1 Peter — Chapter 3

The End of the Third Chapter.

Ver. 1.

Likewise you wives be in subjection to your own husbands: that if any one obeys not the word, they also without the word may be won by the conduct of the wives.

The Tabernacle of the Sun (Psalm 19) is set high in the heavens, but it is, that it may have influence below upon the earth: And the Word of God, that is spoken of there immediately after, as being many ways like it, holds resemblance in this particular; it is a sublime heavenly light, and yet descends, in its use, to the lives of men in the variety of their stations, to warm and to enlighten, to regulate their affections and actions in whatever course of life they are called to, by a perfect revolution or circuit, (as there is said of the Sun) it visits all ranks and estates, its going forth is from the end of heaven, and his circuit to the ends of it, and there is nothing hid from the heat of it, disdains not to teach the very servants in their low condition, and employments, how to behave themselves, and sets before them no meaner example than that of Jesus Christ, which is the highest of all examples: and here the Apostle proceeds to give rules to that relation, which is the main in families, husbands and wives: for the order it is indifferent, yet possibly he begins here at the wives, because his former rules were to inferiors, to subjects and servants, and the duty he commends particularly here to them, is subjection. Likewise you wives be in subjection, etc.

Men have said all, and much it may be to little purpose, in the parallel of these two estates of life, the result will be sound (I conceive, all being truly reckoned) to be very little odds, even in natural respects, in the thing itself, saving only as the particular condition of persons, and the hand of divine Providence, turns the balance the one way or other, and the writing of satires against either, or laudatives for the one in prejudice of the other, is but a caprice of man's mind, according to their own humor: but in respect of religion, the Apostle, having scanned the subject to the full, leaves it indifferent, only requiring in those, that are so engaged, hearts as disengaged as may be, that they that marry, be as if they married not, etc. Within a while it will be all one, as he adds that grave reason for the fashion [illegible] of this world passes, it is but a pageant, a show of an hour long, [illegible] goes by and is no more seen; thus the great pomps and solemnities of marriages of kings and princes in former times, where are they? Oh! how unseemly is it to have an immortal soul drowned in the esteem and affection of anything that perishes, and to be cold and indifferent in seeking after a good that will last as long as itself. Aspire to that good which is the only match for the soul, that close union with God, which cannot be dissolved; which he calls an everlasting marriage, that will make you happy, either with the other or without it. All the happiness of the most excellent persons, and top of all affection and prosperity meeting in human marriages, are but a dark and weak representation of the solid joy that is in that mysterious divine union of the spirit of man with the Father of Spirits from where it issues. But this by the way.

The common spring of all mutual duties on both sides is to be supposed love: That peculiar conjugal love, that makes them one, that will infuse such sweetness into the authority of the husband and obedience of the wife, as will make their lives harmonious, like the sound of a well-tuned instrument; whereas without that, having such a universal conjuncture of interest in all their affairs, they cannot escape frequent contests and discords, which is a sound more unpleasant than the jarring of untuned strings, to an exact ear. And this should be considered in the choice, that it be not, as it is too often (which causes so many domestic ills) contracted only as a bargain of outward advantages, but as a union of hearts: And where this is not, and that there is something wanting in this point of affection, there, if the parties or either of them, have any saving knowledge of God, and access to him in prayer, they will be earnest suitors for his help in this, that his hand may right what no other can, that he who is love itself may infuse that mutual love into their hearts now, which they should have sought sooner. And certainly they that sensibly want this, and yet seek it not of him, what wonder though they find much bitterness and discontent; and where they agree only in natural affection, their observance of the duties required is not by far either so comfortable and pleasing, or so sure and lasting, as when it arises from a religious and Christian love on both sides, that will cover many failings, and take things by the best side.

Love is the prime duty in both, the basis of all: but because the particular character of it, as proper to the wife, is conjugal obedience and subjection, therefore that is usually specified (Ephesians 5:12), wives submit yourselves to your own husbands, as to the Lord: So here. Now, if it be such obedience as ought to arise from a special kind of love, then the wife would remember this, that it must not be constrained, uncheerful obedience, and the husband would remember, that he ought not to require base and servile obedience; for both these are contrary to that love, whereof this obedience must carry the true tincture and relish, as flowing from it, there it will hold right, where love commands, and love obeys.

This subjection as all other, is qualified thus, that it be in the Lord. His authority is primitive and binds first, and all other have their patents and privileges from him: therefore he is supremely, and absolutely to be observed in all, if the husband would draw the wife to an irreligious course of life and looseness he is not to be followed in this, but in all things indifferent this obedience must hold; which forbids not neither, a modest advice and representation to the husband of that which is more convenient: but that done, a submissive yielding to the husband's will is the suiting of this rule. Indeed possibly the husband may not only imprudently, but unlawfully will that, which if not in its own nature a thing unlawful, the wife by reason of his will, may obey lawfully, indeed could not lawfully disobey.

Now though this subjection was a fundamental law of pure nature, and came from that hand that made all things in perfect order, yet sin, that has embittered all human things with a curse, has disrelished this subjection, and made it taste somewhat of a punishment (Genesis 3:16), and that as a suitable punishment of the abuse of that power she had with him, to the drawing of him to disobedience against God.

The bitterness in this subjection arises from the corruption of nature in both; in the wife a perverse desire rather to command, or at least a repining discontent at the obligation to obey; and this is increased by the disorder, and imprudence, and harshness of husbands, in the use of their authority.

But in a Christian, the conscience of divine appointment will carry it, and weigh down all difficulties; for the wife considers her station, that she is set in it, [illegible], it is the rank the Lord's hand has placed her in, and therefore she will not break it; for respect and love to him, she can digest much stubbornness of a husband, and make that her patient subjection a sacrifice to God, Lord I offer this to you, and for your sake I humbly bear it.

The worth and love of a husband may cause that respect, where this rule moves not: but the Christian wife that has love to God, though her husband be not so comely, nor so wise, nor any way so amiable, as many others; yet because her own husband, and because of the Lord's command in the general, and his Providence in the particular dispose of his own, therefore she loves and obeys.

That if any obey not the Word.] This supposes a particular case, and applies the rule to it, takes it for granted a believing wife will cheerfully observe and respect a believing husband; but if an unbeliever, yet that unties not this engagement, indeed there is something in it presses it and binds it the more, a singular good that probably may follow upon obeying such; by that good conversation, they may be gained that believe not the Word, not that they could be fully converted without the Word, but having a prejudice against the Word, that may be removed by the carriage of a believing wife, and they may be somewhat mollified, and prepared, and induced to hearken to religion, and take it into consideration.

This gives not Christians warrant to draw on this task, and make themselves this work, by choosing to be joined to an unbeliever, either a profane or mere natural husband or wife; but teaches them being so matched, what should be their great desire, and their suitable carriage to the attainment of it. And in the primitive Christian times, this fell out often, that by the Gospel preached, the husband might be converted from gross infidelity, Judaism, or Paganism, and not the wife, or the wife which is the supposition here, and not the husband, and there came in the use of this consideration.

And in this is the freedom of divine grace, to pick and choose where he will, one of a family, or two of a tribe, as the Prophet has it, and according to our Savior's word, two in one bed, the one taken and the other left. Some selected ones in a congregation, and in a house, a child possibly, or servant, or wife, and leave the rest. The Apostle seems to imply particularly, that there were many instances of this, wives converts, and husbands unbelieving. We can determine nothing of their conjecture, that think there shall be more of that sex, here called the weaker vessel, than of the other, that shall be vessels of honor, which God seasons with grace here, and hereafter will fill with glory; but this is clear, that many of them are converted, while many men, and divers of them very wise and learned men, having the same and far greater means and opportunities, do perish in unbelief. This, I say, evidences the liberty, and the power of the Spirit of God, that wind, that blows where it wills, and moreover it suits with that word of the Apostle, that the Lord this way abases these things that men account so much of, and has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the mighty, etc. Nor does the pliableness, and tenderness of their affections (though grace once wrought may make good use of that) make their conversion the easier, but the harder rather; for through nature's corruption; they would by that yield more to evil than to good; but the efficacy of grace appears much in establishing their hearts in the love of God, and making them once possessed with that, to be inflexible, and invincible by the temptations of the world, and the strength, and [reconstructed: wiles] of Satan.

That which is here said of their conversation, holds of the husband in the like case, and of friends and kindred, and generally of all Christians, in reference to them with whom they converse, that their spotless holy carriage as Christians, and in their particular stations, as Christian husbands, or wives, or friends, is a very likely and hopeful means of converting others, that believe not. Men that are prejudiced observe actions a great deal more than words. In those first times especially, the blameless carriage of Christians, did much to the increasing of their number.

Strive you wives, and others, to adorn and commend the religion you profess to others, especially those nearest you that are averse. Give no just cause of scandal and prejudice against religion, beware not only of gross failings and ways of sin, but of such imprudencies as may expose you, and your profession, study both holy and wise carriage, and pray much for it (James 1:5). If any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God that gives to all men liberally, and does not rebuke; and it shall be given him.

But if wives, and other private Christians, be thus obliged, how much more the ministers of the Word! Oh! that we could remember our deep engagement to holiness of life; he said right, either teach none, or let your life teach too. Cohelleth, anima [reconstructed: concionatrix], must the preacher be: the word of life springing from inward affection, and then Vita [reconstructed: concionatrix]. The Sunday's sermon lasts but an hour or two, but holiness of life is a continued sermon all the week long.

They also without the words may be won.] The conversion of a soul is an inestimable gain; it is a high trading and design to go about it. Oh! the precious soul, but disvalued by most: will we believe him that knew well the price of it, for he paid it, that the whole visible world is not worth one soul, the gaining it all cannot countervail that loss? This wives, and husbands, and parents, and friends, if themselves converted, would consider seriously, and apply themselves to pray much that their unconverted relations, in nature dead, may be enlivened, and they may receive them from death; and esteem of nothing, rest in no natural content, nor gain without that, at least using incessant diligence in seeking it, and their utmost skill, and pains in it. But above all, this is the peculiar task of ministers, as the Apostle often repeats it of himself (1 Corinthians 9): all gains on earth are base for this; a soul converted is gained to itself, gained to the pastor, or friend, or wife, or husband that sought it, and gained to Jesus Christ, added to his treasury, who thought not his own precious blood too dear to lay out for this gain.

Verse 2. While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.

As all graces are connected in their own nature, so it is altogether necessary, that they be found so, for the end here proposed, the conversion of those that are strangers to religion, and possessed with false notions of it, and prejudices against it. It is not the regularity of some particular actions, nor the observance of some duties, that will serve: but it is an even uniform frame of life, that the Apostle here teaches Christian wives, particularly in reference to this end, the gaining, or conversion of unbelieving husbands. And this we have both in that word, their conversation, which signifies the whole course and tract of their lives, and in the particular specifying of the several duties, proper to that relation and state of life. First, subjection. Secondly, chastity. Thirdly, fear. Fourthly, modesty in outward ornaments. Fifthly, the inward ornaments of meekness and quietness of spirit.

The combination of those things makes up such a wife, and the exercise of them throughout her life, makes up such a conversation, as adorns and commends the religion they profess, and is a fit, and may be a successful means of converting the husband, that as yet professes it not.

Chaste Conversation.] It is the proper character of a Christian to study purity in all things, as the word in its extent signifies. Let the world turn that to a reproach, call them as you will, this is sure, that none have less fancy and presumption of purity, than these that have most desire of it. But the particular pureness here intended, is, as it is rendered, that of chastity, as the word is often taken, it being a grace that peculiarly deserves that name, as the sins contrary to it are usually and deservedly called uncleanness. It is the pure whiteness of the soul to be chaste, to abhor and disdain the swinish puddle of lust, than which there is nothing does more debase the excellent soul, draws it down below itself, and makes it truly brutish. The three kinds of chastity, virginal, conjugal, and vidual, are all of them acceptable to God, and suitable to the profession of a Christian. Therefore in general only, whatever be our condition of life, let us in that way conform to it, follow the Apostle's rule, possessing those our earthen vessels, our bodies, in holiness and honor. By which there is expressed this same chastity. And this we shall do, if we rightly remember our calling, as Christians, in whatever sort of life; as there he tells us, that God has not called us to uncleanness, but to holiness.

With Fear.] Either a reverent respect to their husbands, or the fear of God, from which flows best, both that and all other observance, whether of conjugal or any other Christian duties. Be not presumptuous (as some) because you are chaste, but temper your conversation that way with a religious fear of God, that you dare not take liberty to offend him in any other thing; and according to his institution, with a reverent fear of your husbands, shunning to offend them. But possibly this fear does particularly relate to this other duty with which it is joined — chaste conversation with fear — fearing the least stain of chastity, or the very least appearance of anything not suiting with it. It is a delicate, timorous grace, afraid of the least air, or shadow of anything, that has but a resemblance of wronging it, in carriage, or speech, or apparel, as follows.

Verses 3, 4. 3. Whose adorning, let it not be that outward adorning, of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel: 4. But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

That nothing may be wanting to the qualifying of a Christian wife, she is taught how to dress herself, supposing a general desire, but especially in that sex, of ornament and comeliness. The sex, that began first our engagement to the necessity of clothing, having still a peculiar propensity to be curious in that, and to improve the necessity to an advantage.

The direction here given corrects the misplacing of this diligence, and addresses it rightly — that is, let it not be of the outward man in plaiting, etc.

Our perverse crooked hearts turn all we use into disorder; these two necessities of our life, food and raiment, how few know the right measure and bounds of them. Unless poverty be our carver and cut us short, who almost is there, that is not bent to something excessive; far more are beholden to the lowliness of their estate, than to the lowliness of their mind, for sobriety in those things. And yet some will not be so bounded neither, but will profusely lavish out upon trifles, to the sensible prejudice of their estate.

It is not my purpose, nor do I think it very needful to debate many particulars of apparel and ornament of the body, their lawfulness or unlawfulness: only,

First, it is out of doubt, that though clothing was first drawn on by necessity, yet all regard of comeliness and ornament in apparel is not unlawful, nor does the Apostle's expression here rightly considered, fasten that upon the adorning he here speaks of. And he does no more universally condemn the use of gold for ornament, than he does any other comely raiment, which here he means by that general word of putting on of apparel, for his (not) is comparative: not this adorning, but the ornament of a meek spirit, that rather, and as much more comely and precious; as that, I will have mercy and not sacrifice.

Secondly, according to the different place, and quality of persons there may be difference in this: thus the robes of judges and princes are not only for personal ornament, but because there is in them, especially to vulgar eyes, that seldom look deeper than the outside of things, there is, I say, in that apparel a representation of authority or majesty, that befits their place; and besides this, in other persons that are not in public place, men or women, that are here particularly directed, yet may have in this some mark of their rank, and in persons otherwise little distant, some allowance may be made for the habits and breeding of some beyond others, or the quality of their society, and those with whom they converse.

Thirdly, it is not impossible that there may be in some an affected pride in the meanness of apparel, and in others, under either neat or rich attire a very humble unaffected mind, using it upon some of the aforementioned engagements, or such like, and yet the heart not at all upon it.

Fourthly, it is as sure as any of these, that real excess and vanity in apparel will creep in, and will always willingly convey itself under the cloak of some of these honest and lawful considerations. This is a prime piece of our heart's deceit, not only to hold out fair pretenses to others, but to put the trick upon ourselves, to make ourselves believe we are right, and single minded, in those things wherein we are directly serving our lusts and feeding our own vanity.

Fifthly, to a sincere and humble Christian very little, either dispute, or discourse in this will be needful; a tender conscience, and a heart purged from vanity, and weaned from the world, will be sure to regulate this, and all other things of this nature, after the safest manner, and will be wary,

1. Of lightness and fantastic garb in apparel, which is the very bush or sign hanging out, that tells a vain mind lodges within. 2. Of excessive costliness, which both argues, and feeds the pride of the heart, and defrauds, if not others of their dues, yet the poor of your charity, which in God's sight, is a due debt too, and far more comfort shall you have on your death bed, to remember such a time, in stead of lace on my own clothes, I helped a naked back to clothing. I abated somewhat of my former superfluities, to supply the poor's necessities, sweeter this, than to remember, that I could needlessly cast out many pounds to serve my pride, rather than give a penny to relieve the poor.

As conscientious Christians will not exceed in the thing itself, so in as far as they use lawful ornament and comeliness, they will do it without bestowing much, either diligence or delight on the business.

To have the mind taken and pleased with such things, is so foolish and childish a thing, that if most might not find it in themselves, they would wonder at many others, of years and common wit. And yet truly, it is a disease that few escape, it is strange upon how poor things men and women will be vain, and think themselves somebody; not only upon some comeliness in their face or feature, which though poor, yet is a part of themselves, but of things merely without them, that they are well lodged, or well mounted, or well appareled, either richly, or well in fashion, light empty minds, as bladders blown up with anything, and they that perceive not this in themselves, are most drowned; but such as have found it out, and abhor their own follies, are still hunting and following themselves in these, to beat them out of their hearts, and to shame them from such fopperies. The soul fallen from God has lost its true worth and beauty, and therefore it basely descends to these mean things to serve and dress the body, and take share with it of its unworthy borrowed ornaments, has lost and forgotten God, and seeks not after him, knows not that he is the alone beauty, and ornament of the soul (Jeremiah 2:32), his Spirit, and the graces of it, its rich attire, as here particularly specified in one excellent grace, and holds true in the rest.

The Apostle does indeed expressly on purpose check and forbid vanity and excess in apparel, and excessive delight in lawful decorum, but his prime end is to recommend this other ornament of the soul, the hidden man of the heart.

It is the thing the best philosophy aimed at, as some of their choice men do express it, to reduce men, as much as may be, from their body to their soul, but this is the thing that true religion alone does effectually and thoroughly, from the pampering and feeding of a morsel for the worms to the nourishing of that immortal being infused into it, and directs it to the proper nourishment of souls, the bread that came down from heaven (John 6:27).

So here the Apostle, pulls off from Christian women their vain outside ornaments: but is not this a wrong to spoil all their dressing and fineness? No, he does but this, to send them to a better wardrobe: there is much profit in the change.

All the gold and other riches of the temple, figuring the excellent graces of Christians of Christ indeed first, as having all fullness in himself, and furnishing them: but secondarily of Christians, as the living temples of God, so the Church all glorious, but within: and the embroidery, the variety of graces, the lively colors of other graces shining best on the dark ground of humility. Christ delights to give much ornament to his Church, commends what she has, and adds more (Song of Solomon 1:10-11).

The particular grace he recommends is particularly suitable to his subject in hand, the conjugal duty of wives, nothing so adorning their whole carriage as this meekness and quietness of spirit, but it is withal the comeliness of every Christian in every estate, it is not a woman's garment or ornament improper for men, there is somewhat (as I may say) of a particular cut or fashion of it for wives towards their husbands, and in their domestic affairs, but men, all men ought to wear of the same stuff, indeed so to speak of the same piece, for it is in all one and the same Spirit, fits the stoutest and greatest commanders. Moses a great general, and yet no less great in this virtue, the meekest man on earth.

Nothing more unbecoming in a wife than an uncomposed, turbulent spirit, that is put out of frame with every trifle, and inventive of false causes of disquietness and fretting to itself. And so of a husband, and of all, an unquiet passionate mind lays itself naked, and discovers its own deformity to all. The greatest part of things that vex us, are not from their nature or weight, but the unsettledness of our minds. How comely it is to see a composed firm mind and carriage that is not lightly moved.

I urge not a Stoical stupidness: but that in things that deserve sharp reproof, the mind keep in its own station and seat still, not shaken out of itself, as the most are; that the tongue utter not unseemly rash words, nor the hand act anything that discovers the mind has lost its command for the time. But truly the most know so ill how to use just anger, upon just cause, that it is easier, and the safer extreme, not to be angry, but still calm and serene, as the upper region, not the place of continual tempest and storms, as the most are. Let it pass for a kind of sheepishness to be meek — it is a likeness to him that was a sheep before the shearers not opening his mouth, it is a portion of his Spirit.

The Apostle commends his exchange of ornaments from two things. First, incorruptible, and therefore fits an incorruptible soul. Your varieties of jewels and rich apparel are perishing things, you shall one day see a heap made of all, and that all [reconstructed: in a flame]; and in reference to you, they perish sooner, when death strips you of your nearest garment, your flesh, all the other that were but loose upper garments above it, must off too, it gets indeed a covering to the grave, but the soul is left stark naked, if no other clothing be provided for it, for the body was but borrowed; then it is denuded of all. But spiritual ornaments, and this here among them, remain, and are incorruptible, they neither wear out, nor out of fashion, but are still the better for the wearing, and shall last eternity, and shine there in full lustre.

And second, because the opinion of others is much regarded in matter of apparel, and it is most for that we use ornament in it, he tells us of the account of this. Men think it poor and mean, nothing more exposed to contempt than the spirit of meekness, mere folly with men — that is no matter, this overweighs all their disesteem, it is with God of great price, and things are indeed as he values them, and no otherwise. Though it be not the country fashion yet it is the fashion at court, indeed it is the king's own fashion (Matthew 11:29): Learn of me for I am meek and lowly, etc. Some that are court-bred will send for the masters of fashions though they live not in the court; and though the peasants think them strange dresses, yet they regard not that, but use them as finest and best. Care not what the world says. You are not to stay long with them, desire to have both fashions and stuff from court, from heaven, this spirit of meekness, and it shall be sent you, it is never right in anything with us till we attain to this, to tread on the opinion of men, and eye nothing but God's approbation.

Verses 5, 6. 5. For after this manner in the old time, the holy women also who trusted in God adorned themselves. 6. Even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord: whose daughters you are as long as you do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.

The Apostle enforces his doctrine by example. The most compendious way of teaching. Hence the right way to use the Scriptures is to regulate our manners by them, as by their precepts so by examples. And for this end it is that a great part of it is historical. There is not in the saints a transmigration of souls, but there is, so to speak, an oneness of souls, being in all ages partakers of the self-same Spirit, hence the daughters of Sarah are called pious and obedient wives. Women here designed: first, holy; second, believing; third, firm and resolute, not afraid with any amazement. Though by nature they are fearful, yet rendered of undaunted spirits by a holy, clean, and pure conscience. Believing wives, and fearers of God are not terrified, their minds are established in a due obedience to God and also toward their husbands.

Verse 7. 7. Likewise you husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered.

Your wives are subject to you, but you likewise subject to this Word, by which all ought in all stations to be directed, and however all shall one day be judged by it, and alike subject as they [illegible] parents as children, masters as servants, and kings as their subjects; all hold of a superior, and it is high treason against the majesty of God, for any in any place of command, to dream of any unbounded absolute authority, in opposition to him.

A spirit of prudence or knowledge particularly suitable and relating to this subject is required, as the light and rule, by which his whole economy and carriage is to be guided. It is required that he endeavor after that civil prudence, for the ordering of his affairs, that tends to the good of his family, but chiefly a pious religious prudence, for regulating his mind and carriage as a Christian husband; that he study the rule of Scripture in this particular, which many do not; neither advising with it, what they should do, nor laying it by reflex upon their actions past, examining by it what they have done. Now this is the great fault in all practical things, most know something of them, but inadvertency and inconsideration, not ordering our ways by that light, is the thing that spoils all.

Knowledge required in the wife, but more eminently in the husband, as the head, the proper seat of knowledge. It is possible, that the wife may sometimes have the advantage of knowledge, either natural wit and judgment, or a great measure of understanding of spiritual things, but this still holds, that the husband is bound to improve the measure both of natural and of spiritual gifts, that he has, or can attain to, and apply them usefully to the ordering of his conjugal carriage, and that he understand himself obliged somewhat the more in the very notion of a husband, both to seek after, and to use that prudence, that is peculiarly required for his due deportment; and a Christian wife that is more largely endowed, yet will show all respectiveness to the measure of wisdom, though it be less, that is bestowed upon her husband.

Dwell with them] This indeed implies and supposes their abiding with them, so far as their calling and lawful affairs permit: but I conceive, that which it expressly means, is all the conversation and duties of that estate, that they so behave themselves in dwelling with them, as becomes men of knowledge, wise and prudent husbands, which returns them usually the gain of that full reverence and respect that is due to them, of which they rob and divest themselves that be either of a foolish or trifling carriage, or of too austere and rigid a conversation.

Giving honor to the wife] This, I conceive, is not as some take it, convenient maintenance, though that is a requisite duty too, and may be taken in under this word; but it seems to be chiefly, a due conjugal esteem of them, and respect to them, the husband not vilifying and despising them, which will readily grieve and exasperate them, not disclosing the weaknesses of the wife to others, nor observing them too narrowly himself: but hiding them both from others, and his own eyes by love, not seeing them further than love itself requires, that is to the wise rectifying of them by mild advices, and admonitions, that flow from love. And to this, the reasons indeed suit well: it seems at first a little incongruous, honor, because weaker; but considering this kind of honor, not of reverence as superior, for that is their part, but such an esteem and respect, without which indeed love cannot consist, for we cannot love that which we do not in some good measure esteem well of. And that they be not scorned and slighted, even because weaker, for of all injuries contempt is one of the smartest, and most sensible, especially to weakest persons, who feel most exactly the least touches of this, whereas greater spirits are a little harder against opinion, and more indifferent for it, and though not all, yet some wives may be of a stronger mind and judgment than the husbands, yet those rules respect the general condition of the sexes, and speak of it so, as ordinarily weaker.

Again, love which is ever to be supposed one article and the main one, for nothing indeed can be right where that supposition proves false; love, I say, supposed, this reason is very enforcing, that the weaker the vessels be, the more tenderly they should be used, and the more a prudent passing by of frailties is needful, there love will study it, and bestow it the more; indeed, this tie you know makes two one, and that which is a part of ourselves, the more it needs in that, the more comeliness we put upon it, as the Apostle Paul tells us; and this further may be considered, that there is a [illegible] need of this honoring that consists in not despising and in covering of frailties, as is even implied in this, that the woman is not called simply weak, but the weaker; and the husband, that is generally by nature's advantage, or should be the stronger yet is weak too, for both are vessels of earth, and therefore frail, both polluted with sin, and therefore subject to a multitude of sinful follies and frailties: but as that particular frailty of nature pleads for women that honor, so the other reason added, is not from particular disadvantage, but from their common privilege, and advantage of grace, as Christian, that the Christian husband and wife are equally co-heirs of the same grace of life.

As being heirs together of the grace of life.] This is that which most strongly binds on all these duties, on the hearts of husbands and wives. And most strongly indeed binds their hearts together, and makes them one, [illegible] each be reconciled to God in Christ, and so heirs of life, and one with God, then are they truly one in God, each with other, and that is the surest and sweetest union that can be. Natural love has risen very high in some husbands, and wives: but the highest of it falls far very short of that which holds in God, hearts concentering in him are most, and excellently one, that love which is cemented by youth, and beauty, when these moulder and decay, as soon they do, it fades too, that is somewhat purer, and so more lasting [illegible] holds in a natural or moral harmony of minds, yet these likewise may alter and change by some great accident: but the most refined, and spiritual, and most indissoluble is that which is knit with the highest and [illegible] Spirit. And the ignorance or disregard of this, [illegible] great cause of so much bitterness, or so little true [illegible] in the life of most married persons, because [illegible] meet not as one in him.

Heirs together.] Loath will they be to despise one another, that are both bought with the precious blood of one Redeemer, and loath to grieve one another, being in him brought into peace with God, they will entertain true peace between themselves and not suffer anything to disturb it. They have hopes to meet one day, where is nothing but perfect concord and peace, they will live as heirs of that life here, and make their present estate as like to heaven as they can, and so a pledge and evidence of their title to that inheritance of peace, that is there laid up for them, and they will not fail to put one another often in mind of these hopes, and that inheritance, and to advance and further both each other towards it: where this is not, it is to little purpose to speak of other rules; where neither party aspires to this heirship, live otherwise as they will, there is one common inheritance abiding them — one inheritance of everlasting flames, and as they do increase the sin and guiltiness of one another by their irreligious conversation, so that which some of them do wickedly here, upon no great cause, they shall have full cause there, to curse the time of their coming together, and that shall be a piece of their exercise forever; but happy those persons, in any society of marriage, or friendship that converse so together, as those that shall live eternally together in glory. This indeed is the sum of all duties.

Life] A sweet word but sweetest of all in this sense, that life above indeed only worthy the name, and this we have here, in comparison, let it not be called life, but continual dying, an incessant journey towards the grave, if you reckon years, but a short moment to him that attains the fullest old age: but reckon miseries and sorrows it is long to him that dies young. Oh! that that only blessed life were more known, and then it would be more desired.

Grace.] This is the tenor of this heirship, free grace, this life a free gift (Romans 6, last verse). No life so spotless either in marriage or virginity, as to lay claim to this life upon other terms; if we consider but a little, what it is and what we are, this will be quickly out of question with us, and we will be most gladly content to hold it thus by deed or gift, and admire and extol that grace that bestows it.

That your Prayers be not hindered.] He supposes in Christians the necessary and frequent use of this, takes it for granted, that the heir of life cannot live without prayer, this is the proper breathing and language of these heirs, none of them dumb, they can all speak, these heirs if they be alone, they pray alone, if heirs together, and living together, they pray together. Can the husband and wife have that love, and wisdom, and meekness that may make their life happy, and that blessing that may make their affairs successful, while they neglect God the only giver of these and all good things? You think these needless motives, but you cannot think how it would sweeten your conversation if it were used. It is prayer that sanctifies, and seasons, and blesses all, and not enough that they pray when with the family; but even husband and wife together by themselves, and with their children, that they, especially the mother, as being most with them in their childhood, when they begin to be capable, may draw them apart, and offer them to God, often praying with them, and instructing them in their youth, for they are pliable while young, as glass when hot, but after sooner break than bend.

But above all, prayer is necessary as they are heirs of heaven, often sending up their desires there. You that are not much in prayer, look as if you looked for no more than what you have here, if you had an inheritance and treasure above, would not your heart delight to be there? Thus the heart of a Christian is in the constant frame of it, but after a special manner prayer raises the soul above the world and sets it in heaven: it is its near access to God, and dealing with him especially about those affairs that concern that inheritance. Now in this lies a great part of the comfort a Christian can have here, and the Apostle knew this, that he would gain any thing at their hands, that he pressed by this argument, that otherwise they would be hindered in their prayers. He knew that they who are acquainted with prayer find such unspeakable sweetness in it, that they will rather do any thing than be prejudiced in that.

Now the breach of conjugal love, the jars and contentions of husband and wife, do out of doubt so leaven and embitter their spirits, that they are exceeding unfit for prayer, which is the sweet harmony of the soul in God's ears, and when the soul is so far out of tune as those distempers make it, he cannot but perceive it, whose ear is the most exact of all, for he made and tuned the ear, and is the fountain of harmony: it cuts the sinews and strength of prayer, makes breaches and gaps, as wounds, at which the spirits fly out, as the cutting of a vein, by which, as they speak, it bleeds to death. When the soul is calm and composed, it may behold the face of God shining on it; and they that pray together, should not only have hearts in tune within themselves in their own frame, but tuned together, especially husband and wife that are one, they should have hearts consorted and sweetly tuned to each other for prayer. So the word is [illegible] (Matthew 18:19).

And it is generally true that all unwary walking in a Christian wrongs their communion with heaven, and casts a damp upon their prayers, clogs the wings of it: these two mutually help one another, prayer and holy conversation; the more exactly we walk, the more fit for prayer, and the more we pray, the more enabled to walk exactly, and it is a happy [reconstructed: life] to find the correspondence of these two, calling on the Lord and departing from iniquity. Therefore that you may pray much live holily, and that you may live holily be much in prayer, surely such are the heirs of glory, and this is their way to it.

Verse 8. Finally, be you all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous.

Here the particular rules, the Apostle gives to several relations, fall in again to the main current of his general exhortation, that concerns all us Christians. The return of his discourse to this universality is expressed in that, finally, and the universality of these duties, [all]. It is neither possible nor convenient to descend to every particular, but there is supposed in a Christian, an ingenuous and prudent spirit, to adapt those general rules to their particular actions and conversation, squaring by them before hand, and examining by them after, and yet herein the most fail: hear these as general discourses, and let them pass so, apply them not, or if they do, it is readily to some other: but they are addressed to all, that each one may regulate himself by them, and so these divine truths, as a well drawn picture, looks particularly upon every one among the great multitude, that look upon it. And this one verse has a cluster of five Christian graces or virtues. That which is in the middle as the stalk or root of the rest, love, and the other growing out of it, two on each side, unanimity and sympathy on the one, and pity and courtesy, on the other; but we shall take them as they lie.

Of one mind.] This does not only mean union in judgment, but it extends likewise to affection and action, especially in so far as they relate to, and depend upon the other. And so, I conceive, it comprehends in its full latitude, a harmony and agreement of minds and affections, and carriage in Christians; as making up one body, and a serious study of preserving and increasing that agreement in all things; but especially in spiritual things, in which their communion does primarily consist. And because in this, the consent of their judgments in matters of religion is a prime point; therefore we will consider that a little more particularly.

And first, what it is not.

It is not a careless indifference concerning those things, not to be troubled about them at all, nor to make any judgment concerning them; this is not a loving agreement arising from oneness of spirit, but a dead stupidity arguing a total spiritlessness, as the agreement of a number of dead bodies together, which indeed do not strive and [reconstructed: contend], that is, they move not at all, and that is they live not. So that concord in things of religion, that is a not considering them, nor acting of the mind about them, is either the fruit and sign of gross ignorance, or irreligion — they that are wholly ignorant of spiritual things, are content you determine, and impose upon them what you will, as in the dark there is no difference nor choice of colors, they are all one. But, 2. which is worse, in some this peaceableness about religion, is from a universal unbelief and indifference, and that sometimes comes of the much search and knowledge of debates and controversies in religion, men having so many disputes about religion in their heads, and no life of religion in their hearts, fall into a conceit that all is but juggling, and the easiest is, to believe nothing, and these agree with any, or rather with none. Sometimes it is from a profane supercilious disdain of all these things, and many there be of these of Gallio's temper, that care for none of these things, and that account all questions in religion, as he did, but matter of words and names. And by this all religions may agree together: but it were not a natural union by the active heat of the Spirit, but a confusion rather, by the want of it, not a knitting together, but a freezing together as cold congregates all however heterogeneous soever, sticks, and stones, and water: but heat makes first a separation of different things, and then unites those that are of the same nature.

