et quo 7nagis laboro, eo major su?n. Oiu- gallants would not endure that father, that should charge his eldest son to work in the vineyard, Matt. xxi. 28. Jacob got the blessing, but it was under the name of Esau, \vnich signifies work- ing. (Ambrose.) We must have the hands of Esau, if we look for the blessing of Jacob. There are three marks and helps of diligence ; vigilance, care- fulness, love. Vigilance. A serious project, which we can hardly drive to our desired issue, takes sleep from our eyes. The best plot is to be saved, to appease God's anger, to get remission of our sins ; yet we are fast asleep, though this be undone. Clirist said unto Peter, " Simon, sleepest thou ? " Mark xiv. 37. Is Judas waking, the Pnarisees walking, the soldiers banding, the devils urging, the Son of man betraying, the great work of redemption accomplishing, and sleepest thou ? So is Satan provoking, thy flesh ready to yield the fort, sin at tne door, and judgment not far off, and sleepest thou, O Christian ? When Abraham received the woefullest charge that was ever given to father, concerning his only son, he rose early to do it. Gen. xxii. 3. On the week days every man riseth early to his trade ; on the Lord's day, when the busi- ness of their souls is specially in hand, men usually sleep their fill. Carefulness. " Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God," Eccl. v. I. Thou hast a foot, walkest with that foot, even to the temple ; but look to it. Res est soUicili plena timoris amor. If thou lovest God, thou wilt be fearful to offend him, careful to please him. Gideon smote the host of Zebah and Zalmunna, and returned from the battle before the sun was up, Judg. viii. 13. Satan finds us careless, smites us in the night of ignorance, and carries us away captives before we perceive it. The world says to a man, as the priests and elders did to the soldiers, Here is store of money, we will secure you, Matt, xxviii. 14. Money is able to make thousands secure ; but, magna securilas, majcima tempestas. The spies of Dan retiu-ning, told them that the people of Laish dwelt secure, quiet, and careless ; so they took them, so they smote them, and burned the city with fire, Judg. xviii. 7, 27. No man perfectly knows his own heart : you think all well ; this may be not assurance, but secure- ness. Invadunt urbem somno vinoque sepullam. When they shall say, " Peace and safety ; tnen sudden de- struction cometh on them," I Thess. v. 3. Every man thinks ill of his sins, but perhaps he thinks too well of his good works : the servants of God mis- trust their own righteousness. Love. This duigence must fetch the life from affection, and be moved with the love of virtue. They are most, whom fear correcteth from evil ; they are best, whom love directeth to good. (August.) We refuse the dainty morsels of a churl's table, be- cause we have them not with love. God regardeth not the mammocs of our sacrifices, the scraps of our perfunctory obedience, when the awe and law of man bring us thither, not the love of God. Constraint makes a thing easy in its own nature, to become toil- some ; love makes a dilficult thin" easy. He that is banished his native country, thinks every step tedi- ous: let his own will call him forth, his travel is pleasant ; else men would not cross the seas to see lashions. There was a man so well affected to his 5C AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. I. own city, that in fifty years he never went a league out of it ; as if, like a fish, he must needs die if taken out of his own element. Not long after his luck was to commit an offence ; whereof being convicted, and liable to severe punishment, the favouring judge, in- tending to mitigate it, because this was his first error, confined him on the pain of death to the limits of that city. Now what was to his opinion formerly a delight, becomes a bondage and vexation; nothing in the city pleaseth him, all his desire is to gad abroad. How many miles can we ride and run in a day to see one beast pursue another! The unevcnness of the way, the uncertainty of the weather, troubles us not, because we have a love to the sport. If the charge of a superior commands us to measure over so many mUes, we soon complain of weariness. The sabbath finds many in the fields, walking to the neighbour villages, for wanton delights. If they were commanded to travel so far to church, and to sers-e God, they would say, with Jeroboam, it was too long a journey. All negligence in good things is from the want of love. Well, God requires our diligence ; Vult el non vult piger. (Bed.) He would have nonour, but no labour. The promises delight them, the combats affright them. O foolish man ! thousand thousands stand about thee, and dost thou presume to sleep ? (Bern.) I had rather be sick than slothful ; (Sen.) by that the mind is stirred up ; by this, effeminated. I use, saith that philosopher, short sleep ; it is enough for me to have forborne watching. Sometimes I know I sleep, some- times I suspect it. But enough of diligence, unless we were taught also rightly to dispose it. For there be many that weary themselves for very vanity. Even Israel would go back to Egypt for the garlic and onions; things, saith Gregor)', that provoke tears in them that cat them. Manna makes the heart merry, but they must have garlic ; as if they were weary of joy, and desired again tears and sorrow. " The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart," Psal. xix. 8. But men confess this world troublesome, yet love their own vexation above the peace of God, which passeth all understanding. Our minds are so scattered among these visible things, that we forget how the state stands within us ; like him that looks to the outside of his house, loams, washes, paints it, while the rotten timber drops down within. While men hunt after the world's venison with Esau, they are in danger to lose their Father's blessing. I have given three helps of diligence ; let me yet add a fourth, study ; so some here translate a-Kov^i)v. What good work can be done without study ? Indeed the main is confessed : " Study to show thyself ap- proved unto God," 2 Tim. ii. 15. But we think in- ferior offices need no such studious diligence. What easier thing is there than to keep the peace ? yet the apostle says, " Study to be (juiet." Man's na- ture is so apt to revenge, that it is no easy matter to be peaceable. Says the philosopher. Study thy- self. What is casilier known than a man's self? No, says Job, I know not mine own soul. Man's self is a good book to study : " 1 am fearfidly and wonderfully made," Psal. cxxxix. 14. Read this book in folio, in thy prosperity ; read it in quarto, abridged by calamity ; read it in octavo, made less by penurj- ; read it in decimo-sexto, made contemptible by ig- nominy ; read it in nihilo, made nothing of this world by death. The lawyer will not answer a declaration without study ; or he builds more on his fortune and favour, tlian on his wit and fidelity. The poet can tell the gallant that buys love sonnets, I study fgr your pleasure. The advocate studies his pleading, or talks idle. When a vain-glorious orator asked his friend. How liked you my speech ? and preventing the answer, which he expected applausive ; Believe me, says he, I did it on the sudden, without study. So I believe, says the other, for it did not savour of tlie study. For us, what dare we do without study ? Perhaps you think not so ; but that we come with the same preparation to speak, that you come to hear. So we might all be accused, be accursed, for doing God's business negligently. You think, because it is easy for you to come to church when the bell hath tolled an hour, it is as easy for us on a night's warning to preach. If there be any thing in the world that bewrays this city's ignorance, this is it. I will tell you a paradox; I call it so because few will believe it, but it is true. It is more difficult to hear well, than to speak well. To hear ? say you : I can hear the gravest bishop in the land, and never study for the matter. But I say, if thou wilt be as good a hearer as he is a preacher, thou must study for it more than he. Good reason : he goes along with the meditations conceived in his own breast ; thou must go along with his speech: he follows himself ; thou must follow him. It is easier for a hare to run her own course, than for a hound step by step to hunt her out. Our Saviour says, " Take heed how ye hear." There is a certain art or cunning in well hearing. In a certain country, every man was to plead his own cause ; he was allowed an advo- cate to put his mind in good terms, but himself de- livers it. One had his turn thus fitted, paid the lawj'er, took the copy, liked it admirably, studied it by heart; but after oflcn reviewing it, he fell into dislike of it, and returned it back with his 7wn placet. The lawyer asked him the reason why he now dis- liked that, which at first he so applauded. Why, says he, now I have read it often over, and find the weak- nesses ; at once reading it seemed very good. And, quoth he, shall the judges hear it above once ? Let this touch upon the infirmity of common hearers. Beloved, you cannot hear well without studying how to hear; do not think we can preach well without it. Indeed tfiere be enthusiastical preachers, that run away with a sermon, as horses with an empty cart: you are not woi-th your ears, if they cannot distin- guish. But to conclude, if no great work can be done without study, then surely not the salvation of body and soul without it. It is well, if with any study we may have it. When an astrologer told Agrippina, that Nero her son should be emperor; but first he must untie a knot by art, that was tied by nature: he meant, that he must artificially dissemble himself ho- nest, though he were naturally a villain. She an- swered, He shall untie any knot to have an empire. It is enough for us that we may have the kingdom of heaven, though we untie a knot by the art of grace, that was boimd by the corruption of nature. We are born imclean, have made ourselves guilty; given to lust, avarice, pride: there is nature's knot. Let us untie this by grace; "Such were you; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified," 1 Cor. vi. II; and the kingdom of heaven shall be ours. To this let us give all study. Some astronomers have beaten their brains with much study to find out the space betwixt earth and heaven ; and have given it up for above three himdred thousand miles. IIow great was their studv! how uncertain their account! now vain the fruit ! Know it is a great way, not a journey over to France, or to India; study how to get thither. For this we study to preach, for this study you to licar, let us all study to practise; and when we have given all diligence, still. Lord, be mercifiil to us. Give diligence ; not a pragmatical business in others' affairs; but rectify tny diligence, confining it principally to thyself. Dress thine own garden, lest Vkb. 5. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. It be overnm with weeds. (Sen.) I know not with whom I had rather have thee be, than with thyself. I lend myself to other men's occasions ; I give my- self to mine own. We may say to worldliness, as Christ to Martha, You are troubled about many things ; but one thing is needful, mind that. They think when they have gotten store of riches, they shall then sleep in quiet : no, then is least quiet of all. The rich man resolves when he hath filled his bams, then. Soul, rest: no, then, Soul, come to judgment, to everlasting unrest, Luke .vii. It is in vain men rise up early, and go to bed late, and eat the bread of sorrows ; for upon better conditions God " giveth his beloved sleep," Psal. cxxvii. 2. Pyrrhus boasted to his friend Cincas, that he would invade Italy, and hoped to achieve it. Cineas asked him. Sir, what will you do then? Then we will attempt Sicily ; and so at last get Carthage, and all Africa. And what then, sir? Then, saith Pyrrhus, we will rest and be meny. Alas, saith Cineas, may we not do so now, and save all this trouble ? Then, I will take mine ease : no, then least ease of all ; for besides hazard of blood in getting, there will be continual trouble in keeping. A'ok minor ille labor, quam quterere parla lueri. Eutropilus, in the poet, to one that asked how he might be revenged on his enemy, gave this counsel. Make him rich ; so lay on him a burden of cares. The rich landlord envied his poor tenant, because he heard him sing every day at his labour, that had scarce bread for his family ; while himself, wanting nothing, was full of discontent. One advised him to convey cunningly into his cottage a bag of money : he did so. The tenant finding this mass, so great in his imagination, left oflf his singing, and fell to carking and vexing how to increase it. Crescenlem sequitur cura pecii- niam; the landlord fetcheth back his money, the tenant is as merry as ever he was. God is our Land- lord : while we his poor tenants have but little, we are content with a little ; but if riches increase, cares increase with them; and till our Landlord take back his burden, we have no ease. We may say of worldly wealth, what Solomon of worldly knowledge ; lie that adds it, adds sorrow with it, Eccl. i. 18. Diogenes laid himself to sleep in his cell, and his purse by him. A thief spies it, and watches till he was asleep, .\bout midnight, when he thought him safe, he ventures to steal it. To whom the subtle cynic. Take it, wretch, so we shall both sleep. Thou couldst not sleep till thou hadst it, nor 1 till I lost it. The very camel is glad to be eased of his burden. When yfesop, with the rest of his fellow-slaves, were put to carry burdens to a city, one chose to bear this merchandise, another that, every one had his choice, and ^sop chose to carry the victuals. Every one laughed at this, that he, being the weakest, had elected the heaviest burden. Away they went together; and after some miles they went to breakfast, his burden was the lighter by that : then to cUnner, it was lighter still : then to supper, now it was easy : the next day they had eaten up all his burden, and he went empty to the city, whither they being loaden could not reach. Let the covetous choose gold for his burden, the proud rich garments, the ambitious mountains of honour, every worldling his several luggage ; let my choice be that of St. Paul, if I have food and raiment, therewith to be content ; I shall go the lighter to heaven. " All diligence." Here is the quantity, all ; and that for two reasons : 1. The working up of salvation is no easy labour ; thereto is Pcquirable all diligence." Such a diligence respects so great an object, and such an object re- quires so great a diligence. Refuse no labour fur such a reward. (Hieron.) The best things are the hardliest come by. Qui cupit optalam, &c. He must be frozen wnth cold, and sweltered with heat, that; accomplishes so great a work. This equity must needs be granted, that if we cannot attain to worldly trash without labour, then much less to heaven with- out all diligence. " The kingdom of heaven suflTereth violence," Matt. xi. 12: but rest alone, try if you can extort this by force. Spare no invention of wit, no intention of wU, no contention of strength, about it. If you will needs use violence, oppression, ex- tortion, here violate, here oppress, here extort t wrestle for this, though with Jacob you lame your limbs; get it, though you lose your lives. When Dionysius saw what heaps of wealth his son had hoarded up in his closet; he asked him what he meant, to let it lie there, and not to make friends with it to get him the kingdom after his decease ? Son, thou hast not a spirit capable of a kingdom. So knowing a rich man's piles of bags and whole coun- tries of revenues, and finding no works of piety, none of charity, we may justly tell him, he hath not a soul capable of the kingdom of heaven. In heaven there is gold tried in the fire. Rev. iii. 18. Will we adventtue our estates, our lives, to find out new lands where may be gold ; and spend no dili- gence for that where we are sure there is gold, and such as cannot perish ? In all other things the diffi- culty of obtaining whets thy mind, and spurs the actions forward : only for heaven, which we confess best of all, we use labour least of all. It is a hard task, therefore give all diligence. 2. God requires " the whole duty of man," Ecel. xii. 13; that is God's due. What, nothing left for this world? Yes, moderate providence; the saving of souls hinders not provision for bodies, but furthers and blesses it. First seek the kingdom of heaven, then these things "shall be added to you," Matt. vi. 33 ; other things shall come into the bargain. Paul calls them adjeclanea, Christ adjectiva; there is no substance in them. Follow thou Christ, the rest shall follow thee. The world says. Dost thou follow me ? I will flee thee : dost thou flee me ? I will follow thee. Besides, there is a mass of corruption in us ; alt diligence is little enough to expel that. A tyrant boasted that he had turned a great stream in two days : yet quoth the philosopher. But you have been turning another stream this twoscore years, and yet have not done it ; your own evil disposition. A Christian is like a commonwealth : grace is the queen, religious thoughts the subjects, lusts the rebels ; these war against the queen, fight against the soul, 1 Pet. ii. 11. If they grow to a head, they will make a mutiny in our hearts : our best policy is to keep them bare and low. Though we cannot take away their will, yet let us prevent them of power to hurt us. To "this let us give all diligence, and the Lord give a blessing to that diligence. " Beside this, add," &c. Thus much for the ad- diction, now to the addition ; wherein we find a con- cession, an accession, that he requires ; add. You have done something, yet there is a besides. I yield a beginning, I ask a proceeding. Set not down with your satis : knowledge you have, and faith you have ; yet there is a besides these. " Leaving the prin- ciples, let us go on unto perfection," Heb. vi. 1. We cannot say that work is finished, whereof any part remains to be done. None were fit to fight the battles of God, but they that lapped water out of their hands, Judg. \-ii. 5, (like the dogs of Nilus for fear of the crocodiles,) still going forward. As God himself is said to !' drink of the brook in the way," Psal. ex. 7 ; this man lifts up his head, and goes on. 58 AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. 1. Christ hath sprinkled all the way between heaven and earth with his blood, and hath made it a " living way," Hcb. x. 20: like good hounds, let us trace him by the foot, and run after him in the smull of his garments, Cant. iv. II ; not resting till we rest with our Master. Thou hast done many good works, assurcst thyself of some growth ; yet forget that is behind, and reach forth unto the thmgs before, Phil, iii. 13 : there is still a besides. They go from strength to strength, till every one appear before God in Zion, Psal. Ixxxiv. 7- When thy soul hath tasted some crumbs that fall from thy Master's table, some drops of blood that ran from thy Lord's side; yet still think of a somewhat besides. Beda observes on Numb, xxxiii. 29, " They went from Mithcah, and pitched in Hashmonah ;" that Mithcah signifies sweetness, and Hashmonah swiftness. !Mithcah and Hashmonah, sweetness and swiftness, must be joined together. They that in Mithcah have tasted of the Lord s-\veetness, will remove to Hashmonah, come toward him with swiftness. When the young man asked Christ what he should do to be saved, he pointed him to the law, " Keep the commandments," Matt. xix. 17. But he replied, " All these have I kept from my youth up : what lack I yet ? " ver. 20. Yes, there is a besides, he never dreamed of; " If thou wilt be perfect, sell all that thou hast, and give to the poor," ver. 21. This last besides almost put him beside himself. In natural things we still covet a besides. If we have wit, we covet more wit : we will seek to be more wise than we can be, though we be found less wise than we should be. But in worldly things our desires have an everlasting besides. Hath Ahab a kingdom ? yet Naboth's vineyard is another besides. Hatli he bought the manor ? he must have the poor man's cottage besides. The rich man hath exceed- ing many flocks and herds, the poor nothing but one only lamb, 2 Sam. xii. 2 ; well, this one lamb is his besides, he must have it. Hath another put out tlie hundred to usuiy ? yet there is a besides ; when the ten pounds come in for interest, out with that too. The widow had filled all her vessels with oil, yet she calls for another vessel, 2 Kings iv. 6 ; there is a besides still. The rich man, Luke xii. had his bams full before; but now he must enlarge them accord- ing to his desires : there is another besides, he must have more. Oh the insatiate desire of this world ! but for heavenly things, a small scantling serves us. I_ believe that Christ died for me, 1 am soriy for my sins, I hope to be saved ; here is enough, no besides is thought on. Nothing satisfies us for this world ; we are quickly glutted with Jesus Christ. " Beside t his." God, that hath done enough for us, leaves us somewhat to do for ourselves. He halli given us " all things that pertain unto life and god- liness," ver. 3 ; enriched us with " great and precious promises," made us " partakers of the Divine na- ture," ver. 4 : there is God's work. But " besides this, add to your faith virtue:" there is thy work. " The blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin," I John i. 7; vet he that hath this hope, purgcth himself, chap. iii. 3: there is thy besides. " Behold, I stand at the door and knock : if any man open the door, I will come in," &e. Rev. iii. 20. God knocks; thou must open, that he may enter : do thou open, that is thy part ; God will enter, that is his part. David calls God his helper: now, as St. Augustine ol)- servcs, ho is not said to be helped, that never con- curred with his endeavour. We are not blocks and stones : (Beza in loc.) and withal he infers upon I Cor. iii. 9, " we are labourers together with God ;" that we do j^ralitE prima; mwtpyuv. and he that denies it, denies the efficacy of the first grace. This we affirm without fear of falling into the popish doc- trine of free-will too. Three things concur in a sinner's conversion ; the word of God persuading, the Spirit of God prevail- ing, and the will of man consenting. Thou art cre- ated without thyself, not sanctified without thyself. The father begot the child witliout the cliild's will ; then it had none, for it was not ; but he cannot bring tills child to any art against liis \\-\i\. I will not dis- pute God's power ; he can, but he will not, save us against our wills. Some Romists strongly build their paper-house of free-will on such places ; but a man may smile to read how bitterly they oppose us in the frontispiece, and how consentingly they jump with us in the conclusion. Castifica teipsum, says Fevardentius ; there is free-will : yet he concludes, Cmtijicas te nun de ie, sed de illo qui habitat iti le ; there is no free-will. " Make straight steps to your feet," Hcb. xii. 13, and turn you to me, saith the Lord : therefore, can they turn themselves ? Here they cr)- out louder than oyster-women in the streets, Victor)-, %-ictory ; but they sing their own i-irtviKtov, put the crown on their own heads. But what is the conquest ? They have gotten what wc never denied. They prove here freedom of our will to add to our own endeavours : right, so say we too ; but they forget that God had made us first partakers of the Divine nature : now, if the Son make us free, we shall be free indeed, John viii. 36. Did St. Peter write this to wicked men, or to saints? If they would prove that unregenerate men can will their own conversion by nature of themselves, it were worth their prize and praise ; otherwise they have taken great pains for a thing not denied them: as I have heard of that wise man, who challenged his neighbour for impounding that very horse which himself at the same time was riding on. Indeed God chargeth us with a besides : yet saith Christ, " Without me ye can do nothing," John xv. 5. Good must be derived from a perfect cause ; and that is only God's grace. But we are not allowed to be itUe. " The Lord hath sworn in truth unto David ; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne," Psal. cxxxii. 11: there is God's covenant. " If thy cliildren will keep my testimony," ver. 12 : there is our condition. The law is given that we might have recourse to the gospel ; the gospel is given that we might be enabled to perform the law. God is the principal Agent, but thou hast thy be- sides. Implore his aid, put to thy own endeavours. Confidence of salvation doth not contradict wariness of conversation. He that is most sure of heaven, is yet afraid to do that which may deserve hell. Add the oil of thy diligence to the kindled lamp of God's grace; thy oil doth not enlighten the lamp, but feeds it. In vain we pray for that blessing, which our endeavoui-s never seek. (August.) The pliiloso- plier wanting shoes, and the king giving him leather, yet he thought it not enough unless the king would also put them to making. God is so beholden to some, that he must do all for them if he will have them. But when he hath called thee to the tnith, that might have sulTered thee to die in ignorance and infidelity, thou hast thy besides. Be not so much thy own enemy, as to frustrate God's mercy by thy slug- gishness. Lose not, through want of some labour to amend thy life, the hope of eternal blessedness. " Add :" wc are fallen upon a point of arithmetic ; a special good point if it be confined to good things. Of the four main parts, addition, subtraction, multi- plication, and (livision, the world embraceth three, and casts out a fourth, for worldly things : so God commands tlirce of thcni, and casts out a fourth, for heavenly things. The world bars division, and God Ver. 5. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 59 forbids subtraction. Give me leave to follow this meta- phor so far as it may g^ve light to my present intention. Let U3 first see the world's arithmetic, then Gou'j. Addition, especially of sin to sin, is a frequent point. Herod had done many foul mischiefs, yet he had his addition ; he " added yet this above all, that he had shut up John in prison," Luke iii. 20 ; yea, afterwards he slew him in the prison, Mank vi. 27. To incest he added tyranny j to tyranny murder. That other Herod had such an addition ; " he killed James ; and because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further, to take Peter also," Acts xii. 2, 3. Many such additions ; to swearing they add lying, to lying killing, to killing stealing, to that adultery ; until " blood toucheth blood," Hos. iv. 2. Their reward shall be proportioned; because their (added) sins for length reacn up to heaven, therefore God shall double unto them double according to their works. Rev. xviii. 5, 6. Multiplication goes beyond addition. " To-mor- row shall be as this day, and much more abundant," Isa. Ivi. 12. " Be not over-much wicked," Eccl. vii. 17- In youth men sow those cursed seeds in the ground of their hearts ; in age they reap a multiplied crop. Let usury be a demonstration of this point : the usurer says to his monies, as God said once to his creatures, "Increase and multiply:" a monstrous and unnatural brood. Other cattle and plants have their appointed seasons to engender and bring forth : money brings forth to-day, and begins a new travail to-morrow ; yea, the young brood brought forth to- day, begins itself to bear to-morrow. Other crea- tures, the sooner they begin to bear the sooner they leave off: usurious monies begin betimes, and mul- tiply without end. It is an unhappy point of arith- metic, multiplication by usury, and shall be punished as God threatened Eve ; " I will greatly multiply thy sorrow," Gen. iii. 16. But " woe to him that increases that which is not his ! " Hab. ii. 6. " For three trans- gressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof," Amos ii. 6. Upon him that will multiply his sins, God will multiply his plagues. Subtraction is another point of the world's ju'ac- tice. They covet houses and fields, and take them away by violence, Micah ii. 2. Jezebel was cunning in this point against innocent Naboth, she took away his living and life too. How could so many flaunt it in their coaches, but that they live by subtraction ? the tenth and right of the church maintains it. Oh the pity of God and man ! that maintenance should be taken from the poor minister who wants bread, and be given to feed the vile appetite of pride and lux- ury. If a robber takes a purse, he dies for it : but let others subtract from the poor their commons, from labourers their wages, from the church her en- dowments ; and this arithmetic passes. This made Socrates laugh, to see little tliieves riding in carts to the gallows, and great thieves in coaches to con- demn them. A poor sea captain being brought be- fore Alexander for piracy, thus confessed his fault : Indeed I am a pirate, because I robbed some few fishermen in a cock-boat ; but if I had scoured the seas as thou hast done, and spoiled all the world, with a na^T, with an army, I had been no pirate, I had been an emperor. The malefactor could say, I die for a few trifles of petty thievery : but if I had robbed the poor by giving their bread to dogs ; or the church by simony and detaining her tenths ; or the commonwealth by engrossings, enhancings; I might have been a justice of peace, or an alderman. Thus, as in a throng a dwarf comes to be lifted up above the shoulders of the tallest, and made a laughing-stock, that kept least ado ; so in the crowd of this world, the least sins are exposed to the sharpest censures. Well, if any man will practise subtraction against the poor, God will use it against him, and take his name out of the book of life. If he be damned that gives not his own, what shall be- comeof him thattakesaway anotherman's? (August.) If judgment without mercy shall be to him that shows no mercy. Jam. ii. 13, where shall subtraction and rapine appear ? " Let the extortioner catch all that he hath ; and let the strangers spoil his labour," Psal. cix. 11 : there is one subtraction, his estate. "Let his posterity be cut off; and in the genera- tion following let their name be blotted out," ver. 13 : there is another subtraction, his memor)'. "Let there be none to extend mercy unto him ; neither any to favour his fatherless childi'en," ver. 12 ; there is another subtraction, a denial of all pity to liim and his. " Let his prayer become sin," ver. 7 : there is another subtraction, no audience from heaven. "Let another take his office;" there is a subtrac- of his place : " let his days be few," ver. 8 ; there is a subtraction of his life. " Let him be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous," Psal. Ixix. '2S : there is the last, the sub- traction of his soul. This is a fearful arithmetic : if the wicked add sins, God will add plagues. " Add iniquity unto their iniquity ; and let them not come into thy righteousness," Psal. Ixix. 27. God shall add unto them the plagues written in the book. Rev. xxii. 18. If they subtract from others their rights, God shall subtract from them his mercies. Now let us come to God's arithmetic; and this principally consists in addition. "Whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain," Matt. v. 41. To give every man liis own is but equity, but the addition of charity makes blessed. " I was hungry, and ye gave me meat," &e. " Come, ye blessed," &c. Matt. xxv. To remission add restitu- tion ; to restitution, charity ; to charity, piety. How oft, says Peter, shall I forgive my brother ? till seven times ? Yea, saitli Christ, and more ; to seven times add seventy times. We must all give an ac- count ; blessed are they that can bring in this bill of reckonings, addition of good to good. " Let us not be weary in well-doing," Gal. vi. 9 : there is our bill of reckoning. " Fear God, and keep liis com- mandments ; for this is the whole duty of man," Eccl. xii. 13: there is our total sum. Now as addi- tion teacheth us to add grace to grace ; so thei'e is a multiplication required, to increase the effects of those graces in a multiplicity of good works. Knowledge not improved will be impaired. Hast thou faith but no stronger than many years ago ? Is not thy zeal more fervent, thy charity more com- passionate, thy humility brought lower? "Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents : behold I have gained besides them five'talents more," Matt. xxv. 20. To him that hath shall be given ; but from him that hath not, shall be taken away that he seemed to have. If there be no usurj', we shall lose the principal. God is a Father that loves to have his children tiirive : he gives them a stock, and looks they should not be unthrifts : if they do well, they shall have the whole inheritance. As in generation, so in regeneration, we must be growing up to a full stature in Christ, Eph. iv. 13. As a traveller passeth from town to town till he come to his inn ; so the Chris- tian from virtue to virtue till he come to heaven. God hath sown some good seeds in our hearts ; let us manure the ground with repentance, and mature the fruits by obedience, that they may grow up kindly, to his honour and glory. Now because I am moved to move your charity at this time, let me be bold to teach you another point of God's arithmetic ; it is division. " Give a portion 60 AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. 1. to seven, and also to eight," Eccl. xi. 2. Geometrical division is justice, to give every one his own. There is an arithmetical division, charity, to give somewhat to all that want : not all to one, this is no division ; but some to all, this is to divide well. He that will not divide while he lives, shall find an empty quo- tient when he is dead. (August.) The broad of the poor is like the way of the rich; he that hoards it from him is a man of blood. We find means of division, but they are not good. Upon the least quarrel we divide all among the lawyers : the Com- mon Pleas and the Chancery drink up the poor's portion. Among rufiians, a word and a blow ; among civil men, a word and a writ. I hear the proud neighbour speak of his equal, Go to, I have a hun- dred pounds to spend with him : I hear him not speak of the poor beggar, I have a hundred pence to give him. Even the lawyers themselves count you mad: I have heard that a lawyer dying bequeathed all his goods to bedlam ; saying, Among mad-men I got it, and let mad-men spend it. There were two covetous brethren strove for the inheritance, Luke xii. 13 ; they strove not who should be most charit- able. There are that divide a part to tailors for strange disguises, a part to panders for their female damnations, a part to corrupt officers that sell truth for bribes ; and if they have any left, divide it among their children ; but I find no portion left for the children of God. What men charitably divide, they shall only find : of all, what I gave, that I have. This division is not loss but gain ; it is sent before to be kept safe in the l)est eofi'er. The bread cast upon the waters, shall be found again after many days, Eccl. xi. 1. The truly rich man is not discerned by his plate, nor bags, nor wardrobe, but bounty ; not by multiplica- tion, but by division. Other men possess riches as sick men fevers, which indeed rather possess them. Good alms are like ambassadors, sent liegers abroad to secure the rest at home. We have many of St. James's almoners, James ii. 16. God bless you ; but they bless you without a cross. Would I were able to help you : able ! herein they wish well to them- selves only. As the tenant said to his landlord, Would I could give you this farm. What then ? said the landlord. You should never have it, quoth the tenant. They wish themselves money, not mercy. The poor may say to them as the beggar said to the bishop: if such wishes were worth a halfpenny they would not be so liberal. Well, divide it thyself, or it shall be done for thee. The father could not be more cunning at the rake, than the son will be at the pitch- fork. Tlie monies that were formerly chested like caged birds, will wing it merrily when he sets them a flying; " He hegetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand ;" if at least they be not gone before he comes at them. " Thou fool, then whose shall those things be ? " Luke xii. 20 ; yea, whose shalt thou thy- self be ? and that is the harder question. " When he dieth he shall carry nothing away :" but death comes, and there is a diN-ision indeed. Read James v. 2. The moth shall divide his cloth, the rast his gold : this is not all ; the world shall divide his goods, infamy his name, the earth his body, terror his con- science, and hell his imcharitablc soul. Wilt thou not divide, O worldling? thou shalt be divided. Your twenty in the hundred will not believe this, but a hundred to twenty he shall feel this. But let \is divide our goods by charity, and Christ will gather up our .souls in mercy. It follows, " Add to your faith," &c. The motives are done ; come we to the materials. Here be eight in nund)cr, all excellent in nature. Under this num- ber of eiglit (though I put no divinity in numbers) the Scripture hath often commended to us the graces of God. So the induements we must put on arc eight : first is the linings, bowels of mercies ; next kindness, &c. Col. iii. 12. Paul does not there begin with faith, but he ends with charity, as our apostle here. So, Phil. iv. 8, he commends to us gracious qualities by the number of eight: " Whatsoever things are true," &c. To both these gradations he pro))ounds the same eminent coroUar)' : " The peace of God," and " the God of peace," be with you. There were eight tables whereon they slew their sacrifices, Ezek. xl. 41 : upon these eight tables we must slay our sins, that we may make our souls acceptable sacrifices to God. The ascent to the temple had eight steps, Ezek. xl. 31 : by these eight degrees we must climb up to heaven, or not come thither. There were but eight souls saved in Noah's ark : without these eight graces no soul shall be saved. Our Saviour Christ prescribed eight steps for our ascending to blessedness. Matt. v. ; his apostle hath delivered the same number. Eight beatitudes. It were no impossible thing to find our Saviour's text in his apostle's gloss. 1. Christ begins with poorness in spirit, Peter with faith : this sees itself poor, and therefore apprehends Christ's riches. 2. Christ commends mourning, and Peter knowledge : now he that knows his sins will mourn for them. 3. Christ praiseth meekness, Peter temperance : it is no hard thing to find meekness in temperance ; which is a virtue neither to distemper a man's self, nor to disturb others. 4. Clirist blesseth the desire of righteousness, Peter of virtue ; which is a rule to live righteously. 5. Christ magnifieth mercy, Peter charity ; and who are charitable but the merciful ? 6. Christ persuades to pureness in heart, Peter to godliness ; and godliness makes the heart pure. As it is true charity to be merciful, so it is tnie piety to be pure in heart. /. Christ exhorts to peace-making, Peter to brotherly kindness; and who can distin- guish between peace-makers and those that are brotherly kind ? as Abraham said to Lot, Let us not strive, for we are brethren. Lastly, Christ encou- rageth to sufler persecution for righteousness' sake, and Peter patience ; now " tribulation worketh patience," Rom. v. 3. Conceive all this a glorious house, the building up of a Christian. Let faith stand for the foundation ; virtue for the walls; knowledge, the windows, that let in the light of God's truth to illuminate it. Let temperance be the mortar, that keeps off the violence of wind and weather ; for temperance diverts cor- ruption. Be patience the pins and stays that hold together the frame ; for patience will not be moved. Let godliness be the perfect form or model of it, that the structure may mock the rage and resistance of hell. Set brotherly kindness for the lodging cham- bers, built to entertain friends. Charity is the roof, as Si. Augustine says, of God's house in man's heart. Thus as God brought Moses to the mount, to the top of Pisgah, and showed him the land of Canaan, Deut. xxxiv. I ; so I have brought your meditations to the top of the mount, and showed you tlie fruitful valley standing thick with the graces of God. Now to the first material. " Add to your faith virtue." Faith is the first, and I have dnink deeply to you in this cup before ; yet 1 would have you sick of a holy ebriety, and still to thirst for this drink : "drink abundantly" of this cup, Cant. V. I. To your faith, I cannot omit four things naturally arising out of the words. I. The necessity ; 2. The singularity ; 3. The propriety ; 4. The society, of faith. I. The necessity of faith. Our apostle, to build his house of Christianity, lays this the foundation. Veb. 5. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 61 That would be a poor house that hath no foundation : the hope of too many is a castle in the air, that wants the foundation of faith. Philosophy lays her ground in reason, divinity in faith ; the first voice of a Christian is, I believe. He hath most respect with God, not that is wisest in reason, but strongest in faith. Now the necessity of faith appears in three respects ; in respect of God, of the devil, and of thy- self. In respect of God ; for " without fiiith it is impos- sible to please God," Heb. xi. 6. Every man's desire should be to please God; without faith it is impossi- ble to do it. " How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed?" Rom. x. 14. It was faith that made Abraham titled God's friend. He that thrusts into God's presence without faith shall be examined ; Quomodo intrasli ? " Friend, how camcst thou in hither ? " Believe and welcome ; " As thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee," Matt. viii. 13. In respect of the devil. He is a roaring lion, we have no means to resist him but by being " stedfast in the faith," 1 Pet. v. 9. He is too strong for thee if thou mcetest him with thy virtue, or with thy good works ; for he will object sins enough to outweigh them. Solon cannot meet him with his justice, nor Solomon with his wisdom ; every poor sinner can overcome him with his faith. This qucncheth "all the fiery darts of the wicked," Eph. vi. 16. Tem- perance is a good buckler, that he shall not wound thy body ; honesty a good buckler, that he shall not wound thy name ; patience, that he shall not dis- turb thy mind ; but if thou want faith, he will for all these wound thy soul. This is an invincible shield against an implacable enemy. In respect of thyself. Thou art ignorant, there is no understanding of God but by faith, Isa. i. The Vulgate reads, Unless ye believe, ye shall not under- stand. How the Trinity may be comprehended in understanding, thou askest well : how the Trinity may be believed in faith, thou askest not well. It is therefore to be believed, because it cannot be nnderstood. (August.) Thou art originally cornipt, naturally hateful to God ; nothing canst thou do to please him, till thyself be first made plea-sing to him. The doer is not acceptable for the deed, but the deed is acceptable for the doer. Hadst thou all the suc- ceeding graces, and not this foundation of faith, whereby thy person is made accepted in the Beloved, when thou art judged, thou couldst not be saved. Nature may do works to glorify ourselves ; faith doth works to glorify God. We are not justified by the works of the law, but by grace, say we. But arc not the works of the law the works of grace ? Yes, every good work of the law is a work of grace ; as every sin is a breach of the law. Grace and the law are not thus opposed, but grace and nature. In the root of a tree apjieai-s no beauty, no show of leaves or fruits ; yet what beauty soever is visible in the tree proceeds from the root. So in the humility of faith we find small lustre, no pleasure discernible to the eye of man ; yet whatsoever lustre or gracefulness shines in our works, is derived from that root. Thus faith is the queen that shall speed : let Ahasuerus be never so angry, to his Esther he w\\\ hold out his golden sceptre. To this faith God allows entrance ; " Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith," Heb. x. 22. As Adonijah to Bathsheba, I know the king will deny thee nothing, I Kings ii. 13; the eunuch to Philip, "See, here is water; what hinders me to be baptized?" Acts viii. 3(5. Believest thou ? Yes. Then nothing hinders. Upon the knowledge of my faith, I ask, what hinders me to be loved ? what hinders me to be blessed ? what hinders me to be saved •> Now as Philip to the eunuch, so Christ answers us ; Nothing, be it unto thee according to thy faith. Look we a little further into the necessity of faith : it is taken two ways in the .Scriptures; cither objectively, or actively. Ob- jectively, or materially, for the truth of faith ; ac- tively, or formally, for the act of faith, which is the life of faith ; for the object to be believed, and the act of believing. The object or doctrine of faith is that which God by his prophets and apostles hath delivered ; or what is naturally and by good consequence deduced from this, or reduced to this. For inference and con- nexion of Scripture is Scripture, as the root of a tree is the tree though it be hid in the ground. But to de- liver rules of faith, no writing hath power but the Scripture ; therefore none may speak authoritatively of the doctrines of faith since the apostles : men's assertions have no power to oblige the conscience. What the Scripture forbids, flee it ; what it affirms, believe it ; what it reproves, mend it ; what it com- mands, do it. " And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God," Gal. vi. 16. There are some things libere credenda : some conceive them this way, others that way. Some things are vie credenda ; as that Marj' lived and died a wgin, albeit it be not there expressed ; for who durst touch that vessel wliich God had sanctified to bear his own Son ? Others are necessario credenda, all things revealed in holy writ, be they plain and easy, or dark and mystical. All, I say, in the readiness and intention of the mind, when we shall come to understand them ; as the mysterj' of the Trinity, Christ's incarnation without sin, &c. Though we cannot conceive, we must be- lieve. Now there is a difference of things objected to our saving faith. Primaria credendi, such are the articles of faith : secunda credendi, whatsoever there- of is necessarily inferred. The want of this faith excludes from heaven ; yet the having of it without further degree doth not bring all thither. Athana- sius doth not say. Whosoever doth believe this shall be saved ; but. Whosoever doth not believe this shall be damned. Therefore there is no binding men's faith to that the Scripture avers not. The papists do bind, 1. To things besides the foundation ; as traditions, untem- pered mortar daubed on the walls of tnith to hide it. 2. To things about the foundation, such as endanger it; as denial of Scripture to lay-men. This is a wretched sin, to obtrude for matter of faith that it is not lawful to read the Scriptures which are the rule of faith. 3. To things against the foundation; as the sacrifice of the mass, distinction of mortal and venial sins, justification by works, &c. What is against that which is necessai-ily to be believed to salvation, is against the foundation. But it is neces- sary to trust in Christ's blood and merits only, be- cause there is no other name given under heaven whereby we may be saved. Acts iv. 12. Therefore to trust in others, to let angels or men share part of our faiths, is against the foundation. Indeed they boast that they only hold the foundation ; but " I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall pro- fit you nothing," Gal. v. 2. If you join your own merits with Christ's merits, he shall profit you no- thing. Thus for the matter of faith. As we see the necessity of faith, in respect of the doctrine to be believed; so see the necessity of it, in respect of the act of believing. The schoolmen, in defining this faith, are defective. First, they forget the name of Christ, who is the special object of faith ; that light which makes the eyes of faith to see. Secondly, they leave out confidence, or afl^ance, an immeibate effect or act of faith. For we have 62 AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. I. " boldness to enter into the holiest," Heb. x, 19. Thirdly, they make it a speculation, not a practice ; but faitli is operative and bvisy, in applj-ing Christ, in lifting up the soul to Christ, in abhorring that may oflend Christ, in doing that may please Christ. Whither go we ? to God. /How go we ? by Christ. On what foot ? on our faith ; for faith is still walk- ing. There be three acts of faith concerning Christ, ])rehending, apprehending, comprehending of Christ. Prehcnding of him is by knowledge ; we know him a Saviour: this is the first slep, but not far enough, to heaven ; the wicked know, the devils have this faith. Apprehenchng of him, by appropriation of his merits : we know him our Saviour ; my Lord, and my God. Comprehending of him is a full pos- session in the heart. The other often doubts; such a faith liad Peler, when he cried out sinking, " Lord, save me," Matt. xiv. 30. Wliile he believed, he trod the sea safely : when he doubted, he began to sink. When we " comprehend with all saints," and " know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge," Eph. iii. 18, 19 ; this is the fulness of faith. " According to the faith of God's elect," Tit. i. 1 : there is a faith of the elect, therefore the reprobates may have a faith by themselves. Their belief is in the elect, but the belief of the elect is not in them. They may have a true faith, but not a saving faith. This is of necessity to heaven ; and as it depends upon Christ, so it is given by the Spirit of Christ. Oui- apostle says before, they obtained it by lot. Jacob prophe- sied the division of Canaan, yet was it done by lot. Faith is not gotten by wit or diligence, but by God's lot, that is, God's gift. If this lot be thine, thou hast di'awn well, and shall never look blank. The abridgement of all godliness, or sanctity in the root of sanctity, that is this faith. Now seeing (neces- sarily) we cannot be saved without it, in all our hearts, good Lord, plant it. Secondly, we arc to consider the singularity : the apostle says not, faiths, but faith. He writes to many, but he speaks of no phu'ality of faiths ; " One Lord, one faith," Eph. iv. 5. One as to the object, which is Christ ; not one as to the subject ; for eveiy believer hath his own faith. But his meaning is that all true believers have one and the same faith ; j-our faith. There is but one faith in the church, as but one church in the faith; one faith in nature, not one in number. We may say of faiths, as of faces. Fades non omnibus una ; Non diversa tamen. One light, many rays ; one fountain, many streams ; one tree, many branches. The church is a pome- granate, that hath many kernels ; an ear of wheat, that hath many grains. Evciy man hath his own faith, yet all have but one faith. Paul speaks of some that " have erred from the faith," 1 Tim. vi. 10; and of others " reprobate concerning the faith," 2 Tim. iii. 8 : that have prevaricated from that faith which the church in unity professeth : " Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith," Tit. i. 13. Man's body, as physicians say, is subject to two thousand diseases ; the eye, to two hundred : but faith, which is the soul's eye, is sul)- ject to more. There be so many errors concerning the faith, that they are not to be numbered. Almost as many sects as cities, as many creeds as heads. Christ says, when he shall come to judgment, that he shall scarce find faith on ihe earth; but if he come now, he shall find too many faiths. I pray God the plurality of faitns among manv, hath not broiight a nullity of faith in the most. So our Saviour's prophecy will still be true ; among so manv false faiths he shall scarce find any true faith. No't so much need to pray now with the apostles. Lord, increase our faith ; but, Lord, decrease our faiths. Lessen the number of our false faiths, increase the measure of our true faith. We know how some be- lieve this year; we know not how they will believe next year. Where belief is uncertain, unbelief is certain. The vanity of some men, the curiosity of many men, the inconstancy of all men, make many faiths. As the Levite served his ravished concubine, he divided her into twelve pieces, and sent her into all the coasts of Israel, Judg. xix. 29 ; so poor faith hath been cut into twelve thousand pieces, and scat- tered all over the world. The papists exclaim, so far as the world is chris- tened, that the variety of faiths sprung from us. Out of one Luther came many faiths ; as out of the belly of the Trojan horse, an army of soldiers. They call us new-gospellers, and protestants of a fifth gospel. All their malice is to black and grime the face of our church; which still, maugre all their spite, looks fair in the eye of her husband Jesus Christ. All their aspersions and calumnies are but rubbish to scour us, and make us God's brighter vessels, k fifth gospel, say ye ? No, remember your own book, which the monks of Paris wrote, and called it, the Everlasting Gospel : there was a fifth gospel. But the want of our union with the pope, or unity with ourselves, doth not disprove the truth of our faith. As Jerusalem is at one, so Babylon is at one. (August.) The children of hell are at peace; Satan divides not his kingdom : one crow will not pick out another crow's eyes. As every union is not truth, so every dissension is not falsehood. Better are the troubles and difierenccs of righteousness, than the peace of wickedness. There is no tnith of unity, without unity of ti-uth. Agreement in evil is not unity, but conspiracy. Indeed our neighbours of Rome are subtle, their quarrels are not in the streets, all their jars keep within doors. The Inquisition keeps papists in the unity of heresy. Yet some of them secretly know their own errors, their own distractions. Ludovicus Vivcs writes of a great one among them, persuaded to go to one of their conventicles ; who answered. Come, let us go to the common errors, seeing you will have it so. Where was their union in the time of their anti- popes, when there were three at once ? 'WHiich was the head? Was it a body without a head? or a body with three heads? The one were defective, the other monstrous. What was the unity of their faith, ^\hcn their heads were condemned heretics ; some of them sacrificers to denls ? Yea, even now they agree not in the faith. The Dominicans abridge man's frec-^WU, the Jesuits contradict this; this miarrel fills the world with books. The truth is, there are more differences of faith in the Romish re- ligion, than in all the world besides. A reverend divine of ours hath collected from Bellarmine's own pen many hundred differences among them; (Dr. Hall, The Peace of Rome ;) yet these men boast their unity of faith. But as no unity is so strong as that of faith, so no dissension so violent as that of different faiths. Faith is a whet-stone that gives edge to the instmnients of war. The papists on the left hand : their divines con- clude that none of us can be saved ; one heaven can- not hold the pope and Calvin. Some of ours say so of them : If Rome be Babylon, then all that have the mark of the beast must bum in hell. So plainly, Rev. xix. 20. They instance in many particulars, wherein the Roman church doth raze the founda- tion. Therefore they say, Babylon will be served as she wished to Jerusalem, Psal. cxxxvii. She cried of that city, " Rase it, rase it, even to the foiinda- Ver. 5. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 63 tion:" her reward shall be proportionate; her little ones shall he dashed against the stones. But this may be too far on both sides, a fever of zeal. Schismatics on the right hand ; for faith suffers, as Christ suffered, in the midst of her enemies. These invent a new faith, a new church. As the heathen made a piece of wood a god, and then adored it ; so these set up a new creeil of their own forging, and then worship it. If it be appealed, they cry louder than the Ephesians for their Diana, with such a noise ; " Great is Diana of the Ephesians." If they live among us, we ought to compel them to unity. A woman not contracted, must not be forced to marry, because she is free ; but if she be willingly contracted, and afterward dislike, she may be justly forced by the law. These are contracted to the chvirch, therefore may be justly compelled ; " Com- pel them to come in, that my house may be filled," Luke xiv. 23. But can faith be constrained? It is against the nature of faith to be compelled. How then ? There is no help left but our prayers : let us desire that as at first the whole world was of one language, so that it were now all of one faith. Let us beseech our Lord of faith, to send us our lady faith ; that every one may have faith in his own heart, and all our faith may be one in Jesus Christ. The third point is the propriety, your faith. The faith of all is one, as it reflects on our Saviour Christ ; yet eveiy soul that will go to heaven, must have a particular faith in itself. All of us believe one thing, yet the act of thy faith cannot save my soul; it must be my own faith. No man can be saved by a common faith in any religion. For the substance, it hath a community with the rest of the saints ; for the availableness, it hath a propriety to every believer. One bird cannot fly to heaven with anotlier bird's wings. Now it is called t/oiir faith two ways ; by the right and interest yoii have in it, and by your proper use of it. 1 . Your faith, because you have a right and interest to this faith. As St. Jude calls it the " common salvation," ver. 3, so it may be called the common faith. If no Christian he excepted from the right of salvationby Christ, then none is excepted from the right of faith in Christ. The faith that God deli- vered to the saints, is your faith : take your handful out of his sheaf; your portion is in this common stock. It is, saith our apostle, " like precious faith," ver. 1 ; not appropriated to Peter or Paul only, the rest secluded, but common to all the saints. He that excepts himself, deceives himself; he that excepts others, doth \vrong to Christ. There is a woe to such ; " Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites ! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men," Matt, xxiii. 13. They have a bridge over the gidf, whereby themselves arc escaped ; and then take it away, lest it should help others. But " when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren," Luke xxii. 32. Show others the mercy thou hast tasted ; teach them to escape damnation by that way thou hast escaped it. So David, " Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul," Psal. Ixvi. 16. Woe to them that engross faith, that enclose God's commons, that make "that several and peculiar, which the Lord hath laid open and made common ! Thus the Pharisee de- spised the poor publican, yet went home less jus- tified. The Pharisees reproached them ; " Have any of the rulers believed on him ? But this peo- ple who knowcth not the law are cursed," John vii. 48, 49 : but themselves were more cursed. Shut not the door of heaven against thy brother, lest God shut it against tliine own soul. Divers gifts are ap- propriated to divers men ; but faith is general to all the elect. There is a part of the body for seeing, a part for hearing, a part for smelling, a part for tasting, a part for walking, a part for speaking ; but all parts are for feeling. The eye feels, the ear feels, the tongue feels, (S:c. Faith is like that sense of feeling, common to all. All arc not seeing parts, nor all hearing parts, nor all smelling jjarts ; but all are feeling parts. " Are all apostles ? are all prophets? are all teachers ? are all workers of miracles ?" 1 Cor. xii. 29. Others may have particular graces ; faith is a common grace to all. It is a devilish malice to gnidge another man faith. When one wished that none might go to heaven, but himself, his wife, and his daughter ; an- other replied. It were far better that none might go to hell, but thyself, thy wife, and thy daughter. 2. Your faith, because everj- one must have a pro- per and peculiar use of faith. Thou canst not see Christ with another's eyes, nor walk to heaven on another's feet. Get true faith of thine own ; though little, let it be tnie. If it cannot be as great as the best, let it be as precious as the best ; a little piece of gold is as good gold as a great piece, excepting the quantity. Keep thy faith, though thou bear about in thy body " the marks of the Lord Jesus," Gal. vi. 17. Wheresoever thou art maimed, let thy faith be sound. If a man receive a wound, he is glad it is not to death ; if he have sickness, that it is not mortal. So keep faith, and keep life. Lose not thy faith, and thou slialt never lose Christ. The fourth and last point is, the society. To your faith ; to, implies some accession. Faith is a great queen ; it is base to let her go without a court and a train. The queen shall be brought to the king in raiment of needle-work : the virgins that be Tier companions shall follow her, Psal. xlv. 14. The virgins are virtue, temperance, kc. Naked faith is no faitn. Let us not be solifidians, as the papists call us, lest we be nullifidians, as they are. Faith is of Rachel's humour ; " Give me children, or else I die." The want of good works makes faith sick ; evil works kill her outright. Good deeds are such things, that no man is saved for them, nor without them. Thou hast need of thy faith, or thou canst not be saved ; Christ hath need of thy works, or he will not save thee. Not that he needs them for him- self, " My goodness, O Lord, cxtende th not to thee," Psal. xvi. 2 ; but for his children, " but to the saints that are in the earth," ver. 3. So that in this re- spect, loose the ass and the colt, for " the Lord hath need of them," Matt. xxi. 3 : unbind your covetous desires, be free in the works of mercy, for the Lord hath need of them. You ask, AVhy should I part with my goods, seeing my faith ser\-es my turn, and is sufficient to save my soul ? Yes, but the Lord hath need of them. Use for himself, because need for his ; and what you lay out to these little ones, he takes it to himself, he will pay you again. Thus faith, like that queen of the south, comes not alone to Solomon ; she brings her train after her. Faith is this queen; let rcjwntance be her usher to go before her, and good works the court that follow her : so let her come to the King of mercy, the presence- chamber of Jesus Christ. '• To your faith virtue." We have laid the found- ation, and are now come to the walls of this spiritual house. It were a foolish cost of a foundation with- out walls ; then said in derision. This man began to build. Tirtue ; this is a special material. It is fit to begin with the definition. But we must first sec what is the virtue here meant, before we can define it. Jerome says that virtue in the Scripture is sometimes taken for the great power of God; as the prophet speaks, Virtutes Domini nunciabil in insiilis : and Psal. xlvi. he is called, Dominus virlutum. The 64 AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. 1. philosopher called virtue, the rule or method of living well. Piscator understands virtue here, right- eousness towards others, whereafter they that live are called good men. In a word, virtue is taken in a double signification: 1. In the latitude; so for all graces and good endowments ; as, " Whatsoever things are true, &c. if there be any virtue, any praise," Phil. iv. 8. Thus understood here, it is but the genus to all these succeeding graces; know- ledge, temperance, &c. all are \-irtues. 2. In a re- strained sense, it intends some special habit, direct- ing a man to lead a good life ; soberly, as to him- self, righteously, as to his neighbour, godly, as to the Lord, Tit ii. 12. First therefore we will consi- der virtue in the copious acceptation ; and so we may deduce this general doctrine. Faith without virtue can neither make a man good in himself, nor just before the Lord. Faith must have virtue with it. God requires grapes of the vine, (implanted to Christ by faith,) not for his own diet, but in testimony of our faith. If faith have ingrafted us into the vine, we must be bearing branches. And though we shall not be rewarded for our works ; yet, according to our works, Rev. ii. 23. Virtue must wait at the heels of faith. There is a great sea of difference between the papists and us, about good works ; which, God knows, are scant and cold among us all. We both agree that they are to be done ; both our doctrines persuade to well- doing ; but when they talk of merit in them, here we part company ; they travelling to heaven by their works, we by our faith : which of us speed best, rest in the conclusion to prove. They cavil that we hold not good works necessarj- : we hold them as necessarj- ■as they, but in another kind of necessity. They in a necessity of priority, we in a necessity of posteriority. They to bind God to us, we as already bound to God. They to make him our debtor, we in ac- knowledgment of a debt due to him : even our alms is not a gift, but a debt. Therefore it is said, that no man hath a right in Itis own, but only the use and disposition. As the wealth of the seven plenti- ful years supplied the want of the seven barren, so the wealth of the rich is given to supply the neces- sity of the poor. Our alms brings not God accountant to us, but helps us in our account to God. The papists hold them necessary, as of hired servants, they look for wages for them ; we, as of children disposed according to the nature of our Father. But if we be only justified by faith, why are we rewarded according to works? Works are of two sorts : Inward, or infused ; such as God works in us : these are here virtues, theological or moral, as pa- tience, &c. Outward, or acquired ; these we draw out of the former, or rather God out of us. The former are as the principal, these the interest. Now God doth not so much call us to account for that he gives us, but for the employment and increase of it that should be made to his use. Therefore he that buried his talent was condemned, though he had it. The others were rewarded, not because they had their talents, but because they had employed them, and gained by them. One came with, Lord, here is thine own ; yet he was answered with. Cast that ini- profitable servant into utter darkness. But the other, Lord, behold, thy five talents have gotten five more ; then, Well done, good and faithful servant ; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. God calls him faithful, because he used his faith to the producing of good works. So, Matt, xxv., not according to the internal habit of virtues or vices, but according to the works proceeding from them, is the reward be- stowed. Christ says not, you have believed, but, you have done ; Come, ye blessed. Two things fall necessarily here to be obsen-ed ; the invalidity ofmerit in our virtuous works; the necessity and commodity of these virtuous works in tliemselves. Here is faith preceding, and works proceeding. 1. The insufficiency of our virtues, and their ef- fects, which are good works, to merit, or to justify our souls before God. It is a sUly illation of the Romists, that because we must add to our faith virtue, ice. therefore faith cannot alone justify. We do not commend a solitan,- faith, you see her re- quired company. The eye alone of all parts of the body doth see ; but the eye that is alone, or sepa- rated from the body, doth not see. We jironounce that to be no justifying faith which is without virtue and works. But that faith qualified with works, doth notwithstanding justify without works ; this we maintain against men and angels. We separate not faith and works in the person justified, but in the act of justifying. In fire, though light and heat caimot be divided the one from the other, yet the one may be considered without the other. But how shall St. Paul and St. James be reconciled ; the one saying, we are justified by faith, the other, by works? Is the spirit of unity and truth divided ? No ; the one speaks of a justice of justification, the other of a justice of testification. The one acquits before God, the other approves before man. The one is without us, lent ; tne other within us, inherent : the one we receive, the other we return. Paul, like a doctor in the schools, reading ; James, as a pastor in the pulpit, preaching. The one establishing a real faith, the other confuting a verbal faith. Piscator doth thus clear it : he says that St. Paul and St. James did handle two diverse questions ; Paul, that faith doth justify' ; James, what kind of faith doth justify-. The one properly teaching justification, the other sanetification. Virtue as a servant follows faith her mistress, but when she comes to answer the justice of God, virtue nms behind the door, with a, Lord, be merciful to me a sinner; and so leaves the burden on faith's shoulder, which only answers it in the blood of Jesus Christ. Faith is like Rachel, and virtue, her maid Bilhah : though Bilhah supply the defects of Rachel, yet still let her remember that Rachel is her mis- tress. Christ is our Husband, and we his spouse : now it is fit the Bridegroom should be alone with the bride in the secret chamber, all the servants and attendants being shut forth ; but when the door is opened, and the Bridegroom cometh into the waiting room, then let all the ser^■ants and hand-maids at- tend ; then enter virtue, temperance, &c. Out of the point of justification works cannot be sufficiently commended; into the cause of justification they must not be admitted. David had a great armv of soldiers at his back, yet he slew Goliath. alone, had none to help him. Faith alone conquers Satan, but it hath a host of seconds with it. Faith, like John, that beloved disciple, leans on Christ's breast ; good works, with Peter, follow Christ. The storv' of Judith's proceeding with Holofemes may be here entertained for a fit similitude, Judith xiii. Bethulia is in danger of Holofemes, the terror of the East, as we of the justice of God. Judith undertakes for the safety of the Bethulians ; faith for the safety of Christians : all Bethulia being too weak to encounter him. as all our obedience is too little to answer God. Judith goes accomiianicd with her hand-maid ; faith, with virtue. The hand-maid waits on Judith all the way ; yet in the act of deliverance Judith is alone, and her hand-maid attends without the door. Virtue is ever waiting upon faith ; but in the mighty act of deliverance she dares not come in, but lets faith alone with the whole business. It is she that goes to Ver. 5. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 65 the throne of grace with confidence, and obtains mercy through the mediation of her sweet Saviour Christ. 2. Tlic necessity of virtuous actions. The hiw, though it have no power to condemn us, hatli power to command us. The law sends us to Christ to be saved, and Christ sends us back again to the law to learn obedience. The former is plain ; " The law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faitli," Gal. iii.24. The other is as mani- ^ fest ; " If thou wilt enter into life, keep (he com- mandments," Matt. xix. 17. " The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men," Tit. ii. II. There is the grace of God, and salvation with it : whither dolh it send us ? To the denial of ungod- liness and worldly lusts, that we should live soberly, &c. He that believes will keep the commandments. Now the keeping of the law is twofold; legal, evan- gelical. Legal : so Adam might have kept it ; so Christ did. Evangelical; Christ's righteousness im- puted to us : he kept it for us, and we strive to keep it in him. That is ti-ue " faith which worketh by love," Gal. v. G. A man is a perfect Christian inwardly through faith before God, who hath no need of our works; outwardly, before men by his works, for our faith profits them nothing. We call a painted man a man : some painters are so skilful in casting their colours, and can paint a fire so lively, that at the first blush you would think it to be a fire indeed. But try it by the effects, hold your hand to it to feel some warmth, it is but a cold board or block. Many can thus lively paint their faith with the colours of pro- fession ; that God is their God ; and though few be saved, they are siu-e to be of the number : excellent fire ! But let the poor come near to be warmed with works of mercy, or others look for the light of virtue ; there is neither light nor heat in it, a mere painted fire ; a Pygmalion's block, faced only like faith. But the gospel that gives salvation, chargeth us watli the law's obedience. Esther being brought up in her young years under Mordecai, tliough she was after- wards married to king Ahasucnis, and an imperial crown of gold set on her head, yet was still obedient to Mordecai, as before ; she " did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him," Esth. ii. 20. When he charged her to speak to the kin^, albeit with hazard of life, she obeyed ; " If I perish, I perish." AVe were under the rudiments of the law, as she under Mordecai : now we are freed by the gospel, married to the great King Jesus Christ, crowned with his grace, enriched with the royal apparel of his righteousness ; yet still we must be obe(lient to the law, as queen Esther to Mordecai. Epaminondas gave his soldiers leave to feast and sleep, while himself walked and watched about the army. Christ will not deal so with us ; but rather as Abimelech said to his soldiers, What you see me do, do ye so likewise, Judg. ix. 4S. Though in justifica- tion, Be it unto- thee according to thy faith ; yet in salvation. Every man shall be rewarded according to his works. " Blessed are the pure in heart ; for they shall see God," Matt. v. 8. They must lead virtuous lives on earth, that ever expect in heaven to see the Lord Jesus. All this while we have considered virtue in the lar- ger acceptation, comprehensive of all the rest. Strict- ly, St. Augustine defines it to be nothing else, but diligere diligendum, to love that is to be loved. "Thus it hatli a sweet reference to all the graces following. To love this is knowledge ; not to be seduced from it by allurements, is temperance ; not to be removed from it by calamity, is patience ; to do this for God's cause, is godliness ; to communicate it to others, is brotherly kindness ; to dilate" it to all men, is charity. (Ambr.) Knowledge seeks virtue, temper- ance finds it, patience suffers for it, godliness pos- sesscth it, charity communicates it^. These are so linked together with a golden chain of harmony, like the tabernacle's curtains of blue silk, that pull one, piUl all. Hath any man virtue ? he must have knowledge ; the ignorant are not capable of the habit of virtue. If there be knowledge, temperance will follow : for folly is the mother of surfeit, and digs its own grave with its teeth ; but abstinence is the daughter of wisdom. If temperance, then surely there will be patience. Temperance doth no wrong, patience suffers it. He that abhors to hurt others, will much less hurt himself. If patience, there must needs be piety ; for the thankworthy patience is that, which for conscience toward God endureth wrongful grief, 1 Pet. ii. 19. If we be content to suffer evil for God, surely we will do for God. If god- liness go before, fraternal kindness will follow after ; for no man can love the invisible God, and hate his visible brother. If kindness to our brother in Christ, then charity to all. A heathen will be kind to his fri^ds ; a Christian must be charitable (o his enemies. This is a golden chain : the wicked have a chain, their " pride compasseth them about as a chain," Psal. Ixxiii. 