And to one of these two is reducible much of the common quietness of peoples' minds about religion, all that implicit Romish agreement that they boast of, what is it, but a brutish ignorance of spiritual things, authorized and recommended for that very purpose; and among the learned of them, as many idle differences and disputes as among any. It is an easy way indeed to agree, if all will put out their eyes, and follow the blind guiding of their judge of controversies, this is, that [illegible], their great device for peace, to let the Pope determine all. If all will resolve to be deceived by him, he will agree them all, as if the consciences of men should only find peace by being led by the nose at one man's pleasure, a way the Apostle Paul clearly renounces (2 Corinthians 1:24): Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy, for by faith you stand.

And though we have escaped this, yet much of our common union of minds, I fear, is from no other, than the aforementioned causes, want of knowledge, and want of affection to religion. You that boast you live conformably to the appointments of the church, and none hears of your noise, we may thank the ignorance of your minds for that kind of quietness, but this required unanimity is another thing, and before I unfold it, I shall premise this. That although it be very difficult, and it may be impossible to determine, what things are alone fundamental in religion, under the notion of difference, intended by that word, yet it is undoubted, that there be some truths more absolutely necessary, and therefore accordingly more clearly revealed, than some others, there are [illegible] great things of the law, and so of the Gospel. And though no part of divine truth once fully cleared, ought to be slighted; yet there are things that may be true, and yet are but of less importance; and of less evidence than others. And that this difference is wisely to be considered by Christians, for the interest of this agreement of minds here recommended, and concerning it we may safely conclude,

1. That Christians ought to have a clear, and unanimous belief of the mysteries and principles of faith, to agree in those without controversy. 2. They ought to be diligent in the research of truth in all things that concern faith and religion: and withal to use all due means for the fullest consent and agreement in them all, that possibly can be attained. 3. Perfect and universal consent in all, after all industry bestowed on it, for any thing we know, is not here attainable, neither between all churches, nor all persons in one and the same church. And therefore though church meetings and synods, as the fittest and most effectual way to this unity, should endeavour to bring the church to the fullest agreement that may be, yet they should beware, lest the straining it too high in all things, rather break it, and an over diligence in appointing uniformities remove them further from it; leaving a latitude and indifference in things capable of it, is often a stronger preserver of peace and unity. But this by the way. We will rather give some few rules that may be of use to every particular Christian, toward this common Christian good of unity of mind.

1. Beware of two extremes, that often cause divisions — captivity to custom, on the one hand, and affectation of novelty, on the other.

Secondly, labor for a steadfast mind that will not be tossed with every wind of doctrine or appearance of reason, as some that, as vanes, easily are blown to any side, with mistakes of the Scriptures, either arising in their own minds, or suggested by others.

Thirdly, in unclear and doubtful things, be not pertinacious, as the weakest minds are readiest to be upon [reconstructed: seeming] reason, which tried will possibly fall to nothing: yet they are most assured, and cannot suffer a different thought in any from their own; there is naturally this popishness in every man's mind, and most, I say, in the shallowest — a kind of fancied infallibility in themselves, which makes them contentious, contrary to the Apostle's rule (Philippians 2:3). And as earnest upon differing in the smallest punctilio, as in a high article of faith. Stronger spirits are usually more patient of contradiction, and less violent, especially in doubtful things; and they that see furthest, are least peremptory in their determinations. The Apostle to Timothy (2 Timothy 1) has a word, the spirit of a sound mind; it is a good sound constitution of mind, not to feel every blast, either of seeming reason to be taken with it, or of cross opinion to be offended at it.

Fourthly, join that which is there the Spirit of Love in this particular. Not at all abating affection for every light difference (and this the most are a little to blame in) whereas the abundance of that, should rather fill up the gap of these petty disagreements, that they do not appear, nor be at all sensibly to be found. No more disaffection ought to follow this, than the difference of our faces and complexions, or feature of body, which cannot be found in any two alike in all things.

And these things would be of easier persuasion, if we considered. 1. How supple and flexible a thing human reason is, and therefore not lightly to be trusted to, and that especially in divine things; for we here know but in part. 2. The small importance of some things that have bred much noise and dissension in the world; as the Apostle speaks of the tongue, how little a spark, how great a fire will it kindle, and a great many of these debates, that cost men so much pains and time, as far from clear decision, as when they began, and possibly of so little moment, that if they were ended, their profit would not quit the cost. 3. Consider the strength of Christian charity, that if it dwelt much in our hearts, would preserve this union of mind, amidst very many different thoughts, such as they may be, and would teach us that excellent lesson, the Apostle gives to this purpose (Philippians 3:15-16): Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing you be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this to you. Nevertheless, to which we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. Let us follow our Lord unanimously, in what he has clearly manifested to us, and given us with one consent to embrace, as the Spheres, notwithstanding each one has his particular motion, yet all are wheeled about together with the first.

And that leads us to consider the further extent of this word, to agree in heart and in conversation, walking by the rule of those undoubted truths we have received. And in this I shall recommend these two things to you.

1. In the defense of the truth, as the Lord shall call us, let us be of one mind and all as one man, Satan acts by that maxim and his followers have it all, divide and conquer, and therefore let us hold that counter maxim: Union invincible.

2. In the practice of that truth agree as one, let your conversation be uniform by being squared to that one rule, and in all spiritual exercises join as one, be of one heart and mind: would not our public worship, think you, prove much more both comfortable and profitable, if our hearts met in it as one, that we could say of our hearing the Word, as he (Acts 10): We are all here present before God to hear all things, etc. And if our prayers ascended up as one pillar of incense to the Throne of Grace, if they besieged it, as an army all surrounding it together, for the obtainment of favor to ourselves and the Church? This is much with God the consent of hearts petitioning, so says our Savior, where two or three are gathered, not their bodies within the same walls only, for so they are but so many carcasses tumbled together, and the promise of his being among us, not made to that, for he is the God of the Living and not of the Dead, 'tis the Spirit of darkness that abides among the tombs and graves; but gathered in my name, one in that one holy name, written upon their hearts and uniting them, and so from there expressed in their joint services and invocations: so he says there of them, who agree upon any thing they shall ask, if all their hearts present and hold it up together, if they make one cry or song of it, that harmony of their hearts shall be sweet in the Lord's ears, and shall draw a gracious answer out of his hand, if you agree, your joint petitions, shall be as it were an arrest or decree that shall stand in Heaven, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in Heaven. But alas where is ours? The greatest part of hearts say nothing, and others with such wavering and such a jarring harsh noise, being out of tune, earthly, too low set, that they spoil all, and disappoint the answers. Were the censer filled with those united prayers heavenward, it would be filled with fire earthward against the enemies of the Church.

And in your private society, seek unanimously your own, and each other's spiritual good, not only agreeing in your affairs and civil converse; but having one heart and mind as Christians: to eat and drink together, if no more, is such society as beasts may have, to do these in the excess, to guzzle and drink intemperately together, is a society worse than that of beasts, and below them, to discourse together of civil business, is to converse as men; but the peculiar converse of Christians in that notion, as born again to immortality, an unfading inheritance above, is to further one another towards that, to put one another in mind of Heaven and things that are heavenly. And 'tis strange that men that profess to be Christians, when they meet, either fill one another's ears with lies and profane speeches, or with vanities and trifles: or at the best with the affairs of earth, and not a word of those things that should most possess the heart, and where the minds should be most set: but are ready to reproach and taunt any such thing in others: What? Are you ashamed of Christ and Religion? Why do you profess it then? Is there such a thing, think you, as Communion of Saints? If not, why say you believe it? 'Tis a truth think of it as you will, the public ministry will profit little any where, where a people or some part of them are not thus one, and do not live together as of one mind, and use diligently all due means of edifying one another in their holy faith. How much of the primitive Christians' praise and profit is involved in the word they were together [in non-Latin alphabet], with one accord, with one mind, and so they grew, the Lord added to the Church?

Consider, 1. How the wicked are one in their ungodly designs and practices, the scales of Leviathan, as Luther expresses, are linked together, shall not the Lord's followers be one in him? They unite to undermine the peace of the Church, shall not the godly join their prayers to countermine them?

2. There is in the heart of all the saints one Spirit, how can they be but one, since they have the same purpose and journey, tend to the same home, and why shall they not walk together in that way? When they shall arrive there they shall be fully one, and of one mind, not a jar nor difference, all their harps perfectly in tune to that one new Song.

Having Compassion] This testifies that it is not a bare speculative agreement of opinions, that is the badge of Christian unity, for this may accidentally be, where there is no further union; but that they are themselves one, have one life, in that they feel how it is one with another, there is a living sympathy among them, as making up one body, animated with one Spirit, for that's the reason why the members of the body have that mutual feeling even the remotest and distantest, and the most excellent with the meanest, this the Apostle urges at large (Romans 12:4 and 1 Corinthians 12).

And this lively sense is in every living member of the body of Christ, towards the whole, and towards each other particular part. This makes a Christian rejoice in the welfare and good of another, as if it were his own, and feel their griefs and distresses as if himself were really sharer in them, for the word comprehends all feeling, together feeling of joy, as well as of grief (Hebrews 13:3; 1 Corinthians 12:26). And always where there is most of grace, and of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, there is most of this sympathy. The Apostle Saint Paul, as he was eminent in all grace, had a large portion of this (2 Corinthians 11:29). And if this ought to be in reference to their outward condition, much more in spiritual things, rejoicing at the increases and flourishing of grace in others. That base envy, that dwells in the hearts of rotten hypocrites, that would have all engrossed to themselves, argues that they move not further than the compass of self, that the pure love of God, and the sincere love of their brethren flowing from it, is not in them; but when the heart can unfeignedly rejoice in the Lord's bounty to others, and the lustre of grace in others; far out-shining their own, truly it is an evidence, that what grace such a one has, is upright and good, and that the law of love is engraven in their hearts. And where that is, there will be likewise on the other side, a compassionate tender sense of the infirmities and frailties of their brethren. Whereas some account it a sign of much advancement and spiritual proficiency to be able to sit upon the qualifications and actions of others, and to lavish out severe censures round about them, to sentence one weak and of poor abilities, and another proud and lofty, and a third covetous, etc. And thus to go on in a censor-like-magisterial strain; it were truly an evidence of more grace, not to get upon the bench to judge them, but sit down rather and mourn for them, when they are manifestly and really faulty, and for their ordinary infirmities to consider, and bear them. These are the characters we find in the Scriptures of stronger Christians (Romans 15:1; Galatians 6:1). This holy and humble sympathy argues indeed, a strong Christian, and nothing truly (as one says) shows a spiritual man so much, as the dealing with another man's sin; far will he be from the ordinary way of insulting, and trampling upon the weak or using rigor and bitterness, even against some gross falls of a Christian, but will rather vent his compassion in tears than his passion in fiery railings, will bewail the frailty of man, and our dangerous condition in this life, amid so many snares and temptations, and such strong and subtle enemies.

Secondly, as this sympathy works to particular Christians in their several conditions, so by the same reason it acts, and acts more eminently towards the church, and the public affairs, that concern its good. And this is it, that we find, has breathed forth from the hearts of the saints, in former times in so many pathetical complaints and prayers for Zion. Thus David in his saddest times, when he might seem most dispensable to forget other things, and be wholly taken up with lamenting his own fall (Psalm 51), yet even there he leaves not out the church, verse 17: in your good pleasure do good to Zion. And his heart broken all to pieces, yet the very pieces cry no less for the building of Jerusalem's walls, than for the binding up and healing of itself, and in that Psalm that seems to be the expression of his joy being exalted to the throne, and sitting peaceably on it, yet he still thus prays for the peace of Jerusalem. And the penman of Psalm 137 makes it an execrable oversight to forget Jerusalem (verse 5), or to remember it coldly, or secondarily; no less will serve him than to prefer it to his chief joy. Whatever else is top or head of his joy (as the word is) Jerusalem's welfare shall be its crown, shall be set above it. And the prophet, whoever it was, that wrote that, poured out that prayer from an afflicted soul, comforts himself in this, that Zion shall be favored, my bones are consumed, etc. But it matters not, what becomes of me, let me languish and wither away, provided Zion flourish, though I feel nothing but pains and troubles, yet you will arise and show mercy to Zion; I am content; that satisfies me.

But where is now this Spirit of high sympathy with the Church, sure if there were of it in us 'tis now a fit time to act it. If we be not altogether dead, sure we will be stirred with the voice of those late strokes of God's hand, and be driven to more humble and earnest prayer by it. Men will change their poor base grumblings about their privacy, Oh! what shall I do, etc. into strong cries for the Church of God, and the public deliverance of all these kingdoms from the raging Sword: but vile selfishness undoes us, the most looking no further; if themselves and theirs might be secured would regard little what became of the rest, as one said, when I am dead, let the World be fired: but the Christian mind is of a larger sphere, looks not only upon more than itself in present, but even to after times and ages, and can rejoice in the good to come, when itself shall not be here to partake of it, is more dilated and liker to God, and to our head Jesus Christ. The Lord, says the Prophet Isaiah, in all his people's affliction, was afflicted himself; and Jesus Christ accounts the sufferings of his body the Church his own. Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? The heel was trod upon on earth and the head cries from Heaven, as sensible of it, and this in all our evils, especially our spiritual griefs, is a high point of comfort to us, that our Lord Jesus is not insensible of them: This emboldens us to complain ourselves, and to put in our petitions for help to the Throne of Grace through his hand, knowing that when he presents he will speak his own sense of our condition, and move for us as it were for himself, as we have it sweetly expressed (Hebrews 4:15-16). Now as it is our comfort so it is our pattern.

Love as Brethren] Hence springs this feeling we speak of, Love is the cause of union, and union the cause of sympathy, and of that unanimity before, they that have the same spirit uniting and animating them, cannot but have the same mind, and the same feelings. And this Spirit is derived from that head Christ, in whom Christians live, and move, and have their being, their new and excellent being, and so in living in him they love him, and are one in him, they are brethren, as here the word is, their fraternity holds in him; he is head of it, the first born among many brethren. Men are brethren in two natural respects, their bodies of the same earth, and their souls breathed from the same God; but this third fraternity that is founded in Christ, is far more excellent, and more firm than the other two; for being one in him they have there taken in the other two, for that in him is our whole nature, he is the Man Christ Jesus, but to the advantage, and 'tis an infinite one, being one in him, we are united by the divine nature in him, who is God blessed for ever; and this is the highest certainly, and the strongest union that can be imagined. Now this is a great mystery indeed, as the apostle says, speaking of this same point, the union of Christ and his Church; from where their union and communion one with another, that make up that body, the Church, is derived. In Christ every believer is born of God, is his son, and so they are not only brethren, one with another, that are so born: but Christ himself owns them as his brethren, both he which sanctifies, and they who are sanctified are all of one, for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren (Hebrews 2:11).

Sin broke all to pieces, man from God, and one from another, Christ's work in the world was union, to make up these breaches he came down, and begun the union which was his work in the wonderful union made in his person that was to work it, made God and Man one, and as the nature of Man was reconciled, so by what he performed the persons of men are united to God, faith makes them one with him, and he makes them one with the Father, and from these results this oneness among themselves, concentring and meeting in Jesus Christ, and in the Father through him, they are made one together. And that this was his great work, we may read in his prayer, where it is the burden and main strain, the great request, he so iterates, that they may be one, as we are one (verse 11, John 17) — a high comparison, such as man dared not name: but after him that so warrants us, and again verse 21, that they all may be one, as you Father are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us, and so on.

So that certainly where this is, it is the ground work of another kind of friendship and love, than the world is acquainted with, or is able to judge of, and has more worth in one drachma of it, than all the quintessence of civil or natural [reconstructed: affection] can amount to. The friendship of the world, the best of them, are but tied with chains of glass, but this fraternal love of Christians, is a golden chain, both more precious, and more strong and lasting: the other are worthless and brittle.

The Christian owes and pays a general charity, and good will to all; but peculiar and intimate friendship he cannot have, but with such as come within the compass of this fraternal love. Which after a special manner flows from God, and returns to him, and abides in him, and shall remain to eternity.

Where this love is, and abounds it will banish far away all those dissensions, and bitternesses, and those frivolous mistakings, that are so frequent among the most, it will teach wisely and gently to admonish one another, where it is needful: but further than that, it will pass by many offences, and failings, and cover a multitude of sins, and will very much sweeten society and make it truly profitable, therefore the Psalmist calls it, both good and pleasant that brethren dwell together in unity, it perfumes all, as the precious [reconstructed: ointment], etc.

But many that are called Christians are not indeed of this brotherhood, and therefore no wonder they know not what this love means, but are either of restless unquiet spirits, biting and devouring one another, as the Apostle speaks, or at the best, only civilly smooth and peaceable in their carriage, but rather scorners than partakers of this spiritual love and fraternity, are strangers to Christ, not brought into acquaintance and union with him, and therefore void of the life of grace, and the fruits of it, of which this is a chief one. Oh! how few among multitudes that throng in as we do here together, are indeed partakers of the glorious liberty of the Sons of God, or ambitious of that high and happy estate.

As for you that know these things, and have a portion in them, that have your communion with the Father, and his Son Jesus Christ, I beseech you adorn your holy profession, and testify yourselves the disciples and the brothers of Jesus Christ by this mutual love, seek to understand better what it is, and to know it more practically. Consider that source of love, that love that the Father has shown us in this, that we should be called the Sons of God and so be brothers, and from there draw more of this sweet stream of love. God is love, says the Apostle, therefore sure where there is most of God, there is most of this divine grace, this holy love. Look upon and study much that infinite love of God, and his Son Jesus Christ towards us, he gave his only begotten Son, the Son gave himself, he sweetened his bitter cup with his [reconstructed: transcendent] love, and this he has recommended to us, that even as he loved us, so should we love one another: we know we cannot reach this highest pattern, that is not meant, but the more we look on it, the higher we shall reach in this love, and shall learn some measure of such love on earth as is in heaven, and that which so begins here shall be perfected there.

Be pitiful, be courteous.] The roots of plants are hid under ground so that themselves are not seen, but they appear in their branches, and flowers, and fruits, which argue there is a root and life in them; thus the graces of the Spirit planted in the soul, though themselves invisible, yet discover their being and life in the tract of a Christian's life, their words, and actions, and the frame of their carriage; thus Faith shows that it lives, as the Apostle St. James teaches at large, and thus Love, a grace of so active a nature, that it is still working and yet never weary, your labour of love, says the Apostle; it labors, but delight makes the hardest labor sweet and easy, and so proper is action to it, that all action is null without it (1 Corinthians 13). Indeed it knits Faith and Action together, is the link that unites them, Faith works; but it is by it, as the Apostle teaches us, by Love, so then where this Root is, these fruits will spring from it and discover it, Pity and Courtesy.

They are of a larger extent in their full sphere than the preceding, for from a general love due to all, they act towards all, to men, or humanity, in the general. And this not from a bare natural tenderness, which softer complexions may have, nor from a prudent moral consideration of their own possible falling under the like, or greater calamities: but out of obedience to God, who requires this mercifulness in all his children, and cannot own them for his, unless in this they resemble him. And it is indeed an evidence of a truly Christian mind, to have much of this pity to the miseries of all, being rightly principled, and acting after a pious and Christian manner towards the sick and poor, of whatever condition, indeed most pitying the spiritual misery of ungodly men, their hardness of heart, and unbelief, and earnestly wishing their conversion, not repining at the long-suffering of God, as if you would have the bridge out, because you are over, as St. Augustine speaks, but longing rather to see that long-suffering and goodness of God lead them to repentance, being grieved to see men ruining themselves, and diligently working their own destruction, going in any way of wickedness, (as Solomon speaks of one particularly) as an ox to the shambles or a fool to the correction of the stocks. Certainly the ungodly man is an object of the highest pity.

But there is a special debt of this pity to those that we love as brothers in our Lord Jesus, these are most closely linked by a peculiar fraternal love. Their sufferings and calamities will move the bowels that have Christian affection within them. Nor is it an empty helpless pity; but carries with it the real communication of our help to our utmost power. [illegible] Not only bowels that are moved themselves with pity, but that move their hand to succor, for by this word the natural affection of parents, and the tenderer of them, the mother, are expressed, who do not idly behold and [reconstructed: bemoan] their children being sick or distressed, but provides all possible help, their bowels are not only stirred, but dilated and enlarged towards them.

And if our feeling bowels and helping hand are due to all, and particularly to the godly, and we ought to pay this due in outward distresses, how much more in their soul-afflictions, the rather, because these are most heavy in themselves, and least understood, and therefore least regarded, indeed sometimes more by natural friends, possibly by their bitter scoffs and taunts, or by their slighting, or at best by their misapplying of proper helps and remedies, which as unfit medicines do rather exasperate the disease: therefore they that do understand, and can be sensible of that kind of wound, ought so much the more to be tender and pitiful towards it, and to deal mercifully and gently with it. It may be very weak things sometimes trouble a weak Christian, but there is in the Spirit of the godly a humble condescension learned from Christ, who broke not the bruised reed, nor quenched the smoking flax.

The least difficulties and scruples in a tender conscience should not be roughly encountered, they are as a knot in a silken thread, and require a gentle and wary hand to loose them.

Now this tenderness of bowels, and inclinement to pity all, especially Christians, and them especially in their peculiar pressures, is not a weakness as some kind of spirits take it to be — this even naturally is a generous pity in greatest spirits. Christian pity is not womanish; indeed it is more than manly, it is divine; there is of it natural, most in the best, and most ingenuous natures; but where it is spiritual, it is a prime lineament of the image of God, and the more absolute and disengaged it is, in regard of those towards whom it acts, the more like to God, looking upon misery as a sufficient incentive of pity and mercy, without the ingredient of any other consideration. It is a pure vulgar piece of goodness to be helpful and bountiful to friends, or to such as are within appearance of requital — it is a trading kind of commerce that: but pity and bounty that needs no inducements, but the meeting of a fit object to work on, where it can expect nothing, save only the privilege of doing good (which in itself is so sweet) is God-like indeed, who is rich in bounty without any necessity, indeed or possibility of return from us; for we have neither anything to confer upon him, nor has he need of receiving anything, who is the spring of goodness and of being.

And that we may the better understand him in this, he is pleased to express this merciful nature in our notion and language, by bowels of mercy and pity, and the stirring and sounding of them, and (Psalm 103) the pity of a father, and (Isaiah 49) of a mother, nothing tender and significant enough to express his compassions. Hence our redemptions (Isaiah 63:9), hence all our hopes of happiness. The gracious Lord saw his poor creatures undone by sin, and no power in heaven nor in earth able to rescue but his own alone; therefore his pity was moved, and his hand answers his heart, his own arm brought salvation, he sent the Deliverer out of Zion, to turn away iniquity from Jacob. And in all exigencies of his children, he is overcome with their complaints, cannot hold out against their moanings — he may, as Joseph, seem strange for a while, but cannot act that strangeness long; his heart moves and sounds to theirs, gives the echo to their griefs and groans, as they say of two strings that are perfect unisons: touch the one, the other also sounds (Jeremiah 31:19). Oh the unspeakable privilege to have him for our Father, who is the Father of mercies and compassions, and those not barren fruitless pityings, for he is withal the God of all consolations — do not think that he can shut out a bleeding soul that comes to him, and refuse to take, and to bind up, and heal a broken heart that offers itself to him, puts itself into his hand, and entreats his help. Does he require pity of us, and does he give it to us, and is it not infinitely more in himself? — all that is in angels and men is but an insensible drop to that ocean.

Let us then consider both that we are obliged to pity especially to our Christian brethren, and to use all means for their help within our reach, to have bowels stirred with the reports of such bloodsheds and cruelties as come to our ears, and to bestir ourselves according to our places and power for them. But surely all are to move this one way, for their help, to run to the throne of grace: if your bowels sound for your brethren, let them sound that way for them, to represent their estate to him that has highest, both pity and power; for he expects to be reminded by us — he put that office upon his people to be his recorders for Zion, and they are traitors to it that neglect the discharge of that place.

Courteous.] The former relates to the afflictions of others, this to our whole carriage with them in any condition, and yet there is a particular regard of it in communicating good, supplying their wants or comforting them that are distressed, that it be not done — or rather, I may say, undone in doing — with such supercilious roughness, venting either in looks or words, or any way, that sours it, and destroys the very being of a benefit, and turns it rather into an injury; and generally the whole conversation of men is made unpleasant by cynical harshness and disdain.

This the Apostle recommends, is contrary to that evil, not only in the surface and outward behavior. No, religion does not prescribe nor is satisfied with such courtesy as goes no deeper than words and gestures, which sometimes is most contrary to that singleness religion owns — these are the upper garments of malice, saluting him aloud in the morning, whom they are undermining all the day. And sometimes, though more innocent, yet it may be troublesome, merely by the vain affectation and excess of it; and even this becomes not a wise man, much less a Christian: an over-study or acting of that is a token of emptiness, and is below a solid mind, though they know such things and could outdo the studiers of it, yet they (as it indeed deserves) do despise it. Nor is it that graver and wiser way of external plausible deportment that answers fully this word — it is the outer half indeed; but the thing is [illegible] a radical sweetness in the temper of the mind, that spreads itself into a man's words and actions. And this not merely natural — a gentle kind disposition which is indeed a natural advantage that some have — but this is spiritual, from a new nature descended from heaven, and so in its original and nature far excels the other, supplies it where it is not in nature, and does not only increase it where it is, but elevates it above itself, renews it, and sets a [illegible] excellent stamp upon it. Religion is in this mistaken sometimes, in that men think it imprints an unkindly roughness and austerity upon the mind and carriage; indeed it bars and banishes all vanity, and lightness, and all compliance and easy partaking with sin. Religion strains and quite breaks that point of false and injurious courtesy, to suffer your brother's soul to run hazard of perishing, and to share of his guiltiness by not admonishing him after that seasonable, and prudent, and gentle manner (for that indeed would be studied) that becomes you as a Christian, and that particular respective manner that becomes your station. These things rightly qualifying it, it does no wrong to good manners and the courtesy here enjoined, but is truly a part of it — by due admonishments and reproofs to seek to reclaim a sinner; it were worst unkindness not to do it: you shall not hate your brother, etc.

But that which is true lovingness of heart and carriage, religion does not only no way prejudice, but you see requires it in the rule, and where it is wrought in the heart, works and causes it there; fetches out that crookedness and harshness that is otherwise invincible in some humors (Isaiah 11). Makes the Wolf dwell with the Lamb. This Christians should study, and belie the prejudices of the world, that they take up against the power of Godliness, to be inwardly so minded and of such outward behavior, as becomes that Spirit of Grace that dwells in them, to endeavor to gain those that are without by their kind obliging conversation.

In some copies, 'tis [⟨ in non-Latin alphabet ⟩], humble, and indeed as this is excellent in itself, and a chief character of a Christian, it agrees well with all these mentioned, and carries along with it this inward and real, not acted courteousness. Not to insist on it now, it gains at all hands with God and with men, receives much grace from God, and kills envy, and commands respect and good will from men.

Those showers of grace that slide off from the lofty mountains rest on the valleys and make them fruitful. He gives grace, loves to bestow it where there is most room to receive it, and most return of ingenuous and entire praises upon the receipt: and such is the humble heart, and truly as much humility gains much grace, so it grows by it.

1. 'Tis one of the world's reproaches against those that go beyond their size in religion, that they are proud and self-conceited: Christians, beware there be nothing in you justifying this, sure they that have most true grace are least guilty of it, common knowledge and gifts may puff up, but grace does not.

He whom the Lord loads most with his richest gifts, stoops lowest as pressed down with the weight of them; the free love of God humbles the heart most, to which it is most manifested.

And towards men it graces all grace and all gifts, and glorifies God, and teaches others so to do. It is the preserver of graces; sometimes seems to wrong them by hiding them: but indeed it is their safety. Hezekiah by a vain showing of his jewels and treasures forfeited them all.

Verse 9. Not rendering evil for evil; or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that you are to that end called, that you should inherit a blessing.

Opposition helps grace both to more strength and more luster, when Christian charity is not encountered with the world's malignance, it has an easier task: but assaulted and overcoming, it shines the brighter, and rises higher, and thus it is when it renders not evil for evil.

To repay good with evil is among men the top of iniquity, yet this is our universal guiltiness towards God, he multiplying mercies and we vying with multiplied sins, as the Lord complains of Israel, as they were increased, so they sinned. The lowest step of good mutual among men, is not to be bent to provoke others with injuries, and being unoffended to offend none, but this, not to repay offenses, nor render evil for evil is a Christian's rule, and yet further to return good for evil, and blessing for cursing, is not only counseled (as some vainly distinguish) but commanded.

It is true the most have no ambition for this degree of goodness; aspire no further but to do or say no evil unprovoked, and think themselves sufficiently just and equitable if they keep in that; but this is lame, is but half the rule. You think injury obliges you, or if not so, yet excuses you to revenge, or at least disobliges you, unties your engagement of wishing and doing good; but these are all gross practical errors.

For first, the second injury done by way of revenge differs from the first that provoked it little or nothing, but only in point of time, and certainly no one man's sin can procure privilege to another to sin in that, or the like kind. If another has broken the bonds of his allegiance and obedience to God, and of charity to you, yet you are not the less tied by the same bonds still.

Secondly, by revenge of injuries you usurp upon God's prerogative who is the Avenger, as the Apostle teaches (Romans 12). This does not forbid either the magistrate's sword for just punishment of offenders, or the soldier's sword in a just war; but such revenges, as without authority or a lawful call, the pride and perverseness of men do multiply one against another: in which is involved a presumptuous contempt of God, and his supreme authority, or at least the unbelief and neglect of it.

Thirdly, it cannot be genuine upright goodness that has its dependence upon the goodness of others that are about us; that as they say of the vainglorious man, his virtue lies in the beholder's eye, if your meekness and charity be such as lies in the good and mild carriage of others towards you, in their hand and tongues, you are not owner of it intrinsically: such quiet and calm, if none provoke you, is but an accidental uncertain cessation of your turbulent spirit unstirred, but move it and it acts itself according to itself, sends up that mind that lay at the bottom; but true grace does then most manifest what it is, when those things that are most contrary surround and assault it; it cannot correspond and hold game with injuries and railings, has no faculty for that, for answering evil with evil, a tongue inured to graciousness, and mild speeches and blessings, and a heart stored so within can vent no other, try it, and stir it as you will. A Christian acts and speaks not according to what others are towards him, but according to what he is through the grace and Spirit of God in him, as they say, quicquid recipitur, recipitur ad modum recipientis — the same things are differently received and work differently as the nature and way is of that which receives them: a sparkle blows up one of a sulphurous temper; and many coals, greater injuries, and reproaches are quenched and lose their force being thrown at another of a cool spirit (Proverbs 17:27).

They that have malice, and bitterness, and cursings within, though these sleep it may be, yet awake them with the like, and the provision comes forth out of the abundance of the heart; give them an ill word and they have another, or two for one in readiness for you; where the soul is furnished with spiritual blessings there blessings come forth even in answer to reproaches and indignities, the mouth of the wise is a tree of life, says Solomon, can bear no other fruit, but according to its kind, and the nature of the root, an honest spiritual heart, pluck at it who will, they can pull no other fruit but such fruit. Love and meekness lodge there, and therefore whoever knocks, these make the answer.

Let the world account it a despicable simplicity, seek you still more of that dove-like spirit, the spirit of meekness and blessing, a poor glory to vie railings and contest in that faculty or any kind of vindictive returns of evil; the most abject creatures have of that great spirit, as foolish poor spirited persons account it; but it is the glory of man to pass by a transgression, the noblest victory, and, as we mentioned, the highest example. God is our pattern in love and compassions, we are well warranted to do it in this. Men esteem much more of some other virtues that make more show, and trample upon these, love, and compassion, and meekness: but though these violets grow low, and are of a dark color, yet they are of a very sweet and diffusive smell, odoriferous graces, and the Lord propounds himself our example in them (Matthew 5), it is to be truly the children of your Father, your Father which is in Heaven, to love them that hate you, and bless them that curse you; it is a kind of perfection (verse 48). He makes his Sun to shine on the righteous and the wicked, etc. Be you like it, however men behave themselves, keep you your course, and let your benign influence, as you can, do good to all. And Jesus Christ sets in himself these things before us, Learn of me not to heal the sick, or raise the dead, but Learn, for I am meek and lowly in heart. And if you be his followers, this is your way, as the Apostle here adds, hereunto are you called, and this is the end of it, agreeable to the way, that you may inherit a blessing.

[illegible] Knowing that] Understanding right the nature of your holy calling, and then considering it wisely and conforming to it.

They that have nothing beyond an external calling and profession of Christianity, are wholly blind in this point, do not think what this imports, a Christian. Could they be drawn to this, it were much, it were indeed all, to know to what they are called, and to answer it, to walk like it: but as one calls a certain sort of lawyers, indoctum doctorum genus, we may call the most an unchristian kind of Christians.

But even they that are real partakers of this spiritual and effectual call, yet are much to seek in this often viewing their rule, and laying it to their life, their hearts, and words, and actions, and squaring by it, and often posing themselves, suits this my calling? Is this like a Christian? It is a main point in any civil station to have a suitable convenient carriage to a man's station and condition; that his actions become him: but how many incongruities and solecisms do we commit, forgetting ourselves, who we are, and what we are called to; to what as our duty, and to what, as our portion and inheritance; and these indeed agree together, we are called to an undefiled, a holy inheritance, and therefore likewise to be holy in our way to it, for that contains all. We are called to a better estate at home, and called to be fitted for it, while we are here, to an inheritance of light and therefore to walk as children of light and so here to blessing, as our inheritance and to blessing as our duty, for this [illegible] relates to both, looks back to the one, and forward to the other, the way and the end, both blessing.