6; the cords or chain of their sins, one end whereof reaches to hell. But this chain is tied to heaven by the one end thereof ; fasten the other end to thy conscience, it shall draw thee up thither. The papists say, images are the books of idiots ; but the prophet calls them teachers of lies, and all know that they are occasions of sin. Let me give you a picture without the offence ; behold an image without sin. It is of virtue : you shall no soimer see the medals, but you will straight know the face. Conceive her a \'irgin of an unspotted chastity ; fair, yet never courted with a lascivious language. She hath a face white as is heaven, mixed with some lovely red ; white with her own innocence, ruddy with blushing at others' naughtiness. Of her Sa- viour's complexion ; " My Beloved is white and ruddy," Cant. v. 10. She hath a brow clear as crj-s- tal, wherein God hath written wisdom. This is her courage ; she may be affronted, she cannot be af- frighted. She hath eyes that never sent out a wanton look ; those casements were never opened to let in vanity. She is not poring with them on the earth ; but nititur erectos adsi/dera tollere vultus, directs them to heaven, where they shall one day see her desire, even the glory of God. " Thou hast ravished my heart, my spouse, with one of thine eyes," Cant. iv. 9. The Lord loves those eyes. She hath lips like a thread of scarlet, and her speech is comely. Cant, iv. 3. She hath the tongue of angels ; when she speaks, she ministers grace to the hearers. She discourseth the language of Canaan most perfectly ; and never opens, but the first air she breathes echoes with the praise of her Maker. Her ears are like the sanctum sanctorum of the temple ; none but the High Priest must enter there. They are stopped to the songs of any siren, open to the mournings of any poor. What gracious words she receives in at those doors, she sends them like jewels to be laid up in the cabi- net of her heart. She hath two hands ; one of equity, another of charity ; none for injury. She gives every one his due for justice' sake, some more than their due for mercy's sake. She gives, forgives, does that to others which she expects at the hands of Christ. She hath bowels of mercy ; the members of Christ are as dear to her as her most inward and vital parts. She feeds them, as considering what it were to have emiity bowels herself. Her knees were never stiffened witn pride ; she can easily bow them to give her superior homage, but tlirows them down at the foot- stool of her Maker ; yet still her heart is lower, and 66 AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. I. she never riseth without a pardon. Her feet are still travelling the ways of piety, and running the race of salvation. She knows this life is a journey, and no time to stand still, therefore she is shod for the pur- pose, with the " preparation of the gospel of peace :" she never rests, till she is gotten within the threshold of heaven. She hath a white silken garment, tlie snow of Lebanon is black to it ; not woven out of the bowels of worms, but out of the side of her Saviour. She is clothed all over with his righteousness, which makes her beautiful in the sight of her Maker. She is girt with the girdle of truth; and sins not, not be- cause she cannot, but because she will not. (August.) She hath a crown promised, blessedness: her Re- deemer, even the King of heaven, did bequeath it her in his will, and she shall wear it in eternal glorj-. And let every soul, that knows and loves her on earth, or hopes to enjoy her reward in heaven, call her blessed. " To virtue knowledge." Virtue without know- ledge were like a beautiful damsel blind, or a fair house that hath not a window in it. Virtue is like a pearl in the shell ; there must be knowledge to break the shell, or we cannot come at the pearl. Ignorance is dangerous. Thus the devil carries many to hell, as falconers carry their hooded hawks, without bait- ing. There is no ^\Tetchedness so pitiable, as that which is not knov\Ti to the sufferer. If men will not know God, God will not know them. Therefore he sends away the wicked with an " I know you not ;" but, " The Lord knoweth them that are his," 2 Tim. ii. 19. "They have made princes, and I knew it not," Hos. viii. 4 ; that is, I <hd not approve of it. Wilt thou not know ? thou shalt not be acknowledged. The work of regeneration begins at illumination. The first thing that sunk in our first parents, was knowledge : now where the wound began, there must begin the medicine. Thou seest in a tree buds, leaves, flowers, and fruits, and bark, and jjith ; yet all these are but the juice diversely digested and sent forth. So here in a Christian, faith, virtue, temperance, patience, charity, godliness; yet all these are but the knowledge of Christ diversely concorded : know- ledge is the light of virtue. The papists indeed magnify ignorance : good rea- son, for ignorance magnifies them. Our way to hea- ven is knowledge : perhaps they have a way by themselves. Like owls, they keep a whooting in the dark, but arc blind in the broad day ; never ask them, poor souls, as Philip the eunuch, " Understandest thou what thou readest ? " but, Dost thou read at nil ? No, we may not be suffered to read. It will be very hard for a man to stumlile over the threshold of hea- ven, or to go blindfold to salvation. Concupiscence, though ever sinful, yet could not bring forth sin wthout the consent of reason ; and this would never consent so long as the eyes were open. For sin is a thing so ugly and deformed, and so like the father the de\'il, that it is unreasonable for a man's soul to yield to it. Hence Paul calls sin a work of darkness ; for Satan doth hide it from us in the birth, and would hide it from us in the growth, only on our death-bed and anguish of soul he shows it us in the fmit. In this sense, that may rightly be understood, that no man sins knowingly at the very instant of Ihe committing. Though he have the habit of know- ledge in the general, yet hath he lost it in the par- ticular. As we say of the coward, there is fear in his heart, even while he feareth not ; in regard of the habit. And the slave hath an habitual service upon him, even when he sleejjs ; he sen-es though he takes his case. There may be the habit of know- ledge in the mind, yet not the use of it in some spe- cial act. The devil, to utter his damned commodities, dealeth as some tradesmen about their bad wares; puts out the true lights, and sets up false lights in their stead. In the time of superstition he put out the word i)reached, that man did scarce know sin in general. In these days of profaneness, he puts out tlie word applied, thai few consider what sin is in practice. So that now, he that coming from the mount, as Moses, and hearing the world's confused noise, would think it the noise of war, conquering or conquered ; but being among them, he finds it the noise of joy and dancing, revelling and roaring. Not because men do not know these sins in general, but they will not know them in these particular facts. Last, like a thick smoke, dims Ihe eye of knowledge. Now the means to prevent this unckedness, is to keep open the eye of knowledge. This is done both by the doctrine of truth in general, and the applica- tion thereof in special. The general knowledge of truth is more easy, for which of us is ignorant what sin is ? Knowledge, while she walks in generals, is in her own jurisdiction ; sense and affection have nothing to do with her, but she may freely give her sentence. Lo, then she dares call usiuy, usury, and not a moderate improvement of money ; pride, pride, and not handsomeness ; covetousness by its own name, and not thirstiness. But when she descends to particulars, wherein all actions do consist, and disputeth whether this or that special act be sin or not, here sense and affection put in for a part, challenge an interest, and oversway. And as it is in an ill picked (or as we say, packed) juiy, whereof there is one wise man, another honest man, five knaves and five fools ; the greater part overrules the better part, these ten overbear those two. The five senses, and as many affections, are the knaves and the fools ; science is the wise man, conscience the honest : now neither science the wise, nor conscience the honest, can be heard, nor give in their verdict ; but all goes with the mad senses and frantic af- fections. Here we see the use of preachers, who may speak freely, and help us to retain the truth in particular. Admonition is called by the Greeks vovdtaia ; as it were, a restoring or putting of the mind in order. When the imderstanding is (as it were) beside itself, and out of joint ; transported with some sudden passion, or prevented by an evil custom; this repairs it. So Paul delivers the use of it, Eph. iv. 12, for the putting again in joint of luxate members. This continual public preaching is necessary ; as a taper set on the table to give light to all in the house ; if this light waste itself, what hurt does it to thee ? yea, if it go out in its own stench, yet if lightens thee so long as it lasts. But thou sayest. Let not me take coimscl of him, that gives none to himself. Yet he might build an ark for Noah, that was liim- self dro\med in the flood : he may light thee to heaven, though himself go darkling to another place. Woe to him if he do not preach ! if he do preacli, lake tliy portion. Quod bene dicil, liiiim est; quod male rtvi/, suum est. But if he preach not, tnou mayst perish. Where if you had good eyes and thankful hearts, you would see and acknowledge how God hath blessed you more than the Romanists. The devil was feigned to send a letter of commenda- tions lo the popish clergy. Amongst many other things, he thanks them for their ignorance, but espe- cially for their silence. For settling our estate wc require a learned la\Tyer; for our sick body, a learned physician ; and for the soul that is most precious, sh;ill we not desire a learned divine ? In law thou canst but hazard thy estate ; in physic thou vonturest but a mortal life ; but here thou mayst lose thy soul. The body dies, the physicinu is paid; let Veb. 5. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 67 the estate be lost, thy lawyer hath his fees before : but if the minister save thy soul, yet he is not re- garded, nor rewarded ; if he lose it by vnihil negli- gence, he hath lost himself. Thus requisite are preachers to give the hght of knowledge. But yet if in tliis night of sin we will do any profitable work, we must either ourselves have a particular light of our ovm in our hands ; or if we cannot, we must get another to hold the candle to us, that we may see the deformity of sin ; lest knowledge being blinded, and lust leading the way, we both fall into the pit of de- struction. John the Baptist was Christ's harbinger, and went before him, that is, the glory of heaven. Knowledge is like John, that shming lamp ; with- out tliat, we cannot find the way to the glory of heaven, nor be brought to Christ. Tims in general ; now let us further obseiTe five conclusions. 1. That by knowledge is here meant an insight into heavenly things. Indeed Augustine distinguislicth between knowledge and wisdom : Wisdom, saith ho, is an intellectual apprehension of etci'nal things ; knowledge, anatural apprehension of temporal things. But there is no true knowledge, but that which can make the knowers blessed. Christian wisdom seems the world's folly. (Greg.) What is more fool- ish than to declare a man's meaning in his words ? to bless them that curse us ? to suffer rather than to do c\-il ? not to resist our oppressors ? Yet this is Christ's commended wisdom ; and he that is the AVisdom of the Father, shall one day crown it. Yet there may be a holy knowledge in these lower things. Oh, would to God thou wert wise, and woiddst under- stand and know the last things ! that thou wert wise in the things of God, wouldst understand the vanities of this world, and foresee the torments of hell. (Bern.) Thou wouldst abhor the plagues of hell, desire the joys of heaven, despise the temptations of earth. The great affection we bear to the world, shows that we know it not. 2. The apostle's earnest exhortation to knowledge, intimates that naturally we want it. Aristotle com- pares our wits at the beginning to a fair table, whereon is nothing written, but it is apt to receive all forms and figures. But he is deceived, for it is a dark vault, wherein is no light of grace, and no more of the light of nature than the little spark or snuff affords. "The natui-al man receivcth not the things of the Spirit of God," I Cor. ii. 14. By nature he is subject to two enemies of knowledge, ignorance and error. By ignorance we know not things neces- sary, by error we know them falsely. Ignorance is a privation, error a positive obliquity. All ignorance cannot be helped, all errors cannot be escaped. From ignorance comes vice, from error heresy. Many striving to expel ignorance, fall into error: as an empiric, to cure one disease, causeth a worse ; so quenching thirst with a draught of poison. Some are so deeply possessed with folly, that they scarce differ from beasts. Hence we see that knowledge is not easily had. In the West Indies, they that by digging follow the veins of gold, nm under liigh mountains and stony rocks, many miles ; yet the interest of ore sufficiently defray eth the expenses of labour. But knowledge is attained not without greater difficulty ; for the soul in the body, as a pri- soner in a dungeon, takes in nothing but through the grate, sees only through windows and cloudy spectacles. " The wisdom of this world is foolish- ness with God," 1 Cor. iii. 19. Therefore the first way to knowledge is, to know thine own ignorance. He that dotes on his own folly hath no hojje of wis- dom ; nor can a man become what he would be, un- less he hates being w-hat he is". (August.) They can never come to true wisdom, whom the opinion of their own false wisdom deceiveth. " Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise, let him become a fool, that ho may be wise," 1 Cor. iii. 18. Confess thy ignorance ; thiis is the way to get knowledge. 3. That knowledge is not the cause of sin, but ignorance ; for virtue is begotten and nourished by knowledge. Knowledge must go before virtue ; (C'hrj"s.) for man desires not that he knows not: unknown evil is not feared. Indeed there may be a disjunction of these two in respect of their moral parts. The heathen had virtue without knowledge, and we have knowledge without virtue. But as theirs was not true virtue without knowledge, so neither is ours true knowledge without wtuc. There may be a servant that knows his master's will, and doth it not. And this shall aggi-avate his wTetchedness, to know what he should follow, and not to follow what he doth know. (Isidor.) The sun does not heat all men to whom it shines ; nor doth knowledge, when it hath taught men what is to be done, presently in- flame or enable them to the doing of it. It is one thing to know where riches are, another thing to be master of them. It is not the knowledge, but the possession of them, that makes rich. But to say that knowledge is a spur to wickedness, is all one as if a father training up his son to be an archer, another should tell him, that by aiming most fairly he should miss most foully. No, certainly, there is no virtue can batten or tlirive, but that which sucks on the breasts of knowledge. 4. Seeing we must join with our faith knowledge, it is manifest that an ignorant faith is no faith. The papists stand hard for their implicit faith j i t is enough, they say. Their proof is, " Why are ye fearful, ye of little faith ? " Matt. viii. 26. As if there were no difference between a little faith and an implicit faith : between a little man and a great elephant ; the little one is a man, and the great one is a beast : between a little star and a great cloud ; that is true lighl, this is very darkness ; that turns to water, this remains fire still. A little faith, with knowledge, is tme and saving ; a great presumption, with ignorance, is damning. A small tree is better than a great sha- dow ; that may bear fi-uit, this is nothing. A juggler could never show more tricks, than they with this involved faith : they are vety like ; for these also cast a mist before men's eyes, and juggle away their souls. When the devil comes with his fiery darts, their shield of faith is so wrapped up that they cannot find it. It is like ware in a pedler's pack, mislaid; he hath it, but he knows not where it is. It is tnily called the collier's faith. The devil catechiseth him : How dost thou believe ? I believe as the church believes. How believes the chm-ch ? As I believe. This man was saved, say they ; but for all that, I do not think that the devil and the collier so soon parted: sure, if he had no better weapons, Satan would have another bout with him, and such a one as would cost him his soul. Believe as the church believes, we ask you no more ; this and the sign of the .cross is sufficient. Oh the multitude of souls they thus beguile ! But add to your faith knowledge : "They that'know thy name will put their trust in thee," Psal. ix. 10. they that know not what they should believe, cannot believe to their own comfort. 5. Lastly, this knowledge must be added to virtue also. The Romists love all blind graces ; they com- mend a blind faith, a blind obedience, a blind devo- tion, whose mother is ignorance. But the apostle bids us add knowledge to these. And virtue itself, lustre it with what gloss of obedience and devotion they can, I say not, it goes halting toward heaven; but' is like a seeled dove, it would mount to heaven, 68 AN EXPOSITIOX UPON THE Chap. I. and hovers upward, but strikes at a tree and falls, if it want knowledge to direct it. But why should I say virtue without knowledge is blind, when indeed it is not at all ? A man may do good, and not know- it ; but not well : tiTie virtue is not without know- ledge. But as some do ill, and yet think it good ; so others do good, and yet think it ill. For the foniier, " Whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God sen'ice," John xvi. 2. For the latter, Josepli's mis- tress meant him a shrewd turn in betraying him to prison, which was Joseph's step to promotion : or as the thief wounded a passenger, and intended to kill him, yet with his stroke cut and let out an ulcer, whereof he was ready to die : neither of these can be called virtue. For good and well must in all actions meet : wicked is not much worse than in- discreet. Knowledge without virtue makes a man's mittimus to hell. '■ If ye were blind, ye should have no sin : but now ye say. We see ; therefore your sin rcmaineth," John ix. 41. Like the woman that hath a candle in her hand, Luke xv. 8 ; but as the Romish Vulgate did read it, instead of domum everrit, domum evertit ; so these, instead of sweeping the house, pull it quite down. So much light abused on earth, so much darkness inflicted in hell. Virtue witliout knowledge, is either, like Laodicea, proud, and knows not whereof, Rev. iii. 17; or mad, and knows not what to do. I conclude W'ith John ix. 6. Christ made a medicine for the blind man's eyes of his own spittle and the earth's clay. The first sig- nifying the knowledge of Christ by his word, that comes out of his mouth ; the other, the knowledge of ourselves, who being made of earth, do naturally savour of nothing but clay. Now of both these ma- terials Christ made one lump, tempering them to- gether ; so both these knowledges must be so mcUed together, that they be not severed. To have the clay, knowledge of ourselves, without the spittle, knowledge of Christ, were to cast us down to despe- ration. To have the spittle, knowledge of Christ, without the clay, knowledge of ourselves and our own unworthiness, would putF us up with presump- tion. Both do well together, that we may know our own selves in ourselves ^^■retched; yet in the grace and comforts of God, everlastingly blessed. Will you now take a short character of the know- ing man ? He desires to know all things, but first himself; lest having acquaintance in every place, he should die a stranger to his owti heart. And in himself, not so much his strength as his weakness. To know our own virtues, makes us proud; our own vices, humbleth us. Both his eyes are never both at once from home ; one keeps house, while the •other goes abroad for intelligence. He is blind in no man's cause, but best-sighted in his own. He confines himself to the circle of his own affairs, and thrusts not his finger into needless fires. His heart's desire is to know God ; and he knows there is no better way to know him than through Jesus Christ. Herein consists his happiness, for so he makes sure Vork for liis soul. It is the best, and therefore first regarded ; and he never rests till his faith be built on assurance, that God hath pardoned his sins, and given him a place in heaven. The world he so far seeks to know, that he may abhor if. He sees the falseness of it, and therefore learns to trust himself ever, others so far as not to be damaged by their dis- appointment. He knows this to be a short and miser- able life, and therefore studies the wav to a blessed and eternal one ; that this world shall'perish. there- fore is loth to perish with il : that monev mav make a man richer, not better; and therefore chooscth rather to sleep with a good conscience than a full purse. He had rather the world should account him a fool, than God; therefore desires no more wealth than an honest man may bear away. He knows this world's delight consists of crotchets and short songs, whose burden is sorrow : only heaven hath the best music, where glorious angels and saints sing for ever to the Lord of hosts. He knows his own ignorance, endeavours to science ; and for what he cannot apprehend, he begs wnsdom of God ; not of everj' thing, but only of so much as may make him blessed. He knows how to make his passions, like good ser\ants, to stand in a diligent attendance, ready at file command of reason, of religion. If any of them, forgetting their duty, be miscarried to rebel, he first conceals the mutiny, then suppresscth it. He will not see every wrong done him, knowing he hath done more to his Maker. After continual acquaintance with the Scriptures, and humble fami- liarity witli the Holy Ghost, he knows the way to heaven perfectly, and runs apace till he gets into the arms of his Saviour. Verse 6. And lo knowledge temperance. This grace of temperance may be here diversly un- derstood. I. For such a discretion as may season all these graces : so taken it is sal omnium virtutum, the salt of cverj' virtue. Devotion without discretion, is like a hasty servant that nms away without his errand. Profession of faith without temperance, is fumed into hypocrisy, or such a preposterous zeal, that is like fire not on the hearth, to warm, but in the top of the chimney, to set the house on a flame : virtue without it is folly. A man may so indiscreetly hold virtue, as to lose it ; another may so discreetly forbear meddling, that he doth more firmly hold it. (Greg.) Patience without discretion wrongs a good cause : a man must bear his own injuries pa- tiently, but not God's, nor the church's. Moses pleaded the people's cause to God with prayers and tears, but God's cause against the people with sword and vengeance. Godliness without temperance, is devotion out of the wits. Gregoiy observes on the vision of the four cherubims, Ezek. i. 10, that file first proportion of those creatures' faces was the countenance of a man, which, saith he, did signify discretion, or this temperance. See them allego- rized ; the just man, by mortification of the flesh hecomes a calf ready to be sacrificed ; by fortitude in his spiritual war, he is a conquering lion ; by con. templation of the celestial glorj-, he is a triumphant eagle ; by reason of his temperance, he is an exem- plary man. (Greg, in Ezek.) Brotherly kindness without temperance is brotherly dotage. So kind- ness runs into cruelty: thou feedest thy friend's sensual appetite, flatterest him in his lusts, conccal- est his faults, followest his humours ; all in kindness: this is to spill his soul in kindness. Charity, lastly, without temperance, is prodigality ; it gives with an oj)en hand and shut eye : and so a man may for his charity go to the devil, when, instead of God's friends, he rewards his enemies. Thus hath temper- ance relation to all these graces. II. For such a discretion as may moderate know- le<lge, and qualify that heal to which it is addicted. " Knowledge puffeth up," 1 Cor. viii. 1. Some men so bluster on their knowledge, that they hold all the world dunces besides themselves. There is some- what of poison in it, without the corrective of teni- VEn. 6. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. perance. Hence comes singtilarity of ojjinions. Some conceit themselves so wise, that all the sober and peaceable spirits of the land are mere fools to them. Poor souls ! who does not pity their blind madness ? One cries, My mysteries be to myself; another re- plies. Thy foolishness be to thyself: the former is the schismatic, the other the libertine. An indifler- ent man might decide ; Let not all the folly be to one, nor all to other, but let them both part it betwixt them. One is so wise that he cares for no preacher at all ; another wills that such a factious one shall teach him, and nobody else. Whether is the madder of the two, he that will altogether fast, or he that will feed on nothing but bones? Tlic grace of an action is the manner, the grace of the manner is order, the grace of the order is discretion. (Bern.) Tem- perance is not so much a virtue itself, as a marshal or moderator of virtues. It is not enough to do a good work, unless the due place, fit manner, and con- venient time, be observed. If not in the right place, it is as a man lights a taper, and puts it beside the candlestick. If not after the right manner, it is as one that is gone a' good part of his travel, but must come back again, because he hath mistaken his way. If not in due time, it is like him that would never water his garden but when it rained. If not to the right person, it is like a man that forgetfully salutes his friend ever by the wrong name. If not to the right end, it is like Julian, that never was bountiful, or did a man a good turn, but to damn his soul. III. It is taken for such a moderation of the mind, whereby we so demean ourselves, as neither to sur- feit on fulness, nor to despair on want. Not that the most temperate man can so master his passions, but that at some times he may overjoy his content, or overgrieve his trouble. When the most equal weights are first put into the evcnest balances, there is a little swaying on both sides, and appearance of some in- equality ; yet after a little motion they settle them- selves in a just poise. This temperance is a steady and habitual firmness, that hath no critical fits. The frantic, though he be sober eleven moons, if he rage one, cannot avoid the imputation of madness. When there is no disturbance, to be quiet is not worth any thing. The husband told his wife, that he had one ill quality, he was given to be angry without cause; she wittily replied, that she would keep him from that fault, for she would give him cause enough. It is the folly of some that they will be ofl'ended without cause, to whom the world promises that they shall have causes enough. " In the world ye shall have tribulation," John xvi. 33. When this cause of disquiet comes, then to be resolved and peaceful, this is temperance. The balances that are most ill matched in their unsteady motions, yet come to an equality, but stay not at it. The penerse worldling may restrain his passion ; yea, may be so well com- posed, that ordinary things shall not stir him ; but when a new and unlooked-for cross comes, then he is out of temper, hath lost temperance. Like a fencer, that stands upon his usual wards and postures, and plays well, in his school ; but abroad he meets with a new trick, a blow that quite puts him from the rules of his art, and so is beaten with shame. In- deed the best man's temperance may fail in one par- ticular act, but this doth not take away the habit from him. This temperance must guide our conversation. God's sacrifice and service must be reasonable, Rom. xii. I. Let zeal inflame temperance, and temperance (}ualify zeal. (Bern.) Too much remissness nour- isheth vices ; too much strictness killelh virtues. Without this moderation, fear passeth into despair, grief into bitterness, love into flattery, liope into pre- sumption, joy into dissoluteness, anger into fury. The want of temperance, instead of cherishing, de- stroys : like the idolater, so rapt with the fair image of the goddess, that coming to kiss it, he bit it. It altogether overdoes. " Be not righteous over-much; neither make thyself over-wise," Eccles. vii. 16. Qui plus posse pulal sua quam nalura minislrat : Posse suum supenuts, se mi7ius esse palest. But enough of this kind of temperance : men are not so hot that we need to cool them ; but rather so cold that we had need to heat them. Few among us are so over-zealous to outrun Christ ; it is well if yet we will follow Christ. We need not so much add tem- per to your zeal, as zeal to your temper ; and wish you so much of both, as may bring you to salvation. IV. Lastly, temperance is taken for a moderate use of outward things ; and comprehends in it abstinence, when we cat no more, drink no more, go no braver, than natural equity and moral decency requires. Now if the first degree to virtue be to avoid the con- trary, behold tlie beauty of this fair grace, by view- ing the blackness of the opposite sin, intemperance. Generally it extends itself to all immoderations ; but especially it is appropriated to four. There is intem- perance, 1. In lust; so it is called incontinence. 2. In apparel ; so it is called pride. 3. In meats ; so it is called 'gluttony. 4. In drinks ; so it is called drunkenness. All which are but the effects of in- temperance. 1. Incontinence. To this intemperance all are naturally prone, but in a different sort. Some quite expel and mortify this desire by grace ; for he that is one spirit \vith Christ, will scorn to be one flesh with a harlot, 1 Cor. vi. 17. The virginity of the body may be lost, and yet the soul presen-e her maiden- head. •• These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins," Rev. xiv. 4. This is not intended against marriage, there is no defilement in that. " Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled," Heb. xiii. 4. Our adversaries call it a sacrament : what, and a defilement too ? Do they use to make saci'aments of pollutions ? They might be married, yet not defiled with women ; neither with carnal nor spiritual harlotry, nor with adultery nor idolatry ; and so remain spiritual virgins. Others there are that keep in this corruption by civil mo- desty ; they will not express it, yet have it. Many heathens could thus suppress their corruption, not mortify it. Their intemperance is to them like a mad-brained wife to a sober man ; he locks her up, and goes abroad without trouble ; but when he comes home he is weariedwith her scolding. Others there are that care not to let their intemperance burst out, but they want opportunity : now the thief cannot rob till he come at a booty ; so the sin is in them, even while they forbear the act, and they are intemperate persons. There is a sort that shame not the eruption of this sin, without respect (I say not of conscience, but) of credit; quorum luxuri<E meretrix non sujficit omnis, that in the lust of fed horses neigh after women, Jer. v. 8. The means to avoid this intem- perance are, (I.) By subduing the body to the soul. " I keep imder my body, and bring it into subjection," 1 Cor. ix. '27. The body is that part which is against the Lord. The body will beg, but let a shameless beg- gar have a shameless denial. AVhen the body does what the good soul dictates, there is a breathing saint ; when the soul consents to the body's appetite, there is a blind man led by his dog. Because the serpent's head had led the way so long, now the re- pining tail would needs lead ; but then the whole ran into mischief. When lust undertakes to gtiide 70 AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. I. a man, and reason is fain to follow, there is a preci- pice to destruction. (2.) By debarring (he flesh all lust-provoking meats and drinks. It is wretched to have this noisome fire, wicked to feed it with fuel. Sodom found that " ful- ness of bread " was the mother of unnatural tilthiness. High diet is adultciy's nurse. You shall seldom see a man continent that is not abstinent. (August.) The heat is taken at a tavern that is laid at a brothcl- honsc. Abstain then, for it is fasting spittle that must kill this tetter. He that will ever be mnning for fuel, never meant to put out the fire. (3.) By avoiding beautiful temptations. " Flee fornication," 1 Cor. vi. 18 : resist ottier sins, flee this. Stand not to try thy strength, but run away. Parlhus tutus ab hosle fuga est. Joseph stood not to bandy terms, and dispute with his mistress, but fled from her. If thou wilt endure conference with a harlot, she will conriuer. Like Uly.sses, stop thine ears, her chai-ms shall not take thee. " Many have run out of their wits for women," 1 Esd. iv. 26. Satan having conquered the woman, never came at the man, but left the woman to do that ; he thought she would be devil enough to tempt man. Solomon with all his wisdom, Samson with all his strength, were thus mastered. One overcame a lion, yet a lioness over- came him. The other could find out the harlot from the true mother ; yet a harlot found out him, and made him forget his Maker. " The people began to commit whoredom \\-ith the daughters of RIoab," Numb. xsv. 1 : the daughters of Moab, light by nature, for they were begot in incest. Lot's daughter lay with her own father while he was drunk, and called her son Moab, which signifies, '■' The son of her father." Impudent stnnnpet, not to be ashamed of so foul and horrible a fact ! Thus they were light, and that by nature ; they had it by kind, it cost them nothing. Even the sons of God were tempted to folly by the daughters of men, Gen. vi. 2. A woman feir is man's snare : think them thy she-devils, sent and taught to seduce and spill thy soul. A harlot the more beautiful, the more banefiil. (August.) It is rare to see a woman chaste that is poor and fair. Stol qucevisi quavt's merelrix mercabilis arte. Bring gold enough, a little cunning shall serve for whore- dom ; the devil makes his highways easy. Perhaps all do not sell their bodies that sell their souls ; some sin, but set no price on it. I am persuaded that no one inducement so soon turns women to poperj% as their indulgence in this sin. If God would afford pardons on the pope's rates, this sin would bo infinite ; but his justice ■will not be so answered. (4.) By meditating on the punishment. If in the act of thy lust thou conldst see into the dark doors of hell, and behold the adulterers and their harlots embracing flames, quenchless flames ; howling, and shrieking, and cursing their glasses, their tires, their bawds, their panders ; bound to etemity of insuffer- able horrors ; tlris would cool thy heat." For lustful kisses, kissing of fire ; for soft beds, beds of despair; for wanton songs, gnawing their tongues; for lieat- ing delicates, everlasting famishment ; for silken curtains, to wsh a rock for their pillow, and a moun- tain for their coverlet, Rev. vi. 16: this, oh this would slacken thine intemperance. What men think most pleasing, is most plaguing; to have their lusts granted : " So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust," Psal. Ixxxi. 12. Thev desired it, thev had it ; this was the greatest plague. Think thou 'seest be- yond thy beauty, old age ; beyond old age, sickness ; beyond sickness, dealli ; bevond death, judgment; beyond judgment, hell; beyond that no limits of time or torments, but all c'aseless, endless. Thou criest, God be merciful to me ; but be also merciful to thyself: weep for thy sins, and beseech God to mortify thy lusts by the death of Christ. 2. The s'econd kind of intemperance is in apparel. Pride, pride ? why there is no such sin, all is but fashion. Indeed pride hath lost itself in the name of fashion. This was wont to be called the woman's sin : " The d;iughters of Zion are haughty," &:e. Isa. iii. IC : there is pride and her wardrobe. But now it is a question whether the women keep their char- ter still ; the men have endeavoured to be as proud as they : not that the other are excusable ; inmmier- able arc their boxes, and powders, and paintings ; how they daub their mud walls with apothecaries' mortar ! It is a sign that they love a vizard better than a face. " God shall smite thee, thou painted wall," Acts xxiii. 3 : painting is for walls, not for faces. If nature's defects and furrows cannot be fill- ed up with these colours, yet art shall supply all witli rich attires. As that painter should have drawn Venus very beautiful ; but when his cunning failed in her face, he drew her in exceeding rich apparel : because he could not make her fair, he made her rich. They dye their hair too ; but this Seems to Ije no new fashion, for Cyprian vTites of it in his time. They got a flame-coloured hair, an ill presage : it is not safe coming so near to that colour. They spend more time betwixt the comb and the glass, than be- twixt their family and the church. They meta- moi-phose their heads, as if they were ashamed of the head of God's making, proud of the tire-woman's. Sometimes one tire is half the husband's rent-day. This is the monstrousness of our pride ; and what shaill we do in the end thereof? Jer. v. 31. Jezebel was the daughter of a king, the wife of a king, the mother of a king ; yet her painted face and proud heart threw her out at the window, and she was trampled under horses' feet. But Jehu would bury her ; no, the dogs had done it to his hand. Oh the greatness of our land's intemperance this way ! we have learned all things of our neighbours but this, to be proud good- cheap. Hospitality and noble attendance is changed into a vessel that nms on four wheels. It is a fashion to build great houses, as the ostriches lay eggs, and then to leave them. When the poor come thither for relief, there are none but daws to chatter to them ; the lord or the knight is at London. Their mercers and taOors share the poor's due. Great men gather up their wealth and their credit nearer about them than in foimer times; then it consisted in good housekeeping and many servants, now in two or three tninks of apparel and a boy to brush them. Many follow Absalom's fashion, to carry a forest of hair on their heads ; as if that were their grace, which God hath forbidden as ungracious. Christ says, the body is more worth than raiment; but some strive to make their raiment more worth than their bodies : like birds of paradise, their feathers are better than their carcasses. To pull down, if it were possible, the height of this pride, consider, (1.) Thy beginning; remember the rock from whence thou wert hewn. " From following the ewes great with yoimg, he brought him to feed Jacob his people," Psal. IxxWii. 71 : David was not ashamed of his beginning. Say thou art bom noble ; yet art thou not made of any finer clay or metal than the meanest. We have all one common mother: and the jiroudest dust once dead, shall putrify and stink for all his perfumes as soon as the jx)orest. Thouch all have not the same clothing, yet all have the same skin. (2.) Thy progress. What can thy brave rags bet- ter thee ? "a golden bridle makes not the better horse. If thy coat be made of wool, the sheep wore it before thee ; if of silk, the silly worm may pull Aoww thy Ver. 6. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 71 pride. The bowels of worms hath clothed thee, and thou shah feed the bowels of worms. Because thou flourishest wilh the flags of vanity, thou thinkest it is thyself; like the fly on the coach wheel, that makes so glorious a dust: so let Heliogabalus boast of his silken halters. (3.) 'Whatsoever the outside be, look to the linings. The body is more worth than the raiment ; therefore the soul is more worth than the body, for the body is but the raiment of the soul. Why despiscst thou thy poor brother ? I have more lands : naply, and more sins. I have braver apparel : a neat outside, and a sluttish inside. I am fairer: perhaps in face, and fouler in heart. Thou art rich in the poor com- mocUties of this world, and poor in the rich com- modities of the other. Peacock, look dowTi to thv feet. (4.) There is only one garment worth having and saving. " Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ," Rom. xiii. 14: this is " the best robe," Luke xv. 22. The papists buy the beggarly righteousness of sorry saints, and neglect this. We have worn our own innocence to rags ; let us put on Christ's. Though our garment of inlierent righteousness be verj' thin, yet if it be lined wilh Christ's imputed righteous- ness, it shall keep us warm : if embroidered with his, it shall make us acceptable to God. If we love a silken garment woven out of the bowels of a womi, how much more should we love the garment woven out of the bowels of Jesus Christ ! Thus hath God allowed to some a great measure of honour, a great measure of riches, a gi'cat measure of prosperity; but to none one di-am of pride. 3. The third kind of intemperance is in meats ; in making those tilings injuries to the body, which God ordained to be consenativcs of the body. Good meat, which is the creature of God, is offered to the art of the cook, who makes work for the mouth, which makes work for the stomach, which makes work for surfeit, which makes work for death, vhich makes work for the devil. A sin so genuine and natural to this nation, that pride is not more proper to Spain, nor lust to France, nor drunkenness to Germany, than gluttony is to England. For method's sake, let me dissuade you from it, by considering the manner, the measure, the matter, the eflccts, the end of it. (1.) For the manner: this is merely circumstan- tial, and may thus be expressed ; too soon, too late, too daintily, too fast, too much, is gluttony. Too soon : " Woe to thee, land, when thy princes eat in the morning!" but "blessed art thou, O land, when thy princes cat in due season, for strength, and not for di-unkenness !" Eccles. x. 16, 1/. " Woe imto them that rise up early in the morning" to follow riot! Isa. V. 11. Their matins are their jimkets, and their moniing sacrifice is offered to their belly. Too- late : such are midnight revels : in- temperance makes no difference of times. Too dainti- ly; above the estate: and herein the poor may fault as soon as the rich ; tarn late, if not lam laule. Indeed men have talem dentem, qualem metitem. Evciy one hath an Eve's sweet-tooth in his head, that longs for forbidden things. Too fast; that is, with vora- city ; we Civil it, a canine appetite. " Greedy dogs which can never have enough," Isa. Ivi. 11.' Too pwch. He that allows his body less than he owes it, kills his friend : he that allows his body more than he owes it, franks his enemy. Give it not what the throat, but what nature needs. The wise man will distinguish between his body, and the lust of his body : liis allowance therefore shall be such as may presene nature, not please intemperance. (2.) For the measure ; it is an insatiate desire of delicacies. So the rich man said, " Soul, eat, for thou hast," &c. Luke xii. 19 : not only, Body, eat, but. Soul, eat, and satiate thyself. The belly is no troublesome creditor; it is contented with a little, if thou givcst it what it should have, not what thou canst give. (Sen.) It is not the constitution of na- ture, but the concupiscence of lust, that longs for abundance. This invented sauces ; non lam condi- menla, quam bhnidimenlu. Here is a study to be sick when men are cunning in gluttony. Ul salunlas IraiDieat iv esitriem, natura mulatur in arlem. This made Philoxcnus wish his neck as long as a crane's, to prolong the sweetness of his meats. This is not tiecessitatem .supplere, scd aiidilalem explere. Such are to be reckoned in the number of living creatures, not of men. (Sen.) They m;ike their belly their god, Phil. iii. 19 ; for that they like best, and love most, is their god. The heathen had a god of drunken- ness, but I never read that they had any of gluttony. To make the belly a deity ; how base is this idol- atry ! yet Hugo thus describes their luxurious wor- ship. The belly is their god, the kitchen their temple, their lungs the organ-jiipes, the altar their table, the cooks are their priests, flesh i-oasted, boiled, or broiled, their sacrifices, and their incense the odour of their sauces. But this sacrifice is to the devil, whose belly is filled with the froth of luxurious ghittons : instead of graces, sauces ; instead of prais- ing God, belching blasphemies. They have these \-irtues our apostle speaks of, but in a stiange way. They have knowledge, which dish best pleaseth their appetite ; patience, to sit four hours at one meal ; fortitude, to encounter with an ox ready pre- pared ; peace, till they have filled their stomachs : yea, faith, hope, and charity too; their faith warms in their kitchen, their hope lies in their mess, and their love boils in their kettle. Tliis is the measure of gluttony, which indeed cannot be measured. All is to satiate curiosity ; to fill more than the belly, even their eye. But as too much rain ch'owns the fields, which moderate showers would make fruitful ; so this plethoiy of diet, instead of conserN-ing nature, confounds it. (3.) For the matter ; it is great feasting. Jerome wrote to Eustachius in the desert. If I did eat any thing boiled, it was a luxuiy ; so great was his tem- perance. All oiu' art is too little to please our palates ; we have piles of dishes to make barricadoes against the appetite. Feasts indeed have their just allowance : our Saviour himself honoiu'cd a great feast with liis presence and miracle, John ii. But they must not be unseasonable ; as, to feast when we need to fast : when God calls to mounling, then to revel, Amos xi. God threatens plagues, they fall to dances ; tlierefore the banquet of these jovial fellows shall be removed, ver. 7- Not excessive. Nabal the churl made a feast like a king : you know a churl's feast ; he feeds his family with the mouldy remnants a month after. Not profane : such was Belshazzai-'s, when the temple was ransacked to fur- nisli his cupboard of plate. Nehemiah read the law of God even" day of the feast : if men did think of lliat law, they would not make God and Belial meet at one board. Josejdi and Mary went up to Jerusalem to the great feast with Jesus, but there they -left Jesus, Luke ii. Twelve years they could keep him, yet at a feast they lost him. Beda says, the men went in one company, the women in another ; the children sometimes with the father, sometimes with the mother; betwixt them both Christ was lost : so easily is Christ lost at a feast. It is observ- able, that in the temple they found him, ver. 46 : thev lost him at a feast, but they found him again in l\\e church. The end of such feasts is commonly 72 AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Ch-vp. 1. the beginning of a fray. Upon ihe Sodomites feast- ing heaven rained down fire and brimstone. Upon Job's children feasting the house fell down. Against Belshazzar feasting the finger on the wall wrote characters of destmction. What Dives hath dined, the devil takes away. If gluttony be the founder, Satan is the confounder. The host provides meat for the belly, the guest a belly for the meat : death destroys them both. " Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats : but God shall destroy both it and them," 1 Cor. vi. 13. Paul says, that their end is damnation, Phil. iii. 19. It is heavy, that their end is damnation ; but it is worse, that their damnation is without end. Let us evermore suspect these riot- ous meetings, among them that feed themselves without fear, Jude ver. 12. It is written of good Job that he feared his children at a feast : " It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts," Job i. 5. Let us be like the deer, who are ever most fearful at their best feeding. Beware lest your indulgence of the throat be the suffocation of grace; be jealous of a great feast. But I shall hold you too long at a feast, unless my cheer were better: I therefore pass to, (4.) The effects ; which are manifold and manifest. The throat's pleasure did shut up paradise, sold the birthright, beheaded the Baptist ; audit was the chief of the cooks, Nebuzaradan, that first set fire to the temple, and razed the city. These efl'ects are, 1. Crossness ; which takes away agility to any good work ; which makes a man move like a tun upon two pottle pots. C'rosar said he mistrusted not Antony and Dolabella for any practices, because they were fat ; but Casca and Cassius, lean, hollow fellows, who did think too much. The other are the devil's crammed fowls: like iEsop's hen, too fat to lay. In- deed what need they travel far, whose felicity is at home; placing paradise in their throats, and heaven in their food? 2. Macilency of grace ; for as it puts fatness into their bodies, so leanness into their souls. God fatted the Israelites with quails, but withal " sent leanness into their soul," Psal. cvi. 15. The flesh is blown up, the spirit doth languish. They are worse than man-eaters, for they are self-eaters : they put a pleurisy into their bloods, and an apoplexy into their souls. 3. Consumption of their estates : for it is a costly disease ; it makes way for either a writ or a mittimus. Their patrimony runs through their throat. Man, that is the lord of all creatures, hath the least mouth of all creatures. When tem- perance, that just steward, is put out of his office, all runs to decay and ruin : if satiety go before, beg- gary will follow after. 4. Sickness to their bodies : they wrap up diseases in their full morsels, as pills in pap. Men desire strength of body, and length of days : sed prohibenl grandes palitxp. Gluttony was always a friend to ^Esculapius. But for the throat's indulgence, Paracelsus, for all his Mercury, had died a beggar. Aches and ayc-mes are incident to intem- perate houses: gouts, pleurisies, dropsies, &c. Qiice ■nisi dirilibus ytcqueiml conlingere mensis. (Ilorat.) AVe complain the shortness of our lives, yet take the only course to make them shorter. (5.) Lastlv, the end is rottenness and death. AVhy dost thou feed that flesh so fat, that must feed Ihe worms ? The daintiest of Hying, swimming, or run- ning creatures are buried in our bowels. Post thou ask why we die so soon? wc live upon deaths. (Sen.) The best diet shall leave thee putidiim el vulridum cadaifr. The finest food shall make no better dust. When moderation itself cannot avoid dying, how thinkest thou to prop up thy tabeniacle with surfeit? Lay hold on temperance: the jihy- sician savs. nothing is better for the body than tem- perance : the lawj'cr says, nothing is better for the estate tlian temperance : the philosopher says, no- thing is better for the wits than temperance : the divine says, nothing is better for the soul than tem- perance. It is good for the body, good for the brain, good for the estate, good for the soul : readily there- fore admit temperance. For further help against intemperance, take these four considerations. (1.) That abstinence is man's rising, as intempe- rance was his fall. We that have lapsed from the joys of paradise by meat, let us recover it again as well as we can by abstinence. (Greg.) I speak not here for fasting only ; though that nave the due use, the duo place. It hath a time and place in the midst of sorrow; for repentance comes not before God with a full belly and meat between the teeth. The use of it is, to prepare the soul for goodness, not to merit by it. The papists hold it not as a help of piety ; but an immediate part of God's worship, to be satisfactory. But I commend in abstinence three rules. I. "That it be not too much; for it is better to abstain every day a little, than some days wholly. They are moderate showers that make the ground fniitful. An easy shaking roots the young plant faster; a hard shaking roots it up. 2. Re- member the poor in your abstinence. " Wherefore have we fasted, and thou seest it not ? " complain the hypocrites. God answers. Because in your fasts ye exact your debts; you show no mercy to the poor, Isa. Iviii. 3. Let the abstinence that makes thee look pale, beget blood in another's cheeks : let thy fast be the poor's feast. They eat the lambs out of flock, and the calves out of the stall, Amos vi. 4 : that is sometimes bad enough, but they forget the affliction of Joseph, ver. (5; that is worse; tliis en- hanceth their damnation. Your tables abound with dishes, their bowels sound like shawms : take away here, and bestow it there ; bate a mess at thy table, and send it to the poor's table. Nchemiah allowed some liberty to the rich, so it were joined with libe- rality to the poor: " Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet ;" but be sure to "send portions unto them for whom nothing is jircpared," Neh. viii. 10. Think it is Christ that himgcrs, while thou riotest. Godfrey of Boulogne would not be crowned with gold in that place where his Master had been crowned with thorns. Do not thou pamper thyself when Christ starves. Christ is hungiy, and he must satisfy you. It is Christ that begs of you, and he must give you: it is Christ that lies at your gates, and he must let you into the gates of heaven. True feasts of charity are not only banquets, but sacrifices ; "with such sacrifices God is well pleased," Heb. xiii. 16. 3. Abstain from all sin : the praise and crown of abstinence is amendment of life. " When ye fasted and mourned, did ye at all fast luito me, even to me, saith the Lord ?" Zech. vii. 5. (2.) Consider, it is God's blessing that makes fat, and not meat. Man lives not by bread, but by the word of (h)d, Matt. iv. 4. Daniel looks as fair with his pulse, as the rest with their liberal portions of the king's meat. If God's blessing be separated from those edible materials, they yield no nourishment. He that covild tuni stones into bread, can turn bread into stones ; and make wine infatuate, not exhilarate. He can rot the grain in the clods, blast it in the ear, wither it in the blade, consume it in the bam; yea, when it ';ath passed the Hail, the mill, the oven, he can make it gall in the palate, in the stomach poison, lie can either give thee meat and no stomach, or stomach and no meat. Be temperate then, and bless God ; for cveiT creature is " sanctified by the word of God and nrayer," 1 Tim. iv. 5. Pass not by his blessings witli shut eyes, as not glorifying the Cre- V£B. e. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 73 ator, nor look on tlicm with doting eyes, as too admir- ing tlie creature. Commend moderate meat to thy- self, and thyself to the blessing of God. (3.) Consider, that if it be so wicked to devour meats gluttonously, what is it to devour men ? to swallow up " a man and his house, even a man and his heritage ? " Micah ii. 2. Such dcvourcrs were the Pharisees, and under the colour of long prayers. These are monstrous epicures : the poor man's bread is his life. Job xxxi. 39, and he that takes it from him is a bloody man. The usurer keeps a slender diet, but his stomach holds abundance of mortgages, forfeitures, and is oppressed with such oppressions. " He hath swallowed down riches, and he snail vomit them up again : God shall cast them out of his belly," Job XX. 15. God shall one day say to such men. Re- store what you have devoured. When the chirurgeon opens the epicure's dead body, he finds undigested crudities : when God shall unrip the oppressor's dead conscience, there will be found five or six im- propriated churches, there a depopulated town, there thousands of acres of decayed tillage, there the lands of orphans and the dowries of widows. Many de- vour that on earth which they shall digest in hell. (4.) Lastly, if thou wilt riot, let me show thee a bannuct ; " lie brought me to the banqueting house, and nis banner over me was love," Cant. ii. 4. " Eat, O friends," kc. chap. v. 1. " This is that bread wliieh came down from heaven:" he that eateth of it shall never die, John vi. 58. This is panis I'erus, though not panis tnenis. As he is both the Physician and the medicine in respect of his blood ; so he is botli the Pastor and the food in respect of his body. He feeds his lambs, not on his grounds, but on his wounds. All men eat the bread of God ; the saints, the bread that is God himself. They that have ran- sacked sea and land for rarities, never found such a dainty. Here satiate, here be intemperate ; think your souls can never feast enough on tliis dish : with this only immoderation God will never be angry. " Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness ; for they shall be filled," Matt. v. 6. Christ is the life whereby we live, " for in him we live, and move, and have our being," Acts xvii. 28. And the life which we live, now live not I, but Christ liveth in me, Gal. ii. 20. Let epicures boast their delicacies, this be the food of our souls. 4. I come to the last kind of intemperance ; and this in drinks ; we call it dninkenness. My theme is still temperance : wherein I confess, that as phy- sicians coming to their patients, often catch some of their diseases ; so you may say, that I fall into tlie vice 1 reprove, and that against excess I speak excessively. But it is a sin I durst not lightly or slightly pass over ; a disease the whole world is sick of, and I would also put in my ingredient to cure it. All drunkenness is not with wine ; " They are drunken, but not with wine ; they stagger, but not with strong drink," Isa. xxix. 9. There is a threefold ebricty. 1. Of wine ; "Be not drimk with wine, wherein is excess," Eph. v. 18. 2. Of forgetfiilness ; "The Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep," Isa. xxix. 10. 3. Oflusttosin; "They have erred through wine," Isa. xxviii. 7 : which I take there not so much to be intended against this cor- poral, as that spiritual ■drunkenness ; for it is said. " They err in vision, they stumble in jvidgment." I am not to deal with that dry dnmkcnness, but only with the first, and haply the worst. Man hath a threefold appetite : natural, which is common with plants ; this insensibly covets nourish- ment. Animal, common with beasits ; this sensibly desires needful nourishment. Rational, proper to man ; this reasonably desires fit and proper nourish- ment. All these appetites desire drink; without which the spirits natural, vital, animal, would con- sume the firmamental heat; that would waste up the primogcnial humidity, and so the spark of life would bum out ; as the lainp is extinct without supply of oil. The veins suck the stomach dry of moisture ; hence comes emptiness ; upon that, sense of that de- fect ; upon that, the desire of repletion ; and this is thirst. Drink is the good creature of God, whether it be wine, &c. It serveth alimentally for the body's strength ; " Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmi- ties," 1 Tim. V. 23. Physically, to refresh body and mind : " Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts," Prov. xxxi. 6. Moderate wine is physical ; immo- derate, baneful. (August.) It is made for pleasure, not for fulness. It is given to make glad the heart of man, Psal. civ. 15. Civilly, for show of honest gladness, and maintenance of amity. So our Saviour su])plied the want of wine at a wedding, John ii. Nehemiah bids the people at their feast, to " eat the fat, and drink the sweet," Neh. viii. 10. It was ill done of Lycurgus to cut down all the vines ; and false of Mahomet to say, that in every grape there is a devil. Only intemperance makes the sin, abus- eth the creature, oflfends the Creator ; only against this bends my discourse. Herein, for method, I desire only to consider two things, the dam, and the litter. Yet first, before I show what brood this monstrous mother brings forth, consider how she is bred herself. Drunkenness is produced from the concurrence of many causes. The main is, an inordinate desire of drink. The original of all vices is from ourselves ; there is a harlot within, which commits all these whoredoms abroad, concupiscence. Not he that drinks wine, but he that inordinately loves wine, is the drunkard. " They count it pleasure to riot in the day time," 2 Pet. ii. 13. Their soul danceth in the cup, and their eye delights in the colour of the wine, Prov. xxiii. 31. Their life is the life of frogs ; like flies, they live by sucking. As it was said of Bonosus, they are not born to live, but to drink. They drink not for necessity, but luxury ; not for society, but for Satiety ; indeed, not for their friends' sake, but for the drink's sake. He is not so much a drunk- ard that is overtaken unawares ; as he that loves and frequents it, though he carry it away more strongly ; he that is tied to his cups. Therefore, Woe to them that are strong to drink ! Isa. v. 22. A strong body without strong grace, is stronger to sni. Thus the strongest is the weakest; strong toconnnit sin, weak to resist sin. They drink not once, against dryness, nor a second time,' against sadness, but continually, for madness. This love of drink is the beldam; there are also other concomitances. Evil company ; " Come, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink," Isa. Ivi. 12. They will urge a man with ij iriiii, >; dmii : but God dischargeth such men our society, I Cor. v. 1 1. And healths : He that will not be drunk for the king, is no friend to the king. (Hieron.) Here is a professing from the bot- tom of his heart, to the bottom of the cup, that such a great man's health shall be pledged : perhaps it must be done on the knees ; rank idolatiy ! wherein men make gods of others, beasts of themselves. For this purpose they have their she-saints,' their mistresses, sometimes little better than strumpets. Here is the little dirference betwixt a papist and a drunkard ; the one hath his will-worship, the other his wine- worship. It was a noble answer of a prince, when one told him how deep a- health he had pledged for him ; Do not, saith he, drink my health, but pray for it. 74 AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. I. Look now upon the dam, drunkenness. Aquinas, disputing whether di-unkcnness be a sin or not, objects that no vice is opposed to it ; as, to temerity, cow- ardice ; to prodigality, avarice ; therefore it is no sin : but he answers, that there is a vice opposed to it, though it wants a name, because it is so unusual ; as the forbearing of all sustenance. It is questioned also whether a sick man may ibink mechcinally for his health, and be drunk with it ; but we may affinn, that there is no medicinal cup to the body, that is poisonous to the conscience. It is folly to think that the cause of many sicknesses should be physic for one ; or that the endangering the soul can be good physic for the body : no good \>hysician will prescribe it, no divine will allow it. Say with Constantine, It is better to be still afflicted with our disease, than be recovered by such a medicine. This vice is the plying of the pot : iioclurno torpere viero, lorpere diurno. The Mantuan poet, Eclog. ix. rehearseth the drunk- ard's seven draughts. Funde itenim : potare seinel, giuiare : seciindux Calluit OS polus : calefacla refrigerat ore. Ttiiius: anna sili, bellumque iyidicere quarlus jlggreditur : ipiinlus jnignat : victoria sexti est : Septimus (Qlnophili senis licec doctrina) triumphut. The first di-aught doth but taste the wine ; the second washcth the mouth ; the third cooleth it ; the fourth threatens war against thirst; the fifth fights W'ilh it ; the sixth overcomes it ; the seventh triumplis over it. All this is taught by (Enophilus, a lover of wine, an old drunkard. This is the drunkard's doc- trine. Let us hear the philosopher, somewhat more sober and stayed. Aristotle makes seven degrees of it: 1. Necessity, a man must drink. 2. Commodity, a man should drink. 3. Pleasure, he may drinlc. 4. Fulness, he may not di-ink. 5. Satiety, and that is bad. (5. Ebriety, and that is worse. 7. Madness, and that is worst of all. Here be the deadly draughts, to which di-unkenness nins headlong. Ferlur equis auriga, nee audit ctirrus habenas. The sea knows its bounds, but not the deluge of dnmkemiess. "We see the dam, let us look upon the litter or effects, which are many and hideous. (I.) It makes room for the devil. All sins break in at the loss of the sconce, or capitol, reason ; thence the enemy commands the whole town: the eyes are wanton, the tongue blaspheming, the hands stabbing : all mischiefs. Jnradunt urbem somno ritioque .sepiil- tum. So were the Trojans conquered; and for this cause, I think, ever since, drunkards are called tnie Trojans. It is a dead sea, no fish can live there, no virtue thrive here. It is the root of all evils, the rot of all goodness : the devil could tind no rest in dry places. Matt. xii. 43; he loves the low countries, 'the wet ground, moorish and marish souls. The great behemoth loveth the fens. Job xl. 21. Of all rea- sonless creatures, he chose the drunken hogs, Mark v. (2.) It overturns the estate. " The dnmkard shall come to poverty," Prov. xxiii. 21. He consumes more in a day than he cams in a week. He lies ojien to others' plots, and hath no rule of his own spirit, but is a city without walls, Prov. xxv. 28. He is his own thief; he needs no other oppressors, for he is a catei-pillar to liimself. He rails on cormorants, yet devours himself. He throws his house out of the windows ; it is fit his house should tlu-ow liim out of the doors. (3.) It poisons the tongue ; swearing and lying are the ordinaiy cfleets of it. The dmnkards made songs upon David. It thinks itself a C;esar, and falls a taxing all the world. () but i« rino Veritas : it is false, for no man's good name is sjiared. If he be muUa bibens, he is sure plurima diceiis: he often utters that in a moment, whereof he is di-iven to re- pent all his life. Arcanum demens detegit ebrielas. A drunken inveigher against King Pyrrhus, being brought to his answer for those criminations, said, AVe spake all that is objected, and would have spoke more if the wine liad not failed us. Such a one will speak of God most, when he thinks of God least ; but the mouth inured to blasphemous or scurrilous speeches, is no fit trumpet of God's praises. (4.) It intoxicates all reason. Bacchus was called Liber paler ; but his sons are not liberi, free-men, but slaves, bound to sleep. They are out of the way with stiong di-iuk, Isa. xxviii. 7 : they are either out of the way, or reeling in the way. " Wine and women will make men of understanding to fall away," Ecclus. xix. 2. We keep our doors shut against thieves ; yet let in this thief that is worse. Oh that a man should volun- tarily let a thief in at liis mouth, to steal away his wits ! Young Cyrus refusing to drink wine, gave this reason to his gi-andfather'Astyagcs ; I took it to be poison, for I have seen it spoil men of wit and sense. Alexander that overcame all, was overcome by wine. (August.) If the body chide the foot for stumbling and hurting it, the foot may lay the fault in the head for not guiding it. " 'The people sat down to eat and dinnk, and rose up to play," 1 Cor. x. 7. We have them that sit down to drink, till they cannot rise to play : they must sleep as they lie : they are as " he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast," Prov. xxiii. 34. (5.) It enenates the strength. / 'inum ab imptendo venas. (Isidor.) Instead of tilling veins with blood, it drowns them. It brings rotten teeth, stinknig breaths, trembling hands, running eyes, gouts, and dropsies. All these are the waiters on di-unkenness ; all strive which shall bring a man soonest and loath- somest to the grave. He is gone in his standing, gone in his miderstanding, gone in strength to help himself: we commonly say of the drunkard, he is gone. If his belly be made a tomb of drink, diink will make liis body a sepulchre of liis soul. (August.) It is somewhat, that it alters the complexion : I'lno forma peril, vino corrunipitur eetas. But worse, that it disswves the constitution ; for how should his fir- numiental lamp bum, that is ever drowning it in deluges of riot ? (().) It is the bawd to incontinence. After drunk- emiess follows chambering and wantonness, Rom. xiii. 13. Ambrose says of lust, that it is fueled with junkets, enkindled with wine, inllamed with drunk- crmess. Vina jmranl animos veneri. (Ovid.) I will never believe the drunkard to be chaste, says Hieron. Dninkcn Lot became incestuous Lot : hence sprang the Moabites and Ammonites, those mortal, almost immortal, enemies to the church. Wliom the ^^ces of Sodom could not taint, lust infected. The fiamcs that destroyed Sodom, hurt him not; his own fire scorched him. (Origen.) In this sense it may be said. I'inum lac libidinis. (7.) It is an incendiary to quarrels and homicides. Bacc/ius ad arma vocal. Drunken Alexander killed Clitus, for whom sober Alexander would have killed himself. Tlie Danes and Nonvegians once purpos- ing for England, fell di-unk on ship-board, and so slashed one another that there was the end of their voyage. We often hear of such riotous meetings, that some drop dead in the midst of their sins. Be they never so protesting their kindness ; yet tulius est [ebriis abslinuisse locis, they that may be kind at first, will be cruel at last. Drunkards kiss when they meet, and kill when they part ; Ikpc faceret non sobriits unquain. (8.) Lastly, besides all other plagues, it is a woe to itself. " Who hath woe ? who hatn sorrow ? who Ver. 6. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 75 hath contentions ? who hath wounds witliout cause ? " Prov. xxiii. 29. The merry madness of an hour, is paid with the afflictions of a tedious age. '• Woe unto them !" saitli tlic prophet, Isa. v. 11. '• Woe to tile crown of pride, to tlie drunkards of Ephraim !" Isa. xxviii. 1. When the carouser pours in his wine, it troubles him, and he would give somewhat to avoid it ; when it oli'ends the stomacli, it troubles him worse ; when il comes ujj again, it troubles him worst of all. One Fornerius writes of a monk at Prague, who having heard at slirift the confession of drunk- ards, wondencd at it, and for experiment would needs try his brain with this sin ; so accordingly stole him- self drunk. Now after the vexation of three sick days, to all that confessed tliat sin he enjoined no other penance but this, Go and be drank again. Sure liis meaning was like Seneca's, Scelerin in scelere sup- plicium, It is a torment and affliction to itself. You see the dam and her litter ; learn we now to avoid it, because we are men, because we are citizens, because we are Christians. Because we are men: while the wine is in thy liand, thou art a man ; when it is in thy head, thou art become a beast. The drunkard cries to his fellow, Do me reason : but the diink answers, I will leave thee no reason ; scarce so much as a beast, for they will drink no more tliau they need. Dio- genes being urged to drink inmioderately, cast the drink on the ground : being reproved for that loss, he answered. If I had druiik it, I had lost both the drink and myself. Because we are citizens, and therefore should lead civil lives : ch-uhkenness is an uncivil exorbitance. It was a good Persian law, that no man was com- pelled, but every one did according to his own pleasure, Esth. i. 8. Here was no compulsion, but it was left arbitrary, ut hibal arbitrio pocula qiiinque suo. It were somewhat if but so much moderation were observed at our feasts. We fault in those very ethnic observances, and tliink it a discourtesy not to be intemperate for company. Because we are Christians. " Thou, O man of God, flee these things," 1 Tim. vi. II. The grace of God that brings salvation, teacheth us to live soberly. Tit. ii. II, 12. We are children of the day, let us cast off that work of darkness, Rom. xiii. The Rechabites forbore wine in awe of their earthly father, Jer. xxxv. ; and shall not we forbear drunk- enness in awe of our heavenly Father? Yes, lest that curse fall on us, that our table be made a snare before us, Psal. Ixix. 22; yea, lest we be not ad- mitted into the kingdom of God, Gal. v. 21. Let not " your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and so that day come upon you un- awares," Lidce xxi. 3-1 : drink every draught as if it were thy last draught. The poor woman would appeal from di-unken King Philip to sober King Philip ; so wUl any man from a drunken Christian to a sober heathen. Thus in some poor measure I have described tliis monster of intemperance : a sin so odious, that it is abhorred of God, despised of angels, derided of men, pleasing only to de-\-ils. (August.) Yet have we small hope to subdue it, for it is insensible : " They have beaten me, and I felt it not," Prov. xxiii. 35. Bernard calls it a gross devil ; he that is possessed with it, falls into the fu-e, and into the water, gnasli- eth and foameth, Matt. xvii. 16. Now as all the disciples could not cast out that devil, so nor all the preachers tliis. It is a habit hardly put off. When a gentleman heard that his son was given to dicing, he answered. The want of money will make him leave it. After he heard that he was given to whoring; yet saith he, marriage or old age will allay that fuiy. But when he lieard that he was given to di'unkenness, he was hopeless, for he knew that sin would increase with years. A gamester will hold as long as his purse lasts, an adulterer as long as his loins last, but a drunkard as long as his lungs and life last. A ])hilosopher once chancing into a company of drunkards, where a musician niled the lascivious riot, presently charged him to change his harmony into a Dorion. By this means he so wrought them, and brought them to sobriety, that casting away their garlands, they were ashamed of all they had done. But oiu- di-unkards have not the patience to heai' such music. Saul was vexed with an evil spirit, but David's harp expelled him. Oh that we kjiew that instrument or lesson which could work such a reformation ! We would double and treble that note, which might eflcctuate such a cure. But the drunkard's noise is louder than the preacher's voice ; the sound of the pot drowns all rej)rehension. Verse 6. To temperance palience. Patie.nxe is that vii-tue which had rather sufler evil and do none, than do evil and suffer none. (August.) It hath these degrees : it does not wrong ; it receives it, not with stupidity but sense; it does not vex him that offers to vex it ; it returns not wound for wound ; it does not hate the offender; it loves him, it does good unto him, it entreats God for him. (Chrys.) For patience consists not only in bearing mjuries, but in forgiving the injurers. But why doth the apostle next to temperance annex patience ? Temptations of pleasure move not many, whom the sense of injuries enrageth. Men may refrain from hurting others or themselves ; therein is temperance : but others will hurt them ; to bear this witli a quiet mind is patience. A Chris- tian may live without doing wrong, not without re- ceiving wrong. The wolf will not worry a wolf so long as there is a-lamb in the field. This virtue is better understood than practised; like Cassandra, better known than trusted. Therefore admitting that you understand it, I \vill apply myself to the affections, that you may embrace it. "This let me endeavom- by leading you through certain gradual considerations. 