The fulness of this inheritance is reserved till we come to that land where it lies, there it awaits us: but the earnests of that fulness of blessing are bestowed on us here, spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, they descend from those heavenly places upon the heart, that precious name of our Lord Jesus poured on our hearts, if we be indeed interested in him (as we pretend) and we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, we are put in possession of that blessing of forgiveness of sin, and in terms of love, and amity with the Father, being reconciled by the blood of his Son, and then blessed with the anointing of the Spirit, the graces infused from Heaven: now all these do so cure the bitter accursed distempers of our natural hearts, and so perfume it, that it cannot well breathe anything but sweetness and blessing towards others, being it self thus blessed of the Lord, it echoes blessing, both to God and men, to his blessing of it, and its words, and whole carriage, are as the smell of a field that the Lord has blessed, as old Jacob said of his son's garments. The Lord having spoken pardon to a soul, and instead of the curse due to sin, blessed it with a title to glory; it easily and readily speaks pardon, and not only pardon, but blessing to the advantage, even to these that outrage it most and deserve worst of it; reflects still on that, Oh! what deserved I at my Lord's hands, so many talents forgiven me, shall I stick at forgiving a few pence?

And then called to inherit a blessing, so every believer an heir of blessing: and not only are the spiritual blessings he has received, but even his largeness of blessing others is a pledge to him an evidence of that heirship: as those that are bent to cursing though provoked, yet can look upon that as a sad mark that they are heirs of a curse (Psalm 109:18), shall they not that delight in cursing, have then enough of it, when they shall hear that doleful word, go you cursed, etc. And on the other side as for the sons of blessing that spared it not to any, the blessing they are heirs to, is a blessedness itself, and they to be entered into it by that joyful speech, come you blessed of my Father, etc.

Men can but bless one another in good wishes and the Lord in praises, and applauding to his blessedness, but the Lord's blessing is really making blessed, an operative word, brings the thing with it.

Inherit a Blessing] Not called to be exempted from troubles and injuries here, and to be extolled and favored by the world; but on the contrary rather to suffer the utmost of their malice, and be the mark of their arrows, of wrongs, and scoffs, and reproaches: but it matters not, this weighs down all, you are called to inherit a blessing, which all their cursings and hate cannot prejudge you of: for as this inheriting of blessing binds on the duty of blessing others upon a Christian, so it encourages to go through the hardest contrary measure, they receive from the world: if the world should bless you, and applaud you never so loud, yet that blessing cannot be called an inheritance, they fly away, and die out in the air, have no substance at all, much less that endurance that may make them an inheritance; and more generally, is there anything here, so to be called; the surest inheritances are not more than for term of life to any one man, their abiding is for others that succeed, but he removes, and when a man is to remove from all he has possessed and rejoiced in here, then fool indeed if nothing provided for the longer, O! how much longer abode he must make elsewhere. Will he not then bewail his madness? that he was hunting a shadow all his lifetime, and may be turned out of all his quiet possessions and easy dwelling before that; (and in these times we may the more readily think of this) but at the utmost at night, when he should be for most rest, when that sad night comes after this day of fairest prosperity, the unbelieving unrepenting sinner lies down in sorrow in a woeful bed, then must he, whether he will or no, enter possession to this inheritance of everlasting burnings: he has an inheritance indeed, but he had better want it, and himself too be turned to nothing. Do you believe there are treasures that neither thief breaks into, nor is there any inward moth to corrupt them; an inheritance that though the whole world be turned upside down, is in no hazard of a touch of damage, a kingdom that not only [reconstructed: cannot fall], but cannot be shaken? Oh! be wise and consider your latter end, and whatever you do, look after this blessed inheritance, seek to have the right to it in Jesus Christ, and the evidences and seals of it from his Spirit, and if it be so with you, your hearts will be upon it and your lives will be like it.

Verse 10. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile.

The rich bounty of God diffuses itself throughout the world upon all, yet there is a select number, that has peculiar blessings of his right hand, that the rest of the world share not in, and even to common blessings they are differenced by a peculiar title to them, and sweetness in them, their blessings are so indeed, and entirely so, outside, and inside, and more within than they appear without; the Lord himself is their portion, and they are his. This is their blessedness which in a low estate they can challenge, and outvie all the painted prosperity of the world. Some kind of blessings do abundantly run over upon others, but the cup of blessings, it belongs to the godly by a new right from heaven graciously conferred upon them, others sent away with gifts (as they apply that) but the inheritance is Isaac's — they are called to be the sons of God, and are like him, as his children, in goodness and blessing; the inheritance of blessing is theirs alone, called, says the Apostle, to inherit a blessing; and all the promises in the great charter of both Testaments run in that appropriating style, entailed to them, as only heirs. Thus this fitly is translated from the one Testament to the other by the Apostle for his present purpose, He that will love, etc.

Consider, 1. The qualification required. 2. The blessing annexed and ascertained to it; the scope being to recommend a rule so exact, and for that purpose to propound a good so important and desirable, as a sufficient attractive to study and conform to that rule.

The rule is all of it one straight line running through the whole tract of a godly man's life, yet you see clearly that it is (not cut asunder indeed) but only marked into four, whereof the two latter parcels are somewhat longer, more generally reaching a man's ways, the two former particularly regulating the tongue.

In the ten words of the Law, that God delivered in, so singular a manner both by word and writ from his own mouth and hand, there be two, that if not wholly, yet most especially, and most expressly concerned the tongue, as a very considerable, though a small part of man, and of these four words here two are bestowed on it.

The Apostle St. James is large in this, teaching the great concern of this point, it is a little member (says he) but boasts great things, needs a strong bridle; and then the bridling of it makes much for the ruling the whole course of a man's life, as he there applies the resemblance; indeed he gives the skill of this as the very character of perfection. And if we consider it, it must be of very great consequence how we use that tongue being the main outlet of the thoughts of the heart, and the means of society among men in all affairs civil and spiritual; by which men give birth to the conceptions of their own minds and seek to beget the like in the minds of others. The bit that is here made for men's mouths, has these two halves that make it up. 1. To refrain from open evil speaking. 2. From double and guileful speaking.

From Evil.] This is a large field, the evil of the tongue, but I give it too narrow a name, we have good warrant to give it a much larger, a whole universe, a world of iniquity, a vast bulk of evils, and great variety of them, as of countries on the earth, or creatures in the world, and multitudes of such are venomous and full of deadly poison, and not few monsters, new productions of wickedness, semper aliquid novi, as they say of Africa.

There be in the daily discourses of the greatest part many things that belong to this world of evil, and yet pass unsuspected, that we do not think them to be within its compass, not using due diligence and exactness in our discoveries of the several parts of it, although it is all within ourselves, yea within a small part of ourselves, our tongues.

It were too quick a fancy to think to travel over this world of iniquity, the whole circuit of it, in an hour, yea or so much as to aim exactly at all the parts that can be taken of it in the smallest map: but some of the chief we would particularly take notice of, in the several four parts of it, for it will without constraint hold resemblance in that division with the other, yet habitable world.

1. Profane speech, that which is grossly and manifestly wicked, and in that part. 1. Impious speeches that directly reflect upon the glory and name of God, blasphemies, and oaths, and cursings, of which so great, so lamentable abundance among us, the whole land overspread and defiled with it, the common noise that meets a man in streets, and houses, and almost all places where he comes: and to these, join those that are not scant among us neither, scoffs and mocking at religion, the power and strictness of it, not only by the grosser sort, but by pretenders to some kind of goodness, for they that have attained to a self-pleasing pitch of civility or formal religion, have usually that point of presumption with it, that they make their own size the model and rule to examine all by; what is below it they condemn indeed, as profane; but what is beyond it they account needless and affected preciseness: and therefore are as ready as others to let fly invectives or bitter taunts against it, which are the keen and poisoned shafts of the tongue, and a persecution that shall be called to a strict account. 2. Impure or filthy speaking which either pollutes or offends those that hear them, and are the noisome breath of a rotten polluted heart.

2. Consider next as another grand part of the tongue, uncharitable speeches tending to the defaming and disgrace of others, and these are likewise of two sorts. 1. Open railing and reproaches. 2. Secret slander and detraction. The former is unjust and cruel, but it is somewhat the less dangerous because open, 'tis a fight in plain field; but truly no piece of a Christian's warfare to encounter it in the same kind, the sons of peace are not for those tongue-combats, they are often no doubt set upon so, but they have another abler way of overcoming it, than by the use of the same weapon, for they break and blunt the point of ill reproaches by meekness, and triumph over cursings with more abundant blessing, as is in the former words, which are seconded with these out of Psalm 34:13-14. But they that enter the lists in this kind, and are provided one for another with enraged minds, are usually not unprovided of weapons, lay hold on any thing comes next, as your drunkards in their quarrels in their cups and pots, if they have any other great reproach, they lay about them with that, as their sword; but if they want that, true or untrue, pertinent or impertinent, all is one, they cast out any revilings that come next to hand: but there is not only wickedness, but something of baseness in these kind of conflicts that makes them more abound among the baser sort, and not so frequent with such as are but of a more civil breeding and quality than the vulgar.

But the other of detraction is more universal among all sorts, as being a far easier way of mischief in this kind, and of better conveyance. Railings cry out the matter openly, but detraction works all by surprises, and stratagem, and mines under ground, and therefore is much more pernicious. The former are, as the arrows that fly by day, but this, as the pestilence that walks in darkness, as these two are mentioned together in the Psalm, it spreads and infects secretly and insensibly, is not felt but in the effects of it; and it works either by calumnies altogether forged and untrue, of which malice is inventive, or by the advantage of real faults (of which it is very discerning) and are stretched and aggravated to the utmost, and 'tis not expressible, how deep a wound a tongue sharpened to this work will give with a very little word and little noise, as a razor, as it is called in the Psalm, that with a small touch cuts very deep; taking things by the worse, whereas charity will try about all ways for a good acceptation and sense of things, and takes all in the best. This pest is still killing some almost in all companies, many wounded as it is said of the strange woman (Proverbs 7), and they convey it under fair prefacing of commendation, so giving them poison in wine, both that it may pass the better, and penetrate the more. This is a great sin, that the Lord ranks with the first, when he sets them in order against a man (Psalm 50).

3. Vain fruitless speeches are an evil of the tongue, not only those they call harmless lies, which some poor people take a pleasure in, and trade much in, light buffooneries and foolish jestings, but the greatest part of those discourses which men account the blameless entertainments one of another, come under compass of this evil, frothy, unsavory stuff, tending to no purpose, nor good at all. Effectless words as our Savior speaks, of which we must render account: for that very reason they are in this world of evil in the tongue, if no other way ill, yet ill as the Arabian deserts and barren sands, fruitless.

4. Doubleness and guile, so great apart, that 'tis here particularly named apart, though the evil of it is less known and discerned, and so there is in it, as I may say, much terra incognita, yet it is of a very large compass, we may confidently say, as large as all the other three together. What of men's speech is not manifestly evil in any of the other kinds, is the most of it naught this way; speech good to appearance plausible and fair, but not upright, not silver, but silver dross, as Solomon calls it, burning lips, etc. (Proverbs 26:23). Each almost some way or other speaking falsehood and deceit to his neighbor, and daring to act this faculty with God in his services, and our protestations of obedience, religious speeches abused by some in hypocrisy, as holy vestments for a mask or disguise, doing nothing but compassing him about with lies, as he complains of Ephraim (Hosea 11:12), deceiving indeed ourselves, while we think to deceive him, who cannot be deceived, and will not be mocked (Psalm 17:1). He saw through the disguises and hypocrisy of his own people, when they came to inquire at him, and yet still entertained their heart-idols, as he tells the prophet (Ezekiel 14).

The sins of each of us, would we enter into a strict account of ourselves, would be found to arise to a great sum in this kind, and they that do put themselves upon the work of self-trial, find (no doubt) abundant matter of deepest humbling, though they had no more, even in the sin of their lips, and are by it often astonished at the Lord's patience, considering his holiness, as Isaiah cried out, having seen the Lord in a glorious vision, this in particular falls upon his thoughts concerning himself and the people, polluted lips, woe is me, etc. And indeed it is a thing the godly mind cannot be satisfied with, to make mention of the Lord till they be touched with a coal from the heavenly fire of the altar, and they especially that are called to be the Lord's messengers will say, as Saint Bernard, had the Prophet need of a coal then to unpollute his lips, then do ministers require [reconstructed: totum globum igneum] (the whole globe of fire). Go through the land and see if the sins of this kind will take up much of the bill against us, which the Lord seems now to have taken into his hands, and to be reading, and about to take order with it, because we will not: would we fall to read it, he would let it fall. Is it not because of oaths that the land mourns, or I am sure has now high cause to mourn? Mocking at the power of godliness, fly thick in most congregations and societies. And what is there to be found almost but mutual detractions and supplantings of the good name of another, and tongues taught to lies, and that frame, or sow, and weave together deceits, as it is in Psalm 50. And even the godly as to other sins, so may be under the degrees of this, and too many are very much, by reason of their unwatchfulness and not staying themselves in this point, though not to profane, yet to vain, and it may be to detractive speeches, sometimes possibly not with malicious intention: but out of an inadvertence of this evil, readier to stick on the failings of men, and it may be of other Christians, than to consider, and commend, and follow what is laudable in them; and it may be in their best discourses, not endeavouring to have hearts purged from all guile and self-ends as becomes. Oh! it is a thing needs much diligent study, and is worth it all to be thoroughly sincere and unfeigned in all, and particularly in those things. Our Saviour's innocence is expressed so, In his mouth was found no guile.

But to add something for remedy of those evils in some part discovered, for to vanquish the world of evils is a great conquest.

1. It must begin at the heart, otherwise it will be but a quack cure, a false imagined conquest, the weights and wheels are there, and the clock strikes according to their motion; even he that speaks contrary to what is within him, guilefully contrary to his inward conviction and knowledge, yet speaks conformably to what is within him, in the temper and frame of his heart, which is double, a heart and a heart, as the Psalmist has it. A guileful heart makes guileful tongue and lips, it is the workhouse, where is the forge of deceits and slanders, and other evil speakings: and the tongue only the outer shop where they vent, and the lips the door of it; so then such ware as is made within, such and no other can be set out; from evil thoughts, evil speakings, from a profane heart, profane words, and from a malicious heart bitter or calumnious words, and from a deceitful heart, guileful words well varnished, but lined with rottenness. And so generally from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks, (as our Saviour teaches.) That which the heart is full of, runs over by the tongue, if the heart be full of God, the tongue will delight to speak of him; much of heavenly things within will sweetly breathe forth something of their smell by the mouth; and if nothing but earth there, all that man's discourse will have an earthly smell, and if nothing but wind, vanity, and folly, the speech will be airy, and vain, and purposeless (Psalm 37:30-31; Psalm 40:8-9). In the midst of my bowels, and as from the center you send forth the lines and rays of suitable words, and will not, cannot refrain, as there it is; so no more can the evil heart refrain the tongue from evil, as here is directed. The tongue of the righteous, says Solomon, is as refined silver, but the heart of the wicked is little worth, makes the antithesis in the root, his heart little worth, and therefore his tongue, no silver in it: he may be worth thousands (as we speak) that is indeed in his chests or lands, and yet himself, his heart, and all the thoughts of it, not worth a penny.

If you are inured to oaths or cursing, in any kind or fashion of it, taking the great name of God any ways in vain, do not favour yourself in it as a small offence; to excuse it by custom, is to wash yourself with ink, and to accuse yourself deeper that you are long practiced in that sin, but if you would indeed be delivered from it, think not that a slight dislike of it (when reproved) will do, but seek for a due knowledge of the majesty of God, and from there a deep reverence of him in your heart, and that will certainly help that habituated evil of your tongue, will quite alter that bias that the custom you speak of has given it, will cast it in a new mould, and teach it a new language, will turn your regardless abuse of that name, in vain oaths and asseverations, into a holy frequent use of it in prayers and praises: you will not then dare to indignify that blessed name, that saints and angels bless and adore, but will set in with them to bless it.

None that knows the weight of it, will dally with it, and lightly lift it up (as that word of taking in vain in the command signifies) they that do continue to lift it up in vain, as it were, to sport themselves with it, will find the weight of it falling back upon them and crushing them to pieces.

In like manner a purified heart will unteach the tongue of all filthy impure speeches, and will give it a holy strain, and the spirit of charity, and humility will banish that mischievous humour, that sits so deep in the most, of reproaching and disgracing others in any kind, either openly or secretly; for it is wicked self-love, and pride of heart, from where those do spring searching and disclosing the failings of others, which love will rather cast a mantle on to hide them.

It is an argument of a candid ingenuous mind, to delight in the good name and commendation of others, to pass by their defects, and take notice of their virtues, and to speak and hear of these willingly, and not endure either to speak or hear of the other; for in this indeed a man may be little less guilty, than the evil speaker in taking pleasure in it, though you speak it not. And this is a piece of men's natural perverseness to drink in tales and calumnies, and he that does this will readily from the delight he has in hearing slide insensibly into the habit of evil speaking; and it is strange how the most dispense with themselves in this point, and that in no societies almost shall we find a hatred of this ill, but rather some touches of pleasingness in it, and until a Christian sets himself to an inward watchfulness over his heart, not suffering in it any thought either of uncharity, or vain self-esteem upon the sight of others' frailties, they will still be subject to somewhat of this in the tongue, or ear at least. So for the evil of guile in the tongue, a sincere heart, truth in the inward parts, that powerfully redresses, therefore Psalm 15 it is expressed, that speaks the truth from his heart. There it flows, seek much after this, to speak nothing with God, nor men, but what is the sense of a single unfeigned heart. O sweet truth! excellent, but rare sincerity! He that loves that truth within alone can work it; seek it of him.

Second, be choice in your society, sit not with vain persons, whose tongues have nothing else to utter but impurity, or malice, or folly. Men readily learn the dialect, and tone of the people among whom they live. If you sit down in the chair of scorners; take a seat with them, you shall readily take a share of their diet with them, and sitting among them take your turn by time of speaking with them in their own language: but frequent grave and godly persons in whose hearts and lips, piety, and love, and wisdom are set, and it is the way to learn it.

Third, use a little of the bridle in the quantity of speech, incline a little rather to sparing than lavishing for in many words there wants not sin: that flux of the tongue, that prating and babbling disease, is very common, and hence so many impertinences, indeed so many of these worse ills in their discourses, whispering about, and enquiring, and censuring this and that; a childish delight, and yet most men carry it with them, all along to speak of persons and things not concerning us; and this draws men to speak many things that agree not with the rules of wisdom, and charity, and sincerity, he that refrains his lips is wise, says Solomon. A vessel without a cover cannot escape uncleanness, and much might be avoided by a little refraining of this, much infection and sin by the many babblings that are usual; and were it no worse, is it not a sufficient evil, that they waste away that time, precious time, that cannot be recovered, that the most just or most thankful man in the world cannot restore. He that spares speech, favors his tongue indeed, as the Latin phrase is [favere Linguae] not he that looses the reins and lets it run, he may ponder and pre-examine what he utters, whether it be profitable and seasonable or no; and so the tongue of the just is as refined silver; it is refined in the wise forethought and pondering of the heart, so is his advice, Bis ad [reconstructed: animam] priusquam semel ad linguam. Even to utter knowledge and wise things profusely holds not of wisdom, and a little usually makes most noise, as the Hebrew proverb is, a penny in an earthen pot keeps a great sound and tinkling. Certainly it is the way to have much inward peace, to be wary in this point. Men think to have solace by much free unbounded discourse with others, and when they have done, they find it otherwise and sometimes contrary. He is wise that has learned to speak little with others, and much with himself, and with God. How much might be gained for our souls, if we would make a right use of this silence, so David dumb to men, found his tongue to God, Psalm 38:13, 15. A spiritual-minded man is quickly weary of other discourse, but of that which he loves and with which his affection is possessed and taken up, grave aestimant quicquid illud non sonat quod intus amant, and by experience a Christian will find it, that when the Lord is pleased to show him most favor at prayer or other spiritual exercise, how unsavory it makes other discourses after it; as they that have tasted something singularly sweet, think other things less sweet, altogether tasteless and unpleasant.

Fourth, in the use of the tongue when you do speak, divert it from evil and guile by a habit of, and delight in profitable and gracious discourse; thus Saint Paul makes the opposition, Ephesians 4: no rotten communication, and yet not total silence neither, but such as may edify and minister grace to the hearers.

Now in this we should consider, to the end such discourses may be more fruitful, both what is the true end of them, and the right means suiting it, they are not only nor principally for the learning of some new things, or the canvassing of debated questions, but their chief good, the warming of the heart, stirring up in it love to God, and remembrance of our present and after estate, our mortality and immortality, and extolling the ways of holiness, and the promises and comforts of the gospel, and the excellency of Jesus Christ, and in these sometimes one particular, sometimes another, as our particular condition requires: or any occasion makes them pertinent, so that in those discourses seek not so much either to vent your knowledge, or to increase it; as to know more spiritually, and effectually what you do know. And in this way those mean despised truths, that each one thinks they are sufficiently seen in, will have a new sweetness and use in them which you did not so well perceive before, for these flowers cannot be sucked dry, and in this humble sincere way you shall grow in grace and in knowledge too.

There is no sweeter entertainment than for travelers to be remembering of their country, their blessed home, and the happiness abiding them there, and refreshing and encouraging one another in the hopes of it, strengthening their hearts against all the hard encounters and difficulties in the way often, often overlooking this moment, and helping each other to higher apprehensions of that vision of God, which we expect.

And are not such discourses much more worthy the choosing, than the base trash we usually fill one another's ears with. Were our tongues given us to exchange folly and sin? Or were they not framed for the glorifying of God, and therefore are called our glory: some take it for the soul; but they must be one in this, and then indeed are both our tongues and souls truly our glory, when they are busied in exalting his, and are tuned together to that, that my glory may sing praise to you and not be silent (Psalm 30:12). Instead of calumnies, and lies, and vanities that are the carrion that flies, base minds, feed on, to delight in divine things, and the extolling of God, is for a man to eat angels' food. An excellent task for the tongue that David chooses (Psalm 35:28): And my tongue shall speak of your righteousness, and of your praise all the day long. Were the day ten in one, no vacant room for any unholy, or offensive, or feigned speech. And they lose not, who love to speak praise to him, for he loves to speak peace to them, and instead of the world's vain tongue liberty, to have such intercourse and discourse is no sad melancholy life, as the world mistakes it.

Verse 11. Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.

This is a full and complete rule; but this is our miserable folly, to mistake so far, as to embrace evil in the notion of good; and not only contrary to the nature of the thing, but contrary to our own experience, still to be pursuing in that which is still flying further off from us, catching at a vanishing shadow of delight, and nothing to fasten upon but real guiltiness and misery. Childish minds, we have been so often gulled, and yet never grow wiser, still bewitched and deluded with dreams, a deceived heart (a mocked or deluded heart) has turned him aside, etc., when we think we are surest, have that hand that holds fastest, our right hand upon some good, and now sure we are sped, even then it proves a lie in our right hand, slips through as a handful of air, and proves nothing, promises fair but does but mock us (as the same word is used by Jacob (Genesis 31:7), expressing the unfaithfulness of his uncle that changed his ways so often); but still we foolishly and madly trust it, when it makes so gross a lie that we might easily, if we took it to the light, see through it, being a lie so often discovered, and of known falsehood; yet some new dream or guise makes it pass with us again, and we go round in that mill, having our eyes out, as Samson, and still where we were, perpetual fruitless toil. Strange that so base deceitful lusts of sin should still keep their credit with us; but the beast has a false prophet at his side to commend him and set him off with new inventions, and causes us to err by his lies, as it is said of the false prophets (Jeremiah 23). But evil it is still, not only void of all good, but the very deformity and debasement of the soul, [reconstructed: defacing] in it the divine image of its maker, and impressing on it the vile image of Satan; and then further, is attended with shame and sorrow, even at the very best, it is a sowing of the wind, no solid good in it, and also a reaping of the whirlwind, vexations and horrors: they that know it in the sense of this after-view attended with the wrath of an offended God, ask them what they think of it, if they would not in those thoughts rather choose any trouble or pain though great, than willingly to adventure on the ways of sin.

Obedience is that good, that beauty and comeliness of the soul, that conformity with the holy will of God, that has peace and sweetness in it, the hardest of it truly delightful even in present, and hereafter fully. Would we learn to consider it thus, to know sin to be the greatest evil, and the holy will of God the highest good, it would be easy to persuade and prevail much in this, to eschew the one, and do the other.

These do not only reach the actions, but require an intrinsic aversion of the heart from sin, and [reconstructed: propensity] to holiness and love of it.

Eschew.] The very motion and bias of the soul turned from sin, and carried towards God; and this is principally to be considered by us, and inquired after within us, an abhorrence of sin, as the Scripture speaks, not simple forbearing, but hating and loathing it, and this springing from the love of God. You that love the Lord, hate evil, you will do so, cannot choose but do so, and so know that love to him to be upright and true.

And where this is, the avoidance of sin, and walking in holiness, doing good, will be: 1. More constant, not wavering with the variation of outward things, of occasion, or society, or secrecy, but going on in its natural course, as the sun is as far from the earth, and goes as fast under a cloud as when it is in our sight, and goes cheerfully, because from a natural principle, rejoices as a strong man to run (Psalm 19); thus the obedience of a renewed mind. And, 2. More universal, namely of all sin; as natural antipathies are against the whole kind of any thing. 3. More exact, keeping a far off from the very appearances of sin, and from all the inducements, and steps towards it, and this is the true way of eschewing it.

Not a little time of constrained forbearance during a night, or the day of participating of the Communion, or a little time before them, and some few days after them, for thus with the most sin is not dispossessed and cast out, but retires inward and lurks in the heart; being beset with those ordinances knows they last but a while, and therefore it gets into its strength, and keeps close there, till those be out of sight and disappear again, and be a good way off, that it thinks itself out of their danger, a good many days past, and then it comes forth, and returns to act itself, with liberty and with more vigor, as it were to regain the time it has been forced to lose and lie idle in.

They again miss in the right of this eschewing, that think themselves possibly some body in it, in that they do avoid the gross sins wherein the vulgar sort of sinners wallow, or do eschew such evils as they have little or no inclination of nature to; but where the heart stands against sin, as a breach of God's law, and an offence against His Majesty, as Joseph, shall I do this evil and sin against God? There it will carry against all kind of sin, the most refined, and the most beloved sin, wherein the truth of this aversion is most tried and approved; as they that have a strong natural dislike of some kind of meat, dress it as you will, and mingle it with what they love best, yet will not willingly eat of it, and if they be surprised and deceived some way to swallow some of it, yet they will find it after, and be restless till they have vomited it up again. Thus is it with the heart, that has that inward contrariety to sin wrought in it by a new nature, no reconcilement with it, nor with any kind of it, as those deadly feuds that were against whole families, and names without exception. No fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, as the Apostle speaks, for what agreement between light and darkness: and this hatred of sin, works most against sin in a man's self, as in things we abhor, our reluctance rises most where they are nearest us: a godly man hates sin in others, as hateful, wherever it is found, but because it is nearest him in himself, he hates it most there. They, who by their nature and breeding are somewhat delicate, like not to see anything uncleanly anywhere, but least in their own house, and upon their own clothes or skin. This makes the godly man indeed fly not only the society of evil men, but from himself, goes out of his old self; and till this be done, a man does not indeed fly sin; but carries it still with him as an evil companion or an evil guide rather, that misleads him still from the paths of life. And there is much, first in the true discovery, and then the thorough disunion of the heart from that sin, which is most of all a man's self; that from which he can hardliest escape, that besets him most, and lies in his way on all hands, has him at every turn, to disengage and get free from that, to eschew that evil. And the task in this is the harder, if this evil be as oftentimes it may be, not some gross one, but more subtle, that is less seen, and therefore not so easily avoided; but for this an impartial search must be used, if it be among those things that seem most necessary, and that cannot be wanting, an idol hid among the stuff, yet from there must it be drawn forth and cast out.

The right eschewing of evil is a wary avoidance of all occasions and beginnings of it, fly from sin (says the wise man) as from a serpent, not to be tampering with it, and coming near it, and thinking to charm it, for who will not laugh at the charmer that is bit with a serpent, as he says, he that thinks he has power and skill to handle it without danger; Let him observe Solomon's advice concerning the strange woman, he says, not only go not into her house, but remove your way far from her, and come not near the door of her house: so teaches he wisely for the avoiding that other sin near to it, look not on the wine when it is red in the cup. They that are bold and adventurous are [reconstructed: often] wounded: thus he that [reconstructed: removes stones] shall be hurt thereby. If we know our own weakness, and the strength of sin, we will fear to expose ourselves to hazards, and even abridge ourselves of some things lawful when they prove dangerous, for he that will do always all he lawfully may, shall often do something that lawfully he may not.

Thus for the other, [doing of good.] The main is to be inwardly principled for it, a heart stamped with the love of God and his commandments, for conscience of his will, and love to him, and desire of his glory to do all; a good action, even the best kind of actions, in an evil hand and from an evil unsanctified heart passes among evils. Delight in the Lord and his ways. David's, Oh! how I love your law, can tell that he esteems it above the richest and pleasantest things on earth: but how much he esteems and loves it, he cannot express.

And upon this will follow, as in the former, a constant track and course of obedience, even contrary to the stream of wickedness about a man, and the bent of his own corrupt heart within him moving against all, a serious desire and endeavor after all good within our calling and reach; but especially that particular good of our calling, that which is in our hand, and is peculiarly required of us. For in this some deceive themselves, look upon such a condition as they imagine were for them, or such as is in their eye when they look upon others, and think if they were such, and had such place, and such power and opportunities, they would do great matters, and in the mean time neglect that good to which they are called, and have in some measure power and place to do; this is the roving sickly humor of our minds, and speaks their weakness, as sick persons, that would still change their bed, or posture, or place of abode, thinking to be better: but a staid mind applies itself to its own station, and seeks to glorify him that set it there, reverencing his wisdom in disposing of it so: and there is certainty of a blessed approbation of this be it never so low, it is not the high condition, but much fidelity, you have been faithful in little. We must care not only to answer occasions when they call, but to catch at them, and seek them out, indeed to frame occasions of doing good, whether in the Lord's immediate service delighting in that, private and public, or to men, in assisting one with our means, another with our admonitions, another with counsel or comfort as we can; laboring not only to have something of that good that is most contrary to our nature, but even to be eminent in that, setting Christian resolution, and both the example and strength of our Lord against all oppositions and difficulties, and discouragements. Looking to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, etc.

We see our rule, and 'tis the rule of peace and happiness; what hinders but we apply our hearts to it, this is our work, and setting aside the advantage that follows, consider the thing in itself. 1. The opposition of sin and obedience under the name of evil, and good. 2. The composition of our rule in these: eschew and do. Consider it thus — evil and good — and it will persuade us to eschew and do.

And if persuaded to it, then: 1. Desire light from above, to discover to you what is evil, and offensive to God in any kind, and what pleases him, what is his will: for that is the rule and reason of good in our actions, that you may prove what is the good, and holy, and acceptable will of God. And to discover in yourselves what is most enemy, and repugnant to that will. 2. A renewed mind to hate that evil, the closest and most connatural to you, and to love that good, even that which is most contrary. 3. Strength and skill, that by another spirit than your own you may avoid evil and do good, and resist the incursions and solicitings of evil, the slights and violences of Satan, who is both a serpent and a lion; and power against your own inward corruption and the fallacies of your own heart. And thus you shall be able for every good work, and be kept in such a measure as suits your present estate, blameless in soul and body to the coming of Jesus Christ.

Oh! but I am often entangled and plunged in soul-evils, and often frustrated in my thoughts against these evils, and aims at the good, which is my task.

And was not this Paul's condition? May you not complain in his language, and happy if with some measure of his sense, happy in crying out of wretchedness — was not this his malady, when I would do good, evil is present with me. But know once that though your duty is this, to eschew evil and do good, yet your salvation is more surely founded, than on your own good; that perfection that answers justice and the law is not required of you, you are to walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit, but in so walking, whether in a low or high measure, still your comfort lies in this, that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. As the apostle begins the next chapter after his sad complaints. Again consider his thoughts in the close of the same chapter, perceiving the work of God in him, and differencing that from the corrupt notions of himself, and so finding at once matter of heavy complaint, and yet of cheerful exultation. O! wretched man that I am, and yet with the same breath, thanks to God through Christ Jesus our Lord.

So then mourn with him, and yet rejoice with him, and go on with courage as he, still fighting the good fight of faith, when you fall in the mire be ashamed and humbled, yet return and wash in the fountain opened, and return and beg new strength to walk more surely, learn to trust yourself less and God more, and up and be doing against your enemies, however tall and mighty be the sons of Anak. Be of good courage, and the Lord shall be with you, and shall strengthen your heart, and establish your goings.

Do not lie down to rest upon lazy conclusions, that 'tis well enough with you, because you are out of the common puddle of profaneness, but look further, to purge from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Do not think your little is enough, or that you are desperate of attaining more, but press, press hard toward the mark and prize of your high calling, do not think all is lost, because you are at present foiled; the experienced soldier knows that he has often won the day after a fall, or a wound received, and be assured that after the short combats of a moment follows an eternity of triumph.

Let him seek peace and ensue it.] Omitting the many acceptations of the word peace, here particularly external peace with men, I conceive, is meant, and this to be sought; and not only so to be sought, when it is willingly found, but to pursue and follow it, when it seems to fly away: but yet so to pursue it, as never to step out of the way of holiness, and righteousness after it, and to forsake this rule that goes before it of eschewing evil and doing good, indeed mainly in so doing is peace to be sought and pursued, and most readily to be found and overtaken in that way: for the fruit of righteousness is peace.