1. That it is the condition of mankind to suffer. When thou considerest thyself, there is presented to thee a man, a naked man, a poor man, and a miser- able man. Thou mournest thy mortality, blushesl at thy nakedness, despisest thy poverty, weepest for thy miseiy. (Bern.) Now, what thou must bear, bear patiently. 2. That miseries are not only incident to men, but more proper to Christian men ; " All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution," 2 Tim. iii. 12. Tliis was Christ's prognostication, '• In the world ye shall have tribulation," Jolm xvi. 33. Tliis the apostle's prediction, Tlirough many tribulations you must enter the kingdom of heaven, Acts xiv. 22. What saint was ever crowned before he had combated? (Jerome.) Search the whole Bible over. But it is said, The churches had rest throughout all Judaea, &c. Acts ix. 31. And there was peace in the days of Solomon, peace in the days of Constantine, jieace in the milken times of Queen Elizabeth, and yet still greater peace under tlie reign of our present soveraigu, that king of peace. Yet though we be freed from public oppressions inflicted AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. I. })y magistrates, not fi-om private molestations. In tlie most halcyon days we find bitterness. If there be not an Esau, there will be an Ishmael ; if the hand of mischief cannot reach us, yet the arrows of slander and contumely will stick in our ribs. All men are necessitated to miseries, that bend their course toward the kingdom of heaven. (August.) Hence it is that .St. Paul gives a piece of armour to the feet; Let your feet be " shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace," Eph. vi. 15. Our feet are naturally tender ; if they be bare, clods, flints, thorns, will gall them. Our affections, if they be not shod with patience, will be so pricked with crosses, that we shall be weary of our journey to heaven. It is no unusual stratagem in war, to stick the way fiill of thorns, and ends of pikes, to wound and disrank the adversary. So the devil besets our way of peace, that we had need of Icg-hamess, patience. Though all parts be armed, yet if the feet be naked, Satan will wound us there ; as Achilles was wounded in the heel, when all other places of him were invulner- able. Thus was Job armed, Jam. v. 11. St. John, speaking of great war and great victory, concludes, " Here is the patience of the saints," Rev. xiv. 12. Therefore Paul expresslv, " Ye have need of pa- tience, that," &c. Hcb. x". 36. 3. That all afflictions come by a supreme provi- dence, therefore be patient. " Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and not evil ? " Job ii. 10. What- ever be the instruments, he looks to the high Agent ; "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord," Job i. 21. So David, "Remove thy stroke away from me: I am ronsumed by the blow of thine hand." Psal. xxxix. 10. Whatsoever is the weapon, it is thy blow. So he snibbed the sons of Zeruiah. concerning the blas- pheming of Shimei ; " Because the Lord hath said unto him, Curse David." 2 Sam. xvi. 10. So our Sanour told Pilate, " Thou couldst have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above," John xix. II. God's providence is the mother of ne- cessity : now patience makes a virtue of this neces- sity. Other creatures modestly and silently obey, and shall man vex himself with impatience ? Quic- ijuid superi foluere, peractumest, To wrestle with fate, IS to provoke fate to wrestle with us; and then who falls ? " Who is he that saith, and it cnmeth to pass. when the Lord commandeth it not ? " Lam. iii. 3/. Murmur not, my son, thy Father did it. We strike at God, and he says to us, as Ca?sar said to Bnitus. Is it thou, my son ? Well may he strike us, and let us only say. It is thou, my Father, and be silent. "These things hast thou done, and I kept silence," saith the Lord, Psal. 1. 21. Wicked men strike the just God, and he holds his peace : the just God strikes ■«icked men, and they murmur. 4. Tliink thy crosses meant for thy blessings : punishments are good for none but the patient, to them only they are signs of favour. David not only concludes thus, " By this I know that thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me," Psal. xli. 1 1 ; but also thus. Because thou hast afflicted me, therefore I know thou lovest me. " If ye be without chastisement, then arc ye bastards, and not sons," Heb. xii. 8. This only frees us from bastardy ; or ratlier secures us, for indeed adoption frees us. Whom God smites not, he loves not. (Au- giist.) Let the Christian understand, God his Phy- sician, tribulation his physic. Beini; afflicted under the medicine, thou criest. Tlie Physician hears thee not according to thy will, but thv'wcal. Thou canst not endure thy miilady, and wiit thou not be patient of the remedy ? Let'it not be tnie of us, that we can bear neither our evils nor their remedies. A man is sick of a pleurisy ; the physician lets him blood ; he is content with it : the arm shall smart, to ease the heart. The covetous man hath a pleurisy of riches ; God lets him bleed by poverty ; let him be patient, it is a course to save his soul. " When we are judged, we are chastened of the Loi-d, that we should not be condemned with the world," 1 Cor. si. 32. We speak for the flesh, as Abraham did for Ish- mael ; " that Ishmael might live before thee ! " Gen. xvii. 18. No, God takes away Ishmael, and gives Isaac : he withdraws the pleasure of the flesh, and gives delight to the soul. God threatens not to punish the wicked : I call it a threatenmg, for promises come from mercy, but that is a grievous punishment. "Why should you be stricken any more P " Isa. i. 5. Let me have none of that mercy ! Art thou afflicted, why complainest thou ? that which thou sulferest is not thy damnation, but thy castiga- tion. Refuse not the rod, as thou wouldst embrace tlie inheritance. Regard not so much what portion thou hast in the punishment, as what interest thou hast in the covenant. He that knows he shall reign in heaven, will patiently sutler upon earth. 5. That all crosses are desen'cd, and come not upon us against equity. Equity, I say, considered in respect of God, not in respect of men : they come from a just Author, though from an unjust instru- ment. Thy sins have procured it : " Thy way and thy doings have procured these things unto thee," Jer. iv. 18. No misery had afflicted us, if no sin had first infected us. " Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?" Lam. iii. 39. That man may well suffer patiently, that knows he suffers justly. David felt the spite of his enemies, Psal. xxxv'iii. ; yet he aeknowledgeth his sin the cause ; " I will declare mine iniquity ; I will be sorry for my sin," ver. 18. " For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently ? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God," 1 Pet. ii. 20. But a man is often punished for that he never did. I answer, in that act for whicli he suffers he may be innocent, yet in others, guilty. David could clear his innocency in respect of Saul, not in respect of God. For Saul, " Lord, if I have done this, if there be iniquity in my hands," Psal. vii. 3. But for God, " If thou. Lord, shouldcst mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?" Psal. exxx. 3. Let them be evil, be sure thou suffer either for or (at least) with a good conscience. For he refuseth to be an Abel, wdiom the malice of Cain doth not ex- ercise. The sweet rose grows among sharp thorns. (Greg.) " As the lily among the thorns, so is my love among the daughters," Cant. ii. 2. Therefore "overcome evil with good," Rom. xii. 21. Be so far from snatching God's weaj)ons out of his hand, that thou rather master unkindness with kindness. This St. Paul makes to be the work of pa- tience ; " .See that none render evil for evil," 1 Thess. V. 15. We think it ignominy and cowardice, to put up the lie without a stab, a wrong without a chal- lenge. But Solomon says, (to whose wisdom all wise men will .subscribe,) that it is the glory of a man to pass by an offence. It is more honour to bear an injury in silence, than to overcome in re- turn. (Greg.) Satius et ttitius injurias per/erre, quam inferre ant referre. The greatest magnanimity is patience. Yet, oh into what unfortunate times are we fallen, when ever)' wrong must be answer- ed with blood! How hath the devil bewitched us to glory in our shame, that ihe wretehedest and basest cowardice should ruffle it out in the garb ot valour! Yet if the gravest bishop in the land do urcach this, our impatient gallants will not believe Ver G. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 77 it. Indeed how should they credit man, who will not he persuaded by God himself? Oh yet that our tears could wash off the guilt from men's souls, as easily as we can convince them by arguments ! we woiild then, with Jeremiah, wish our heads fountains, and our eyes spouts, to cleanse our land from the blood thus shed, and the brave opinion of shedding it. Among Christians he is only the wretched man that does wrong, not he that suffers. (Hicron.) It is a great virtue not to hurt him that hath hurt thee. (Hugo.) This was in those days truly noble ; now nothing but revenge. Job is count- ed a fool, and David a coward. With them it was valour to bless those that cursed them: we think that i)atience is an argument of baseness. What is the difference ? There was the faith and patience of the saints ; here is the infidelity and impatience of sinners. Let such men know, 1. That God shall condemn them for invading his office i for vengeance is his ; and that they call cou- rage, he sliall judge outrage. Then it will be but a poor plea, to say. Such a one wronged me. Who gave thee leave to quit thyself? Is not God able to puni-sh? Thou art cmel, and wilt carv'e too deep : let God alone, he is merciful and just. 2. To what purpose are magistrates, if every man may be his own judge ? Thou mayst complain to the deputy, not with thine own hands punish the injuiy. If a man have matter against another, " the law is open, and there are deputies ; let them implead one another," Acts xis. .38. Let men's causes fight a while, that their souls may be in peace for ever. " There is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another," 1 Cor. vi. 7- That is a fault : but some so abuse the law, that that which should redress wrong and mischief, is perverted to be the greatest wrong and mischief. Whom their hands dare not strike with hlows, their purses shall vex with suits. We may say of such citizens, as it was of some popes, they are not urbani, but turbani. 3. Remember that the Lord Jesus shed his blood to make thee friends with God ; and wilt not thou be friends with thy brother ? Cannot the blood of Christ, that bought a whole church of God, buy the forgiveness of one wrong at thy hands ? Take heed, lest for not showing mercy thou find no mercy. 4. God is patient towards thee, though he be pro- voked eveiy day. He invites us to be patient, that is Patience itself. Do thou bear with others, God bears with thee. (August.) Is there a Too much, which thou canst suffer for so patient a Lord? How wouldst thou endure wounds for him, that canst not endure words for him ? A man reviles thee, thou art impatient ; how wouldst thou afford thy ashes to Christ, and wi-ite Patience with thine own blood ? 5. The examples of the ven,- heathen may put such impatient Christians to the blush. When that Tarentine was angry with his faulty servant ; I had stricken thee, had I not been angry. He had rather he went unpunished, than, for anger, punish him be- yond his deser>'ing. Xenophon, to one that railed on him, replied, Thou hast learned to reproach, and I to contemn thy reproaches. When Metellus in- veighed against Tacitus in the senate, he answered, It is easy to find fault with him that is not willing to reply. The blame lies on your malice, not on my patience. When one told Diogenes, Many despise thee ; he returns, So wise men must suffer of fools. The same en\-ious tongue that would speak a man worse, doth indeed confess him better; for the object of envy is goodness. Another being reproved by his friend because he did not correct his provoking ser- vant, answered, Because I have found one I liave more reason to correct, that is, myself. Thus for morality they excellently commended this virtue: we have the seal of God put upon it, " Be shod with the preparation of tlie gospel of peace," Eph. vi. 15. Nothing but the gosi)el of peace can give true pa- tience. Theirs was an opinion to stupify men's senses ; but the knowledge of peace in heaven is the soul of patience. Hereby we have a resolution that nothing shall hurt us; for sin is the sting of all troubles : pull out the sting, and deride the malice of the serpent. Sin makes our burden heavy : take away that, all is tolerable. Sin tunis the grave into a dark dungeon ; which remitted, is a periumed bed of quiet rest. Sin shows the devil horrible, God a severe Judge : let the gospel remove that, God is thy Father, the devil his and thy slave. Therefore the prophet well annexeth blessedness to the remission of sins; "Blessed is he whose transgression is for- given," Psal. xxxii. 1. And our Saviour says to the man sick of the palsy, " Be of good cheer ; thy sins be forgiven thee," Matt. ix. 2. Yea more, we are resolved that all things shall work together to our good : all things, then even our sins. Not that sin is good in itself; but, as Bernard, The miraculous hand of God disposeth our verj- unrighteousness, to help us to righteousness. And that first in respect of God, manifesting and magnifying his mercy in for- giving it : " where sin abounded, grace did much more abound," Rom. v. 20. And in respect of our- selves ; working in us a sorrow of repentance, not to be sorrowed; a humility to be honoured, a faith to be crowned. (Bern.) Thus God casts us into the fire, not to be consumed as dross, but refined as gold ; that at last we may resolve, not only to die in the Lord, but for the Lord Jesus. 6. Consider that all sufferings shall have an end. The rod lies now on the godly, but it is not in the right place ; at last Christ shall lay it where it shall abide, even on the wicked, there it must rest for ever. " Xhe rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous ; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity," Psal. cxxv. 3. So Abra- ham told Dives of an exchange : Before Lazarus had sorrow thou hadst pleasure : now therefore you have changed turns and places ; '• he is comforted, and thou art tormented," Luke xvi. 25. To the godly ease shall come. Hope is the mother of patience. The \Wse men rejoiced to find the star ; the woman, to find her piece of silver ; our lady rejoiced to find our Lord : Christ always returns with increase of joy. " The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead," Prov. xi. 8. Here is the \-icissitude. " The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright," Prov. xxi. 18. Here is the redemption or ransom. MiseiT, like a vulture, must have some- bodv to prey upon : the world destines the righteous to it, and for a while they sufler ; but God ordains the unrighteous to it, and they must suffer for ever. God shall speak to sorrow. Deliver me my servant, let that man go whom thou now afflictcst ; and take this reprobate in his stead, torment him for ever. " Ye have need of patience," Heb. x. 36. Why should we be patient ? Because ye have so short a time to suffer ; " Yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry," ver. 37. Why, what shall he do when he is come' ? " I will sec you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you." John xvi. 22. " The Lamb shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes," Rev. vii. 17. But how are we sure of this ? Because " it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribu- lation to them that trouble you ; and to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall 78 AN KXI'fJSI'JION I l'(;N TIIK Cu.m: I. lie rev<'nled from lii'iivcri willi liin iiii({lily mi({rl»," U Tlu-mi. i. 0, 7- Jiicol) MTVcil hcvrii yciiru iinticnlly for liiii wifi' Uiiclii-I I mill hlmll not vn- mt\v lori({cr for our ili-iir llintljiiiKlJchiin !' J.ovc hiiHrrii all Ihin^, I Cor, xiii. 7: '"' Iovch iiol (lie I^oril, tliiil will not kiifl't-r for liini. (tmvui piiimuii amor, nee nerull dicem pattaiii. " l(r |iii(ifnl ( hcrcfiiri- unlo the uoinioff of till- Lord," .liimck v. 7- "Lift up your hciulw) for your ndnnplion (Intwtth iiikIi," LuUir xxi.'JH. If llirHi- nii-ililiilionH could niiik iindhoiili into our luiirlK, (hfv would lu' Miollilii'il witli |/iitlinci'. It in (ridy mild coiirrrninx I III! wicked, I heir ijli'imuri' in hliorl, I heir |)iiin cvfrliinling. Tlu; conlniry in un (nii- con- i-cniiuK till' fiiidil'idi llii'ir |iiiin in hliorl, llicir jov i-lcrnnl. " Tlu' liopr of llic riffhlioiiH nliiill \ii- n\iul- iicmi; lull lliiM'X|irrlalion of tin- wirki-d hlmll prrihli," i'rov, X. 'JH. Dpoii Miiiiii'i'n cxi'd'nlioii, Diivid lliiin cimilorlcd liiniHilf j " It inny In- lliiit tlir Lord will look on iiiiiii' iilllii'llon, mid llu- Lord will i'i'i|uili' nir food for liin iiirniiix lliin dity," U Hmii. xvi. \2. )nviil hiillfri'd iiiiirli of Smil, before lie wore (lie promined eiowii : no iimtler wlliit we hullernn eiirlli, no we iiiiiy ill- I'lowried in lieiivcn. i^imlly, I'oiihider lliiil Cliriht our Loid hiiirrrid ;dl piitienlly lor uh i lliiit lyiiinli wiih diinili liefoir (In- ileeeei'H mill ImlelierN, Hiicli liinilih iiiiint we lie, llint Imve iirillier lioiiin to dimli, nor iiiiiln to Inir, nor leetll lo liile, nor llij{lit to eheiipe ; liul, imlimlly to Nuhiiiit ouiHelveN to the will of our Hlii|)lierd. Siieli ImidjN were the iiiiirlyrKi their perneeuloiH were more weiiry /'erienUo, willi HlrikhiK, limn I hey /erunUii, willi Hii/l'eriiiK, Hut none ever HulVireil like the Lord JenilH: (lie jiml for the iinjubf, IVoiii llie iiiijuHl, I Pel, ii, o|. Me id not only our Id- (leeiiier, hut our exmiiple i lie liiii){hl un holh in hin doiiiX, Mild ill hihdyiiiK, "(Infill iml (:|iri!it lo hiive blilt'ereil lllene lhin){N, uiiil lo enli r iiilo IiIh ^lory I'" Luke xxiv, 'M. Ah he wan anoinled willi llie oil of gladlii'Npi iihove IiIn I'ellowH, Nil hint with ihe oil of' HiiilneHhiiliove llih lelloWH. Indeed llie Deily hiiHired llol, yel he I hat in (iod Hllll'ered, Now nil thin in lo leaeli UN palieilee. Let UH look unlo .lenun Ihe founder and liiiinher of iiiir I'ailhi who endured Ihe eronn, and denpined tlieNlimiie, and in now net down al the ri^hl haiiil of Ihe llirone of (Iod ; llieiefore let un run willi piilieiiee Ihe raee llial in nel hel'ore un. Hell, xii. 1,'i. Ily death (.'lirint eiime lo UN | liy (Iralh let UN not ifrw\ffr lo f(o lo (.'lirihl. I'lllienee, you nee, in an exeellent virllie; you Imve heard many I'oniiiieiidiilionn of it ) if il had no oilier, lliin were enough lo praine il,lhiil il eiihclli our Kriel'n. Miiliy eannot away willi oilier Ki'aeen, lieeaiinr lliey eiirh Ihe will, and alirtd|{e delighl, iiiiil impose haiil I Iiiiiln lo Ihe llenli. They eimiiol away willi (ditirily, lieeiiune itlakenoul of lhe]iurHej nor willi ahnliiieiiee, lieeaune il renlraiiin Ihe appelilei nor wilh hiimilily, lieeaune il alialen pride i nor wilh ehinlily, heeaiine il dehiirn liinl. lliil nielliiiikn eiieh mail nhoiihl love (iiitienee, lieeaune it eanelli liin piiinn and niili^'alih lin horiown, Naliiial men enn- im more for virliie, limn lliiil eriiel inline did for eipiily i yen, if liny knew a virliie lliul would eane Iheir liiirdenn, anil ijualify Iheir ((''''f". ''ley w Id love il. Melhinkn even wieked men Nhoiild line lliin virlue, and make iiiueli of il 1 lliiiuf;h lor no oilier piirpone Ihan I'lm- laiili lined Miinen, lo remove Ihe |ud({nienl». Our liroverli Imlli il. Of HuH'erilMie eoiiii-i eane : let un he jmtient then, if Imt fur our own henelltn. VhimK fi. .'I lid In patience Kodlinest, Hc.l'out we come lo ihe ilelinition of ((odlineNn, let ui eoneeive Home reanonn of thin eonnexiuil, and imme- iliiite uddillK of piety lo palienee, I, lieeaune (he pillar of patience in ((odlininn; it cannot nland without il, it in lirm lieinf( iiphehl l>y it. l''or true palienee cannot hefall a reprolmle ; (htiipidily may, an (o Nalialj) nol hy an iibnolule imponnihilily, bul by (he indiniionilion of bin heart (o receive i( : m a npiirk of lire mlliii|{ upon water, ice, or nnow, preneiilly K"'" "i* l which fiihtenin)^ on Wood, or hueli eoriibiihtihle miiller, kiiidlenand hiiriin. 'I'he food wliereiipun true iiiilienee liven, in faith in (lie Kon|pel of jieiice. Kiiiil wiin a moral man, yea, u >^eiiloiin man, while he wan iSanI, and (iamaliern ncholiir; but when he wan mude a Clirintian be wux called I'liiil ; he wan nol ii I'aiil before. So palienee in clIinicM in nol rightly naiiied. Am Sylviun when he wan clionen pojie naid, //',';i«a/n rfjicile, reci/»la J'iiim, Koi'tjet yluiean, and accept me yiair I'iun | no lo Miller hei'ore convernlon, wan bill nliipidity in ipiiel : now, llie perNoiiN bein){ changed, change aino llie name, call il palienee. U. lieeaune godlinenn leaelielh a man puticncc : it in Ihe imiliilion of (iod, and our (iod in putieiit. Now if We feel lliin merry from fJod, let un nllow it lo llieni Ihal are hin. He (lial will nut tolerate man, maken himnelf iinworlhy lo he borne with of (iod. (iod lialli in bin hand vengeance, in hin heart palienee. We pray for pardon un we ^ive pardon i we would be lolh lo have our own lipn condemn un. ,'l. lieeaune palienee will do the noul no good wilhoii( friHilinenn : Ihe glory and comfort of all nuf- feriiig, in (iod'n ciiiine, Nelllier in the reward given lor niill'ering, hut lor huH'ering well. Thin in lliaiik- worlhy, if for eoiineienee (oward Ood, we endure grief, I I'll, ii. I!), 'I'ribiihilionn are the miirkn of Chrinl ; hill I lien I hey iiiiint he borne I'orChriiil. Herein I'liiil delighleil liiiunelfi " I lake pleaniire in re- |iroaclien, in neccnnilicH, in pcrneeulioiin, in iliMlrenneH, for (.'hrint'n nake," 2 (,'or. xii. 10 j Ihun being prouder of hin iron fellem, limn ii bragging courlicr of his golden chain. 'I'he departiiren of (lie naiiiln are nol marlfn, Kcil iiiimnilii/iliiles. If Jilliiili NO bolioiired hin Noldiern dying in (he warn, how much more nhall Chrinl honour hin I " I'recioiin in (hi' night of the Lord in (he dealli of hin niiinin," I'nal. exvi. 1.^ j hiicli an undergo in (.'lirinrn caune Chrint'N cronn. Nu dealli in coml'orlable, unlenn in Ihe Jjoril, or for Ihe Lord ; anil llml maii'n life in Well benlowedinnuireriiig dealli, ulieii III |ialii'iice in iiddeil goillinefin, Uiir life in ihe Loi'd'n by many dear lillen; Iherefure nut too good for him when he rei|uiren il. Thou art a deponilary, 111 wlicine Irunt in coiumilled ii precioun jewel ; per- liapn llioii liani much ado lo keep it from llie nulille- liei of lemplern, and violence of allcmplemj yea, liiinl a corrupt desire niilhriflily lo niiend it iiiion pro(i(N or iilcanin'en, hiirfeiln Mini viinitlcn: and lIloil never art in (rue i|uiel, lill he thai delivered lliin jewel, Ihy life, lo lliee, dot II rcniime i(. llul (hen (lioii iiiiinl larry (ill he ealln fur i(, for (iod refiinedi llie hold I hill comcn (o him heloie he neniln for i(. When (he liiiliaiin, (o avoid the .Siiauinh nlavery, grew lo II pnieliee of killing Ihcmnclven, llie .SpaiilMrdn dinnemiiled a killing of lliemnelven aIno i (lireali uing upon their meeting in anudier world lo allliel (hem (here more (han before. Indeed, if (he (roiibhn iiud anguiiiheii of (lun World No lienpair (bee, llml lluiu viiNtcHt away thy own life, IIionc very name in a far liriivier mriikure nhall Iiud thee out in Ihv uthcr. VEB.Ag SECOND EPISTLE GENERx\L OF ST. PETER. 79 There is no comfort in suffering death, except godli- ness bless our patience. iElian writes, that amoiii,' the Grecians there was a hiw, that if a sick man drank wine without the advice of his physician, t hough he saved his life by it, he should be put to death for it ; because he did that was not permitted him. Bitter then must be their punishment, that take not wine but poison; that precipitate their lives into cei-tain destruction; having no command from God, that he refjuircs it, no promise that he will reward it. Our Saviour teachetn us, being persecuted in one city, to flee into another: if we wiltully run into im- nccessary death, he will say, Who re(iuired this at your hands ? who bad you run from England to Rome for poison, and from Rome back again to England with treason ? You may have patience, but here is no godliness. The good sheep knows the voice of his shepherd, and stays for his call. Those glorious martyrs that now have a permamcnt trium|)h in hea- ven, were not so madly prodigal of their bloods, as to throw them away without a warrant. They that possess this laurel, washed their garments, not in their own bloods only, so they might have been still red and stained, but in the blood of the Lamb, that changes them into white. "Therefore are they be- fore tlie throne of God; and he that sitteth on tlie throne shall dwell among them," Rev. vii. 15. That sinful Mary washed and bathed herself, not in her own blood, but in her tears, saith Chrysostom. And of St. Peter he asks this question ; When he had denied his Master, did he shed out his own blood ':' No, but his tears, and so washed away his sins. We are not sent into this world to suffer, but to do ; and when we do suffer, to add to persecution patience, to patience godliness. The way to triumph in secu- lar arms, was not to be slain in the battle, but to keep their station. In the Roman warlike discipline this was the rule, not to follow desperately, nor to fly basely. So it is in our Christian battle, not to invite danger, nor to shrink from it. Indeed God betimes in the world called for this bleeding witness : he sealed his acceptation of Abel's sacrifice, by accept- ing Abel for a sacrifice ; who before all example, first dedicated martvrdom. (Chrys.) And as soon as Christ came into tlie world, after the receiving of the wise men's oblations, he would immediately be glorified with that hecatomb of innocents. But to offer this without God's asking, shall bring but a poor reward; for while piety is "not pi'escr\'ed, the crown of patience is lost. " Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keep- ing of. their souls to him in well-doing, as unto a faithfiil Creator," 1 Pet. iv. 19. Put not piety from thy patience ; thy wounds shall be healed, and thy soul rewarded. 4. Because patience without godliness, when it re- ceives injury of man, may do more injuiy to God. Let us write the wrongs to ourselves in the dust, to forget them ; that is patience : the wrongs we have done to God in marble, to remember iheni; that is gotUincss. To bear meekly with thy persecutors, is commendable patience : to be silent at God's dis- honour, is condemnable baseness ; it is no less than treason ; thy silence makes thee guilty. Thou plead- est thyself to be the son of God : he is a very bad son, that can hear his righteous Father blaspliemed with patience. Cursed is that patience that hinders a man from godliness. Christ is thy brother, he bought thee with his blood, thou art his coheir : canst thou behold him gored with new wounds, and hold thy peace ? Thou bclievest not, for then thou wouldst speak ; as the psalm hath it, " I believed, therefore have I spoken," Psal. cxvi. 10: no defending of faith, no faith. The inhabitants of Meroz took not part witli God's enemies, yet were they cursed for not taking jiart with his friends, Judg. v. '2.3. Indifference in (iod's cause is [damnable : not to oppose Ihem that oppose God, is to be his enemy. How easily are we moved at our own injuries ! how patient at God's ! Let our own credits or riches be troubled, we rage like lions ; let God's honour be questioned, we are as tame as lambs. If the aspersion of scandal lights upon our names, there is suit upon suit, from court to court, all to beggar the raiser of it. Let the Lord's dreadful name be blasphemed, we are so far from sjiending a penny, that we will not speak a syllable. Like Jonah, we are more moved for the loss of a gourd, than for all Nineveh. Moses can brook Miriam despising him, and go away silent, because himself only was interested, Numb. xii. ; but when the people had idolatrized, he brake the sacred tables in passion, burned the calf, scattered the dust on the waters, and in detestation of their wickedness made them drink it. We have patience enough, but piety is thrust out of doors. Such unfortunate and apos- tate limes are we fallen into, that to uphold God's honour is held uncivil tartness : such men are saucy, and such sauce is too sharp for proud and vicious stomachs : this dissolves the knot of friendship. Let it ; better a holy discord, than a profane concord. Care not for that mirth wliich must grieve the Holy Ghost ; disclaim that peace which must be at war Willi Christ. If they refuse thee, thou knowest who will receive thee. When they had excommunicated him, Christ welcomed him, .Tohn ix. 35. " Fear not Ihem that kill the body," &c. It is worse losing the Lord's favour, than thy landlord's : better part from thy cottage on earth, than thy inheritance in heaven. Necessary therefore is the accession of piety to patience. It is an abhorred sin to temporize. When a chaplain must measure his speech by his lord's humour, the truth of the Lord of hosts is abused. Against oppression he dares not speak, because it is his lord's fault ; nor against pride, because it is his lady's; nor against riot, because it is his young master's. He must not meddle with the ulcers that stick on his great one's conscience : hell will take that patience. Let them be ashamed of Christ, that care not for his being ashamed of them. For us, let lis plead God's cause, for his sake that pleads our cause m heaven. Godliness is taken by the philosophers in a three- fold relation : for religion towards God, which they held a devout adoration of their idols. For religion to- wards their countiy : when any died for their country, they were said to die piously. For religion towards their parents: so .jEneas was called Pius; and for this they gave those additional names of Pii. Our apostle meant it not in this latitude : it must here import some particular grace, as appears by the rank. Yet let us a little consider it in the larger acceptation. So it is such a gracious habit, as pre- fers God's glory before all things, and refers all things to it. For the former, godliness aims immediately at the Lord's honour. 'Tnere was one following Christ, but hearing of- his father's death, he first desires leave to burj- him : perhaps he gaped for an execu- torship, or m'eant at least to thrust in for an adminis- tration. No, saith Christ, " let the dead bury their dead," Matt. \nii. '21, "22; thou hast a living Father, (let the dead go,") that can give thee a better inheri- tance. But to bury one's father is godlines.s: yes, but, saith Jerome, to neglect our very parents when God requires it, is piety. Himself testifies, " He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me," Matt. x. 37. This falls heavy on some : the voluptuous loves his wife better ; " I have m AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. I. married a wife, and therefore I cannot come," Luke xiv. 20. The uxorious husband obeys his wife's pre- cepts, sooner than God's. The covetous parent loves his child belter than the Lord ; oppressing God's children to enrich his own : so his young ones be warm in the nest, let Christ shake with cold. Love the Lord, and love thy children, or friends; but if necessity enforce the loss of one, whatsoever thou losest, lose not the Lord Jesus. (Hieron.) Anotlier said, " Lord, I will follow thee, but let nie first go bid them farewell which are at home," Luke ix. 01 ; as if any friend were to stand in competition with Christ. But we have always somewhat to do when we should follow him : as Elisha said to Elijah, " Let mc first kiss my father and my mother; then I will follow thee," 1 Kings xix. 20. Uriah Was so earnest of fighting the Lord's battle, that he would not go dowTi to his house, nor sleep with his beauti- ful wife. Such a zeal as prefers God's service before all other things, that is godliness. For the other, it refers all to God's honour ; in all things that it does, speaks, or suffers, it declares a purpose of heart to glorify the Lord. All things and actions are ordinabilia ad Deiim : Deusfoiis, all else adjinem : what should man desire more than to serve tliat God who prescnes him ? " Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God," 1 Cor. x. 31. This is the end of our creation, the beginning of our salvation, the perfection of our happiness. Hast thou wisdom ? refer it to the glory of thy Maker ; othei-ttise, like the moon, when thou art lightest to the world, thou art darkest to heaven. Hast thou strength ? use it to resist Satan, to conquer (not another, but) thyself. Woe be to them that are strong to sin! Hast thou old age ? let thy life grow white with thy hairs; lest thou be full of days and fuller of sins. Hast thou honour? employ it to honour him that hath honoured thee. Hast thou authority ? draw not this sword in thy private wrongs, let it not be sheathed in the injuries of the gospel. Hast thou riches ? spend them upon godli- ness. Say not with Judas, " Why is this waste ? " but with David, " I will not offer to the Lord of that which costs me nothing," 2 Sam. xxiv. 24. To this general piety there are two enemies, profane- ncss and hypocrisy. Profaneness. 'There are two characters of a man truly pious, understanding and will ; the one in his science, the other in his conscience: commonly this vice bewitcheth them both. As thou dost see thy own face in thy heart, so others do see thy heart in thy face. If a dninkard dare number his ebrieties ; the lascivious, how often he hath been at the house of sin ; who can blanch this ungodliness ? But indeed wicked men have more boldness to appear ill, than the godly have to appear good, for " he that depart- cth from evil maketli himself a prey ; " or, as the original imports, is accounted mad, Isa. lix. 15. Any man that carries his face toward Zion, is held a hypocrite : he that is ashamed to do ill, shall be ashamed for his good. This is not a grain of ungod- liness, but ungodliness in grain. Can you lament your losses on the seas, the wreck of goods in your ships, and not the shipwreck of a good conscience in your shops ? The spider never builds but where are flies : Satan never placetli his nest but where is store of these ungodly lusts. Let them banish profaneness that ever expect the comforts of piety. Hypocrisy. " Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil ?" John vi. 70. ' I, not another; emphatically, " 1," the very Wisdom of God. "Cnoscn;" not entertained offering your service, not admitted as suitors, but chosen. "You;" not the refuse people out of the highways, nor the great personages of the land ; but you, whom I have elected to progagate my gospel. How many ? "Twelve;" a little number: Christ's is the least col- lege. Yet '■ one of you is a devil." Lay these par- ticulars together, and sum up a hypocrite. "The congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate," Job XV. 34. The hypocrite is like Hosea's dough-baked cake, only hot on the visible side, Hos. vii. 8. Seeing the fire of God's altar, the zeal of the temple, cannot heat them, they are reserved to be baked thoroughly in the oven of liell. Endeavour then to store thy heart with godliness : for wordly things, say as he did of eloquence. If they be present, I will use them ; if they be absent, I do miss them. Follow thou TOdliness, other things shall follow thee. First seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness, then shall all these things be added unto you. Matt. vi. 33. While a man hunts after his own shadow, his back is ujion the sun, and still his shadow is unovertaken before him : let him turn his face to the sun, and travel toward it, his shadow shall follow him. The profits and delights of this world are but a shadow" ; while a man liunts after them his back is upon Jesus Christ, that Sun of righteousness : and ne can never overtake them ; if he could, yet they are but a shadow. Set thy face and thy faith toward Christ, all these sha- dows shall wait upon thee. A painter had drawn Jove's picture, Juno's, and another man's that was his friend, "rhat friend cheapened the other two, and last of all, his own. Nay, says the painter, buy the other two, and take the last into the bargain. Be sure of godliness ; riches, honours, and pleasures, all those counterfeits of true happiness, shall come into the bargain. Our discourse hath thus far dwelt on godliness in the latitude. In a stricter acceptation, I find it espe- cially consisting in two things ; adoration, and imi- tation of God. Adoration of the true God in a right manner, is god- liness. Nature hath written in evciy heart, that a superior power is to be worshipped; though it could not declare what power that was which might chal- lenge it. Out of this ignorance spnmg that multi- tude of imaginary gods, which St. Paul calls '• dumb idols," 1 Cor. xii. 2. Now he that is dumb, is also commonly deaf : they could neither speak nor hear : " They have mouths, but they speak not : they have ears, but they hear not," Psal. cxv. 5. To avoid this sin, God gave an express law. Thou shall have no other gods but me. Which negative precept espe- cially forbids four things. 1. The having no God at all. as the atheists : " "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God," Psal. xiv. 1 . 2. The having strange gods, and not the true ; as had the Gentiles; gods ac- cording to the number of their cities : every twink- ling star was held a deity ; yea, many so gross and base gods, that there were not worse creatures in the world, except themselves. ,3. The liaving strange gods with the true, as had the Samaritans : " They feared the Lord, and served their own gods," 2 Kings xvii. 33 ; they sware by the Lord, and they sHare by Malcham, Zeph. i. 5. They chose new gods; then was war in the gates. 4. The having the true God, but not aright, according to his will and word, as heretics. For this is the main difference between heresy and idolatry ; that ser\es the tnie God with a false woi-ship, this ser\-es false gods with a true worship: both hateful. Now seeing the principal part of our piety stands in the due and tnie worship of God, it is Satan's main s( ratagem to subduce it. It it were possible, he would have It himself, and draw us from the worship due (o God, to the worship not due to himself. He is SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. VtR. 6. proud still ; lie liath lost the height of his happiness, not the height of his pride. He would be a god, though a hellish god ; a prince, though it be a prince of darkness. Good angels refuse to be worshipped ; when John fell at the angel's feet to worship him, he said to him, " See thou do it not," Rev. xix. 10. But evil angels desire it. To this the devil per- suaded Christ, to fall down and worship him ; he durst be so bold with the Son of God himself. De- vilish impudence! to request him that is worshipped of the angels of light, to worship an angel of dark- ness. But Christ soon choked him ; " Get thee hence, Satan : for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou sene," Matt. iv. 10. But howsoever he cannot bring men to worshiphimself immediately, yet he effects this often mediately. If Israel will but make a golden calf, the devil finds his own worship in that. If a papist bows to his crucifix, even here he finds himself ho- noured. Albeit they say. We give the image no worship, think it no god ; no more did the Israelites think tnat calf their deliverer out of Egypt, yet was this a cursed sin. They say, they worsliip God be- fore the crucifix ; but God rejecting that worship, it stays in the crucifix. Such another policy had the devil to wound Israel, when he presented to them the whores of Moab, Numb. xxv. Was only adultery his aim ? No, but idolatry also. " They have be- guiled you in the matter of Peor, and the matter of Cozbi," ver. 18. The matter of Peor was wrought by the matter of Cozbi. " They went to Baal-pcor, and separated themselves unto that shame,'' Hos. ix. 10. "They joined themselves also unto Baal-pcor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead," Psal. evi. '2S. Baal was the Moabitish idol, Peor a mountain ; there they worshipped, and feasted, and ate the offerings of the dead. Not of dead men, but of idols, which are dead things ; for God is the living God. But could Satan cflectuate this idolatry in such a people ? We read, Numb. xxiv. Baalam itching after Balak's gold : hereon he practises, and shifts ground, as gamesters do their standings for better luck; and would fain curse, but spite of his teeth he blesseth. Now he sees there is no way to make God forsake his peojile, unless they were first brought to forsake him. Therefore it is likely that upon Balaam's ad- vice, the daughters of Moab and Midian were brought before the Israelites ; light housewives, dancing, frisking, and flaring ; their carriage promising tract- ableness enough, if the other would come on : so were they tempted to wantonness with those professed striunpets, and by that means to offer up to Baal-pcor. This was the devil's trick, to effect that arte, by fraud, which he could not marie, by open war. Let me a little increase your detestation of idolatrous worship, that you may more sincerely worship God. I. It is a pleasing sin, therefore more pernicious ; few that love it can be brought to acknowledge it. A Turk believes nothing less than his Alcoran to be idolatry. A monk at his mass is so far from thinking himself an idolater, that he calls himself a spiritual man. Though nothing be more reproved in God's ■word, and punished in his works, than idolatry ; yet there is in corrupt nature a strange proclivity to it. The prophet calls idols, delectable things : " their delectable," or desirable, " things shall not profit them," Isa. xliv. 9. The idolater is like a woman inflamed with love toward some proper young man : her affection is so set, that forgetting all modestv, she sends for him, and brings him to the bed of love : " Neither left she her wnoredoms brought from Egypt : for in her youth they lay with her, and they bniised the breasts of her virginity, Snd poured their whoredom upon her," Ezek. xxiii". 8. Such a whore 81 is the church of antichrist, Rev. xvii. ; whose doc- trine, like the wine of fornication, goes down mer- rily, to the intoxication and poison of souls. Only the gospel hath brought this land a remedy, no other than the blood of Christ, to purge it. 2. It is an impudent sin, and goes to the furthest line of condemnation. It sticks not to take God's blessings with the left hand, and gives them away to his enemies with the right. So the Israelites receiv- ed of God manna, food from heaven, and then Kicri- ficed it to idols. For it is likely that in the desert they had no better cheer to feast the devil with, than manna and water; their beasts being hardly sufficient to maintain their daily sacrifice to the Lord. God gave them jewels from the Egyptians, as wages for their service ; they melt them to make a calf. Yea, children, thai are the chief inheritance on eailh; '• Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them : they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate," Psal. exxvii. 5: children, the divided pieces of themselves; so dear, that Rachel mourns for them, and would not be comforted, be- cause they were not : even these they sacrifice to Moloch. " Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils, and shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan : and the land was polluted with blood," Psal. evi. 3", 38. But, "what will ve do in the end thereof?" Jcr. v. 31. What ? " Therefore was the wrath of the Lord kindled against his people, insomuch that lie abhor- red his own inheritance," Psal. evi. 40. " Ephiaim is joined to idols: let him alone," Hos. iv. IJ". Let him alone ? O fearful ! when God takes away correc- tion, damnation enters the doors. Sin shall now be the wages of sin, that death and destruction may be the wages of both : " Because Ephraim hath made many altars to sin, altars shall be unto him to sin," Hos. viii. 11. This is fearful: therefore I conclude this point, as St. John doth his First Epistle ; "Little children, keep yourselves from idols :" y ea. Lord, keep us all from them, by the grace of thy Spirit. You see the danger of wnll-wovship ; let this con- tain us in the tnie adoration of God. Worship is twofold ; civil, or religious. Ci\"il, to men, in respect of their degrees in llie church, commonwealth, or private family. In regard of age ; give reverence to the grey head : of gifts ; soElisha reverenced Elijah : of place : in church ; so ministers are to reverence their bishops : in commonwealth ; so subjects must give reverence to magistrates : in private family ; so children owe reverence to their parents, ser%"ants to their masters. To God only is due religious worship. They write that to the king' of Benin the people give such reverence, that we scarce give more to God. They fall flat on the ground before him, covering their faces, and depart without turning their backs. But to all men give xummo, sed xita ; to God only, religious worship, who is so jealous of his honour that he will not give it to another. Be ye never so great, stoop to the Lord ; honour him that hath honoured you : it is no discredit to your worshijs to wcuship God. Christ stooped low fiir our sakes ; he " made himself of no reputation, but look upon him the form of a ser\-ant, and was made in the likeness of men," Phil. ii. 7. What the barbarians dreamed of Paul and Barnabas, " The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men," Acts xiv. 11, we found tnie in Christ ; God is come down among us in the likeness of man ; yea, indeed, a true man. God said once, in derision of our folly, "Behold, the man is become as one of us," Gen. iii. 22 ; but we may sr.y truly, God is become as one of us. He that was so low, is now and was ever the Most High : let us 82 •AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. I. adore that blessed Jesus. The Lord saith, " when he bringeth in the first-begotten into the world, Let all the angels of God worsliip him," Heb. i. 6. Do the blessed angels of heaven, and shall not men on earth worship him ? I speak not only of a corporal adoration, though that also be due : " At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, in earth, and under the earth," Phil. :i. 10. Nei- ther do I think the bowing of knee at the name of Jesus to be a fruitless but harmless ceremony. As for their exception, that the bowing more at this than at other names of God, may breed an error of advancing the Son above the Father and Holy Sjjirit : we answer, that the f nith of the Son's equality with the Father and the Spirit, is a mystery so hard for mortal wits to apprehend, that of all errors, that which may give them the most honour, is less to be feared. Bellarmine observes, that most heretics have denied the Son, none ever denied the Father, to be God. But why not bow we as well at the name of Christ ? If any name be greater than other, it seems to be Christ ; for he is called, " The Lord's Christ," Luke ii. 26. Bernard answers. Of all names given to him, still Jesus is the sweetest. Other are names of majesty, this of mercy : the Word of God, the Son of God, the Christ of God, all titles of glory ; Jesus, of grace and redemption. The contemptible name, which Pilate so scoffed at, Jesus of Nazareth, is so preached and praised, that against all infidels it hath gotten the pre-eminence above every name. The con- demning then of this honour due to Jesus, is rather an argument of spite, than an evidence of the Spirit ; as it hath been said tnily. To this name all shall bow : in heaven, angels and glorified spirits ; on earth, men ; under the earth, those that be now dead : for all shall appear before his tribunal with bended knees. Perhaps by " under the earth," are meant even devils and damned spirits: though they bow- not willingly, yet they shall give an extorted adora- tion. Glorious angels, blessed spirits, and good men, have a voluntarj' genieulation; but the wicked on earth, and fiends in hell, shall be forced to it against their wills. So was Judas ; "I have sinned in be- traying the innocent blood." So Jidian ; " Thou hast overcome, Galilean ! " So the devils ; " What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God ?" Matt. viii. 29. That e^-il spirit said, " Jesus I know," Acts xix. 15 ; for even the de\'ils believe and tremble. Wicked men now trample his blood, but shall one day submissively acknowledge his dominion : " Lord, when saw we thee an hungred," &c. Matt. xxv. 44. But this extorted confession shall be to their con- fusion ; " Depart, ye cursed." Thus as ever)- knee should bow, so every knee shall bow ; if not out of faith, yet out of fear. " I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not rctuni, That unto me eveiy knee shall bow," Isa. xlv. 23; Rom. xiv. 11. He is God, and shall be worshipped. This I thought good to urge, because, as if we had been taught to be proud, there is little reverence Among us. I am ashamed to speak it, many sit in the church as at a theatre ; their hands are too idle to uncover their heads, their knees toostiflfto bow to Chi-ist. Even to the gospel, which must save them, or they shall never be saved, their regard is little better than contempt. For shame of men and angels, where is our reverence? Do you come hither lo give God a blessing, or to take it ? Will a petitioner sue to a peer with a covered head, or an unmoved knee ? " Ye shall reverence mv sanctuar\- : I am the Lord," Lev. xix. 30. If the law challenged such reverence, what doth the gospel ! If the blood of goats had such respect, what requires the Lamb of God, the blood of our Lord Jestis ! What is this, but to " give the sacrifice of fools ? " Eccl. v. 1. God will dwell with him that trcmbleth at his word, Isa. Ixvi. 2. We tremble like mountains : yea, the moun- tains (juake at God's presence, saith the psalmist ; we are not moved. " But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy ; and in thy fear will I woreliip toward thy holy temple," Psal. v. 7. Oh for one dram of tliis reverence ! But indeed it is in vain to bend the knees, with unbended souls ; it is a poor worship, to move our hats, not our hearts. But he doth best, that exprcsscth before men his zeal by his reverence, and commends before God his re- verence by his zeal. It is fabled, that when Juno on a day had proclaimed a great reward to liim that brought her the best present, there came in a physi- cian, a poet, a merchant, a philosopher, and a beggar. The physician presented a liidden secret of nature, a prescript able to make an old man young again ; the poet, an encomiastic ode of her bird, the peacock ; the merchant, a rare hollow jewel to hang at her ear ; the philosopher, a book of strange mysteries ; the poor quaking beggar, only a bended knee, say- ing, I have nothing worth acceptance, take myself. Some come hither with prescripts of their own ; they have receipts enough already, they care for no more. Others, like the poet, come to admire peacocks, the gaudy popinjays and fashionists of the time, bluster- ing in their painted feathers. Others, like the mer- chant, present jewels : but they are hollow : come with critical or hypocritical humours; like carps, to bite the net, and wound the fisher, not to be taken. Some, like the philosopher, bring a book vrith them; which they read without mintUng the preacher, say- ing, they find more learning there than he can teach them. But blessed arc the poor in spirit, that, like the beggar, give themselves to God. Juno gave the reward to him ; God gives the blessing to these. " He hath filled tlie hungiy with good things ; but the rich he hath sent empty away," Luke i. 53. A reverent heart shall carry away the comfort : godli- ness in the humble dust of adoration, shall be lifted up by the hand of mercy. Imitation of God follows; for what else is godli- ness, but to be like God ? We were all made after his image; that was lost; now our regeneration is nothing else but the repairing of that image. " Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear t-liildren," iEph. V. 1. True children will imitate their parents: if we do not follow God, we are bastards. Follow thy Father, as Ascanius did ^neas, though mo« passi- bus (pquis. '■ It is written. Be ye holy ; for I am holy," 1 Pet. i. 16. By nature a Noah may beget a Ham, Abraham an Ishmael ; but in grace, the Most Holy begets no children but saints. " He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked," 1 John ii. 6. He is no member that walks a contrary way to his Head. If Jesus go unto the mount to pray, and Judas to the Pharisees to betray, he is no apostle, but an apostate. This is my way, saith Christ, the light of truth : if you will go by darkness, because your deeds are evil, we shall never meet till we meet in judgment. Be you merci- ful, for your father in heaven is merciful, Luke vi. 36. God loves mercy ; they that love it not, are not godly. I wonder what hope oppressors of their pooi tenants, usurers with their forfeitures, contentious men wth their law vexations, the malicious with their injuries, can have ? The Father of mercies htith no children but the merciful. Judgment mer- ciless shall be to him that shows no mercy. Jam. ii. 13. The poor man that hath smarted with their cmcltv, may taste the sweets of God's mercy. Wretciied they ! this cup shall never touch their lips. Veb. 6. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 83 Have mercy on me, says the poor wretch to his living oppressors. No. Have mercy on me, saith the dying oppressor to God. No : Go, ye cursed ; you had no mercy on others, there is no mercy for yourselves. If thou see a man uimierciful, be bold to say he is ungodly. Thus piety consists in the imitation of God. He may not be called pious, who follows not the exam- ple of God. Indeed this name is often usurped, sel- dom justified. There are some things, wherein it is no godliness to ambigate a likeness to God. Con- tend not to be like him in the arm of his power ; for tliis Nebuchadnezzar lost his kingdom : nor in the finger of his miracles j for this Simon Magus was cast down, and broke his neck : nor in the face of his Majesty ; for this Lucifer was thrown out of heaven : nor in the brain of his wisdom ; for this Adam was driven out of Paradise. But in the bowels of his mercy ; according to this we shall be everlast- ingly rewarded. Never did, or shall, man or angel offend, in coveting to be like, God in meekness, in goodness, in charity, in mercy. Imitate his morals, not his miracles. To conclude, let me set this mark upon godliness : prove yourselves content, and I will assure you godly. " Godliness with contentment is great gain," 1 Tim. vi. 6. The apostle, seeing such universal labour for small gain, thought to win men with great gain. But what is that ? godliness ? Here is a paradox will hardly be received : he had need of good logic, for this is a hard position. The whole world thinks gain to be godliness, and doth Paul say godliness is gain ? Micaiah had not so many opponents, four hundred to one, 1 Kings xxii. He shall have mer- chant with his adventures, landlord with his fines, patron tt-ith his simonies, usurer with his obligations, lawyer with his cases ; all striving to confute this, ciying out for gain, as the Ephcsians for their god- dess. Great is Diana of the Ephesians. Indeed " all men cannot," and many men will not, " receive this saying," Matt. xix. 11. "You will not believe it, thouA it be told you," Hab. i. 5. This saying may, like the Lord, look down from heaven, to sec if any will regard it, Psal. xiv. 2. None, no not one. It may go from court to city, from city to country, and scarce one of a thousand will yield to it. But as the bride was decked for her beloved in garments of needle-work, and a vesture of wrought gold, with jewels and ornaments, Psal. xlv. 13, 14 ; so God trims up piety, sweet and beauteous in herself, with rich endowments of honour, pleasure, peace, and happiness ; as it were, letters of commendations, that all miglit love her. No worldly gain can satisfy man's heart : Israel mormured as much when they had manna, as when they had it not ; and rich men are as troubled with that they possess, as poor men for that they want.. Jacob gave Reuben a blessing, but added. Thou shalt not be excellent. Gen. xlix. 3, 4. So God gives the worldling riches, but says. Thou shalt not be satisfied. But when piety cometh, content follows it : you found small peace in the world, you shall have great peace in conscience. When Christ brought salvation to Zaccheus, his mind altered: before he did nothing but scrape, now he was all for giving. This was not the first day that he seemed rich to others, but tliis was the first day he seemed rich to himself. Riches bi-ing contention ; godliness brings contentation. Gain hath often hurt the getters ; piety is profitable to all men. Wealth comes, and a man is not pleased ; honour comes, and yet he is not pleased ; trie lusts of the flesh are fultilled, and yet he Is not pleased ; but when godliness comes, his cup is full : " The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places ; yea, I have a goodly heritage," Psal. xvi. 6. As Plulip said, " Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth," John xiv. 8 ; so. Lord, give us godliness, and it suf- ficeth. What the rich man falsely usurped, this certainly affordeth ; Soul, rest, thou hast enough. If the Son make you free, ye shall be free indeed, John viii. 36; if godliness make you rich, ye shall never be poor. Verse 7- A?id to godliness brotherly kindness. For better method of proceeding in the description of this next grace, let me guide my discourse and your attention through these five particulars ; the con- nexion, definition, distinction, conclusion, application. First, for connexion and dependence, we must con- sider the reasons why the apostle joins immediately to godliness, brotherly kindness. We have three reasons. 1. Becatise brotherly kindness is the daughter of godliness. He that loves God for his o'mi sake, mil love his brother for God's sake. " Simon, lovest thou me ? feed my lambs," John xxi. 17. What you have done to these little ones, ye have done to me. Matt. XXV. 40. He may best be good to his brother, that hath first learned to be good to his father. (Greg.) The river of charity springs from the fountain of piety. 2. Because brotherly kindness is the moderator of godUness. Some men's piety runs an impetuous pace ; so fast that it forgets to salute their brother by the way. Those two disciples were so hot for Christ, that they would needs have fire from heaven upon their brethren. As Judas woulflliave hindered Mary's piety by show of charity ; so the Pharisees overthrew charity with the shows of piety ; they " devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer," Matt, xxiii. 14. God loves not such mad zeal, that so fixeth the eyes on heaven that it de- spiseth to look on their poor brother on earth. In- deed when such an opposition meets us, that either we must forsake Christ or our brother, then himself teacheth us to leave all, and to follow him ; but when there is no such necessity, God is often con- tented to depart from his own right, that we may succour our brother. " Go ye and learn what that mcaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice," Matt. ix. 13. Merciful works to thy brother, are for sacrifice, Heb. xiii. 16, and before sacrifice, Hos. vi. G. God will forgive the omission of piety, upon good cause of fiatemal charity. He will spare the wife from church to comfort her sick husband ; the mother, to relieve her distressed child. We have those that will run so fast to a sermon, that they will not stay to give a poor orphan a penny. The true catholic hath a catholic care ; and sets not the two tables at variance ; both which look to God's obedience, as the two cherubims to the mercy-seat. I know there is a great commandment, and another (but) like unto it. Matt: xxii. 33, 39 ; but let not sacrifice turn mer- cy out of doors, as Sarah did Hagar ; nor the flames of zeal consume the moisture of charity, as the fire from heaven drunk up the water at Elijah's sacrifice. Godliness works by brotherly kindness, Gal. v. 6. No man must look so high, that he overlook his brother. You fast and mourn, and I regard it not, saith the Lord, because ye exact upon the poor, Isa. IviiL 3. Charity is the king's higliway to heaven : zeal, like Cushi, runs apace ; but love, like Ahimaaz, 84 AX EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. 1. gets first to the king, because it runs by the way of the plain, 2 Sam. xviii. 2.'3. Only that godly man which is kind to his brother, comes with best speed to his Maker. 3. Because godliness is proved by brotherly kind- ness. This is our demonstration that we love God. With one and the same charity we love both God and our brother: the diflerence is in the degrees and respects ; God for himself, others for him, r.nd in him. There is nothing more easy than to ostent the love of God ; but the lack of charity is the conviction of hypocrisy. There be many donations of the Spirit : though we speak with tongues of men ; so many tongues as that divine poet wrote of Queen Elizabeth, That Rome, Rhino, Rhone, Greece, Spain, and Italy ; Plead all for right in her nativity ; yea, of angels, if al least the angels have any lan- guage ; (Hieron.) yet if we have not charity, we arc as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal, I Cor. xiii. 1. Like Balaam's ass, that spake to better her master, not herself; or the sermon-bell that rings others to church, while itself still hangs in the steeple, and hears nothing. Though we had the gift of prophecy : so Balaam, Saul, Caiaphas prophesied; yet, wanting charity, the first loved gold more than God ; the second, his lusts more than his obedience ; the last condemned Jesus Christ. Though wc had all know- ledge, yet, wanting charity, we might, like the Pha- risees, open the door for others, and not go in our- selves. Without charity we are nothing ; nothing in respect of grace, how great soever by nature. (Aquin.) Yea, though we give our bodies to be burned ; though we not only speak, but sutTer ; not do, but die. Of all sufferings death is the most ten'ible ; of all deaths, burning. Kow if I give ; not by compulsion, but of mine own accord ; as it is said of Christ, He " gave himself," Epli. V. 2. If I give my bod;/ : not only sufTer loss of goods, and that is much, to take joyfully the spoiling of our goods, Heb. x. 34 ; but calamities in our body : as the father of lies spake tnily in this ; " Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life," Job ii. 4. If I give mi/ body: not my child's body, as Abraham offered Isaac's ; not only flesh of my flesh, but flesh that is my flesh. If I give my body to death, not only to pain and passion: yea, not to a natural death, this law must pass upon all men, but to a violent death. Lastly, to a death so violent, that there is not a greater toraicnt ; to be roasted and consumed in the fire, to be bumed. Here be many acts of patience, of piety ; yet if we hate our brother, all is lost. Therefore Stephen, when he died for godliness, forgot not brotherly kindness : "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge," Ads vii. 60 ; as if the want of this would discredit the cause, or endanger the reward. So did other martyrs, fetch- ing this example from the Head: "Falhe'r, forgive them ; for they know not what they do," Luke xxiii. 34. Thus nccessarj' is this connexion : " He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now," 1 J(dm ii. 9. If there could be a godliness destitute of this, it should never be welcome to Christ. Secondly, for the definition of this Philadelphia. It is a love to the faithful ; to such as possess the same faith with us, and by that faith are adopted heirs to the same God, through the brotherhood of the same Christ. It is distinguished from charity by the nearness and deamess. By nearness, I mean not local, but mystical. Charity hath a great latitude, and is like the heaven that covers all ; brotheriv Ifindness like (he sun that shines upon the one half at once. The firmament sends influence to more than the sun, but the sun comes nearer to that object it blesseth than the firmament. By deamess ; for the bond of nature is not so strong as the bond of grace. Our creation hath made us friends, and given us amity ; our redemption hath made us brethren, and given us unity ; we " are all one in Christ Jesus," Gal. iii. 2><. Therefore though wc are formerly bound to do good to all ; yet here, by a new bond, especially to them that are of the household of faith, Gal. vi. 10. Be good to even' man, more good to a Christian, most good to a faithful Christian; for thou art tied to him in the bond of the nearest fratemity. Consider then here the ground of this brotherhood, which is the bond of adoption; which if it have power to bind God to man, and man to God, then much more to bind man to man. Religion is a binder : the gospel hath a combining power, to gather into one fold all the sheep of Christ wandering on the mountains of the broad earth. Friendship is a great uniter; it knows no other language but, I am wholly thine. It is ready to exclude those possessives, mine and thine from being any jiarts of speech, and to drown all propriety. Marriage is a great uniter, stronger than friendship, by God's ordinance ; it knows no other method but composition. Among pagans it brought two into one lawful bed: the bride could challenge on her wedding day of the bride- groom, Ubitu Caiux, ego Cuia, Where you are master, I must be mistress. Among Christians it goes fur- ther, not only to bring two into one house, but two into one flesh. As God by creation made two of one, so again by marriage he made one of two. But the principal attractive, congregating, and combining power in the world, to draw together heaven and earth, sea and land, east and west, Jews and Gentiles, and to make one of two, often, of thousands, of all, is the gospel, the bond of our Christian covenant, which makes us all one in the Lord Jesus. Thus wa are compact under the government of one Lord, tied by the bond of one faitn, washed from our sins by one lavcr, nourished by the milk of one gospel, feasted at the supper of one and the same Lamb, assumed by one and the same Spirit, to the inherit- ance of one and the same kingdom, and shall be brought all to one and the same salvation. In the third place we come to the distinction. There are three sorts of bretliren ; by race, place, and grace. By race : and that either by birth, such as have the same parents : so Jacob and Esau were brethren. Or by blood ; so Abraham and Lot were called brethren, Gen. xiii. 8. So our blessed Saviour was said to have brethren and sisters, Mark vi. 3. Mary his mother was a pure \-irgin, as well after his birth as before his conception. Hebridius the heretic, abusing that text. He "knew her not, till she had brought forth her first-bom son," Matt. i. 25, held that Mar)- had more children hecausc Christ was called her first-bom. But so he is called " the first- begotten" Son of the Father, Heb. i. 6 ; yet he is the "only-begotten" Son of his Father, John iii. 16. So he is called the first-bom of his mother, not that she had any child after him, but because she had none before him. This word " imtil " doth only negatively exclude the time past, no ways affirmative- ly insinuate the time to come. So, " 1 am with you alway, even until the end of the world," Matt, xxviii. 'JO; he doth not mean to leave us then, but to be with us for ever. The heaven must receive Christ, " luitil the times of restitution of all things," Acts iii. 21 : what, no longer? yes, and after that restoring also. " Michal had no child until the day of her death," 2 Sam. vi. 23 ; and it is certain that she had Xffi. 7. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 85 none afterward. Therefore James and Joscs, Judc and Simon, were Christ's brethren by kindred. " Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my bro- ther," &c. Gen. xxix. 15. Laban was his master, his uncle, his father, yet he also calls liim brother. This is one kind of fraternity. By place, such as are of the same nation. Thou shall choose a king " from among thy brethren," that is, of tliy own nation, not a stranger, Deut. xvii. 15. " Unto a stranger thou mayest lend upon usurj-," but not unto thy brother, Deut. xxiii. 20. I could wish myself separated from Christ, " for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh," Rom. ix. 3. So all Englishmen are brethren ; all in nation, not all in affection ; for some of them were so brotherly kind, that they would have powdered us : and they have left their spawn behind them ; that if their power were answerable to their will, they would, in kind- ness, cut all our throats. By grace ; and this is either common, or special, that is, spiritual ; by generation, or regeneration. In the former respect all men are bretliren : God " hath made of one blood all nations of men," Acts xvii. 26. We are brothers by the mother's side, they call it the surer side : all our bodies are from the womb of one earth, returnable to the bowels of one earth. Brothers by the Father's side ; all our souls are from heaven, inspired by the breath of one Creator. In the latter respect, we are all brethren in Christ. By creation we have a brotherhood with the creatures ; so Job calls the worms his sisters, Job xvii. 14. By renovation we have a brotherhood with the angels. You see the kinds of this fraternity ; let us now come to the fourth point of the method, to draw some conclusions from it. Here consider two things, the necessity, and the practice; wherefore we must have it, and wherein it consisteth. The necessity is great : our apostle would not have civen it a room among these principal graces, if he had not found it worthy in itself, and yet generally neglected. It is worthy in itself: that virtue which is ranked with godliness, must needs be honourable. Here behold God's great goodness and mercy, who doth not only provide for nis own glory, but man's good. A man would think, so long as he is sciTcd by godliness, what should he care whether we ser\'e one another with kindness ? Yes ; he esteems no man his servant, that is not his brother's friend: if we be not kind to our brethren, he values not our kindness to him. David would little respect the peace-ofTcrs of the Ammonites, who had so villanously entreated his servants, 2 Sam. x. God abhors the Israelites' challenge of his paternity, when they had beaten his servants that demanded his rent, and slew his Son. Our faith, knowledge, temperance, patience, concern ourselves ; our vii-tue and piety, God ; only these two last, brotherly love and charity, hath he put in for men. See his goodness ; of eight he hath given four to thyself, allowed two for thy brother, and hath reserved but two immediately for liimself, that owes all. Now albeit this grace be worthy in itself, yet we are apt to neglect it ; therefore our apostle in his two Epistles urgeth it four several times ; 1 Pet. i. 22 : "Love the brotherhood," chap. ii. \7 ; "Love as brethren," chap. iii. 8 ; and lastly here in my text. St. Paul in his writings thrice ; " Be kindly aflfec- tioned one to another with brotherly love," Rom. xii. 10; 1 Thess. iv. 9; "Let brotherly love con- tinue," Ileb. xiii. 1. Divers of the fathers in their several Apologies highly commended this virtue. This inculcating doth insinuate both the precious necessity and the common disestimation of it. All aees have complained of the want of it. The poet wTote long since, Fratntm quoque gratia rara est. The prophet ; " Take ye heed ever)' one of his neighbour, and trust ye not in any brother : for everj- brother will utterly supplant," Jer. ix. 4. "Even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, have dealt treacherously with thee," Jer. xii. 6. Our Saviour; "The brother shall betray the brother to death," Mark xiii. 12. The apostle ; " Ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren, 1 Cor. vi. 8. He tells them of false brethren, privily coming, &c. Gal. ii. 4. He reckoneth it as none of the least exigents he was driven to, to be in peril of false brethren, 2 Cor. xi. 26. Now what is so frequently taught, at last let it be learned. Let us come now to the practice, wherein this Philadelphia consisteth ; and this we must consider negatively and positively. Fiist, what it forbids and debars, as opposites to it, and murderers of it. First, contentious litigation, " There is utterly a fault amongst you, that brother goeth to law with brother," 1 Cor. vi. 6, 7- How unnatural is it, for one hand to strike another! Hath Christ made thee friends with God, and wilt thou not be friends with thy brother? So Abraham entreated Lot; Let there be no strife between us, for we are brethren. Gen. xiii. 8. So Moses endeavoured to pacify the two Hebrews ; " Sirs, ye are brethren, why do ye wrong one to another?" Acts vii. 26. Art thou a Christian, and seekest to undo thy brother ? It is one of the abominations which God's very soul hateth, Prov. vi. 19. But the more busy such devilish engines and incendiaries are to separate us, the more con- stantly let us hold together. Secondly, an inveterate hatred ; which is a most degenerate passion ; to hate the son of a man's own mother. As Joseph's brethren hated him, because his father loved him. Gen. xxxvii. 4 ; a fault that cost; them dear afterwards. God loves all his children; wilt thou hate him that God loves ? My delight is in the saints, saitli that royal prophet, Psal. xvi. 3. Let all brother-haters know their wretchedness. " He that hateth his brother is in darkness," I John ii. 11. That is miserable enough, to live in darkness, hellish darkness ; but this is not all, for he lives in death: "Whosoever hateth his brother, is a mur- derer," 1 John iii. 15; and a murderer cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven. So that whosoever hates another condemneth himself, and is lost in a voluntarj' blood-guiltiness. Thirdly, even anger itself is a traitor to this virtue : for as hatred is a long anger, so anger is a short hatred; malice is nothing else but inveterate WTath. The causeless anger is in danger of judgment. Matt. V. 22. A choleric disposition is no excuse ; for as ever)- man is either a fool or a physician, so every Christian is either a mad-man or a divine : a mad-man if he gives his passion the reins, a divine if he qualifies it. When a railing fellow reviled Pericles all day, and at night in the same tune followed him home to his gate ; he all this while not returning a word, now commanded one of his serv'ants with a torch to light the brawler home to his house. Thus did an ethnic. Therefore if a brother offend upon ignor- ance, neglect it ; if upon infirmity, forget it ; if upon malice, forbear it : upon what terms soever, forgive it, as thou woiddst be forgiven of God. Fourthly, oppression is a horrible breach of this fraternity. Let no man overreach or oppress his brother, 1 Thess. iv. 6. Even the Jew that might take usury of a heathen, might not take it of liis brother. Thus our usurers' common distinction is taken away ; for all Christians are brethren, and I tliink thcv' deal not with infidels: unless they help 86 AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. I. themselves thus, that they may take usury of Chris- tians because themselves arc none. Lastly, a proud dedignation and contempt of their brethren. " Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slandercst thine own mother's son," Psal. 1. 