Consideration 1. An unpeaceable turbulent disposition is the badge of a wicked mind, as the raging sea still casting up mire and dirt (Isaiah 57). But this love of peace and in all good ways seeking and pursuing it, the true character of the children of God, who is the God of peace. True, the ungodly (to prevent their own just challenge as Ahab) call the friends of true religion disturbers, and the troublers of Israel. And this will still be their impudence, but certainly they that love the welfare of Jerusalem, do seek, and pray for, and work for peace all they can, as a chief blessing, and the fruitful womb of multitudes of blessings.

Secondly, consider then that it is a heavy judgment, the deprivation of peace, and calls for our prayers and tears to pursue it and entreat its return, to seek it from his hand, that is the sovereign dispenser of peace and war, to seek to be at peace with him, and thereby all good shall come to us, and particularly this great good of outward peace in due time, and the very judgment of war shall in the event be turned into a blessing. We may pursue it among men, and not overtake it, use all good means and fall short, but pursue it up as far as the throne of grace, seek it by prayer and that will overtake it, will be sure to find it in God's hand who stills the waves of the sea, and the tumults of the people. If he gives quietness, who then can disturb.

He that will love life.] This the attractive — [reconstructed: life], long life and days of good, is the thing men most desire, for if evil days, then the worse that they be long, and the shortest of such seem too long; and if short being good, this cuts off the enjoyment of that good: but these two complete the good, and suit it to men's wishes, length and prosperity of life.

This here supposed that all would be happy, that all desire it, carried to that by nature to seek their own good: but he that will love it, that's here, that will wisely love it, that will take the way to it, and be true to his desire, must refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile; he must eschew evil and do good; seek peace and ensue it. You desire to see good days and yet hinder them by sinful provocations, desire good clear days, and yet cloud them by your guiltiness.

Thus many desire good here, indeed and confusedly the good of the life to come, because they hear it's life, and long life, and good to be found in it, indeed nothing but good: but in this is our folly, we will not love it wisely, the face of our desire is towards it, but in our course, we are rowing from it down into the dead sea. You would all have better times, peace and plenty, and freedom from the molest and expense of our present condition, why will you not be persuaded to seek it in the true way of it.

But how this? do not the righteous often pass their days in distress, and sorrow, and have few and evil days, as Jacob speaks? Yet is there a truth in this promise, annexing outward good things to godliness, as having the promises of this life, and that which is to come; and so accomplished to them, when the Lord sees it convenient and conducing to their highest good; but that he most aims at, and they themselves do most desire; and therefore if the abatement of outward good, either the length or sweetness of this life serve his main end and theirs better, they are agreed upon this gainful commutation of good for infinitely better.

The life of a godly man though short in comparison of the utmost of nature's course, yet may be long in value, in [reconstructed: respect] of his activity and attainment to much spiritual good, they may be said to live much in a little time; and they that wear out their days in folly and sin, diu vivunt sed parum, that is, they live long but little, or as he again non diu vixit, diu fuit, that is, he lived not long, but existed long. And the good of their days, unseen good, surpasses all the world's mirth and prosperity that makes a noise, but is hollow within as the crackling of thorns, a great sound but little heat, and quickly done, as Saint Augustine says of Abraham, he had dies bonos in Deo, licet malos in seculo, good days in God, though evil days in his generation. A believer can make up an ill day with a good God, and enjoying him, has solid peace: but then that which is abiding, that length of days and that dwelling in the house of God in that length of days, is that which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, etc. Good days, an everlasting day, no need of the sun nor moon: but that day immediately flows from first and uncreated light, the Father of Lights, his glory shines in it, and the Lamb is the light of it.

Verse 12. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

The wisest knowledge of things is to know them in their causes: but there is no knowledge of causes so happy and useful, as clearly to know and firmly believe the universal dependence of all things upon the first and highest cause, the cause of causes, the spring of being and goodness, the wise and just ruler of the world.

This the Psalmist, and here with him the Apostle, gives as the true reason of that truth they have averred in the former words, the connection of holiness and happiness. If life, and peace, and all good be in God's hand to bestow when it pleases him, then sure the way to it, is an obedient and regular walking, observance of his will; and the way of sin is the way to ruin: for the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, etc. And his face against them that do evil.

In the words there's a double opposition; of persons, and of their portion. 1. Persons. The righteous and evil doers.

1. These two words are usual in the Scriptures, and particularly in the book of Psalms, to express the godly, and wicked, and so this righteousness is not absolute perfection or sinlessness; nor the opposed evil, doing every act of sin or breach of God's law; but the righteous be they, that are students of obedience and holiness, that desire to walk as in the sight of God, and to walk with God, as Enoch did; that are glad when they can any way serve him, and grieved when they offend him; that feel and bewail their unrighteousness, and are earnestly breathing and advancing forward, have a sincere and unfeigned love to all the commandments of God, and a diligent endeavor to observe them, that vehemently hate what most pleases their corrupt nature, and love the command that crosses it most; this is an imperfect kind of perfection (Philippians 3:12, 15).

On the other side, evil-doers are they that commit sin with greediness, that walk in it, make it their way, that live in sin as their element, take pleasure in unrighteousness, as the Apostle speaks, their great faculty and their great delight lies in sin, they are skillful and cheerful evil-doers, not any one man in all kind of sins, that's impossible, there is a concatenation of sin, and one disposes and induces to another, but yet one ungodly man is readily more versed in, and delighted with some one kind of sin, another with some other, forbears none because evil, and hateful to God, but as he cannot travel over the whole globe of wickedness, go the full circuit, he walks up and down, in his accustomed way of sin. No one mechanic is good at all trades, nor any man expert in all arts: but he is an evil-doer that follows the particular trade of the sin he has chosen, is active, and diligent in that, and finds it sweet. In a word, the main of this opposition lies in the bent of the affection — what way it is set. The godly man hates the evil he possibly by temptation has been drawn to do, and loves the good he is frustrated of, and having intended has not attained to do: the sinner that has his denomination from sin, as his course, hates the good that sometimes he is forced to do, and loves that sin which many times he does not, either wants occasion and means, and so cannot do, or through check of an enlightened conscience possibly dares not do, though so bound up from the act, as a dog in a chain; yet the habit, the natural inclination and desire in him, is still the same, the strength of his affection is carried to sin. As in the weakest godly man, there is that predominant sincerity, and desire of holy walking, according to which he is called a righteous person, the Lord is pleased to give him that name, and account him so being upright in heart, though often failing. There is a righteousness of a higher strain, upon which his salvation hangs, that is not in him, but upon him; he is clothed with it; but this other of sincerity and of true and hearty (though imperfect) obedience is the righteousness here meant opposed to evil-doing.

Secondly, their opposite condition or portion is expressed in the highest notion of it, that wherein the very being of happiness and misery lies, the favor and anger of God. As their natures differ most, by the habitude of their affection towards God as their main distinguishing character, so the differences of their estate consists in the point of his affection towards them, spoken here in our language by the diverse aspects of his countenance, for that our love and hate usually looks out, and shows itself that way.

Now for the other word expressing his favor to the righteous, by the openness of his ear, the opposition in the other needed not, for either the wicked pray not, or if they do, it is indeed no prayer, the Lord does not account nor receive it as such; and if his face be set against them, certainly his ear is shut against them too, and so shut that it opens not to their loudest prayer. Though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them, says the Lord (Ezekiel 8:18).

And before we pass to the particulars of their condition, as here we have them, this we would consider a little, and apply it to our present business; what are these persons the Lord thus regards, and opens his ear to their prayer?

This we pretend to be seeking after, that the Lord would look favorably upon us, and hearken to our suits, for ourselves, and this land, and the whole Church of God within these kingdoms. Indeed the fervent prayer of a faithful man avails much, it is of great strength, a mighty thing, that can bind and loose the influences of heaven, as there is instanced, and the prayer of a righteous man, be it but of one righteous man, how much the combined cries of many of them together. And that we judge not the righteousness there and here mentioned, a thing above human estate, Elias, says the Apostle, was a man, and a man subject to like passions as we are, and yet such a righteous person as the Lord had an eye and gave ear to in so great a matter. But where are those righteous fasters and prayers in great congregations? How few, if any, to be found, that are but such in the lowest sense and measure, real lovers and inquirers after holiness? What are our meetings here, but assemblies of evil-doers, rebellious children, ignorant and profane persons, or dead formal professors, and so the more of us the worse, incensing the Lord more, and the multitude of prayers, though we could and would continue many days, all to no purpose, from such as we (Isaiah 1). Though you make many prayers, when you multiply prayer, I will not hear: and when you spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you; your hands so filthy that if you would follow me to lay hold on me with them, you drive me further off, as one with foul hands following a person that is neat to catch hold of him; and if you spread them out before me, my eyes are pure, you will make me turn away, I cannot endure to look upon them, I will hide mine eyes from you. And fasting added with prayer will not do it, not make it pass, when they fast, I will not hear their cry (Jeremiah 14).

It is the sin of his people that provokes him instead of favorable looking on them to have his eyes upon them for evil and not for good, as he threatens; and therefore without [reconstructed: putting away] of that, prayer is lost breath, does no good.

They that retain still their sins, will not hearken to his voice, how can they expect, but that justly threatened retaliation (Proverbs 1), and that the Lord in holy scorn in the day of their distress should send them for help and comfort to these things they have made their gods, have preferred before him in their trouble. They will say arise and save us, but where are the gods that you have made for yourself, let them arise if they can save you in the time of your trouble (Jeremiah 2:28).

And not only do fouler impieties thus disappoint our prayers; but the lodging of any sin in our affection, if I regard iniquity in my heart (says the Psalmist) the Lord will not hear my voice; if I see iniquity, the word is, if my eye look pleasantly upon it, his will not look so upon me, nor shall I find his ear so ready and open: says not, if I do sin, but if I regard it in my heart. The heart entertaining and embracing a sin, be it a lesser sin, is more than the simple falling into sin, and as the ungodly do for this reason lose all their prayers, a godly man may suffer this way, in some degree, upon some degree of guiltiness, this way the heart seduced, it may be, and entangled for a time by some sinful lust, they are sure to find a stop in their prayers, that they neither go nor come so quickly, and so comfortably as before. Any sinful humor, as rheums do our voice, binds up the voice of prayer, makes it not so clear and shrill as it used to be; and the accusing guilt of it ascending shuts up the Lord's ear, that he does not so readily hear and answer as before: and thus that sweet correspondence is prejudiced, which all the delights of the world cannot compensate.

If then you would have easy and sweet accesses seek 1. a holy heart, entertain a constant care and study of holiness, admit no parley with sin, do not so much as hearken to it, if you would be readily heard.

2. Seek a broken heart, the Lord is ever at hand to that, it is in the same Psalm, he is near to them that are of a contrite spirit, etc. it is an excellent way to prevail. The breaking of the heart multiplies petitioners, every piece of it has a voice, and a very strong and very moving voice, that enters his ear, and stirs the bowels and compassions of the Lord towards it.

3. A humble heart that may present its suits always, the court is constantly there, even within it, the Great King loves to make his abode and residence in it (Isaiah 57:15). This is the thing that the Lord so delights in and requires, he will not fail to accept of it, it is his choice (Micah 6): With what shall I come, etc. He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, and love mercy. There is this righteousness, and that as a great part making it up to walk humbly with your God; in the original, humble to walk with your God, he cannot agree with a proud heart, he hates and resists it, and two cannot walk together unless they be agreed, as the Wise man speaks. The humble heart only company for God, has liberty to walk and converse with him, he gives grace to the humble, he bows his ear, if you lift not up your neck: proud beggars he turns away with disdain, and the humblest suitors always speed best with him. Righteous, not such in their own eyes, but in his, through his gracious condescension and acceptance; and is there not reason to come humbly before him, base worms to the most holy and most high God?

The Eyes of the Lord.] We see 1. That both are in his sight the righteous and the wicked, all of them, and all their ways, his eye is on the one, and his face on the other, as the word is, but so on these as against them, it is therefore rendered his eye of knowledge and of observance, marking them and their actions equally upon both. No darkness nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves, foolishly and wretchedly done to do that, or think that, that we would hide from the Lord, and then to think that we can hide it; the Prophet speaks woe to such. Woe to them that dig deep to hide their counsel from the Lord, and their works are in the dark, and they say, who sees us? and who knows us? (Isaiah 29:15). And this is the grand principle of all wickedness, not (it may be) expressly stated, but secretly lying in the soul, a habitual forgetting of God and his eye, not considering that he beholds us, you that forget God, says the Psalm; from there comes all impiety; and on the other side the remembrance of his eye, a radical point of piety and holiness, in which Psalm 139 is large and excellent.

But as the Lord does thus equally see both, so, as his eye and countenance imports his mind concerning them, and towards them, the manner of beholding them is different, indeed contrary. And from the other beholding in common, knowing their ways, arises this different beholding, which (as usually words of sense signify also the affection) is their approving and dislike, the loving and hating them, and their ways: so he peculiarly knows the righteous and their ways (Psalm 1). And knows not, never knew the workers of iniquity, even those that by their profession would plead most acquaintance, and familiar converse, eating and drinking in his presence, and yet I know you not, from where are you? It is not a breaking off from former acquaintance; no, he does not that, disavows none ever truly acquainted with him, so the other Evangelist has it of those that thought to have been in no small account, I never knew you, depart from me, and there is the convincing reason in that you workers of iniquity; none of his favorites and friends such.

Thus here, his eye, his gracious eye for good, is on the righteous; and his face, his angry looks, his just wrath against evil-doers.

In the eleventh Psalm we have this, much after the same way, expressed. First, that we spoke of his knowing and beholding in common, the righteous and wicked, and their ways, sitting high where he may mark, and seeing clear throughout all places and all hearts, his throne is in heaven, his eyes behold, his eyelids try the children of men. He sits in heaven not as in a chair of rest, regardless of human things, but on a throne for governing and judging, though with as little uneasiness and disturbance, [illegible] there were nothing to be done that way. His eyes behold, not in a fruitless contemplation or knowledge; but his eyelids try, which signifies an intent inspection, such as men usually make with a kind of motion of their eyelids. Then upon this is added the different portion of the righteous and wicked, in his beholding them and dealing with them: he tries the righteous, approves what is good in them, and by trial and affliction does purge out what is evil, and in both these, is love; but the wicked, and him that loves violence his soul hates, and therefore, as here, his face is against them, his soul and face all one, but these things are expressed after our manner, he looks upon them with indignation, and from there come the storms in the next verse, snares rained down, the wariest foot cannot avoid such snares, they come down upon them from above, fire, and brimstone, and burning tempest, alluding to Sodom's judgment, as an emblem of the punishment of all the wicked: this is the portion of their cup. There is a cup for them but his children drink not with them; they have another cup, the Lord himself is the portion of their cup (Psalm 16). His favor, as closes (Psalm 11), the righteous Lord loves righteousness, his countenance does behold the upright, that is another beholding than the former, gracious, loving beholding, as here, his eyes upon the righteous.

Now the persuasion of this truth is the main establishment of a godly mind, amidst all the present confusions that appear in things, and it is so here intended, and in the Psalm, and throughout the Scriptures.

To look upon the present flourishing and prosperity of evildoers, and distresses and sorrows of the godly, is a dark obscure matter in itself: but the way to be cleared and comforted, is to look above them to the Lord. They looked to him and were lightened (Psalm 34:5); that answers all doubts to believe this undoubted providence and justice, the eye of God that sees all, indeed rules all these things: and in the midst of all the painted happiness of wicked men this is enough to make them miserable, the Lord's face is against them, and they shall surely find it so, he has wrath and judgment in store, and will bring it forth to light, will execute it in due time, he is preparing for them that cup spoken of, and they shall drink it. So in the saddest condition of his Church and a believing soul, to know this, that the Lord's eye is even then upon them, and that he is upon thoughts of peace, and love to them, is that which settles and composes the mind. Thus in that Psalm before cited, it was such difficulties that did drive David's thoughts to that for satisfaction: if the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? In the time of such great shakings and confusions, the righteous man can do nothing to it, but the righteous Lord can do enough, he can do all, the righteous Lord that loves righteousness, while all seems to go upside down, he is on his throne, he is trying and judging, and will appear to be judge. This is the thing that a faithful soul should learn to look to, and not lose view and firm belief of, and desire the Lord himself to raise their minds to it, when they are like to sink. Natural strength and resolution will not serve the turn, floods may come that will arise above that, something above a man's own must support him: therefore say with David, when my spirit is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I. They think sometimes it is so hard with them, he regards not, but he assures them the contrary (Isaiah 49): I have graven you upon the palms of my hands. I cannot look upon my own hands, but I must remember you: and your walls are continually before me. This is that the spouse seeks for: set me as a seal upon your arm (Song of Solomon 8).

Now a little more particularly to consider the expressions and their scope here: how is it made good that the former words teach, that they that walk in the ways of wickedness can expect no good, are certainly miserable? Thus: the face of the Lord is against them. Prosper they may in their affairs and estates, may have riches, and posterity, and friends, and the world caressing them, and smiling on them on all hands, but there is that one thing that damps all — the face of the Lord is against them. This they feel not indeed for the time, it is an invisible ill, out of sight and out of mind with them: but there is a time of the appearing of this face of the Lord against them, the revelation of his just judgment, as the Apostle speaks, sometimes precursory days of it here, but however one great prefixed day, a day of darkness to them indeed, wherein they shall know what this is, that now sounds so light, to have the face of the Lord against them. A look of it more terrible than all present miseries combined together, what then shall the eternity of it be? To be punished (as the Apostle speaks) with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and the glory of his power.

Are we not then impertinent foolish creatures, that are so thoughtful how our poor businesses here succeed with us, and how we are accounted of in the world, and how the faces of men are towards us, and scarce ever enter into a secret serious inquiry, how the countenance of God is to us, whether favorably shining on us or still angrily set against us, as it is against all impenitent sinners?

The face of the soul being towards God, turned away from the world and sin, argues to it, that his face is not against it, but that he has graciously looked upon it, and by a look of love has drawn it towards himself, for we act not first in that, non amatur Deus nisi de Deo, it is he that goes before us, and by the beam of his, kindles love in our hearts. Now the soul that is thus set towards him, it may be, does not constantly see here his face shining full and clear upon it: but often clouded, it may be, has not yet at all seen it sensibly, yet this it may conclude, seeing my desires are toward him, and my chief desire is the sweet light of his countenance, though as yet I find not his face shining on me, yet I am persuaded it is not set against me to destroy me. Misbelief, when the soul is much under, and distempered, may suggest this sometimes too: but yet still there is some spark of hope that it is otherwise, and that the eye of the Lord's pity is even in that estate upon us, and will in time manifest itself to be so.

To the other, what assurance have the godly, for that seeing of good, these blessings you speak of? This, the eyes of the Lord are upon them, and his ears open to their prayer, if you think him wise enough to know what is good for them, and rich enough to afford it, they are sure of one thing, he loves them, they have his good will, his heart is towards them and therefore his eye, and his ear; can they then want any good? If many days, and outward good things be indeed good for them, they cannot miss of these, he has given them already much better things than these come to, and has yet far better in store for them, and whatever way the world go with them, this itself is happiness enough, that they are in his love, whose loving kindness is better than life, sweet days have they that live in it, what better days would a courtier wish, than to be still in the eye and favor of the King, to be certain of his good will towards them, and to know of access, and of a gracious acceptance of all their suits: Now thus it is with all the servants of the great King, without prejudice one to another, he is ready to receive their requests, and able and willing to do them all good. Happy estate of a believer, he must not account himself poor and destitute in any condition, for he has favor at court, he has the King's eye and his ear, the eyes of the Lord are upon him, and his ears open to his prayers.

The Eyes.] This has in it, 1. His love, the propension of his heart towards them: the eye is the servant of the affection, turns readily that way most, where the heart is: therefore thus the Lord is pleased to speak of his love to his own, he views still all the world, but he looks upon them with a peculiar delight, his eye still on them, as it were towards them from all the rest of the world, though he does not always let them see these his looks, for it is not said, they always are in sight of it, no, not here, yet still his eye is indeed upon them, by the beauty of grace in them, his own work indeed, the beauty that he himself has put upon them: And so the other of his ear too, he is willing to do for them what they ask, he loves even to hear them speak, finds a sweetness in the voice of their prayers, that makes his ear not only open to their prayers, but desirous of them as sweet music. Thus he speaks of both (Song of Solomon 2:14): My dove let me see your countenance, let me hear your voice, for sweet is your voice, and your countenance is comely.

2. His good providence and readiness to do them good, to supply their wants, and order their affairs for them, to answer their desires, and thus to let them find the fruits of that love that so leads his eye and ear towards them, his eye is upon them, he is devising and thinking what to do for them, it is the thing he thinks on most: his eyes are on all, but they are busied, as he is pleased to express it, they run to and fro through the earth, to show himself strong in behalf of them, whose heart is perfect towards him, etc. (2 Chronicles 16:9) so (Deuteronomy 11:12) his eyes all the year on the land. And no wonder then he answers their suits in what is good for them, when it is still in his thoughts before, he goes before them, they cannot be so mindful of themselves, as he is of them.

This is an unspeakable comfort, when a poor believer is in great perplexity of any kind in his outward or spiritual condition. Well, I see no way, I am blind in this, but there are eyes upon me that see well what is best, the Lord is minding me, and bringing about all to my advantage; I am poor and needy indeed, but the Lord thinks on me, that casts the balance. Would not a man, though he had nothing, think himself happy, if some great prince were busily thinking how to advance and enrich him; much more, if a number of kings were upon this thought, and devising together, yet these thoughts might perish, as the Psalmist speaks? How much solider happiness is it to have him, whose power is greatest, and whose thoughts [reconstructed: fail] not eying you, and devising your good, and asking us as it were, What shall be done to the man whom the King will honor?

And his Ears.] What suits you have, you may speak freely, he will not refuse you anything that is for your good.

But I am not righteous, and all this is for them only: yet you would be such a one; would you indeed? Then in part you are, as he modestly and wisely changed the name of Wisemen into Philosophers, are you not righteous, yet a lover of righteousness you are, then one of these: but if still your own unrighteousness be in your eye, it may and should be so to humble you, but if it should scare you from coming to God, and offering your suits with this persuasion that his ear is open, make you think that his favorable eye is not toward you, yet there is mercy, creep in under the robe of his Son, you are sure he is Jesus Christ the righteous, and that the Father's eye is on him with delight, and then it shall be so on you being in him, and put your petitions into his hand, that is great master of requests, you cannot doubt that he has access, and that ear open which you think shut to you.

The exercise of prayer being so important, and bearing so great a part in the life and comfort of a Christian, it deserves to be very seriously considered. We will therefore subjoin some few considerations concerning it.

1. Prayer is considerable in a threefold notion. 1. As a duty we owe to God, being he from whom we expect and receive all; it is a very reasonable homage and acknowledgement thus to testify the dependence of our being and life on him, and the dependence of our souls upon him, for being, and life, and all good, that we be daily suitors before his throne, and go to him for all. 2. As the dignity, and the delight of a spiritual mind, to have so near access to God, and such liberty to speak to him. 3. As a proper and sure means by divine appointment and promise of obtaining at the hands of God those good things that are needful and convenient for us. And although some believers of lower knowledge, do not (it may be) so distinctly know, and others, not so particularly consider all these in it, yet there is a latent notion of all these in the heart of every godly person, that stirs them and puts them on to the constant use of prayer, and to a love of it.

And as they are in these respects inclined, and bent to the exercise of prayer, the Lord's ear is in like manner inclined to hear their prayer in these respects. 1. He takes it well at their hands, that they do offer it up as due worship to him, that they desire thus, as they can to serve him, accepts of those offerings graciously, passes by the imperfections in them, and has regard to their sincere intention and desire. 2. It pleases him well, that they delight in prayer, as converse with him, that they love to be much with him, and to speak to him often, and still aspire by this way to more acquaintance with him, that they are ambitious of this. 3. He willingly hears their prayers as the expressions of their necessities and desires, being both rich and bountiful, loves to have blessings drawn out of his hands that way, as full breasts delight to be drawn; the Lord's treasure always full, and therefore always communicative. In the first respect, prayer is acceptable to the Lord as incense and sacrifice, as David desires, the Lord receives it as divine worship done to him. In the second, prayer is as the visits and sweet entertainment, and discourse of friends together, and so pleasing to the Lord, the free opening of the mind, pouring out of the heart to him, as it is called in the Psalm, and so done, calls it his words and his meditation, and the word for that signifies discourse or conference. And in the third sense he receives prayer as the suits of petitioners that are in favor with him, and that he readily accords to. And thus the words for supplication in the original, and the word here for prayer, and that for cry in the Psalm, do mean, and in that sense the Lord's open ear, and listening has in it his readiness to answer, as one that does hear, and to answer graciously and really, as hearing favorably.

Some directions, 1. For prayer, that it may be accepted and answered. 2. For observing the answers of it.

1. For prayer the qualification of the heart that offers it. 2. The way of offering it.

The heart, 1. In some measure a holy heart according to that here, the righteous, not regarding iniquity, entertaining of friendship with any sin, but a permanent love and desire of holiness. Thus indeed a man prays within himself, as in a sanctified place, where the Lord's ear inclines as of old to the temple, need not run superstitiously to a church, etc. intra te ora, sed vide prius an sis templum Dei. The sanctified man's body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, as the Apostle speaks, and his soul the priest in it, that offers sacrifice both holy to the Lord, consecrated to him, a believing heart, no praying without this. Faith the very life of prayer, from which springs hope and comfort with it, to uphold the soul, and keep it steady under storms with the promises, and as Aaron and Hur to Moses, keeping it from fainting, strengthening the hands when they would begin to fail, that word, (Psalm 10:17) for the preparing of the heart which God gives as an assurance and pledge of his inclining his ear to hear, signifies the establishing of the heart, that indeed is a main point of its preparedness, and due disposition for prayer. Now this is done by faith, without which the soul, as the Apostle James speaks, is a rolling unquiet thing, as a wave of the sea, of itself unstable as the waters, and then driven with the wind and tossed to and fro with every temptation; see and feel your own unworthiness as much as you can, for you are never bid believe in yourself, no, but countermanded that as faith's great enemy, but what has your unworthiness to say against free promises of grace which are the basis of your faith, so then believe that that you may pray, this is David's advice, (Psalm 62) trust in him at all times you people, and then pour out your hearts before him, confide in him as a most faithful and powerful friend, and then you will open your hearts to him.

2. For the way of offering up prayer — it is a great art, a main part of the secret of religion to be skilled in it, and of great concern for the comfort and success of it, much here to be considered, but for the present briefly. 1. Offer not to speak to him without the heart in some measure seasoned and prepossessed with the sense of his greatness and holiness, and there is much in this, considering wisely to whom we speak, the King, the Lord of Glory, and setting the soul before him, in his presence, and then reflecting on ourselves, and seeing what we are, how wretched, and base, and filthy, and unworthy of such access to such a great majesty, the want of this preparing of the heart to speak in the Lord's ear, by the consideration of God and ourselves is that which fills the exercise of prayer with much guiltiness, makes the heart careless, and slight, and irreverent, and so displeases the Lord, and disappoints ourselves of that comfort in prayer, and answers of it, that otherwise we would have more experience of. We rush in before him with anything, provided we can tumble out a few words, and do not weigh these things, and compose our hearts with serious thoughts and conceptions of God. The soul that studies and endeavors this most, has much to do to attain to any right apprehensions of him, for how little know we of him; yet should we at least, set ourselves before him as the purest and greatest spirit, a being infinitely more excellent than our minds or any creature can conceive, this would fill the soul with awe and reverence, and ballast it, make it go more even through the exercise, to consider the Lord, as that prophet saw him, sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand, and on his left, and yourself a defiled sinner coming before him, as a vile frog creeping out of some pool; how would this fill you with holy fear. Oh! His greatness, and our baseness, and Oh! the distance. This is Solomon's advice, be not rash with your mouth, and let not your heart be hasty to utter anything before God, for God is in heaven and you upon earth, therefore let your words be few. This would keep us from our ordinary babblings, that heart nonsense, though the words be sense, yet through the inattention of the heart, are but as impertinent confused dreams in the Lord's ears, as there follow (verse 3).

2. When you address yourself to prayer, desire and depend upon the assistance and inspiration of the holy Spirit of God, without which you are not able truly to pray, it is a supernatural work; and therefore the principle of it must be supernatural. He that has nothing of the Spirit of God cannot pray at all, he may howl as a beast in his necessity or distress, or may speak words of prayer, as some birds learn the language of men, but pray he cannot; and they that have that Spirit ought to seek the movings and actual workings of it in them in prayer, the particular help of their infirmities, teaching both what to ask, a thing that of ourselves we know not, and then enabling them to ask, breathing forth their desires in such sighs and groans, as the breath not simply of their own, but of God's Spirit.

Thirdly, As those two before it, so in the exercise of it you should learn to keep a watchful eye over your own hearts throughout, for every step of the way, that they start not out, by the keeping up of a continued remembrance of that presence of God, which in the entry of the work is to be set before the eye of the soul, and our endeavor ought to be, to [reconstructed: fix] it upon that view, that it turn not aside nor downwards, but from beginning to end, keep sight of him, who sees and marks whether we do so or no. They that are most inspective, and watchful in this will still be faulty in it, but certainly the less watchful the more faulty; and this we ought to do, to be aspiring daily to more stability of mind in prayer, and driving out somewhat of that roving and wandering, that is so universal an evil, and certainly so grievous to those that have it most, but that observe and discover it most, and endeavor most against it. A strange thing that the mind, even the renewed mind, should be so ready, not only at other times, but in the exercise of prayer, wherein we peculiarly come so near to God, yet even then to slip out and leave him, and follow some poor vanity or other instead of him. Surely the godly man when he thinks on this, is exceedingly ashamed of himself, cannot tell what to think of it: God his exceeding joy, whom in his right thoughts he esteems so much above the world, and all things in it, yet to use him thus, when he is speaking to him, to break off from that, and hold discourse, or change a word with some base thought that steps in, and whispers to him, or at the best not to be steadfastly minding the Lord to whom he speaks, and possessed with the regard of his presence, and of his business and errand with him.

This is no small piece of our misery here, these wanderings are evidence to us that we are not at home: but yet for this, though we should be humbled, and still laboring against it, yet not so discouraged, as to be driven from the work. Satan would desire no better than that, it were to help him to his wish; and sometimes a Christian may be driven to think, what shall I do still thus, abusing my Lord's name, and the privilege he has given me, I had better leave off; no, not so by any means, strive against the miserable evil in you, but cast not away your happiness, be doing still. It is a contrary childish humor, when anything agrees not to our mind, to throw all away, you may come off with halting from your wrestlings, and yet obtain the blessing for which you wrestled.

4. Those graces which are the due qualities of the heart, disposing it for prayer in the exercise of it, should be excited and acted, as holiness, the love of it, the desire of increase and growth of it; so the humbling and melting of the heart, and chiefly faith, which is mainly set on work in prayer, draw forth the sweetnesses and virtues of the promises, to desire earnestly their performance to the soul, and to believe that they shall be performed; to have before our eyes his goodness and faithfulness, who has promised, and to rest upon that, and for success in prayer exercising faith in it, it is altogether necessary to interpose the Mediator, and look through him, and to speak and petition by him, who warns us of this, that there is no other way to speed, no man comes to the Father but by me. As the Jews when they prayed, looked toward the Temple where was the Mercy-Seat, and the peculiar presence of God; thus ought we in all our praying to look on Christ, who is our Propitiatory, and in whom the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily. The forgetting of this may be the cause of our many disappointments.

5. Fervency, not to seek coldly, that presages refusal; fire in the sacrifice, otherwise it ascends not, no sacrifice without incense, and no incense without fire. Our remiss dead hearts are not likely to do much for the Church of God, nor for ourselves, where are those strong cries that should pierce the heavens? His ear is open to their cry. He hears the faintest coldest prayer, but not with that delight and propenseness to grant it, his ear is not on it, as the word here is, he takes no pleasure in hearing on it, but cries, heart-cries. Oh! those take his ear, and move his bowels, for these are the voice, the cries of his own children. A strange word of encouragement to importunity, give him no rest (Isaiah 62:7). Suffer him not to be in quiet till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth. A few such suitors in these times were worth thousands such as we are, our prayers stick in our breast, scarce come forth, much less go up, and ascend with that piercing force, that would open up the way for deliverances to come down.

But in this must be some difference of temporal and spiritual things, the prayer in the right strain cannot be too fervent in any thing, but the desire of the thing in temporals may be too earnest, a feverish distempered heat which diseases the soul, therefore in these things, a holy indifference concerning the particular, may, and should be joined with the fervency of prayer: but in spiritual things, there is no danger in vehemency of desire, covet these, hunger and thirst, be unceasingly ardent in the suit; yet even in those in some particulars, as for the degree and measure of grace, and some peculiar furtherances they should be presented so with earnestness, as that with all it be with a reference and resignation of it to the wisdom and love of our Father.

For the other point the answer of our prayers, which is in this openness of the ear, it is a thing very needful to be considered and attended to, if we think that prayer is indeed a thing that God takes notice of, and has regard to in his dealing with his children, it is certainly a point of duty and wisdom in them to observe how he takes notice of it, and bends his ear to it, and puts to his hand to help, and so answers it, this both furnishes matter of praise, and stirs up the heart to render it, therefore in the Psalms so often the hearing of prayer observed, and recorded, and made a part of the song of praise, and with all it endears both God and prayer to the soul, as we have both together (Psalm 116:1). I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice, and my supplications, the transposition in the original pathetical, I love, because the Lord has heard my voice. I am in love, and particularly this causes it, I have found so much kindness in the Lord, I cannot but love, he has heard my voice. And then it wins his esteem and affection to prayer, seeing I find this virtue in it, we shall never part again, I will call upon him as long as I live, seeing prayer draws help and favors from Heaven, I shall not be to seek for a way in any want or strait that can befall me.