20. So the church complains, " My mother's children were angrj' with me," Cant. i. 6. Wilt thou despise him that is Christ's brother ? Is he vile in their eyes whom the Lord Jesus bought so dear? We all grow up together " unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ," Eph. iv. 13. The poorest soul of this brotherhood must concur to make up the perfection of Christ. Comfort thyself, thou faithful spirit ; they blush at thy acquaintance, scorn thy company, but the Lord thinks himself not perfect without thee. Thus privatively, now positively. This brotherly kindness is showed in reprehending those we love. Thou shall rebuke thy brother, and not suffer sin upon him ; thou shalt not hate him in thine heart, Lev. xix. 17. So that not to rebuke him, is to hate him. He is not angiy wtli his brother, that is angiy with the sin of his brother. (August.) Hate not virum but vitium. The best brotherly love is to the soul : love to his body is but the body of love ; the soul of love is the love of his soul. Why did David so moiu'n for Absalom, wishing to have died for him, but m love to his soul P Now much of this love stands in a mild reproof: so let us live brothers on earth, that we may for ever live together brothers in heaven ; and be so kind as to help forward one another's salvation. There are many other offices of this brotherly love, but they are no strangers to you ; it is enough to have named them. Such as helping their poor estates ; for the love of God is not in him, that hath, and refuseth to give to him that hath not, 1 John iii. 17. All ai-e for the brotherhood, but few for their brother's good. Praying for them : this the very first words of the Lord's prayer teaehcth us ; " Our Father ;" not my Father, but o\ir : we de- sire others should fare as ^vell as ourselves. Some only pray for themselves and their families ; as the Athenians offered sacrifice for none but themselves and their neighboui-s of Chios. But we have all one Father ; and therefore he (hat speaks must plead the cause of the rest of his brethren. I pray not for these alone, saith Christ, but for all them, &c. John xvii. 20. Pray we for others, others for us, as Clu'ist doth pray for us all. I come to the last point, that is, the application; let this Philadelphia dwell ever among us. There be divers brotherhoods. The papists have their fraternities, yea, theu- pater- nities, tneir maternities, and their sisterhoods. Jesuits \vill not be called fratrt'.s, but patrcs, holy fathers. But in the mean time they neglect their o\ni fathers, they must not know them, nor call them so. They say to him that enters their order. What hast thou to do with thy father ? thuu hast no father but the pope. What hast thou to do with thy mother? thou hast no mother but the church of Rome. What to do with thy brethren? thoi hast no bre- thren but these of the same order ; or haply the the friars, &c. What bust thou to do with thy sis- ters ? these now are only the nuns. Here is a bro- therhood. The schismatics have a brotherhood, and they hold themselves the only pure brethren in Christ ; but they have ill luck in it, for nobody else holds them 80. It seems they dwell by neighbours that have little cause to love (hem, who are thus fain to com- mend themselves. They are so brotherly kind, tliat they turn cliarity quite out of doors. They will feed at your tables, though they will not brother with you; and they have Scripture for it, that Elijah refused not the meat brought by an unclean raven. But if all rich men (for those burrs stick to no others) were of my mind, such pure, proud, factious, and scornful bretliren should go seek their dinners. Albeit they take us for ravens, I am sure they are no Elijahs. You shall never come to taste their dishes ; and they have Scripture for it, not to communicate, not to drink with them that are not their brethren ; they mean, at home, and at their o\vn cost. He that cannot rail against church government is not a guest for their tables. Ever)' morsel they cut, they wish it were a bishopric. Here is a brotherhood, but it is a bad one, a mad one. These are black brethren, that love to soot and grime the face of their mother. They are so linked to the fraternity, that let another man fall into their hands, there is no mercy to be expected. Forfeitures fall to them by providence ; and it is the man's unworthiness forwhien they undo him. Impudent wretches, that dare father their wickedness upon God's allowance! But they that thus despise the brotherhood of Christians, shall be found no brothers to Christ. Libertines and profane persons have a brotherhood too ; but commonly it is an ale-house brotherhood, and (heir kindred comes in by the pot. And this is no wonder, for briers and thorns embrace and twine more together than good plants. St. Peter says, Love brotherly fellowship ; but these two, brother- hood and fellowship, have ill luck, they are con- tinually seeking one another, but they seldom meet. For most men arc either brothers and not com- panions, or companions and not brothers. Schis- matics are all for the brotherhood, and nothing for society : libertines are all for society, and nothing for brotherhood. Neither of these do well asunder, happily well both together. I might touch upon divers other brotherhoods; brothers of the Rosy Cross, brothers of the Recon- ciliation, brothers of the Elixir, chiming, cheat- ing, rather cozens than brothers, more foolish than popish, and more knavish than cither. But let them be buried in oblivion, whose very names make a stink. If all these have theu' brotherhoods, let not us Christians be behind them. We have all one Father ; " Call no man your father upon the earth : for one is your Father, which is in heaven," Matt, xxiii. 9. All one mother; "Jerusalem above is the mother of us all," Gal. iv. 26. All one elder Brother; whois"the first-born among many brethren," Rom. viii. 29. For our Father's sake, for our mother's sake, for our Brothei-'s sake, for our own sake, let us hold together as brethren. I cannot say with Paul, "Touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you : for ye yourselves are taught of God to love oncanother," 1 Thess. iv. 9. There is too much need, there was never more. St. John mentions a whole church, called Philadelphia, brotherly love, Rev. iii. 7- St. Augustine thought it a fit name for all Christendom ; for how far soever believers are dispersed, they ar^ all brethren. All ;;ic Ircthrcn, but we that live to- gether in one count ly are twins. It is therefore a most fit name for England; and the Lord make England Phihulelphiam, that every one of us may love one another, and Jesus Christ may love us all. "To brotherly kindness charity." We are now got to the roof of this spiritual house, charity. This is (he highest round of (he ladder: there be eight steps, this is the uppermost, as nearest to heaven. It hath a further extent than Philadelphia ; that is only to brethren in the same faith, this is to all, even to our enemies, Matt. v. 44. All men love their friends, but Christians love their enemies. (TertuUinn.) Ver. ". SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 87 Bealux qui amat te, el amicum in te, el i)iimicum prop- ler le. (August.) It is greater than faith and nopo, 1 Cor. xiii. Faith shall bring in vision, vision shall thrust out faith : hone shall lead in possession, pos- session shall east fortn hope. " Aljove all things put on charity," Col. iii. 14. Here are three particulars ; the action, "put on;" the affection, the robe of " charity ; " the pre-eminence, " above all." We find a pre-eminence, if we read, above all ; a necessity, if we read, to these all. Put it on, as either clothes for covering, or armour for defending. It is a good ar- mour against Satan's temptations to sin, or accusations for sin. Of all men, seldom is any great sin fastened on the charitable : how should he speed ill, that hath so many prayers ? It is a good covering ; Job pro- fesses that he had warmed the poor with the fleece of his sheep. Job xxxi. 20. That charity which keeps the poor receiver's body warm, keeps the giver's soul warmer; whether it consists in bearing and forbear- ing, in case of wrong ; or in beneficence and giving, in case of need. Put it on : wisdom and treasures Hid- den are improfitable, Ecclus. xs. 30 : this must not be hidden as a night-gown, or closet-robe, but worn. Yea, keep it on ; it must not be a loose garment, soon on and soon off. Charity, some think, is a vesture that will be quickly worn out ; therefore they seldom wear it, unless it be on high days, and then they give a little to a collection. But it should be rather like the Israelites' clothes in the desert, lasting forty years. If this grace be wanting, all the former arc lost ; brotherly love is not, godliness vanishcth, there is no place for patience, temperance is worth- less, knowledge is obscured, all virtue pineth away. Oh that now your hearts, like those two disciples' going to Emmaus, had this doctrine of charity burn- ing within you ! Here, for method's sake, consider we the motives to it, and the materials of it. The motives are deduced from the necessity, the dignity, the commodity, the danger of neglecting it. The necessity must be con- sidered in respect of God, of ourselves. The necessity of it in respect of God, appears by his charging us with it. both in the law and in the gospel, Lev. xix. 18 ; John xiii. 34. But how then floes Christ call it a new commandment ? It is an- swered. It is old in regard of the truth, new in regard of the use. Papists think it too new ; they will be brotherly kind to their own tribe, love none Vjut those that love them. They affect some new things, de- throning of princes, &c. but not this. Sectaries think it too old; they will none of charity : they love no old thing, but Adam's old sin of disobedience. Poor charity cannot find a bosom to rest in ; it is too new for some, and too old for others. Paul bids us put it on ; but some think it too costly a garment, and will not become them. The poet hath a fable, that an old man travelling with his little son, and having but one beast between them, the father did ride and the child went afoot : then the people exclaimed and said he was an unkind father, who being of able limbs would take his ease and put his tender son to trudge by him. Hereon he set up his son, and went afoot himself: then they called him kind dotard, that would let a young boy ride, while his aged father travelled by him. Hearing this, he got up with his son, they did both ride : now the people railed on him for an unmerciful man to his beast : saying, they might ride by turns. Then they lighted both, and w^ould neither ride ; now the people began to laugh at them, that both would lead an empty beast, and go on foot themselves. Lastly, when he saw that nothing could please them, he went and drowned his beast; and lo, now he was derided most of all. This is charity's luck. The old man tells the young that he ouglit to be charitable, because he is coming into the world, and hath his fortunes before him. The young man tells the old that he ought to be charit- able, because he is going out of the world ; that he may well spare his clothes that is going to bed. The father and son conclude, that u they should both be givers, this were the way to overload charity, to make others rich and themselves beggars. When neither of them gives, but leave charity empty, the world .curses them for miserable wretches. Lastly, they consent to drown poor charity in the gulf of covetousness ; and make open profession to the world, that they will not be troubled with such a %nrtue. Because thou canst not content all men, wilt thou refuse to please God? The necessity of it follows, in respect of thyself. Things of greatest use should be of greatest estima- tion. Thouwouldst know if thou breathest Christian ; the sign of it is thy charity. This is (he pulse of faith ; St. James's demonstration. Show me thy faith by thy works, Jam. ii. 18. This is the best testification of thy love to God, saith St. John. Ti-ue religion must be con- sidered both quoad extra and quod inlra ; and so it is de- fined. Jam. i. '27, " Pure religion and imdefiled before God is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." Here is a description of it, quid in se, quale in alios. In itself it is religion, a binding quality ; and hath three proofs : by nature, it is pure ; by quality, undefiled ; by object, before God. Now quoad extra, for the effects : these are two ; in- nocency in ourselves, charily towards others ; reliev- ing the widow and orphan. Religion is not only contemplative, but the greater part of it, like the mathematics, is in demonstration. There can be no assurance to thy soul, that thou art in God's favour, without charity. Indeed faith is the life of a Chris- tian ; but the breath whereby he is known to live, is charity : " Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and have not charity, it profit eth me notliing," 1 Cor. xiii. 3. But may there be a giving away of our goods to the poor, T\'ithout charity ? Yes; obsei-ve in those words five degrees: 1. It is a good man's part to lend, " He is merciful and lend- eth," Psal. xxxvii. 26: but here, "though I give;" whereas most men open their hands only to take : give, and give fi-eely without expectation of repay- ment. 2. M>/ oun, not another's ; for many will cut large shivers off another's loaf: but mt/ goods: " Cast thij bread upon the waters," Eccl. xi. 1. 3. .'til mi/ goods : not a little superfluity, not a competetit portion, no, nor yet a great sum ; but all: " Beiiold, we liave forsaken all, and followed thee," Matt. xix. 2. 4. Not to the rich, but to llie poor, such as have need, with a discreet election of objects for bounty: "Deal thy bread to the hungr>-," Isa. Iviii. 7. 5. To feed the poor, not to feast them ; not super- Ihiiiusly, but necessarily. Yet a man may do all this out of ostentation, curious ambition, or idle prodi- gality ; and not from the internal habit of charity, which is a gracious love to Christ and his members ; and this somewhat, this much, this all, is nothing at all \rith God. Thus necessary is charity, without which a man hath nothing in substance, or all things without comfort. A certain king of Northumber- land^ in that great controversy about Easter, some alleging for Peter, others for John, bethought him- self that Peter was the porter of heaven-gate ; there- fore resolved to take that side, saying. He would make the porter his friend, that when he came thither he might be sure to get in. Whatsoever he dreamed of Peter, do thou by charity make Christ thy friend ; he is the door of "everlasting life ; he must let thee in, or there is no entrance for thee. Yea, make him AN EXPOSITION LTOX THE Chai'. r. thy friend, for he is the Lord of the kingdom. Thus also are the poor made thy friends, ready to receive thee into everlasting habitations, Luke xvi. 9. The dignity follows. It is a royal office ; yea, a divine practice. Mercy or charity is the sole work communicable to man with God. The Lord is con- tent to acknowledge himself the charitable man's debtor; he hath lent to the Lord, and he will pay him again, Prov. xix. 1/. But still this payment is not deserved of man, but conferred of God. It must needs be an excellent thing, that brings God to an acknowledgment. There is a usury in the ■world much ajiplauded, more defended, most of nil prac- tised ; the very shame of Christendom. It was a .shame for a Galatian to be a circumcised Christian ; it is more shame for a Christian to be a baptized Jew. It is a Jewish sin, send it back to the owners : we traffic many things, it were a blessed ship that could quite transport usuiy. I will tell you of a lawful usur)', (not that the world runs mad upon, but rather runs from,) a practice that needs no patron to defend it, it will reward and protect itself. Put forth thy goods for usuiy to God, not to thy brother: that usury shall bring thee a kingdom of peace ; the other shall procure thee a place in torment. (C'hrys.) Below perhaps thou contentest thyself with ten in the hundred, above thou shall have a hundred for one. Now if it be true, that " the borrower is a ser- vant to the lender," Prov. xxii. 7 ; then by lending to him, in charity to his, after a sort we have a hand upon God himself. And this is the dignity of charity, the great acceptation with God: so Christ honours it, " Come, ye blessed," &c. Matt. xxv. 34. Excellent grace, that is so gracious with Christ ! The commodity of it follows : it sccureth all, it increaseth all, it blesseth all. It secureth all; like an ambassador, by lying liegcr abroad, it makes all safe at home. It deriveth from the poor this prayer, God bless your store : it deriveth from Godtliis bless- ing, " I will abundantly bless her provision," Psal. cxxxii. 15. It increaseth all ; it makes friends, praying friends ; as they beg of thee, so they beg of God for thee. For a benefactor is a petty creator; thou giv- cst a penny, it is his patrimony. Their devotions are sent up to heaven for thy blessing: and, as the bishop told Monica, weeping for her seduced son. It cannot be that the son of those tears should ever perish ; so be comforted in thy charity ; it cannot be that they for whom are sent up so many prayers should ever perish : it leaves behind thee an ever- lasting memory ; living thou art honoured, dead well reported; "He hath given to the poor; his right- eousness endureth for ever," Psal. cxii. 9. Thus charity, says Chrysostom, is the most gainful art ; it is a field sown, the crop is thine. " He which sow- <"th bountifully, shall reap also bountifully," 2 Cor. ix. 6. How bountifully ? Christ answers ; a measure heapen, and shaken, and pressed together, yet lim- ning over. It blesseth all : amain act of piety in the law was sacrifice, a main act of piety in the gos- pel is charity. This is an evangelical sacrifice, with which God is pleased, Heb. xiii. 16. Now the poor arc the altar whereon we must oiler this sacri- fice. Charily sanctifies all : give, and all shall be clean to you ; you shall have new bags, which wax not old ; new garments, which shall never be worn out ; new gold, which cannot be rusted, Luke xii. 3.3. God is loth tluiu shouldst lose thy wealth, therefore bids thee trust him with it : it shall iu)t be further from thee, but surer to thee. The Omnipotent .shall keep it for thee that art impotent : no thief can break into heaven, to steal it from thee ; it is out of the reach of the most merciless opjjressor. Thou snyest, I trust in Christ to be saved : now darest thou trust him with that precious jewel, thy soul, and not with thy base worldly trash ? Lastly, the nature of neglecting charity, is the curse : Go, ye cursed, you did not relieve mc. Matt. xxv. 41 — 13. If thou being rich wilt not give to the poor, he that is the most rich will give nothing to thee. '• AVhoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, shall erj' himself and not be heard," Prov. xxi. 13. " Shouldest thou not have had compassion on thy fellow-seiTant, as I had pity on thee?" Matt, xviii. 33. Thei-e is judgment merciless to the un- merciful. Jam. ii. 13. If any man think the omission of this duty to be too severely judged, Chr>'Sostom answers, that as it is a kind of homicide to take away from the poor, and he that dolh it is a man of blood j so not to give to the poor is little less : for two ways is a lamp put forth, either by blowing it out, or by not pouring oil into it. He that can save, and will not, kills : so that the very want of charity is mur- der. This danger will be found great ; they are not arraigned for want of justice, nor for want of wisdom, nor for want of tcmi)erance ; but for want of charity, Matt. xxv. Now when a scholar is to be opposed for his degree, and but one question to be asked him, if he knew it before, he would perfectly study that. We know that one question will then be asked us, it is concerning our charity ; let us study that thorough- ly, that we may answer it well before the judgment- .seat of Jesus Christ. I come from the motives to the materials, wherein this external and practical part of charity consists. They are these ; who, w hat, to whom, whereof, and how. Who must give charitably : it seems this charge belongs only to the rich ; " Chai-ge them that are rich in this world," &c. 1 Tim. vi. 17. There is none simply rich, but God. Crassus thought himself not rich, till all Rome was poor to him ; yea, unless he could maintain an army of forty thousand men, out of the very revenues and surplusage of his estate. None is properly rich, but in regard of the poor. Some think they are called the riches of iniquity, that is, of inequality : some have more, some less : let them that have most, give most ; let them that have little, give of that little. A rich Pharisee may give abundantly, but the poor widow must cast in her two mites. A man may be one '• that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God," Luke xii. 21 : whereas others may be " rich in good works," 1 Tim. vi. 18. '" If there be a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, not ac- cording to that he hath not," 2 Cor. viii. 12. There- fore the labouring nuin is not privileged from tliis duty; " Let him labour with his hands, that he may have to give to him that needeth," Eph. iv. 28. Though he may plead, that wife and children are bills of expenses ; yet, " He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none," Luke iii. 11 ; not one out of a whole wardrobe, but one of two. " If thou have but a little, be not afraid to give ac- cording to that little," Tob. iv. 8. Thy family shall not want, but be kept warm with the blessing. What must be given : not words, but deeds ; a charitable heart hath a helpful hand. The good man's charity should dwell, as it is said of the Dutch- man's wit, at his finger-ends. They for exquisite works ; wc for merciful works. To good deeds only stands open the gates of heaven. To whom extends our charity : this munificent part of it to the poor. We favour and feast those who are recommended to us by their own greatness; who fcasis those that are recommended by Christ ? When thou makcst a feast, call the poor, lame, blind; and thou shalt be blessed, for they cannot recompense Ver. 7. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 89 thee : but God will, at the resurrection of the just, Luke xiv. 13, 14. To do tfood to them that do good to us, Luke vi. 33, such kindness a man may take up in the streets of Turkey. But how if they be vagrants and lewd persons? Yet be charitable to them, for these reasons : 1. It is better one unworthy creature should receive, than ten worthy should miss. The gracclessncss of some beggars is too true, but many make this a general excuse to spare their purses. Thy own conscience in this is thy best guide. 2. Thy reward is not lost, though thy gift be fallen like good seed upon bad ground. Thy harvest is not in the man, but in Christ ; not on earth, but in heaven. As our Saviour said, " Into whatsoever house ye enter, say, Peace be to this house. And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it : if not, it shall turn to you again," Luke X. 6. So if tlie poor man be good, thy alms shall do him good: if not, thy charity shall turn to thee again. Howsoever the man be evil, yet the Lord is good. The unworthiness of the receiver takes not away the reward of the giver. " When they were sick, I humbled my soul with fasting ; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom," Psal. XXXV. 1,3. I prayed for them, I was heard for my- self. If thy charity do them no good, it shall do thee good. 3. Duty binds us to give obedience to evil princes, in conscience of God's ordinance. And as an evil subject serves God for his prince's sake, so a good subject serves his prince for God's sake. Thus obedience is given, if not to the person, yet to the office. So because God commends and com- mands charity, we must give, though to evil men. We give to the man, not to the manners. He is a man, his Maker will requite me : he is a Christian, I know where to fetch my reward. Whereof must we give : not evil-gotten things, but our own. You talk of what you have given, not what you have taken away : God requires gifts, not spoils. (Ambrose.) As the Jews bought a burying- plaee for strangers with the blood of Christ, so many build hospitals for children with their fathers' bones. Thus one laughs that receives, but another weeps that loses: and perhaps his imprecations that is im- poverished, will come sooner to God's ears, than nis apprecations that is relieved. I would not have one poor man's just curse, for many poor men's good prayers. The cries of the poor against their ojv pressors, enter " into the ears of the Lord of sa- baoth," Jam. v. 4. This cry comes from the more sensible soul ; not always from the spirit of bitter- ness, but from the bitterness of spirit. When the oppressor hath built his alms-house, and hopes by his perfunctory devotions to be admitted to heaven, the curses of the imdone wretches knock him down to hell. Lastly, how we must give : and this may be con- sidered in five circumstances. 1. Cheerfully. " As thou hast gotten, give with a cheerful eye," Ecclus. xxxv. 10. A good counte- nance refresheth the poor man's mind, as well as the alms doth his body. Those liquors of oil or wine that pour out themselves, and drop of their own accord and maturity from their native places, are belter than they that are pressed, and squeezed out by violence. Give without pressing ; the Lord loves a cheerful giver. The good is doubled by cheerful- ness. (Chrysost.) 2. Discreetly, not with confusion. Give so to-day that thou mayst give to-morrow. (Sen.) Confine not thy charity to the twelve days. The charitable man keeps Christmas all the year ; gives so at once, that he may give still; as we sow tlie furrow, not by the bushel, but by the handful. .3. With a right intendment ; not for thy glorj', but for God's glon,-. (Chrysost.) The pharisaical giver, gives to himself, not to God : he aims at his own praise ; what reward can he look for ? Let him pay himself. 4. Opportunely ; {or quaytlum mortp addis, tantum dono defrahis. (Sen.) The more delay in giving, the less honour in the gift. It is an uncharitable charity, when men will give nothing to the poor, but what they cannot make use of themselves. The mouldi- ncss gives their bread, the fly gives their meat, the moth gives their garments. Christ hath not their abundance, but their cast-off things. Though it be coarse, let it be wholesome. Know thy best things come from Christ. 5. Lastly, before thou give thy goods to the poor, give thyself to God. No man's works can please God, unless the person of the worker be first acceptable to him. (August.) So Cain offered to God his goods, not himself Do not aflford thy riches, and withhold thyself. Ananias kept back part of the portion; he had better have given nothing. He could never find in his heart to bestow his estate on the poor, that denies to consecrate himself to Christ. Some pretend that they have given themselves to God, but they will not part with any thing of their estates ; but the devil confutes them. Job ii. 4. Thy riches are nothing to thyself: spare one, spare both. By charity, give part of thy wealth to the poor ; by faith, give thy whole self to Christ. Now shall I live to eat the labours of mine own hands, to see this sermon ))erformed? I will not flatter you with the world's age, as man doth him- self with his ; but say it is old, exceeding old, white hairs are upon it. Why ? Charity is cold. " Give them, O Lord : what wilt thou give ? give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts," Hos. ix. 14. We have dry breasts, there' is no milk of charity in them ; and a barren or miscariying womb, not able to bring forth the comfortable issue of good works. Charity is a new commandment, and most men think it a new fashion. The Jesuits say we have translated charity out of our Bibles ; but this is their old figure of lying ; we find it frequently in our Bibles : I would to God neither we nor they had translated it out of our hearts. The Romists have a she-saint, called St. Charity: they beg for her, and get fair ditions and additions of i>atrimonies to her temple, or rather indeed to themselves. Let me beg for holy charity ; no woman, but a divine and heavenly grace ; and that not more for her sclf's- sake, than for your own souls. We build great houses, but not for charity. Many build as Vacia did, a corner for himself; desolate places where they may hide, not live. (Sen.) Great men convey their charity out of the country in a caroche up to the city ; and here contrive it into three or four inhos- pitable rooms. Perhaps they keep solemnly their own birth-days, like Herod :'but at Christ's birth- day they are gotten aside. They honour their own memories, whose lives arc not worth a smile ; but not his, without whom they had better never been bom. RapU aula, rapil alea: yea, with some the chinmey of charity is made a movable, and carried in their pockets. Charity is dead, yet let us mourn for her, though it were as Bachel'did for her chil- dren, not to be comforted because she is not. And albeit she never retuni, let us give her a farewell : Farewell, sweet charity. Though we never see thee again on earth, wc shall one day meet thee in heaven, and find thee in the bosom of Jesus Christ. 90 AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. I. Verse 8. For if these things he in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge nf our Lord Jesus Christ. Our apostle hath led us from virtue to virtue, as one directs a traveller from town to town, till he comes to the desired city; they go on from strength to strength, till every one of them appeareth before God in Zion, Psal. Ixxxiv. 7- He hath showed us a golden chain, the first link whereof is faith, and tlie last is charity. Now we say that we have them all : have you ? then know that if they be in you, and abound, they shall keep you from unfiuilfulness in your profession. To prove sanctimonium cordis, bring lestimmiium nperis ; let your outward life witness your inward grace. Methinks I find in this verse three mystical mem- bers of a Christian ; his heart, lus hand, and his head. 1. " If these things be in you, and abound;" there is his heart. 2. " They make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful ;" there is his hand. 3. " In the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ ;" there is liis head. His head conceives Christ, his heart contains Christ, his hand brings forth Christ. 1. His head, like Mary, conceives the knowledge of devotion ; being illuminated by the Holy Ghost. 2. His heart travails in birth of it, growing in grace, and growing in spirit, till he be delivered. .3. His hand, that is, his life, like a midwife, helps him to bring forth that blessed issue. His head is enlightened, his heart is enlarged, his hand is enlivened. " If these things be in you, and abound." I will not martyr the text, but begin as the apostle begins, with the heart. Wherein I c(mceive four particulars ; the seed, the ground, the sowing, and the growing. I. The seed, " these things." 2. The ground, " in you." 3. The sowing, which makes them to " be" in you. 4. The growing, so in you that they " abound " and thrive. First, for the seed, and herein observe two things. First, we make choice of our seed, and allow it good, or else expect no good harvest. He that sows cockle, looks not for wneat : of tares cast into the ground, we think it impossible to find barley. " Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap," Gal. vi. 7. Who can wonder to sec him reap a curse, that hath sown a curse ? Thus it often cometh to pass, that the matter of sin is read in the punishment, as the crop is a remonstrance of the seed. Doth Adam sow the seed of ambition, aspiring above a man ? he is brought so low as to be beholden to the beasts for apparel ; there is the croi). Cain would not offer Abel a resting-place on earth, therefore the earth shall allow him none. Rehoboam would make his finger heavier than his father's loins, therefore his loins shall be made lighter than his father's finger. Samuel hewing Agag in pieces, showed him the harvest of his own seed : " As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be child- less among women," 1 Sam. xv. 33. If Gehazi w ill take Naaman's iniquity, he .shall take Naaman's leprosy, 2 Kings v. 27. ' The dogs licked up Ahab's blood, I Kings xxii. 38. Why ? Ahab had so ser\-ed Naboth. You have gone a whoring from your God, IIos. iv. 12; "therefore your daughters shall com- mit whoredom, and your spouses adultcrv," ver. 13. When they shall say. Wherefore doth the'Lord these thnigs unto us? they shall be answered. As in their own land they did worship strange gods, so they shall worship their own God in a strange land, Jer.' v. 19. Whosoever sows evil seeds, either in quality or quan- tity, shall reap evil fniits. Therefore the seed must be " these things :" let us sow holiness of life, that we may reap the life of holiness. It is God's mercy that every sin is not Benoni, the death of the mother; that the seed of lust does not bum up the ground ; that earthiness does not, like a grave, buiy the soul; drunkenness, like a deluge, drown the sj)irits ; and epicurism, like an infected air, choke the vital breath. It is a won- der that the very elements of God fight not against him, whose sins fight against the Maker of elements. Paul tells us, 1 Cor. xv. that we nuist all die, and all rise again ; and compares us to seed sown in the spring that is reaped in the harvest. If therefore thou wouldst reap a glorious body, sow a gracious body, " these things." Secondly, we must have " these," all these ; not one or two, but all. It is not enough to have faith, and leave out virtue ; not knowledge without tem- perance, nor piety \vithout charity. If thy journey be eight miles, and thou give over at the second or third, thou wilt fall short of heaven. Many wnll be contented with some, but few will embrace all. Men deal with God, as for their tithes, so for their lives. Let him that is taught communicate to his teacher in all his goods. Gal. vi. 6. In all? nay, put out this " in all," and we will compound with you. You shall walk in all the ways of the Lord, Deut. v. 33. In all ? nay, put out this same " all," and we will con- sent to you. There are few that say, " All that thou eommandest us we will do," Josh. i. 16. Sell all thou hast, and give to the poor ; this the world thinks most unreasonable. He that hath not all saving graces in some measure, hath none in any measure. The Romists are so slaved to their superiors, that they will do all they are commanded by them. As a desperate Roman said of Catiline, Whatsoever he bids me, I will do. But says another, How if he should bid thee fire the Capitol ? he answers, Catiline will not bid it; but if he should, I will do it. So they must do all the pope ehargeth them : but how if he bid them fire the senate, blow up the parlia- ment ? they secretly reply. He will not commEmd it ; but if he should, we will do it. They give not this obedience to God : he ehargeth them not to touch his anointed ones ; against this they have their ex- ceptives. But against the pope's mandamus there is no question, no exception, and from it lies no appeal. How insatiable man's desires are of this world! give Alexander kingdom after kingdom, he will not rest till he have all. If a covetous man had all the houses of a city given him, he would rifle for the goods in them; if he had all the gold and jewels, he would also rcquii'e the garments ; if he had the city, he would also challenge the suburbs ; yea, all could not satisfy him. But how little grace contents us ! one or two, as Joash smote the earth but thrice, 2 Kings xiii. 18. AVe take insatiably of earth, vcrj- mode- rately of heaven ; as if we were afraid to have too much grace, and that it would but trouble us. " In you." We see the quality of the seed, now- let US consider the nature of the ground. Man's heart is the ground for God's seed: holy seed re- quires holy ground. Tliis seed is cast in by the ear ; for miless God first come in by the ear, he will not be in the mouth, nor in the heart. (August.) But if it stay in the ear, and go no further, it \nll not fruc- tify. Matt. xiii. The ear is like a pipe, made to con- vey whaler, not to contain it. The heart is that home where it should dwell ; as Man- laid up Christ's say- ings in her heart. But as an inconstant heart is the basest of things, so a faithful heart is the noblest. Every heart is not fit ground for this seed : therefore Ver. 8. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. »! (seeing I am fallen upon the metaphor) be pleased to consider how this around is prepared: and, to speak in the phrase of nusbandrj', it must be fallow- ed, stirred, and laid up, before it be sowed. It must be fallowed. The word preached is the plougli to break it up. It is broken up by the law, sowed by the gospel : break it up by Moses, sow it by Jesus. There is by nature grown over eveiy heart a thick and hard crust ; the menace of judgments must break this rough and tough mould. To this purpose, there is an mformation by doctrine, and a reformation by discipline. There are some tender- hearted ; as David was snibbed with a word, Peter with a look. Some are quickly corrected ; soft-hearted children, that weep at the least chiding. Others are harder ; like nettles, if you touch them gently, they will sting you ; therefore if the golden sceptre can- not win them, the iron sceptre must brctik them. But as we plough upon the fallows, so we must cautelously take heed of ploughing where the harrow hath gone before: so saith the prophet, "Break up the fallow ground," the unbroken neart ; but spare the already broken siiirit. " In you," in youiMlves. Some can plough furrows on others' backs so do persecutors on the church ; " The ploughers plough- ed upon my back : they made long their furrows," Psal. cxxix. 3. The slanderers harrow men's good names; they sit and speak against their brethren, and slander their own motliers' sons," Psal. 1. 20. Usurers harrow the estates of the poor ; yea, harrow and grind their very faces. Arrant and arrogant hypo- crites liarrow and furrow their neighbours' simplicity : but the Pharisee is no fit husbandman to plough up the publican. But plough thyself, find some corner of thy heart to break up still. Satan is foundered, and cannot walk, upon nigged ground. The fallowed or broken heart he cannot abide ; but God respects it : " A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise," Psal. li. 17. It must be stirred. Our backwardness requires continual provocations. To be good is a thing hardly fotten, quickly forgotten. The art of bringing men's earts to God, hath many passages, takes many courses, tries many experiments : as indeed there are many sorts of servants. A landlord had summoned his tenants to do him some service ; yet bein^ done, and they all present, the steward demands, which of them came for love, and which for money. Tliey that came gratis, for love, were feasted in the par- lour; they t hilt came for reward had coarser fare in the hall. One amongst the rest would choose neither of these places, but walks by himself. The steward asked him his motive of coming, whether for love or money, that his place might be assigned accordingly. He replied, I come for neither love nor money, but for plain fear, and therefore I choose a place by myself. Thus some approach to God for reward, as Saul loved him for his kingdom. Some for love, as Mary that brought Christ a precious \mction because she loved him. Others for fear ; Ahab was humbled under fear of the vengeance. Now all our endeavour is to plant in men's hearts the love of God ; that they might say with Peter, " Lord, thou knowest that I love thee." But this is elVected, sometimes by pro- mise of reward, that they may be led by profit : " If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall cat the good of the land," Isa. i. 19. There is " glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketn good," Rom. ii. 10. Sometimes by threatenings, that they may be won by fear : " Tribulation and anguish upon every soul that doeth evil," Bom. ii. 9. " Our God is a con- suming fire," Heb. xii. 29. Now thoujjh perfect love cast out ser\'ile fear, as St. John speaketh, yet filial fear brings in perfect love ; " There is mercy with thee, Lord, that thou mayest be feared." It hath been said of base fear, that it is an argument of a base and cowardly spirit. But of this fear it is true, that it is the argument of a regenerate and gracious spirit. He never loved God, that fears him not. With some of these the heart must be continually stirred. It must be laid up; that is the husbandman's next course. Now the heart is laid up by faith; when a man believes, he is then fitted to receive any seed of good- ness. As the eunuch said, I believe, what hinders me to be bajitized ? Acts viii. 36. So, I believe, what liin- ders me to be loved, wha t hinders me to be bl essed, what hinders me to be saved ? Nothing; be it to thee ac- cording to thy faith. Humility, patience, charity, are now sown with fortunate success ; faith hath laid up the heart. My heart is ready, says David : speak. Lord, for my ear is open ; sow. Lord, for my heart is ready. If adversity come, sow my heart with pa- tience ; if thou take back the goods which thou once gavest me, sow it with contentedness ; if prosperity come, sow it with thankfulness ; if sin, sow it with penitence ; against Satan's temptings, sow it with piety ; against all malicious courses, sow it with charity. As wax to receive the impression of a seal, so the heart is softened and tempered to receive the image of God. Blessed is the ground which the Lord hath enclosed for his o^vn garden. "Be in you:" this is the sowing; God must first prepare the ground, and then sow his seed in it. It is he that unlocks the heart to entertain these graces. There are six keys whereby things are opened or shut, that God hath intrusted into the hands of no other, angel or seraphim. The key of rain; the Lord opens the heaven to give rain to the land in his season, Deut. xxviii. 12. The key of food ; " Thou openest thine hand, they arc filled with good," Psal. civ. 28. The key of the womb; "He maketh the barren woman to be a joyful mother of children," Psal. cxiii. 9. The kev of the grave ; " I have the keys of hell and of death," Rev. i. 18. The key of the mouth ; " O Lord, open thou my lips," Psal. li. 1.5. The key of the heart ; the Lord opened the heart of Lydia, Acts xvi. 14. In all these he openeth, and no man shutteth ; he shutteth, and no man openeth. Rev. iii. 7- Now when he hath thus open- ed and prepared the heart, he sows in it this spiritual seed. Graces, like good herbs, will not grow of themselves : vices, like weeds, need no sowing. Man is no more bom with virtues in his soul than with apparel on his back. It is not generation, but re- generation, that sows this seed. The seed is good, the sower is God, Gal. v. 22. Indeed there be minis- terial deputies ; so Paul plants, and Apollos waters, but still God gives the increase. This takes away from our best works all possibility of merit. A me- ritorious work must be our own, and beyond our duty. First, it must be our own : but " eveiT good gift is from the Father of lights," Jam. i. 17. Secondly, it must be beyond our duty and debt : but, aliis, having done our best, we are unprofitable servants. Heaven is indeed often called a reward ; not factive, but pactive ; of covenant, not of merit : God gives it us, not be- cause we have earned it, but because he hath pro- mised it. Woe to us if we had no more comfort than' we deserve ! The last received as the first, every man a penny. Matt. xs. : not because they wrought harder that came in later ; as Paul, that came in after the rest, yet abounded in labours above them all ; but to show that God respects not the how much, but from how much ; the love, more than the work ; and that the reward is not of merit, but of mercy : for if it were of merjt, he shoiUd liavc begun at the first ; if it be of mercy, he 92 AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. I. may begin where he will. Thus he gives all grace to us, that we may give all glory to him. " In you ;" not about you, not on you, but in you. Not behind you ; as libertines that cast God's laws behind their backs, Psal. 1. 17. They nm so fast to the Samaria of riot, that they leave Jerusalem be- hind them. As Christ said to Peter, " Get thee behind me ;" so these to goodness, Keep behind me, I love not to see thy face. Not before you; as world- lings that send religion before them to threescore, but never overtake it. It keej)S before them indeed but the length of Gracious-street ; and they, like So- lomon's fool, never come nearer it than the stocks. Moses saw Canaan before him, and desired it : these see it, and desire it not ; they like the world better. Not about you ; as profane persons in holy places live in the midst of virtues without virtue. That proverb is too often justified. Nearer to church, fur- ther from God. It seems to be taken from the Jews, who having the greatest light, had the darkest life; the nearer they were to the sanctuan,-, the further from sanctity. Such a man may say, Inopem me co- pia feci! : like foolish Indians, that have store of gold, and truck it away for rattles. An empty vessel bunged up close, though you throw it into the midst of the sea, will receive no water. The monas- tery is a place of devotion ; the monk is in the monastery : yet perhaps the monastery itself, as soon as devotion, may enter into the monk. A man may be in a holy place, yet if holiness be not in his heart, it is not where it should be. Ishmael was an unbeliever in the house of faith, the family of Abra- ham. Not on you ; as hypocrites, that have a show of sanctity on them, but no substance of sanctity in them : outwardly lambs, there is innocence o?i litem ; inwardly wolves, there is no innocence in tliem. Hv- pocrites cover their spotted hides with the lion's skin of Judah, sanctimony ; so they beguile their bre- thren. They are always proudest that have the least cause. The utmost ambition of John the Baptist, was but to untie Christ's shoe ; of that other John, the beloved disciple, but to lean on his breast : but Judas the traitor will dip with him in the dish, yea, kiss his sacred lips. But there was never holiness ■without humbleness. Dyers can set on their colours the fairest glosses with logwood, but they will not hold; when a shower comes the gloss is gone. The gloss of profession without sincerity will off in a storm ; we must be dyed in grain to' hold, and have these graces in us. The parts of ostentation are like loose corn, which the fowls peck up. As Jerome said of the Scripture, so I may say of godliness : It is not read in superficial leaves and letters, but in the marrow and substance of the heart. A hypocrite's profession is in folio, but his sincerity is so' abridged that it is contained in decimo-sexto, nothing in the world to speak of. But in you. What indeed hath a Christian to en- joy, but that which is in him? He may use the world, and that is without him; but he enjoys the Lord, and he is within him, 1 John iv. 16. Hast thou Christ ? then he is within thee: "Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates," 2 Cor. xiii. 5. Hast thou the Spirit ? He is within thee : " Know ye not that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you ? " I Cor. iii. 16. Hast thou peace or joy? Hoin. xiv. 17: they are within thee ; little without. Have ve the kingdom of heaven? Clirist ^ays, it is within you. The heaven that is on earth is witliinus, though the heaven that is in heaven be too great to enter into lis. Therefore is it said, " Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord; " for it is too immense to enter in- to thee. Yet so much as thou art capable of shall be within thee. Many presume there is much good- ness within them, but through their oft-n blindness they are deceived. One writes of a widow, that being thick-sighted sent for a physician to cure her : he promised her good sight ; she him, good money. He comes and ajiplies medicines, binding them over her eyes; and still as he departs, he carries away with him some of her best goods. Thus he continues her pain, till he had robbed her house of all her sub- stance. At last the cure being done, he demands his covenanted pay : but she looking about her house, replied that he had not cured her; for whereas be- fore she could see some goods of her own, now she could see none : before she was thick-sighted, now poor-blind. It is so with us : while we were dim- sighted, we imagined many goods of grace in us ; but now being truly enlightened, we confess our- selves poor; and hence fall on our knees to the Fa- ther of mercies, to supply us with his saving graces. " And abound." 'rliis is the growing. After the groimd is prepared, and the seed injected by the Spirit of grace, fructifying is expected: they must increase, multiply, and abound. Where two things are necessarily implied : First, these things must be in us, before they can abound. " He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them," saith Christ, John xiv. 21 : we must first have them, before we can keep them. There- fore auditors in hearing sermons should bring inten- tion. It is ordinary with many to commend the lec- ture to others' ears, but few commend it to their own hearts. It is morally true, what the Christian Tell- truth relates: A ser\-ant coming from church, praiseth the sermon to his master. He asks him what was the text. Nay, quoth the ser\ant, it was begun be- fore I came in. What then was his conclusion ? He answered, I came out before it was done. But what said he in the midst ? Indeed I was asleep in the midst. Many crowd to get into tlie church, but make no room for the sermon to get into them. C)pen thy heart as well as thine ear: if this seed be not sown there, it will never abound with fruits to ever- lasting life. You come not to a banquet to look on, but to eat: hither God calls, but then, "Eat, O friends," Cant. v. 1 : they are sullen guests that de- part away hungiy. Ezekiel was bidden to eat the roll, chap. iii. 1. You may taste of the heavenly gift, Heb. vi. 4, and feel no sweetness ; but eat it down, and it will be pleasant. Worldly things we seek to swallow down : therefore Clirist calls the riches of the Pharisees, ra ivovra, things within them. " He hath swallowed down riches," Job xx. 1.5. But instead of nourishment they have taken a vomit. The adulterer lays lust next to his heart ; the covetous lays usury, the malicious hatred, next his heart : "Their inward part is ver)' wickedness," Psal. v. 9. But for spiritual things some out-house serves ; as Christ himself could be allowed no room in the inn, the stable is held sufficient. But do you afford better things better places, let them be in you. Not only in your books; (and yet if these things were in the worldling's books, he would bum his study ;) nor only in your heads, for some have much science, little conscience. Not in your mouths only, for many liavc an ill course of life, with a good dis- course of language. But in your hearts, a holy closet fit for such heavenly jewels. Be sure first you have them, then next that you have increased them. Secondly, it is not enough to have them, but to have them in abundance. The heart is but a little piece of ground, yet hath room enough in it for many seeds. God calls'for this increase, 2 Cor. ix. 8 : Rom. XV. 13; Eph. iv. 15. True virtue is not temporal, but is still ambitious of improving itself. (Bent.) The spouse of Christ must have many jewels, Cant. i. 10. Teb 8 SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 93 A jewel at the ear, attention to the word : a jewel at the fool, humility ; a jewel on the forehead, modesty ; a jewel on the hand, eharity; a jewel on the head, constancy ; a jewel on the heart, fidelity. He that hatha goodnumherof these jewels, shall be admitted into the number of God's jewels : " They shall be mine in that day when I make up my jewels," Mai. iii. 17. Take the whole armour of God, Ejih. vi. 1 1 ; one piece will not secure us : we know not which way the blow will come. If we have only the breast- plate, the blow may light on the head : if only the helmet of salvation, it may light on the breast ; therefore take the shield of faith, that covers and defends all. Mars was called Gradirus : every Chris- tian soldier sliould be gradirus; go to heaven by degrees. For our bodies, no care can add to their stature, Matt. vi. 27. But we may add to our spiritual stature ; growing up " unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ," Eph. iv. 13: for God's family admits no dwarfs. The rich man grows easily richer, the good man easily better. Rivers at the first head may be covered with a bushel, which after a few miles fill large channels. A drop of true grace works itself to " rivers of living water," John vii. 38. So is it said of our Saviour, " the third day I shall be perfected," Luke xiii. 32 ; perfection itself grows to perfection ; and shall not we that are imperfect strive toward it ? " In my Father's house are many mansions," John xiv. 2 : not in the wilderness, not in Horeb, not on the mount, where Peter would build tabernacles, nor in any part of this life ; but in hea- ven : therefore still labour to grow and abound, till you come thither. If a man cast a stone into the water, circle begets circle ; so one true grace will beget many. We reckon of a physician that hath abun- dance of medicines, a lawyer that hath abundance of tricks, a usurer that hath abundance of monies, a merchant that hath abundance of wares : we affect abundance in all perishable things ; oh then let us abundantly love gi-ace, that Christ may abundantly love us. " They make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful." I come from the Christian's heart to his hand ; wherein we perceive the efficacy of grace. " Shall make you." Not persuade, nor en- treat, nor move, nor allure, but make you fruitful, by a lively and strenuous operation. If patience be in you, it will make you overcome injuries ; if tem- perance, it will make you abhor riot ; if faith, it will make you believe above sense ; if charity, it will make you beneficial to the poor. Evil men may show the good they have not, but good men cannot hide the good they have. It is like fire within us, it will make us speak, Psal. xxxix. 3; so powerful, that it can neither be suppressed nor expressed. This seed shall bear its fruit ; one blessing is the father of another ; therefore chi-isten every blessing Joseph, upon Rachel's faith and argument, " The Lord shall add to me another son," Gen. xxx. 24. Here is a kind of certainty in this constitution : as sin will make a man fniitful in naughtiness, so piety in holiness. As there is a relation betwixt this life and the next, by an unchangeable ordinance of God: mischief in this world, miscrj- in the world to come; no repentance here, no salvation there ; a AexW on earth, no saint in heaven. But holiness in the seed shall have happiness in the han-est : if the course be gracious, the end shall be glorious. "Whatso- ever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord," Eph. vi. 8. So there is a re- lation in this life betwixt the disposition and the actions. If the heart be full of lust, the tongue will be a trumpet of impudence, the eyes windows of temptation, the gestures so many remonstrances of ready prostitution ; all the wheels being like apt engineers, employed on the will's business. If avarice sit in the heart, like an epicure to feast on gold, op- pression shall be the purveyor to provide it, brokage the caterer to fetch it in, usury the cook to dress it, and destruction the stomach to digest it. AVliat evil seed is within, will appear without. And so if grace have existentiam, a being, it will have apparoiliam, a manifestation. Hath David hope ? he will wait for a kingdom in the extremity of persecution. Hath Abraham faith? he will not deny to God his only son. Hath Job patience ? he will brook all crosses with an unmoved quietness. Hath Daniel temperance ? he will not be enticed with the king's dainties. Hath Joseph chastity ? he will never come near his mis- tress's chamber. Hath Paul fortitude ? he dares fight with beasts at Ephesus. Hath Stephen a faith- ful resolution ? he will be content to die for Christ, and be rained to death with a shower of stones. Needs must that virtue be fruitful that is stirring, and needs must that be stirring that is living, and needs must that be living that is quickened by Jesus Christ. " Neither barren nor unfruitful." Here is a double efTect ; expressed negatively, but implying an affirm- ative or positive consequent ; pregnancy and fertility. For if those privatives, barrenness and unfruit fulness, be taken away, there will necessarily follow a position of those contrary habits. It may be they both signify one thing, I am sure they intend both one sense. Yet I will take leave to resolve them into a double meta- phor; pregnancy to the womb, fertility to the ground. Not " barren." The barren womb hath ever been held a curse and a reproach. So John's mother in- sinuates : " The Lord hath looked on me, to take away my reproach among men," Luke i. 25. When Rachel bore Joseph, she said, " God hath taken away my reproach," Gen. xxx. 23. Wiether carnal bar- renness be a curse or not, I am sure spiritual is no less. "Give them, O Lord : what wilt thou give? give them a miscarr>-ing womb and dry breasts," Hos. ix. 14. When God gives salvation, he is said to take away barrenness : " Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear," Isa. liv. I. Now only God can open both the wombs ; of Rachel's flesh, and of Lydia's heart. Gen. xxx. 22; Acts xvi. 14. If the Lord propagate Abraham's carnal seed, nuich more his spiritual ; " Wliich were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God," John i. 13. It is often observable in the Scrip- ture, that the children of women long barren proved most famoas and excellent. Of Sarah, Isaac, from whose loins such multitudes were deduced. Of Rachel, Joseph, that wonder of men and angels. Of Hannah, Samuel, that great prophet and priest of the Lord. Of Elisabeth, John the Baptist ; of whom the Jjord himself testifies, " Among them that are bom of women, there hath not risen a greater," Matt. xi. II. So those saints that have been begot- ten of spiritual barrenness, and converted from a sinful life wherein they were habituated, have proved most notable instruments of God's gloiy. As Mary Magdalene, that was dispossessed of seven devils, was so honoured as to preach the first sermon of Christ's resurrection, and to have her memory pro- pagated with the glorious gospel, Matt. xxvi. 13. Zaccheus, a publican, an extorting publican, a rich extortioner ; yet how gracious was he to Christ ! yea, how^ gracious was Christ to him! Luke xix. Paul, " bom out of due time," 1 Cor. xv. 8, yet out- stripped the rest, and was in labours more abundant than they all, ver 10. Thus last have been best, as the last grapes make the sweetest wine. When God opens the barren womb, he brings forth the excellent- 94 AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. 1. est chUdren to Christ. '■ Many that are first shall be last ; and the last shall be first," Matt. xix. 30. The last of all prove not the least of all, yea, often the best of all. Now to take away barrenness from the spiritual womb there is required this proceeding ; by prepara- tion, by conception, by pregnancy, and by birth. First, the womb must be prepared ; for barrenness is upon all souls by nature. Therefore let us desire of God, as Rachel begged of Leah, " Give mc, I pray thee, of thy son's mandrakes," Gen. xxx. 14. Little Reuben had gathered sweet flowers in the field ; Rachel hath a mind to them : Epiphanius thinks, to help her barrenness. Pererius observes out of Avicen, that the seed of it doth purge locum conceplionis. Some have taken those mandrakes for lilies, and some for violets ; but certainly they were amiable flowers, such as they wont to strew on the bridal beds. Beseech we the Lord to strew the beds of our hearts with such manib'akes. " The man- drakes give a smell," Cant. \\i. 13 : those holy seeds of grace will take away our barrenness, and prepare our souls for a holy conception. Yea, Christ must intercede for us, as Isaac entreated for Rebekah, " because she was barren ;" and the Lord will be entreated of him, Gen. xxv. 21. In the second place follows conception ; and this is by illumination and sanctified knowledge. Ignor- ant papists gloriously boast their famous progeny of good works : but can a woman bring forth before silo hath conceived ? Such a progeny were a prodigy. Therefore first, " Teach me thy way, O Lord," and then " I will walk in thy truth," Psal. Ixxxvi. 11. And first, " Make me to understand the way of thy precepts : so shall I talk of thy wondrous works," Psal. cxix. 27. If they were examined as Philip questioned the eunuch, " Understandest thou what thou readest?" Acts viii. 30, their negative answer would declare their soul not to be with child of grace. Thou mayst have a swelling, as the Pharisee, ("lam not as other men," &c. Luke xviii. 11,) imagine thyself pregnant, provide thee a midwife, that is, ostentation, to deliver thee; and gossips, flatterers, to witness for thee : but all is but a tympany ; when death, that infallible midwife, comes, thou art de- livered of nothing but wind, vain-glory. Christ calls himself the way, the truth, and the life. He that by understanding conceives not the way, cannot in heart bear the truth, shall not in success bring forth ever- lasting life. You shall have a pharisaical benefactor call together Ms gossips with a tnimpet in the syna- gogue, Matt. vi. 2, as if he would ring them to churchwith a saints' bell : to behold what ? his de- livci-y : of what ? of alms. Alms ? very well ; let us have some more such travails: nay, all is but some windy exhalation. Perhaps he hath got in some desperate forfeiture, and now he will glaze a church window with it; and that is all. Spectatum admissi risum leneatis ? Thirdly, after conception appears pregnancy; grace is bom in the heart by faith and is sensibly felt. If therefore thou hast conceived it, thou shall feel it move in thy soul ; as .Tohn sprung in the womb of his mother at the salutation of Mary, Luke i. 41. Tlie pregnant woman hath many qualms ; the soul in this plight feels many pangs ; and is in Rebekah's case, when the twin brothers " straggled together within her," Gen. xxv. 22. If Esau had been there alone, there had been no contention ; but when she hath also conceived a Jacob, that is spirit, Esau the flesh will oppugn it. Nature can agree with it.sclf, but not with grace. " The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh : and these are contrary the one to the other," Gal. v. I7. No soul bears grace without sorrow and compunction of heart for her sins. " A woman when she is in tra- vail hath sorrow," John xvi. 21. Man's first and second birth begins in crying. " Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God," John iii. 3. Except a man be once bom, he never can see the light on earth ; except he be twice born, he never can see the light of heaven. There is pain in each birth, but here is the difference ; after the sorrow of the first birth, comes more sorrow ; after the sorrow of the second, comes eternal joy. "My little children, of whom I travail in birth again, till Christ be formed in you," Gal. iv. 19. Thy spiritual father hath pain in begetting, thy spiritual mother in bear- ing, and dost thou, the child born, expect indolency and immunity from sorrow ? Yea, all plead concep- tion. I ask you for your pangs: when stood your eyes fidl of tears, your hearts panting with groans, your prayers beating at heaven gates with imjior- tunities? Mothers have fears before their deliveiy, sorrows in then- delivery, languishments after their deliveiy. Mary Magdalene's soul had no sooner con- ceived grace but she wept, and washed Christ's feet with her tears. Lastly comes the production, or bringing forth, which is done by active obedience. Conception is gratia infusa, pregnancy is gratia diffusa, bringing forth is gratia eff'usa. Dost thou presume in thy soul the conception and pregnancy of grace, and yet leadest a profane, covetous, or dissolute life? Thou sayest no, I have thy word to the contraiy ; but thy life says yea, I have not thy work to the contrary : whether thou say no or yea, God and thy own heart know the contrary. Shall we say with the prophet. It is brought to the birth, and there is no power to bring fortri ? No, though it be often so with the body, it is never so with the soul : if the heart have conceived, it will bring forth. The penitent malefactor on the cross no sooner had his barrenness taken away, but pre- sently he brought forth fruit : he condemneth him- self, reproveth the other, justifieth Clu'ist, glorifieth God. Store of good children are not naturally bom on the sudden : but " shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth, saith the Lord ?" Isa. Ixvi. 9. Saving grace hath more validity than nature : he that gives strength to conceive, denies not strength to bring forth : that soul shall " be a joyful mother of many children," Psal. cxiii. 9. Yea, God can give partum sine dolore, birth without pain : " Before she travailed, she brought forth ; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child," Isa. Ixvi. 7- We read of Cornelius's good works ; we read not of his tears. Acts x. Indeed this is a great wonder : " Who hath heard such a thing ? who hath seen such things ? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day ? or shall a nation be bom at once ? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children," Isa. Ixvi. 8. Nor ear hath heard, nor eye hath seen the like : yet God is the worker of such miracles ; that a soul which hath long been barren, shall in one day be set a teeming, and produce gracious fruit to Christ. But where now be our births ? Leah in her old age groweth barren, and ceaseth to bring forth chil- dren to her Husband Christ. Our Saviour delightcth himself with his Rachel, the church triumphant in heaven, now almost complete. Leah, the church militant, ceaseth to bear, and will so continue ; ex- cept she give her son's mandrakes for her Husljand's company, Gen. xxx. 15; forsake her worldly plea- sures wlierewith she is surfeited. I confess tnese are breeding days : and as we say, that the means of begetting hath more increased mankind, than the encl ; so there be spiritual births enough, but they are bastards, our sons are our sins As one writes of Teb. S. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 95 the popish cleif^', wlio refuse a lawful w-ife, to abuse an unlawful harlot ; God in liis just anger took away their children; the devil in his wickedness hath given them bastards. So also are we barren souls to jiroduce lawful children, good works ; plentiful to produce unlawful fruits, wicked sins. Legitimate works are few, illegitimate many. The Romans had their legacies and inheritances given to their bas- tards ; so we dedicate and bequeath all our desires, and delights, and means, to our iniquities. " Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin : and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death," James i. 15. " Lust, when it hath conceived," there is the conception of sin ; " bringeth forth sin," there is the birth of it. " Sin, when it is finished," there is the growth of it ; " bringeth forth death," there is the end of it. It hath a father, a mother, a midwife, a nurse. The devil, by suggesting, begets sin as the father ; lust, by imagining, conceives sin as the mother ; consent, by agreeing, brings it forth as the midwife ; custom, by indulgence, brings it up as the nurse. Here is now no barrenness. The devil was never more busy to beget sin ; concupiscence never more pregnant to conceive it ; consent never more ready to act it ; custom never more strong to continue it. Such a brood you have, Psal. vii. 14: there is longing, conception, birth. Such another, Job xv. 35, " They conceive mischief, bring forth vanity, and theu' belly prcpareth deceit." Here is a quick de- spatch ; they are no sooner delivered, but their belly prepares deceit ; to it again incontinently. These are monstrous births ; it is pity that they are not abortive, and never suffered to see the light. Such a mother may curse the frnit of her own womb. You see we are not barren : but better no light than that which burns us j better no children than bastards. Let us never give life to that \vhich gives death to us. Leah said of Reuben, " This son shall comfort me :" we may say of our iniquity, This sin will afflict me. Many souls are pregnant, but they bring not forth a son of grace, but a daughter of the flesh : it is a daughter, not a son. The Jews have often been deluded in expectation of their Messias : among the rest, I have heard this story reported for one. A Christian was exceedingly in love with a Jew's daughter; who also so over-affected him, that though she might not marry him, yet suffered herself to be begot with child by him. This being perceived, according to their law she must be put to death for it. Her betrothed lover desiring to save her, dressed himself like a shining angel, and taking the benefit of the moon, called to them in a shrill voice to spare her ; affirming that she was with child of the Messias. This was easily credited, her fault acquitted, her life spared. Now when the time of her delivery ap- proached, the expectant Jews swamied thither in multitudes. Delivered she was, but to their mockery and shame, not of a son, but of a daughter. At nine months' end, that virgin Jewess was brought to bed of a Florentine daughter. After .such a manner many tympanous spirits in the world do travail; but when the child is boni, it is not a son of the Spirit, but a daughter of concupiscence. Parturiunt monies, excurrit ridiculus mm: If this be the progeny, barrermess is rather bless- edness : God make us all barren of sins, but fruitfiil of graces, pregnant of salvation ; that we may con- ceive, bear, and bring forth Christ. Indeed he had but one carnal mother, but many spiritual. He that doth my Father's will, is my mother, Matt. sii. 50. Indeed this is a conception which the world never conceived; but it is true from the mouth of Truth itself. Dost thou believe and obey ? thou art Christ's mother. When a woman said, " Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked ;" lie answered, Yea, thou sayest true, she is blessed indeed, and all generations shall call her blessed: but I will tell thee who are rather blessed; " They that hear the word of God, and keep it," Luke xi. 27, 28. Mary herself was more blessed in receiving the fhith of Christ, than in conceiving the flesh of Christ. (August.) Othenvise he might have been her son, and not her Saviour. Not " unfruitfid." Fruitfulnessis that inseparable effect, which God expects from eveiy tree planted in his garden. Is Zion his ground ? it must be fruitful, Isa. V. Is the man of Judah his plant ? he must be fruitfiil ? Is the church his vineyard ? he goes thither to gather fruits. The effect of sanctified knowledge, is fruits, Phil. i. 11. Art thou the spouse of Christ ? thou art fruitful. We are married to Chi-ist, '• that we should bring forth fruit unto God," Rom. vii. 4. Hast thou the Spirit ? it appears in the fruits : " The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace," &c. Gal. v. 22. Hath a man known Christ ? it is seen in the fruits : "For every tree is known by his own fruit," Luke vi. 44. Good works are compared to fruits for two special resemblances ; odour, and taste. For odour ; God is pleased with the smell of our graces. " See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed," Gen. xxvii. 27. " The mandrakes give a smell," Cant. vii. 13. Not that GUI- good works smell fragrantly of them- selves, but in the merits of Christ. The virgin souls espoused to Christ, get their Husband's flowers ; his perfumes make them sweet. Cant. i. 3. " All thy garments smell of myrrh, aloes, and cassia, Psal. xlv. 8. Thy gartneitts: our clothes hide but a rotten carcass, perhaps a rotten conscience ; Christ's gar- ments are truly sweet. Thi/ garments : our best righteousness is loathsome rags, Isa. Ixiv. 6. All thine ; thy justice, thy mercy, thy grace, thy satis- faction, thy obedience : all ; there is not a hem of thy vesture but, if it be touched with the hand of faith, is healing and saving. They smell of myrrk aloes, and cassia. They are comfortative ; In the midst of my sorrows " thy comforts delight my soul," Psal. sciv. 19. Purgative ; they cleanse our con- sciences, Heb. ix. 14. Sanative ; by hi» stripes we are healed, 1 Pet. ii. 24. In his merits our mandrakes give a pleasant smell. Now that this sweet odour may be in om- works, we must be sure to take out the scent of Adam, the ill savour of our narive cor- ruption. Our prayers are as incense, and the lifting up of our hands as an evening sacrifice, Psal. cxli. 2. Yet praise is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner. It is like Samson's honey out of the mouth of a dead beast. If you walk contrary to me, " I will not smell the savoiu- of your sweet odours," Lev. xxvi. 31. But if it be sanctified, it is "an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice well-pleasing to God," Phil. iv. 18. If charity toward some be separated fi'om equity to- ward others, that sacrifice of alms is mingled with blood ; as Pilate served those whose blood he min- gled with the blood of their sacrifices, Luke xiii. 1. The form of a work is the life of it ; and God may say, as the poet did to the harsh repeater of his verses, Quern recitas mens est, &c. The good matter is mine, the corrupt matter is thine. For taste; some fruits have a sweet smell, but a bitter relish. The actions of the Pharisees smelt well, but when they came to be tasted, they were rue and wonnwood. The gospel calls for relishable fruits ; not such as impiety produceth, " What finiit had ye then in those things whereof you are now ashamed?" Rom. vi. 21, but fmit unto holiness, the end whereof is everlasting life, ver. 22. It is no* enough to avoid barrenness, but to manifest fruitful »> AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. I. ness. To " eschew evil," that is the first lesson of Christianity; hut not all, to " do good" is the per- fection, 1 Pet. iii. II. '■ Let every one that nanieth the name of Christ depart from iniquity," 2 Tim. ii. 19 : that is one step, but not high enough; we must also do the will of our Fatlier. The forbearance of sm doth but bring Christ unto our doors ; it is fruit- fulness in good that settles him in our hearts. " In the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." It is saving knowledge that takes away barrenness, and makes us fruitful in the works of obedience. "Wlio planfeth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof?" I Cor. ix. 7- We expect this of the earth that hath only nature ; and sliall not God ex- pect it of us, who have sense to govern nature, reason to govern sense, grace to govern reason, Jesus Christ to govern all ? The knowledge of our blessed Sa- viour is sweet and public : now after this confessed sweetness, how bitter would that question be, if I should dispute whether this knowledge be truly in us or not ! We say we know him : but " hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his command- ments," 1 John ii. 3. And now tlie question grows bitterer and bitterer, from wormwood to gall. Let us appeal from men's lips to their lives : he that obeys him not, knows him not; if the princes of this world had known, " they would not have cnicified the Lord of glorj'," I Cor. ii. 8. If we know him, we will not again crucify our blessed Saviour, and take upon us their office whom we so condemn ; Judas's to betray him, Pilate's to condemn him, the soldiers' to cnicify him. If he that despised Moses's law died without mercy, what punishment is he worthy of that treads under foot the Son of God ? Heb. x. 28. 29. Profane Christians are worse than the Jews: they threw Christ down, but did not tread upon him ; these tread under feet that sacred 1)lood. When the Jew wounded him, out came blood : when tlie Gen- tile wounded him. out came blood and water : wlien the Christian shall wound him, out will come blood and fire. Paul calls Christ "that Rock:" when Moses smote the rock, out came water; if we strike it, out will come bloody water ; not to purge us, but to judge us, at that day when we shall see Him whom we have pierced. We attain that now by the spirit of the gospel, which we co\ild not by the letter of the law. The apostle calls that a " killing leltcr;" so it was mortua, dead, and morlifera, deadly ; for sin was by the law, and death by sin. But if faith do not give us Christ, we are still under the law : and if our obedience do not testify our failh, the law was not more deadly than is the gospel to us ; for it en- hanceth our condemnation. Christ calls himself that "Stone," Matt. xxi. 44; we may he built on it, we may be spilt by it, according to our usage of it. Circumstances of a sin give aggravation to it. The action is varied according to the person. We expect l>etter things of well-promising professors than of impudent and prostituted libertines. Shall an officer that refonns the tap-liouse be himself found in a hrotlicl-house? Were it not strange that tlic witch should tell the juggler he hath a bad con- science? or that the hypocrite should rail at the player? or the usurer challenge the thief? or the lay parson with his sacrilegioiis improiu-iatinn blame the i)oor vicar for looking narrowly to liis jioor rem- nants ? It is all one. as if he that hath taken away my house should find fault with me for putting on my cloak. The dissolute shall speed belter tlian tlie hypocrite ; and lukcwarmness is more offensive to God's stomach than frost-coldness. The thistle in the forest shall not fare so ill as the barren fig tree in the vineyard. Therefore, " though Israel play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend," Hos. iv. 15. ' The offering brought with unhallowed hands, is worse than none at all. Nothing more useful than light and salt. Yet for the light, if it " be darkness, how great is that darkness ! " Matt. vi. 23. And for salt, if it have lost the " savour, wherewith shall it be salted ?" Matt. v. 13. Though men be never so pro- found in knowledge, if they be profane in conversa- tion, tlieir salt is lost. Salt keeps other tilings from putrefaction, but if it be putrified itself, what should season it ? A sweet singer delights us all ; but if a serpent liath stung him, who sliall recover his voice ? If the eye be out, what shall look to the eye ? The manna kept, and not si)ent, rotted : good gifts smothered will come to nothing. Samson lost his strength in Delilah's lap : the strength of grace is lost in idleness. If Jerusalem forget lier first love, presently her right hand forgets her cunning, Psal. cxxxvii. 5. There are three things obser\able in in the infatuated salt. 1. The difficulty to be re- covered, "Wherewith shall it be salted?" 2. The unprofitableness, " It is good for nothing." 3. The contempt and scorn, " It is cast out and trodden under foot of men." Neither is the unprofitable minister only this unsavoury salt, though Christ directed that speech to his apostles : if they be dark lanterns, if any fault be in those lights, tlie whole parish is full of snuffers : but also even every professor of god- liness, that hath denied the power thereof, 2 "Tim. iii. 5. Such a one, like lost salt, is good for nothing. For that is good for nothing, that is not good for the end and purjiose why it was made. If a knife be not good to cut, we say it is good for nothing ; yet it may be put to some other use. If a plough be not good to break the ground, we say it is good for no- thing; yet it may stop a gap. If a hound be not good to hunt, we say he is good for nothing ; yet he may in the night give warning of a thief. But if a professor be not good for honesty, he is indeed good for nothing. Corniptio opiimi peisima: the body oi a dead man is more offensive than tlie carcass of a beast. Putrified flowers stink worse than weeds. A surfeit of bread (though it be the staff of life) is the most dangerous surfeit. " Son of man, what is the vine ? shall wood be taken thereof to do any work ? or will men take a pin of it, to hang any vessel thereon ? " Ezck. xv. 2, 3. The vine fruitless, is of all trees most useless. Though it be compared to divers noble and worthy things: the tribe of Judah is called a vine, Isa. v. "The good woman a vine; " Tliy wife shall be as a fruitful vine," Psal. cxx\-iii. 3. The best man a vine, John xv. 1. Though it be the vine that cheereth the heart of God and man, Judg. ix. 13 : yet if this vine be fruitless, it is good for nothing, not so much as to make a pin to hang a hat oij. Oaks and cedars are good for building, poplars for pales, very bushes for hedging, dot lard wood for firing ; but the fniitless vine is good for nothing. It is obser\'ablc that the refitse of other things have their uses. Sour wine will make vinegar; old rags paper ; lees are for dyers ; soil and rubbish is good to fat the ground; potsherds and broken tiles to mend high-ways; yea, they offer lo sell combing of hairs, ladies and gentlewomen know if they be good for any purpose. But the fruille-ss vine, the savourless salt, tne lightless lamp, the graceless Christian, is good for nothing. Let all yield to him, if he be fruitful; let him yield to all, if he be bar- ren. The daughter of Zion would never have been so notorious a liarlot had she not been first so rare a virgin. Julian had been less damned had he never been a Christian. Consider the fearfulness of their judgnu^nt, John XV. 2, 6. where you find seven degrees of their fall : Ver. 3. SKCOXD EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 97 1. They bear no fmit, this i.s their finst step to hell. 2. Bearing no fniit, they arc cut away from the vine : incision is blessed, but abscission most wretched. " Cut it down ; why cumbcreth it tlie ground ? " Luke xiii. 7. To be excommunicated from Jesus Christ, is most accursed. 3. Being cut from the \-ine, they are cast out of the vineyard : the prayers of the church are not heard for them, nor arc they suffered to suck onthebreasts of her consolation, Isa.lxvi. II. 4. Being cast out of the vineyard, they wither : needs must that branch wither, that receives no life of sap from Him that gives the sap of life imto all. 5. Being withered, they are bound into faggots, like the tares into bundles, Matt. xiii. 30. Not all knit into one, but many several faggots. An adulterer with his adulteress make one faggot. A dninkard with his pot- companion, another fasfgot. A seminary with a trai- tor, another faggot. The extortioner and his broker, another faggot. The whore-master and his pander, another faggot. All shall not be punished in the same degree, albeit in the same torment. 6. Being thus faggotted and coupled together, they are cast into the fire, the most terrible of all tortures. 7. Lastly, being cast into the fire, they burn and fiy in those quenchless flames, " where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched,"' Mark ix. 48 ; in comparison whereof, our earthly fire is no more than if it were but painted. They are ever frying, never dying; in universal and elernal anguish. Universal upon every part of body and soul. For the body, they are bound hand and foot, and crowded into a prison of outer darkness. Matt. xxii. 13 : like bricks in a fiery furnace, not able to wrinch ; having not so much as a chink where any cool wind may enter in to refresh them. Their seein" affrighted with ugly devils and darkness ; their hearing, with hideous outcries ; their smelling, with the odious stenches of the filthy bodies under torture ; their taste, with a raging thirst (begging one drop of ungranted water, Luke xvi. 24) and a ravening hunger, biting their tongues for anguish ; their feeling afflicted with in- sufferable torments, in " a lake of fire burning with brimstone," Rev. xix. 20. And now if the pain of the body be but as it were the body of pain, the soul of torment is the torment of the soul. The fancy distracted with horrid imaginations, like a melan- choly man's frightful dreams ; being horribly aston- ished with strange apparitions ; sad visions appear- ing to them with heavy countenances, AVisd. xvii. 3, 4. The will is vexed, that it must have the will in nothing. The memory with a fixed recordation of past things; what it once enjoyed, what it now sufferelh, and what it must suffer for ever. It can think of nothing to administer comfort ; that it was once happy more afflicts it. Now as the reprobates commit two evils, Jer. ii. 13, forsaking the fountain of living waters, and fall to the broken cisterns of their own digging ; as there is in sin an aversion from the Creator, and a conversion to the creature; so there is in punishment : for aversion, the punisliment of loss, a privation of all blessed comforts ; for conver- sion to the creature, a punishment of sense, a posi- tion of all possible plagues. This is manifest by the rejection, "Depart from me," Matt. xxv. 41 ; from me your Redeemer, from me that made myself man for your sakcs, from me that received such wounds for your remedy, from me that invited you with par- don, but you would none. Therefore depart from me, from my friendship, from my protection, from my presence, from my paradise, froln my kingdom, from my sight ; and from all those that go with me, choirs of glorious angels, communion of blessed saints : this is the privation. " Into everlasting fire," there is the position : a fearful place ! God grant we may never know more of it than by hearsay. I have been content to urge the danger of unfniiifulness, that you may prevent it. As Nineveh overthrew the message of her overthrow by her repentance, her sins were destroyed and herself stood ; so may our provision of those torments in thought be the prevention of them in sense. God, in his mercy, threatens before he punishes, that he may not punish as he threatens. What David said of his enemies, " Let them go down quick into hell," Psal. Iv. 15 ; we may in another sense wish to ourselves, our best friends. Descend we every day into hell by meditation, that at the last day we may not descend thither by condemnation. Let us often go to hell while we live, that we may not come thitner when we are dead. Recollect we ourselves, and become fruitful trees ; that when God transplants us from this nurser)', he may set us in his own glorious garden. The fniits of the earth spring, bud, grow green, grow ripe, and then wither : but the fruits of the Spirit shall never decay. If they have filled God's vineyard on earth, they shall flourish in his Eden of heaven for ever. " In the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." The object of our knowledge here is our blessed Sa- viour, comfortably described to us in four attributes : 1. Our. 2. Lord. 3. Jesus. 4. Christ. As he is Lord he can, as he is Jesus he will, as he is Christ he doth, as he is Our he should, save us. Lord; con- sider his mightiness. Jesus; consider his sweetness. Christ; consider his willingness. Our; consider his goodness, that gives us interest in himself, and vouch- safes us to challenge his mercy. Lord, in regard of his dominion ; " The Lord reigneth ; let the people trem- ble : he sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth bo moved," Psal. xcix. 1. Jesus, in regard of his salva- tion ; " He that is our God is the God of our salvation," Psal. Ix^iii. 20 ; who came into the world to save sinners. Christ, in regard of the promise. God did promise him, and the Jews expected him, under the name of Christ : " Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ?" John vii. 26. "This is the Christ," ver. 41. Our, in regard of his appropri- ating himself unto us, not taking on him the nature of angels, but the seed of Abraham, Heb. ii. 16. He took our flesh, that we might take of his Spirit ; and thus gave us an interest in himself. Our Advocate ; " We have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous," I John ii. 1. Our Lord, our Jesus, our Christ. Again, Jesus in facto, noster in paclo. Lord, in his power ; his works declare him to be the Lord ; who doth what he will in heaven, in earth, in the sea, and in all deep places, Psal. exxxv. 6. The same works that the Father doth, doth the Son also. Jesus, in being made ; he that is the Lord the Creator, was made Jesus a creature : " Made of a woman," Gal. iv. 4. " The Word was made flesh," John i. 14. The Word, what more powrt-ful ? FUsli, what more feeble ? Made, what more wonder- ful ? Christ, in being sacrificed and crucified for us ; broken for our transgressions : " Take, eat ; this is my body, which is broken for you," 1 Cor. xi. 24. The Israelites did eat a lamb roasted ; we, the Lamb of God crucified. He was broken for us : breaking is taken from an alteration of the good estate of the body. So it is said, age breaks a man. Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet was not his natural force broken, Deut. xxxiv. 7 : it was recorded as a matter of admiration. " I am feeble and sore broken," Psal. xxxviii. 8 : sorrow breaks a man. Our Saviour, though he was young, and of a most excellent constitution, yet was thus broken. No fonn or comeliness in him : why ? because he was " a man of sorrqws," Isa. liii. But what is age, sickness, and sorrow, to the hand of God ? The 98 AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. 1 Lord did break him : " Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro ? " Job xiii. 25. " As a lion, so will he break all my bones," Isa. xxxviii. 13. "Make mo to hear of joy and gladness ; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice," Psal. li. 8. Christ was broken in all parts of his flesh, his head with thorns, his back with scourges, his hands and feet with nails, his side with a spear; only (that the scripture might be fulfilled) not a bone of him was broken. Our, in respect of the covenant ; I will be your God, and you shall be my people, Heb. viii. 10. Infinite mercy I the Lord's Christ is become our Jesus, Luke ii. 26. The sum of the instruction is to teach us how to know our Saviour; as Lord, as Jesus, as Christ, as our Lord Jesus Christ. He is Lord, let us know his majesty ; Jesus, let us know his mercy ; Christ, know his office ; ours, know our own interest in him. Lord : in this title consider his power: know him hominem verum, but not hominem merum. He is of Israel concerning the flesh, but also " over all, God blessed for ever. Amen," Rom. ix. 5. Grace from the Lord Jesus, Col. i. 2 ; from him as God, as the fountain of grace. Grace and peace through the Lord Jesus, 2 Pet. i. 2; through him as Mediator, as the conduit-pipe to derive it to us. Lord : this title is given him to distinguish and declare his power ; as in weighty proclamations kings set down their names with their titles. So, " The Lord, the Lord God, merciful, gracious," &c. Exod. xxxiv. 6. What- soever the Father did to us, Christ did also, to prove him Lord. Did the Father create us ? so doth the Son; " By him were all things created," Col. i. 16; by him, that is there called the image of the invisible God, and first-born of every creature. Doth the Father uphold the world by his providence ? so doth the Son ; he upholdelh " all things by the word of his power," Heb. i. 3. Doth the Father regenerate us ? so doth the Son, Col. ii. 13. Doth the Father raise the dead ? so doth the Son ; " As the Father quickeneth them, so the Son quickeneth whom he will," John V. 21. Therefore is the Son called " The everlasting Father," Isa. ix. 6. God is as almighty in his Son as he is in himself. This is a mystery; to search too far into it, is presumption; to believe it, is godliness ; to know it, is everlasting blessedness. Jesus: in this contemplate his mercy. He hath not his name for no cause : the angel gives the for : " Thou shall call his name Jesus : for he shall save his people from their sins," Matt. i. 21. Jesus is his name, and salvation is with him. He that tndy knows this Jesus, knows him both God and man, one Person, our Saviour. The word Jesus hath but three tei-minations among the Latins; Jesus, Jcsu, Jesum. Take the three last letters, and they make sum, I Am, the incommunicable name of God. Therefore as the apostles did in their Epistles, so let us in our hearts, evei-more join Jesus with God the Father. 1. Because "he that lionoureth not the Son honour- eth not the Father," John v. 23 : he that dishonours one Person of the Trinity, dishonours all. 2. Because all good from God to us is by Jesus; for otherwise we may have riches, and honours, and worldly pos- sessions, but not have them as mercies. No man comforfslily knoweth God but by Jesus : there is no safe vcnturing>«i that infinite justice, without mercy at the right hantJ^f it. Christ : in thisNpieditate on his office, and the purpose of his corn\ng, which was to redeem us. " For God sent not nis Son to condemn the world ; but that the world through him might be saved," John iii. 17. " 1 ca))ic not to judge the world, but to save the worli], ■ John xii. 47. For this end he was appointed and anointed; "The Lord hath anointed me, to heal the broken-hearted," &-c. Luke iv. 18. Now let not God's pui-ppse bo frustrated; God sent whom he promised, do thou entertain him into a pure heart. When Martha told her sister Mary secretly, The Lord is come ; she, as soon as she heard it, " arose quickly, and came unto hirn," John xi. 29. The Messias, the Christ, the Eedeeiner is come, that blessed High Priest that offered up himself an cxpiatorj- sacrifice for us ; now arise, let us go and meet him. Our Lord Jesus Christ : in this obsei-ve his per- formance, and free donation of himself to us. He is not only the Lord, and the Jesus, and the Christ, but ours. Whatsoever he did or suffered, was for us : " The Messiah shall be cut off; but not for him- self," Dan. ix. 26 : not for devils, not for angels, not for himself: for whom then ? for us men and for our salvation ; the lost sheep, the sinners, the rebels. " Unto us a son is given," Isa. ix. 6. To us a Saviour is born, Luke ii. 11. This om- is a possessive: in knowing him a Lord, there is fear ; in knowing him a Jesus, there is comfort ; in knowing him a Christ, there is hope ; in knowing him ours, there is assurance. Our : God loves tnese appropriations of mercy, if they be of the breed of faith. So he taught us to pray. Our Father; not by an epithet, holy Father, righteous Father, omnipotent Father; but by a pro- noun. Our Father. Yea, he admits every particular hand of faith to take his own handful out of this sheaf, and to turn our into mine. Though he be the God of all, yet Paul says, " My God," Phil. iv. 19 ; " My God shall supply all your need." Though he be the Lord of all, yet saith Thomas, " My Lord," Jolm XX. 28. Though he be the Saviour of all his people, yet saith Maiy, " My Saviour," Luke i. 47 ; " My spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour." Tliough he be the Father of the spirits of all flesh, yet he chargeth a faithful soul, " Thou slialt call me, My Father," Jer. iii. 19. If God say unto thy soul, I am thy salvation ; why mayst not thou say to him. Thou art my God ? The Eomists challenge us of over-boldness, and peremptoiy arrogance, to say, My God, as if we did engross Christ ; but indeed they engross him, that confine him to Rome. But why ? Because the frantic merchant stands on the quay, and cries. All the ships are mine; may not therefore a sober merchant stand there, and say. This ship is mine ? Is there no Jesus to be had xmless we fetch him from Rome? The Lord commands this voice of faith; " Israel shall cry unto me, My God," Hos. viii. 2. " Thou art my God, and I will jiraise thee," Psal. cxviii. 28. There is no presump- tion in the speaker where there is autjiority of the commander. But now that we may assure him ours, let us assure ourselves his. Marce, iil ameris, ama. The best demon- stration of our possession of liim, is to find his pos- session of us. " My Beloved is mine, and I am his," Cant. ii. 16. Wouldst thou know the certainty of this marriage, and uniting of thy soul to Christ ? When (here is doubt made concerning a marriage, we search the register, and take out a certificate or testimony under the curate's hand ; and that satisfies the court. So here go to the register, thy heart : there it is re- corded, if it be at all, under the hand of the Holy Ghost; for, "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we arc the children of God," Rom. viii. Ki. Exhibit this in the court of thy conscience, and all the doubts are cleared. Arc thy affections knit to Christ ? art thou where thou lovest, rather than where thou livest ? is the desire of thy soul with God ? this is a blessed fmition. " A bimdlc of myrrh is my well-beloved unto me ; he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts," Cant. i. 13: let him lod^e in thv heart for ever. When thou art thus ravished " Veo. 8. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 9'J with him, he will be also ravished witli thee ; " Thou hast ravishctl my heart, my sister : tliou hast ravish- ed my heart," Cant. iv. 9. The instmction is cleared to our faith, how we ought, to know our Saviour ; as Lord, as Jesus, as Christ, as oiii-s. Now for our afiections, let us make some use of it, and so conclude with application. For use, the true knowledge of Christ, according to these four terms, meets with four temptations. 1. Lord, meets with our pride. If thou be under a supreme Lord, wliy dost thou insult and domineer as if thou wcrt no servant ? 2. Jesus, meets with our despair. Who can despair that knows he hath this Jesus for a Saviour ? 3. Christ, meets with our dis- regard and neglect of his behests. If he be the Holy One of God, let us reverence him. 4. Our, meets with our covetousness and worldly aflFections. Let us not tly from that which is oui'S, and fly after that which is none of ours. Lord. Art thou provoked to pride and presump- tion? humble thyself, there is a Lord above thee. When the apostles strove about matter of superiority, Christ rebuked them ; " And the Lord said, Simon," &c. Luke xxii. 31. He is not there (as in other places) called Jesus, but the Lord. But why was nis speech directed to Simon ? Because he was most likely to be too confident, having most audacity, and being the chief speaker. The greatest gifts most endanger a man to pride. A father loves all his chilch-en well, but is most tender to the sickliest child : perhaps Peter w'as most sick of this disease ; I am sure his usurping successors are incurable. Humble thy haughty mind, there is a Lord above thee ; and such a Lord, as " resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble," 1 Pet. v. 5. Pharaoh cries, Who is the Lord ? Who ? even he that drowned Pharaoh in the Red sea. The slave durst not boast himself if he were sure that his lord heard him. When a great prelate durst write, I and my king ; the king subscribed in act, I and my slave ; and quickly took down the main-mast of his ambi- tion. To question the titles of kings, hath ever been held treason : why then dare any jiresumptuous spirit oppose the word of this Lord ? No ; Say the word, O Lord, and my seiTant shall be healed. Matt, viii. 8. Jesus. Art thou tempted to despair ? Jesus is a name in which a faithful soul vanquisheth despera- tion. Despair is a sin that never knew Jesus. The drowning man would never suik, if he knew and felt 'T'an infallible stay in his hand. Desperation is like that / beast that had no name given it. Dan. vii. 7- There were three specified, a lion, a bear, a leopard ; but the fourth hath no denomination. To those four terrible beasts are likened four heinous sins ; presumption to the lion, persecution to the bear, oppression to the leopard; andto the nameless fourth desperation. The lion; presumptioti hath been conquered, in Marj- Magdalene. The bear ; persecution subdued, in Paul. The leopard ; oppression tamed, in Zaccheus. But desperation, without distinguishing the kind, is "dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly ; it had great iron teeth ; it devoured and brake in pieces ; and it had ten horns." It hath horns enough to push at God with blasphemy, at man with injury, at its own soul with distrust of mercy. Other sins are fearfiil enough, and have the rage of lions, and bears, and leopards, to make man's soul miserable. But the j final ruin, never to be recovered wliile there stands a [scat of justice in heaven, is desperation. Well, yet before any man fall into this gulf, let him look up and know Jesus ; " Behold that Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world," John i. 29. Be- hold the Lamb of God, ye tliat are lions to your own souls! hath his death putsense into rocks and stones, and can it not persuade you ? Is the blood of Jesus shed for you, and will you in an impatient fury throw your own blood into the air with Julian, or spill it on the ground with Saul, or sacrifice it on a tree with Judas ? Shall he open heaven, and ye shut it ? he ))ull you out of the fire, and you run into it again ? He drunk to you in a cup of passion, and you snould pledge him in a cup of salvation ; singing with that melodious prophet, " I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord," Psal. cxvi. 13. Will you then take a cup of death and despair, blas- pheme his name, evacuate his merits, tread his blood under your feet, and die past liope ? God forbid it ; and the prayers of your lips, the tears of your eyes, the groans of your hearts, and the hope of your souls, heartily forbid it. No man can despair, that tnily knows our good Lord Jesus. Christ. Is not the great benefit of redemption yet thoroughly apprehended of thy soul ? art thou tempted to distrust or disregard a work of such infi- nite price ? Behold him ; he is the Christ, the ex- pectation of the Jews, the consolation of the Gentiles, the salvation of all ; " A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel," Luke ii. 32. The creation by God's hand was a great work; but the redemption by Christ's death a greater work. In the creation he made man like himself; in the re- demption he made himself like man. There he made us partakers of his good ; here he makes himself par- taker of our evil. (Granat.) There lie only spake the word; here he did not only speak words, but suffer- ed wounds : he wrought wonders, he endured thun- ders ; what heaven, earth, and hell could inflict upon him. There man was made in the image of God ; here God is made in the image of man. The crea- tion was a work of his fingers ; " When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers," Psal. viii. 3. Redemption a work of his arm ; " His holy arm hath gotten liim the victory," Psal. xcviii. I : yea, it was a work of his heart, even that bled to death to cic- complish it. Now if it be tnie what the school speaks. If the saving of one soul be greater than the making of the whole world ; (Aquin.) and the good- ness of grace doth so far transcend the goodness of nature ; then be thankful to God for his creation, but much more bless him for his Christ. If I owe my whole self for my creation, what have I left to pay for my Redeemer? (Bern.) I will sei-ve thee, O Lord, because thou hast given me myself; but much more honour thee because thou hast given me thy Son Christ. Our. Arc we led aside with worldly alTections, and a ha\-ing covetousness ? know, nothing is ours but Jesus Christ. " I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him cruci- fied," 1 Cor. ii. 2. This was that blessed apostle's resolution. Love him above all : affect nothing against him, nothing above him, nothing like him, nothing besides him, but what only for him. " Be- hold," saith Peter, " we have forsaken all, and fol- lowed thee," Matt. xix. 27. Tlicy lost nothing by it ; When I sit on my throne, ye shall sit on thrones with me, ' ver. 2S. If Christ "be ours, all is ours : " All things are yours ; whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things pre- sent, or things to come; all are yours; and ye are Christ's ; and Christ is God's," 1 Cor. iii. 21—23. In this heavenly conveyance there is, 1. The tenure, of great latitude, all things. 2. The tenants, of great happiness, ours. 3. The Heir, of great excellency, Christ. 4. The Landlord, of great majesty, God. It is said of the wicked, that they " forsake their own mercy," Jonah ii. 8. Their own, as proper to 100 AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. I. them, more certain than the skin to their flesh, if they would Iiave kept it ; but, as Christ said to the Jews, " Ye would not." He that forsakes his ovni to snatch away anothei-'s, shall neither keep an- other's nor his own. See what you do, ye covetous ; you leave your own Christ, for the world that is not yours ; the substance for the shadow ; and you shall lose both shadow and substance. Ours : this is the encouragement of faith and obedience : why do we so labour to be his, but because we are sure he is ours ? Every man loves his own ; let us never for- sake our own Josus. You see now the use of this fourfold knowledge of our Saviour. Some men's pride lifts them up to presumption ; let them acknowledge him a Lord. Some men's distnist casts them down to desperation ; let them acknowledge him a Jesus. Some men's carelessness lulls them in security ; let them acknow- ledge him a Christ. Some men's covetousness drives them to apostacy ; let them acknowledge him ours. Consider him Lord, and be not proud : consider him Jesus, and be not desperate : consider him Christ, and be not dissolute : consider him ours, and be not runagates. Thou hast made thyself ours, make us all thine, O dear Saviour of the world. Now for application, to bring all yet nearer home to our consciences. He is Lord, give him obedi- ence. He is Jesus, and requires our hope. He is Christ, and requires our faith. He is ours, and re- quires our charity. Lord : this challengeth our obedient service : " Hear ye him," Matt. xvii. 5. He is that great Prophet of the Lord, whom we are bound to " hear in all things," Acts iii. 22. Swear not : who com- manded it? The Lord, Matt. v. 34. Be not angry unjustly : who forbad it ? The Lord, ver. 22. Be merciful : who imposed it ? The Lord, Luke vi. 36. Who obeys this Lord ? Now this Lord forgive us : "If I be a Lord, where is my fear?" Mai. i. 6. He may ask indeed, where is it ? and who can answer him with a demonstration? The lion roars, but who trembles? He that will not tremble at his words, Isa. Ix^-i. 2, shall feel his wounds. But if he be not our Lord to govern us, he will not be om- Jesus to save us. Jesus : this requires our hope ; for in whom is our hope but in Jesus ? When we are exercised with worldly troubles, with great molestation, we labour to extricate oui'selves, and faintly say, we hope in Jesus ; but concerning heaven, we all hope well enough for that. Yet when death comes with his offer to help us thither, where is our hope ? alas, amazement hath mated it. We are like little chil- dren, that all the day complain, and yet when the medicine is brought tliem at night, they are not sick Or like those that run all the week up and down the house, crying out of the pain of their teeth; and at last seeing the barber come to pull them out, pre- sently feel no more torment. Or as tender bodies in a pricking pleurisy, call and cannot stay for a surgeon ; and yet when they see him whetting his lancet to help them, pluck in their arms, and hide them in the bed. The true reason hereof is want of hope ; but he that knows his Jesus, is comforted in hope. " If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we arc of all men most miserable," 1 Cor. xv. 19. For this life and for ever, repose we our hope in him. Christ : this term exacteth our faith. Knowest thou Christ? Thou wilt trust him. "They that know thy name will put their trust in thee," Psal. ix. 10. Knowledge of Christ, and faith in Chri.st, are inseparable. " I know whom I have believed," 2 Tim. i. 12. My faith is not built upon ignorance, I know him well. Indeed though salvation belong to all men, yet all men do not belong to salvation. None pertain to it, but such as take benefit by it ; and none take benefit by it, (no more than they did by the brascn serpent,) but they that fix the eye of their faith upon it. He is Christ, the Lord's anoint- ed, sent for that end, to save us : how great an injus- tice is this, not to trust our salvation on him, that was from all eternity appointed for that purpose ! Ours : therefore let us give him our love. The knowledge of a propriety challengeth an earnest affection. The good son loves his own parent ; the brother loves the son of his mother; the chaste wife loves her own husband. Christ is our Father, our Brother, our Husband : ours, let us love him. " Whom have I in heaven but thee ? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee," Psal. Ixxiii. 25. Let me lose all, so I may reserve thee. A philosopher could thus comfort himself when the tyrant threatened him : I will take away thy house : yet thou canst not takeaway my peace. I will breakup thy school : yet I shall keep whole my peace. I will confiscate all thy goods : yet there is no premunire against my peace. I will banish thee thy countr)' : yet I shall carry my peace with me ; for the wise man's home is wheresoever he is wise. So let the world take from us our riches, yet we have Christ : let it take from us our friends, yet we have Christ : let it take from us our liberty, yet we have Christ : let it take from us our wives and children, dear comforts, yet we have Christ : let it take from us our life, yet we have Christ ; that is to us both in life and death an advantage. When Da\ad said to Mcphibosheth, "Thou and Ziba divide the land;" he answered, " Yea, let him take all, forasmuch as my lord the king is come home in peace," 2 Sam. xix. 29, 30. Thus let the world take all, so we may enjoy Jesus Christ. Conclusion. The sum and heart of the text con- cerns the fruitfulncss of our knowledge of Jesus Christ. What nation ever had the knowledge of him more abundantly propagated ? I may say to you as Christ said to his apostles. Blessed are your eyes, for they see; blessed are your ears, for they hear: but I cannot say, Blessed are your feet, for they walk ; blessed are your hands, for they work ; blessed arc your hearts, for they embrace. Our eyes and ears do their office, all the fault is in our hearts : now the Lord open our hearts. We have knowledge, and it costs us nothing ; bestow but the gathering of your manna, and it is yours. Aaron's bells give you music by day ; as your city-waifs by night : music in the streets, whereof they partake that pay nothing for it. A man needs not say to his brother, " Know the Lord : for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest," Heb. viii. 11. Our knowledge is universal, or at least should be universal, for God hath not scanted the means. God hath poured out his Spirit upon all flesh: our sons and our daughters prophesy, our young men see visions, and our old men dream dreams. Acts ii. 17. Tliey see visions, and tell you the risions they see. Your wnse men desire not, like deep streams, to run silent to themselves ; but in a sweet murmur sing you the songs of Zion. We have knowledge, and need not travel for it : you wan- der not from sea to sea, nor run from north to cast, to seek the word of God, Amos viii. 12. To nm to Kome for accomplishment of knowledge, is to go into an infected house to fetch out a rich suit, or to put the linger into a fiery crucible to take out the gold. What travel our young gallants for ? to hear news ? Tully said he coidd better hear the news of Rome at Antium, than at Rome. Paris cannot tell more news of France, nor Madrid of Spain, than your Exchange in London of both. I am sure that England stands as near to heaven as Italy; and the good tidings of Zion is here safer, and sooner, and Ver. 8. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 101 sounder learned. It is then for knowledge : tlu y tliat cross the seas to fill their brains with knowledge, travel northward for heat, and seek the candle that they carry in their hand. The Cimmerians that live in perpetual darkness, though they deny a sun, are not condemned of im- ]iiety, but of ignorance. But Anaxagoras, that saw the sun, and denied it, is condemned not of ignorance, but of impiety. How great is our condemnation, if we know the light, and yet choose darkness! John iii. ly. Former times were like Leah, blear-eyed, but fruitful : ours like Rachel, fair, but barren. A^'e give so general acclamation to the gospel, and the salvation by it, that we forget to observe the law. As upon some solemn festival, the bells in all steeples are rung, but then the clocks are tied up ; there is a great untuned confusion and clangour, but no man knows how the time passeth away. So in this uni- versal allowance of liberty by the gospel, (which in- deed rejoiceth our hearts, had wc tne grace of sober usage,) the clocks that tell us how our time pass- eth, truth and conscience, which show the bounded use and decent form of things, are tied up and cannot be heard. Nay, there is rather a general acclama- tion to licentiousness, than true liberty : "All with one voice about the space of two hours cried out. Great is Diana of the E])hcsians," Acts xix. 3-1. They cry so loud for their Diana's gain, that Paul the preacher cannot be heard ; he must be put to silence. Closes and Joshua heard a noise ; " It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome : but the noise of them that sing do I hear." You would think it the praising of God; no, it was the blessing of an idol. " The flowers appear on the earth ; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land," Cant. ii. 12. Peace and prosperity are our flowers, and we sing like birds ; but the voice of the turtle is not heard among us. All are merr)% but who mourns for the abominations ' of Israel ? All this while the Lord is angry, and would destroy us, as he once threatened Israel, had not Moses then, Psal. evi. 23, did not Jesus now, stand in the breach for us. Alas! where is our fruitfulness? We so confidently hope for our salvation by faith, that there is little honesty or true dealing amongst men. We have either left faith naked, as idolatry stripped the Israel- ites, Exod. xxxii. 25, or cut ofl" half her garments, as Hanun served David's ambassadors, 2 Sam. x. ; left her a rag of perfunctoiy service at church, but cut off obedience as superfluous. Or if we have left her any covering, it is such as John Baptist wore, a coat of camel's hair, some refuse and cheap outside ; and a leathern girdle, a string of hypocrisy to hold it to- gether: her food is locusts, mere speculation; and wild honey, only table talk. Some only care what they do, not what they believe ; they are nature's moralists. Othci's care only what they believe, not what they do; and these are most frequent. We all plead ourselves by faith to be Christ's sheep; but where is our wool ? In a good sheep we require not only flesh to feed on, but also wool to keep warm. In a Christian wc require, not only faith for himself to live on, but also good works, a fleece of charity to warm others. You shall have a countrj-man profess conscience, but he dares not wish Job's wish, "If my land cry against me, or the furrows thereof complain : let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley," Job xxxi. 38, 40. You shall have a courtier profess integrity ; but if he should say w ith Job, " If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness, and my mouth hath Jvissed my hand ;" this were to denv the God that is above, ver. 26 — 28 ; sin enough to decourt him. You shall have a citizen profess charity, but dares he say with Job, If I have seen the poor without covering, and have not clothed him ; if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless ; then let mine arm fall from my shoulder, and be broken from the channel-bone ? ver. 19 — 22. If all should make such wishes, and have them granted, I fear the whole city would be an hospital. It is no great wonder to see a fruitful land turned into barren- ness, but it is a miracle of mercy to sec dry ground turned into water-springs, Psal. evii. 34, 35 ; to see our barren lives made fruitful of good works. He only that can tuni stones into bread, can turn our stony hearts into that mercy to give bread. " Praise the Lord, mount<iins, and all hills ; fruitful trees, and all cedars," Psal. cxlviii. I make no question but fruitful trees will praise him : but cedars and moun- tains ? Yes, if stout cedars be bowed to obedience, and proud mountains to humility, they shall praise him. Yea, " dragons, and all deeps," ver. 7 : the very dj-agons of our oi)pressions, being turned to mercies, sliall praise him. The dragons and ostriches, the beasts of the field, shall honour me, Isa. xliii. 20. The deeps, even the deeps of our stratagems, being turned to simjilieity and innocency, shall honour the Lord. Saul did not more speak against Christ, than Paul speaks for Christ. Thus we tliat were dry sticks by nature, fit for nothing but the fire, may be made fruitful trees by grace, to "keep his commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ," I Tim. vi. 14. Which he work in us, " who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto : to whom l)e honour and power ever- lasting. Amen," ver. 15, 16. Verse II. Bill he that lackelh these things in blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten thai he uas purged from his old sins. You have seen their honour and happiness, that beautify their faith with good works ; that as by the one God justifies them, so by the other they may glorify God. Behold now their miserable estate, that boast of a naked and lean faith, " He that lack- eth these things is blind," iS:c. But : the apostle disjoins them from fniitful professors, by a word of exception or separation, bat. Whom doth he re- ject ? The man that lacks these things. What if he wants one or two of those graces ? They may come in time ; but if he lack these, all these. In what state is he ? Blind : his eyes be not like the eagle's, but the mole's. Is he stark blind ? No, perhaps he may sec qutp ante pedes su7it, things fast by him; but not afar off he wants the optics to see so far as heaven. How is he proved to be thus thick-sighted ? Because he halli forgotten. Why, they that are blind have commonly the best memories. This is true indeed concerning secular objects, the natural things of this world ; but wilful spiritual cecity is punished with ob- livion. But there is a good forgetfulness, " forgetting those things which are behind," Phil. iii. 13. Nay, but this man hath forgotten his ovn purgation, how- he hath been formerly cleansed: as the swine when she runs to the mud, forgets that she came out of the clear streams. Wherein consisted that purgation? He was washed from sin, the most sordid pollution and fcculency. What, from all sins ? No, butyiom 102 AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. I. /lii old sins: for he commits new ones that bring him to the speedier dainiiution. Now as St. Augus- tine calls Psal. xli. the poor man's scripture, and I Tim. vi. the rich man's scripture, and Luke xviii. II the proud man's scriijture, and the book of Job the afllictcd man's scripture; so this text may be called the blind man's scripture : who is described by. His pinuiT, He lacketh these things. His cecity, He is blind and cannot see afar ofl". His aposiacy, Hath forgotten, &c. The sum is, whosoever shall trust his salvation upon a starved faith, and not order his life by the pre-mentioned rules, errs in darkness, and holds not that way which the light of the gospel hath directed him. He that hath the true knowledge of Christ will be fruitftil, vcr. 8. He that is unfruitful, vainly presumcth the knowledge of Christ, ver. 9. So from the connexion of both these verses, we find that true knowledge must precede sanctity of life. He that hath not these things is blind : and he that cannot see well, cannot walk well. Ye obey not ; why ? because ye know not, 1 John ii. 4. " Whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him," 1 John iii. 6. You sin ; why ? because you know not. Why are they " laden mth sins, and led away with divers lusts?" Because they know not the truth, 2 Tim. iii. 6. Wliy are they strangers from the life of God ? Because their understanding is darkened, Eph. iv. 18. The Romanists pretend, that they will help men to heaven by ignorance ; and by ignorance they shut them out. They keep the keys, and neither enter in themselves, nor admit others. Matt, xxiii. 13. Every Christian in his baptism hath taken press-money of Christ, to bo his sokhcr, and to sen'e him in the field of this world, against his and our enemies : now he will fight poorly with- out weapons ; he must have the sword of the Spirit, and the shield of faith. And he must have these in his own hand ; for he shall be smitten in his own person, therefore slioidd resist in his ovm person. Now shall he be content to bear the blows, and let another wear the sword? But, say they, there are many hard things in God's word past common reach. True, and many easy enough within their reach : there is milk for weak stomachs, and strong meat for abler digestions : there are fords for lambs, and depths for elephants. In the most champaign places, some mysteries are as hillocks, higher than the rest: in the steepest hill there is some footing, whereby we may come to that height, to discover the land of Canaan. But, say they, this takes away the glory of the c'nurch, when every man may control his teacher. Nay, rather let them know the truth, that they may avoid such as teach against the truth. Because some have been seduced, shall all be deprived? Then away >\ith preaching, for it is the savour of death unto many: away with the sacraments, for some eat Christ's flesh to choke them : away with Christ him- self, for he is the fall of many in Israel, Luke ii. 34, and a stone to cnish their bones to perdition. Then let the lamb cast off his fleece, because the lion hath worn it : because some quarrel in the army, there- fore let no soldier have a sword. Then put out the candle, lest it btirn the house. But, say they, put not knives into the hands of children : but the Scrip- ture admits no such comparison ; we rather put good swords into the hands of men. Discharge us of tlie Lord's service ; or it is against the law of armies to take away our weapons. Indeed there is cause to commend the policy of their clergy, but not the honesty. For how should they have sold their bad wares, unless they had first put out the people's eyes ? as thieves first out with the light, that they may rifle the house more safely in the dark. Other- wise the merchandise of masses could not so easily have been vented abroad, but would have lain rotting upon their hands at home, if men were suffered to bring the light of truth into their pack-houses. But, say uiey, we have kept it from hogs and dogs. Yea, and from sheep and lambs too. Besides, all that have .some uncleanness in their lives, are not to be reputed hogs and dogs : this is their mercy, but the mercy of God is more. They have a contrary spirit to Christ ; for he often preaclied in the known hear- ing of dogs, the scribes and Pharisees, and would do so, rather than the children should want their bread. But, say they, some by searching the Scripture dili- gently, have erred shamefidly. This is as good a reason, as if one training up a child to be an archer, should give him this principle and rule, that by aim- ing at the mark most fairly he should miss most foully. No; search that you may not err, John v. 39; not, be content to err rather than search. But now at last being ashamed of this, and convinced by common equity that the truth is not wholly to be withheld, they have published a part of it, the New Testament, with their Rhemish Commentary : not, say they, upon any absolute necessity, but to avoid cor- ruptions by reading other translations. They found the people would no longer be made such fools, as when that universal mist was over the face of the earth ; therefore they gratify tlu-m with a parcel of it. But as the people's curses before ran through their ears into their souls, for engrossing into their hands the grain of life ; so their curses follow them still, for selling them such musty and mildewed com. Their wickedness is no less now in poisoning them, than it was before in stan-ing them. How blessed are we that freely enjoy that gospel, which can take away blindness, and give us the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ ! " But." Here is the diversity; this disjoins these blind and barren professors from the former, by a manifest opposition : as the future life shall put an everlasting diflerence between the elect and the re- probate, the one going to eternal pain, the other to eternal peace, Matt. xxv. 46. Here they are scarce distinguished; but then there shall be a great gulf fixed between them, Luke xvi. 2(>. So even on earth the Scripture disjoins them with a bit/. Tlie adver- saries of Stephen gnashed on him ■with their teeth, but he himself was " full of the Holy Ghost," Acts vii. 55. Stephen was imder them for outward con- dition, but far above them for inward consolation. The waves may foam against the rock, and exercise their vain malice, but the rock is unmovable. "The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous : but the way of the ungodly shall perish," P,sal. i. 6. " Many sorrows shall lie to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the Lord, mercv shall compass him," Psal. xxxii. 10. Destroy thou the wicked : " but let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice," PsaL v. II. There was darkness in Eg\-pt, but light in Goslien. The tares are suffered to grow up with the wheat, but in the harvest they shall be severed, Matt. xiii. " Slay ut- terly old and yoimg; but come not near any man upon whom is the mark," Ezck. ix. 6. In the lOtli cf the Proverbs, the first fourteen verses have their medium distinguished with this 6m/. Indeed most of them are but pairs of cross and thwart sentences, manifesting the contrariety of good to evil. 1. This is both in regard of a former ordination ; " Jacob have I lnved,"i«/ Esau have I hated," Rom. ix. 13. Some are of old ordained to condemnation, Jude 4, olliers to life. 2. And in regard of a present dispo- sition; for the faithful love the things above, the wicked dote upon terrestrial objects. The saints Veb. 9. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 103 would but lodge in Samaria, their faces are toward Jerusalem: the ungodly do but lodge for a night in Jerusalem, their faces, their hearts, are toward Sa- maria. 3. And in regard of their future condition : the wicked are brought to a destructive end in a moment, Psal. Ixxiii. 19; but mark the upright man, and behold the just, for the end of that man is peace. This is a secret and unseen distinction. There is little difference in outward show : vessels of dis- honour have often the most credit j whereas the ves- sels of honour, elected to shine as stars in heaven for ever, are here sullied and kept under. Yet there is an invisible difference, but between them. Among men, where all reputation is measured by the acre, we enter rich men into our books, but refuse to tnist the poor. But God in his book records Lazarus, and forgets the rich man's name. " He that lacketh these things." It is a received maxim, that God and nature have wrought nothing in vain ; no part or faculty of the body can be well spared. Thou hast two eyes, two cars, two hands, two feet ; thou canst spare none of them. Man liath five senses ; if he lose any of them, the very want will tell him the worth of the habit. The father that should sell one of his children, to buy bread for the rest and redeem them from famine, looks over them all, and at last concludes he can part with none. What part of thyself after much study couldst thou lose ? Yet a man may lack some, and be saved too : with loss of a hand, foot, an eye, he may enter into heaven, Mark ix. But what speak I of our mem- bers ; we are loth to spare the superfluities of tliis world: those same adjectiva, as Cnrist calls them; adjectanea, as Paul says. Our veiy delights have their set vicissitudes, and not one is omitted for fear of breaking the rank. Covetous worldlings will hardly spare the poor some of their fire to warm them, some of their water to drink, some of their ground to lodge on ; though it were no more hurt to them, than the lighting of a candle at their torch. We can lack nothing for this world ; but for heaven, oh the mercy of God ! quanlum est in rebus inane ! we can quietly lack things that conduce to our eter- nal peace. What is the reason ? A man never misseth what he cares not for. If a man lack riches, he complains, " Who will show us any good p " Psal. iv. 6. If he lack honour, he is glad to hear a friend in the court say to him, as Elisha to the Shunam- mite, " Wouldst thou be sjjoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host ? " 2 Kings iv. 13. Few would answer with the Shunammite, " I live among mine own people ; " I had rather dwell at home. If he lacks cmldren, he is ready to say with that patri- arch, " What wilt thou give me, seeing I go child- less ? " Gen. XV. 2. If an Ahab have a whole manor, yet he lacks Naboth's vineyard ; that very nook dis- figures his lordship. If Haman have Ahasuerus's favour, yet he lacks Mordecai's knee and cap ; and is angry that other men think him not so good as he thinks himself Though Joab have renown with Da- vid, yet a word of disgrace from Abner troubles his Btomach ; he can neither swallow it down, nor vomit it up : becau.se another is not his friend, he resolves to be his own enemy. Let the engrosser's barns and granaries be never so full of com, yet if he lacks price for it in the market answerable to liis desire, he is ready to hang himself, and be cpitaphed on as that pope, Vixit lupus, morilur cams. He that de- sires much, wants as much as he that hath nothing. The drunkard is as dry as the sweating traveller. The apostles said. Silver and gold have we none. Acts iii. 6. The devil says, All these are mine, Luke iv. 6 ; and the rich man, I have much goods laid up for many years, Luke xii. 19. Now take thy choice ; whether hadst thou rather lack with those saints, or aliound with these devils ? Say with Paul, My God shall supply all my need, Phil. iv. 19 : and as Abraham answered Isaac, complaining for a sacri- fice, God will provide. Lord, tnou art my portion ; and he is too covetous that Jesus Christ cannot satis- fy. The Lord is my Shepherd ; I therefore can lack nothing, Psal. xxiii. 1. A man may lack outward things, yet come never the later to heaven ; yea, the sooner, the surer : but woe to him that lacks " these things ! " Tliis is the want now least feared, and this shall be the want most lamented. First seek the kingdom of heaven, then other things shall come in due place and time, Matt. vi. 33. Follow thou righteousness, the rest shall follow thee. There was a young man that thought well of himself; " All these have I kept : what lack I yet ? " Malt. xix. 20. AVhat ? it is answered, " If thou wilt be perfect, give all to the poor," ver. 21 : it is better lack all the rest, than lack charity. Terrene opu- lence is a mere titular thing ; as Petrus Blessensis wrote to Innocentius, Bishop of Rome, concerning an ecclesiastical dignity in England, A preferment standing upon naked and j)ure supposals. But grace is solid and real ; for " the blessing of the Lord maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow w'ith it," Prov. X. 22. Pray (hen to him that alone is able to supply these wants ; as Paul, " For this I besought the Lord thrice," 2 Cor. xii. 8. What then? if after thrice praying we feel no full concession, shall we give over ? No, pray still, and God will answer, " My grace is sufficient for thee," ver. 9. What is want- ing in our endeavours, God shall make up \^^th his sufficient mercies. We have need to sacrifice. Do we lack fuel ? The Lord supplies us with penitence and patience, faith and love. Yet we lack fire : he gives us zeal, an immortal fire from heaven. Yet lack we an altar : he gives us a pure heart. Is there yet wanting a sacrifice ? ofler up thyself. " He will fulfil the desire of Ihem that fear him," Psal. cxlv. 19. " The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing," Psal. xxxiv. 10. Then, Lord, take away the rest, and give me thyself. If we can hold Christ, no good thing shall be withholden from us, Psal. Ixsxiv. 11. Whatsoever we lack, let us not lack these things. " Is blind." We come from the penury and want to the cecity or blindness, wherein his imder- standing suffers. Blindness is nothing else but a privation of sight; so ignorance is a destitution of knowledge. The school makes three sorts of this spiritual blindness. I. Ignorance negative. The not knowing of impertinent things is tolerable : as we need not know how oft we have breathed, &c. To this knowledge we are not obliged. 2. Ignor- ance privative. This is considered in necessary things, and concerning ourselves ; and is not so nmch our sin, as our punishment for sin ; an afflic- tion as much as a transgression. 3. Ignorance cor- iiiptive : which is a refractory and desperate averse- ncss from knowledge : the other was morbus mentis, this is morsus serpentis. This is wretched, for a man to be ignorant of his own ignorance : Laodicea's disease. Rev. iii. 17; to be so blind as not to know her own blindness. Such an eye is not dark, in the concrete : but darkness itself, in the abstract. Now if the light be darkness, how great is that darkness ' Matt. v:. 23. It is both a sin and a punishment ; a sin, TJatt. xv. 14; Isa. Ivi. 10; a punishment. Dent. XNviii. 28 ; Isa. lix. 10. Blind are we all by nature ; like the man that sat by the way-side beg- ging, Luke xviii. 35.; sitting by the way,' not seeing 104 AX EXPOSmoX UPOX THE Chap. I. the war ; Wg^ng, >«t he know* not 'A wh'/m. Xow there i» ^Wj h contncOnl Uindnf-**, an aflV-cUrd ijfiwrari"- • ^ ■ 'i ' r-'-re arc divers caiuefs, a* of the cor- pr^ral. -;tual cccilr. Bv ; rbenm the tyoi are harmed; so taeuii^-. .. ,, ,. J! a hot kcalding rJieom to blear t>je eye of tiie vyu]. We have many such rheumatic •{/iriu, tfiat will go a new way, or tv> way. They care not ff/r N>/ah'i> ark, the church ; l/ut climb up t/j a mountain apart, a iirJTale awivcnticle Ijy them- »elve». They are blino, and dec not the flanger of the flood. By a violent blow, or nuch accidental hart. The eye in tender, and therefore hath two Iid» to defend il. N'/n palilUT luiium, Jama, Jidtn, ocvUuJi. And Satan bliluUthi* inteil>-'-twil eye Irt- a Hudden blow- given to the hinA ■. the gfxl of thio world liath blind- ed their eyim that th'-y lycli<-vc not, 2 Cor. iv. 4. H'/w ij> thill ? I;y filling them with vain irnagin;ition» and turpitu'l/-ii, Horn. i. Liuit* darken the mind. By dujit thrown intf* them. The du*t of thin world viak'rk many blind: th'.-y- dig like moles into the »«rth, and there \<Mt trie »ight of heaven. Giflx blind the wiw-. Such men may sit on iK-nclies, !<<.• taken into c</unciU, have their (ryes of iKjlicy rjuick as eagles; and yet l^e blind. Perliajrs they have the protid »c/ni of the I'fiarisees, "Are we blind also?" John ix. 4fJ. To whom it is answered, " If ye were blind, ye s>t/mld liave no sin : Init now ye say, We see ; therefore your sin rcmainetb," ver. 41. These that have wj much knowledge to lieap ut> wealth, who dares call them fi>ols for h'-aven ? lie tfiat dares justify it : " Thou fo<il, this night thy soul shall Ia; required of thee," Luke xii. 'A), lie could sec to fill his l<ams, but not to get salvation. Tlie devil luUmn U> keej) m<-ii blind during the presumption of tla-ir lives, and only ojien tlieir eyes in the di-s]>eration t)i;tt waits on their deaths: like the Syrians, wh'^e eyes were never ojicned till they were in the mi'lst of their enemies, 2 Kings vi. '20. Sin shuts up men's eyes, but [;iinishment ofiens them. For iu: that will be blind wlien he sins, shall be made wise when he sufl'ers. The sum is this ; lie that lacks grace, lacks know- ledge. 'J'hey tJiat wander in by-jiaths declare theni- iM;lv(rs ignorant of the right way ; so if a man be lewd in his maimers, we conclude him blind for the way of salvation. If their work be full of cursediiess, murder, and destruction, we infer, "The way of j)r-;iee have they not known," Korn. iii. 17. Oh the mfiiiite iiumlx.T of blind s/dils! If all that be un- K<My live in d;irkness, how f>-w of this world have «-yes ! or if they have, they see not ; "Bring forth the blind people that liave eyes," Isa. iVm.H. Kvery one indeed is re;uly to tax another's ignorance, not his own. If two blind men rush one uikiii another in the Wfiy, either eonipliiins of r,tlieKs blindness, neither of his own. Oh that this blindness were a little removed, tib'it by a self-inspection we might see our own hearts. If the sinner would |(»ok into that secret cloister, how would the speetiw'le amaze him! He should (iml a will more warped than a bow ; alTections more perversi- than an unbroken dromedary; a soul bleeding with iinstanehed wounds; a chamber full of fiends ; one holding down th'- rea- son, another iliilling the memory, a third tempting the will, a fourth searing the conscience. Tims they possess the citjulel, his heart ; possessing they vex it, vexiuK they laugh at it, laughing they destroy il.and lifter destruction they torment it. How lies the piHir ravished soul parilinij under these adulterers ; slaved in till- chains of a inoit misirable Ijonda^e, where the bread of lifr-, and blood of (,'lirist, are kept from hir j beholding with Itiurhel her dear children, her aircc tions, faculties, and addictions to gwxl, butchered be- fore her eyes : exjxrttirjg the fatal hour, when her- self must Ix: haled to th'.- gn-at tribunal, and receive her eternal doom I Let us all therefore now look in- ward ; Ijc no longer blind at home, strangers to our own Ix/soms. Xow he tliat ojK-ned the eyes of Paul, oj<en ouri.; and resinie our soul from destructions, 'jur darling from the lioas, Psal. xxxv. 17; and our- selves from the hour and j/ower of darkness. "And cannot see afar off." The original ib /tvuTiXuv, thick-eyed. It signifies pati affeclam th fiiwrac, and that is derived quati /titiv rdi uiraf. claudereoculo* mm penitut, ted fMrumper. Some translate it, to wink; "He winketh with hii eyes," Prov. vi. 13. Others, one that cannot oj<en his eyes. But to take it as we here read it; one that "cannot see afar off:" now V) the former word, rv^Xst, this seems to Ijc subjected per ipuindam correclionem : he is blind, aul «i Tum pTornu ca-rwi, etpculit lamen intlar lutciosi. It is a voluntary darkening the eye to heavenly things. Lwicionut is such a one as sees a little at the day <l/iwning, worse after the sun rising, never a whit after the sun setting. "Afar off." What are those things alar off that he cannot sec? He sees the sun, the moon, the stars ; and these are afar off. So do the beasts, and s'ime of them more clearly. What, is it meant of a physical remoteness ; tlut he cannot see into the dr-ep secrets of nature, not perceive how to derive benefits from the fountain-head ? If he would Imve l»rea«l, does he not know to deduce it by a natural course ; as first to till his ground, then to sow hi» seed, then to reap and carry it into his bam ; and when he hath it there, to bring it under the flail, the fan, the mill, the oven, and so to perfect it into brea<l? If he would have cloth, and not to go to the shop for it ; knows he not to shear his sheep, to spin his wool, to weave, full, and colour it, and to fit it to his own wearing ? Or, is it meant of terrene objects, distanced off by a local interjection. Why he hath then a perspective ghiss, to represent a remote thing ;ui il were at liis foot; or some optic instru- ments, to stand on a tower and read a Iwok lying in the streets ; or some |«jlitic eyes, that by intelligence he may know in his chamber the sU-ite affairs of foreign kingdoms; or demoniac eyes, whereby he can see in a glass things as far as India, by a cun- ning delusion. So Saul was jiersiiaded that he saw Satnuel, who indeed was as far off him as heaven from earth. What, is it then meant for a searcliing into the secret purjioses and fetches of men? But " the heart is deceitful aliovc all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" Jer. xvii. 9. The world's )irinci]>al study is to keej< their meanings afar off, !is the fox preys farthest f^rom home. 1'he Labyrinth luul a way out, but man's heart is more intricate and fuller of windings than Meander. V(;u may travel with a man !u> far as the Indies, and yet still find the way into his heart a farther journey. 'J'liese things are far off, but we must look farllier; not to the things beneath, but to llieni above, John viii.'23. Those remote things which this man cannot sec, are such as be sejiarated from human sense, whereof flesh and blood was never an eye-witness. " For we walk by faith, not by sight," 2 Cor. v. 7- "The natural man receivith not the things of the Spirit; neither can he know them, beeaime they arc spirit- ually discerned," I Cor. ii. 14. He may sec the sensual things of this world, for they are at hnnil ; bill not the ^reat mysteries of godliness, for they are far off. Hill ilolli not the goHjiel brin({ heaven near iix ? anil doth not Christ say, "The kiiigiloiii of (jod is come unto you?" Mali. xii. '2S. Yes, it may be near to men, and yet men far from il. Indeed the Ver. 9. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 105 saints that were once by nature " far off, are made nigh to him by the blood of Christ," Eph. ii. 13; but unbelievers andimpenitcnts are far off still. Heavenly things are far off from carnal sense : he that will believe no more than he sees, shall be for ever bhnd. Tile best things are invisible to human eyes. God is invisible : Moses saw " him who is in- visible," Ileb. xi. 27. Light is invisible : God dwelleth in the light, which " no man hath seen, nor can see," 1 Tim.\i. IG. Christ is invisible: "Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more," John xiv. 19. It was a great miracle that dying Stephen should see him at the right hand of his Father ; and so wonderful a vision to John, to behold him in that glorious majesty, that he fell dead at his feet. Rev. i. 17. The Spirit is invisi- ble ; like the wind, the sound whereof we hear, but see not whence it cometh, nor whither it goeth, John iii. 8. His power is invisible : his power and God- head are called the invisible things of God, Rom. i. 20. The kingdom is invisible : " Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God," John iii. 3. The best eyes see but in a riddle ; " Now we see through a glass, darkly," 1 Cor. xiii. 12. Here faith supplies all defects; i'or it is the office of faith to believe that we do not see, and it shall be the reward of faith to see that we do believe. (August.) "Bless- ed are they that have not seen, and yet have be- lieved," John XX. 29. These are the remote objects : in every pious thing there is somewhat afar off to human eyes. In de- votion or worship of God, the prostration of the body is seen, not the humility of the soul. Eli could see Hannah's li|is pay their tributes to God, he did not see the zeal of her heart ; but she spake in her heart, and Eli thought she was drunk, 1 Sam. i. 13. In the sacrament, bread and wine are seen of reprobate eyes, but there is an in\-isible thing far off to them ; the body and blood of Christ, that nourisheth the soul to everlasting life in the gospel: how near is the historv', how far off the mystery ! In the word preached, the world perceives so7iun>, non sensum, the audible sound, not the profitable sense. As an ignorant man sees the painted images of virtues ; he says they are goodly pictures, but he knows not what they mean, the moral is far off from his appre- hension. As little children, who look upon the babies in a book, regard not the matter therein con- tained. Concerning a Christian, the world can see his house well furnished, his grounds well stocked, his barns well filled, his purseVcll monied, if these things be; but the joy of his spirit, the peace of his conscience, the grace of his heart, these are things afar off from the world. The peace and prosperilv that accompany the church, they delight to see and taste ; that ever\- man may sit imder his own tig tree, and drink the milk of his own flock : but the remission of sins, the effusion of grace, the commu- nion of saints, the possession of comforts ; those spi- ritual privileges, more glorious than the states of kingdoms, are invisible and too far off. Let us not look " at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen : for the things which are seen are temporal ; but the things which are not seen are eternal," 2 Cor. iv. 18. Oh that your eyes could look a little beyond the earth. There are two several countries afar off: they lie beyond the poles, yet undiscovered, farther than the glass of the Scripture presents to the eyes of faith. The countries are heaven and hell. There are two ways to them, which be near and visible, piety and profaneness. There are two doors to pass, before men arrive to either of them, death and judg- ment. Many think these far off, they " put far away the evil day," Amosvi. 3; and say, " The vision that he seeth is for many days to come, and he prophe- sieth of the times that are far off," Ezek. xii. 27. Men oppress, riot, lust, blaspheme, as if the judgment were far off: as that malefactor, being asked by whom he would be tried, answered deridingly. By Christ and Ills twelve ajxistles. It was replied, that they were in heaven. No haste, quoth he, I am content to tarry till they come. " But the end of all things is at hand," 1 Pet. iv. 7. And let them read and tremble. Rev. sxii. 12, "Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me." If you could see so far off as hell below : if the smoky gates of that bottomless pit were opened to give you but a glimpse of the damned spirits under torture ; those flames, those shrieks, those fears and horrors ; that palpable darkness mixed with un- quenchable fire ; the reprobates ever boiling, never consumed ; ever dying, never dead ; ever cr\'ing, never pitied ; where the covetous churl, that would not give a bit of bread, begs as fast for a drop of water ; yet if rivers should run into his mouth, what were it to quench those rivers of brimstone that in- flame it ? where there is no intermission of com- plaints, no breathing from pain ; after millions of Sorrowful years, no possibility of comfort. If the stroke of a temporal misery be so smart, that often death is wished to ease it, what is the full vial of God's wrath ! If the rack of a gout, convulsion, or strappado be so cruel, what is everlasting torment! If this sight so far off might be admitted us, how would we weep and bleed for our sins, how inces- santly l)ray for pardon, how rectify our crooked and cursed steps ; that we might never come to such a place, as to see Abraham afar off! Luke xvi. 23. Oh that we knew these things in this our day ; but alas, they are hid from most men's eyes, Luke xix. 42. If men's foresight were but half as sharp as is their sense, that would be their greatest fear which is now their chicfest pleasure. Let Dives come out of hell to his former riches, the sensible world shall admire his charity. Let Judas be ransomed out of hell, he will no more betray. Let Esau find that favour, he will never again sell his birthright. Nabal then would no longer be a churl, nor Ahithophel a false counsellor, nor Ahab a bloody tyrant, nor Cain a falricide. There is not a piece of a line in the Scripture, which speaks of tliat lake of fire and brimstone, but by a hundred thousand parts it im- porteth more than it expresselh. Believe that you cannot see, lest you feel that you would not believe. If you could see so far off as heaven above, or might be admitted to look into that glorious house. Kings use not to dwell in cottages of clay, but in royal courts fit for their majesty : what is then the court of the King of kings ! This world seems glo- rious, such a carbuncle as the sun to lustre it, stars far more precious than chrj"solites, a pavement checkered over with various colours, adorned with innumerable delights : n»jw if God hath provided such a habitation for his enemies, what a one is that he hath ordained for himself and liis friends ! Earth- ly princes have dwelt in cedar and ivory ; but the palace of the Highest hath a wall of jasper, a building of gold, a foundation of precious stones, and gates of pearl. Rev. xxi. We see now but the pavement of it : oh how goodly is it stuck full of lights, more sparkling than diamonds ! Did the centurion say, " I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof?" Matt. viii. 8 ; and yet Christ was then but in his humbled estate : do thou say, I am not worthy to enter into thy shining and glorious house. It was said, he that hath been once at Ormuz, will never love his own country again. He that hath had a glimpse of heaven, how poorly will he think of this 106 AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. I. eartli, which many lose their own souls to purchase ! Lord, lift up our eyes to see thus far; let the scales of earthly affections quite fall off; carry us up to thy glory. Thou that didst lay clay upon the blind man's eyes, and so open them, take away this clay of earthliness from our eyes, whereby they are shut. Cast into us the beams of that celestial glory ; and because we cannot yet ascend to that, let that come down upon us. Ravish our eyes with thy owii beauty, that, like eagles, we may disdain all objects buc the Sun. Thou that hast prepared heaven for our souls, prepare also our souls for heaven. Thou art not far from every one of us, Acts xvii. 27 ; thou art near to us : bring us also near to thee, God, show us thy- self, and we shall love thee. Let us see thee, O blessed Jesus, now with tlie eyes of grace, and here- after with the vision of perfect glorj-. " And hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins." We see the curse that lies upon his un- derstanding ; he " is blind :" now for that lies uj)on his memory ; he " hath forgotten." To pull the words asunder, were to martyr the sense; they must be considered soisu composito, in composition. As they are, they describe a wicked apostate ; yet sepa- rate them, and all signify good. There is a forget- fulness, this may be good (as to forget a wrong) ; there is a purging, this may be better ; there is a purging from sins, this may be best of all : but put them together, he hath forgotten that he was purged fi'om his sins, there is the misery. The earth, water, and man, are all safe while they keep their own pro- per places ; but when the water ovenvhelmed the earth there was evil to man : the mixture and con- fusion spoils all. Good simples are often marred in the compounihng, a good sentence lost in the mis- pointing. So here, purgation, and purgation from sins, and purgation from sins by the blood of Christ, all lost by the ingratitude of forgetfulness. This same " he hath forgotten" is the confusion of all the rest. It is said of Ahithophel, 2 Sam. xvii. 23, that seeing his coimscl neglected, he saddled his ass, and rose ; he prepared himself for a return, that was well ; he gat him home to his house, thai was better; he put his household in order, that was best of all : but when he hanged himself, and became his own exe- cutioner, preventing the mercy of DaWd, the mei-cy of God, this was the bane of all. If after purging from old sins, this man had presen-ed the mercy in mcmoiy, and answered it in piety, he had been happy. But he gels new corruption, and forgcis his former purgation ; therefore God forgets his righteousness, and takes liim away in his wieke(hiess ; ill the sin that he hath sinned, he dies, Ezek. xviii. 