In this there is need of direction: but too many rules may as much confuse a matter as too few, and do many times perplex the mind, and multiply doubts, as many laws do multiply pleading. Briefly then,

1. Slothful minds do often neglect the answers of God, even when they are most legible in the very thing itself granted that was desired. It may be through a total inadvertence in this kind, never thinking on things as answers of our requests, or possibly a continual eager pursuit of more, turns away the mind from considering what it has upon request obtained, still so bent upon what further we would have, that we never think what is already done for us, one of the ordinary causes of ingratitude.

2. But though it be not in the same thing that we desire, yet when the Lord changes our petitions in his answers, it is always for the better, regards (according to that known word of Saint Augustine) our well more than our will. We beg deliverance, we are not unanswered, if he give patience and support, be it under a spiritual trial or temptation, my grace sufficient for you. And where the Lord does thus, it is certainly better for the time, than the other would be. Observe here, his [reconstructed: ears] are to the righteous, but his eyes are on them too, they have not so his ear as blindly to give them, what they ask, whether it be fit or no; but his eye is on them to see and consider their estate, and to know better than themselves what is best, and accordingly to answer: this is no prejudice, but a great privilege and happiness of his children, that they have a Father that knows what is fit for them, and withholds no good from them. And this commutation and exchange of our requests a Christian observing, may usually find out the particular answer of their prayers, and if sometimes they do not, then not to subtilize and amuse themselves so much in that, but rather to keep on to the exercise, knowing (as the Apostle speaks in another case) this for a certain, that their labor shall not be in vain in the Lord, and as the Prophet has it, he has not said to the house of Jacob, seek me in vain.

Only this we should always remember not to set bounds and limits to the Lord in point of time, to set him a day, that you will attend so long and no longer. How patiently will some men bestow long attendance on others, where they expect some very poor good, or courtesy at their hands, but we are very brisk and hasty with him, who never delays us but for our good, to ripen those mercies for us, that we as foolish children would pluck while they are green, and have neither that sweetness and goodness in them which they shall have in his time. All his works are done in their season: were there nothing to check our impatiences but his greatness, and the greatness of those things we ask for, and our own unworthiness, these might curb them, and persuade us how reasonable it is that we wait. He is a King well worth waiting on, and there is in the very waiting on him an honor and happiness far above us, and the things we seek are great — forgiveness of sins, evidence of sonship and heirship: heirship of a kingdom, and we condemned rebels, born heirs of the bottomless pit — and shall such as we be in such haste with such a Lord in so great requests? But the attendance that this reason enforces is sweetened by the consideration of his wisdom and love, that he has foreseen and chosen the very hour for each mercy fit for us, and will not slip it a moment. Never any yet repented their waiting, but found it fully compensated with the opportune answer in such a time as then they are forced to confess was the only best. I waited patiently, says the Psalmist, in waiting I waited, but it was all well bestowed, he inclined to me, and heard my cry, brought me up, etc. And then after falls into admiration of the Lord's method, his wonderful workings and thoughts toward us — while I was waiting, and saw nothing, your thoughts were towards and for me, and you did then work when your goodness was most remarkable and wonderful.

When you are in great affliction outward or inward, you think (it may be) he regards you not — indeed but he does. You are his gold, he knows the time of refining you, and then taking you out of the furnace, he is versed and skillful in that work. You say, I have cried long for power against sin, and for some evidence of pardon, and find no answer to either — yet leave him not, he never yet cast away any that sought him, and stayed by him, and resolved whatever came of it, to lie at his footstool, and to wait, were it all their lifetime, for a good word, or a good look from him. And they choose well that make that their great desire and expectation, for one of his good words or looks will make them up, and make them happy forever, and it is he who is Truth — they are sure not to miss of it — blessed are all they that wait for him. And you that say you cannot find pardon of sin and power against it — yet consider: from where are those desires of both, that you once did not care for? Why do you hate that sin which you did love, and are troubled and burdened with the guilt of it under which you went so easily and did not feel before? Are not these something of his own work — yes, surely? And know he will not leave it unfinished, nor forsake the work of his hands; his eye may be on you, though you do not see him, and his ear open to your cry, though for the present he speaks not to you as you desire. It is not said that his children always see and hear him sensibly, but yet when they do not, he is beholding them, and hearing them graciously, and will show himself to them, and answer them seasonably.

(Psalm 22:2) I cry in the daytime, and you do not hear, etc. Yet will he not entertain hard thoughts of God, nor conclude against him — you are holy (verse 3), where by holiness is meant his faithfulness (I conceive) to his own, as follows, that he inhabits the praises of Israel, namely for the favors he has shown his people, as verse 4: Our Fathers trusted in you.

Let the Lord's open ear persuade us to make much use of it, and be much in this sweet and fruitful exercise of prayer, together and apart, in the sense of these three considerations mentioned above: the duty, the dignity, and the utility of prayer. It is due to the Lord to be worshipped and acknowledged thus, as the fountain of good. How will men crouch and bow one to another upon small requests, and he only neglected by the most from whom all have all — life, and breath, and all things — as the Apostle speaks in his sermon (Acts 17:25).

And then the dignity of this: to be admitted into so near a converse with the highest Majesty — were there nothing to follow, no answer at all, prayer pays itself in the excellence of its nature, and the sweetness that the soul finds in it. Poor wretched man, to be admitted into heaven while he is on earth, and there to come and speak his mind freely to the Lord of Heaven and Earth as his friend, as his Father, to empty all his complaints into his bosom, to refresh his soul in his God, wearied with the follies and miseries of the world. [Reconstructed: Wherever any of his love is felt,] this is a privilege of highest sweetness, for they that love find much delight to discourse together, and count all hours short, and think the day runs too fast that is so spent. And they that are much in this exercise — the Lord does impart his secrets much to them.

And the most profitable exercise — no lost time as profane hearts judge it, but only gained — all blessings attend this work, the richest traffic in the world, trades with heaven and what is most precious there. And as holiness fits to prayer, so prayer befriends holiness and increases it much — nothing so refines and purifies the soul as frequent prayer. If the often conversing with wise men does so teach and advance the soul in wisdom, what then will the converse of God? This makes the soul to despise the things of the world and in a manner makes it divine, winds up the soul from the earth, acquainting it with delights that are infinitely sweeter.

The natural heart is full stuffed with prejudices against the way of holiness that dissuade and detain it, and therefore the holy Scriptures are most fitly much in this point of asserting the true advantage of it to the soul. And in removing those mistakes it has of that way.

Thus here, and to press it the more home the Apostle used the Psalmist's words, and Ver. 10. &c. and now follows it forth in his own the particular way of meekness and love, &c. But extends in the general doctrine to all the paths of righteousness.

The main conclusion is, that happiness is the certain consequent, and fruit of holiness. All good, even outward good, so far as it holds good and prejudges not a higher good. If we did believe this more, we should feel it more, and so upon feeling, and experiment, believe it more strongly. All the heavy judgments we feel or fear, are they not the fruit of our own ways, or profaneness, and pride, and malice, and abounding ungodliness, all cry out of hard times, evil days, and yet who is taking the right way to better them, indeed, who is not still helping to make them worse, ourselves the greatest enemies of our own peace. Who looks either rightly backward, reflects on his former ways, or rightly forward to direct his way better that is before him, either, says, what have I done? or what ought I to do? And indeed the one of these depends on the other — I considered my ways (says David) turned them over and over (as the word is) and then I turned my feet to your testimonies.

Are there any, for all the judgments fallen on us, or that threatens us, returning apace with regret and hatred of sin, hastening to God, and mourning and weeping as they go, bedewing each step with their tears, indeed, where that newness of life that the word so long, and now the word and the rod together are so loud calling for? Who more reforming his tongue from evil, and lips from guile, changing oaths, and lies, and calumnies, into a new language, into prayers, and reverent speaking of God, and joining a suitable consonant carriage, eschewing evil and doing good, laboring to be fertile in holiness, to bring forth much fruit to God. This were the way to see good days indeed, this is the way to the longest life, the only long life, and length of days, one eternal day, as Saint Augustine on these words, one day in your courts is better, than a thousand. Millia dierum desiderant Homines, & multum volunt hic vivere, contemnant millia dierum, desiderent unum, qui non habet ortum & occasum, cui non cedit hesternus, quem non urget crastinus.

The reason added is above all exception, it is supreme, the eyes of the Lord, &c. If he that made times and seasons, and commands and forms them as he will, if he can give good days, or make men happy then the only way to it sure must be the way of his obedience, to be in the constant favor of the great King, and still in his gracious thoughts, to have his eye and his ear if this will serve turn, (and if this does it not, I pray you, what will?) then the righteous man is the only happy man, for the eyes of the Lord are upon him. Surer happy days hence, than theirs that draw them from the aspect of the stars, the eyes of the Father of Lights' benignity beholding them, the trine aspect of the blessed Trinity. The love he carries to them draws his eye still towards them, no forgetting of them, nor slipping of the fit season to do them good, his mind, I may say, runs on that, he sees how it is with them, and receives their suits gladly, rejoices to put favors upon them. He is their assured friend, indeed he is their Father, what can they want, they cannot miss of any good that his love and power can help them to.

But his Face, &c.] So our happiness and misery are in his face, his looks. Nothing so comfortable as his favorable face, nothing so terrible again as his face, his anger, as the Hebrew word is often taken, that signifies his face. And yet how many sleep sound under this misery, but believe it, it is a dead and a deadly sleep, the Lord standing in terms of enmity with you, and yet your soul at ease, pitiful accursed ease. I regard not the differences of your outward estate, that is not a thing worth the speaking of, if you be poor and base, and in the world's eye but a wretch, and with all under the hatred of God, as being an impenitent hardened sinner, those other things are nothing, this is the top, indeed the total sum of your misery: or be you beautiful, or rich, or noble, or witty &c. or all these together, or what you will, but is the face of the Lord against you? Think as you will, your estate is not to be envied but lamented. I cannot say, much good do it you with all your enjoyments, for it is sure they can do you no good, and if you do not believe this now, the day is at hand wherein you shall be forced to believe it, finding it then irrecoverably true. If you will, you may still follow the things of the world, walk after the lusts of your own hearts, neglect God, and please yourselves, but as Solomon's word is of judgment, remember that the face of the Lord is against you, and in that judgment it shall unveil it and let you see it against you. Oh! the most terrible of all sights.

The godly often do not see the Lord's favorable looks, while he is eying them, and the wicked usually do not see nor perceive, neither will believe that his face is against them: but besides that the day of full discovery is coming; the Lord does sometimes let both the one and the other know somewhat how he stands affected towards them in peculiar deliverances and mercies. Tells his own that he forgets them not but both sees and hears them, when they think he does neither, after that loving and gracious manner they desire, and is here meant; and sometimes lets forth glances of his bright countenance, darts in a beam upon their souls, that is more worth than many worlds. And on the other side, he is pleased sometimes to make it known that his face is against the wicked, either by remarkable outward judgments, which to them are the vent of his just enmity against them, or to some he speaks it more home in horrors and affrights of conscience, which to them are earnests and pledges of their full misery, that inheritance of woe reserved, as the joys and comforts of believers are, of their inheritance of glory.

Therefore if you have any belief of these things, be persuaded, be entreated to forsake the way of ungodliness, do not flatter yourselves and dream of escape when you hear of outward judgments on your neighbors and brethren, tremble and be humbled, remember our Savior's words, think you that those on whom the Tower of Siloam fell were greater sinners than others I tell you [reconstructed: no], but except you repent, you shall all likewise perish. This seeming harsh word he that was Wisdom and sweetness itself uttered, and even in it spoke like a Savior, speaks of perishing, that they might not perish, presses repentance by the heavy doom of unrepentance.

When you hear of this, there is none of you who would willingly choose it, that the Lord's face should be against you, although upon very high offers made to you of other things. You think, I know, that the very sound of it is somewhat fearful, and on the other side have possibly some confused notion of his favor, as a thing desirable, and yet do not bestir yourselves to avoid the one and inquire after the other; which is certainly by reason of your unbelief, for if you think of the love of God, as his word speaks of it, as you will say you do, from where is it, I pray you, that there is no trifle in this world, that will not take more deeply with you, and which you follow not with more earnestness than this great business of reconciliation with God, finding his face not only, not against you, but graciously towards you, his eyes upon you and his ears open to your prayer.

Your blessedness is not, no (believe it) it is not where most of you seek it, in things below you; how can that be, it must be a higher good must make you happy, while you labor and sweat for it in anything under the sun, your pains run all to waste, you seek a happy life in the region of death, here, here it is alone in the love and favor of God, to have his countenance, and friendship, and free access and converse, and this nowhere to be found but in the ways of holiness.

Verse 13. 13. And who is he that will harm you, if you be followers of that which is good?

This the Apostle adds, as a further reason of the safety and happiness of that way he points out from its own nature. There is something even intrinsic in meek, and upright, and holy carriage, that is apt in part to free a man from many evils and mischiefs that the ungodly are exposed to, and do readily draw upon themselves: your spotless and harmless deportment will much bind up the hands even of your enemies, and sometimes possibly somewhat allay and cool the malice of their hearts, that they cannot so rage against you as otherwise they might, it will be somewhat strange and monstrous to rage against the innocent, who is he that will harm you, etc. Here are two things. 1. The carriage 2. The advantage of it 1. Their carriage expressed, followers, etc. The word is imitators.

There is an imitation of men that is impious and wicked, taking the copy of their sins; again an imitation that though not so grossly evil, yet is poor and servile being in mean things, yes sometimes descending to imitate the very imperfections of others, as fancying some comeliness in them, as some of Basil's scholars that imitated his slow speaking, which he had a little in the extreme and could not help; but this is always laudable and worthy of the best minds to be imitators of that which is good, wherever they find it, for that stays not in any man's person as the ultimate pattern, but arises to the highest grace, being man's nearest likeness to God, his image and resemblance, and so following the example of the saints in holiness, we look higher than them, and consider them as receivers, but God as the first owner and dispenser of grace, bearing his stamp and superscription, and belonging peculiarly to him in whatever hand it be found, as carrying the mark of no other owner but his only.

The word of God has our copy in its perfection, and very legible and clear, and so the imitation of good in the complete rule of it is the regulating our ways by the word: but even in it we find besides general rules, the particular tract of life of diverse eminent holy persons, and those on purpose set before us that we may know holiness not to be an idle imaginary thing, but that men have really been holy, though not altogether sinless, yet holy and spiritual in some good measure, that have shined as light amidst a perverse generation, as greater stars in a dark night, and yet men, as Saint James says of Elias, [reconstructed: like us] in nature, and the frailty of it; subject to like passions as we are. Why may we not then aspire to be [reconstructed: holy] as they were, and attain to it, although we should fall short of the degree, yet not stopping at a small measure, but running further, pressing still forward towards the mark, following them in the way they went though at a distance, not reaching them, and yet walking, yes, running after them as fast as we can. Not judging of holiness by our own sloth and natural averseness, taking it for a singularity fit only for rare extraordinary persons, such as prophets and apostles were, or as the Church of Rome fancies those to be, that it vouchsafes a room to in the roll of saints; do you not know that holiness, is the only Via regia, this following of good, that path wherein all the children of God must walk, one following after another, each striving to equal, and if they could to outstrip even those they look on as most advanced in it. This is among many other, a misconception in the Romish Church, that they seem to make holiness a kind of appropriated good, that the common sort can have little share in, almost all piety shut up within cloister walls, as its only fit dwelling: but it has not liked their lodging it seems, but is flown over the walls away from them, for there is little of it even there to be found, but however the opinion of it places it there, as having little to do abroad in the world.

Whereas the truth is, that all Christians have this for their common task, though some are under more peculiar obligations to study this one copy; look on the rule of holiness, and be followers of it, and followers or imitators one of another so far as their carriage agrees with that primitive copy, as written after it, be followers of me, says the Apostle, even to the meanest Christian among those he wrote to, but thus, as I am of Christ.

Is it thus with us, are we zealous and emulous followers of that which is good, exciting each other by our example to a holy and Christian conversation, provoking one another (so the Apostle's word is) to love, and to good works? Or are not the most mutual corrupters of each other, and the places and societies where they live; some leading, and others following in their ungodliness, not regarding the course of those that are most desirous to walk holily, or if at all, doing it with a corrupt and evil eye, not to study and follow what is good in them, their way of holiness; but to espy any the least wrong step, to take exact notice of any imperfection, and sometimes maligning only, and by this either to reproach religion, or to hearten or harden themselves in their irreligion and ungodliness, seeking warrant for their own willing licentiousness in the unwilling failings of God's children.

And in their conversation with such as themselves, following their profane way, and flattering, and blessing one another in it. What need we be so precise, and if I should not do as others, they would laugh at me, I should pass for a fool: well, you will be a fool in the most wretched kind, rather than be accounted one by such as are fools, and know not at all wherein true wisdom consists.

Thus the most carried with the stream of this wicked world, their own inward corruption easily agreeing and suiting with it; every man as a drop falling into a torrent, and easily made one and running along with it, into that dead sea where it empties itself.

But they whom the Lord has a purpose to sever and save, he carries a contrary course even to that violent stream, and these are the students of holiness, the followers of good, that lead their endeavors thus, and look on all sides diligently, on what may animate and advance them, on the example of the saints in former times, and on the good they espy in those that live together with them, and above all studying that perfect rule in the Scriptures, and that highest and first pattern, there so often set before them, even the Author of that rule, the Lord himself, to be holy as he is holy, to be bountiful and merciful as their heavenly Father, and in all laboring to be, as the Apostle exhorts, followers of God as dear children: as children that are beloved of their Father, and do love and reverence him, will be ambitious to be like him, and particularly aim at the following any virtues or excellency in him: now thus it is most reasonable in the children of God, their Father being the highest and best of all excellency and perfection.

But this excellent pattern is drawn down nearer their view in the Son Jesus Christ, where we have that highest example made low, and yet losing nothing of its perfection, may study God in man, and read all our lesson, without any blot even in our own nature, and this truly the only way to be the best proficients in this following and imitating of all good. In him all even those blessings that men most despise, God teaching them by acting them and calling us to follow; Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart: but this is too large a subject. Would you advance in all grace, study Christ much, and you shall find not only the pattern in him, but strength and skill from him to follow it.

2. The advantage — who is he that will harm you.

The very name of it says so much, a good worthy the following [illegible] itself: but there is this further to persuade it, that besides higher benefit, it oftentimes cuts off the occasions of present evils and disturbances that otherwise men are incident to. Who is he? Men — even evil men — will often be overcome by our blameless and harmless behavior.

1. In the life of a godly man taken together in the whole body and frame of it, there is a grave beauty or comeliness, that oftentimes forces some kind of reverence and respect to it, even in ungodly minds.

2. Though a natural man cannot love them spiritually, as graces of the Spirit of God, for so only the partakers of them are lovers of them; yet he may have, and usually has a natural liking and esteem of some kind of virtues which are in a Christian, and are not in their right nature in any other to be found; though a moralist may have somewhat like them, meekness, and patience, and charity, and fidelity, etc.

3. These and other such-like graces do make a Christian life so inoffensive and calm, that except where the matter of their God or religion is made the crime, malice itself can scarce tell where to fasten its teeth or lay hold, has nothing to pull by, though it would, yes, oftentimes for want of work or occasions, it will fall asleep for a while, whereas ungodliness and iniquity sometimes by breaking out into notorious crimes, draws out the sword of civil justice, and where it rises not so high, yet it involves men into frequent contentions and quarrels (Proverbs 23:29). How often are the lusts, and pride, and covetousness of men paid with dangers, and troubles, and vexations, that besides what is abiding, do even in present spring out of them; now these the godly pass free of by their just, and mild, and humble carriage. Where do so many jars and strifes among the greatest part come from, but from their unchristian hearts and lives, from their lusts that war in their members, their self-love and unmortified passions; he will abate nothing of his will, nor the other of his. Thus where pride and passion meet on both sides, it cannot be but a fire will be kindled, when hard flints strike together, the sparks will fly about: but a soft mild spirit is a great preserver of its own peace, kills the power of contest, as wool packs or such like soft matter most deaden the force of bullets. A soft answer turns away wrath, says Solomon, beats it off, breaks the bone, as he says, the very strength of it, as the bones are in the body.

And thus we find it, they that think themselves high-spirited, and will bear least as they speak, are often, even by that, forced to bow most, or to burst under it; while humility and meekness escape many a burden, and many a blow, always keep peace within, and often without too.

Observation 1. If this were duly considered, might it not do somewhat to induce your minds to love the way of religion, for that it would so much abate the turbulence and unquietness that abounds in the lives of men, a great part whereof the most do procure by the earthliness and distemper of their own carnal minds, and the disorder in their ways that arises from it.

You, whose hearts are set towards God, and your feet entered into his ways, I hope you find no reason for a change, but many to commend and endear that way to you every day more than another, and among the rest even this in them you escape many even present mischiefs, that you see the ways of the world are full of. And if you will be careful to ply your rule, and study your copy better, you shall find it more so, the more you follow that which is good, the more shall you avoid a number of outward evils that are ordinarily drawn on upon men by their own enormities and passions: keep as close as you can to the genuine even tract of a Christian walk, and labor for a prudent and meek behavior, adorning your holy profession, and this shall adorn you, and sometimes gain those that are without, indeed, even your enemies shall be constrained to approve it.

It is known how much the spotless lives and patient sufferings of the Primitive Christians did sometimes work upon their beholders, indeed, on their persecutors, and persuaded some that would not share with them in their religion, yet to speak and write for them.

Seeing then that reason and experience do jointly aver it, that the lives of men conversant together, have readily very much influence one upon another; for example is an animated or living rule, and is both the shortest and most powerful way of teaching.

Obs. 1. Whoever are in exemplary or leading place in relation to others, be it many or few, be you first followers of God, set before you the rule of holiness, and withal the best and highest examples of these that have walked according to it, and then you will be leading in it, those that are under you, and bent to follow you in so doing, will follow that which is good. Lead and draw them on by admonishing, and counselling, and exhorting; but especially by walking. Pastors, [⟨ in non-Latin alphabet ⟩] examples, as our Apostle has it, that they may be stamped aright, taking the impression of your lives, sound doctrine alone will not serve, though the water you give your flocks be pure, yet if you lay spotted rods before them, it will bring forth spotted lives in them, either teach not at all or teach by rhetoric of your lives. Elders be such in grave and pious carriage whatever be your years, for young men may be so, and possibly gray hairs may have nothing under them but gaddishness and folly many years old, habituated and inveterate ungodliness. Parents and masters, let your children and servants read in your lives the life and power of godliness, the Practice of Piety, not lying in your windows or corners of your houses, and confined within the clasp of the book, bearing that or any such like title, but shining in your lives.

Secondly, you that are easily receptive of the impression of example, beware of the stamp of unholiness, and a carnal formal course of profession, whereof the examples are most abounding, but though they be fewer that bear the lively image of God impressed on their hearts, and expressed in their actions, yet study these, and be followers of those as they are of Christ. I know you will espy much irregular and unsanctified carriage in us that are set up for the ministry, and look round will find the world lying in wickedness, yet if there be any that have any sparks of divine light in them converse with those and follow them.

And generally this to all, for none so complete, but may espy some imitable and emulable good even in meaner Christians, acquaint yourselves with the Word the rule of holiness, and then with an eye to that look on one another, and be zealous of progress in the ways of holiness, choose to converse with such as may excite you and advance you both by their advice and example. Let not a corrupt generation in which you live, be the worse by you, nor you the worse by it, as far as you necessarily engage to some conversation with those that are unholy, let them not pull you into the mire, but if you can, help them out; and let not any custom of sin about you, by familiar seeing, gain upon you so as to think it fashionable and comely, indeed, or so as not to think it deform and hateful, know that you must row against the stream of wickedness in the world, unless you would be carried with it to the Dead Sea or Lake of Perdition; take that grave counsel given (Romans 12), be not conformed to this world, but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind, which is the daily advancement in renovation, purifying and refining every day.

Now in this way you shall have sweet inward peace and joy, and some advantage outward, that men, except monstrously cruel and malicious, will not so readily harm you, 'twill abate much of their rage, but however if you do not escape suffering by your holy carriage, indeed if you suffer even for it, yet in that are you happy.

Ver. 14. But and if you suffer for righteousness sake happy are you; And be not afraid of their terrors, neither be troubled.

In this two things. First, Even in the most blameless way of a Christian's suffering supposed. Secondly, Their happiness even in suffering asserted.

First, suffering supposed notwithstanding of righteousness, indeed for righteousness, and that not as a rare unusual accident but as the frequent lot of Christians, as Luther calls persecution malus genius Evangelii. And this we being forewarned to be not only the possible but the frequent lot of the saints, ought not to hearken to the false prophecies of our own self-love, that divines what it would gladly have, and easily persuades us to believe it, think not that any prudence will lead you by all oppositions and malice of an ungodly world, but many winter blasts will meet you in the most inoffensive way of religion if you keep straight to it. Suffering and war with the world is a part of the godly man's portion here which seems hard, but take it altogether it is sweet; none in their wits will refuse that legacy entire, in the world you shall have trouble, but in me you shall have peace.

Look about you and see if there be any estate of man or course of life exempted from troubles, the greatest usually subject to greatest vexations, as the largest bodies have the largest shadows attending them. We need not tell nobles and rich men that contentment does not dwell in great palaces and titles, nor full coffers, they feel it that they are not free of much anguish and molestation, and that a proportionable train of cares as constantly, as of servants, follows great place and wealth; riches and trouble, or noise signified by the same Hebrew word, and kings find that their crowns that are set so richly with diamonds without, are lined with thorns within.

And speak of men that are servants to unrighteousness, besides what is to come, are they not often forced to suffer among the service of their lusts, the distempers that attend the unhealthy, intemperance and poverty, that dog's luxury at the heels, and the fit punishment of voluptuous persons in painful diseases that either quickly cut the thread of life, or make their aged bones full of the sins of their youth. Take what way you will, there is no place nor condition so [reconstructed: fenced] and guarded, but public calamities, or personal griefs find a way to reach us.

Seeing then we must suffer, however; this kind of suffering, to suffer for righteousness is far the best, what he said [illegible], of doing ill, we may well say of suffering ill, if it must be, it is best to be for a kingdom. And those are the terms on which Christians are called to suffer for righteousness, if we will reign with Christ certain [illegible] suffer with him, and if we do suffer with him [illegible] we shall reign with him: and therefore [illegible] are happy.

But [illegible] suffering for righteousness only with relation to [illegible] Apostle's present reasoning, his conclusion he establishes. 1. From the favor and protection of God. 2. From the nature of the thing itself. Now we would consider the consistence of this supposition with those reasons.

1. The eyes of the Lord being on the righteous for their good, and his ear open to their prayer — how is it that for all that favor and inspection they are so much exposed to suffering, and even for the regard and affection they bear towards him, suffering for righteousness — these seem not to agree well, yet they do.

It is not said that his eye is so on them, as that he will never see them afflicted, nor have them suffer any thing, no: but this is their great privilege and comfort in suffering, that his gracious eye is then upon them, and sees their trouble, and his ear towards them not so as to grant them an exemption (for that they will not seek for) but seasonable deliverance, and in the mean while strong support, as is evident in that 34th Psalm. If his eye be always on them he sees them suffer often, for their afflictions are many (verse 19), and if his ear be to them, he hears many sighs and cries pressed out by sufferings, and they are content, this is enough, indeed better than not to suffer, they suffer and often directly for him, but he sees it all, takes perfect notice of it, therefore it is not lost. And they are forced to cry, but none of their cries escape his ear, he hears, and he manifests that he sees, and hears: for he delivers them, and till he does he keeps them from being crushed under the weight of the suffering, he keeps all his bones — not one of them is broken.

He sees, indeed appoints and provides these conflicts for his choicest servants, he sets his champions to encounter the malice of Satan, and the world, for his sake, to give proof of the truth, and the strength of their love to him for whom they suffer, and to overcome even in suffering.

He is sure of his designed advantages out of the sufferings of his church and saints for his name, he loses nothing, nor they lose nothing; but their enemies, when they rage most and prevail most are ever the most losers, his own glory grows and his people's graces grow, indeed their very number grows, and that sometimes most, by their greatest sufferings. It was evident in the first ages of the Christian churches, where were the glory of so much invincible love and patience if they had not been so put to it?

2. For the other, that the said following of good would preserve from harm, it speaks truly the nature of it, what it is apt to do, and what in some measure it often does, but the considering the nature of the world, its enmity against God, and religion, that strong poison in the serpent's seed, it is not strange that it often proves otherwise, that notwithstanding the righteous carriage of Christians, indeed even because of it they suffer much: it is a resolved case, all that will live godly must suffer persecution, it meets a Christian in his entry to the way of the kingdom, and goes along all the way, no sooner do you begin to seek the way to heaven; but the world will seek, how to vex and molest you, and make that way grievous; if no other way, by scoffs and taunts, as bitter blasts to destroy the tender blossom, or bud of religion, or (as Herod) to kill Christ newly born: you shall no sooner begin to inquire after God but twenty to one, they will begin to inquire if you have gone mad, but if you know who it is whom you have trusted and whom you love, this is a small matter, what though it were deeper and sharper sufferings, yet still if you suffer for righteousness, happy are you. Which is the second thing was proposed, and more particularly imports, that a Christian under the heaviest load of sufferings for righteousness is yet still happy, notwithstanding these sufferings. Second, that he is happier even by these sufferings. And,

1. All the sufferings and distresses of this world are not able to destroy the happiness of a Christian nor diminish it, indeed, they cannot at all touch it, it is out of their reach. If it were built on worldly enjoyments, then worldly deprivements and sufferings might shake it, indeed might undo it, when those rotten [reconstructed: supports] fail, that which rests on them must fall, he who has set his heart on his riches, a few hours can make him miserable; it is almost in any body's power to rob him of his happiness, a little slight or disgrace undoes him, or whatever the soul fixes on of these moving unfixed things, pluck them from it, and it must cry after them, you have taken away my gods.

But the believer's happiness is safe, out of shot, he may be impoverished and imprisoned, and tortured, and killed; but this one thing is out of hazard, he cannot be miserable, still in the midst of all these subsists a happy man. If all friends be shut out, yet the visits of the Comforter may be frequent, bringing him glad tidings from Heaven, and communing with him of the love of Christ, and solacing him in that. It was a great word for a heathen of his false [illegible], kill me they may, but they cannot hurt me, how much more confidently may the Christian say so, banishment he fears not, for his country is above; nor death, for that sets him home into that country.

The believing soul having hold of Jesus Christ can easily despise the best, and the worst of the world, and give a defiance to all that is in it, can share with the apostle in that which he gives, I am persuaded that neither death nor life shall separate me from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Indeed, what though the frame of the world were dissolving and falling to pieces this happiness holds, and is not stirred by it, for it is in that rock of eternity, that stirs not, nor changes at all.

Our main work truly if you will believe it is this, to provide this immovable happiness, that amidst all changes, and losses, and sufferings, may hold firm. You may be free, choose it rather, not to stand to the courtesy of any thing about you, nor of any man, whether enemy or friend, for the tenure of your happiness lay it higher and surer, and if you be wise provide such a peace as will remain untouched in the hottest flame, such a light as will shine in the deepest dungeon and such a life as is safe even in death itself, that life that is hid with Christ in God.

But if in other sufferings, even the worst and saddest, the believer is still a happy man, then more especially in those that are the best kind, suffering for righteousness; not only do they not detract from his happiness; but,

Secondly, they concur and give accession to it, he is happy even by so suffering, as will appear from the following considerations.

1. It is the happiness of a Christian, until he attain perfection, to be advancing towards it, to be daily [reconstructed: refining] from sin, and growing richer and stronger in the graces that make up a Christian as a new creature, to attain a higher degree of patience, and meekness, and humility, to have the heart more weaned from the earth and fixed on Heaven; now as other afflictions of the saints do help them in those their sufferings for righteousness, the unrighteous and injurious dealing of the world with them have a particular fitness for this purpose, those trials that come immediately from God's own hand seem to bind to a patient and humble compliance with more authority, and (I may say) necessity. There is no plea, no place for so much as a word, unless it be directly and expressly against the Lord's own dealing, but unjust suffering at the hands of men requires that respect to God, without whose hand they cannot move, that for his sake, and for reverence and love to him, a Christian can go through those with that mild evenness of spirit, that overcomes even in suffering.

And there is nothing outward more fit to persuade a man to give up with the world and its friendship, than to feel much of its enmity and malice, and that directly acting itself against religion, making that the very quarrel which is of all things dearest to a Christian, and in highest esteem with him.

If the world should caress them, and smile on them, they might be ready to forget their home, or at least to abate in the frequent thoughts and fervent desires of it, and turn into some familiarity with the world and favorable thoughts of it, and thus let out somewhat of their hearts after it, and thus grace would grow faint by the diversion, and calling forth of the spirits, as in summer in the hottest and fairest weather it is with the body.

It is a confirmed observation by the experience of all ages, that when the Church flourished most in outward peace and wealth, it abated most of its spiritual luster, which is its genuine and true beauty, and when it seemed most miserable by persecutions and sufferings it was most happy in sincerity, and zeal, and vigor of grace; when the moon shines brightest towards the earth it is dark heavenwards, and on the contrary when it appears not, is nearest the sun and clear towards Heaven. Opibus major [reconstructed: virtutibus] minor.

Secondly, happy in acting and evidencing, by those sufferings for God, their love to him. Love delights in difficulties, and grows in them: the more a Christian suffers for Christ the more he loves Christ, accounts him the dearer, and the more he loves him, still the more can he suffer for him.