24. " Forgotten :" the original is ad leibum, XijSiji/ \a(3wv, ul qui oblivionem ceperit ; one that did volun- tarily attract forgetfulness to himself; Ihe author of his owTi mischief ; courting his own destruction: for- getfulness did not so much lake him, as he did take forgetfulness. The poets wrote of Lethe, a certain Stygian river, that whosoever (bank of il, forgot presently all past things. He wilfully ingurgitates this Leihean drink, and calls in oblivion to lodge in his heart. The ungodly, as if they were impatient at the delay of their own vengeance, liasten to have their sins go before unto judgment, I Tim. v. 24. They scarce slay the devil's leisure to tempt them, therefore do it themselves. They lariy not till ob- livion and ingratitude be offered to them, but they snatch it, like ravenous stomachs that will not en- dure till their meat be dressed. This forwartbiess is expressed, Prov. i. 16, "Their feet run to evil." They rise early to put it in practice, Micah ii. 1. They draw it on with cords and cart-ropes, Isa. v. 18. They do not accept it as being offered, but extort it as being prohibited. This saves the devil a labour, when men call iniquity to themselves. " The soul of the wicked desireth evii," Prov. xxi. 10: if it comes not, they will fetch it, fly to it; but they had better have crept like snails. For mischief comes soon enough, there is no need to seek it ; it is more easily found than avoided. " Resist the devil, and he will flee from you," Jam. iv. 7- Give to God obe- dience, to the prince allegiance, to our superior reverence, to the weak assistance ; only to the devil and sin, resistance. Give not place to the devil, Eph. iv. 27 ; for the devil hath no place but where it is given him. I like not that Jesuit's humility, that sitting in a chair, and seeing the devil approach, rose up to give him his seat ; because, he said, he was more worthy of it than himself. But give him no place, saith St. Paul ; admit no conference with him. He was a fool that went up and down the earth to find old age ; which, if he sat still at home, would be sure to find him. Sin will come fast enough ; let us not hunt it, nor snatch it ; but rather strive to resist it, to expel it. The points I am to speak of arc four : there is The corruption of the heart, Sins. The danger of that corruption, Old sins. The delivery from that danger, Purged. The unthankfulness for that delivery. Forgotten. The greatness of his miser\' (sin inveterate) com- mends the goodness of God's mercy, (that had purged liim,) and condemns the vilcness of his ingratitude (that hath forgotten it). There is, 1. A sickness. 2. A lightening. 3. Before death. Old sin was a lingering sickness ; purging, that is his lightening; but forgelfiilness of ii is his death. Fu-st, for the corruption, sin : this is the most sordid feculeney in the world. Lazarus lay full of sores at the rich man's gate, yet was he not so foul and noisome as the rich man himself within doors. Death takes away the body's filthiness ; and Christ shall change our vile body, that it may be like his own glorious body ; but he that dies in his sins, shall find nis sins ever living in himself. Blessed is he whose sins die before his body : death can do that man no harm, though it rot his flesh to dust. The traveller that is puisucd by a lion, throws off his cloak, and runs nimbly into nis house, from the win- dow whereof he beholds the lion tearing his gar- ment, but rejoicelh that himself is safe. Death can but tear thy coat, and bloody it, as Joseph's was, but thyself art safe. There are many things we loathe which are not detestable, as our brother's leprosy, &c. ; but that which is indeed most odious, is held most delectable. We shun sickness with hate, we follow wickedness with joy. Which consideration caused Nazianzen to say, that sin is in a better con- dition than sickness. For at a lazarous, leprous, dis- eased man, we stop our nostrils, and turn away oiu' eyes ; yet here is God's image. But to a prodigal drunkard, a rich usurer, a proud courtier, we insinuate ourselves ; yet only for these we have a charge, De non laa±re>ido; and there is the image of the devil. A man will not enter the house where he knows the plague is, for fear of infection ; yet he will venture on the place where God is blasphemed, and never pretend Ihe danger, saying with Abraham, " Surely the fear of God IS not in tuis place," Gen. xx. 11. St. John would not tari-y in the bath where Cermthus was. There is no pestilence so deadly as sin. What a blessed turn is it then to be purged from sin ! "Wash me throughly from mine miquity, and cleanse me fiom my sin," Psal. Ii. 2. The breaking of his bones, the soreness of his flesh, he complained of; but no- tliing so troubled him as his sins. Therefore there is no such comfort as the remission of sins. David Ver. 9. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 107 entitlcth the 32nd Psalm his Learning; Maschil, or "Giving instruction." Why, what great learning is in it? Yes, the remission of sins; Blessed is the man whose sin is forgiven, ver. 1 : there is no learning more sweet and blessed. For this Christ taught us to pray continually, " Forgive us our sins." The Lord's prayer in that one petition teacheth, that we are daily sinners, and that our whole life should be nothing else but a Lent, to prepare ourselves against the sabbath of our rest, and the Easter of our resur- rection. (Luther.) The creed teacheth us to believe the remission of our sins, and that God will blot out all our transgressions, Isa. xUv. 22 ; yea, that they are so remitted, as if they never had been committed. The Lamb of God takes them away, by pardoning sins past, and preventing sms to come, and bringing us to that place where sin can be no more. (Lambor. ) O blessed place, where is no sin ! Heaven begins where sin ends. (Ambrose.) We cannot be so quit of it yet. It is well, saith Luther, if, as God told Rebekah, the elder shall serve the younger. Our enemies are older, our sins greater, than we, yet they shall serve for our good ; for they must needs be comprehended within that universal and indefinite uumber of " all things," that shall work together to our best, Rom. viii. 2S. Thus if we could see the irksome filtliiness of our sins, we would think our purging the greatest happiness. As David of his enemies, so let us comfort ourselves concerning our sins ; though they compass us about like bees, yet in the name of our Lord Jesus we shall destroy them, Psal. cxviii. 12. Secondly, consider fiirther the danger of this cor- niption, old sins. That we translate, tCiv naXat u/iaprujf, must be thus supplied ; rwv vaKat n-ewoit/- liivuv, from sins that he hath done of old. This aggravates the danger of corruption ; for an old ulcer is'liardly cured. Long xmrture is another nature. When a certain man had brought his possessed son to the disciples, and they could not cure him, he comes to Clirist himself; and he demands, " How long is it ago since this came unto him ? " The father answers, " Of a child ; " therefore, if thou canst do any thing, pity us, and help us, Mark ix. 21, 22. A disease bred from a child is hardly cured ; a sin of long con- tinuance hardly purged. " They have afflicted me from my youth, yet they have not prevailed against me," Psal. cxxix. 2. If sin have infected us from our youth up, it is a great wonder that it prevails not still against us. The physician coming to his patient, inquires the time when he took his layre ; if lie have been long infected, it poseth his skill. There was a man blind from his birth, John ix. 1 : but if so long blind, none can cure him but Christ. It was never heard since the world stood, that any man, save Christ, opened the eyes of one bom blind, ver. 32. The same Physician found a patient sick of an infirmity eight and thirty years : he comes to him with a " W^ilt thou be made whole ? " Alas, he despairs it : yet Christ performed it ; " Rise, take up thy bed, and walk," John v. 6 — 8. " Old sins." How far must we look back to find out this antiquity ? First, as far as the time of their perpetration ; old sins, because done long ago, in the wildness of youth : "Remember not the sins of niv youth," Psai. xxv. 7. " Thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the sins of my youth," Job xiii. 26. Youth hath a hotter aptitude anil proclivity to sin ; their blood is sooner stirred to choler, their heat to lust, their strength to intem- perance. JVequilicpcursio,- celerior quam cptatis, Their sins outrun their years, and they are discerned to be the children of Adam before their faces have dis- covered their sexes. Therefore it was the wise man's counsel, " Remember thy Creator in the days of thy vouth," Eccles. xii. \. And St. Paul charged Timo- thy to "flee youthful lusts," 2 Tim. ii. 22. The new earthen pots will retain the savour of their first seasoning. Season their youth with the fear of God, Prov. xxii. 6 ; as Obadiah said, " I fear the Lord from my youth," 1 Kings xviii. 12 ; as Timothy knew the the Scriptures from a child, 2 Tim. iii. 15. The vanities of youth prove the vexations of age ; and if there be any grace in us, that is now matter of re- pentance, which was then matter of jovisance. It is enough to terrify the soul, the retrospection into old sins. Yet let us look a little further back, to find this age of sin ; even as far as the original, from whence comes all the copy of imitation. Be they never so new in act, they are old in example : " We have sinned with oui- fathers," Psal. cvi. 6. God tells them, they had rebelled of old ; " As your fatliers did, so do ye," Acts vii. 51. Antiquity is no infallible argument of goodness : though "rertullian says, the first things were the best things ; and the less they distanced from the beginning, the purer they were : but he must be understood only of holy customs. For iniquity can plead antiquity : he that commits a new act of murder, finds it old in the example of Cain ; drunkenness may be fetched from Noah ; contempt of parents from Ham ; women's lightness from the daughters of Lot. There is no sin but hath white hairs upon it, and is exceeding old. But let us look further back yet, even to Adam ; there is the age of sin. This is that St. Paul calls the old man : it is almost as old as the root, but older than all the branches. Therefore our restitution by Christ to grace, is called the new man. There is a relation, or rather an opposition, between the old man and the new: " As in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive," 1 Cor. xv. 22. " The first man Adam was made a living soul ; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit," ver. 45. Therefore he that makes all things new. Rev. xxi. 5, can also make us new : that " as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly," 1 Cor. xv. 49. Adam was made in God's image, but he begat a son in his own image, not in God's. The corruption of om- nature is the image of the old Adam; the renovation of our minds is the image of the new. Col. iii. 10. Therefore "put off the old man," and cast it away ; as Joseph forsook his coat rather than his faith ; or as the young man, that left his linen garment and fled, Mark xiv. 51, 52. For better lose generation, than regeneration ; better part with thy old corruption, than miss thy new hope of salvation. Of old things, some are pleasant, some unprofitable, some pernicious. Pleasant is an old friend ; " Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not," Prov. xxvii. 10 ; a good old servant, an old monument of honour, old truth, the old way, Jer. vi. 16. Un- profitable ; an old free past bearing, an old house past inhabiting, an old ship in danger of sinking, an old garment past mending, an old ill custom past curing. Pernicious ; such is Satan, that old serjient, Rev. XX. 2; old sin: the old lion devours terribly, Nah. ii. 11, an old dog bites sore, that old serpent stings deadly. A woman when she is old brings not forth so' goodly children as in her youth, 2 Esd. v. .33: she ceaseth teeming. But concupiscence, the older she grows, the stronger she is to bear the children of unrighteousness. The world is old and weak, man old and sick, sin old and more infecting, the devil old and more prevailing. The only way to evade their danger, is to become new ; to talk with new tongues, Mark xvi. 17, and walk in new ways, 103 AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. I. Matt. ii. 12; then shall we have new names, Rev. ii. 17, put on new garments, and have a portion in the new Jerusalem. " That he was purged from his old sins." AV'e have considered the corruption and invcterateness of sin ; now ol)ser\-e what measure of mercy was ex- tended to him in the deliveiy from it ; " he was pureed." This place seems not so easy at the first blusli, as upon better search it will appear difficuh. " He was purged," yet he is granted an ungodly per- son. Now how can a reprobate be said to be jmrged from his sins ? For this is a sure ground, if God remit some sins, he retains none: if no sin be remitted, thai man is not purged. If he be purged, how can he for- get it ? If he have forgotten it, how was he purged ? Some understand it thus : that this purging is meant by the shedding of Christ's blood, whereby the whole world is purged, Jolin i. 29. But that all men are purged by Christ's blood, is neither a true position in itself, nor a true exposition of this place. The blood of Christ only purgeth his church, Eph. v. 26. And there are none admitted to stand before the throne, but such as have " washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb," Rev. vii. 14. If any soul be thus washed, he shall never be confounded. If this man were thus purged, how could he forget it ? " God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself," 2 Cor. v. 19. Yet no man thinks that the whole world shall go to heaven, for then were hell made to no purpose. So God loved the world, that he gave his Son ; yet " the whole world lieth in wickedness," I John v. 19. Thus it is clear, expiation was oiTercd for the world, and ofl'ered to the world ; but those that are blessed by it, arc se- parated from the world : " I have chosen you out of the world," John xv. 19. Salvation may be said to belong to many, that belong not to salvation. Now the reprobate forgets that a ]iurgation was made for him by the shedding of the Messiah's blood, which is a wretched thing, to forget so great a ransom. Go to the garden, and there behold thy Saviour groaning under the weight of sin, heavy enough to have pressed to death millions of angels, legions of men, the whole world; sweating drops of blood, as if he were east into the furnace of God's wrath that melted him. Behold him offering that mouth, which spake as never man or angel spake, to a traitor to kiss. What the traitor sold, and the murderer bought, thou hast olilained : he is thine, not the Jews' tliat purchased him. Now hast thou gotten him, and yet forgotten him ? That which tickles thy heart with laughter, made the heart of thy Saviour bleed : and hast thou forgotten it ? His soul was pressed to death with the sins we never shrink at : his eyes wejit tears of blood, ours flow with tears of laughter ; he felt those torments we cannot conceive ; we can- not understand wliat he did stand under. Were we so foul, that nothing but his blood could purge us, and do we forget that purging ? Do we forget that cry, whereat heaven and earth, men and angels, stood amazed, " My God, my God, why hast thou fiirsakcn me ? " The very senseless creatures did not forget it : the heavens were hung with black, the sun did hide his face like a chief mourner, and durst not be- hold his passion. Now, for man alone was all tliis passion, yet in man alone is least compassion. 1 know thou condcmnest Judas, and that worthily ; who sold Christ a man, there was murder; Christ his Master, there w;us treason ; Christ his Maker, there was sacrilege. Murder is a crying sin, treason a roaring sin, sacrilege a thundering sin. Thou condcmnest the Jews for buying him : they bought him not to possess as their ovi'n; they should so have made the best purchase in the world, to have bought Him that bought them. But they bought him to sell him again, as Simon Magus would have bought the Holy Ghost ; given money for liim, to have got money by him. " Buy the truth, and sell it not," Prov. xxiii. 2;?. They bouglit him to bind, abuse, mock, spit on, scourge, crucify him. Thou condcmnest these ; and shall not these, and the God of all, condemn thee, if thou use thy Saviour after the same manner? Tliey ciiicified Christ in his mortality; thou crueificst Christ in his immortality. Thy sin is, and thy judgment shall be, greater; be- cause thy knowledge, and his glor)-, is more. Hath he suflcrcd all this to purge us, and will we not yet let him alone ? Shall we not sufl'er the Son of God to be at rest in his heaven ? Shall we blas- pheme and swear him (juite over, open his wounds with our oaths, give him new portions of gall with our drunkenness, pierce him again with our oppressions, defile him again with our lusts, run him into the heart with our homicides, and still forget all this ? Take we heed, for he feels it, and therefore does not forget it : the lewd Christian may come to see him, even whom himself hath pierced. Do we offer violence to that glorified Saviour, and with a pre- sumptuous hand, lifted up to the heaven, pull him down from his throne to his cross ? Is it not enough that he died once for ns ? Are those pains so light, so slight, and have we so soon forgotten them, tliat every day we should redouble them? Is this the recompence of those infinite torments ? In vain thy tongue cries Hosanna, wlien thy hand crucifies him. How darest thou receive the sacrament with that hand, that is so imbrued in his blood whom thou reeeivest ? He that sells that for a little pleasure, which Christ bought with so much pain, thinks Christ but a foolish buyer, and that he had a hard pennyworth; but indeed he proves himself a foolish seller, and, with Esau, vdW repent his bargain. Now hath Christ done so much to purge us, and can we forget it ? Can such a benefit die in our memories? No, let every redeemed heart remember his Redeemer. Forget not the passion of thy Sa- viour, my soul ; but let him be wholly fastened in me, that was wholly fastened to the cross for me. Some understand by this purging, true regenera- tion : in this exposition tlie Romanists are confident and peremptory. But so taken, it is mistaken ; for if he were regenerate, he could never forget it. Upon this collection they build, that a man may fall away from grace, and that without distinction, even totally and finally. Here they cry, AVe have conquered ; the Calvinisis are confuted, confounded. But this Irimipet might be blown with a straw. Their logic is too hasty ; they force their conclusion to ride post. As in their indulgences and pardons they move men to presumption, so in this they drive them to desjie- ration; any way senes their turns to deceive. If this their position were true, that must needs be false, John xiii. I, 'Whom he loves, he loves to the end : and that, Rom. viii. 39, Nothing can sejKirate ns from the love of God in Christ : and then were Jesus Christ not tlie same, yesterday, to-day. and for ever, Heb. xiii. 8. But the Spirit of adoption is an everlasting Spirit ; and God's mercy, like his majesty. endures for ever : and the gifts of grace are without re)icntanee; God will never retract thcni, for he is no changeling. " I am the Lord, I change not," Mai. iii. 6. Man is inconstant, riches are inconstant, honour is inconstant, friends arc inconstant, a wife is inconstant, the world is inconstant ; only I, the Lord, change not. He doth not to-day love dearly, and to-morrow hale deadly ; but whom he blcsseth, shall be blessed. Gen. xxvii. 33. Christ will not quench the smoking flax, but inflame the least spark of grace. Ver. 9. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 109 The light may be eclipsed, not extinguished. But they object Matt, xviii. 32, " I forgave thee all that debt;" yet he cast him into prison, " till he sliould pay all that was due unto him," ver. 'M: tlic debt remitted is again required. I answer, that the scope of that parable is to show, (hat God will no other- wise forgive us, than we forgive others. For cer- tainly if a man be once acquitted, he can never for that debt be damned. God's covenant depends not on our obedience, but our obedience depends on God's covenant. We are not therefore loved because we are holy ; but we arc therefore holy because we are loved. If this purging had been absolute regenera- tion, it could never be forgotten ; for all the promises of God are yea and amen in Jesus Christ. Some expound it tluis : he was purged, that is, he thought himself purged; he was only clean in his own opinion. So Clirist calls the Pharisees just, be- cause ihcy justified themselves, Luke xv. f- This opinionative purging easily revolteth to profaneness : he that never had but the ease of a sheep, may very well be a wolf. They slumber, and suppose themselves good Christians : their faith is but a dream, their hope but adream, theircharity but a dream, their obedience but a dream, their whole I'cligion but a dream ; and so their assurance of salvation is but adream. They have regeneration in conceit, repentance and righteous- ness in conceit, they serve God well in conceit, do the works of piety and charity in conceit, and they shall go to heaven only in conceit. Get better assur- ance than only to think thyself good : pure and naked supposals bring no man to eternal life. Others, as Luther, refer this purging to baptism ; which exposition may carry a probable and profitable sense. Tliis St. Paul calls the laverof regeneration ; but he means the sign or seal of it. Our purgation by Christ's blood is not only granted to us in the charter of the gospel, but also confirmed in the sacra- mental seals. In the Old Testament there was cir- cumcision, contra peccali realum ; and oecision, or the passover, contra peccati pontam, as the school speaketh. Answerable to these we have baptism and the Lord's supper : now it is the general consent of the fathers, that in the most complete baptism sin is not so taken away ; Quod non sit, sed quod non obsit : non ?moad actum, sed quoad reatum, Sin is still within the iiithful, but it shall not be destructive to them in whom it is. Indeed if we consider the inward bap- tism of the Spirit with the outward, there is a true purging. The laver of regeneration cleanseth from the guilt of all sins. (August.) So Lactantius sings of the baptized infant, Candidtis egreditur iiitidis exercilus undis : ^tque vetus vitium purgat in amne novo. Aquinas says, this sacrament is a commemoration, a demonstration, a prognostication: a commemora- tion of Christ's death, that is past ; a demonstration of Christ's grace, that is present ; a prognostication of Christ's gloiy, that is to come. Thus can the God of power efiect his will by weak means ; as the asper- sion of blood on the doore without, shall save tlie effusion of blood in tlie house within, Exod. xii. Naaman must wash in Jordan, the blind in Siloam, the lame in Pethesda, we in the sacred font. As none entered the sanet\iar)- but they first washed in the golden laver; so ordinarily none enter the church, but they are first washed in this holy fountain. Nmv to this, outward baptism is necessary with a conditional necessity ; inward, with an absolute ne- cessity. Baptism healoth not as a medicine, by its own inherent virtue ; but as a seal of his mercy, by whose grace we are saved. (Parens.) The necessari- ness of it is derived from tlie commandment of God. .\ man may have it, and yet be lost ; as Magus had the sacrament of grace, but not the grace of the sa- crament. Another may want it, and yet be saved ; as that penitent malefactor was never washed in Jordan, yet received into paradise. Sacraments then save not necessarily, but ordinarily. AVhence hath tlie water such virtue, that washing the body, it should purge the soul? Not because it is so said, or so sprinkled, but because it is so believed. (August.) It is not therefore enough to have the sacrament of faith, but the faith of tlie sacrament. He that be- lieves, and is baptized, shall be saved. He that is thus baptized, is tmly purged : and as upon Christ being baptized the Holy Ghost descended ; so the Spirit, which once moved on the face of the waters, shall work with the water upon his soul. And as there came a voice to Christ from heaven, " This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased ;" so doth God the Father secretly speak to the baptized infant, Thou art my beloved child, with whom (though before I was angry) I am now well pleased. Before thou wast a child of wrath, an heir of perdition ; but now " thou art my son; this day have I begotten thee," Psal. ii. 7. If this wicked man had been so purged he could never h,-»'e forgotten it. But he had only the bap- tism of water, not of the Spirit. And is not this a miserable and damnatoiy sin, to forget a man's bap- tism? not to remember that his name is Christian? It is pity that ever the water of baptism was spilt upon his face. Wert thou bom in sin, «oh prius natus quatn damnatus, a stranger to the life of God? And lo, then did thy parents bring thee to the sacred font : and when thou couldst not answer for thyself, was not God pleased to take sureties for thee, wit- nesses of thy future obedience ? Did the church open her bosom to receive thee to her motherhood, God to his fatherhood, Christ to his brotherhood, angels to their guard and society, all the elect to their prayers and charity ; and canst thou forget all this ? Wilt thou disclaim Christians, despise the angels, deny thy Brother, defy thy mother, reject thy Fatller, and run a course cross to piety and eternal life ? Shall not, at that great day, men forsake thee, devils accuse thee, angels repudiate thee, the church be ashamed of thee, thy Father disinherit thee, yea, even thy Brother, now become thy Judge, the Lord Jesus, condemn thee ? What can save thee, if thou forget thou wcrt a purged Christian ? Beloved, think of the end of your washing; it was that you should no more foul yourselves. " Be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord," Acts xxii. 16. The eunuch, being bap- tized, became a saint : he went down into the water a heathen, he came up a Christian. The cruel gaoler, baptized, became a zealous professor. Bap- tism is to amendment of life. Matt. iii. Therefore say with the spouse, " I have washed my feet ; how shall I defile them?" Cant. v. .3. Forget not that sacramental vow made to God, in the presence of men and angels. Did it fly up to heaven, and does it not stay there to testify against thee ? Thou vowedst thyself a soldier, not a neuter; to fight for the Lord, not to stand still and look on, much less to fight against him : for cursed is he that takes not the Lord's- part, Judg. v. 23. Thou must fight ; thou dost fight ; but against whom ? not against the world, thy own lust, the power of Satan; but against thy bre- thren. Upon every slight occasion we must to law : like cocks of the game, that fight neither pro patria, nov pro domo; so we contend not pro rtire, jure, tliure : not for the title of inheritance, not for the right of the poor, nor for the cause of religion, but because one will not yield to another. Turbulent lawyers no AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. I. are the abettors that set them on ; the cockpit is Westminster Hall ; and when they have pecked out one another's eyes, they pull their feathers. Is this to fight the Lord's battle ? No, it is to be on (he dragon's side. Do we war against the world ? No, we fight not like Alexander, to subdue it to ourselves, but to subdue ourselves to it. Run through the shops of this city, and you may know by their weapons, false measures, false balances, false lights, false tongues, what they fight for. Oh the mercy of God ! Have we forgot our names ? Is there no memory of our Christianity left ? We had but some prints and relics of it at first ; and may wc now say, as of Jerusalem, Etiam periere. ruinas ? Is there no ruin nor stone left, to tell a man's self, this building was a Christian ? It is reported of Orbilius, a gramma- rian, that he forgot not only the letters of his book, but even his own name. We forget both the prints and letters of the gospel, and witnal our own names, that we are Christians. As God said to that evil ser- vant, " Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee," Luke xix. 22 ; so he will speak to this apostate. By thine o\rs\ name will I condemn thee ; thou namest thyself Christian, yet shamest the profession. Now the Spirit of God purge us from this forgetfulness, and grant us never to forget our purging. Let us never forget such a benefit, that we may never be forgotten by the Author of it. He " hath forgotten that lie was purged." Here is his unthankfulness for tliis deliverance. What, blind, and forgotten too ? How comes this to pass ? Blindness should ever have the best memoiy : what is taken from one sense, is divided among the rest. The ear retains what it is intrusted with the better, when the eye wants occasion to direct it. The memor)' is like a cage, the car is the door of it, the eye the window; good doctrines are put like birds in at the door, and fiy out again by setting open the window. Indeed the defect of coi-jioral sight hath often mended the memoiy ; but it is not so for spi- ritual : " Ha^nng eyes, see ye not ? and do ye not remember?" Mark viii. 18. They neither saw nor remembered. A carnal heart is blind to conceive, ready to forget ; " Ever learning, never able to come to the knowledge of the truth," 2 Tim. iii. /; slow to get, apt to forget. As " Know you not ? " was a word often used by St. Paul ; so, " Do ye not re- member?" was frequent from our Sa^^our Christ. " Hold fast the foi'm of sound words t that good thing which was committed unto thee, keep," 2 Tim. i. 13, 14. An auditor should not be like the spunge, that holds all water both good and bad; nor like the sieve, that holds no water, neither good nor bad; nor like the bolter, that keeps in the coarse bran, and throws out the fine flour : but like the sciy, thai keeps in the good seed, and casteth out the dust and unprofitable darnel. One said of our country, that it had fair houses, but bad chimneys, because they have so little smoke of hospitality: so we have ex- cellent ears, but bad memories ; quick conceptions, brittle retentions : not a nation under heaven hears so many good sermons ; not a nation under heaven sooner forgets them. Many arts are taught among us, of quick reading, of short writing, where by bra- chygraphical characters they will lake a sermon ver- batim ; but there is one art I would some good body would teach it us; it is the art of memory- ; that as sermons are taken word for word in our papers, so they might be written sense for sense in our hearts. Now if my power were answerable to my will, I would teach you this art. Posse mihi is h'ihnat qui mihi telle dedit. To dispose this discourse of memory into some method, lest it be confounded in that should teach it : the object of memon,' specified in the text, is double ; the estate of sin wherein we lay polluted, and the estate of cleansing wherein we stood recovered. So that the point is here confined to sins or good works. For our sins, let us first learn how to remember them, and then how we may forget them. First, for their remembrance. Chrysostom says, nothing more helps us forward in a good course, than the frequent recognition of our sins. David special- ly entitleth the 38th Psalm a memorandum, "A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance." Upon good reason, saith Euthymius, because he made it when he called his sins to remembrance : " Mine iniquities," &c. ver. 4. Paul thus remembers his former sinfulness of life, I was a blasphemer, &c. 1 Tim. i. 13; and so he became more zealous to save sinners than before he had been furious to kill the godly ; of a violent persecutor, he became a valiant sufferer. Our sins are innumerable, who can tell how oft he oficndeth? Psal. xix. 12. Thou remem- bercst not the sins of one day ; how great a mass have many days made up ! too great a bottom for one hour's sorrow to ravel out. " Have ye forgotten the wickedness of your fathers, and your own wick- edness," that you " are not humbled even unto this d;iy ?" Jer. xliv. 9. If we forget our sins, God will remember them. The wicked man would put out the eye of knowledge, and stupify the memoiy of infinite comprehension : " He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten," Psal. x. II. But, "These things hast thou done, and I kept silence ; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thy- self : but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes," Psal. 1. 21. The forborne debtor may forget, but the forbearing Creditor remembers ; ever}' parcel is set down in his book. Ahab had for- got Naboth's blood, but God remembers it. Joab had forgot the murder of Abner and Amasa, but Da- vid chargeth Solomon to remember it : " Let not his hoar head go down to the grave in peace," I King« ii. 6. But if we remember our sins in the day of re- pentance, God will forget them in the day of venge- ance. He will answer as Calo to Mm that struck him in the bath, and aftenvards submitted himself to his mercy ; I do not remember that I was smitten. Ananias pleaded against Paul, Lord, remember how much evil he hath done to thy saints : but the Lord answers. He is my chosen vessel, Acts ix. 13. "The times of this ignorance God winked at ; but now he commandeth all men eveiy where to repent," Acts xvii. 30. Repent then, and all shall be forgotten. At what lime soever, what sinner soever, shall turn from what sin soever, heartily ; I will put all his wickedness out of my remembrance : the Lord will forget it ; I will be merciful to them, and their sins I will remember no more, Heb. \-iii. 12. But it is the Holy Ghost that brings all things to our remem- brance, John xiv. 26. Now this Holy Spirit of me- mory teach us thus to remember our sins ; that we may think of them with penitent sorrow, and God forget them to our eternal joy. There is a way also for us to forget Uiem : as we re- member them to repentance, so we must forget them in respect of continuance. Otherwise the memory of them doth not reduce us to life, but forward us to death. This is to fetch poison out of a dunghill for- merly cast forth. He tnat remcmbcps his sins in sorrow, falls, like Abraham, forward on his face to (iod: he that remembers them to practise, falls, like the Jews, backward from Jesus Christ. If thou be on the mountain, have no love to look back to Sodom. If thou be in the ark, lly not back to the world, as the raven did. If thou be set on for Canaan, forget the llcsh-pots of Egypt. If marching against Midian, SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. Ill forget stooping to the waters of Harod, Jutlg. vii. If on the house-top, forget that is below thee, Mark xiii. 15. If thy hand oe put to the plough, forget that is behind tliec, Luke ix. 62. Thcmistocles desired rather to learn the art of forgetfulncss, than of me- mory. Philosophy is an art of remembering, di\'inity includes in it an art of forgetting. The first lesson that Socrates taught his scholars was. Remember ; for he thought that knowledge was nothing else but a calling to remembrance of those things the mind knew ere it knew the body. But the first lesson that Christ tcacheth his scholars is. Forget : " Forget thine own people," Psal. xlv. 10; " Repent," Matt. iv. I/; first, "eschew evil," 1 Pet. iii. 11. They which dye cloth, do not immediately change one contrary into another; but first turn white into an azure, then make it a puke, &e. ; so we can never hold colour, or have our integrity dyed in grain, but by mediate degrees. What we did ill get we must well forget ; (Lirinens.) and happily unlearn what we did unhappily leam. They that work in wax, cannot form a new impression but by defacing the old ; till Satan's image be extinguished, Christ's can- not be imprinted in us. We must forget the wilder- ness, that we may dwell in Canaan. Faitli is that fair Helen, which drinks to us in a cup of Ncpentlie, and says, " There shall be no more sorrow ; for the former things are passed away," Rev. xxi. 4. The hearty draught of the lr\-ing fountain, shall make a man not to " remember the days of his life, because God answereth him in the joy of his heart," Eccles. v. 20. The Scripture is full of this language. " Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old," Isa. xliii. IS. There are some dissolute per- sons, that laugh at the memorial of their sins : shall they not weep tears of blood for those smiles ? Woe be to them that thus laugh! for they shall weep, Luke vi. 25. When they are past committing, they applaud themselves in recounting, in reporting their apersions of fraud, blood, or lust ; they gloiy in their shame, Phil. iii. 19. They remember that on earth laughing, which they must remember in hell howling. This is a cursed commemoration ; when an old man shall glory in his former whoredoms. boast his homicides, yea, perhaps (if it be possible) make himself worse than ever he was. Some men lie to save their credits ; and that is as if one should wipe his mouth on his sleeve to spare his napkin. But this man tells lies to increase his discredit, and to fill up the measure of his torments. As if his damnation conld not otherwise be heavy enough, his tongue shall make up the weight which his hands failed to accomplish. Here is a damnable remem- brance of sin ; not by penitence, to cleanse the soul, hut by impudence, more to foul it : " Wliy boastest thou thyself in mischief?" Psal. Hi. 1. No, but if thou hast had a flux of malice, as that woman a flux of blood, twelve years, Mark v. ; now being cured, forget that bloodiness. If thou hast been depressed with worldliness, as another woman with a spirit of infirmity, eighteen years, Luke xiii. : now being rectified, forget that crookedness. Though blind from thy birth, as the man, John ix. now having thine eyes opened, forget thy former cecity. Though formerly deaf and dumb, Mark vii. 32, upon Christ's Ephphatha, forget those orbities. Though thy cha- rity were dried up, like that man's withered hand. Matt. xii. 10 ; yet now, upon the restitution of it, forget all dryness and niggardliness. Though thou wert a cripple from the womb. Acts xiv. 8, yet now, being recovered, forget all limping and halting -with God. Though buried in the grave four days, yet now, being revived, forget all deadness in sin. "Though before tormented With seven devils, as Mary Magda- lene ; yet, being dispossessed, forget the devil and all his works. Forget Babylon, but remember Jerusa- lem ; " If I forget thee, Jerusalem, if 1 do not re- member thee," let both my hand and mouth miscarry, and forget their offices, Psal. exxx\-ii. 5, 6. Forget thy old sinful life ; " So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty," Psal. xlv. 11. Forget not the mercies of God, lest God forget to do you good : but forget all the injuries of men; write the wrongs in their dust, and cover all offences done to you with a man- tle of charity. The sum of all is. Remember your sins to repent of them, forget to practise them ; that God may forget them in judgment, and remember you in mercy and salvation. This be the method of memory in respect of sin : now for the works of grace ; I do not mean such as God hath A\Tought in us, but such as ourselves by his grace have done. There is a rule how they may be remembered, and how they must be forgotten. Our virtues and good works may be after some manner remembered. Our conscience is exceedingly comforted by the memory of our zealousness to serve God. (Bern.) The kingdom of God consists in " righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost," Rom. xiv. 17. Now if there be knowledge of righteous- ness, then certainly there will be peace of conscience ; and these cannot be without joy of the Holy Ghost. Job hath a whole chapter of these holy remembrances, chap. xxxi. " If I have walked," 4i-c. ; and he con- cludes, " My heart shall not reproach me from my days," chap, xxvii. 6. So sick Hezckiah cheered himself; " Lord, remember howl have walked be- fore thee with a perfect heart," Isa. xxxviii. 3. So Obadiah after a sort justified liimself to Elijah ; Didst thou not hear how I saved the prophets of the Lord from Jezebel ? 1 Kings xviii. 13. "The purpose of this repetition, is not to boast merits, but to seek mercies. Neither must this line of remembered goodness be there cut off, but extended forth still ; like a man that counts his miles past, but yet goes on his journey. " He that is holy, let him be holy still," Rev. xxii. 11. The further men fetch their career backward to take their nin, the further they leap for- ward when they have run. So a sober recognition of our former obedience, remembering what peace of con- science we had in that service, encourageth our future constancy. There are some who, looking to this record, find their own names blank. What, no good deeds ? Yes, but they have lost their memories ; they cannot call to mind where, or when, or how they performed them. Like the dnmkard who sought all the inns in the town for his horse, when indeed he came thither on foot. These men may blame their bad memories, but the fault is in their bad liands and hearts. Some have their good deeds written upon hospital walls, perhaps lest God should forget them ; but we will charitably construe it, that they were recorded there rather by the gratitude of the receivers, than by the popular desire of the contributors. Howsoever, it is somewhat that they have good deeds to remember. But too many have none at all : will you blame their memories ? no, God amend their lives. In another course, our good works are to be for- gotten, and not mentioned : let them be remembered to enliven our obedience, and comfort our conscience ; but rather than we should arrogate merit by them, oblivion take them. He that in pride remembers his virtues, hath indeed no virtues to remember, be- cause he wants the mother virtue of all, humility. Here is one difference between good and evil men : both remember virtues ; good men remember the virtues of others, evil men their own. They think on others' virtues as ensamples to imitate, these on their own as miracles to wonder at. The way to 112 AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. I. have God rcmemljcr thorn, is for ourselves to forget them. Abraham was content to offer up Isaac ; but then he forgets it, therefore God remembers it. " Be- cause thou hast done this thing," Gen. xxii. 16: there is the general. What thing? The particular follows ; " and hast not withheld ;" not thy servant, but " thy son ;" and not only thy son, but thy " only son:" therefore " in blessing I will bless thee." Mary showed to Christ great kindness ; but when she had done, she thought it not worth remem- brance : therefore Christ repeats it, and amplifies it from point to point. Simon, thou gavest me neither water to my feet, nor kiss to my mouth, nor oil to ray head ; but she hath waslicd me with tears, kiss- ed with her lips, and anointed my very feet, Luke vii. 44—40. Who dares boast himself to God ? If in a brave theomachy thy memor)- produceth a thousand good ■works, God's memory will bring forth ten thousand of thy sins, to knock thee down. Therefore let us cast down our most flourishing branches, Matt. xxi. S, and our most glorious crowns, Rev. iv. 10, at the feet of Christ. If Sennacherib have conquered king- doms, you shall hear hira crack it; " Where is the king of Ilamath?" 8zc. Isa. xxx^ii. 1.3. If Nebu- chadnezzar have built a stately palace, he must brag of it ; " Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the honour of my majesty?" Dan. iv. 30. David himself could not be content with the multitude of Ins people, but he must needs number them, 2 Sam. xsiv. 2. If Hezekiah have rich treasures, he must needs show them, 2 Kings xx. 13. Victorious Samson must gloi-y in his conquests ; " With the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men," Judg. x^•. 16. But for us, though we give alms, let us sound no trumpets, Matt. vi. 2; though we fast twice a week, let us make no words of it, Luke xviii. 12. God best likes of those good works that be covered under the fleece of htmible silence. So the Lord that seeth in secret will reward openly, Matt. vi. 4. The Christian's glorj' is his humility. (Leo.) St. Paul was " in nothing behind the very ehiefest apostles;" yet he accounts himself nothing, 2 Cor. xii. 11. "I la- boured more abundantly than they all," 1 Cor. xv. 10 ; yet he forgets it. " I speak with tongues more than ye all," 1 Cor. xiv. 18. " I speak wisdom among them that are perfect," 1 Cor. ii. 6. " I fought with beasts at Ephesus after the manner of men," I Cor. XV. 32. Yea, he calls all (he former sufferings, "things without;" he had a thing within that troubled him, " the care of all the churches," 2 Cor. xi. 28. He was rapt up to the third heaven, and perfected his knowledge among the angels. Yet he esteems, hnc atiquid, hoc magiium, hoc minim, hoc totum, nihil ; he forgets all this in regard of merit, as if it were nothing. Whereas we, if we have done one thing well, or at one time well, think we have done enough. Orpheus going to hell to fetch out his wife Eurydice, had her granted him on this condition, that he should not turn back to look upon her till he had brought her forth. But being for- ward a good way, in an excessive loyc, flexil amans ocu/os, ct prolinu.i ilia relapsa est, he looked back, and so lost both her sight and herself: but perhaps when he considered better of the matter, he was will- ing to be rid of her. This fiction is not without the moral: if we have any virtue, though it be as dear as a wife unto us, let us not dote on it with a self- loving admiration ; lest by too much looking, and too well liking, we lose it. ' Let us not be too memo- rious of our good works; it is enough that God will not forget them. This deed shall be " told for a memorial of her," Matt. xxvi. 13. Wo had better have one written in heaven, than a thousand in earth : whosoever forgets them, the comfort is, they shall be remembered of Christ. The sum of all is this, unthankfiilncss is even for- getful. This is the first degree of apostacy. They " forgat his works," and " remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the ene- my," Psal. Ixxviii. 1 1, 42. Nathan taxed David with this forgelfulness : How much hath God done for thee ! yet hast thou forgotten it, and despised his commandment, 2 Sam. xii. 8. So Pharaoh's officer forgat Joseph, when he came to his preferment. " Joash the king remembered not the kindness of .lehoiada, but slew his son," 2 Chron. xxiv. 22. Hath God delivered, purged, blessed us, and can we forget it ? Beware lest thou lift up thine heart, and forget the Lord, Deut. viii. 14. David would not suffer the lilcssings of God to lie unseen of men, unremenibered of his o\\'n heart, but he proclaims them ; " Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul," Psal. \sx\. 10. Let others write the kindnesses of their friends, I will relate to vou the mercies of mv God, Psal. xl. 10, and l.xxi. 15. Of all faculties of the soul, the memory is most delicate, tender, and brittle, and soonest decayeth; and of all objects of memory, a benefit soonest grows old. Yet it is an easy work of memory to think on him that made us : here is no overcharging it with numerous objects ; to remem- ber only one thing, the mercy of thy God. It is no weakening to thy body, no decay to thy store, no emptying to thy purse; O then be thankfiil. And yet all thy riches, thy fatlings, thy first-fruits, thy best oblations, are not so acceptable ; it is more welcome than the bullock that hath horn and hoof. " Hath God forgotten to be gracious?" Psal. Ixxvii. 9. He hath then left his old wont. No, David had forgotten the richness of his mercy ; therefore he recollects himself; " This is my infirmity : but I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High," ver. 10. Not the moments, nor the hours, nor days of a few short afflictions, that his left hand hath dealt to me; but the years of his right hand, those long, large, and boundless mercies wherewith he hath comforted me. " When they forgat the Lord, he sold them into the hand of Sisera, and to the Philistines," 1 Sam. xii. 9. They that forget the Lord, shall be delivered into the hand of Sisera, captain of the enemy's host, that is, Satan ; or to the Philistines, the lusts of the flesh; or to Moab, that is, the world. " Consider this, ye that forget God," Psal. 1. 22: though you forget your f>wn coimtr)-, and your father's house ; though you forget the wife of your bosom, and the fruit of your own loins ; though you forget to cat your bread and take your sleep ; yet remember your sanetification, forget not that you were purged by the blood of Christ. If you have treasures and gems, you desire a cabinet to put them in : I have showed you a cabi- net for all the jewels of grace you have gathered, the memory. If you have received any good, there preseiTC it. Paul tells the Hebrews, " Ye have for- gotten the exhortation," Heb. xii. 5 : let it never be said of you, that ye have forgotten the exhortation spoken to you. " Forgotten that he was purged." There remains yet one degree more of application and amplifica- tion of this point. Consider we the price of our purgation, and we shall more willingly part from our corruption. If the blood of God's Son was spilt and spent to discharge us of sin, how odious should sin ajipear to us! Oh let no sin be held so dear .as to be retained, when (iod retained not his dearest Son for us. When Abraham offered up Isaac, God said, I see thou lovest me : but when God offered up his Ver. 9. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 113 Son for us (that were, not as God to Abraham, a friendly Creator, hut) enemy creatures, \vc may well say. Lord, we see that thou lovest us. Abraham's offering Isaac was a grievous trial, both for the mat- ter and the manner : that talis, lalem, taliter. 1. That the saerificer should be a father. It is contranatural and execrable for a son to slay his father, to give death to him that gave him life. Herodotus writes of some that held it impossible for a son to liill liis father. A great lawgiver made no law for it, as a thing never to be done. If any were suspected or accused for it, they would conclude that either he had not done it, or that lie was a bastard ; they could not be persuaded that any son would commit parricide. But now it is more strange for a father to slay his son; for love more descends than ascends. We have read of young ones that killed their own dam; we never read of a dam that killed her own young ones. But here Isaac is doomed to die, not by the hand of an enemy, not by a stranger, not by an executioner, not by a murderer; but by a father, a mild, gentK?, holy, loving father. Abraham might say, Oh that it were only his destiny to die, and not to die by the hand of his father. 2. That the sacri- fice should be his son, his Isaac, his joy ; not only his son, but his only son. Not one of many ; yet Jacob cannot spare one of tivelve, he weeps for Joseph, he is grieved to part with Benjamin. Yea, that it must be that son from whom the ^lessiah was to come; the hope of salvation to himself, and all the ends of the earth. 3. That he must die after such a man- ner; a sacrifice to God, who delights not in the blood of men : and this, himself not standing by, but with his own hand. Since he must die, oh that another hand might do it, and the father not see it ! Dost thou lament thy son dying, what wouldst thou do if thyself wcrt commanded to kill him ? God remembers this faithful ser\ice with an oath : " By myself have I sworn," that I will bless thee for it. Gen. xxii. 16. Sure he was loth his tender son to kill ; But much more loth to break his Father's will. But now to what purpose is all this ? Yes, Abra- ham puts us in mind of God the Father ; Isaac was a type of Christ : either gives up his only son, but with great difference. Abraham's duty was but a shadow of God's bounty. 1. Abraham at God's command was bound to do it, as a creature to his Maker ; but who could command God ? Children are command- ed by parents^ their parents by magistrates, those magistrates by princes, those princes by God, God himself by none. 2. Abraham did this for a loving friend, God did it for hating enemies ; " When we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son," Rom. v. 10. .3. Abraham offered a mortal son sure to die ; God ofiered an immortal Son to death indeed. The one must have died though his father should never kill him ; the other could never have died, unless the Father had delivered him to death. Besides, he that was mortal escaped, he that was immortal died. Now wherefore did God all this? To purge us from sin. So he killed his Son, that he might kill our sin; he was crucified, that iniquity might be mortified. Ponder them, and weigh the reasons why our Saviour died. Samson suffered his hair, his strength, to be lost for Delilah : Christ suffered him- self to be betrayed and murdered for us. Jacob en- dured fourteen years' service for Rachel : Christ above thirty years' passion for us. Rachel was fair, there- fore Jacob loved her : we were foul and polluted, yet Christ loved us : he did descend, from his own royalty, to deliver us from misery. Divers kings have left their regal seats for a monastery : Christ forsook heaven for earth, a crown of joys for a crown of thorns. Exemplum sine exempto .' Many refuse heaven for earth's sake, becau.se they know not those supernal joys : Christ knew heaven, for it was his own. All this for sin. Fie, filthy sin, that any soul should hereafter love thee ! For this cause turn from iniquity to righteousness : do thou for God's sake not spare thy dearest sin, when God for thy sake did not spare his dearest Son. Fall not back to wickedness and pollution ; remember thou art purged by Jesus Christ. Verse 10. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure : for if ye do these things, ye shall necer full. The scope of this verse is persuasive and hortatory ; wherein the apostle labours to reduce Christianity to practice, that as men have a plentiful hope of salva- tion, so they may show a liberal argument of sanc- tifieation. " For even" man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself,"' 1 Jolin iii. 3. And he that is freed from damnation, walks after the Spirit, Rom. viii. 1. Neither can there be a sound testimony of conscience that we are in God's favour, if it be not joined with the integrity of life. That which from everlasting stood sure in heaven by God's decree of election, this make siu'e to yourselves on earth by your conversion from evil, and conversation in good- ness. As God hath his slatutum est, so must you have your probalum est. Christ hath bequeathed to all believers a legacy of glory, entitle yourselves to it by your faith and holines-s. " Make your election sure." It was ever sure in God's prescience, now make it sure to your own conscience. Which when you have done, be stablished in your hearts; "ye shall never fall." He that hath a grant from the king under the broad seal, and hath also interested and strengthened himself in tliis grant, and hath approved himself coram facie judicis, wants now no- thing but possession, which the sheriff cannot deny him. So the Christian having both these made sure to him, when death shall manumit him, the angels shall bring him to the inheritance, and the gate of glorj- shall give open way, the Porter not being Peter, but the Lord Jesus himself. A man in your city is to be made free by his fathei-'s copy : you demand proof that he is such a man's son ; he proves it by testimony, you cannot deny his freedom. The Father of heaven makes all Christians free by Christ's copy ; " If the Son therefore make you free, ye shall be free indeed," John viii. 36. "Thou comest and de- mandest thy freedom : where is thy testimony that thou art such a Father's son ? here, my faith, and some measure of obedience. Christ will answer, " Well done, good and faithful servant : enter thou into the joy of thy Lord," Matt. xxv. 2L " Wherefore the rather, brethren," &c. The whole verse may be distributed into, An exhortation, Be diligent to make your election sure. A confirmation. If yc do ye shall never fall. The exhortation contains in it. An induction. Brethren, be diligent. An instruction. Make your calling certain. In the former there is a word, Of connexion, Wherefore. I Of affection, Brethren. 114 AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. I. Of direction, Give diligence Of election, Raihir, to this than other things. In the other is considerable, The matter expressed, Make your calling and election sure. The manner implied. How it may be made sure. Tl.v.' confirmation ofTcrs to be considered by, A qualification. If ye do these things. A ratification, You shall never fall. The tirst branch of the first particular of the first general, is the word of connexion, "Wherefore." This word infers a consequence on the premises, or is a reason of the precedent speech. The apostle had formerly discovered the danger of such as forget their own purging. But tliere are many that forget not that tney were purged by the redemption of Christ, but remember it too mucli ; and from this derive encouragement of a licentious life, quitting themselves from all sins by his passion. " But ye have not so learned Christ," Eph. iv. 20. Was your first lesson Christ's cross, and did you so construe it, " Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound ?" Rom. vi. 1. He that thus spells Christ, hath but small literature of religion. " Thou art made whole : sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee," John V. 14. Here is a cure, a diet, and a danger. " Thou art made whole ; " there is the cure. " Sin no more ;" there is the diet. " Lest a worse tiling come unto thee ; " there is the danger. " Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity," 2 Tim. ii. 19. Art thou a Christian ? Sit illi dominatio, a quo denominatio, Acknowledge him thy Lord, of whom thou hast thy name and title : do not usurp that name unless thou lead an answer- able life. Otherwasc, though thou cany awhile the name of a Christian, thou wilt find at last the reward of an infidel. If ye call God, Father, " pass the time of your sojourning here in fear," I Pet. i. 17. Shall we acknowledge a Father, and deny him honour ? The end of our conversion, is to amend our conver- sation ; and that word which sounds peace, and joy, and remission of sins, leaves this lesson behind it. Sin no more. As upon a general pardon granted at a royal parliament, the prisons are emptied ; yet the prisoners and malefactors have three memorable words spoken to them. Exile, gaudete, cavele, Go forth, re- joice in your liberty, but beware lest your sins bring you back again. He that draws arguments of pre- sumption and riot from Christ's death and passion, hath not perhaps forgotten his Saviour, but re- members him to the improvement of his own dam- nation. " Brethren." This is a word of relation, betwixt the persons to whom, and the persons from whom, this admonition is sent. This declares in the apostle two virtues ; his humility, and his holy policy : both attribute to us some dignity, and require from us some duty. For his humility ; he prefers not himself to the rest of God's saints, but calls them all brethren. How contemptibly would he judge of the pope's ar- rogated primacy! What sacrilegious pride would he take it, to be called the father of all men, which is incommunicably proper to God himself ! Indeed God bestowed upon Abraham this title, to be called " the father of all them that believe," Rom. iv. II. But this was a fatherhood of example only. He might be a father in respect of generation to the Jews ; he can be father in respect of regeneration to none. Himself was the son of faith, though called the father of believers. But " doubtless, O Lord, thou art our Father, though Abraham be ignorant of us," Isa. Ixiii. 16. And this our title, to the father- hood of God, and brotherhood of Christians, is through Christ ; who is both Pater nosier, and Prater tiosler. Our Father; "Behold I and the children which God hath given me," Heb. ii. 13. Our Brother ; '• He is not ashamed to call us brethren," ver. II. See here then the different spirit of St. Peter and the pope; one calls himself tiie brother, the other the father, of the saints. Indeed the pastor may call his jjcople children ; and Paul calls Timothy his son, when he commends himself to him ; " Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith," I Tim. i. 2 : when he commends him to others, he calls him brother; "Our brother Timothy is set at liberty," Heb. xiii. 23. But, saith our Saviour, " Call no man your father upon the earth ; for one is your Father, which is in heaven," Matt, xxiii. 9. Christ doth not there forbid natural, civil, moral relations. Not natural; Jacob may call Isaac father. Not civil; the servants of Naaman spake unto him, " My father," 2 Kings v. 13. Not moral ; as Elisha said to ascending Elijah, " My father, my father," 2 Kings ii. 12. Things that are subordinate one to another do not oppose one another : we have one Father in heaven, yet may have many ministerial fathers upon earth; but none in that sense that God is our Father. The father of the church, the pope cannot be called without wrong to God. This title he challengeth in St. Peter's right ; but St. Peter himself thinks it wrong. Christ, say they, meant to turn over his right to Peter, as if he were to be his only heir ; "Lfpon this rock I will build my church." But th church had a foundation from the beginning of tin world ; I hope Peter was not it. He calls us bret hreii. to show that he had but the privilege of a brothei'. and did no otherwise than all the rest bear the arms of the elder; he gives them all equal privilege. Tlic Old Testament began in fraternity, Closes and Aaron : so doth the New ; Peter and Andrew, James and John, Simon and Jude, Philip and Bartholomew, are also taken to be brethren ; so among the twelve apostles, to be four pair of brethren. And as Christ took them from a humble condition of estate, so he gave them a humble opinion of themselves. For condition ; he took no gymnosophists from India, nor philosophers from Athens, nor orators from Rome, nor rabbis from Jerusalem ; but men of no learning. 'Wlieu he purposed to bring down the proud hearts of men, he did not choose orators to persuade fishers, but fishers to convert emperors. For disposition ; though they were dignified to be apos- tles, yet they remain still humble bretliren to the poorest. They had not a lust of sovereignty, but a zeal of charity. If therefore Peter had any primacy, it was not of honour, but of order. Howsoever, as Matthias for succeeding Judas the traitor was never the worse, so the pope for succeeding Peter the saint is never the better. For his policy ; he desires to win their souls, and therefore insinuates himself into their loves. We begin our letters to menof honour with, Honourable; to kindred, with titles of affinity ; to friends, with terms of amily ; the apostles with the best band, fiiethren; beloved in the best Beloved, Jesus Christ. The phrase of " brother" begins almost to be worn out ; whether through curiosity, or curialily, such Christian salutations are thought too gross. But the apostles wonted to let in their holy counsel by the sweetness of their affection. Notwithstanding their apostolical authority, and beauty of graces, yet they took all courses to iiisinuate and work into their hearers' hearts. Even when they came with a rod, vet was it not without the spirit of meekness. In reproving of sins, they did it without jiassion, not without compassion, "iou may therefore well pardon us, if with points of humanity we illustrate points of Ver. 10. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 115 divinity ; if, according to your capacities, from earthly things we reason to heavenly. So did our Saviour ; If ye, being evil parents, can give good gifts to your children ; how much more shall our heavenly Father give good things to you! Matt. vii. 11. Philosophers were enemies to the gospel ; give us leave to eonfiite them witli their own reasons, to cut oil" Goliath's head with his own sword. All this while we give to se- cular learning praise, but no more than it deserves. It is a learned ignorance ; yet if we can make it, like Balaam's ass, speak to purpose, you have no wrong. In all our courses we seeK, not yours, but yourselves : we love your souls, let your souls accept of our loves. If you will answer God in obedience, you answer us in the desire of our hearts. " Brethren." This title ascribes to the people some dignity ; that by faith in Christ they become brethren to the very apostles, and have the fraternity of the heavenly saints. Alliance to princes is held a noble happiness; but let us bless nini that hath by the cement of his blood allied us to those glori- ous and triumphant saints in heaven. Be thou never so poor, if a tnie believer, Peter and Paul, yea, Jesus Christ himself, is thy brother. Again, this term is not without some requirable duty. Is the minister thy brother? hear him. If God had spoken only by angels, or by some raised from the dead, or by himself in thunder, this had been terror; but by thy brother, this is the sweet- ness of familiar mercy. The Lord doth raise up unto us prophets of our own brethren, Acts iii. 22. But take heed lest God's gentleness be abused by thy contempt : it is the word of thy Judge and Maker, though in the mouth of thy brother. I know that worldly greatness doth easily run into this scorn : What ! shall such a poor man reprove me ? Yes ; " I have set thee over nations and king- doms," Jcr. i. 10. I have chosen him " to bear my name before Gentiles and kings," Acts ix. 15. " Thou must prophesy before people, and nations, and kings," Rev. X. 11. If thou be the shepherd, suffer none to pollute the fountain whereof the sheep should drink. I know that the poorer sort are presumptuous enough, but they want teeth and horns : The sons of Zeruiah are too hard for us. If our conscience and the sal- vation of our souls lay not upon it, it were better for us to hold our peace. I speak not only concerning the pains ; if a man knew the burden, it would take away his stomach. Hierome on those w"ords of Paul, " If a man desire the office of a bishop," &c. 1 Tim. iii. 1 : Alas, who doth not desire it ? But to be a bishop was then the first step to pei-secution : if it were still so, to be pricked for death, few would so much affect it. But I speak concerning the opposi- tion of malice, rather than the imposition of labour ; herein consists our sorrow and trouble. The shep- herd having a lamb stolen out of his flock, vowed to God, if he could find the thief, to sacrifice a ram to him. But when in the pursuit he found a lion Sreying on it he made a new vow, that if God would eliver him from the lion, he would not only content himself with the loss of his lamb, but also sacrifice a bull to him. If a sheep be endangered, we vow sacrifice of thankfulness if we may recover it : but seeking the lost lamb, we meet with a lion, some great tyrant, that hath perverted him to feed his own humour and sensual lust ; we are now fain to return without our lamb, and glad to escape the lion. The sick man loathes the cup wherein the potion was brought him, though it qualified the malignancy of his disease ; so many for private quarrels hate the vessel, the minister, though he brings them the water of life. It is Satan's master>piecc, or special trick, to put jar betwixt the pastor and the people. Our feet should be beautiful, and we do what we can to gain your affections, to draw you on with sweet allurements to everlasting peace ; yet still, as the jjrophet speaks, there are some that will contend with the priests. You give the physician leave to tell the disease of your bodies; the lawyer to show you any flaw in your estates ; your horse-keeper shall tell you the surfeits of your horse ; your huntsman the surranees of your dogs : only we must dissemble, and conceal from you the sickness of your souls. We will not do it : we will pray for you, and honour you, and love you ; but your sins we will reprove, and what God hath bidden us, that we will speak. And for you that come liither to fetch seeds of lust from the temple, to seek out the devil in God's house, as if you could not find him in the places of prosti- tution ; you that come hither to detract and traduce, and think to enhance your credits of learning and wit by disgracing the preacher; you come not as brothers and saints, but as enemies, and worse. If there be any such present, my admonition is well spent ; if none at all, it is well and happily lost. " Give diligence." Studele, salagile, avovldaaTc. Terrene profits, though tanto non digtm labore, come not without diligence. Doth a man reap without sowing ! The apostle says, " Give to him that need- eth," Eph. iv. 28 ; and, " Above all things put on charity," Col. iii. 14: yet he says withal, He that labours not, let him not eat. Doth he here put off that charity which he bids us put on ? No, indulget liro, non titio ; he would have us favour the person, not the fault ; and relieve egentes, such as want ; but withal agenles, such as work. The philosophers thought the world was immortal and eternal ; for otherwise, say they, God were idle, and should have had nothing to do before the creation. They knew not the Divine contemplation of liis own essence in Three Persons ; they considered not that incompre- hensible delight, nor that infinite business of rest, and rest of business, that he had in himself. They were deceived in that, but not in this, that idleness is not incident to God. How much less should it be in man, his servant, that begs of this God his daily bread! L'ntil we come to the threshold of heaven, there is no rest of travail ; but then we shall rest from our labours, Rev. xiv. 13. The idle person may seem to be God's outlawry : slothfulness is a remora that sticks to our sides, and hinders the bark from the voyage of bliss. God built his temple on a threshing-floor ; there must be labour in that place, though after a different manner. As Christ did not wholly put his apostles out of their trade ; he made them still fishers, but of souls. It is a true maxim in philosophy. Art and nature bring forth nothing suddenly : and is it not so in divinity ? Doth any man think, that hath lived all his years profane, to be made at his last hour a saint ? Never tell us, that one malefactor sped so ; for then we tell you, that one ass did speak ; yet never was ass or ox heard speak since : grace that is presimied, may be missed. You have not wealth from the clods without digging, and would you have blessing from the clouds without working? The labour of our botlies for this world, was but a curse : the labour of our souls for heaven, is a blessing. We may ignor- antly give our bread to the slothful : God hath too much Knowledge to give salvation upon such terms " If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly appear?" 1 Pet. iv. 18. He that ^ves all diligence to enter into heaven, finds great difficulty, but ne shall get in ; but he that lies sleeping in his sins, must tarry without. The foolish virgins knock at the door, but were denied entrance. Matt. xxv. 12. Would you needs sleep ? sleep your last. Whea 116 AX EXPOSITION UPON THE LlIAI'. I. Jupiter, in the fable, had invited all living creatures to a banquet, the tortoise came at the taking up of the table ; whereat he storming, the tortoise excused himself, that Iris house troubled him : hereupon angrj' Jove adjudged him for ever to keep in his shell. So when God calls we have a house that hinders us, some lower, domestical, and earthly con- tent ; beware lest all our happiness be confined thither. " Give diligence." This exhortation presupposeth no proper strength of our own to do this, for it is God's work in us. Augustine says. Sometimes I would have done this or that good thing ; and I had will, but I wanted power ; and again, I had power, but then I wanted will : either will or power were missing. Will and power, like the sun and clouds, would fain meet : the clouds strive to come to the sun, but they arc too weak, and soluble, and melting: the sun would embrace the clouds, and call them near to liimsclf; but then his beams arc so hot, that they disperse them : these two could never meet till they were brought together by the wind. So our will to goodness, and our power of performance, cannot meet, till they be brought together by the Spirit, that holy wind which blows where it listeth, John iii. 8. The wheel runs round, not because it is made round, but because it is moved round. In the com- mandment, perceive what thou oughtcst to have ; in sin, perceive what thou hast not ; in faith and prayer, perceive where it is to be had which thou desirest. (August.) " I will run the way of thy command- ments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart," Psal. cxix. 32. By nature our feet are tied with the fetters of coiTuption, we cannot i-un. Wilt thou run with thy feet, before thou have eyes ? or with thy eyes and feet, without thy heart ? or with thy heart, before God hath freed it ? Canst thou i-un the way without the way, which is Jesus Christ ? We know whither our diligence must run for help : entreat Christ to entreat nis Father ; for he is delighted with his prayer, and requires it of him : " Ask of me, and I shall give thee," Psal. ii. 8. It was but hyperbolical in Trajan, it is trtie in our God, He can as soon cease to be, as to be good to his. God's hand was never shut from giving, if man's mouth be not shut from asking. Misery is the best orator for mercy : God loves to be solicited; " Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver thee," Psal. 1. 