Thirdly, happy as in testifying love to him, and glorifying him, so in conformity with him, which is love's ambition, affects likeness and harmony at any rate, a believer would readily take it as an affront, that the world should be kind to him, that was so harsh and cruel to his beloved Lord and Master. Can you expect or would you wish smooth language from that world that reviled your Jesus, that called him Beelzebub, could you own and accept friendship at its hands that buffeted him and shed his blood, or are you rather most willing to share with him, and of Saint Paul's mind, God forbid that I should glory in any thing save in the cross of Christ, whereby the world is crucified to me, and I to the world. [illegible]

4. The rich supplies of spiritual comfort and joy, that in those times of suffering are usual, that as sufferings for Christ do abound consolations in him abound much more, as the Apostle testifies. God speaking most peace to the soul when the world speaks most war, and enmity against it, and this compensates abundantly, when the Christian lays the greatest sufferings men can inflict in the one balance, and the least glances of God's countenance in the other, it says it is worth all the enduring of these to enjoy this, says with David let them curse, but bless you; let them frown, but smile you. And thus he usually does, refreshes such as are prisoners for him with visits, that they would buy again with the hardest restraint and debarring of nearest friends. The world cannot but misjudge the state of suffering Christians, it sees their crosses, but not their anointings. Was not St. Stephen, think you, in a happy posture even in his enemies' hands, was he afraid of the shower of stones coming about his ears that saw the heavens opened, and Jesus standing on the Father's right hand, so little troubled with the stoning him, that as the text has it, in the midst of them, he fell asleep.

5. If those sufferings be so small, weighed down even with present comforts, and so the Christian happy in them in that regard, how much more does the weight of glory surpass, that follows these sufferings, they are not worthy to come in comparison, they are as nothing to that glory that shall be revealed in the Apostle's Arithmetic, [in non-Latin alphabet] when I have cast up the sum of the sufferings of this present time, this instant, this [in non-Latin alphabet] they amount to just nothing in respect of that glory. Now these sufferings happy, because the way to this happiness, and pledges of it, and (if any thing do) they raise the very degree of it, however it is an exceeding excellent weight of glory: the Hebrew word that signifies glory, signifies weight; yet the glories that are here are all too light, except in weight of cares and sorrows that attend them, but that has the weight of complete blessedness, speak not of all the sufferings nor of all the prosperities of this poor life, nor of any thing in it, as worthy of a thought when that glory is named, indeed let not this life be called life, when we mention that other life, that our Lord by his death has purchased for us.

Be not afraid of their terror] No time, nor place in the world so favorable to religion, that it is not still needful to arm a Christian mind against the outward oppositions and discouragements he shall meet with all in his way to heaven. This the Apostle's scope here, and does it. 1. By an assertion. 2. By an exhortation. The assertion, that in suffering for righteousness they are happy. The exhortation conform to the assertion, that they fear not, why should they fear any thing that are assured of happiness, indeed that are the more happy by those very things that seem most to be feared.

The words are in part borrowed from the Prophet Isaiah, and he relates them as the Lord's words to him, and other godly persons with him in that time, countermanding in them that carnal distrustful fear, that drove a profane king and people to seek help rather any where than in God, who was their strength, fear not their fear, but sanctify the Lord, and let him be your fear, etc. (Isaiah 8:12-13).

This the Apostle extends as a universal rule for Christians in the midst of greatest troubles and dangers.

The things opposed here are, a perplexing troubling fear of sufferings, as the soul's distemper, and a sanctifying of God in the heart, as the sovereign cure of it, and the true principle of a healthful sound constitution of mind.

Natural fear, though not evil in itself, yet in the natural man, is constantly irregular and disordered in the actings of it, still missing its due object, or measure, or both; either running in a wrong channel, or overrunning the banks. As there are no pure elements to be found here in this lower part of the world, but only in the philosophers' books, they define them so, but find them no where, thus we may speak of our natural passions as not sinful in their nature, yet in us that are naturally sinful, indeed, full of sin, they cannot escape the mixture and alloy of it.

Sin has put the soul into a universal disorder, that it neither loves nor hates what it ought, nor as it ought, has neither right joy, nor sorrow, nor hope, nor fear, a very small matter stirs and troubles it; and as waters that are stirred (so the word signifies) having dregs in the bottom become muddy and impure, thus the soul by carnal fears, is confused, and there is neither quiet nor clearness in it. A troubled sea as it cannot rest, so in its restlessness, it casts up mire, as the Prophet speaks. Thus it is with the unrenewed heart of man, the least blasts that arise disturb it, and make it restless, and its own impurity makes it cast up mire, indeed, it is never right with him, either he is asleep in carnal confidence, or being shaken out of that, he is hurried and tumbled to and fro with carnal fears, either in a lethargy, in a fever, or trembling ague: readily when troubles are at distance he [reconstructed: folds] his hands, and takes ease as long as it may be, and then being surprised, when they come rushing on him, his [reconstructed: sluggish] ease is paid with a surcharge of perplexing and frightening fears. And is not this the condition of the most?

Now because those evils are not fully cured in the believer, but he is subject to carnal security, as David, I said in my prosperity, I shall never be moved, and with undue fears and doubts in the apprehensions or feeling of trouble, as he likewise complaining, confesses the dejection and disquietness of his soul, and again that he had almost lost his standing, his feet had well nigh slipped, therefore it is very needful to caution them often with such words as these, fear not their fear, neither be you troubled. If you take it objectively their fear, be not afraid of the world's malice, or any thing it can effect, or it may be subjectively, as the Prophet means, do not you fear after the manner of the world, distrustfully troubled, with any affliction can befall you. Sure it is pertinent in either sense or both together, fear not what they can do, nor fear as they do.

If we look on the condition of men, our selves and others, are not the minds of the greatest part continually tossed, and their lives worn out between vain hopes and fears, providing unceasingly new matter of disquietness to themselves.

Contemplative natures have always taken notice of this grand malady in our nature, and have attempted much the cure of it, bestowed much pains in seeking out prescriptions and rules for the attainment of a settled tranquillity of spirit, free from the fears and troubles that perplex us: but they have proved but mountebanks, that give big words enough, and do little or nothing, all physicians of no value, or of nothing, good for nothing, as Job speaks. Some things they have said well concerning the outward causes of this inward evil, and of the inefficacy of inferior outward things to help it, but they have not descended to the bottom and inward cause of this our wretched unquiet condition, much less ascended to the true and only remedy of it. In this, divine light is needful, and here we have it in the following verse.

Verse 15. But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.

Implying the cause of all our fears and troubles to be this, our ignorance and disregard of God, and the due knowledge and acknowledgment of him to be the only establishment and strength of the mind.

In the words consider these three things. 1. This respect of God as it is here expressed: Sanctify the Lord God. 2. The seat of it, in your hearts. 3. The fruit of it, the power that this — sanctify God in the heart — has to rid that heart of those fears and troubles to which it is here opposed as their proper remedy.

Sanctify] He is holy, most holy, the fountain of holiness, it is he, he alone powerfully sanctifies us, and then, and not till then we sanctify him. When he has made us holy, we know and confess him to be holy, we worship and serve our holy God, we glorify him with our whole souls, and all our affections, we sanctify him by acknowledging his greatness, and power, and goodness, and which is here more particularly intended, we do this by a holy fear of him, and faith in him, these confess his greatness, and power, and goodness, as the prophet is express, sanctify him, and let him be your fear and your dread. And then adds, if thus you sanctify him, you shall further sanctify him, he shall be your sanctuary, you shall account him so in believing in him, and shall find him so in protecting you, you shall repose on him for safety, and these particularly cure the heart of undue fears.

In your hearts] To be sanctified in our words and actions, but primarily in our hearts, as the root and principle of the rest. He sanctifies his own throughout, makes their language and their lives holy, but first and most of all their hearts, and as he chiefly sanctifies it, it chiefly sanctifies him, acknowledges and worships him often when the tongue and body do not, and possibly cannot well join with it, fears, and loves, and trusts in him which properly the outward man cannot do, though it does follow and is acted by these affections, and so has share in them in its capacity.

Beware of an external superficial sanctifying of God, for he takes it not so, he will interpret that a profaning of him and his name, be not deceived, he is not mocked, he looks through all visages and appearances in upon the heart, [reconstructed: sees] how it entertains him, and stands affected to him, if it be possessed with reverence and love more than either your tongue or carriage can express, and if it be not so, all your seeming-worship is but injury, and your speaking of him [reconstructed: is but babbling], be your discourse never so excellent, and the more you have seemed to sanctify God while your heart has not been chief in the business, you shall not by such service have the less, but the more fear and trouble in the day of trouble, when it comes upon you. No estate so far off from true consolation, and so full of horrors, as that of the rotten-hearted hypocrite, his rotten heart is sooner shaken to pieces, than any other. If you would have heart-peace in God, you must have this heart sanctifying of him. It is the heart that is vexed and troubled with fears, the disease is there, and if the prescribed remedy reach not there, it will do no good, but let your hearts sanctify him, and then he shall fortify and establish your hearts.

This sanctifying of God in the heart composes the heart and frees it from fears.

1. In general, the turning of the heart to consider and regard God, takes it off from those vain, empty, windy things that are the usual causes and matter of its fears, it feeds on wind, and therefore the bowels are tormented within, the heart is subject to disturbance, because it lets itself out to such things, and lets in such things into itself as are ever in motion, and full of instability and restlessness, and so cannot be at quiet till God come in and cast out these, to keep the heart within, that it wander out no more to them.

2. The particulars of fear and faith work particularly in this.

1. That fear, as greatest, overtops and nullifies all lesser fears; the heart possessed with this fear has no room for the other — it resolves the heart in point of duty, what it should and must do, not offend God by any means, lays that down as indisputable, and so eases it of doubts and debates in that kind: whether shall I comply with the world, and abate somewhat of the sincerity and exact way of religion to please men, or to escape persecution or reproaches? No, it is unquestionably best, and only necessary to obey him rather than men, to retain his favor — be it with displeasing the most respected and considerable persons we know — indeed, rather choose the universal and highest displeasure of all the world forever, than his smallest discountenance for a moment; counts that the only indispensable necessity to cleave to God and obey him. If I pray, I shall be accused, might Daniel think, but yet pray I must, come of it what will; so if I worship God in my prayer, they will mock me, I shall pass for a fool — no matter for that, it must be done, I must call on God and strive to walk with him. This puts the mind at ease, not to be hanging between two, but resolved what to do — we are not careful, said they, to answer you, O King, our God can deliver us: but however, this we have put out of deliberation, we will not worship the image (Daniel 3:16). As one said, non oportet vivere sed oportet navigare — it is not necessary to have the favor of the world, nor to have riches, nor to live; but it is necessary to hold fast the truth, and to walk holily, to sanctify the name of our Lord, and honor him whether in life or death.

2. Faith in God clears the mind, and dispels carnal fears — the most sure help: what time I am afraid (says David) I will trust in you. It resolves the mind concerning the event, and scatters the multitude of perplexing thoughts that arise about that: what shall become of this and that? What if such an enemy prevail? What if the place of our abode grow dangerous, and we be not provided as others are for a removal? No matter, says faith, though all fail, I know of one thing that will not — I have a refuge that all the strength of nature and art cannot break in upon, or demolish, a high defense, my rock in whom I trust, etc. (Psalm 62:5-6). The firm belief of, and resting on his power, and wisdom, and love, gives a clear satisfying answer to all doubts and fears. It suffers us not to stand to wrangle with each trifling grumbling objection, but carries all before it, makes day in the soul, and so chases away those fears that vex us only in the dark, as frightful fancies do. This is indeed to sanctify God, and give him his own glory, to rest on him; and it is a fruitful homage done to him, returning us so much peace and victory over fears and troubles, persuades us that nothing can separate from his love, and that only we feared, and so the things that cannot reach that can be easily despised.

Seek to have the Lord in your hearts, and sanctify him there — he shall make them strong, and carry them through all dangers. Though I walk, says David, through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no ill, for you are with me (Psalm 23); so also Psalm 27:1. What is it that makes the church so firm and stout, though the sea roar, and the mountains be cast into the midst of the sea? Yet we will not fear — that is it: God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved. No wonder — he is immovable, and therefore does establish all where he resides. If the world is in the middle of the heart, it will be often shaken, for all there is continual motion and change; but God in it keeps it stable.

Labor to get God into your hearts, residing in the midst of them, and then in the midst of all conditions they shall not move.

In your hearts.] Our condition is universally exposed to search and troubles, and no man is so stupid that he does not study and project for some fence against them, some bulwark to break the incursion of evils, and so put his mind to some ease, ridding it of the fear of them. Thus the most common spirits in their way — for even the brutes, from whom such do not much differ in their actions and course of life too, are instructed by nature to provide themselves and their young ones of shelters, and the birds their nests, and the beasts their holes and dens. Thus men gape and pant after gain, with a confused, ill-examined fancy of quiet and safety in it, hoping one day to reach such a point as to say with him in the Gospel: Soul, take your ease, you have much goods laid up for many years, etc. Though warned by his brief ease there, and by many watchwords — indeed, by daily experience — that days may come, indeed one day will, where fear and trouble shall rush in and break over the highest tower of riches, that there is a day called the day of wrath, in which they profit not at all. Thus men seek safety in greatness, or multitude, or supposed faithfulness of friends, seeking by any means to be strongly supported this way, to have many and powerful and confident friends.

But wiser men, perceiving the unsafety and vanity of these and all external things, have cast about for some higher course. They see a necessity of retiring a man from externals that do nothing but mock and deceive most those that trust most to them; but they cannot well tell where to direct him. The best of them bring him into himself, and think to quiet him so; but the truth is, he finds as little there — nothing truly strong enough within him to hold out against the many sorrows and fears that still from without do assault him. So then, though it is well done to call a man off from outward things, as moving sands, that he build not on them, yet it is not enough done, for his own spirit is as unsettled a piece as is in all the world, and must have some higher strength than its own to fortify and fix it. This is the way that is here taught: fear not, etc., but sanctify the Lord, etc.; and if you can attain this latter, the former will follow of itself.

1. Generally, God taking the place formerly possessed by things full of motion and unquietness, solidifies and establishes the heart.

2. Particularly, consider: 1. Fear of him. 2. Faith in him.

His fear turns other fears out of doors, no room for them where this great fear is, and being greater than they all, yet disturbs not as they do, indeed, brings as great quiet as they brought trouble, it is an ease to have but one thing for the heart to deal with, for many times the multitude of carnal fears is more troublesome than their weight, as flies that vex most by their number.

Again, this fear is not a terrible apprehension of God as an enemy, but a sweet composed reverence of God as our King, indeed, as our Father, very great, but no less good than great, so highly esteeming of his favor, as fearing most of all things to offend him in any kind, especially if the soul have been formerly either under the lash of his apprehended displeasure, or on the other side have had some sensible tastes of his love, and has been entertained in his banqueting house, where his banner over it was love. Faith carries the soul above all doubts, that if sufferings, or sickness, or death come, nothing can separate it from him, this suffices, indeed, what though he may hide his face for a time, the hardest of all, yet no separation. His children fear him for his goodness, are afraid to lose sight of that, or prejudge themselves of any of its influences, desire to live in his favor, and then for other things they are not much thoughtful.

2. Faith sets the soul in God, and if there be not safety, where is it? It rests on those persuasions it has concerning him, and that interest it has in him. It believes that he sits and rules the affairs of the world with an all-seeing eye, and all-moving hand: the greatest affairs surcharge him not, and the very smallest escape him not, orders the march of all armies, and the events of battles, and yet you and your particular condition slips not out of his view, the very hairs of your head are numbered, are not all your steps and the hazards of them known to him? And all your desires before him, does he not number your wanderings? Every weary step you are driven to, and put your tears in his bottle, you may assure yourself that however your matters seem to go, all is contrived to subserve your good, chiefly your chief and highest good, there is a regular motion in them, though the wheels do look to run cross, all those things are against me, said old Jacob, and yet they were all for him.

In all estates I know no heart's ease, but to believe, to sanctify and honor your God in resting on his word; if you are persuaded of his love, sure that will carry above all distrusting fears, if you are not clear in that point, yet depend and resolve to stay by him, indeed, to stay on him, till he show himself to you, you have some fear of him, you cannot deny it without gross injury to him and yourself, would willingly walk in all well-pleasing to him, well then, who is among you that fears the Lord, though he see no present light, yet let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God. Press this upon your soul, for there is not another charm for all its fears and unquiet, therefore repeat it still with David, sing this still, till it be stilled, chide your distrustful heart into believing, why are you cast down, O my soul! Why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise him, though I'm all out of tune for the present, never a right string in my soul, yet he will put to his hand and redress all, and I shall yet once again praise, and therefore even now I will hope.

It is true, God is a safe shelter and refuge, but he is holy, and holy men may find admittance and protection, but can so vile a sinner as I look to be protected and taken in under his safeguard? Go try, knock at his door, and take it not on our word, but on his own, it shall be opened to you, and once you shall have a happy life of it in the worst times. Faith has this privilege never to be ashamed, it takes sanctuary in God, and sits and sings under the shadow of his wings, as David speaks (Psalm 63).

From where comes the unsettledness of minds in trouble, when it is near? But because they are far off from God, the heart shook as the leaves of the tree with the wind, no stability of spirit, God not sanctified in it, and no wonder, for not known. Strange! the ignorance of God and the precious promises of his word, the most living and dying strangers to him, when trouble comes have not him a known refuge, but are to begin to seek after him, and to enquire the way to him, cannot go to him as acquainted, and engaged by his own covenant with them, others have empty knowledge and can discourse of Scripture, and sermons, and spiritual comforts, and yet have none of that fear, and trust that quiets the soul, notions of God in their heads, but God not sanctified in their hearts.

If you will be advised, this is the way to have a high and strong spirit indeed, and to be above troubles and fears, seek for a more lively and divine knowledge of God than most as yet have, and rest not till you bring him into your hearts, and then you shall rest indeed in him.

Sanctify him by fearing him, let him be your fear and your dread, not only outward gross offenses, fear an oath, fear to profane the Lord's holy day: but fear all irregular earthly desires, the distempered affecting any thing, entertaining any thing in the secret of your hearts that may give distaste to your beloved, take heed, respect the great person you have in your company and lodges within you, the Holy Spirit, grieve him not, for it will turn to your own grief if you do: for all your comfort is in his hand, and flows from him, if you be but in heart dallying with sin, it will unfit you for suffering, outward troubles, and make your spirit low and base in the day of trial, indeed it will fill you with inward trouble and disturb that peace which I am sure you that know, esteem more of, than all the peace and flourishing of this world. Outward troubles do not molest nor stir inward peace, but an unholy unsanctified affection does, all the winds without, cause not an earthquake, but that within its own bowels does. Christians are much their own enemies in unwary walking, prejudge themselves of those comforts they might have in God, and so are often almost as perplexed and full of fears upon small occasions as worldlings are.

Sanctify him by believing, study the main question your reconcilement with him, labour to bring that to some point, and then in all other occurrences faith will uphold you by relying on God as now yours: for those three things make up the soul's peace. 1. To have right apprehension of God, looking on him in Christ and according to that covenant that holds in him. And 2. A particular apprehension, that is laying hold on him in that covenant as gracious and merciful, as satisfied and appeased in Christ, smelling in his sacrifice, which was himself, a savor of rest, and setting himself before me that I may rely on him in that notion. 3. A persuasion that by so relying on him my soul is at one, indeed is one with him, yet while this is wanting, as to a believer it may be, the other is our duty to sanctify the Lord in believing the word of grace, and believing on him, reposing on his word, and this even severed from the other does deliver in a good measure from distracting fears and troubles, and sets the soul at safety.

From where is it that in times of persecution or trouble, men are troubled within and racked with fears, but because instead of God, their hearts are [reconstructed: glued] to those things that are in hazard by those troubles without, their estates or their ease, or their lives; the soul destitute of God esteems so highly of such things, that it cannot but exceedingly feel when they are in danger, and fear their loss most, gaping after some imagined good, and Oh! [reconstructed: if] I had but this I were well; but then such or such a thing may step in and break all my projects; and this troubles the poor [reconstructed: spirit] of man that has no higher designs, but such as are so easily blasted, and still as any thing in man lists up his soul to vanity, it must needs fall down again into vexation. There is a word or two in the Hebrew for idols, that signify withal troubles and terrors, and so it is certainly: all our idols prove so to us, fill us with nothing but anguish and troubles, with unprofitable cares and fears that are good for nothing but to be fit punishments of that folly, out of which they arise. The ardent love or wilful desire of prosperity, or wealth, or credit in the world carries with it, as inseparably tied to it, a bundle of fears and inward troubles. They that will be rich (says the Apostle) fall into a snare and many noisome and hurtful lusts, and as he adds in the next verse, they pierce themselves through with many sorrows. He that has set his heart upon an estate, or a commodious dwelling and lands, or upon a healthful and long life, cannot but be in continued alarms of renewed fears concerning them, especially in troublous times, the least rumor of any thing that threatens his deprivement of those advantages strikes him to the heart; because his heart is in them, I am well seated, thinks he, and I am of a sound strong constitution, and may have many a good day. Oh! but beside the arrows of pestilence that are flying round about, the sword of a cruel enemy is not far off, this will affright and trouble a heart void of God; but if you would readily answer and dispel all these and such like fears, sanctify the Lord God in your heart, the soul that eyes God renounces these things, looks on them at a great distance, as things far from the heart, and therefore that cannot easily trouble it, but looks on God as within the heart, sanctifies him in it and rests on him.

The word of God cures the many foolish hopes and fears that we are naturally sick of, by representing to us hopes and fears of a far higher nature, which swallow up and drown the other, as inundations and land[reconstructed: floods] do the little ditches in those meadows that they overflow, fear not (says our Savior) him that can kill the body, what then, fear must have some work, he adds, but fear him that can kill both soul and body. Thus in the passage cited here, fear not their fear, but sanctify the Lord and let him be your fear and your dread. And so for the hopes of the world, care not to lose them for God, there is a hope in you (as it follows here) that is far above them.

Be ready always to give an answer.] The real Christian is all for Christ, has given up all right of himself to his Lord and Master, to be all his, to do and suffer for him, and therefore sure will not fail in this which is least, to speak for him upon all occasions, if he sanctify him in his heart, the tongue will follow, and be ready, [illegible] to give an answer, a defense or apology. Of this here four things, 1. The need of it, men will ask an account. 2. The matter or subject of it, the hope in you. 3. The manner, with meekness and fear. 4. The faculty for it, be ready.

1. Religion is always the thing in the world that has the greatest calumnies and prejudices cast upon it, and this engages those that love it to endeavor to clear and disburden it of them, this they do chiefly by the tract of their lives, the saints by their blameless actions and patient sufferings, do write most real and convincing apologies, yet sometimes it is expedient, indeed, necessary to add verbal defenses, and to vindicate not so much themselves, as their Lord and his truth, suffering in the reproaches cast upon them: for did they rest in their persons, a regardless contempt of them were usually the fittest answer, but where the holy profession of Christians is likely to receive either the main or the indirect blow, and a word of defense may do any thing to award it, there we ought not to spare do it.

Christian prudence goes much in the regulating of this: for holy things are not to be cast to dogs, some are not capable of rational answers, especially in divine things, they were not only lost upon them, but religion indignified by contesting: but every one that inquires a reason or an account, which supposes something receptive of it, we ought to judge ourselves engaged to give it, be it an enemy if he will hear, if it gain him not, it may in part convince and cool him, much more be it one that ingenuously inquires for satisfaction, and possibly inclines to receive the truth; but is prejudiced against it by false misrepresentations of it, as Satan and the profane world are very inventive of such shapes and colors as may make truth most odious, drawing monstrous misconsequences out of it, and belying the practices of Christians, making their assemblies horrible and vile by false imputations, and thus are they often necessitated to declare the true tenor, both of their belief and lives in confessions of faith, and remonstrances of their carriage and custom.

The very name of Christians in the primitive times was made hateful by the foulest aspersions of strange wickednesses committed in their meetings, and past credibly through with all that were not particularly acquainted with them, thus the Waldenses, and so both were forced to publish apologies, and as here, every one bound seasonably to clear himself and his brethren and religion.

Be always ready] So not always to be done to every one, but being ready to do, it is to be considered, when, and to whom, and how far.

2. But all that they are to give account of, is comprised here under this, the hope that is in you. Faith is the root of graces; and of all obedience and holiness, and hope is so near in nature to it, that the one is commonly named for the other, for the things that faith apprehends and lays hold on as present in the truth of divine promises, hope looks out for as to come in their certain performance, to believe a promise to be true before it be performed, is no other but to believe that it shall be performed, and hope expects that.

Many rich and excellent things do the saints receive even in this mean despised condition they have here, but their hope is rather mentioned as the subject they may speak and give account of with most advantage, both because all they receive in present, is but as nothing to what they hope for, and because such as it is, it cannot be made known at all to a natural man, and is so clouded with their afflictions and sorrows, these he sees, but their graces and comforts he cannot see; and therefore the very ground of higher hopes, somewhat to come, though he knows not what it is, speaks more satisfaction: To hear of another life and a happiness hoped for, any man will confess it says something, and deserves to be considered.

So then the whole sum of religion goes under this word, the hope that is in you, for two reasons. 1. For that it does indeed all resolve and terminate into things to come, and leads and carries on the soul towards them by all the graces in it, and all the exercise of them, and all through services and sufferings, and aims at this as its main scope, to keep that life to come in the believer's eye, till he get it in his hand, to entertain the hope of it, and bring him home to possess it. Therefore the Apostle calls faith, the substance of things hoped for, that which makes them be before they be, gives a solidity and substance to them. The name of hope in other things scarce suits withal, but sounds a kind of uncertainty, and is somewhat airy, [illegible] of all other hopes but this it is a very true word, that it is the name of an uncertain good; but the gospel being entertained by faith, furnishes a hope that has substance and reality in it, and all its truths do concentrate into this, to give such a hope. There was in Saint Paul's word, besides the fitness for his stratagem at that time, a truth suitable to this, where he assigns his whole cause for which he was in question by the name of his hope of the resurrection (Acts 23).

And indeed this hope carries its own apology in it for itself and for religion. What can more pertinently answer all exceptions against the way of godliness than this, to represent what hopes the saints have that walk in that way. If you ask where tends all this your preciseness and singularity; why can't you live as your neighbors and the rest of the world about you? Truly the reason is this, we have somewhat further to look to than our present condition, and far more considerable than any thing here; we have a hope of blessedness after time, a hope to dwell in the presence of God, where our Lord Christ is gone before us, and we know, that as many as have this hope, must purify themselves even as he is pure. The city we tend to is holy, and no unclean thing shall enter into it, the hopes we have cannot subsist in the way of the ungodly world, they cannot breathe in that air, but are choked and stifled with it, and therefore we must take another way, unless we will forego our hopes and ruin ourselves for company. But all that bustle of godliness you make, is but ostentation and hypocrisy: that may be your judgment, but if it were so, we had but a poor bargain, they have their reward, that which they desire (to be seen of men, Matthew 6) is given them, and they can look for no more; but we would be loath it were so with us, that which our eye is on, is to come, our hopes are the thing upholds us, we know that we shall appear before the judge of hearts, where shows and formalities will not pass, and we are persuaded, that the hope of the hypocrite shall perish, no man shall be so much disappointed and ashamed as he, but the hope that we have makes not ashamed: and while we consider that so far are we from the regard of men's eyes, that were it not we are bound to profess our hope and avow religion, and to walk like it even before men, we would be content to pass through altogether unseen and desire to pass as if it were so, as regardless either of the approbation, or of the reproaches and mistakes of men, as if there were no such thing, for it is indeed nothing.

Indeed the hopes we have make all things sweet, therefore do we go through disgraces and sufferings with patience, indeed with joy, because of that hope of glory, and joy laid up for us. A Christian can take joyfully the despoilings of his goods, knowing that he has in Heaven a better and an enduring substance.

The hope.] All the estate of a believer lies in hope, and it is a royal estate, for outward things, the children of God have what he thinks fit to serve them, but those are not their portion, and therefore he gives often more of the world to these that shall have no more hereafter; but all their flourish and lustre is but a base advantage, as a lackey's gaudy clothes that usually make more show than his that is heir of the estate. How often under a mean outward condition and very despicable every way, goes an heir of glory, born of God, and so royal, born to a crown that fades not, an estate of hopes, but so rich and so certain hopes, that the least thought of them surpasses all the world's possessions. Men think somewhat for present, a bird in hand, as you say, the best of it, but the odds is in this, that when all present things shall be past, and swept away, as if they had not been, then shall these hopers be in eternal possession, they only shall have all for ever, that seemed to have little or nothing here.

Oh! how much happier to be the meanest expectant of the glory to come, than alone possessor of all this world, these are often held short in earthly things, and had they the greatest abundance of them yet cannot rest in that; so all the spiritual blessings that they do possess here, are nothing to the hopes that is in them, but as an earnest penny to their great inheritance; so indeed it confirms their hope and assures it them of that full estate, and therefore be it never so small, they may look on it with joy, not so much looking on it as simply in itself, as what it is in relation to that which it seals and ascertains the soul of; be it never so small, yet is it a pledge of the great glory and happiness which we desire to share in.

It is the grand comfort of a Christian to look often beyond all that he can possess or attain here, and as to answer others, when he is put to it concerning his hope, so to answer himself concerning all his present griefs and wants, I have a poor traveller's lot here, little friendship, and many straits, but yet I may go cheerfully homewards, for there I shall come, and there I have riches, and honour enough, a palace and a crown abiding me, here nothing but deep calling to deep, one calamity and trouble, as waves following another: but I have a hope of that rest that remains for the people of God, I feel the infirmities of a mortal state, but my hopes of immortality content me under them, I find strong and cruel assaults of temptations breaking in upon me, but for all that I have assured hope of a full victory, and then of everlasting peace. I find a law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind, the worst of all evils, so much strength of corruption within me, yet there is withal a hope within me of deliverance, and I look over all to that, I lift up my head, because the day of my redemption draws near. This I dare avow and proclaim to all, and not be ashamed to answer concerning this blessed hope.

But this to be done with meekness and fear. Meekness towards men, and reverent fear towards God.

With Meekness] Not therefore blustering and flying out into invectives, because he has the better of it against any man that answers touching this hope, as some think themselves certainly authorized to rough speech, because they plead for truth, and are on its side, on the contrary, so much the rather study meekness for the glory and advantage of the truth, it needs not the service of passion, indeed nothing so disserves it, as passion when set to serve it; the spirit of truth is withal the Spirit of meekness, the Dove that rested on that great champion of truth, who is the Truth itself, and from him is derived to the lovers of truth, and they ought to seek the participation of it. Imprudence makes some kind of Christians lose much of their labour, speaking for religion, and drive those further off that they would draw into it.

And fear] Divine things never to be spoken of in a light perfunctory way, but with a reverent grave temper of spirit, and for this reason some choice to be made both of time and persons. The confidence that is in this hope makes the believer not fear men, to whom he answers, but still he fears his God for whom he answers, and whose interest is chief in those things he speaks of. The soul that has the deepest sense of spiritual things and knowledge of God, is most afraid to miscarry in speaking of him, most tender and wary how to acquit itself when engaged to speak of and for God.

Ready] In this, knowledge and affection, and courage. For knowledge, not required of every Christian to be able to prosecute subtleties, and encounter the sophistry of adversaries, especially in obscure points, but all bound to know so much, as to be able to aver that hope that is in them, the main doctrine of grace and [illegible], wherein the most of men are lamentably ignorant.

Affection sets all on work, whatever faculty the mind has, it will not suffer it to be useless, and it hardens it against hazards in defence of the truth.

But the only way so to know and love the truth and have courage for it, is that, to have the Lord sanctified in the heart. Men may dispute stoutly against Popery and errors, and yet be strangers to God and this hope, but surely it is the liveliest defence, and only that which returns comfort within, when it arises from the peculiar interest of the soul in God, and in those truths, and that hope that is questioned; it is then pleading for the nearest friend, and for a man's own rights and inheritance, and these will animate and edge it when not for a hope you have heard or read of barely, but a hope in you, and not a hope in believers in general but in you in a particular, some of that hope within.

But although you find it not so strong in you for your particular interest, yet are you seeking after it, and desiring it mainly as your chief design to attain, then forbear not if you have occasion to speak for it, and commend it to others, and maintain the sweetness and certainty of it.

And to the end you may be the more established in it, and so the stronger to answer for it, not only against men, but that great adversary that seeks so much to infringe, know the right foundation of it, build it never on yourselves nor anything in you.

The work of grace may evidence to you the truth of your hope, but its ground it fastens on is Jesus Christ, in whom all our rights and evidences hold good; his death assuring us of freedom from condemnation, and his life and possession of glory the foundation of our hope (Hebrews 6:19).

If you would have it immovable rest it there, lay all this hope on him, and when assaulted, [reconstructed: fetch] all your answers for it from him, for it is Christ in you that is your hope of glory (Colossians 1:27).

Verse 16. Having a good conscience, that whereas they speak evil of you, as of evil doers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.

The prosperity of fools is their destruction, (says Solomon) none of God's children die of this disease, of too much ease, he knows well how to breed them, and fit them for a kingdom, he keeps them in exercise, but yet so, as they are not surcharged, he not only directs them how to overcome, but enables and supports them in all their conflicts, and gives them victory. One main thing tending to their enablement and victory is this, which is here required in the saints, and is withal wrought and maintained in them by the Spirit of God, Having a good conscience, etc.

1. Two parties here opposed in contest, the evil tongues of the ungodly, and the good conscience and conversation of the Christian, they speak evil of you and falsely accuse you, but have you a good conscience.

Secondly. The success of their contest, the good conscience prevails, and the evil-speakers are ashamed.

They speak evil.] This is a general evil in the corrupt nature of man though in some it rises to a greater height than in others. Are not tables, and chambers, and almost all societies and meetings full of it, and even they that have some dislikings of it, yet readily carried with the stream, and for company's sake take a share, if not in sending in their word, yet lending their ear, and willingly hearing the detractions of others, and unless it be of their friends or such as they have interest in, do insensibly slide into some forced complacency, and easily receive the impression of calumnies and defamings? But the most are more active in this evil can cast in their penny to make up the shot, have their taunt or criticism upon some body in readiness to make up the feast, such as most companies entertain one another withal, but it is a vile diet, Satan's name, as the Syriac calls him, an eater of calumnies. This tongue-evil, has its root in the heart, a perverse constitution there, pride and self-love, an overweening esteem that men naturally have of themselves mounts them into that chair, gives them a fancied authority of judging others, and self-love a desire to be esteemed, and for that end spare not to depress others, and load them with disgraces, and [reconstructed: miscensures], upon their ruins to raise themselves.