15. He that inviteth all to come in mercy, will receive all that do come in justice. Yet cannot our petitionary dili- gence deserve this : it is obtained not prece, sedpretio ; by the precious blood and merits of Christ. " Rather." Let not the goodness of God, which without your desert hath chosen and called you to the profession of Christ, forgiving and purging your former sins, make you idle and careless. But rather strive to answer this mercy in your faithful conversa- tion ; lest you fall into that pit of destruction, from whence by his death he hath redeemed you. Let your obedience consent in a sweet harmony with God's mercies, that you may be capable of his promises, and not be cut off like withered and fruitless branches. " The rather." He doth seem to encourage this endeavour, partly by the benefit, partly by the daiiger, and jjarlly by the reward : the first whereof incites our gratitude^ the next our fear, the last our hope. 1. The rather, because you have received such benefit, as cleansing from sin by Christ's blood. Oh what sin should be so dear to us, as God's only Son was to him ! 2. The rather, for fear lest a re- tidivation overthrow all your happiness. As Demas lost himself, by loving this present world, 2 Tim. iv. 10. Seven worse spirits may make a re-entry, when upon the expidsion of one there is found a vacuity. Lot's wife had as good have dwelt in Sodom still, as to look back after her deliverance. If the righteous turn away from his righteousness, in the sin that he hath sinned he shall die, Ezek. xviii. 24. A man hath been dangerously sick, is now something re- covered; if by misgovernment he fall into a relapse, he exasperates the disease. The first sickness of the body feeds upon ill humours, the relapse on the vital spirits. For a wound half cured to come to a new incision, is more painful than ever. It would grieve a traveller, got half-way forward his journey, losing all that, to return, and begin again. Are ye so foolish, that having begun in the Spirit, ye will be made perfect by the flesh ? Gal. iii. 3. No, rather give all diligence to continue ; and call upon God for perseverance, who alone can keep us from the griping paws and grinding jaws of that roaring lion. It is said, Zech. iv. 9, that •' the hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it." So it is God that begins the good work in us, and God that accomplisheth it. Indeed he chargeth us to give diligence ; " Thy God hath commanded thy strength," Psal. Ixviii. 28: but he may command and go without, unless himself ef- fectuate it, as it follows ; " Strengthen, God, that which tliou hast wrought for us." I know that God's elect may for a time lose some good means, and some great measure of grace ; many have fallen foully and fully, none finally. It is only God's mercy that up- holds us ; giving us grace prevenient, subsequent, co-operant ; grace before grace, grace after grace. It is not of ourselves that we persevere to the end, and in the end ; but we " are kept by the power of God unto salvation," 1 Pet. i. 5. 3. The rather, in respect of the reward: thus shall you be sure that you are written in heaven, never to be blotted out. There is no assurance in this world like it : wert thou sure to enjoy more kingdoms than ever the devil showed Christ, to be more healthful than Moses, to live longer than Methuselah ; yet this is the end, titisero clormire seputcliro, to lie hidden in the silent dust. Plot and project what you can, the best plot of all is salvation ; and the best assurance, to live with Jesus Christ for ever. "To make your calling and election sure." We have done with the induction, and are now come to the instruction : and herein first to the matter ex- ])rcssed, the making sure of our election and calling. Which we will first look upon quoad ordinem, then quoad cardinem, if I may so speak : first what is their order, then what is their dependence. For the or- der, the apostle puts vocation in the former place, which yet in propriety is the latter ; for election is before all time, vocation in time; his i)urpose was toward us in Christ Jesus, before the world began, 2 Tim. i. 9. Calling comes aftenvard ; this is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation. 2 Cor. vi. 2. But this is a right foi-m and method of speech, to set that last, which is worthiest and weightiest. Besides, we pass by things nearer to things more remote ; first, we must look to our call- ing, and by our calling come to assurance of our election. For dependence, we must know that our calling depends upon our election. The determinate counsel of God doth not take away second means, but disposeth those passages into order. These two, election and vocation, arc like Jacob's ladder, whereupon the saints ascend like angels to God : election is the (op. vocation the fool. Jacob wrestled with the angel at the foot of the lad- der, we must not be so proud as to wrestle with him at the lop. To the height of election there is no climbing, unless we begin at callin", which is the lowest round. To say, If 1 be saved, I am saved, Veil 10. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 117 without furthor care, is the devil's divinity. There is no certainty in that : look to thy calling, thus it is made sure. Otherwise to presume, is to pull down the ladder, and think to jump into heaven : never had man yet such luck. If Magus offer to fly up to heaven, there is a spirit to cast him down head- long. When our Saviour was on the pinnacle, Satan thought with a Scripfum est to break his neck : " It is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee," &c. Matt. iv. 6. But he left out a material point, " in all thy ways." That the people might know him to be the Mcssias, he persuades him to show them an unwarrantable miracle, to cast himself down in a braver)' : but that was none of his ways ; he might descend by the stairs without such a precipice. This cunning he still practiscth on his members ; he .sets them upon the high pinnacle of predestination, and persuades them there to a desperate precipitation, with, If I am elected, I am elected, &c. But this is none of God's ways, or prescribed means, whereljy we may be acquainted with our own election. " 1 will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the enrlh ; and the earth shall hear the corn, wine, and oil ; and they shall hear Jezreel," Hos. ii. 21, 22: there is a course and order for fruitfulness. So election in heaven calls to vocation on earth ; vocation calls for com, wine, oil, that is, the fruits of a good life ; and these tell our hearts with comfort, that we are elected. God works by Christ, Christ by his word, his word by his Spirit, the Spirit certifieth our hcarls, our hearts stand fast by faith, faith lays hold upon Christ J and now back again, Christ presents us to God. There are six ascents to heaven, as there were to Solomon's throne. The first and lowest is vocation ; " No man can come to me, except the Father draw him," John vi. 44. The second is repentance; when God hath called the heart from sin, it melts into tears, and is smitten with a holy remorse. The next is faith, which believes the pardon of repented sins, and the adoption through Christ to peace. The fourth is the testimony of the Holy Ghost ; " The Spirit beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God," Rom. viii. 16. Albeit this Spirit works before, and begettelh the former graces, yet now it is especially felt. The next is peace of con- science j all the clamours of sin, and terrors of the law, being quieted : " Being justified by faith, we have peace with God," Rom. v. 1. The last is good works, the fniits of a sanctified obedience, and eflects of the former graces, which concur to the making up of this assurance. Thus here is, as in some great prince's court, first, the gate, that is, vocation. Then, secondly, we must come to the fountain, re- pentance, to be ba])tized in our penitent tears. Then, thirdly, to the common hall, faith, which gives us entrance to the throne of grace. Fourthly, we come to the King's special Favourite, his bosom Counsellor, the Holy Ghost. Fifthly, to the presence chamber, peace and security of soul. Lastly, having passed all these, we come to the glorious chair of state, the prcscntial majesty of Jesus Christ. Thus by degrees we enter the doors of joy. We know there is a sun in heaven, yet we cannot see what matter it is made of, but perceive it only by the beams, light, and heat. Election is a sun,' the eyes of eagles cannot see it ; yet we may find it in the heat of vocation, in the light of illumination, in the beams of good works. It is a principle in reason, a perfect action is not received at first but imper- fectly ; a habit is not gotten at the first; salvation is not wrought on a sudden. " The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day," Prov. iv. 18. St. Paul con- siders the chain of our salvation, depending on four links, election, vocation, justification, glorification, Rom. viii. 30; the first whereof hath no beginning, the last no ending. Here is the kindness of a Father, that singles out some special children, to whom he bears greatest affection, and intends most good ; and in this consists election. In good time he declares his affection, and makes his love manifest to them; there is vocation. Then he conforms them to his own image, gives them place in court, the honour of cliildren, the earnest of his Spirit, in token of assur- ance; there is justification. Lastly, he bids them enter into their Father's joy, makes them co-heirs with his eldest Son in the possession of bliss ; there is glorification. God hath chosen us before the world, created us with the world, called us from the world, justified us in the world, and he will save us in the world to come. He that chose us when we were not, and called us when we were naught, and hath justified us being sinners, will glorify us being saints. The Husbandman of heaven chooseth out a plot of ground at his own pleasure ; there is election : lie sows this with the immortal seed, by his word ; there is vocation : he waters it with the dew of Her- mon, the graces of his Spirit ; there is sanctification : when it is ripe, he reaps it from the earth, and car- ries it into the barn of heaven ; there is salvation. The head of Nilus cannot be found, they say ; but many sweet springs issuing from it are well knowni. The head of our election is too high and secret to be found ; yet we may taste the springs, our calling, holiness, justification, and upright life ; and he that runs along by the bank of these rivers, shall be brought at last to that fountain-head, even the place and book wherein his own name stands written. Joseph may be a fit type to us of our spiritual deliver- ance. Consider him sold into Egjpt, not without the determinate counsel of God, who preordained this to good ; " God did send me before you to pre- serve life," Gen. xlv. 5. Here is the difference, the brethren sold Joseph, we sold ourselves. Consider u.s thus sold unto sin and death ; God had a purjiose to redeem US; there is election. Joseph was delivered out of prison, Psal. cv. 20, and we ransomed out of the house of bondage ; there was redemption. Joseph's cause was made known, and himself acquitted; we could not be found innocent in ourselves, but were acquit- ted in Christ ; wherein consists our justification. Lastly, Joseph was clothed in glorious apparel, and adorned with golden chains, and made to ride in the second chariot of Egypt ; so our last step is to be advanced to high honour, even the glory of the celes- tial court ; " "This honour have all his saints," Psal. cxlix. 9. The creation of the world is a shadow of the regeneration of a Christian. First, there was an earth without form, void, and a darkness upon the face of the deep. Predestination is this great deep, which cannot be discovered or discerned. There the light was separated from the darkness ; here know- ledge is separated from ignorance in the soul ; there is calling. Then was the sun created; so here the bright beams of grace are diffused into our hearts, which fill us with spiritual joy ; there is sanctifica- tion. Lastly, Adam was created after the image of God, and placed in Paradise ; so the new man is con- formed to the image of Christ, and shall be reposed in the paradise of everlasting glorj'. Object. 1. But if election stand wholly and only in the will of God, and that purpose be so long since and irrecoverably past, then cannot I alter it. There- fore if I be elected to salvation, howsoever I live, I cannot fnistrate it; and if 1 be appointed to con- fusion, what care soever I take, I cannot prevent it. A devilish speech, n6t to be uttered with mouth, nor 118 AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. 1. harLoured in heart. God is not the cause of thy condemnation, but thyself: " God made not death; neither hath he pleasure in the destruction of the living," Wisd. i. 13. No; the surest way to the sea, is to take a river by the hand. If a man would know whether the sun shine or not, he need not climb up to the sky, for he may behold the beams on eartli. So wouldst thou know whether thy name be written in heaven, never essay to get the view of God's own book, thou shalt find the beams of that grace in thy- self. Consecrate thy ears to hearing, thy tongue to praying, thy hand to working, thy hc.nrt to desiring, thy body and soul to obeying ; this is the course to make it sure. Yet are not these the efficient causes that make it to be decreed, but the means that make it certain to thyself. So Ambrose ; Not by the merits of them that are saved, nor by their worthi- ness by whom they are called, but this is done only by the mercy of God in Jesus Christ. It is a true rule, God that hath predestinated the means, hath not left out the end; with one and the same purpose he determined them both. Though man lives not by bread only, Matt. iv. 4, yet he that will not eat shall not live. There v.'as a son that held this desperate opinion, to the great grief of his Earents. One day he came to his father to borrow a orse, saying that he must be at Rome by such an hour. The father replied. If you must be there, you shall be there though you stir never a foot. Whereby he convinced him, that if he could not get to Rome without a horse, how should he get to heaven without motion ? There is another story of an Italian, so opinionated of predestination ; If I be elected, I shall be saved; if rejected, I shall not be recovered. He received a dangerous wound, and sent to the chirurgeon to help him. The chirurgeon being made acquainted with his impious assertion, told him. It shall be needless for me to use any means for you ; for if your time be not come, you shall escape without medicine ; if it be come, "medicine cannot restore you. The patient smarting with grief, and seriously pondering the chinirgeon's speech, that God sends no help without means, penitently recanted his error, humbly submitted himself to means, and so was cured of body and soul at once. The Rhemists object. We believe our salvation sure, therefore it is madness in us to pray for it ; for were it not madness to beg the creation of the world, which we know to be jiast already ? Yea, it were madness not to pray for salvation ; for the creation we know ; our own election we know not but by our assiduous prayers for the assurance of it. If we neglect this duty, we lose all certainty. All men would come to the glory of God, but few will follow after the grace of God. Bea/u.i vuti homo esse, etiam non sic vivendo ut possil esse. (August.) J\Ien would come to happiness, even by ranning that course which directly leads to wretchedness. He must be a saint, that will enjoy the communion of saints. If thou v.ill be saved with those that are saved, thou must be sanctified with those that are sanctified. Take thy journey bv holiness, if thou wilt come to happiness. Keep x\\e coast of faith, if thou desire to arrive at the holy land. 2. But this makes a man slothful in God's service, the certainty of his ovm election. What need the heir take so much pains, that is bom to the in- heritance, as the hired seiTant ? Nay, but rather this spurs him up to an extraordinary carefulness ; BS the apostle saith, The rather give diligence. Doth God tell me I shall never know mine own election without piety of life ? then if I neglect piety I make myself incapable of assurance. I am sick, I fain would know of the physician whether I should live or die : he tells me, that if I refrain such unwhole- some diet, and take such a prescribed course, I shall live. If Eve fly to the forbidden fruit, she is sure to die for it. My father hath determined that I shall be his heir ; he will not tell me so much in express terms, yet gives me a sign how I shall know it, by observing him with obedience. So God elects some men to be his heirs ; this purpose he conceals in his own bosom, yet allows them certain signs and re- monstrances whereby they may apprehend it, as faith in Christ, obedience to the gospel, &c. If we obey his will, and prove those efTects of election in our consciences, we make that sure to ourselves, which was sure before in his decree through Jesus Christ. 3. But suppose a vicious person assumes, or rather presumes, I am sure of my election. Indeed there cannot a greater honour be done to God, than giving confidence to his promise. But what ! demonstration of imgodliness, and evidence of salvation, found to- gether at once ? This holds like a sick man's dream. The wicked man's tongue may say this ; but there is a bird within sings another note, the conscience. It is impossible for an ill liver to retain any sure hope of his election. The hypocrite is divided, and lives not together ; his tongue walks Gracious-street, but his heart is a pest-house. His profession is like Wliitecliapel, but his conscience is as foul as the common sewer. His talk gives him rich in grace ; but mark what gold comes out of his coffer ; none but slip-coin, light or counterfeit metal. He is just as sure of heaven as a galley-slave is of the empire of Turkey. 4. But now, alas, saith the humbled soul, my god- liness is so small, that I even despair of assurance. Be comforted ; strive against thy corniptions, and by the Spirit of Jesus Christ thou shalt overcome. Paul was a sanctified man ; yet he complains, "What I would, that do I not ; but what I hate, that do I. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" Rom. vii. 15, 24. Albeit he groaned imdcr the weight of his infirmities, and felt the buffets of Satan, yet he knew that nothing could separate him from the love of God in Christ, Rom. \'iii. .39. Thou canst will that which is good ; then hear God speak comfort, " If there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not," 2 Cor. viii. 12. Indeed where there is want of grace, content in that want, love of that content, indulgence to all these; thereisncitheromamentnorsanctification,nor argument of salvation. But dost thou feel thy wants ? hath that feeling bred sorrow, that sorrow desire, that desire prayer, that prayer increased failh? failh shall bring down mercy. In thee there is the sense of in- firmity, in the other is the infirmity of sense. The feeling of sin dotli not annihilate the assurance of salvation. We feel the ache of a finger more sensibly than the health of the whole body; yet is (he health of the whole body far more than the ache of a finger. Sanctification is itself, though joined with some imperfection. He that desired help for his unbelief, was accepted for his failh. Thus Ahijah answered Jeroboam's ^vife concerning her sick son, " He only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found some good thing toward (he Lord," 1 Kings xiv. 13. Some good thing, some grace, though it be no great measure, shall be accepted. God regards not so much the quantily, as the quality; not how much, but how (rae. i'hough our Saviour did chide his aposdes for (heir little faith, yet he never rejected them that had any at all. Indeed if a man be not best at last, he was never truly good: therefore increase the oil in Veb. 10. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 119 thy lamp, and then be sure to enter into the bride- chamber of .Tcsus Christ. 5. But if one man may know himself elected, why may not another know himself reprobated ? Heap. No, for God hatli prescribed rules for the one, not for the other. Divers saints knew themselves writ- ten in the book of life, no man ever knew himself razed out. But did not Cain know this, when God set a mark upon him? I do not think on the one side willi Josephus, that this mark was a token that God was appeased by Cain's sacrifice, and for- gave the punishment of his fratricide ; that is fri- volous. Neither do I think on the other side, that this was a sign to himself of his eternal damnation. But only a mark of God's evident curse for this life, to deter others from such bloody attempts. I know that despair is ever ready to judge itself reprobated ; but this is to requite God's mercy to thee with un- mercifulness to thyself. Turn over thy book of his revealed will ; if thou canst find thy name there written reprobate, bclicve.it ; but believe it not till then. He hath showed thee how to assure thyself of heaven ; he never told thee that thou art doomed to hell. Though his justice be c<|ual to his mercy, yet he is pleased to magnify his mercy over all his works. We are commanded to believe ; " This is his commandment. That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ," 1 John iii. 23. Now to believe, is not only to put affiance in him, but to trust that we are justified by him. If we be justified, we shall be glorified : if we be glorified, certainly we are elected ; for election is the foundation of all the rest. And this faith is not left arbitraiy to our choice, but we are commanded to have it. We arc bound to believe our adoption : if our adoption, then our election ; for the elect are predestinated to the adoption of children. God knows those that arc his ; yea, and he makes them to know it. Satan knows not who are his, nor CEtn themselves otherwise than conjecturally know it. The judgment of a reprobate belongs not to man. but u])oii special revelation. So David, in the 69tli and loytli Psalms, prays not only against their sins, which wc may do ; but also against their persons, which we may not do. So Paul against Alexander the coppersmith, " The Lord reward him according to his works," 2 Tim. iv. 14. And St. John seems to allow the church such a judgment : " There is a sin unto death ; I do not say that he shall pray for it," I John v. 16. And Paul; " If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maran- atha," I Cor. xvi. 22. And the primitive church with one consent prayed against Julian the apostate. But this is to be done exceeding rarely ; for who knows them that sin unto death ? and never abso- lutely ; for they may repent, and turn to the love of Jesus Christ. There is no prescribing to God's in- finite mercy : it' is tnie indeed, that the Scriptures threaten damnation to continued sin ; yet the gospel promiseth mercy to repentance. God often saves inter pontem et fontem ; and turns ravening wolves into mild and gentle lambs. To conclude : in election we behold God tlie Father in choosing j in vocation, God the Son teaching ; in justification, God the Holy Ghost sealing; in salva- tion, the whole Deity crowning. God chooseth of his love, Christ calleth by his word, the Spirit sealeth by his grace : now the fruit of all this, of God's love choosing, of Christ's word calling, of the Spirit's grace sanctifying, is our eternal glorj" and blessed- ness in heaven. In election God bestows on us his love'; in calling he grants the blessing of his word; in justifying he communicates to us the sweetness of his Spirit ; in glorifying he doth wholly give us him- self. We see far with our body's eye, sense ; further with the mind's eye, rea.son ; furthest with the soul's eye, faith. The rational eye doth not so far exceed the sensual, as the spiritual exceeds the rational. Calling illuminates the mind with knowledge; sanc- tifying seals up the lieart with spiritual comfort: salvation crowns all, even the soul with immortal bliss. This gradation of assurance is sweetly con- tracted by St. Paul; "Whom he did predestinate, them he also called : whom he called, them he also justified : and whom he justified, them he also glo- rified," Rom. viii. 30. Wherein the fathers Imve found the four causes of our salvation. In predes- tination, the efficient cause, which is God's love. In calling, the material cause, which is Christ's death, delivered in his word that doth call us. In justifying there is the formal cause, a lively faith. In glorify- ing there is the final cause, that is, everlasting life. Paradise had four rivers that watered the earth : tliesc four springs come from the Eden of heaven, and ran through the earth ; and howsoever neglect- ed by many, they make glad the city of God. So liemard sweetly : Eternal life is granted to us in ;lection, promised in our vocation, sealed in o>ir jus- tification, jiossessed in our glorification. Conclude then faithfully to thy own soul, I believe, therefore 1 am justified; I am justified, therefore I am sancti- fied ; I am sanctified, therefore I am called ; I am called, therefore I am elected ; I am elected, there- fore I shall be saved. O settled comfort of joy, which ten thousand devils shall never make void ! So I leave you to that, which can never leave you, the certainty of this comfort. The questions being resolved, the doctrinal points that follow are two : first, that our election may be assured ; secondly, how it may be assured. First, that it may be made sure. There is a rule. No man is bound to an impossible thing: the apos- tle would never set us about that work which could not be done. It were uncharitable tyranny to im- pose that task w'hereof there is no possibility of per- formance. The ground of this assertion is the sta- bility of God's purpose, " That the purpose of God according to election might stand," Rom. ix. 11. But how then is it said, " Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown?" Rev. iii. II. Now saith Kngxxsime, Si alius possil accipere, tu potes perdere, If another may take it, thou mayst lose it. The answer is easy ; The crown of outward profession may be lost, but the crown of eternal election stands unmovable, to whomsoever it is decreed. The soul that is bound up in the bundle of life with the Lord, 1 Sam. XXV. 29, cannot be lost. To say the elect may fall away, and be damned, is a comfortless doc- trine: " Rejoice because your names are written in heaven," Liike x. 20. St. Paul speaking of Hyme- nfFus and Phiktus, who were fallen from the faith, lest the church should be discouraged by the apos- tacy of two such notable pillars as they were thought, comforted them thus, " Nevertheless" (albeit those men fell off from Christ to their own damnation, yet nevertheless) " the foundation of God standclh sure, having this seal. The Lord knoweth them that are his," 2 Tim. ii. 19 : his election is a foundation that shall never be removed. But Paul calls the Thessa- loni.ihs elect, yet they fell away. I answer, they are called elect, not from the greater, but tlic better, part. It i.s called a heap of com in the barn, though the bigger part of it be chaff. Again, by the law of charity we grant all those that profess Jesus Christ to be elect. But David prays that his enemies may be blotted out ; " Let them be blotted out of the book of the living," Psal. Ixix. 2*^. This was not the de- sire of a petitioner, but the knowledge of a prophet : lao AX EXPOSITION LPOX THE Chap. I. blot them out, that is, I know they were never writ- ten there. But, " Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil ? " John vi. ^O. This is (o be understood of an election, not to everlasting life, but to the office of apostleship, which was changeable and temporar)-. " Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be repro- bates?" 2 Cor. xiii. 5. Whence two things neces- sarily follow : first, if Christ be in us we are no re- probates : secondly, we may know this, " Know ye not ? " The certainty of election is a point wherein Rome ■makes some show of coming near to us ; yet there is a great dilTercnce. They say, a man may know it by Divine revelation ; so say we. They say, that men may have a certainly of hope ; we stand for a certainty of faith. Theirs of hope is conjectural ; ours of faith is infallible. Hope is an affection of the will ; faith is a persuasion of the mind. What- soever God commandeth in the gospel, that a man must and may perform: but God commandeth a Christian to believe his own salvation ; therefore he may, yea, ought to believe it, 1 John iii. 23. Indeed the law did command that which we could not do ; but this is the difference between the law and the gospel : the law did impose duty, but gave no power of performance ; the gospel commands and assists, gives grace whereby it may be obeyed ; " The words that I speak to you, they are spirit, and they are life," John vi. 63. Again, that which God hath charged us to pray for, he hath charged us to believe ; but we are bound to pray for everlasting life, there- fore we are bound to believe it : " What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them," Mark xi. 24. In every petition there are two groiuids, the precept tliat binds us to ask, and the promise that binds us to believe : otherwise to what purpose do we con- elude our prayers with .A.men ? Again, he that is the member of Christ, can never be cut off: if this could be, then should there follow a second baptism : for baptism is the sacrament of ingrafting. Against the undoubted truth of this doctrine our adversaries bring two objections : first, say they, Where there is no promise, there is no faith ; for these two are relatives; but there is no particular word to assure any individual person, therefore no faith. We answer, that there is a general promise : indeed God says not. Believe thou John or Thomas, and thou shalt be saved; but he says, " Whosoever bclieveth and is baptized, shall be saved," which is as good. The promises are indefinite, and the minister in Christ's stead applies them to every particular man's heart; If thou belicvest, thou shalt see the glory of God, John xi. 40. Hereupon our faith and obedience echo to God : " When thou saidst, Seek ye my face ; my heart said unto thee. Thy face, Lord, will I seek," Psal. xxvii. 8. "I will say, It is my ])eople : and they shall say, The Lord is' my God," '/cell. xiii. 9. Secondly, they object, We are taught to pray for the pardon of our sins daily ; this were needless if we be sure of our election. I answer, we pray for the pardon of our sins, not because we have no assurance, but because our assurance is weak. The heart of a Christian is like a vessel with a narrow top ; being cast into the sea, it is not tilled suddenly, but by drop after drop. God throws us into tlie sea of his infinite mercy : if we had a capable nature, we should be suddenly filled; but this grace is received according to the measure and capacitv of the re- ceiver. Let it then stand firm ngain.it the gates of Home, against the gates of hell, that our election may be made sure. There can be no presumption of the believer, where there is authoritv of the commander. God never broke his word with anv soul. Now we come to the manner, how this may be as- sured. There are but two ways for a man to know it ; either by going up into heaven, or by going down into himself. In the one there is presumption and danger, in the other is security and peace. Have we recourse to St. Paul for his direction, and see how he consents with St. Peter : the Spirit of God can best declare himself; '• The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God," Rom. viii. 16. Here are two testimonies : not God's Spirit alone ; there may be presumption : not our spirit alone ; there may be illusion : both must wit- ness together, concur to m;ike up this certificate. There is some question what tiiis testimony of the Spirit is. Some take it to be an enthusiasm, or ex- traordinary revelation ; but then were it rare, and to few. Some take it for the affection of the mind obe- dient to God, not out of fear, but out of love. (Origen.) But our spirit alone can testify this ; what need is there of God's Spirit to it ? Some refer it to the imi- tation of God, which makes us like him. But this testimony ariseth not from any act in ourselves, but from the Divine Spirit. Others think that this in- ward testimony proceeds from our good works ; when our spirit does well through the Holy Spirit. But the testimony that riseth from the effects, is rather our conclusion, than the Holy Ghost's proposition. Some by this witness of the Spirit understand holy doctrine ; (Theodor.) and the truth of the catholic faith. (Lyran.) But the apostle speaks not of any outward sign, but of an internal testimony. There- fore saith Chrysostom, The testimony comes not from the effect, but from the efficient ; not of grace given, but of him that gives it. This is then that inward assurance of the Spirit, whereby we know ourselves to be children of God. Cajetan says, it is not a testimony de mssibili, that it may be ; but de facto, that it is. This may be form- ed like a practical syllogism : the proposition is made by the gospel. Whosoever believes in Christ is chosen to life everlasting : man meditates upon this blessed promise, and sucks sweetness to his soul from it. Then comes the Spirit, illuminates the mind, opens the heart, begets a tme faith ; so that with freedom man's spirit makes the assumption, I believe in Christ, I renounce myself; all my comfort and affi- ance is in him. Flesh and blood cannot say this, it is the operation of the Holy Ghost. Last comes the blessed conclusion, which is the testimony, therefore thou art the chihl of God. The proposition is grounded on the promise of God, that is the object of faith which is believed : the assumption out of the former is the act of faith whereby we believe. Our assurance therefore is not, as Aquinas and Lyranus speak, Non scienli<e, sed conjectura : non rei sed upei : for children call upon their fathers, not with a conjectural persuasion, but with a confident assurance. This certainty is true; for though faith be of things believed, not perceived, yet faith itself is a thing perceived, not believed. There is a three- fold assurance: first of opinion, when a man deceiv- eth himself by his own im;iginati(m. The second of persuasion, as the devils know the articles of faith without any comfort. Thirdly of resolution, which is not only in the tnith of such an interest, but of our interest in such a truth. The first of these is in the will only, without the understanding; the second is in the understanding only, without the will ; the last is both in the understanding and will. Now the testimony of our spirit must concur to this ; for " if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence to- ward God," 1 John iii. 21. This is the witness of a Ver. 10. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 121 heart purified and sanctified in the Wood of Christ. " As in water face answcrcth to face," Prcv. xxvii. 19, or the jnirc cpi-,stal glass lively represents the image set before it ; so here the witness of our sancti- fied spirit answers the sanctifying Spirit. This testimony may be perceived by many efTeets : especially take one ; it is the right estimation of our sins. Now this estimation must be in respect of their terms, as they are past, present, or to come. We must find in ourselves, for sins past, grief; against sins present, combat; concerning sins future, hate and resistance. First, we must be grieved for the sins we have done. " Godly sorrow worketh repent- ance to salvation not to be repented of," 2 Cor. vii. 10 : where is the thing operating, godly sorrow ; the effect, repentance ; the quality, not to be repented of; the end, to salvation. There be two sorrows, and they difl^er much : for worldly sorrow beholds God justly incensed ; godly sorrow beholds God sweetly pacified. They also differ causally : the for- mer grieves for the punishment, not for the sin ; the other grieves for the sin, not for the punishment : this would be sorrowful for sin, though there were no hell to punish it. Cain groans under the penalty, David grieves for the iniquity. The one trembles as a slave, the other fears as a son. These penitent tears purge the heart from the foulness of sin, case it of the burden of sorrow, and give it the cheerful- ness of comfort. (Bern.) Therefore no repentance, no testimony. Secondly, for sins present, there must be in us a holy and valiant combat against them ; the Spirit warreth against the flesh, as well as the flesh against the Spirit, Gal. v. 17. This combat can only befall the elect ; whose soul is in the state of Rebekah's womb, when the twins struggled within her; Esau will not let Jacob rest, nor Jacob Esau. Two enemies in a counfr\- are too near, two in a city dangerous, two in a liouse w orse, but two in a bosom smartest of all. And yet unless this strife be in a man, he can have no peace with God. Indeed for natural things, war and peace are contraries ; yet this si)iritual war is the only means to our etei-nal peace. The saints in heaven have no such strife, for they are wholly spiritual ; the reprobates on earth have no such strife, for they are wholly carnal ; only the re- generate believers in the militant church maintain this battle and feel the bitterness of this conflict. The pressure of native corniption is heavy. As in the ephialtes or disease called the night-mare, a sleeping man thinks he feels some heavy weight lying on his breast, and holding him down ; he groans and strives to remove it, but he cannot : so this inborn corruption lies on the heart of a Christian, and he would fain be rid of it ; he fights against it, and com- plains that he is forcibly overborne by it to do the evil he neither would nor should ; but let him be comforted, Christ shall one day give him a full de- liverance. No combat, no testimony. Lastly, con- cerning sins to come, we must find in ourselves hatred and resistance : " We know that whosoever is bora of God sinneth not," 1 John v. IS. He is always fixing his eye upon that rule, Phil. iv. S, Whatsoever things are tnie, and honest, and just, and pure, and lovely, and of good report ; if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, he thinks on these things. So that our sanctimony is this testimony; we know we are in Goil, by keeping his word, 1 John ii. 5. Hence it is that some books have read, make your election sure through good works : so Beza says he found it in two Greek manuscripts. This is a good witness, when a man reasons from the proper effects to the proper cause. " The foundation of God standcth sure," 2 Tim. ii. 19 : it is granted ; God is sure of it, but how may I be sure of it ? Paul there answers, "Let ever)- one that nameth the name of Christ de- part from iniquity." Happy soul, that comes with I his certificate, under the hand and seal of the Holy Spirit, to the gate of heaven. He may justly chal- lenge mercy : I have done what thou hast conmiand- cd, perform to me what thou hast promised: I have worn the short white robe of innocency, give me the long Avhite robe of glorj-. There is a private mark and a public mark : Go through the city, and set a mark upon the foreheads of them that mourn for the sins of the times, Ezek. ix. 4; there is the private mark : " Well done, thou good and faithful servant," &c. Matt. XXV. 21 ; there is the public mark. Thus we see it may be made sure ; now therefore let us go about it, and that with diligence. If you purchase lands, you buy the strength of law to make sure the tenures : if you drive a bargain, you will have earnest for assurance : if you let money to in- terest, you will not do it without good assurance. Tile common voice of all the usurers about the tow^l, is assurance : the very stage knows them by no other names, but security and assurance. You bind a debtor to you surer than the Philistines bound Sam- son ; and if he cannot loose himself, you put out his eyes, set him to grind at the mill, while you eat the flour. All is made so sure, that neither the cornipt man of law, nor the devil himself, can find a trick to untie it. But now for heaven and salvation, you l)Iay at fast and loose : the last thing that ever is assured, is your eternal bliss. Beloved, I would this were a slander, and that you could nobly confute my jealousy with yom- actual piety. Oh that upon so good terms I might be brought hither again, to re- cant it ! for you are sure ; when did you ever take so niucli pains to be sure of the pardon of your sins, as you do weekly to make sure your debts ? The want of that assurance hath often broke your sleep; when did the want of this disquiet you ? I will tell you ; the purchase of your lands, the leases of your houses, the bonds of your monies, the care of your books, shall all at the day of judgment be bills of accusation and indictments against you. A man apprehended for a robbery, is convicted, condemned ; yet by suit of friends reprieved, till they can get a pardon for him. In the mean time come some of his acquaintance, and will him to be of good cheer; they sing, dance, and drink with him. He answers, I am condemned, the sentence is past, the execution is ready ; how easy it will be to get a pardon, I fear: if I were sure to escape, I could be merry with you ; till then, I must say to laughter. Thou art mad, and to jovisance. Be thou a stranger to me. Thus stands the case with us ; the law hath condemned us for transgression, the devils are ready executioners to hasten justice : sliow me my pardon, assure me that the great King of heaven hath forgiven me, I can then rejoice; till then, no comfort can down with me. There is a tale of a covetous man, that had nothing in his mouth but. It is good to be sure. If his sen'ant went to sow his land, he would follow liim. Wliy ? O it is good to be sure. Though him- self had locked the door, yet he must needs rise out of liis bed in the cold, to feel it fast. Why ? O it is good to be sure. Let him have told his money often over, yet he will tell it agftin. Why ? O it is good to be sure. It came to pass that he fell very danger- ously sick ; and his servant, perceiving little hope of life in him, asked him, blaster, have you said your prayers? Yes, I have said them. Nay, but say them again, master; you know it is good to be sure. No, says tlie worldling, it is more than needs, for I am sure enough of that. He bids his servant open liis chest, and bring him all his gold in it, to look upon. The honest servant, willing to work his mas- 122 AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. I. ter to repentance, having opened it, told him. Master, the devil is in the chest, he lays his paw upon all the gold, and says it is all his; because it was ex- tracted out of the life-blood of widows, orphans, and poor wretches. Says he so ? quoth the extortioner ; then bring me the gold, the chest, the devil, ami all ; it is good to be sure. Perhaps from hence came that by-word, that the covetous worldling gets the devil and all. Oh the vain assurance of these fugitive things ! l^el scqueiido labimur, vet assequendo l<pdimur. No, I Arill hold me fast by tlic Lord, for that is sure. " They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abidcth for ever," Psal. exxv. 1. The dove makes moan to her fellow-birds of the tyranny of the hawk. One counsels her to fly aloft ; but the hawk can mount as high as she. Another adviseth her to keep below : but the hawk can stoop for his prey. Another, to sliroud herself in the woods, there she shall be sure ; but alas, that was the hawk's manor, the place where he kept his court. Another bids her keep the town, there she was sure from the hawk; but so she became a prey to man, and had her eyes put out to make the nawk sport. At last one bids her nest herself in the hole of a rock, there she should be safe, violence itself could not sur- prise her. The dove is man's soul : she would gladly be secured from Satan. Come to me, saith Riches, here thou shalt be sure. No, wealth is the devil's stirrup whereby he gets up, and rides the covetous. Come to me, saith Pleasure, here thou shalt be sure ; as if she were not as very a whore as Delilah, to be- tray thee to that Philistine. Honour says. Come to me, here thou art sure : as if the devil durst not come near the court gates ; or greatness were a supersedeas to sin, or a protection against the arrest of judgments. No, there is no sureness in thy lands, none in thy monies, none in thy honours, none in thy pleasures : neither court, nor city, nor country, neither castles nor forts, can save thee : yet there is a Bock for this dove; "O mj'' dove, that art in the clefts of the rock," Cant. ii. 14. The clefts of this Rock are the wounds of Jesus Clu'ist ; fly thither, my soul, and be safe. " Oh that I had wings like a dove ! then would I fly away and be at rest," Psal. Iv. 6. Thy wings are faith and prayer ; hie thee to this Bock, there only thou art sure ; all the devils in hell shall not jjluck thee from the merciful anns of Clirist. They shall never be plucked out of my hand, John X. 28. How are we sure that we are in his hand ? If his Spirit be in our heart. It was a good argu- ment of Manoah's wife, If the Lord were pleased to kill us, he would never have accepted of our sacrifice, Judg. xiii. 23. So conclude thy own conscience. If the Lord were pleased to reject me, he would never have given me his Spirit. If I were a vessel of wrath, such a Comforter should never have come within my doors. " By this I know that thou favom- est me, because mine enemy doth not triumph against me," Psal. xli. II. If Satan prevail not, sure then I am in favour, and the Lord Jesus hath resei-ved me to his eternal kingdom. " Your calling." Calling hath divers accepta- tions ; it is here meant of that spirimal and inward calling, wrought by the Spirit in the ministiy of the gospel. Not every kind of vocation, but only that whereby a man is made a believer. (August.) Lydia attended to the things that were spoken, and the Lord opened her heart, Acts xvi. 14. She attended to the word ; there is the outward calling : God opened her heart; there is the inward calling. In the trial of this vocation, I should consider, from what we are called, and to what. St. Jude says, we are " sanctified by God the Father, presei-ved in Jesus Christ, and called." To be brought into the church, is vocation external ,: to be sanctified, is vocation in- ternal ; to be presened in Christ, is vocation eternal. Here are the three pari s of our incorporation to Clirist ; vocation by God the Father, sanctifieation by God the Son, preservation by God the Holy Ghost. Vocation is the fruit of election : '• To all that be in Borne, be- loved of God, called to be saints," Bom. i. /. First beloved of God, then called to be saints. You have heard before, that calling is the way to assure elec- tion ; but now you would be sure of your true call- ing : good reason, othenvise your journey to heaven would be like Hannibal's on the Alps. There are many signs, like hands in a cross-way, to tell us the right : 'Thou shalt hear a word behind thee, saying. This is the way, walk in it, Isa. xxx. 21. I could tell you of love to the word preached, a sure eflect of true calluig. He that is called, loves the lowest stair of the" pulpit, better than the high- est stair of the tribunal. One loves the tavern, while another runs to the temple. What is the reason ? This man is called, rather than the other. I could also tell you of a sincere and devoted affec- tion to Christ ; when we desire his company above all things, and love the place where his honour dwelleth. Wheresoever thou art, O blessed Saviour, whether on the cross, in the grave, or in hell, I care not, so I be with thee, so I find thee my Saviour. This love should be to Christ, not so much for his bounty's sake, as for his own sake. This holy affec- tion produceth our love to Christians: I love them, because God loves them ; " We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brctlu-en," I John iii. 14 : eos qui sunt fratres, el quia sunt fratres : we love them that are brethren, and because they are brethren. What is true of this blind affection in the blood ; that it ariseth often, not from any merit in the affected, but from the lust of the affecter ; therefore the poets have called amantes amentes, lovers madmen : this is here made good of Divine love in the Spirit ; I affect that man, not because he is good to nie, but because God is good to him. I might add another sign, that vocation testifieth itself in a plenary obedience, at least in respect of re- solution. This must be to the whole law, during our whole life, with our whole heart. To the whole law ; " I have respect unto all thy commandments," Psal. cxix. 6. During our whole life ; " In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life," Luke i. 75. With the whole heart ; as DaWd speaks, " With my whole heart have I loved thee." Otherwise God will come against us with a but ; ■' But I have a few tilings against thee," Bev. ii. 14. With a nevertheless ; "Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee," Bev. ii. 4. With a notwithstanding; " Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee," Bev. ii. 20. All these exceptivcs, but, notwithstand- ing, nevertheless, are against us. I know I nnist offend ; I must suffer many suis; I will allow myself no sin. I could also add another sign, how we may be sure that we are effectually called; that is, our dislike to this world. He that despiseth not earth, was never yet inwardly called to heaven. If the love of this world cannot stand with the conifortal-lij assurance of our heavenly calling, let us divert our desires, and elevate our afl'ections from things on earth, to things above. Col. iii. 2. But if none be called to heaven, but such as be sanctified and separate from earth, I fear that the greater number take the broader Wiiy. It is your method in the city ; you say, there be more of (lie company than be of the livery: but for heaven, and the profession of the gospel, there be more of the liverv- than be of the company ; " Many are called, but few are chosen," Matt, xxii, 14. VliR. 10. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 123 To conclude, let me now characterize to you the man, in whi)se heart there is this assurance. He stands like an impregnable fort, upon whom misery and malice would spend all their shot : much they do, to their own shame, to his glor>-. Sin, like a flatterini; neighbour, hath often knocked at his door, and would have come in, but found cold welcome ; and if it was importunate, was sent away not without repulse and blows. Perhaps it lurks about his out- houses, and spite of him will be his tenant, but shall never be his landlord. He hath some faults, but God will not see them. He meets at every turn with his railing and accusing adversary, Satan ; but he stops his throat with a pardon sealed in the blood of Jesus Christ. He is never out of war, never with- out victor)-. Those roaring fiends set upon him proudly, and he beats them down triumphantly. The shield he always bears with him, was never jiierccd, faith. He hath been often tripped, once or twice foiled, was never vanquished. His hand hath been scratched, his heart is whole. Tyranny bends on him a stem brow, but could never dash him out of countenance. Is he threatened the surgery of the sword? he sees Isaiah under the saw, John in Pat- mos, cutting in pieces. Is he threatened drowning? he .sees Jonah diving into that inextricable gulf. Burning? he sees those three servants in their fiery walk, and the Son of God amongst them. Is he threatened devouring ? he sees Daniel in that scaled den of terrible lions. Stoning? he sees that proto- martyr of the gospel sleeping in peace under so many grave-stones. Heading ? he sees the Baptist's neck bleeding in Herodias's platter. He is sure that the God which gave them such strength, is not weaker in him : what could they suffer without God ? what cannot he suffer with God ? If he must endure their pain, he looks for their faith, their patience, their strength, their gloiy. The terrors of death amaze him not ; for first he knows whom he hath trusted, and then whither death shall lead him. He is not more sure to die, than to live again ; and out-faceth death with his assured resurrection. Like Enoch, he walks every day with God, and confers familiarly with his Maker. When he goes in himibly to converse with him by meditation and prayer, he puts off his own clothes, and takes a rich suit out of the wardrobe of his Redeemer; then confidently hcentereth the pre- sence-chamber, and faithfully challcngetha blessing. He hath clean hands, and a white soul, fit to give lodging to the Holy Ghost: not a room is reserved for the enemy : he that gave all, finds all returned to himself. He is so certain of his eternal election, and present justification, that he can call God Father, his Saviour Brother, the Holy Ghost his Comforter, the devil his slave, earth his foot-stool, heaven his pa- trimony, and everlasting life his inheritance. Those celestial spirits do not scorn his company, nor refiisc to do him service. His heart is so devoted to Christ, that if misery, if death, if tomients, stood in his way on the left hand; if parents, children, friends, wife, inheritance, stood in his way on the right hand ; he would disdain all obstacles, and break through all difficulties, to come unto Him whom his soul loveth. He fixcth his spiritual eye upon the eternal things, that are not seen, 2 Cor. iv. 18 : others sec that is present, he that is to come. He walks upon earth as a stranger, his heart is at home. He hath laid up a sure treasure in heaven, a portion that shall never be taken away. He vcxelh not himself with cares, he knows that he lives not at his own cost. Without omitting good means, he rests on the Lord's provi- dence. Without the warrant of God he dares do nothing, with it any thing. Not is his faith more valiant than his bowels are compassionate. He hath tears plenty, both for his own sins and others' suffer- ings. He is no niggard of those showers on earth ; he is sure never to weep hereafter. When he departs this life, his body sleeps in a peaceful grave ; and those glorious angels bear his soul with triumphant songs to the glorified saints, where it is married to the Bridegroom Jesus Christ for ever. " For if ye do these things, ye shall never fall." The doctrine of election, as it is to the faithful the sweetest assurance, so to the proud an occasion of presumption. A man may be so bold of his predes- tination, that he forget his conversation ; so ne may dream himself in heaven, and awaken from that dream in hell. Presume not, therefore, that thou art so surely electus, chosen, that thou become elatus, proud. Pride is no belter an argument of an elect soul, than a tumid sw'elling is of a sound body. A proclamation is read, wherein a Christian king grants honour and wealth to certain of his subjects, with assurance of donation upon their just demand. One among the multitude leaps at the news, springs away, and stays not to hear it out : there is a condition fol- lowing, provided first that they put on arms, and expel the Turk, which infests some part of his do- minions. This man comes one of the foremost to demand the promised honours. He is asked for a testimony of his valour and service in such wars. Alas ! he never tarried to hear that condition, and therefore lost the retribution. God so promiseth eternal life to men ; but withal chargeth them to believe in Christ, and to do him faithful service against the devil, that great enemy to this kingdom. But how many are quite lost, for not staying to hear the proclamation of the gospel out ! they run away with opinion of sufficient belief, and never think of obedience. But to prevent such false hopes, there must be doing : " For if ye do these things," &c. In which words we considered two parts ; the qualification, and the ratification. " If ye do these things," there is the qualification. " Ye shall never fall," there is the ratification. There is a condition premised, and a rew-ard promised. If you for your part be doing, God for his part will keep you from falling. That is your obe^ence, and this is God's recompence. Your devotion goes before, and his re- tribution follows after. First, to take the qualifica- tion asunder, here be three circumstances ; from the order, if first ye shall perform ; there is the condition : ye do, not say or purpose, but do ; there is the prac- tice : these things, not what you lust, but what the Lord commands ; there is the sincerity. Thus it lies taken asunder : then being put together again, we shall find this the sum ; the necessity of our active obedience. For the condition, we must first do and then have, not first have the reward and then do. Indeed we must first have grace whereby to do before we do ; but not the reward till we have done. Among men he first serves that deser\-es : for God, we can merit nothing by doing, yet we shall have nothing without doing. The good man says, I deserve not reward for my goodness, but I fear punishment for my sinftilness. Let me look to my obedience ; let God alone with my recompence. The tenor of the Scripture doth always set the work before tile wages: Well done, good servant; then, enter into thy Lord's joy. Matt. XXV. "21. First call the labourers ; and if they have laboured, then give them their hire, Matt. xx. 8. I come, and my reward is with me ; to give everj' m.in according to his work. Rev. xxii. 12. First we must arm, then fight ; first fight, then conquer; first conquer, then triumph. " His reward is with him, and his work before him," Isa. Ixii. 11. His work is I before him, but his reward he brings with him. 124 AN EXPOSITION UPON THK Chap. I. First seek the kingdom of heaven ; first seek it, then find it. There is none among us but looks for eternal blessedness : but where is our precedent obedienee ? God is not such a prodigal, to deal liis treasures among them that never sought to please him. Some arc too bold with Christ, they spend too fast >ipon his stock ; indeed through their own default, his riches make them poor. The conceit of his suffi- ciency causes them to neglect their own deficiency : they will fail in doing, yet Christ must not fail in crowning. They forget their first, yet expect God's last. They are deceived; if they will not first do these things, they shall fall. It was a prayer of the Jews every morning, so let it be ours. Lord, as thou gavest me an undefiled soul, so grant I may return thee an undefiled one again. Let us spend this short time in doing the works of grace ; that we may spend that eternal time in possessing the riches of gloiy. For the practice, or fruitfulness in good works : "Ifyedo; " not think or say, but do. Idleness never had the testimony of God's acceptance ; it is a vice that damns itself. The idle person seems to be God's outlaw, out of the compass of his protection. Art and nature bring forth nothing suddenly ; there must be growing degrees in the one, and intcr\-enient labours in the other. The penny had never been theirs, if they had stood in the market idle fill sun-set, Matt. xx. >^. The philosopher said, that a man should give a lazy beggar a bit and a blow ; a bit to relieve his body, a blow to correct his mind. Nothing better pleaseth God, than the sweet com- position of a man's hand with his heart ; when the heart doth direct what the hand should do, and the hand doth do what the heart directs. For the hand is the best commentary of the heart : what a man does 1 am sure he thinks ; not always what he speaks. AVe must serve God, as one said he would many, mo amove, for love. Now there are four things comprehended in that word, and they are found by cutting off the first letter. Amove, with love : as life in the body, so de- votion in the soul, begins at the heart. Move, with the conversation, practical obedience, doing that which is good. Ore, with the mouth, setting forth God's praise, /fe, with the estate; when we do not offer sacrifice to the Lord of that which cost us nothing. There must be hearty love, lively practice, kindly thanks, costly service. When the good works of our ancient fathers and progenitors in this land are men- tioned, presently the malicious cry out. Tush ! they were idolaters. Were they so ? then a man may y;e\\ say, that those popish idolaters were better than these puritan saints. If their superstition set up churches, I am sure that these men's zeal pulls them down. Let them show us some doing of good. Things are said then to be true, when their ap- pearance doth manifest their being. (August.) If a man have a righteous hand, I will believe him to have a righteous heart. Physicians judge of the body's health, not by the colour of the face, nor by the quickness of the eye, nor by the glibness of the tongue, (though these also may give some symptoms,) but by the pulse of the arm. ' It is not the lifting up of the eye, nor the bowing down of the knee, nor a demure and alTected manner of speaking, nor the Bible under the arm, nor the hearing of four sermons a day, that justifies the sincerity of a Christian ; but " if ye do these two things." For the sincerity, " these things :" not what gain prompts, or lust stiggests, but wliat God commands. What are they ? .Such things as appertain to know- ledge, to virtue, to godliness. EveiT worldling is left- handed ; he will be <loing, but he hat'h no thanks for his pains. They that lay baits to entrap and enwrap their neighbours arc still doing, to keep their hand in ure: but this left-handed action is cursed. The rich saint makes a feast, so doth the rich sinner, but with great diflcrence : the guests of the former are the poor, who can return no recompencc ; the guests of the other are the rich, who are likely to bid them again, Luke xiv. 12 ; so they toss the ball of courtesy to such as are able to toss it back to them again. There is a right- handed charity in those, a left-handed respect in these. " As we have oi>portunity, let us do good to all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith," Gal. vi. 10. Rich worldlings will do good, not to all men, but to some men ; and of those, not to the house- hold of faith, but, after a sinister sort, to the house- hold of Belial, to flatterers, to panders, to drunkards. There is a perfect nde of this ra aiira ; whatsoever is true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report. " Those things, which ye have both learned, and re- ceived, and heard, and seen in me, do," Phil. iv. S, 9. Martha had a busy hand, but not about these things. Cain had a working heart, Ahithophel a working head, Joab a working hand ; but Cain's heart, Ahilho- phel's head, and Joab's hand, are ill met in one man. Thou expectest the same reward that the saints had ; therefore thou must perform the same work that the saints did : " these things." Now to reduce all tliese branches to their root, and as we have taken the words asunder, so to put them together again ; all the particulars unite their forces in this one sum, or general doctrine : The mer- cy of God in our salvation requires our actual obedi- ence ; we must " do these things." All the bells of Aaron ring this peal. " Hearken unto the statutes and judgments which I teach you, for to do them," Deut. iv. I. " Cursed is everj- one that eontinueth not in all things written in the law to do them," Gal. iii. 10: not sufiicient to know them, but to do them. " Not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified," Rom. ii. 13. There was a woman that blessed tlte womb which bare Christ; but he replied, "Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it," Luke xi. 27, 28. Yea, that thou sayest is true, she is blessed indeed, and all generations shall call her blessed ; but there are others also blessed, even as many as hear the truth, and do it. Blessedness is desired of all, but few will go to the price of it. "Blessed are they that keep judgment, and do right- eousness," Psal. cvi. 3 ; that keep within tlie bounds of the one, and live in the practice of the other; the one being as it were their oar, the other their com- pass. " Be ye followers of God, as dear children," Kph. v. 1. The abstract of religion is to imitate him whom thou dost worship. Such a one hath done me insufferable wrong, how can I forgive him ? God would. Another is gotten into my debt, and abuselh my patience, how can I forbear him? God would. Be thou a follower of God in grace, that thou mayst ascend to his glory. A man is travelling to this city, at least in his own opinion he thinks so, and tells all he meets that he is going to London ; yet still he keeps his back upon it, and bends his course the contrary way. So ridiculous a thing is it, for men to profess that they are going to heaven, when their whole life is directly forwarding themselves to hell. All men would come to God, few will be persuaded to follow after God. (.\ugust.) " Not every one that saith unto me. Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven," Matt. vii. 21 ; for many call Clirist their Lord, yet serve the devil. " He that hath my commandments, and keepelh them, he it is that ioveth me," John xiv. 21. We must have the gospel in our hearts, and keep it in our lives ; have it in hearing, keej) it in obeying ; our understanding must contain it, our actions express \ek. 10. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 125 it. (August.) Let us indcavour to turn the Scriptural words into works, and not only to speak holy things, but to do them. (Hicron.) For in vain we read the Scripture if we understand it not ; in vain we under- stand it if we ohey it not. " Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves," James i. 22. AVe must first be hearers ; for David hath branded the wicked man with this mark. He would not liear nor understand, that lie might do well. A man may know the will of God, and not do it ; but he cannot do it unless he know it. Then not liearcrs only, but doers ; and that without any plea, or excuse, or fear of danger by holy obedience. The dove will not leave her flight because there are some ravens in the air ; so the good Christian will always keep obedience upon the wing. " Depart from evil ;" what, and speak good only ? No, but " do good," Psal. xxxiv. 14. De rirlute (oqui minimum, virtulibus uti ; Ilic labor, hoc opus est. (Persius.) To speak of virtue is nothing ; the labour is to show the power of it in virtuous actions. Magjui dicere Goli<e soniis est : magna facere Samsonin opus est. (Tertul.) To speak bravely, this is but the sound of a swelling giant ; but to do hei'oically, this is the work of a valiant champion. It is not enough to say, as it is in the psalm, I believed, and therefore I spake ; but, I believed, and therefore I wrought. No man can work unless he believes : no man can believe unless he works. Christian religion is more practical than theoretical ; rather an occupation than a mere profes- sion ; dwelling, like the artisan's wit, at the fingers' ends. Let this be understood to the confutation, to the confusion, of hypocrisy, which tiuns religion into a vizard ; it hath mouth, and eyes, and nose, all but painted. Hynocrites are not like the heathen idols, save in one thing. " They have mouths, but they speak not ; eyes, but they see not," &c. Psal. cxv. 5. These have mouths, and they speak ; eyes, and they see ; ears, and they hear ; noses, and they smell ; feet, and they walk : they have hands, but they do not work. Plutarch hath a tale of the moon, that she entreated her mother to make her a coat fit for her. Her mother answers, My daughter, it is im- possible to fit thee with a coat ; for thou sometimes waxest, sometimes wanest ; art now in the full, by and by changing ; to-day bigger, to-morrow less. The hypocrite is such a man m the moon ; some- times a giant, sometimes a dwarf; now great, pre- sently small ; evermore so changing, that no coat can fit him. Hypocrites are like pictures on can- vass, they show fairest at farthest. Hear them speaking, and see them not doing, and you would think them angels ; but see them doing, and hear them not speaking, and they are devnls : or, at least, as you would judge of dancers, when you hear not the tune of their music : leaping and turning, in all points like mad-men. Their voice is the voice of Jacob, but their hands are the hands of Esau. Let thy life speak, and thy tongue hold her peace. Hypocrites have the running gout, but it settles most in their fingers. A beggar being reproved for his lazy life, answered that he had a secret disease lying in his bones, which for modesty's sake he must not declare : they believed him and relieved him. One «mong the rest being unsatisfied, would needs know of him what that secret sickness was, seeing that he appeared so well outwardly : he told him plainly. It is within, a disease lying in my bones ; some call it idleness. Tell a hypocrite (whose zeal is so pepper-hot at the tongue's end^ that his works be cold : Oh he hath a secret disease in his bones ; a scurvy dissembling humour, settled in liis heart, and creeping througii everj- joint. If you will, you may call it idleness, or hypocrisy ; for I understand them as convertible terms. It must be very strong physic that purgcth this humour. They are only good, when on the sabbath day they are fowing tap- houses, and scouring the common sewers and sinks of sin. But mendacia fatlax Damnat, et in m<Bchos gUidiiim dislritigii adulter. (Prosper.) Adulterers punish wantons, and presumption judgeth weakness. Is not this to be doing? yes, they do till they undo a man : they do, but not " these things." They condenm that in others, which they applaud in themselves. But let us do what we should, thai we may receive what we would : '' The end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned," I Tim. i. 5. Then may we expect the reward. Well done, good ser\ant : not well professed, but well expressed : not well known, nor well spoken, nor well purposed, but well done. 'This is the perfect rule, "And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God," Gal. vi. IG. " Ye shall never fall." I come to the ratification : these words are diversly read : this is the best, Ye shall not fall. The original is literally, Ye shall not fall for ever, that is. Ye shall fall never. Such a phrase you have John xiii. 8, Thou shalt not wash my feet for ever, that is. Thou shalt never wash them. This seems to be derived from Psal. xv. 5, " He that doeth these things shall never be moved." But here the apostle seems to attribute something to our works, as if the merit of our doing should pre- serve us from falling. No, he speaks not concerning the cause of mercy, but the way of grace. Our own works do not uphold us, but assure us by a token that we are upholden of God : they are the insepa- rable efTccts of that grace, by which wc are kept from falling. So long as we feel thy pulse beating, we are sure thou livest ; yet the beating of thy pulse is not the cause thou livest, but a .sign by the eflects. Bellarmine obscr\cs, that Christ says not definitely. You are unprofitable servants ; but, When ye shall have done all that is commanded you, say. We are unprofitable ser\'ants, Luke xvii. 10 : say so, for good manners' sake, and the acknowledgment of humility. Nay, but rather subscribe to verity ; say so, and say the truth : for Christ might give something in charge, to beget in us humility ; but never any thing against the truth. The (jod of verity never bade us lie : say so then, and say truly, that we are unprofitable servants ; for God is a loser even by the best of us, if we consider and compare the cost he hath been at with us, with our fruits. The earth restores us four for one ; we scarce return to God one seed of four. Usury brings us back one above our ten by interest ; we hardly restore to the Lord one of tell of his principal. Wc know no merit but Christ's ; therefore we pray, Forgive us our tres- passes, and give us our daily bread. He that beg- geth mercies, boasts no merits : if thou ;isk an alms, never plead thy worthiness. As the servants to princes make their gifts better than their wages, so let us that serve God stand upon his gifts, not upon our wages. We are not upholden by our piety, but beholden to God's pity ; we are kept from falling only by the gi-ace of Jesus Christ. " Shall never fall." Falling is twofold, of infirm- ity, and of apostacy ; the one is a falling into sin, the other a falling into the state of damnation : there is weakness in the one, there is presumption and AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. I. obstinacy in the other. The former of these falls may befall the faithful, but not the latter; for there is no damnation to them that are in Jesus Christ, Rom. viii. 1. Indeed he may fall into divers sins, but never into tliat sinning sin : they be slips, not foils ; or if foils, not falls ; or if falls, yet falling for- ward to repentance, not backward from mercy. The faithful shall not fall into apostacy, from the Lord : the reason is, because God cstablisheth his goings ; the Lord will preserve him, and keep him up, Psal. xl. 2. If that were understood of sin, that Solomon speaks. The just man falleth seven times a day, yet it implies his repentance ; for lie could not properly be said to fall seven times, unless he had rose six times ; he doth not more often fall by sinning, than he riseth again by repenting. Thus he may fall into infirmity, but he shall never fall into apostacy. And this is a sweet comfort, that those which are upheld by God's power, sliall never fall away from Jesus Christ. Eli was priest of the sanctuary, yet he fell ; Adam was in ParatUse, yet he fell ; Luci- fer was in heaven, yet he fell : but whosoever is in Christ, shall never fall. Indeed he may fall into affliction, but not into destruction : he is laid under the rod of calamity, but he shall never be forsaken with the miserable. Death may trip down his body, Satan cannot get down his soul. His name is wi'itten in heaven ; and until that name fall, which will not be though heaven fall, himself shall never fall. Though he wrestles with giants, against princi- palities, and powers, and wicked spirits in high places, yet he shall stand. Though death lay his body in the dust, yet it hath no power to touch his soul ; he shall stand. The poor philosopher dying said, I have lived uncertain, I (he doubtful, I know not whilher I go or what shall become of me. The blind reprobate, what he would not credit presuming, he shall see then despairing; the gates of hell wide open, and a bottomless gulf ready to swallow him. The resolved Christian knows, that the mouth of the pit is shut against him, that the gate of glory stands open for him : that he is elected, not to fall, but to rise. No descent doth fear him, but his ascent doth cheer him : I go to him that is above. Now the mercy of God keep us from falling, and give us a blessed rising at the resurrection of the just, through the merits of Jesus Christ. Amen. Verse 11. Fm so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abun- dantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The dependence of this verse with the former we shall in due place be fitly occasioned to consider : first, therefore, to the distribution. It may be dis- tinguished into two main parts. The passage, For so an entrance shall be minis- tered to us. The palace, Into the everlasting kingdom of Christ. In the passage are observable these four properties : The sureness. So shall be, without fail. The readiness. An entrance, without trouble. The fitness, Shall be ministered, without let. The e;isincss. Abundantly, without pain. In the palace consider two things : The royalty. It is the Lord's own kingdom. The eternity. It is an everlasting kingdom. In the sureness we find two circumstances ; the reason, by way of connexion, in the word for : and the means, by way of relation, in the word so. " For." This is a binding word, that knits the discourse together with a natural dependence. As if the apostle should thus declare himself: There are some blind, and forget the way of truth : what then ? therefore make your election sure : why? for if ye do so ye shall never fall : how are we sure that we shall not fall ? for so you have a full entrance to blessed- ness. If you study in mind, affect in heart, and strive in hand, to do these things, God will help your endeavour with his grace, you shall enter into his glorious kingdom. Plain and simple averring of the truth is sufficient in Holy Scriptures, which bind the conscience authoritative. God's Do this, or Be- lieve that, is enough without any reason. For as in men's commands we examine what is enjoined, not who imposeth it ; so in these we examine who it is that chargeth us, not so much what we are charged. The precepts of superiors are sometimes evil, there- fore we obey them only in good ; but when the Lord commands, we do not examine, but execute. " It is the Lord," I Sam. iii. 18. Yet as Christ led the Jews as well by his miracles amazing them, as by his oracles instructing them ; so his apostles per- suade us, et argumentis et oniamentis, and do not come evermore with a mandamus. As the father, to bring on his chUd a long journey, wins him by fair pro- mises, lifts him over hard passages, holds him by the hand all the way ; so the Lord doth allure us by gra- cious affordments, persuade us by arguments, and rather than we should be weary of well-doing, encou- rageth us with reasons; for so you shall enter, &c. " So." This is a description of the means, and hath a relation to the former counsel. As if he should say. Make your election sure ; and by living soberly and righteously endeavour the ascertaining to your own hearts, that God hath decreed you to salvation ; for so you shall have a free entrance into the king- dom of Christ. That is the only means whereby you may be admitted, and ^vithout that you shall be ex- cluded. There be numbers that would enter the kingdom of Christ, but they fail in their sic, they will not 40 enter. When Christ had made the lawyer tell himself who was the good neighbour, "He that showed mercy on him ; " he presently upon it chargeth him, " Go, and do thou likewise," Luke x. 37. Wouldst thou arrive at heaven ? set their pre- cedents, who are now in heaven, before thine eyes ; Go, and do thou likewise. So Paul left it in charge behind him. Be ye followers of me, and walk so as you have us for an ensample, Phil. iii. 17. If you would come to the place where we are, you must fol- low us in the worKs which we have done ; so you shall have an entrance. 