But this bent of the heart and tongue unrenewed, to evil speaking, works and vents most in the world against those that walk most contrary to the course of the world. This furnace of the tongue is kindled from hell, as St. James tells us, and is made seven times hotter than ordinary. As for sincere Christians, a company of hypocrites (say they) who so godly, but yet they are false, and malicious, and proud, etc. And no kind of carriage in them shall escape, there shall be some device to wrest and misname it; if they be cheerful in society, that shall be accounted more liberty than suits with their profession, if of a graver sad temper, that shall pass for sullen severity; thus John Baptist and Christ (Matthew 11). If they be diligent, and wary in their affairs, then in the world's construction they are as covetous and worldly as any, if careless and remiss in them, then silly [reconstructed: witless] bodies, good for nothing, still something stands cross.

The enemies of religion have not anywhere so quick an eye, as in observing the ways of such as seek after God, my remarkers David calls them, they that scan my ways, as the word is, will not let [reconstructed: pass] the least step unexamined. If nothing be found faulty, then their invention works, either forges complete falsehoods, or disguises something that lies open to mistake, or if they can catch hold on any real failing, no end of their triumph and insultations. 1. They aggravate and raise it to the highest. 2. While they will not admit to be judged of themselves by their constant walk, they scruple not to judge of the condition of a Christian by any one particular action, wherein he does, or seems at least to miscarry. 3. They rest not there, but make one failing of one Christian the reproach of all, take up your devotees, there's never a one of them the better. 4. Nor rest they there, but make personal failings of those that profess it, the disgrace of religion itself: Now all these are very crooked rules and gross injustice.

1. There is a great difference between a thing taken favorably, and the same action misconstrued.

2. A great difference between one particular act and a man's estate or inward frame, which they either consider not, or willingly or maliciously neglect.

3. How large is the difference that there is between one and another in the measure of grace, and of their prudence, either in their naturals, or in grace, or possibly in both, that some who are honest in matter of religion, yet being very weak may miscarry in such things, as other Christians come seldom near the hazard of, and though some should wholly forsake the way of godliness, wherein they seemed to walk, yet why should that reflect upon such as are real and steadfast in it, they were among us, says the Apostle, but were not of us. Offenses of this kind must be, but the woe rests on him, by whom they come, not on other Christians, and if it spread further than the party offending, it is to the profane world that take offense at religion because of him, as our Savior has expressed it, Woe to the world because of offenses, they shall stumble, and fall, and break their necks upon these stumbling blocks or scandals. You that are profane and see the failing of a minister or Christian, and are hardened by it, this is a judgment to you, that you meet with such a block in your way. Woe to the world: It is judgment on a place, where God makes religion in the persons of some to be scandalous.

4. Religion itself remains still itself, whatever be the failings and blots of one or more that profess it, it is pure and spotless, if it teach not holiness, and meekness, and humility, and all good purely, then except against it, but if it be a straight golden [reconstructed: Rule] by which the Temple is measured, then let it have its own esteem both of straightness and preciousness, whatever unevenness be found in those that profess to receive it.

Suspect and search yourselves even in general for this evil, of evil-speaking. Consider that we are to give [illegible] an account of words, and if for idle [illegible] [reconstructed: worthless] words, how much more of lying or biting words. Learn more humility and self-censure, blunt that fire-edge upon your own hard and disordered hearts, that others may meet with nothing but charity and lenity at your hands.

But particularly beware this in more or less, earnest, or in jest, to reproach religion or those that profess it, know how particularly the glorious name of God is interested in that, and they that dare to be [reconstructed: affronting] him, what shall they say? How shall they stand when he calls them to account? If you have not attained to it, yet do not bark against it, but the rather esteem highly of religion, love it, and the very appearance of it where you [reconstructed: find] it, give it respect and your good word at least, and from an external approbation, Oh! that you would aspire to inward acquaintance with it and then no more were needful to be said in this, it would commend itself to you sufficiently, but in the mean time be ashamed, be [illegible] of that professed enmity against God that is among you, a malignant hateful spirit against those that desire to walk holily, whetting your tongues against them.

1. Consider, what do you mean, this religion we all profess, is it the way to Heaven, or is it not? Do you believe this word or no? If you do not, what do you here? If you do then you must believe too, that they that walk closest by this Rule, are surest in that way; they that dare not share with your oaths, and excessive cups, and profane conversation; what can you say? It is not possible to open your mouth against them without renouncing this Word and Faith: Therefore either declare you are no Christians, and Christ not yours, or in his name, I enjoin you that you dare no more speak an ill word of Christianity, and the power of religion, and those that seek after it. There be not many higher signs of a reprobate mind, than to have a bitter virulent spirit against the children of God. Seek that tie of affection and fraternity, for hereby we know (says the beloved Apostle St. John) that we are translated from death to life, because we love the brethren.

But because those hissings are the natural voice of the Serpent's seed, expect them, you that have a mind to follow Christ, and take this guard against them, that is here directed you, having a good conscience.

It is a fruitless verbal debate, whether conscience be a faculty or habit, or not, and as in other things, so in this, that most of all requires more solid and useful consideration, the vain mind of man feeds on the wind, loves to be busy to no purpose. How much better is it to have this supernatural goodness of conscience, than to dispute about the nature of it, to find it duly teaching and admonishing, reproving and comforting, rather than to define it most exactly.

When all is examined, it will be found to be no other, but the mind of man under the notion of a particular reference to himself and his own actions. And there is a twofold goodness of the conscience, purity and tranquility, and this flows from the other, so that the former is the thing we ought primarily to study, and the latter will follow of itself: for a time indeed the conscience, that is in a good measure pure, may be unpeaceable, but still it is the apprehension and sense of present or former impurity that makes it so, for without the consideration of guiltiness, there is nothing that can trouble it, it cannot apprehend the wrath of God, but with relation to sin.

The goodness of conscience here recommended, is the integrity and holiness of the whole inward man in a Christian, so the ingredients of it are, 1. A due light or knowledge of our Rule, that as the lamps in the Temple must be still burning within, as filthiness is always the companion of darkness; therefore if you would have a good conscience, you must by all means have so much light, so much knowledge of the will of God, as may regulate you, and show you your way, teach you how to do, and speak, and think, as in his presence. 2. A constant regard and using of this light, applying it to all, not sleeping, but working by it, still seeking a nearer conformity with the known will of our God, daily redressing and ordering the affections by it, not sparing to knock off whatever we find irregular within, that our hearts may be polished, and brought to a right frame by that [reconstructed: Rule]: and this is the daily inward work of the Christian, his great business to purify himself as his Lord is pure.

And 3. For the advancing of this work is needful, a frequent search of our hearts and of our actions, not only to consider what we are to do but what we have done, these reflex inquiries, as they are a main part of the conscience's proper work, they are a chief means of making and keeping the conscience good. 1. Acquainting the soul with its own estate, with the motions and inclinations that are most natural to it. 2. Stirring it up to work out, and purge away by repentance, the pollution it has contracted by any outward act or inward motion of sin. 3. This search both excites and enables the conscience to be more watchful, teaches how to avoid and prevent the like errors for the time to come; as natural wise men labor to gain thus out of their former oversight in their affairs, to be the wiser and warier by them, and lay up that as bought wit, that they have paid dear for, and therefore are careful to make their best advantage of it; God makes the consideration of their falls, preservatives to his children from falling, makes a medicine of this poison. Thus that the conscience may be good it must be enlightened, and it must be watchful, both advising before, and after censuring according to that light.

The most little regard this, they walk by guess, either ignorant consciences, and the blind (you say) swallow many a fly, indeed, how many consciences without sense, as feared with an hot iron, stupified, that feel nothing, others satisfied with a civil righteousness, an imagined goodness of conscience, because they are free from gross crimes, others that know the rule of Christianity, yet study not a [reconstructed: conscientious] respect to it in all things, some transient looks upon the rule and their own hearts it may be, but sit not down, make it not their business, have time for any thing, but that, share not with Saint Paul, do not exercise themselves in this to have a conscience void of offence towards God and men. Those were his ascetics, [illegible] he breathed himself in striving against what might defile the conscience, or, as the word signifies, elaborately wrought and dressed his conscience. Think you, that other things cannot be done without diligence, and intention, and is this a work to be done at random, no it is the most exact and curious of all works, to have the conscience right, and keep it so, as watches or other such neat pieces of workmanship, except they be [reconstructed: daily] wound up and skillfully handled, they will quickly go wrong, indeed besides daily inspection, it would (as they) at sometimes be taken to pieces, and more accurately cleansed, for the best kept will gather soil and dust; sometimes a Christian should set himself to a more solemn examination of his own heart beyond his daily search, and all little enough to have so precious a good as this, a good conscience. They that are most diligent and vigilant, find nothing to abate as superfluous, but still need of more. The heart to be kept with all diligence, or above all keeping, corruption within ready to grow and gain upon it, if it be never so little neglected, and from without to invade it, and get in; we breathe in a corrupt infected air, and have need daily to antidote the heart against it.

You that are studying to be excellent in this art of a good conscience, go on, seek daily progress in it, the study of conscience is a more sweet profitable study than of all science wherein is much vexation, and the most little or no fruit, read this book diligently and correct your Errata by that book, the word of God, labor to have it pure and right, other books and works are [illegible], curious, and [illegible], by works, they shall not appear, but this is one of the books that shall be opened in that great day, according to which we must be judged.

On this follows a good conversation, as inseparably connected with a good conscience. Grace is of a lively active nature, and does act like itself; holiness in the heart will be holiness in the life too, not some good actions, but a good conversation, an uniform, even tract of life, the whole revolution of it regular, the inequality of some Christians' ways does breed much discredit to religion and discomfort to themselves.

But observe here. 1. The order of these two. 2. The principle of both.

1. The [reconstructed: Conscience] good, and then the conversation, make the tree good, and the fruit will be good, says our Saviour, so here a good conscience the root of a good conversation; most men begin at the wrong end of this work, would reform the outward man first, that will do no good, it will be but dead work.

Do not rest upon external reformations, they will not hold, there is no abiding nor no advantage in such a work, you think when reproved, Oh! I will mend and set about the redress of some outward things but this is as good as to do nothing, the mind and conscience being defiled (as the Apostle speaks) does defile all the rest, it is a mire in the spring although the pipes are cleansed, they will grow quickly foul again; so Christians in their progress in grace, would eye this most, that the conscience be growing purer, the heart more spiritual, the affections more regular, and heavenly, and their outward carriage will be holier, whereas the outward work of performing duties and being much exercised in religion, may by the neglect of this, be labor in vain, and amend nothing [reconstructed: soundly]. To set the outward actions right, though with an honest intention, and not so to regard and find out the inward disorder of the heart, from where that in the actions flows, is but to be still putting the handle of a clock right with your finger, while it is foul or out of order within, which is a continual business and does no good. Oh! but a purified conscience, a soul renewed and refined in its temper and affections, will make things go right without, in all the duties and acts of our callings.

2. The principle of good in both is Christ. Your good conversation in Christ. The conversation not good unless in him, so neither the conscience.

1. He the person, must be in him, and then the conscience and conversation will be good in him, the conscience that is morally good, having some kind of virtuous habits, yet being out of Christ, is nothing but pollution in the [reconstructed: sight] of God, it must be washed in his blood ere it can be clean, all our pains will not cleanse it, floods of tears will not do it, it is blood, and that blood alone that has the virtue of purging the conscience from dead works (Hebrews 9).

2. In him the perfect pattern of holiness, the heart and life to be conformed to him, and so made truly good.

3. He the Spirit of Grace from where it is first derived, and always fed, and maintained, and made active; a Spirit goes forth from him that cleanses our spirits, and so makes our conversation clean and holy.

If you would have your conscience and heart purified, and pacified, and have your life certified, go to Christ for all, make use of him, as of his blood to wash off your guiltiness, so of his spirit to purify and sanctify you; if you would have your heart reserved for God, pure as his temple, if you would have your lusts cast out that pollute you, and find no power to do it; go to him, desire him to scourge out that filthy rabble that abuse his house, and make it a den of thieves. Seek this as the only way to have your soul, and ways righted, to be in Christ, and then walk in him: let your conversation be in Christ, study him, and follow him, look on his way, on his graces, his obedience, and humility, and meekness till by looking on them, they make the very idea of you new, as the painter does of a face he would draw to the life; so behold his glory, that you may be transformed from glory to glory: but as it is there added, this must be by the Spirit of the Lord. Do not therefore look on him simply as an example without you, but as [reconstructed: life] within you, having received him, walk not only like him, but in him, as the Apostle Paul speaks, and as the word is here, your conversation not only according to Christ, but in Christ; draw from his [reconstructed: fullness] grace for grace.

Second, the other thing in the words is the advantage of this good conscience and conversation: (1) Even external towards the malicious ungodly world, they shall be ashamed that falsely accuse you, thus often it is [reconstructed: even] most evident to men, the victory of innocency, silent innocency most strongly confuting all calumny, making the ungodly false accusers hide their heads; thus without stirring the integrity of a Christian conquers, as a rock unremoved, breaks the waters that are dashing against it. And this not only a lawful but laudable way of revenge, shaming calumny out of it, and punishing evil-speakers by well-doing, showing really how false their accusers were; this the most powerful apology and refutation; as his was of the Sophist, that would prove there were no motion, by rising up and walking. And without this good conscience and conversation, we cut ourselves short of other apologies for religion, whatever we say for it: one unchristian action will disgrace it more than we can repair by the largest and best framed speeches on its behalf.

Let those therefore that have given their names to Christ, honor him and their holy profession most this way; speak for him as occasion requires; why not, providing with meekness and fear, as our Apostle has taught: but let this be the main defense of religion, live like it, and commend it so. Thus all should do that are called Christians, adorn that holy profession with holy conversation: but the most are nothing else but spots and [reconstructed: blots], some wallowing in the mire, and provoking one another to [reconstructed: uncleanness]. Oh! the unchristian life of Christians, an evil to be much lamented more than all the troubles we sustain. But these [reconstructed: indeed] do thus deny Christ, and declare that they are not his: so many as have any [reconstructed: reality] of Christ in you, be so much the more holy, the more wicked the rest are, strive to make it up and to honor that name which they disgrace; and if they will reproach you, because you walk not with them, and cast the mire of false reproaches on you, take no notice, but go on your way, it will dry and easily rub off. Be not troubled with misjudgings; shame them out of it by your blameless and holy carriage, that will do most to put lies out of countenance; however if they continue impudent, the day is at hand, wherein all the enemies of Christ shall be all clothed over and covered with shame, and they that have kept a good conscience and walked in Christ, shall lift up their faces with joy.

Second, there is an intrinsic good in this goodness of conscience that sweetens all sufferings as follows.

Verse 17. For it is better, if the will of God be so, that you suffer for well-doing, than for evil-doing.

A necessity of suffering in any way wherein you can walk; if you choose the way of wickedness, you shall not escape suffering so. And that supposed, this is by far the better to suffer in well-doing, and for it, than to suffer either for doing evil, or simply to suffer in that way as the words run.

1. The way of the ungodly is not exempt from suffering even in the present, setting aside the judgment and wrath to come, often from the hands of men whether justly or unjustly, and often from the immediate hand of God always just, both in that and the other, causing the sinner to [reconstructed: eat] of the fruit of his own ways: when profane ungodly men offer violences and wrongs one to another; in this God is just against both, in that wherein they themselves are both unjust; they are both rebellious against him, and so though they intend not his quarrel, he means it himself; sets them to lash one another. As the wicked profess their combined enmity against the children of God, yet they are not always at peace among themselves: they often revile and [reconstructed: defame] each other, so it is held up on both sides, whereas the godly cannot hold them game in that, being like their Lord, who when he was reviled, reviled not again. Besides, although the ungodly flourish at sometimes, yet they have their days of suffering, are subject to the common miseries of the life of man, and the common calamities of evil times; the sword and pestilence and such like public judgments: now in what kind soever it be that they suffer, they are at a great disadvantage compared with the godly in their sufferings.

Here impure consciences may lie sleeping while they are at ease themselves, but when any great trouble comes and shakes them, then readily the conscience begins to awake, and bustle, and proves more grievous to them than all that comes on them from without. When they remember their despising the ways of God, neglecting him and holy things, from where they are convinced, how that comfort might be reaped in these days of distress, this cuts and galls them most, looking back at their licentious profane ways, each of them strikes to the heart. As the Apostle calls sin, the sting of death, so is it of all sufferings, and the sting that strikes deepest into the very soul: no stripes like those that are secretly given by an accusing conscience.

A sad condition to have from there the greatest anguish where the most comfort should be expected, to have thickest darkness, from where they should look for most light. Men that have evil consciences, love not to be with them; are not much with themselves, as St. Augustine compares them to such as have shrewd wives, love not to be at home: but yet, outward distress sets a man inward, as foul weather drives him home, and there where he should find comfort, he is met with such accusations, as are like a continual dropping, as Solomon speaks, of a contentious woman. It is a most wretched estate to live under sufferings or afflictions of any kind, and a stranger to God; then a man has God, and his conscience against him that should be his solace in times of distress, being knocked off from the comforts of the world on which he rested, and having no provision of spiritual comfort within, nor expectation from above. But the children of God in their sufferings (especially such as are for God) can retire themselves inwards, and rejoice in the testimony of a good conscience, indeed the possession of Christ dwelling within them. All the trouble that befalls them, is but as the rattling of hail upon the tiles of the house to a man, that is sitting within a warm room at a rich banquet; such is a good conscience, a feast, indeed, a continual feast. The believer looks on his Christ, and in him reads his deliverance from condemnation, and that is a strong comfort, a cordial that keeps him from fainting in the greatest distresses. The conscience gives this testimony that sin is forgiven, raises the soul above inward sufferings. Tell the Christian of loss of goods, or liberty, or friends, or life, he answers all with this, Christ is mine, and my sin is pardoned. That's enough for me. What would I not have suffered to have been delivered from the wrath of God; if any suffering of mine in this world could have done that, now that is done to my hand. All other sufferings are light, they are light, and but for a moment, one thought of eternity drowns the whole time, the world's endurance, which is but as one instant or twinkling of an eye between eternity before, and eternity after, how much less is any short life, and a small part that is spent in sufferings though it were all sufferings without interruption, which yet it is not: when I look forward to the crown, all vanishes, and I think it less than nothing. Now these things the good conscience speaks to the Christian in his sufferings; therefore certainly his choice is best that provides it for his companion against evil and troublesome times: if moral integrity went so far, as truly it did much in some men that had much of it, that they scorned all hard encounters, and esteemed this a sufficient bulwark, a strength impregnable, Hic murus Aheneus esto, nil conscire sibi, how much more the Christian's good conscience, which alone is truly such.

2. As the Christian may thus look inward and rejoice in tribulation, so there is another look upward that is here likewise mentioned, that allays very much all the sufferings of the saints. If such be the will of God.

The Christian mind has still one eye to this above the hand of men, and all inferior causes, in suffering whether for the name of God or otherwise: looks on the sovereign will of God, and sweetly complies with that in all. Neither is there anything that does more powerfully compose and quiet the mind, than this, makes it invincibly firm and content, when it has attained this resignation of itself to the will of God, to agree to that in everything. This is the very thing in which tranquility of spirit lies; it is no riddle, nor hard to understand, yet few attain it. And I pray you, what is thus gained by our reluctancies and repinings, but pain to ourselves? He does what he will, whether we consent or no, our disagreeing does not prejudge his purposes but our own peace, if we will not be led, we are drawn, we must suffer if he will, but if we will what he wills, even in suffering that makes it sweet and easy, when our mind goes along with his, and we willingly move with that stream of providence which will carry us with it, though we row against it; and we still have nothing but toil and weariness for our pains.

But this hard argument of necessity is needless, to the child of God, persuaded of the wisdom and love of his Father, knows that to be truly best for him that his hand reaches. Sufferings are unpleasant to the flesh, and it will grumble, but the voice of the Spirit of God in his children, is that of that good king, good is the will of the Lord, let him do with me as seems good in his eyes. My foolish heart would think these things I suffer might be abated, but my wise and heavenly Father thinks otherwise; he has his design of honor to himself, and good to me in these, which I would be loath to cross if I might: I may do God more service by these advantages, but does not he know best what fits, cannot he advance his grace more by the want of these things I desire, than I could do myself by having them? Cannot he make me a gainer by sickness, and poverty, and disgraces, and loss of friends and children, by making up all in himself, and teaching me more of his all-sufficiency? Indeed, even concerning the affairs of my soul I am to give up all to his good pleasure, though desiring the light of his countenance above all things in this world, yet if he sees it fit to hide it sometimes, if that be his will, let me not murmur, there is nothing lost by this obedient temper, indeed whatever way he deals with us there is much more advantage in it. No soul shall enjoy so much in all estates as that which has divested and renounced itself, and has no will but God's.

Verse 18. 18. For Christ has also once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust (that he might bring us to God) being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit.

The whole life of a Christian is a steady aiming at conformity with Christ, so that in anything, whether doing or suffering, there can be no argument so apposite and persuasive as his example; and no obedience either active or passive so difficult, but the representation of that example will powerfully sweeten it. The apostle does not decline the often use of it; here we have it thus, for Christ also suffered.

Though the doctrine of Christian suffering is the occasion of speaking of Christ's suffering, yet he insists on it beyond the simple necessity of that argument, for its own excellency, and further usefulness, so we shall consider the double capacity. (1.) As an encouragement and engagement for Christians to suffer. (2.) As the great point of their faith, on which all their hopes and happiness depends, being the means of their reduction to God.

The sufferings of Christ, being duly considered, does much temper all the sufferings of Christians, especially such as are directly for Christ.

1. It is some known ease to the mind in any distress to look upon examples of the like, or greater distress in present or former times. It diverts the eye from continual poring on our own suffering, and when we return to view it again, it lessens it, abates of the imagined bulk and greatness of it. Thus public, thus spiritual troubles; and particularly the sufferings and temptations of the godly, by the consideration of this as their common lot, their high way, not new in the person of any (1 Corinthians 10:13). If we trace the lives of the most eminent saints, shall we not find every notable step that is recorded, marked with a new cross, one trouble following on another as the waves do in an incessant succession: and is not this manifest in the life of Abraham, and of Jacob, and the rest of God's worthies in the Scriptures? And does not this make it an unreasonable, absurd thought to dream of an exemption: would any one have a new untrodden way cut out for him free of thorns, and strewed with flowers all along, no contradictions nor hard measure from the world? Or imagine that there may be such a dexterity necessary as to keep its good will, and the friendship of God too — this will not be, and it is a universal conclusion: all that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution. This is the path to the kingdom, that which all the sons of God, the heirs of it, have gone in, even Christ — as that known word is: one son without sin, but none without suffering. Christ also suffered.

The example and company of the saints in suffering is very considerable, but that of Christ is more than any other, indeed, than all the rest together. Therefore the Apostle, having represented the former at large, ends in this as the top of all (Hebrews 12:1-2). There is a race set before us, it is to be run and run with patience and without fainting: now he tells us of a cloud of witnesses — a cloud made up of instances of believers suffering before us, and the heat of the day in which we run is somewhat cooled even by that cloud, surrounding us. But the main strength of their comfort here lies in beholding of Christ, eying of his sufferings and their issue. The considering and contemplating of him will be the strongest cordial, will keep you from wearying and fainting in the way (verse 3).

The singular power of this instance lies in many particulars considerable in it; to specify some chief things briefly in the steps of the present words. (1) The example great.

(1) The greatness of the person, Christ — and that marked to us by the manner of expression — Christ also, besides and beyond all others, even Christ himself.

There can be no higher example, not only of the sons of adoption sufferers, but the begotten, the only begotten Son, the eternal heir of glory in whom all the rest have their title, their sonship and heirship derived from, and dependent on his: not only all the saints, but the King of Saints. Now who shall repine at suffering — shall the wretched sons of men refuse to suffer after the suffering of the spotless, glorious Son of God? As one speaks of pride, that after majesty — that highest majesty — to teach humility has so humbled himself; how wicked and impudent a thing will it be for a worm to swell, to be high conceited. So thus our Lord has taught us by suffering in his own person, and has dignified sufferings so, we should certainly rather be ambitious than afraid of them.

2. The greatness of his sufferings and continuance. That which the Apostle speaks here of, his once suffering, has its truth taking in all — he suffered once; his whole life was one continued line of suffering from the manger to the cross, all that lay between was suitable; his estate and entertainment throughout his whole life agreed well with so mean a beginning, and so reproachful an end of it — forced upon a sled while he could not go, and living till he appeared in public in a very mean, despised condition as the Carpenter's Son. And after, his best works paid with envy and revilings, called a wine-bibber, and caster out of devils by the Prince of Devils, his life often laid in wait and sought for. Are you mean in your birth, and life, despised, misjudged, and reviled on all hands — look how it was with him that had more right than you have to better entertainment in the world. You will not deny it was his own, it was made by him, and he was in it, and it knew him not. Are your friends harsh to you — he came to his own, and his own received him not. Have you a mean cottage, or are you drawn from it, or have no dwelling, and are you every way poor and ill accommodated — he was as poor as you can be, and had not where to lay his head, worse provided than the birds and foxes. But then consider to what a height his sufferings rose in the end, that most remarkable piece of them here meant by his once suffering for sins. If you should be cut off by a violent death or in the prime of your years, may you not look upon him as going before you in both those, and in so ignominious a way — scourged, buffeted, and spit on, he endured all; he gave his back to the smiters, and then as the same Prophet has it, he was numbered among the transgressors. When they had used him with all that shame, they hanged him between two thieves, and they that passed by wagged their heads, and darted taunts at him as at a mark fixed to the cross — they scoffed and said, he saved others, himself he cannot save. He endured the cross and despised the shame, says the Apostle.

Thus we see the outside of his sufferings, but the Christian is subject to grievous temptations and sad desertions that are heavier by far than the sufferings which indeed the Apostle speaks of here; yet even in these this same argument of his holds: for our Saviour is not unacquainted with, nor ignorant of either of those, though still without sin, and if any of that had been in any of his sufferings it had not furthered but undone all our comfort in him. But tempted he was, he suffered that way too, and the temptations were terrible as you know; and was there not some strong conflict when he fell down and prayed in the Garden, and sweat drops of blood, and an eclipse when he cried out on the Cross, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me, so that even in these we may apply this comfort, and stay ourselves, our souls on him, and go to him as a compassionate high priest (Hebrews 4:15-16). For Christ also suffered.

2. Consider the fitness of the example, as the same is every way great, indeed greatest, so it is fit, the fittest to take with a Christian, to set before him so near a pattern, where he has so much interest; as the argument is strong in itself, so it is to the new man, the Christian man, particularly strongest, it binds him most, it is not far fetched, but a home pattern; and as when you persuade men to virtue by the example of those that they have near relation to; they are his servants, and shall they, or would they think to be greater than their master, to be exempt from his lot in the world, they are his soldiers, and will they refuse to follow him, and to endure with him? Suffer hardship, says the Apostle to Timothy, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ: will not a word from him put a vigor in them to go after him, whether upon any march or service, when he calls them friends, commilitones, as they tell his word that wrought so much on his trained bands; indeed he is not ashamed to call them brothers, and will they be ashamed to share with him and to be known by their suitable estate to be his brothers.

3. There is from these sufferings such a result of safety and comfort to a Christian that makes them a most effectual encouragement to suffering, that is this, if he suffered once, and that was for sin, now that heavy intolerable suffering for sin once taken out of a Believer's way, it makes all other sufferings light, exceeding light, as nothing in their account. He suffered once for sin, so that to them that lay hold on him this holds sure, that sin is never to be suffered for in the way of strict justice again, as not by him, so not by them that are in sin; for he suffered for sins once and it was for their sins, every poor Believer's? So now the soul finding itself rid of that fear, goes merrily through all other hazards and sufferings.

As the soul perplexed about that question finds no relief in all other enjoyments, all propositions of lower comforts are unsavory and troublesome to it: tell of peace and prosperity, say however the world goes you shall have ease and pleasure, and you shall be honored and esteemed by all; and though you could make a man sure of these, yet if his conscience be working and stirred about the matter of his sin, and the wrath of God, tied close to sin, he will wonder at your impertinency, in that you speak so far from the purpose; say what you will of these, he still asks what you mean by this, those things answer not me, do you think I can find [reconstructed: Comfort] in them so long as my sin is unpardoned, and there is a [reconstructed: sentence] of eternal death standing above my head; I feel even an impress of somewhat of that hot indignation, some flashes of it flying and lighting upon the face of my soul, and how can I take pleasure in these things you speak of. And though I should be senseless and feel nothing of this all my life, yet how soon shall I have done with it, and the delights that reach no further, and then to have everlasting burnings, eternity of wrath to enter to, how can I be satisfied with that estate. All you offer a man in this posture is as if you should set dainty fare and bring music with it to a man lying almost pressed to death under great weights, and you bid him eat and be merry, but lift not off his pressure, you do but mock the man and add to his misery. On the other side he that has got but a view of his Christ and reads his own pardon in Christ's sufferings, he can rejoice in this in the midst of all other sufferings, and look on death without apprehension, indeed with gladness, the sting is out: Christ has made all pleasant to him by this one thing, that he suffered once for sins. Christ has perfumed the Cross, and the Grave, and made all sweet. The pardoned man finds himself light, skips and leaps, and through Christ strengthening him he can encounter with any trouble. If you think to shut in his spirit within outward sufferings, it is now as Samson in his strength, able to carry away the gates on his back that you would shut one with, indeed can submit patiently to the Lord's hands in any correction. You have forgiven my sin, therefore deal with me as you will, all is well.

1. Learn to consider more deeply, and esteem more highly of Christ and his suffering, to silence our grumbling at our petty light crosses, for so they are in comparison of his: will not the great odds of his perfect innocence, and of his nature, and measure of his sufferings, will not the sense of that redemption of our souls from death by his death, will none of these, nor all of them argue us into more thankfulness, and love to him, and patience in our trials; why will we then be called Christians? It is impossible to be fretful and malcontent with the Lord's dealing with us in any kind till first we have forgot how he dealt with his dearest Son for our sakes. But these things are not weighed by the most, we hear and speak of them, but our hearts receive not the impressions of them: therefore we repine against our Lord and Father, and drown a hundred great blessings in any little touch of trouble that befalls us.

2. Seek surer interest in Christ and his suffering than the most either have attained or are aspiring to, otherwise all that is here suffered will not ease or comfort you in any kind of suffering, not even though you suffer for a good cause, even for his cause — still this will be an extraneous, foreign thing to you; to tell you of his sufferings will work no otherwise with you than some other common story. And as in the day of peace you regard it no more, so in the day of your trouble you shall receive no more comfort from it. Other things you esteemed shall have no comfort to speak to you, though you pursue them with words (as Solomon says of the poor man's friends) yet they shall be wanting to you. And then you would surely find how happy it were to have this to turn you to, that the Lord Jesus suffered for sins, and for yours, and therefore has made it a light and comfortable business for you to undergo momentary passing sufferings.

Days of trial will come — do you not see they are on us already. Be persuaded to turn your eyes and desires more towards Christ. This is the thing we would still press: the support and happiness of your souls lies on it. But you will not believe it. Oh, that you knew the comforts and sweetness of Christ. Oh that one would speak that knew more of them! Were you once but entered into this knowledge of him and the virtue of his sufferings, you would account all your days but lost wherein you have not known him; and in all times your hearts would find no refreshment like to the remembrance of his love.

Having somewhat considered these sufferings, as the apostle's argument for his present purpose, now to take nearer notice of the particulars by which he illustrates them, as the main point of our faith and comfort: of them here two things.

1. Their cause. 2. Their kind. Their cause — both their meriting cause and their final cause. 1. What in us procured these sufferings to Christ. 2. What those his sufferings procured to us. Our guiltiness brought suffering upon him; and his suffering brings us to God.

1. The evil of sin has the evil of punishment inseparably tied to it: we have a natural obligation of obedience to God, and he justly urges it, so that where the command of his law is broken, the curse of it presently follows. And though it was simply in the power of the supreme lawgiver to have dispensed the infliction, yet having in his wisdom purposed to be known a just God in that way, following forth the tenor of his law, of necessity there must be a suffering for sin.

Thus the angels that kept not their station, falling from it, fell into a dungeon where they are, under chains of darkness, reserved to the judgment of the great day; and man fell under the sentence of death. But in this is the difference between man and them: they were not of one, as parent or common root of the rest, but each one fell or stood for himself alone; so a part of them only perished, but man fell altogether, so that not one of all the race could escape condemnation, unless some other way of satisfaction be found out. And here it is: Christ suffered for sins, the just for the unjust. Father, says he, I have glorified you on earth. In this plan indeed do all the divine attributes shine in their full — infinite mercy, and immense justice, and power, and wisdom. Looking on Christ as ordained for that purpose, I have found a ransom, says the Father — one fit to redeem man, a kinsman, one of that very same stock, the Son of Man, one able to redeem man by satisfying me and fulfilling all I lay upon him; my Son, my only begotten Son in whom my soul delights. And he is willing, undertakes all, says, lo, I come, etc. We are agreed upon the way of this redemption; yes, upon the persons to be redeemed — it is not a roving blind bargain, a price paid for we know not whom. Hear his own words: you have given the Son (says the Son to the Father) power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as you have given him; and after all, mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.

For the sins of those he suffered, standing in their room, and what he did and suffered according to the law of that covenant, as done and suffered by them. All the sins of all the elect were made up into a huge bundle and bound upon his shoulders — so the prophet speaks in their name: surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. And the Lord laid [or made to meet] on him the iniquity of us all; where he spoke of many ways of sin, every one to his own way — he binds up all in the word of iniquity as all one sin, as if it were that one transgression of the first Adam that brought on the curse of his seed, borne by the second Adam, to take it away from all that are his seed, that are in him as their root.