5i'c, whatsoever is a non sicut, dissonant from this so, is a hinderance. God sets us, as Moses on Nebo, upon the mount of a sanctified speculation, and shows us Canaan, with the way to it; so you must enter it, or not at all. One minds nothing but his cups, another nothing but his purse, a third only his courtesan ; yet all these point to meet at heaven : but they fail in their .90, for this is not the way thither. " The lust of the llesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life," I John ii. 16, is a broad way, but not to salvation. Of all the manuductions to the city of God there lies no way by three signs; the sign of the pot, the sign of tile purse, and the sign of the punk. Therefore we say, the dninkard is a man out of the way, the world- ling crosses the way, the adulterer dams up the way. All these foil in their Sru, therefore shall miss in their aurw, the desire of their hearts. One presumes himself a David, and thinks to conquer the Goliath Satan with Saul's armour : not so, but " in the name of the Lord of hosts," I Sam. xvii. 45. The semi- nary asks the pope, as Abishai did David, Shall I Ver. 11. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 127 smite the king ? 1 Sam. xxvi. 8. Not so, for who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord's anointed, and be guiltless ? Treason is not the way to heaven. Covetous men, like those stronger soldiers, wll not give the faint and poor any of their spoil. Not so, saith David ; " Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which the Lord hath given us," 1 Sam. xxx. 23. There is another so to salvation ; and blessed is the ser\anl whom his Master findeth so doing, Matt. xxiv. 46. This is the sureness ; if you go by the means, you shall come to the end. So you shall have an entrance; an infallible rule, if you walk so, you shall not miss it. " An entrance " shall be given you. I call this the readiness of the passage. The way is not hedged up with thorns, nor barricadoed with bulwarks, nor mazed like an intricate labyrinth; there is an en- trance. In the tractation of this doctrine, because it is the heart of the text, I will consider three things. First, the proposition, that the way to blessedness is open. Next, I will clear the way from certain obsta- cles, that may seem to cross the truth of this assertion. Lastly, I will declare wherein this entrance consists. The passage to grace and mercy is open, and ready to entertain all entering feet. From the first fall, sin had shut it up, but now Christ hath opened it ; " He that hath the key of David, openeth, and no man shutteth," Rev. iii. 7. The pope presumes he hath that key, and lets in whom he pleaseth. O miserable man ! why doth he not then let in him- self? Idolaters, sorcerers, adulterers, heretics, have had that imaginary key ; yet could they get no en- trance into heaven. Only Christ opens that gate, and gives entrance. Thrice was heaven opened to himself; at his baptism. Matt. iii. 16, at his trans- figuration. Matt. xvii. 5, at liis ascension, Acts i. 9. I Know that the apertion of heaven doth often mean a manifestation of God's glorious power only : but in these places it signifies a visible fissure of heaven, that something might be seen far transcendent to the stars and planets. Such an apertion was to St. Ste- phen ; " Behold, I sec the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God," Acts vii. 56. The Lord afforded him a vision of that, whereof he was instantly to have the fruition. The like pa- te&ction was to Peter ; he " saw heaven opened," Acts X. 11. Those visible scissures were figures of this invisible entrance. Into the Holy of Holies, the type of heaven, went only the high priest once a year ; but Christ at his death rent the veil of the temple, to signify that he had made now a clear pas- sage for all believers; " The Holy Ghost this sig- nifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing," Heb. ix. 8. Indeed it is true, that from the beginning heaven was not shut to the faith- ful ; for how then did Abraham enter into blessed- ness ? As it was not shut to the Jews, so it was not open to the Gentiles. For they were " aliens from the commonwealth of Israel," and so " strangers from the covenants of promise : but now ye who some- times were far of!', are made nigh by the blood of Christ ; who hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us," Eph. ii. 12 — 15. The Gen- tiles were esteemed as dogs ; and the children's bread is not given to dogs, Mark vii. 27. But he that could make children of stones, can also make of those dogs servants. The gate then stands wider open per Christum missum, than it did per Christum promiss-um ; by a Saviour bom, than it was by a Sa- viour only promised to be bom. That to the holiest was a typical entrance ; this is a topical entrance. Therefore our salvation is now nearer, Rom. xiii. II : for we do not go to the e;ate of heaven, but rather the gate of heaven comes to us; "I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven," Rev. xxi. 2. Because we could not ascend to it, it doth descend to us. Christ calls him- self " the door," John x. 7 : which place being com- pared with Rev. iii. 20, " I stand at the door, and knock ;" we find that he is the door, and yet he knocks at the door. He that hath a suit to the king, concludes with himself, I must go to the court, for the court will not come to me. Yet, " thy King Cometh unto thee," Matt. xxi. 5. Petit tua liminu virtus. Thus Christ promised the penitent malefactor, "This day thou shalt be%vith me in paradise." The blood of Christ is the key that openeth paradise. (Hieron.) " Through him we have access by one Spi- rit unto the Father," Eph. ii. 18. Thus the doctrine is cleared, we have " boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh," Heb. x. 19. He is the way, and the truth, and the life : there is no way but by thee, no truth but from thee, no life but in thee, dear Lord Jesus. In the second place, let us proceed to the removal of such impediments as might hinder this passage. There is no glory of entrance, where is no hinder- ance. Sin was the first obstacle. " So he drove out the man," Gen. iii. 24. It shut him out, and kept him out : angels that were his friends, were set to with- stand his re-entr)'. This taught him, that as sin cast him out of Paradise, so it would also shut him out of heaven, but for the mercies of God in the merits of a Redeemer. There are many enemies, backed by the malice of sin ; but because they are numerovis, and must be ranked to some generals, I will reduce them to four. The world is none of the least ; and in this there is a double opposition; on the left hand indigence, on the right hand opulence. They are both removed by Christ ; the good things of this world he despised, that he might teach us to despise them; the evil things he bore, that he might teach us to suffer them. " Whatsoever is bom of God overcometh the world," 1 John V. 4 : we so cast away this hinderance, whe- ther of prosperous or adverse things, that we neither seek to be blessed in the one, nor fear to be cursed in the other. (August.) Faith is the principal in this victorj' : good works are underling soldiers, but faith is the captain, which commands all under the great General, Jesus Christ. Opera bona rincuni executive, solajides imperative. Is want a hinderance ? No ; there is treasure enough to be had in heaven. Matt. vi. 20. Is dearth ? No ; for a good conscience is a continual feast, Prov. xv. 15. Is exile ? No; for the home we seek is a city to come, Heb. xiii. 14. Doth prosperity assault us ? Indeed this is a sore bar to our entrance ; for one man could foil the devil in his miser)-, whereas many have been foiled by the devil in their felicity. (August.) " For peace I had great bitterness," I'sa. xxxviii. 17. The church's estate, saith Bernard, was bitter in the loss of her children's blood, more bitter in the oppugnations of her doctrine, most bitter in the vices of ner professed friends. Thus the world hinders our cntranceworse by its courtesies than if can by its crosses. Yet let it do its worst, faith follows Christ, and he is that great Marshal that makes way for us through the world : " Be of good cheer ; I have overcome the world," John xvi. 33. The flesh steps in next to bar up our entrance : this is a Delilan in Samson's bosom, that seeks to cut his throat; it is like the moth in the garment, that breeds in us, and feeds on as. There is no man hath a worse friend than he brings from home. An 12S AX EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. I. unfaithful servant is miscliievous, an unfaithful friend more mischievous, but an unfaitliful wife most mis- chievous. It is ready to prompt us, as Job's wife tempted him, "Curse God, and die," Job ii. 9. This Clytemnestra, for the love of her adulterous friend, Satan, will betray her own betrothed Agamemnon. The only course is to be bold with it ; .and to restrain it, lest it kill itself, and to mortify it, lest it kill us. This obstacle hath also Christ removed; not but that it still offers to withstand us, but that it shall never hurt us. Christ's assistance is stronger than her resistance : in Christ she is dead, though in her- self she be deadly. Christ's innocent llcsli was cru- cified, that this sinful flesh might be mortified. Let her do the worst to hinder my entrance, yet I shall enter ; and for this " I thank God through Jesus Christ,". Rom. vii. 25. The devil is a master antagonist, a watchful and a wrathful enemy. His weapons are temptations, whereby he makes men sin ; and accusations, where- by he makes them despair for sin. But this hin- derer is muzzled ; " The prince of this world is judg- ed," John xvi. 11:" The prince of this world is ca-st out," John xii. 31. He is condemned himself, there- fore unable to condemn us. He is excommunicated, therefore his testimony is nothing worth. Doth he fright thee with thy sins ? Answer him that the Lamb of God hath taken them away. Perhaps the politic serpent quiets thee in the settled opinion of thine own righteousness. O devil ! wouldst thou have me turn justiciar)-, and trust to mine own right- eousness ? I am a sinner, or else what needed I a Saviour? " They that be whole need not a phy- sician, but they that are sick," Matt. ix. 12. I have infinite sins, but there is an infinite ransom paid for them. He was made sin for me, who knew' no sin, that I might be made the righteousness of God in him, 2 Cor. v. 21. He that was righteousness, was made sin for us ; that we who were unrighteous, might be made righteousness in him. (August.) Satan, do thy worst, we have an abundant entrance through Jesus Christ. Death is the last enemy, but not the least enemy. Albeit it be hateful and hurtful to the wicked, be- cause it ends their short joys, and begins their ever- lasting sorrows ; yet to the faithful that fiend is a friend ; while it hastens their going out of this world, it prepares their going into the world to come : " To me to live is Christ, and to die is gain," Phil. i. 21. That which meant us the greatest damage, procures us the greatest advantage. The Lord Jesus hath led ciiptivity captive, and swallowed up death in victory. "O death, wnere is thy sting ? O grave, where is thy victory ? " 1 Cor. xv. 54, 55. Out of that strong one he brought honey ; out of that cater of all flesh, meat for all .si>irits. Through the jaws of cold death, he hath opened the gates of eternal life. Mors, qu<E perpetuo cunclos absorbet hialu : Parcere dum nescit, scppius ipsafavet ; While death strives to bar the way against us, it doth make way for us, into this everlasting kingdom. Thus the hinderances being removed, we come to consider the matter of this entrance, wherein it con- sists, and how we are here said to have it. It stands in two things; our union with Christ and our com- nmnion with the Holy Ghost. First, for our union with Christ; for if the Head be entered, tlie members cannot be denied. The personal union of the Son of God to our nature, was a great myster)- ; "Without controversy great is the ?'y®.'''''>[.?*'K°'ll'"'-'ss: God wasmanifcst'in the flesh," I Tim. lii. 16. Yet let me boldly say, in respect of us, there is another nearer conjunction required to this entrance ; " He that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit," 1 Cor. vi. \J. First, that hypostatical union was the conjunction of God's nature and man's nature in general; but this is a union of the Son of God's person and the believer's person in special. Secondly, though Clu'ist took our nature upon him, and that with all human infirmities, yet clean void of all sins : in this he takes to him the believer's person with all his sins ; though we be full of wickedness, he knits us to his holy and glorious self. He is the Head, we are the members ; but some tyrant may cut off the members from the head. He is the Hus- band, we are the wife ; but death divorceth man and wife. He is the Vine, we arc the branches ; but man may slip off a branch from the vine. He is the Comer-stone, we the building ; but a foundation may be bereft of the edifice, and come to the temple of Jerusalem's case, to have not one stone left upon an- other. But when it is said, we are one spirit with Christ, here can be no separation ; spirit may be parted from body, not spirit from spirit, never from itself : not two, but one spirit. " Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm," Cant, viii. G. The arm is the instniment of power; and the heart is the fountain of life, the first that lives, and the last that dies. If therefore we be set there as seals, there can be no disjunction ; unless we could be plucked from his arms that is almighty ; unless his heart could die, which is life itself. " Set me as a seal," &c. That petition is now a position ; what the church then desired, it hath now enjoyed ; their wish is our article, their Pater-noster our creed. Were we not deeply engraven on his heart, when his heart was divided with a spear for us ? when in a manner he seemed forsaken of his own Fatlier for a time, rather than his Father should forsake us for ever ? That evangelical prophet testifies it ; " Be- hold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands," Isa. xlix. IG. Were we not engraven there when his hands were pierced for us ? " "They digged my hands and my feet," Psal. xxii. IG. And they digged them so deep, that the verj- prints remained after his resurrection, and their fingers were thrust into them for evidence' sake, John xx. 27. Some have thought that those scars remain stifc :a his glo- rious body, to be showed at his second appearing ; " They shall see him whom they have pierced." That is improbable, but this is certain ; there re- mains still an impression upon Christ's hands and his heart, the sealing and wearing of the elect there, as precious jewels. For the same affections he had on earth, he hath carried up with the same body to heaven. He cannot there pati, but he doth compali : " Saul, why persecutest thou me ? " He that remeili- bered us on the cross, will not forget us in the crown ; as Pharaoh's officer forgot Joscjui when he came to his preferment. For this that penitent malefactor prayed, "Lord, remember me when thou comest into Ihy kingdom." As if he should say. Now happily thou thinkest on us, because thou art in the same fashion and passion with us, suffering the .same tor- ment, subject to the same death ; pernaps thou feel- est more grievous things than we. But when this passion is all over, thy suflcrings past, when thou art exalted to glory, when thou comest to thy king- dom, Lord, remember me then. He did so ; " This day thou shalt be with me in paradise." He re- members us now triumphing, as well as he did tlien sufl'ering. The afleetion of love is noted to be most vehement in women: DaWd spake of a transcendent and incomparable love, when he preferred it above the love of women ; " Thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women," 2 Sam. i. 26 ; because they are naturally most tender and affectionate. Ver. II. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 129 Therefore Christ, that he might wonderfully love us, was made of a woman ; " God sent his Son, made of a woman," Gal. iv. 4. But because sin can harden the heart of any woman, therefore he took it of a pure virgin. And because every virgin is originally con- ceived in sin, to make it more pure and tender, he took it of a woman, of a virgin, and clear from all sin. Now this aflcction he took with him to heaven, and set it at the right hand of his Father there. Thus his side was opened ; through that breach we have entrance : his heart was pierced ; through that heart we have entrance : every wound is a pas- sage. Who condemns ? It is Christ that justifies. Who shuts? It is the Lord Jesus that opens. Death seems to dissolve this union, but doth not : for look what was Christ's condition in the grave, such is the condition of all his members. In death the soul of Christ was severed from his body, as far as heaven is from earth ; for his body was laid in the se- pulchre, and his soul was in the hands of his Fa- ther; yet was neither of these separated from the Godhead. Chrysostom gives a familiar similitude to explain this : A man holds a sheathed sword in his hand ; he draws out the sword from the scabbard, holds the sword in one hand, the scabbard in the other; here the sword and the sheath are parted one from another, but neither of both are parted from the man, for he hath them both in his hands still. So the Deity took Christ's soul from his body when he died, as a sword drawn out of the scabbard, but held them both in his hands, and at his resur- rection put them together again : the soul was sepa- rated from the body, neither of these from the Lord. So it is with us ; death, whether natural or violent, may rend the soul from the body, it can take neither from Christ. But why then is not the body quick- ened in the grave by his virtue, and by the insepara- bility of this union ? As when an arm is taken with a dead palsy, it receivcth little or no heat, sense, motion, or life from the body ; yet it still remains a member of the body, because the flesh and bones abide still tied with ligaments to the body. Our bodies in the grave are but taken with a dead palsy, they are still members of Clirist, and shall by his virtue be revived ; when again the soul shall be wedded to the body, and both body and soul to ever- lasting glory. Thus we are sure, if Christ be entered, that our entrance is easy. We have obtained favour in the sight of the great King, his golden sceptre is held out unto us, let us enter, Esth. v. 2 ; go we " boldly unto the throne of grace," Heb. iv. IG : there is no quarrel against us in heaven, all is peace through Christ, let us enter. It is the voice of the King himself, Enter into the joy of your Lord, Matt. xxv. 23. All excuses of our not entering into this king- dom are taken away. It is storied of a great con- queror, that when he had vanquished his enemies, after a long siege laid to the castle wherein they had fortified themselves, and had opened that inaccessible palace, he sent some of his garrison to enter and keep it for him. They, ignorant of his victor}-, ex- cuse themselves : There be giants. He answers, I have slain them. There be dragons about it. I have chained them fast. There is a deep trench, how should we pass over it ? I have dammed it up. There are brazen gates, strongly guarded. I have set them wide open. There wants room for so many as thou sendest. No, there is room enough ; it is as large as a city ; therefore go in, and possess it. So when God sends men to enter this kingdom, they cowardly excuse themselves, as Israel did: There be giants, the sons of Anak ; there ar£ principalities and powers to withstand us. Christ answers, I have slain them on my cross. There is a great red dragon. I have chained him sure enough ; that blessed angel, with the key of the bottomless pit, and the great chain in his hand, hath bound the dragon that old serpent for ever, Rev. xx. 2. But there is a fortifica- tion of the law against us. Saith Christ, I have scaled that fort, performed full obedience to the law, and given satisfaction to the justice of God for you. But there is a deep trench, a sea of glass before the throne. Rev. iv. 6; how shall we get over that to the kingdom ? " Be of good cheer ; I have over- come the world," John xvi. 33. But there is a high wall, and mighty gates. Rev. xxi. too high to climb over, and too thick to break through. You need not attempt such a course, for the gates are set open ; " The gates of it shall not be shut at all," ver. 25. But there wants room for so many as thou invitest to this kingdom. No ; " In my Father's house are many mansions," John xiv. 2 : there is room enougli for you all. Thus is this entrance ready for us ; God grant we may be ready for this entrance. Secondly, this entrance consists in our communion with the Holy Ghost ; " The communion of the Holy Ghost be with you," 2 Cor. xiii. 14. AVhcn two princes would establish peace together, either sends his ambassador to other, as a pledge or earnest of that truce. So God, to confirm an everlasting league between himself and our souls, sends his Lieger, the Holy Ghost, to us ; and we send our Lieger, our Sa- viour Christ, and our fidelity with him, unto God : he " hath sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts," 2 Cor. i. 22. An earnest seals the bargain, as a handful of com is given to assure the whole field. We have begun to reap, therefore it is truly said, we have made our entry. This en- trance consists in many felicities commimicated to us by the Spirit, but I principally apply myself to that of St. Paul, " The kingdom of God is not meat and drink ; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost," Rom. xiv. 17. Paul calls it the king- dom of God ; so doth Peter in this place : Paul saitli, it is participated in this life; so Peter, that we have hero an entrance into it. It must be understood of that fruition which we have of the kingdom of God in this life ; for otherwise why should he mention and exclude meats and drinks, which have neither use nor place in heaven? Chrj'sostom and Haymo construe it thus ; That meats and drinks are not of any power to bring us to heaven. But Peter Mart)-r calls this alietinm interpret alionem : for so neither is righteousness any cause, but a beginning of this king- dom. St. Augustine mentions one Urbicus, who by this text would prove, that Christians ought to fast on the Saturday, the Jews' sabbath, because the kingdom of Christ is not in meats and drinks. But then it would follow, that at other times, as on the Lord's day, or when we fast not, we should not pertain to (he kingdom of Christ. But to our purpose, if it consist in righteousness, peace, and spiritual joy, then, having these, we have an entrance into it. If I seem too tedious in this instance, I answer with St. Peter, " It is good for us to be here ; let us make here three tabernacles," Matt. xvii. 4; one for right- eousness, another for peace, and a third for joy in the Holy Ghost. Where can we be better than in the kingdom of Jesus Christ ? For righteousness : this is not to be understood of a particular justice, giving eveiT man his due, with Gorrhan ; but it is the imputed righteousness of Christ, and our inherent righteousness proceeding from it. There is a righteousness wrought for us, whereby of evil men we are made good ; and a right- eousness wrought in us, whereby of good men we are made better ; " Beine' made free from sin, ye be- 130 AX EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. I. came the sen-ants of righteousness," Rom. vi. 18. So far then as we are righteous, so far have we made our entrance. Where our desires are, there our- selves are : hut we desire to be dissolved, and to he with Christ ; therefore we arc tlicre with him, ubi amavius, potius rjtiam ubi animamus. Whither our conversation is entered, ourselves are entered : l.ul " our conversation is in heaven," Phil. iii. 20; (liere- fore we are there, not locally, but siiirituall)-. To live after the manner of Israel, is to be in Israel, saith a father. If heaven be in us, then are we in heaven : but, we live not in ourselves, but Christ livcth in us ; and the life which we now live in the flesh we live by the ftiith of the Son of God, Gal. ii. 20. He that hath the faith of eternal life, halh eternal life in his faith ; he that belicveth, is passed from death unto life, John v. 24. A Christian is like Jacob's ladder ; while his body, that lower part, stands on the ground, the top, his higher and better part, is in heaven. The apostle speaks of a thing already done, " He hath made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus," Eph. ii. 6. If a stranger be but come into your suburbs, you say commonly, he hath entered the city. If we now live like the saints, we shall hereafter live like the angels. The next is peace. Peace is the daughter of right- eousness : " Being justified by faith, we have peace with God," Rom. v. 1. " Righteousness and jieace have kissed each other," Psal. Ixsxv. 10. But how is it said then, " In the world ye shall have trouble ? " John xvi. 33. How can trouble and peace stand together? It is tnie indeed that the w'icked will molest us j but wo must still go foi-ward. Naviga- tion is not to be lost because there are some sea- rocks. Doves forbear not flying home because there are some kites abroad in the air. God did not de- stroy all the Canaanites, lest the wild beasts should break in upon Israel. A countiy of India hath a law, that no man shall kill any ravens ; they are let alone to devour the carrion, which else would cor- rupt the air. We have distuibers enough ; some, by mischievous acts, against our lives, our wives, our children, our estates. Some, by scandalous speeches ; such are calumniators, slanderers, flatterers. Others, by malicious cnvyings ; as unfriendliness, suspicions, jealousies. Malice works mischief at home, and envj' sends it in from abroad. Summa petit livor nt ignis. Our happiness is their eyesore. Envy hatli a lofly look, but not to look up unto heaven. There are Italian tricks. There was a beast risen out of the sea, " having seven heads and ten lioms, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy," Rev. xiii. I. A savage beast, that first deposeth kings, and then exposelh them to death. A murdering point of reli- gion ; he that first invented it, was a bloody wretch. But from the devil it came, and to the devil'let it go. These be our greatest peace-breakers. These may easily breed commotion in a kingdom, but God alone can pacify it. I know there are homebred mischiefs enough ; and many an Ahab doth trouble our Israel. The pestilent usurer, whose words are as soft as his fox-fur, is a licking dog that bites sore. The mouse told her young ones in the fable, that they should not fear the loud-crowing cock, but the still cat. Loud and lewd wantons disquiet us, but the oppressor doth more hurt silting silently in his cash-house, than the other with all their noise in the streets. CVsar said, he feared not Antony, because his heart was in his tongue ; but Cassius, because his tongue was in his heart. If all this be, where is our peace? Yes, patience is the daughter of hope : in their wrongs is seen our patience, in our patience our hope, in our hope our peace. We have peace in the world, though we have no peace with the world. Our troubles are seen without, our peace is felt within. Travellers write of a certain island they call De Fierro, where no fresh water is to be had; yet there is a certain tree in it, which drops so abundantly, that it satisfies all men and cattle of the country. Our exigents and indigence are great, but there is an inward peace of conscience, tliat satisfies us all with the precious liquor of content. The Lord lays all that blustering wind, all the thunder and lightning of menaces, all the storms and tempests of persecution, with one- sweet and peaceful shower of comfort. Tims though we have not yet that peace of heaven ; yet we have a heaven of peace, that is, assured remission of sins, and reconciliation to the God of peace. Satan, the world, sin, all fight against us ; that war is our peace. If the happiness of that place, as Augustine speaks, be peace in eternal life, and eternal life in peace, then have we some present entrance into it ; for tlu peace of God that passeth all understanding, and surpasseth all commending, doth presen'c us. The last material is joy in the Holy Ghost ; which ariscth partly from the hope of future reward, and partly from the sense of jiresent comfort. For if there be such sorrow in the contrition of sin, what ia the joy in the remission of sin ? Rachel wept for her children, because they were not : we might have wept for our souls, because they were in worse case than if they had not been : no womb but a Rebekah's feels those conflicts. Every night wash I my bed, saith Da\-id, with my tears, Psal. vi. 6. We nu'ght have so washed our eternal beds. Marj' Magdaleiu wept as if she poured forth water, not by drops, but by floods ; Peter, bitterly. This winter lasted not long, the spring sun shone out with beams of comfort. Now one dram of their present joy did outvalue all the loads of their former sorrow. Like men over- burdened, we feel such ease when the cross of Chris! takes all this weight from oui' shoulders. When sin is remitted, nothing afflicts. " My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations," Jam. i. 2. What, joy in trouble ? Will the world believe you, St. James ? They answer. Take you such joy, we will not meddle with it. Yes, he that prescribed it, proved it ; he found affliction turn to his profit ; he learned this benefit by good experience. As we say, human learning is men's pains in their youth, their recreation in their age; so what was the great- est sorrow to the heart penitent, proves the greatest joy to the heart pardoned. Who would not give the iron fetters of his thraldom, for the weight of gold in freedom ? It is a false accusation, that the word of God brings with it suUenness and discontent ; for the statutes of the Lord rejoice the heart, Psal. xix. 8. It is the tidings of joy, of great joy, of such joy that the mountains skip like rams, and the little hills like young sheep. So far as this holy joy is entered into us, we have entered into the everlasting king- dom of Jesus Christ. " Shall be ministered unto you." I come to the third point, the fitness or preparation. We are not beholden to ourselves for this entrance, it is minis- tered to us. As neither the good which we would obtain, so nor the good by wYiich we do obtain, is our o\ni. The means is ministered, therefore it is called the ministiy of the word, the ministration of the sacraments. The apprehension of this means is ministered, for it is given to us to believe, Phil. i. 29. The object of this apprehension is ministered ; eternal life is the gift of God through Jesus Christ, Rom. vi. 23. Admire the mercy of God, which doth not only prepare a kingdom for us, but also prepare us for Ver. II. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 131 that kingdom. In the world there is no mercy to a sinner: it hath commonly been the fault even of men entered into this kingdom, to shut the door after them, and to keep out others. The ruler of (he synagogue could not endure that the people should be healed on the sabbath day, Luke xiii. 14. When the blind men cried to Christ, " Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David ; the miiltitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace," Matt. xx. 30, 31. This is a malicious and uncharitable sin, when men are passed over the deep pit by a bridge, to pluck it up, and suffer none to follow them. Thou sayest. Such a one is a refractory and dissolute offender. What then ? therefore shut the church door against him ? This is thy mercy, but God's mercy is more ; to repentance he ministers an entrance. Yes, saith the malevolent repiner, he seems to repent, but he is only humbled in hypocrisy : but wnat window hast thou into his heart ? It is worse in thee to be so critical a ccnsurer, than in him to be so hypocri- tical a sinner. The lawyers say. Once bad, never good. The Cathari did use to excommunicate for ever ; if a man were once revolted, never to be receiv- ed ; but this was but a puritan trick. Or if upon un- deniable contrition, and humble submission, they admitted such a one to their outward service, yet they held him a reprobate: as the Gibeonites were permitted in the tabernacle, but with disgrace. The Brutii in Italy, for their revolting from the Romans to Hannibal, were upon their submission received again into the Roman protection, but might never be trusted for that trick. Paul says, " Neither idol- aters, nor adulterers, nor thieves, nor drunkards, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God," 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10. Yet was Solomon an idolater, Mary Magdalene an adulteress, the malefactor on the cross a thief, Zaccheus an extortioner, Noah druiik ; yet did all these enter into the kingdom of God. The apostle adds. Such were ye, ver. 1 1 ; you were, but you are not. Neither did they enter into heaven idolaters, or adulterers, or extortioners, but they became new creatures : they were washed, sancti- fied, justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of God. Do thou turn from wicked- ness to piety, God will turn from judgment to mercy. One of the puritans told Constantine the Great the strictness of their opinions ; to whom he answer- ed. Set up thyself a ladder and go to heaven alone. The Jews were such absolute malcontents, grudging the Gentiles any mercy. This envious fault is too common, and there is still some of this puritan blood that runs in many men's veins. That man thinks he loses what another gains : it is not enough for him to have a place in heaven himself, but he must be porter, or rather householder, to direct who shall come after him ; to let in whom he please, his friends and acquaintance only. When the Jews saw that a great audience w;ts at Paul's sermon, they were filled with envy, and fell to contradiction and blasphemy, Acts xiii. 45. When the elder bro- ther heard the sumptuous and joyful entertainment of his lost brother, " he was angiy, and would not go in," Luke xv. 2S. So Rome thinks that the gospel's rising must needs be her falling. Therefore she cannot endure like a sister to communicate with us, but like a tyrant to excommunicate us. They think it is with them and us, as the poets imagined it to be with Castor and Pollux ; when the one lived, the other died. Or as when the day comes, the night must end. Or as two buckets in one well, one drieth while the other dippcth. Or as the Jews might fear, when Agrippa built Ca^sarea, and removed all the ornaments of Israel thither, that the flourishing of that city would be the drooping of Jerusalem. Envy is sick if her neighbour be well. But let this malicious heart hear God's argument and eviction : " Is thine eye evil, because I am good ? " Matt. XX. 15. This was the prophet Jonah's discontent ; wlien the Lord would not destroy them according to his threatening, " it disple;ised Jonah exceedingly," chap. iv. 1. God means to spare Nineveh ; Jonah would not have it so. God thought it best ; the man is of another mind. Here is an opposition of two, but the match is very unequal. I am certainly persuaded, that no man is like to gain much by such bargains. The potter is on the one side, and the potsherd on the other. Fire, thunder, lightning, says it shall be so ; flax and tow says it shall not be so. Yet is weakness angry that he may not bear away the bucklers. Therefore he proceeds to argue the matter with God, ver. 2. But as Tally said of Romulus pretending a law to kill his brother Remus, it was a fault by the leave of Romulus ; so if Jonah pretend reason why God should overthrow penitent sinners, this was a fault liy the leave of Jonah. The disciples were not free from this er- ror ; when they brought little children to Christ for his blessing, " the disciples rebuked them," Matt. xix. 13. They that have part in the kingdom, grudge it to others. Only Jesus spoke for them: it is his good- ness to answer for that which is not able to answer for itself: " Suffer them, and forbid them not." He doubles his charge ; both affirmatively, " suffer them," and negatively, " forbid them not :" as in the king's writ there is not only a capias, but a millalenus omil/as. And as an additional security, " Let them come unto me." If I have given them a kingdom, will you not let them come to the King ? Let this teach us to yield a joyful consent to God's doings : we must not dislike his will though it be to destroy; but when it is sweetened with mercy, let us vehe- mently love it. When Joshua told mioses of Eldad and Medad's prophesying in the camp, " My lord Moses, forbid them ; he answers, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them!" Numb. xi. 23, 29. When Paul was called to be an apostle, those pillars envied not, but gave him the right hands of fellowsliip, Gal. ii. 9. They that went to heaven by the bloody way of mar- tvrdom, prayed for others an easier passage ; even tlieir persecutors and murderers had their prayers. As Fulgentius notes on Stephen and Paul, Whither Stephen went before slain by the stones of Paul, thitlier Paul followed after helped by the prayers of Stephen. Let this comfort us in the mercies of our God ; whosoever grudgeth, whatsoever hindereth, the Lord doth minister an entrance unto us. " Abundantly." I come to the latitude or broad- ness of this passage. Faith and a good conscience find an easy entrance to blessedness. "Abund- antly :" it is demanded then, how the word of God makes the passage so strait and so narrow ? " Strive to enter in at the strait gate," Luke xiii. 24; for " narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it," Matt. vii. 14. The answer is easy ; the gate is not narrow in itself, but in respect of the unqualified entcrers. It is too low for lofty and aspiring ambition, too narrow for imposthumated pride, too strait for gouty covetousness ; but to faith it is broad. As it is specwsa for the gloriousness, so spaciosa for the easiness : it is both a beautiful gate, and a bountiful gate. But this bounty is only to the poor ; " He hath filled the hungry with good things ; and the rich he hath sent empty away," Luke i. 53. Rich men scorn to be beggars, their dition admits no such condition. This gate is open, not potentibus, 132 AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. I. to mighty usurpers, Ijiit pelentibus, to humble peti- tioners. The Lord is rich in mercy. To all ? No, hut to all that call upon him faithfully. And with him is plenteous redemption : it is all one, abundant entrance. But, " The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence," Matt. xi. 12. True, but it loves that violence that it suffers ; as God was well pleased to be overcome of Jacob. This violence doth not take away the facility of entrance, but rather notes the faculty of them that enter. It is true that there are many oppositions, yet is there still a sufficient entrance. We may say of it, as St. Paul speaks of his occasion of preaching the gospel, " A great door and effectual is opened, and there are many adversaries," 1 Cor. xvi. 9. St. Paul himself was a little feared with the apprehension of this difficulty, when he prayed thrice against those buffctings of Satan ; but he was confirmed in the Lord's answer, " My grace is sufficient for thee," 2 Cor. xii. 9. Indeed flesh and blood, in the natural corruption of it, cannot enter the kingdom of God, 1 Cor. XV. 50; no more than a cable rope can be brought through a needle's eye. While it is whole it cannot pass ; but untwine it, and lay it thread by thread, and then you may easily draw it all through. If the worldling would untwist his riches by charity, and the sinner untwist his sins by repentance, they may abundantly enter. There is an abundanter that shuts many out ; abundance of worldly riches, and lusts of covetousness : for man's life consisteth not in this abundance, Luke xii. 15. And if not his natural life, much less doth his spiritual life, consist in it. There is an abundanter that lets many in. It is the grace of God which is abundantly shed on us through Jesus Christ, Tit. iii. 6. But our apostle himself makes it a difficult thing to be saved ; " If the righteous scarcely be saved," &c. 1 Pet. iv. 18. The apostle doth not intend any difficulty in respect of God's election, but in regard of our affliction ; because through a fiery trial, and through many tribulations, we must enter into the kingdom of God, Acts xiv. 22. So scarcely saved, that by reason of their miseries they seem to the world not to be saved at all. Through much tribu- lation they must enter ; but howsoever they shall enter. This doth not hedge up the way, but enlarge it. Stephen saw great happiness by Christ in his peace, but under the stones he saw heaven itself open. God doth receive, not reject, the son whom he doth scourge, Hcb. xii. 6. If God do not think thee wor- thy of his rod, he will never think thee worthy of his crown. (August.) Doth any man find the way to blessedness difficult ? himself is in fault. Dost thou complain the gate is shut? No, but thou art not habited for entrance. None might come to Ahasu- erus's court in sackcloth, but they that come so are best welcome to God. It is said o'f the virtuous wife, that all her household are clothed in double gar- ments, Prov. xxxi. 21. All God's servants have double garments ; a black mourning garment of ])enitence, and a white robe of innocence. Either of these must be reslis talaris, down to the heels, even to the end of their life. If men be foul and impure, no marvel though there be strait entrance, for there is no entrance ; In no wise shall any unclean thing enter into it. Rev. xxi. 27. But otherwise, ini'ia virtulis nulli est via. Art thou wrapped in thy sins, and savest the passage is narrow ? It is abundant, but not to thee. Unload thy conscience by repentance, and those everlasting doors shall give thee entrance abundantly to the King of glory. It may seem hard at the first, because there is weeping fo part with beloved sins, much ado to keep the eye from Sodom; but endeavour, and thou shah find it easier and easier. Capta rides sero Pergama, capta tamen. " The gates of it shall not be shut by day : " by day, well ; but yet they may be shut by night : neither, " for there shall be no night there," Rev. xxi. 25. The prophet entreats God to spread the heavens as a curtain : now he did spread them wide, when publicans and harlots were convert- ed, and did enter into the kingdom of heaven. I con- clude. This abundant entrance is given to us by Christ : our own debts did make it narrow, his payment hath made it wide. As Paul pleaded to Philemon for One- simus, so Christ to his Father for us. Philem. ver. 10, " I beseech thee : " Christ mediates, intercedes for us. " For my son," saith Paul ; for my children, saith Christ. " Whom I have begotten ; " Christ hath begotten us again of water and the Spirit ; not only "in my bonds," but in my blood. Ver. II, " Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and me." So Christ ; They were, O Father, useless and rebellious enemies, but now I have made them useful and profitable for thy glor}'. Ver. 12, "Whom I have sent again:" we were all nin-aways from God and goodness, Christ hath sent us back again. " Thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels." Receive them, O Father ; shut them not out, but open thy everlasting doors of mercy to entertain them ; and that so near, as imto thine own bowels : as thou art in me, and I in thee, so let them be one in us, John xvii. 21. Ver. 16, " Not now as a ser\-ant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially f o me." I have made them a degree above servants, even friends; I call you not ser- vants, but friends, John xv. 15. Yea, a degree above friends, brothers to me; "He is not ashamed to call us brethren," Heb. ii. II: beloved to me, whom I bought with my own blood. Ver. 17, " If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself." As. I of thy glorv', so let them participate of our glory ; " The glory which thou gavest me, I have given them," John xvii. 22. If thou count me a partner, that think it no robber)- to be equal with thyself, re- ceive them as myself, admit them to thy own blessed- ness. Ver. 18, " If he hath wronged thee, or owcth thee ought, put that on mine account : " so saith Christ, Si quid debent, ego solvam, Whatsoever they are indebted to thy justice, I will pay it ; put it on mine account, take my reckoning on the cross for it. Ver. 19, " I Paul have WTitten it with mine own hand, I will repay it." I Jesus have written if on the paper of the cross, with the ink of my blood, the pen being a spear's point; I will pay all. And his payment was good, who had power to suffer enough, and righteousness to satisfy enough. All this was to give us an cabundant entrance: what shall we then do, but, as David, " I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord ?" Psal. cx\n. l.'i. Hath Christ made us way ? let us then enter in, and bless the name of the Lord. "Into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." Some copies have read Dei et Domini, ifc. so the vidgar Latin. Idacius Clarus against Vanimadus the Arian, from hence proves, Idem esse Patris et Fitii inipcrium, that the Son hath the same kingdom with the Father; and that in no- thing he is unequal or inferior to him. Ambrose so reads it, and from it demonstrates against the Arians, Unitatem subslantiir rrterni Filii cum Palre. For "evcri' kingdom divided against itself, is brought to desolation," Matt. xii. 25. If the kingdom of the Father and of the Son were divided, how could they stand? If any man should distinguish a king- dom of Christ only, and so conceive a difference betwixt God's power and Christ's ; yet that man Ver. 11. SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF ST. PETER. 133 shall confess that Christ hath a kingdom, and that an everlasting kingdom. But how can his kingdom be called everlasting, whenas it is said, that Christ shall deliver up the kingdom to God the Father, and the Son also himself shall be subject to him ? 1 Cor. XV. 24, 28. We must know that God did commit the government of the world to Christ, and therefore he is called by divines, Patrin licariiit : not that the Father could be idle, but Christ was his Counsellor. Now this govennnent given to Christ's medial orship shall end; his mediation and interced- ing office shall cease. He shall reign no longer as the Son of man in the midst of his enemies; but he shall reign over them being vanquished, as God. Thnjugh the subjection of his human nature, the glory of his Godhead shall more fully appear, such and the same it Wiis before eternity ; neither shall this diminish, but rather increase, the glory of his humanity, when we see it personally united to the Son of God for ever. Thus we are sure that Christ lialh himself, and will give us, an everlasting king- dom ; for the love of God is from eternity in respect of our predestination, and unto eternity in respect of of our glorification. In this palace or court I consider two things; the royalty of it, in that it is a kingdom ; and the per- petuity of it, in that it is an everlasting kingdom. AV'hich give it two excellencies above all other prin- cipalities. First, in regard of the majesty which it iiath fromtheKing, whoisaboveall kings. The place makes not the man, but the man makes the ])lace : neither doth the kingdom honour Christ, but Christ honours the kingdom. Next, in respect of the immutability : the honour of earthly princes is often laid in the dust, but this is an eternal kingdom. The royalty of Christ is absolute, independent, universal, and ever- lasting : " He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever ; and of his kingdom there shall be no end," Luke i. 33. The angel assures the virgin that Christ shall have the throne of David ; and therein he shall reign for ever, and of his kingdom is no end. This cai, and, is not redundant, but expository. Here be two tenns that signify an intemiinablc thing ; " for ever," and " no end ;" a double universality, of place, and of time. It is "for ever:" it hath no limits, but extends over all ; " no end." Now it is fit that he should be so honoured, that was so humbled. Our sin brought him exceeding low, let his own righteousness exalt him exceeding high. He that thundereth in the clouds was lying, perhaps crj-ing, in the manger. He had a kingdom even while he ser\-ed : and Pilate could not undo what he had ignorantly done ; not alter his title, " Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews." " He saith unto the Jews, Behold your King," John xix. 14. They spake truth in their mockery, when they " be- gan to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews," Mark XV. 18. If his kingdom had depended upon their lips, it had soon perished with himself; for now they gave him palms, and presently thorns : once. Behold our King; and again, " We have no king but Cicsar," John xix. 15. Simeon told his mother, " This child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel ; and for a sign that shall be spoken against," Luke ii. 34. He shall be set: he was set for, set against, set at naught, but not set by. He was set, by intention for all, by occasion against many, by apprehension for many, by permission for a sign that should be contradicted. But he that was a Lamb, is now a Lion : the flower of the field is become a rod of iron : that shining light is also a consuming fire : he that was a Servant, is a King ; not indeed of this world is his kingdom ; " My kmgdoni is not of this world," John xviii. 36 ; in k, not of it. Here we may well consider these points ; the supremacy of the King, the security of the subjects, and the eternal felicity of the kingdom. For the former, by comparing earthly things with heavenly, we may obser\e the excellency of that regiment in which we stand, it is a kingdom ; and the dignity of the Governor, he is an eternal King : " Unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever," 1 Tim. i. 17. All inferior kingdoms arc derived from him, and subordinate to him. He doth not take away temporal kingdoms, that gives an eternal kingdom. He " who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords," 1 Tim. vi. 15, is con- tent to distribute some honour among certain men ; of whom it is too presumptuous to say, Diiixum im- perium cum Jove Ca;sar habet ; but, Impfrium sum- mum suh Jove C(Psar habet. The papists indeed more esteem monachum quum monarcham ; with i\Km.magus is more than magmis, the priest is above the king. But there is no greater calling under heaven than a king. The king is above all, only under the Lord ; he hath no peer in his dominions. (Tcrtul.) The {)ower of a master over his ser\anls, of a parent over lis children, of a shepherd over his lambs, of a prince over his subjects, of a good man over himself, all these concur in a good King, all are eminent in our great King Jesus Christ. " I said, Ye arc gods," John X. 34. There is a God by nature, the one only God himself; gods in opinion, such are idols; gods by participation, such are kings. God is an im- mortal King, the king is a mortal god. In Greek lidaig signifies a foundation ; Xdof, people : hence comes ^aalXivQ, a king ; the foundation of his peo- ple. But Christ hath made us all kings. Rev. i. 6. Spiritually, not civilly ; " Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers," Rom. xiii. 1. Spi- ritual kings have a dominion over sin, temporal kings over them. Princes and other men are equal in regard of natural being, unequal in regard of civil and moral being. The common golden coin, the golden candlestick, the golden snuffers, Ihe golden chains, and the golden crown, are all made out of one lump of the same gold ; yet is the golden crown more honoured than the rest. The common coin is the people ; the golden candlestick that bears the light, is tlie minister; the golden snuffers, to cleanse those lights if they burn dim and foul, are the subordinate magistrate; Ihe golden chains are the nobles for ornament, the senators for government : the last and best is the golden crown ; t^iis the king (mly wears, and all the rest are subject to it. One piece of gold is under another in value; all are under the sovereign, the golden crown. Tliis world is the possession of men, men the possession of kings, kings Ihe possession of God. " Great deliverance givelh he to his king," P.sal. xviii. 50 : he is the Lord's king. There is a double relation, between the king's God, and God's king. All men are his by a common right, but kings by a special prerogative ; " Touch not mine anointed." Thus by comparative and ascending degrees, we come to perceive the greatness of our Sovereign, Jesus Christ. He made kings on earth to have honour above all men, that himself might have the honour above all kings. Our neighbours of Rome cannot endure the supremacy of princes. The pope is Ihe man. Kings must be his vassals, to hold his stirrup, to bear his canopy ; to be exposed, deposed, disiK)sed at his will, if they be not composed to his will. All royalty is confined to that chair, which the Lateran council calls, the royal race of Roman bishops. His titles are. Monarch of the Christian republic, and invincible assertor of priestly omnipo- 134 AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. I. tence. But these attributes that he would have, ascribe that to him which he should have, and prove him antichrist for his labour ; whom Paul says we shall know by this mark, that " he cxalteth him- self above all that is called God, or that is wor- shipped," 2 Thcss. ii. 4; above all augusteity. To manage outward affairs was ever the Thing's right. Solomon the king deposed Abiathar the priest ; would it not be strange now if the priest should depose the king ? Optatus against the Donatists ; Above the king is none but God, who makes kings. Strabo writes of a high priest in Pontus that wore a crown, whose subjects were called Hieroduli ; but he was a pagan. The Romists will be pagans, Donatists, Anabaptists, any thing, what you will, so they be no subjects. They that ascribe so much to the fathers, methinks should give credit to St. Chrysostom. Were he an apostle, a prophet, an evangelist, a bishop, a priest, a monk, saith he. But say they, among all these he names not the pojie. Why, is the pope no priest, no bishop ? Well, Icl us hear him on ; Whether cardinal or pope, what cloth soever his coat be made of, the king is above him. Nicephorus writes of a king that going in liis barge, his crown fell into the water : a bargeman leaped in after it, and taking it up, he put it on liis head as he swam till he recovered the barge. The king gave him a talent for saving it, but cut off his head for wearing it. Our seminaries have done more than reach at the crown to save it, for they have endeavoured to steal it ; and, if they were suf- fered, they would sink it, drown it, destroy it. But saith Christ, " Give unto CiBsar the things that are Cajsar's, and to God the things that are God's :" let CcEsar have his kingdom, and let Christ have his kingdom. We distinguish between the eternal God and the temporal lord ; but we obey the temporal lord for his sake that is the eternal God. (August.) And certainly he that refuseth obedience to the tem- poral king, hath yet made no gracious entrance into the everlasting kingdom of Jesus Christ. Thus by degrees of comparison, and by arising from things inferior to things higher, if a kingdom of substitution under Christ be so great, what is the eminence of Christ's own supremacy ? Kings are above other men ; Christ is above all kings, above all things. Now in the second place let us consider our own safety and security under him. We have a King to rule us ; a King of majesty, a King of mercy. It is a happiness to have a king : as the people said to David, " Thou art worth ten thousand of us," 2 Sam. xviii. 3 ; and, " Thou art the light of Israel." Any king is better than no king ; tyranny is better than anarchy : " In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes," Judg. xvii. 6. In the reign of a bad king no man can do the good he would, but midcr no king every man doth what evil he list. The Israelites would have a king ; their vciy first was a tyrant ; yet were they then in better ease than when they had none. Christians arc safe, they have a King. It is a greater happiness that they have a good King. An evil prince is a plague to tlic people for their sins ; that one evil man may punish another : " He is a revenger to execute wrath U])on him that doeth evil," Rom. xiii. 4. They hurt much by their unjust commands, but more by their bad examples; for the commonwealth, like a' fish, first rots at the iicj^d- It was the king of Syria's charge to his cap- tains, " Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel," I Kings xxii. 31. Scan- derbeg would aim at none but the general : he said that he never knew body could move without a head. A prince falls like a great tree, that squashcth down I all the under-wood about it. Sometimes the people sin, and the prince smai-ts. God charged Moses, " Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the Lord," Numb. xxv. 4. The hand steals, the throat drinks, the head pays for it. Such was our King to us ; we offended, he was plagued : " We like sheep have gone astray, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all," Isa. liii. 6. It is reported of a certain king, who knowing that either himself must perish or all his people, disguis- ed himself like a mean soldier, entered the thickest troops of the enemy, invited danger, and was enter- tained with death. So Christ our King, having the choice put to him, that either himself must die, or the whole world perish, disguised himself in the humble habit of mortal flesh, for otherwise they would not have killed him : " For had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of gloiy," 1 Cor. ii. 8. Sometimes the king sins, and the peo- ple smarts; deliranl reges, plectwitur Achiii ; David commits the sin in numbering the people, and the people are plagued; the head plots mischief, the back or neck pays for it. To a commonwealth, the king is either the greatest blessing, or the greatest curse : therefore, a man should not show himself in the confines and extremity of his power: to can do ill, and will not, is noble. But we are under such a King, as can protect us from evil, and will supply us with good. Some doubt of his power ; " If thou canst do any thing, help us," Mark ix. 22. Others doubt of his \\-ill; " If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean," Matt. viii. 2. But his power is infinite ; " Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in hea- ven, in earth, in the seas, and in all deep places," Psal. cxxxv. 6. He can do what he will do, eveiy \\ here. All places are there named, but purgatorj' ; perhaps he can do nothing there, but leaves all that work for the pope. His mercy is also infinite : il was but hyperbolical of Trajan, it is true of Christ ; He can sooner cease to be, than to be good to his. It was nobly said by Augustus, that when he had done no good to his subjects any day, I have not been a king to day : there is no such day passeth by our King, Jesus Christ. Now, lastly, let us come more narrowly to examine the felicity of this kingdom, whose law is truth, whose King is the Trinity, and whose bounds are eternity. The kingdom of heaven is taken divere ways : sometimes for the life of the just, under the similitude of the marriage of men, and of the car- riage of men. So, " The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son," Malt. xxii. 2 : the elect are the guests bidden to the wedding. " The kingdom of heaven is likened unto ten virgins," Matt. xxv. 1 : not that only vir- gins shall enter the kingdom of heaven. For as Paul says, " In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature," Gal. vi. 15 ; so, neither marriage is any thing, nor virginity, but chastity. Chiysostom, who was a great admirer of virginity, could say. The first degree of chastity is spotless virginity ; the next, faithful wedlock. Cluist was conceived in virginity, and born in marriage, to show that calibalus is not only cwlo bealus; whether single or manied, if faith- ful, they are admitted to this kingdom. Sometinus the kingdom of heaven is taken for the church mili- tant, mixed with good and bad. The kingdom of heaven is likened to a field, that had in it both wheat and tares. Matt. xiii. 24. The kingdom of heaven is likened to a net, that gathered of every kind, ver. 4/. In a kingdom there be divers subjects, some true, and sonic false: so in the church, some be loyal, and others hypocrites. Therefore the course of Vek. II. SECOND EPISTLE GEXERAL OF ST. PETER. 135 Christ in his kingdom is such, as good magistrates should take in commonwealths ; to reward the good, and to punish the wicked. In this present state, among men the best are regarded least; Jacob is bound apprentice, while profane Esau rides a hunt- ing: but in the future state the greater shall ser\-e the less. Sometimes it is taken for Christ himself: " The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a certain king," Matt, xviii. 23 : " Thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory ;" in respect of that kingly order whereby he governs it. " The kingdom of heaven is like unto a man," Matt. xx. 1 ; for Christ as man, is also a King. In that state he shall judge, in which he stood before a Judge : he bought that right and title in his manhood. Now can there be a sweeter government, than under our Saviour, that purchased his subjects with his blood ? He was humbled, therefore " God hath exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name," Phil. ii. 9. Lastly, it is taken for the gloiy of Christ in heaven. Dost thou love riches ? seek it where it can never be lost. Dost thou love honour? seek it where no baseness is. Dost thou love health ? seek it where no sickness is. Dost thou love life ? seek it where no death is. Bernard describes the glory of this kingdom, fi-om that allegory. Rev. xii. 1, the " crown of twelve stars." Into this little ring let us bring the discourse of that infinite glor)'. I. Let the first star be, memory without forget- fulness. Here we forget what we should rememt)er, and remember what we should forget ; we forget benefits, and remember injuries. There we shall have a perfect memory ; Gregory sticks not to say, even of our very past miseries and faults. But how ■■ We shall remember them, not with sorrow to distract us, but with joy of deliverance to confinn us : it shall be our fence, not our offence. When we remember how wretchedly we once lay, imder the torment of such a sickness, under the tyranny of such a foe, and which was worst, under the pressure of such a sin ; and now find oui-selves delivered and safe for ever ; how unspeakable will be our joy ! 2. Thesecondstaris, reason without obscurity, un- derstanding without error. " Now we see through a glass, darkly ; but then face to face : now I know in part ; but then shall I know even as also I am known," 1 Cor. xiii. 12. The mist which sin brought over this intellectual light, shall be removed. " Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him," I Cor. ii. 9. As St. Augustine says, Faith cannot contain it, nor hope comprise it, nor chanty comprehend it ; it franscend- eth the reach of all our thoughts: it may be obtain- ed, it never can be sufficiently esteemed. 3. The third star is, a perfect will of good with- out perturbation. This is a main difference betwixt paradise and heaven. There was a power not to sin ; here is no power at all to sin. The regenerate man on earth hath a will not to offend, shall have there no will nor possibility to offend. Here he hath a desire of rest, there the rest of desire. 4. The fourth star is, the clarity and impassibility of the body. Christ " shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue ail things unto himself," Phil. iii. 21. This mutation is not by any propenseness of nature, but by the operation of Christ. This consists in four properties ; in clarity, in subtilty, in impassibility, in mcorruption. For clarity ; " They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and as the stars for ever," Dan. xii. 3. Christ as the Sun, it is enough for us to be as stars. " There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, another glory of the stars," I Cor. xv. 41. Christ the Sun, gives glory to the moon; the moon, that is, the church, hath a great glory ; and the same glory is to every particular star. When Christ was trans- figured, " his face did shine as the sun, and his rai- ment was white as the light," Matt. xvii. 2. Such glory shall our bodies have, as is able to lighten the darkest comers of hell : " It is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory," 1 Cor. xv. 43. For subtilty and agility ; it shall be made movable according to the quickness of our thoughts: as Cluisl's body, being risen, was suddenly out of one place into another ; As they spake, he stood in the midst of them, Luke xxiv. 36. Clu-ist says they shall be like the angels, who are said to have wings, in respect of their speedy re- moval. " There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body," 1 Cor. xv. 44 : a spiritual body is as quick as a spirit itself. For impassibility; though it retains solidity, yet it remains invulnerable. Every thing now vexeth it, a sword, an ague, a thora ; then no violence can dint or daunt it. Though the body stood in the midst of an army, it could not be hurt. The violent, nmrderous, and massacring cannon,, which now makes a lane where it spits, cannot then woimd our impenetrable breasts. Here oiu' bodies have heaviness and weakness, there lightness and power: " It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power;" so that it can powerfully move from i)lace to place. It shall be strong as a spirit, and one spi- rit is able to conquer many men. For incorruptible- ness ; the body is so corrupt now, that it is fain to have the soul instead of salt to preserve it. Then it sliall be clear, and shine pure as the sun, which at that time shall also exceed itself in gloi-y. This is the glory of the body, which is but the body of glory ; besides the soul of glory, which is the glory of the soul. 5. The fifth star is, the renovation of all things. " I saw a new heaven, and a new earth," Rev. xxi. 1. Not that there is an abolition of the old, but an alteration of them from being old. The same things may remain, but not in the same state. Fire shall purge out the corruption, and all things shall be restored to their first majesty ; no man can deceive, or be deceived. (Prosper.) 6. The sixth star is, universal charity without envy. Everj- one shall be a king, and possess a kingdom, yet shall there be no repining. Though it be imparted, it shall not be impaired ; the number of heirs shall not impeach the inheritance. (August.) That glor\- shall be to all, that is to some ; every one shall have as much as any one. An earthly king- dom, like the zodiac, admits but one sun : in this all are kings, and everj' one hath his crown. There is laid up for me a crown ; and not for me only, but for all those that love the appearing of Jesus Christ, 2 Tim. iv. 8. About the throne were four and twenty seats, and on the seats four and twenty elders, that had on their heads crowns of gold. Rev. iv. 4. By which number is signified the whole court of the saints. On earth the ambition of a crown brooks no rivalry : breach of faith to get kingdoms is held no sin ; but this shall never get the kingdom of heaven. A kingdom made Absalom a parricide in will, Abim- cloch -4 fratricide in deed, that he murdered seventy persons, his brethren, the sons of Jerubbaal, upon one stone, Judg. ix. 5. This hath made some traitors to their dear friends, that would have died for them; to their dearest Friend, that hath died for them : friends to their enemy, Satan, that nill torment them. They are w^orthy of kingdoms that pay so dear for them. Here it is otherwise ; different glorj-, perfect charity. " In my Father's house arc many 136 AN EXPOSITION UPON THE Chap. I. mansions," John xiv. 2. Now saith Oregon-, If there were no difference in degrees of glory, Christ would have spoke of one mansion, rather than of many. " They received every man a penny," Matt. XX. 10. But he says, many mansions, because there are distinct orders of saints ; and one penny, because there is but one and the same glory of tliem all. On earth there is a difference of works ; in heaven there shall be a difference of honours. So much as one doth here excel another in grace, so much lie shall there excel him in glor)-. But howsoever there be not to all the same dignity, there shall be the same felicity. There can be no repining at another's more glorious clearness, where shall reign in all one most gracious dearness. 7. The seventh star is, the common and universal joy, an effect of the former. AVhcre all love others in pureness, all rejoice in their happiness. Besides the joy in our own salvation, it shall be also unspeak- able in the salvation of others : not only of wife, children, or former friends ; for there all shall be equally dear and near unto us. What abundance of joy is this, when it shall rejoice a man to behold tliat measure in another, which he hath not in himself! (Gregor.) 8. The eighth star is, a love of ourselves only for God's honour. The glory of God shall so swallow us up, that it cannot be so great for our own salva- tion, as for his glory in our salvation. It is much on earth, if a man love God for liis own sake ; but in heaven he shall love himself for God's sake. It shall ravish him with delight, to see God honoured in himself, whose image he shall then bear in per- fection. 9. The ninth star is, the beatifical vision of God ; when there shall be no marks to keep us from the mount of the Lord, no bounds to separate us from that border of glory. When it shall no more be said. Whosoever toucheth the mount, shall surely die, Exod. xix. 12; but the contrary, Whosoever touehctli the mount, shall surely live. The sight was then so terrible, that Moses said, I exceedingly (junkc and fear, Ileb. xii. 21. This sight shall be so comfortable, that every one shall say, I exceedingly rejoice and love. We shall see the Deity so glorious ; even the Lamb advanced in our llesh to be one per- son with God. IIow we love to behold the majesty of princes, in all the state, magnificence, and pomp of their courts ! But this heavenly vision for one hour is wortli a thousand years' speculation of their glor)-. This is the diamond of the ring, the precious stone of the gate, the brightest star of all, to behold the glorious presence of God. 10. The tenth star is, the fulness of pleasures. "In thy presence is fulness of joy j at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore," Psal. xvi. 11. Feslifitas sine labe, Iranquillitas sine tabe, serenilai sine nube. (Bernard.) Corrupt flesh reasons, What is there to do in heaven? The lascivious thinks there is no other heaven, but amongst his fair paragons. O poor and unblcsl understanding ! what is a mortal jiicce of painted dust, to those glorious bodies out- .shining tiie sun in his greatest splendour! These we shall there see j these love, atlmire, and rejoice in for ever. There is not a thought can bring other than pleasure. Look we outwardly, there is joy in the society ; look we inwardly, there is joy in our own felicity ; look we forward, there is joy in the eternity. (Bern.) This is the chain of delights; there is a secure safeness, a safe peacefulness, a peaceful pleasant- ness, a pleasant happiness, a happy everhistingness. (Prosper.) 11. The eleventh star is, the continual praising of God for his glory. " Blessing, and glory, and thanks- giving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever," Rev. vii. 12. This is an everlasting song. From new moon to new moon, and from one sabbath to another, all shall Worship the Lord, Isa. Ixvi. 23. \Vc shall incessantly sing to God in the temple, which is God himself the "Tem- ple : " I saw no teiTij)le therein ; for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it," Rev. xxi. 22. There shall be no weariness of this merriness. How meanly soever we judge and rarely practise this duty on earth, there is no joy or delight in heaven shall more content us. 12. The last star of this crown is, the last passage of my text ; which is the eternity of all, it is an " everlasting kingdom." The monarchies of the Chaldeans, Persians, Grecians, Romans, those four tyrannous beasts, Dan. vii. are brought to nothing. Their dominion was taken away, ver. 12; but "His dominion is an everlasting dominion, w