He the great high priest appearing before God with the names of the elect upon his shoulders, and in his heart bearing them and all their burdens, and offering for them not any other sacrifice but himself, charging all their sin on himself, as the priest did the sins of the people on the head of the sacrifice. He, by the eternal Spirit, says the apostle, offered up himself without spot to God — spotless and sinless, and so only fit to take away our sin, being a satisfactory oblation for it. He suffered; in him was our ransom, and thus it was paid: in the man Christ was the Deity, and so his blood was, as the apostle calls it, the blood of God, and being pierced it came forth, and was counted down as the rich price of our redemption — not silver, nor gold, nor corruptible things, as our apostle has it before, but the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish.

Observation 1. Shall any man offer to bear the name of a Christian, that pleases himself in the way of sin, can delight and sport himself with it, when he considers this, that Christ suffered for sin? Do not think it, you that still account sin sweet, which he found so bitter, and light, which was so heavy to him, and made his soul heavy to the death. You are yet far off from him; if you were in him, and one with him, there would be some harmony of your hearts with his, and some sympathy with those sufferings, as endured by your Lord, your head, and for you. They that with a right view see him as pierced by their sins, that sight pierces them, and makes them mourn, brings forth tears, beholding the gushing forth of his blood. This makes the real Christian an avowed enemy to sin; shall I ever be friends with it (says he) that killed my Lord? No, but I will ever kill it, and do it by applying his death. The true penitent is sworn to be the death of sin: may be surprised by it, but no possibility of reconcilement between them.

You that live kindly and familiarly with sin, either openly declare yourself for it, or have a secret love for it — where can you reap any comfort? Not from these sufferings, to you continuing in that posture. It is all one as if Christ had not suffered for sins; indeed, worse than if no such thing had been, that there is salvation and terms of mercy to you, and yet you perish. That there is balm in Gilead, and yet you are not healed. And if you have not comfort from Jesus crucified, I know not from where you can have any that will hold out. Look about you, tell me what you see either in your possession, or in your hopes, that you esteem most, and lay your confidence on it. Or, to deal more liberally with you, see what estate you would choose for your wish; stretch your fancy to devise an earthly happiness. These times are full of unquietness; but give you a time of the calmest peace, not an air of trouble stirring, put you where you will, far off from fear of sword and pestilence, and encompass you with children, friends, and possessions, and honors, and comfort, and health to enjoy all those. Yet one thing you must admit in the midst of all these: within a while you must die, and having no real portion in Christ, but a deluding dream of it, you sink through possibly that death into another death, far more terrible. Of all you enjoy, nothing goes along with you but unpardoned sin, and that delivers you to endless sorrow. Oh, that you were wise and would consider your latter end — do not still gaze about you upon trifles, but yet be entreated to take notice of your Savior, and receive him, that he may be yours. Fasten your belief and your love on him; give him all your heart, that did not hesitate to give himself an offering for your sins.

2. To you that have fled into him for refuge: if sensible of the church's distress, be upheld with this thought, that he that suffered for it will not suffer it to be undone. All the rage of enemies, indeed, the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. He may for a time suffer them to be brought low for the sins of his people, and other wise reasons; but he will not utterly forsake them. Though there is much chaff, yet he has a precious number in these kingdoms, that he shed his blood for. Many God has called, and yet is to call; he will not lose any of his flock that he has bought so dear (Acts 20). And for their sake he will at one time repair our breaches and establish his throne in these kingdoms. 2. For yourselves, what can affright you while this is in your eye? Let others tremble at the apprehension of sword or pestilence, but surely you have for them and all other hazards a most satisfying answer in this: my Christ has suffered for sin, I am not to fear that, and that set aside, I know the worst is but death. I am wrong — truly that is the best, to be dissolved and to be with Christ is [illegible] much more better.

This were a happy estate indeed, but what shall they think that have no assurance — those that doubt that Christ is theirs, and that he suffered for their sins? I know no way but believe on him, and then you shall know that he is yours. From this is the grand mistake of many: they would first know that Christ is theirs, and they would believe, which cannot be before he becomes ours by believing. It is that which gives title and propriety to him; he is set before sinners as a Savior that has suffered for sin, that they look to him and be saved, that they lay over their souls on him, and then they may be assured he suffered for them.

Say then, what is it that scares you from Christ? This you see is a poor groundless exception, for he is set before you as a Savior to believe on, that so he may be your Savior. Why will you not come to him? Why do you [reconstructed: refuse] to believe? Are you a sinner? Are you unjust? Then he is fit for your case; he suffered for sins — the just for the unjust. Oh, but so many and so great sins! Indeed, that is true, and good reason you think so. But, 1. Consider if they be excepted in the proclamation of Christ, the pardon that comes in his name; if not, if he makes no exception, why will you? 2. Consider if you will call them greater than this sacrifice he suffered. Take due notice of the greatness and worth, 1. Of his person, and from there of his sufferings, and you will not dare to say your sin goes above the value of his suffering, or that you are too unjust for him to justify you. Be as unrighteous as you can be — are you convinced of it? Then know that Jesus the Just is more righteous than your unrighteousness. And after all is said that any sinner has to say, they are yet without exception blessed that trust in him.

That he might bring us to God.] This is a chief point of wisdom, to proportion means to their end: therefore the all-wise God in putting his only Son to so hard a task, had a high end in this, and this was it — that he might bring us to God. In this three things: (1.) The nature of this good, nearness to God. (2.) Our deprivement of it, by our own sin. (3.) Our restorement to it, by Christ's sufferings.

God has suited every creature he has made with a convenient good to which it tends; and in the obtainment of which it rests and is satisfied. Natural bodies have each their own natural place, toward which, if not hindered, they move incessantly till they be in it; and there declare by resting there, that they are (as I may say) where they would be. Sensitive creatures are carried to seek a sensitive good as agreeable to their rank and being, and attaining that, aim no further. Now in this is the excellence of man; he is made capable of a communion with his Maker, and because capable of it, is unsatisfied without it. The soul, a being cut out (so to speak) to that largeness, cannot be filled with less, though he is fallen from his right to that good, and from all right desire of it, yet not from a capacity of it, no, nor from a necessity of it, for the answering and filling of his capacity.

Though the heart once gone from God, turns continually further away from him, and moves not towards him till it be renewed: yet ever in that wandering, it retains that natural relation to God as its center, that it has no true rest elsewhere, nor cannot by any means find it: It is made for him, and is therefore still restless till it meet with him.

It is true, the natural man takes much pains to quiet his heart by other things, and digests many vexations with hopes of contentment in the end, and accomplishment of some design he has, but still they misgive. Many times he attains not the thing he seeks, but if he do, yet never attains the satisfaction he seeks and expects in it, only learns from that to desire something farther, and still hunts on after a fancy, drives his own shadow before him, and never overtakes it, and if he did, yet its but a shadow; and so in running from God, besides the sad end, he carries an interwoven punishment with his sin, the natural disquiet and vexation of his spirit, fluttering too and fro, no rest for the sole of his foot: The matters of unconstancy and vanity covering the whole face of the earth.

We study to abase our souls, and to make them content with less than they are made for; indeed, we strive to make them carnal; that they may be pleased with sensible things; and in this men attain a brutish content for a time; forgetting their higher good; but certainly we cannot think it sufficient, and that no more were to be desired beyond ease, and plenty, and pleasures of sense, for then a beast in good case and a good pasture, might contest with us in point of happiness, and carry it away for that sensitive good he enjoys without sin, and without the vexation that is mixt with us all. These things are too gross and heavy.

The soul, the immortal soul descended from Heaven must either be more happy, or remain miserable. The highest uncreated Spirit is the proper good, the Father of Spirits — that pure and full good — raises the soul above itself; whereas all other things draw it down below itself. So then its never well with the soul, but when it is near to God, indeed, in its union with him, married to him, and mismatching itself elsewhere, it has never any thing but shame and sorrow. All that forsake you shall be ashamed, says the Prophet (Jeremiah 17): and the Psalmist, they that are far off from you shall perish (Psalm 73). And this is indeed our natural miserable condition, and is often expressed this way, or estrangedness and distance from God (Ephesians 2): Gentiles, far off by their profession and nation, but both Jews and Gentiles far off by their natural foundation, and both brought near by the blood of the new covenant; and that is the other thing here implied, that we are far off by reason of sin; otherwise there were no need of Christ, especially in this way of suffering for sin, to bring us to God.

The first, because of God's command, sin broke off man and separated him from God, and ever since the soul remains naturally remote from God. (1.) Under a sentence of exile pronounced by the justice of God, condemned to banishment from God, who is the life and light of the soul as it is of the body. (2.) It's under a flat impossibility of returning by itself. And that in two respects. (1.) Because of the guiltiness of sin standing between, as an impassable mountain or wall of separation. (2.) Because of the dominion of sin keeping the soul captive, still drawing it further off from God, increasing the distance and the enmity every day. Nor in heaven, nor under heaven, no way to remove this enmity, and make up this distance, and return man to the possession of God, but this one, by Christ and him suffering for sins.

He endured the sentence pronounced against man; indeed, even in this particular notion of it, one main ingredient in his suffering was a forsaking to sense, that he cried out of. And by suffering the sentence pronounced, he took away the guiltiness of sin: he himself being spotless and undefiled, for such a High Priest became us; the more defiled we were, the more need of an undefiled priest, and sacrifice, and he was both: Therefore the apostle here very fitly mentions this qualification of our Savior as necessary for reducing us to God, the just for the unjust, so taking on him, and taking away the guilt of sin, setting his strong shoulder to remove that mountain, he made way, or access for man to God.

This the Apostle has excellently, (Ephesians 2). He has reconciled us by his cross, having slain the enmity; he killed the quarrel between God and us, killed it by his death, brings the parties together, and has laid a sure foundation of agreement in his own sufferings, appeases his Father's wrath by them, and by the same appeases the sinner's conscience. All that God has to say in point of justice is answered there; all that the poor humbled sinner has to say, is answered too. Offered up such an atonement as satisfies the Father; so he is content that sinners come in and be reconciled: and then Christ gives notice of this to the soul to remove all jealousies: it is full of fear, though it would, dare not approach to God, apprehending him a consuming fire. They that have done the offence, are usually the hardest to reconcile, because they are still in doubt of their pardon, but Christ assures of a full and hearty forgiveness, quenching the flame and wrath of God by his blood. No, says Christ, upon my warrant come in, you will now find my Father otherwise than you imagine, he has declared himself satisfied at my hands, and is willing to receive you, to be heartily, and thoroughly friends, never to hear a word more of the quarrel that was between you, a full oblivion. And if the soul bear back still through distrust, he takes it by the hand and draws it forward, leads it into his Father, as the word [illegible] imports, presents it to him, and leaves not the matter till it be made a full and sure agreement.

But for this purpose that the soul may be able and willing to come to God, the sufferings of Christ take away that other impediment: as they satisfy the sentence, and so remove the guiltiness of sin, so he has by them purchased a deliverance from the tyrannous power of sin, that detains the soul from God after all the way made for it. And he has a power of applying his sufferings to the soul's deliverance in that kind too, he opens the prison doors to them that are led captive; and because the great chain is upon the heart willingly enthralled in sin, he by his sovereign power takes off that, frees the heart from the love of sin, shows what a base slavish condition it is in, by representing in his effectual way the goodness of God, his readiness to entertain a returning sinner, the sweetness and happiness of communion with him; powerfully persuades the heart to shake off all, and without further delay to return to God, as to be received into favor and friendship, so to walk in the way of friendship with God, to give up itself to his obedience, to disdain the vile service of sin, and live suitable to the dignity of fellowship and union with God.

And there is no other but the power of Christ alone that is able to effect this, to persuade a sinner to return, to bring home a heart to God: common mercies of God, though they have a leading faculty to repentance, (Romans 2), yet the rebellious heart will not be led by them. The judgments of God public or personal, though they should drive us to God, yet the heart unchanged runs the farther from God? Do we not see it by ourselves and other sinners about us, look not at all towards him that smiles, much less return, or if any sadder thoughts arise that way upon the surprise of an affliction, how soon vanish they, whether the stroke abating, or the heart by time growing hard and senseless under it. Indeed where it is renewed and brought in by Christ, then all other things have a sanctified influence according to their quality to stir up a Christian to seek after nearer communion, closer walk, and more access to God: but leave Christ out, I say, all other means work not this way, neither the works, nor word of God sounded daily in his ear, return, return. Let the noise of the rod speak it too, and both join together to make the cry the louder, yet the wicked will do wickedly, will not hearken to the voice of God, will not see the hand of God lifted up, will not be persuaded to go in and seek peace and reconciliation with God, though declaring himself provoked to punish, and to behave himself as an enemy against his own people. How many are there that in their own particular have been very sharply lashed with diverse scourges on their bodies, or families, and yet are never a whit the nearer God for it all, hearts as proud, and earthly, and vain, as ever, and lay on as much and they will still be the same. Only a divine virtue going forth from Christ lifted up, draws men to him, and being come to him he brings them to the Father.

Obs. 1. You that still are strangers to God who declare yourselves to be so, live as strangers far off from him; do not still continue to abuse yourselves so grossly. Can you think there is any consolation yours, that is in the sufferings of Christ, while it is so evident they have not gained their end upon you, have not brought you to God? Truly most of you seem to think that our Lord Jesus suffered rather to the end we might neglect God and disobey him securely than to reduce us to him. Has he purchased you a liberty to sin, or is not deliverance from sin, which alone is true liberty, the thing he aimed at, and agreed [reconstructed: for], and laid down his life for.

2. Why do we still let his blood run in vain as to us? He has by it opened up our way to God, and yet we refuse to make use of it. Oh! how few come in. They that are brought to God and received into friendship with him, they entertain that friendship, they delight in his company, love to be much with him: is it so with us? 2. By being so they become like him, know his will daily better and grow more suitable to it; in the most nothing of this.

3. But even they that are brought to God may be faulty in this, in part not applying so sweet a privilege, can comply and be too friendly with the vain world, can pass many days without a lively communion with God, not aspiring to the increase of that as the thing our Lord has purchased for us, and that wherein all our happiness and welfare lies here and hereafter: your hearts cleaving to folly and not delighting yourselves in the Lord, not refreshed with this nearness to him and union with him, your thoughts not often on it, and your study to walk conform to it: Certainly it ought to be this and you would be persuaded to endeavor it may be thus with you.

4. Remember this for your comfort that you, as are brought to God by Jesus Christ, you are kept in that union by him, it is a firmer knot than the first was, there is no power of hell can dissolve it. He suffered once to bring us once to God, never to depart again, as he suffered once for all so we are brought once for all: We may be sensibly nearer at one time than another, but yet we can never be separate nor cut off, being once knit by Christ as the bond of our union. Neither Principalities, nor Powers, etc. shall be able to separate us from the love of God, because it holds in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit. The true life of a Christian is to eye Christ, every step of his life, both as his rule, and as his strength, looking to him as his pattern, both in doing, and suffering, and drawing power from him for going through both; for the look of faith does that, fetches life from Jesus to enable it for all, being without him able for nothing. Therefore the Apostle does still set this before his brethren, and here having mentioned his suffering in general, the condition and end of it, he specifies the particular kind of it, that which was the utmost, put to death in the flesh, and then adds this issue out of it, quickened by the Spirit.

The strongest engagement, and the strongest encouragement, he our head crowned with thorns, and shall the body look for garlands? We redeemed from hell and condemnation by him, and can any such refuse any service he calls them to? They that are washed in the Lamb's blood will follow him wherever he goes, and following him through they shall find their journey's end overpay all the troubles and sufferings of the way; These are they, said he to John, which came out of great tribulation, tribulation and great tribulation, yet they came out of it and glorious too, arrayed in long white robes. The scarlet strumpet (as follows) in that book, dyed her garments red in the blood of the saints: But this is their happiness that their garments are washed white in the blood of the Lamb.

Once take away sin, and all suffering is light, now that is done by this his once suffering for sin, they that are in him shall hear no more of that as condemning them, binding them over to suffer that wrath that is due to sin. Now this puts an invincible strength into the soul for all other things how hard soever.

Put to death. [Reconstructed: This is the] utmost point, and that which men are most startled at, to die, and a violent death, put to death, and yet he has led in this way, who is the Captain of our salvation. In the flesh. Under this second, his human nature, and divine nature and power are distinguished. Put to death in the flesh, a very fit expression, not only (as is usual) taking the flesh for the whole manhood, but because death is most properly spoken of that very person, or his flesh, the whole man suffers death, a dissolution or taking to pieces; and the soul suffers a separation or dislodging; but death, or the privation of life and sense, particularly to the flesh or body: but the Spirit here opposed to the flesh or body, is certainly of a higher nature and power than is the human soul, which cannot of itself return and reinhabit and quicken the body.

Put to Death. His death was both voluntary and violent, that same power that restored his life, could have kept it exempted from death; but the design was for death: he therefore took our flesh, to put it off thus, and offered it up as a sacrifice; which to be acceptable, must of necessity be free and voluntary; and in that sense he is said to have died even by that same Spirit, that here, in opposition to death, is said to quicken him (Hebrews 9:14). Through the eternal Spirit, he offered himself without spot to God. They accounted it an ill-boding sign when the sacrifices came constrainedly to the altar, and drew back; and on the contrary were glad in the hopes of success when they came cheerfully forward; but never sacrifice came so willingly all the way, and from the first step knew where he was going. Yet because no other sacrifice would serve, he was most content. Sacrifices and burnt offerings you did not desire: Then said I, lo I come, etc. He was not only a willing sacrifice as Isaac, bound peaceably and laid on the altar, but his own sacrificer: the beasts if they came willingly, yet offered not themselves, but he offered up himself, and thus not only by a willingness far above all those sacrifices of bulls and goats, but by the eternal Spirit offered up himself. Therefore he says in this regard, I lay down my life for my sheep, it is not pulled from me, but I lay it down, and so it is often expressed, by [in non-Latin alphabet] he died; and yet this suits with it [in non-Latin alphabet] put to death: yes, it was also expedient to be thus, that his death should be violent, and so the more penal, carry the more clear expression of a punishment, and such a violent death as had both ignominy and a curse tied to it, and this inflicted in a judicial way (though as from the hands of men most unjustly) that he should stand, and be judged, and condemned to death as a guilty person, carrying in that the persons of so many that should otherwise have fallen under condemnation as indeed guilty, he was numbered with transgressors (as the Prophet has it) bearing the sins of many.

Thus then there was in his Death, external violence joined with internal willingness: but what is there to be found but complications of wonders in our Lord Jesus. O! high inconceivable mystery of godliness, God manifested in the flesh, nothing in this world so strange, and sweet as that conjuncture, God Man, humanitas Dei, what a strong foundation of friendship and union between the persons of man and God, that their natures met in so close embraces in one Person. And then look on, and see so poor and despised an outward condition through his life; yet having hid under it, the majesty of God, all the brightness of the Father's glory. And this the top of all, that he was put to death in the flesh, the Lord of life dying, the Lord of glory clothed with shame. But it quickly appeared what kind of Person it was that died, by this, he was put to death indeed in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit.

Quickened.] He was indeed too great a morsel for the grave to digest, for all its vast craving mouth, and devouring appetite crying give, give, yet forced to give him up again, as the fish that prophet, who in that was the figure of him. The chains of that prison are strong; but he was too strong a prisoner to be held by them, as our Apostle has it, in his sermon, that it was not possible that he should be kept by them. They thought all was sure, when they had rolled to the stone, and sealed it; that then the grave had indeed shut her mouth upon him; it appeared a done business to them, and looked very complete-like in his enemies' eyes, and very desperate-like to his friends. His poor disciples and followers, were they not near the point of giving over when they said, This is the third day, etc. And we thought this had been he that should have delivered Israel. And yet he was then with them, who was indeed the deliverer and salvation of Israel; that rolling of the stone to the grave, was as if they had rolled it towards the east in the night, to stop the rising of the sun the next morning; much further above all their watches, and power was this Sun of Righteousness in his rising again. That body that was entombed, was united to the spring of life, the divine Spirit of the Godhead that quickened it.

Obs. 1. Thus the Church which is likewise his body, when it seems undone, is brought to the lowest posture, yet by virtue of that mystical union with Jesus Christ as his natural body, by personal union with his Deity, shall be preserved from destruction, and shall be delivered and raised in due time. Yet as he was nearest his exaltation in the lowest step of his humiliation; so is it with his Church, when things are brought to the most hopeless appearance, then shall light arise out of darkness. Cum duplicantur lateres venit Moses.

Therefore as we ought to seek more humble sense of Zion's distress, so withal, not to let go this hope, that her mighty Lord will in the end be glorious in her deliverance, and all her sufferings and low estate shall be as a dark soil to set off the luster of her restoration; when the Lord shall visit her with salvation. As in the rising of Jesus Christ, his almighty power and Deity was more manifested than if he had not died; and therefore we may say confidently with the Psalmist to his Lord (Psalm 71): You who have showed me great and sore troubles, shall quicken me again, and shall bring [reconstructed: me] up from the depths of the earth: you shall increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side. Indeed, the Church comes more beautiful out of the deepest distress, let it be overwhelmed with waves, yet it sinks not: but rises up as only washed. And in this confidence we ought to rejoice, even in the midst of our sorrows, and though we live not to see them, yet even in beholding afar off, to be gladdened with the great things the Lord will do for his Church in these later times, he will certainly make bare his holy arm in the eyes of the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. His king that he has set on his holy hill, shall grow in his conquests and glory, and all that rise against him shall he break with a rod of iron. He was humbled once, but his glory shall be forever, as many were astonished at him, his visage being marred more than any man; they shall be as much astonished at his beauty and glory, so shall he sprinkle many nations, and kings shall shut their mouths at him (Isaiah 52). According as here, we find that remarkable evidence of his divine power, in rising from the dead, put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit.

2. Thus a believing soul at the lowest, when to its own sense, it is given over to death, and swallowed up of it, as it were in the belly of hell, yet look up to this divine power, him whose soul was not left there, will not leave yours there. Indeed, when you are most sunk in your sad apprehensions, and far off to your thinking, then is he nearest to raise and comfort you, as sometimes it grows darkest immediately before day. Rest on his power and goodness which never failed any that did so: it is he (as David says) that lifts up the soul from the gates of death.

Would any of you be cured of that common disease, the fear of death, look this way, and you shall find more than you seek, you shall be taught, not only not to fear, but to love it. Consider, first, his death — he died, and by that, you who receive him as your life may be sure of this, that you are by that his death freed from the second death; and that's the great point — let that have the name which was given to the other, the most terrible of all terrible things; and as the second death is removed, this death that you are to pass through is, I may say, beautified and sweetened, the ugly visage of it becomes amiable, when you look on it in Christ, and in his death, that puts such a pleasing comeliness upon it, that whereas others fly from it with fright, the believer cannot choose but embrace it: longs to lie down in that bed of rest, since his Lord lay in it, and has warmed that cold bed, and purified it with his fragrant body. But especially looking forward to his return, from there quickened by the Spirit; this being to those that are in him, the certain pledge, indeed, the effectual cause of that blessed resurrection, that is in their hopes; there is that union between them, that they shall rise by the communication and virtue of his rising, not simply by his power — so the wicked to their grief shall be raised — but they by his life, as theirs. Therefore is it so often reiterated, (John 6), where he speaks of himself as living, and life-giving bread to believers, he adds, I will raise them up at the last day. This comfort we have even for the house of clay we lay down, and for our more considerable part, our immortal souls; this his death and rising has provided for them at their departing, entering into that glory where he is. Now if these things were lively apprehended and laid hold on, Christ made ours, and the first resurrection manifest in us, quickened by his Spirit to newness of life, certainly there would not be a more welcome and refreshing thought, nor a sweeter discourse to us than that of death; and no matter for the kind of it — were it a violent death? So was his. Were it that we account most like judgment among diseases, the plague? Was not his death very painful? And was it not an accursed death? And by that curse endured by him in his, is not the curse taken away to the believer? Oh, how welcome shall that day be, that day of deliverance, to be out of this woeful prison; I regard not at what door I go out, being at once freed from so many deaths, and set in to enjoy him, who is my life.

Verses 19, 20, 21. 19. By which also he went and preached to the spirits in prison. 20. Which sometime were disobedient, when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the Ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. 21. The like figure to which, even Baptism, does also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

There is nothing that so much concerns a Christian to know as the excellency of Jesus Christ, his person and works, so that it is always pertinent to insist much on that subject. The Apostle having spoken of this Spirit, or divine nature, and the power of it, raising him from the dead, takes occasion to speak of another work of that Spirit, to wit, the emission and publishing of his divine doctrine, and that, not as a new thing following his death, and rising; but as the same in substance, by the same Spirit proclaimed long before, even to the first inhabitants of the world. Quickened by the Spirit, that is in our days, says the Apostle: but then long before that, by the same Spirit, he went and preached to the spirits that were in prison.

This place is somewhat obscure in itself, as it usually falls, but made more so, by the various fancies and contests of interpreters, aiming or pretending to clear it — these I like never to make a noise of. That dream of the descent of Christ's soul into hell, though they that are in it think this place sounds somewhat that way, yet it proves, being examined, no way suitable, cannot by the strongest wresting be drawn to fit their purpose. For, first, that it was to preach that he went there they are not willing to avow; though the end they give it, is as groundless and imaginary as this is. Second, they would have his business to be with the spirits of the faithful deceased before his coming — here we see it is with the disobedient. Third, his Spirit here is the same with the sense of the foregoing words, which means not his soul, but his eternal deity. Fourth, nor is it the spirits that were in prison, as they read it, but the spirits in prison, which by the opposition of their former condition — sometimes, or formerly disobedient — does clearly speak their present condition, as the just consequence and fruit of their disobedience.

Other misinterpretations I mention not, taking it as agreeable to the whole strain of the Apostle's words, that Jesus Christ did before his appearing in the flesh speak by his Spirit in his servants to those of the foregoing ages; indeed the most ancient of them; declaring to them the way of life though rejected by the unbelief of the most part. This is interjected in the mentioning of Christ's sufferings, and exaltation after them. And after all, the Apostle returns to that again, and to exhortation, which he strengthens by it: but so as this discourse taken in, is pertinently adapted to the present subject. The Apostle's aim in it, we may conceive to be this (his main scope being to encourage his brethren in the faith of Christ, and way of holiness, against all opposition and hardship) so to instruct his brethren in Christ's perpetual influence into his church in all ages, even before his incarnation, as that they see withal, the great unbelief of the world; indeed their opposing of divine truth and the small number of those that receive it, and so not be discouraged by the fewness of their number, and the hatred of the world, finding that salvation in Jesus Christ dead and risen again, which the rest miss by their own willful refusal. And this very point he insists on clearly in the following chapter, verses 3-4. And those very ways of ungodliness there specified, which believers renounce, were those that the world was guilty of in these days, and in which they were surprised by the flood — they ate and drank till the flood came upon them.

In the words of these three verses we have three things: 1. An assertion concerning the preaching of Christ, and the persons he preached to. 2. The designation and description of the time or age in which that was, and the particular way of God's dealing with them. 3. The adapting or applying of the example to Christians. The first in these words which I take together: By that Spirit he went and preached to the spirits in prison, which sometime were disobedient.

In these words we have a preacher and his hearers. Of the preacher we shall find here: 1. His ability. 2. His activity in the use of it. His ability altogether singular and matchless — the very spring of all abilities, the Spirit of wisdom himself being the co-eternal Son of God: that Spirit he preached by, was that by which he raised himself from the dead, and without this Spirit there is no preaching. Now he was, as our Apostle calls him, a preacher of righteousness, but it was the power of this Spirit; for in him did this Spirit preach. The Son is the wisdom of the Father, his name is the Word: not only for that by him all things were created, as John has it — the Son that power, by which, as by the word of his mouth, all things were made — but the Word likewise as revealing him, declaring to us the counsel and will of God. Therefore by the same Evangelist, in the same place, called that light that illuminates the world, without which man, called the lesser world, the intellectual world, were as the greater world without the sun. And all that bring aright the doctrine of saving wisdom derive it necessarily from him; all preachers draw from this Sovereign Preacher, as the fountain of divine light, as all the stars receive their light from the sun. And by that diffusing among them, it is not diminished in the sun, but only communicated to them, remaining still full and entire in it, as its source: so does the Spirit flow from Christ in a particular degree to those he sends forth in his name, and it is in them that he preaches by the power and light of his eternal Spirit.

Here then must they all come that would be rightly supplied and enabled for that work. It is impossible to speak duly of him in any measure, but by his Spirit; there must be particular access, and a receiving of instructions from him, and a transfusion of his Spirit into ours. Oh, were it thus with us, how sweet were it to speak of him. To be much in prayer, much dependence on him, and drawing from him would do much more in this, than reading and studying, seeking after arts and languages, and common knowledge — these not to be despised nor neglected. Reading good, and learning good, but above all anointing necessary, that anointing that teaches all things. And you that are for your own interest, be earnest with this Lord, this fountain of Spirit, to let forth more of it upon his messengers in these times; you would receive back the fruit of it, were you busy this way, you should find more life and refreshing sweetness in the word of life, however weak and worthless they were that brought it — it should descend as sweet showers upon the valleys and make them fruitful.

2. By this Spirit, it is said here, he preached — not only did he so in the days of his abode on earth, but in all times both before and after, never left his Church altogether destitute of saving light, which he dispensed himself, and conveyed by the hands of his servants. Therefore it is said, he preached, so that this be no excuse for times after he is ascended into heaven, nor for times before he descended to the earth in human flesh. Though he preached not then, nor does now in his flesh, yet by his Spirit he then preached, and still does — so according to what was chief in him, he was still present with his Church, and preaching in it, and is so to the end of the world. This his infinite Spirit being everywhere — yet it is said here by it he went and preached, signifying the remarkable clearness of his administration that way. As when he appears eminently in any work of his own, or taking notice of our works, God is said to come down — so to those cities (Genesis 11): "Let us go down." So (Exodus 3:8). Thus here, so clearly did he admonish them by Noah, coming as it were himself on purpose to declare his mind to them. And this word, I conceive, is the rather used to show what equality there is in this: he came indeed visibly and dwelt among men, when he became flesh, yet before that, he visited by his Spirit — he went by that and preached. And so in after times, himself being ascended, and not having come visibly in his flesh to all, but to the Jews only — yet in the preaching of the Apostles to the Gentiles, as the great Apostle says of him, in this expression (Ephesians 2:17): he came and preached to you which were afar off. And this he continues to do in the ministry of his word: and therefore says he, he that despises you, despises me, etc.

Were this considered, it could not but procure far more respect to the word and more acceptance of it. Would you think that in his word Christ speaks by his eternal Spirit — indeed, he comes and preaches, addresses himself particularly to you in it — could you slight him thus and turn him off with daily refusals or delays at least? Think it is too long you have so unworthily used so great a Lord, that brings to you so great a salvation; that came once in so wonderful a way to work that salvation for us in his flesh, and is still coming to offer it to us by his Spirit, does himself preach to us, tells us what he undertook on our behalf, and how he has performed all; and now nothing remains but that we receive him, and believe on him, and all is ours. But alas, from the most, the return is that we have here: disobedience.

Sometimes disobedient.] Two things in the hearers by which they are characterized — their present condition, in the time the Apostle was speaking of them, and this by-past disposition when the Spirit of Christ was preaching to them. This latter went first in time, and was the cause of the other, therefore of it first.

If you look to their visible subordinate preacher — a holy man, and an able and diligent preacher of righteousness, both in his doctrine and in the tract of his life, which is the most powerful preaching — it seems strange that he prevailed so little. But much more, if we look higher, [reconstructed: this height], as the Apostle points us to look to, that Almighty Spirit of Christ that preached to them; and yet they were disobedient. The word is, they were not persuaded, and it signifies both unbelief and disobedience, and that very fitly: unbelief being in itself the grand disobedience, the mind not yielding to divine truth, and so the spring of all disobedience in affection and action. And this root of bitterness, this unbelief is [reconstructed: deeply fastened] in our natural hearts, and without a change in them, a taking them to pieces they cannot be good; it is as a tree firm rooted, cannot be plucked up without loosening the ground round about it; and this accursed root brings forth fruit to death; because the word is not believed, the threats of the law, and promises of the gospel: therefore men cleave to their sins, and speak peace to themselves, while they are under the curse.

It may seem very strange that the gospel is so fruitless among us; indeed, that neither word nor rod, both preaching aloud to us the doctrine of humiliation and repentance, yet persuades any man to return, or so much as to turn inward, and question himself, to say, what have I done? But thus it will be, till the Spirit be poured from on high, to open and soften hearts. It is to be desired as much wanting in the ministry of the Word, but were it there, that would not serve unless it were by a concurrent work within the heart meeting the word, and making the impressions of it there, for here we find the Spirit went and preached, and yet the spirits of the hearers still unbelieving and disobedient — it's a combined work of this Spirit in the preacher and hearers that makes it successful, otherwise it is but shouting in a dead man's ear, there must be something within, as one said in a like case.

To the Spirits in Prison.] That's now their posture, and because he speaks of them as in that posture, he calls them spirits, for it's their spirits that are in that prison. As likewise calls them spirits, that the Spirit of Christ preached to, because it is indeed that, that the preaching of the word aims at — it has to do with the spirits of men, is not content to be at their ear with a sound, but works on their minds and spirits some way, either to believe and receive, or to be hardened and sealed up to judgment by it, which is for rebels. If disobedience follow on the preaching of that word, the prison follows on that disobedience, and that word which they would not be bound by to obedience, binds them over to that prison, from where they shall never escape, nor be released for ever.

Take notice of it, and know that you are warned; you will not receive salvation, offering, pressing itself upon you. You are every day in that way of disobedience, hastening to this perpetual imprisonment.

Consider you now sit and hear this word, so did these that are here spoken of; they had their time on earth, and much patience used towards them, and though not to be swept away by a flood of waters, yet daily carried on by the flood of times (Psalm 90) and mortality. And how soon you shall be on the other side set into eternity, you know not. I beseech you, be yet wise; hearken to the offers yet made you, for in his name, I yet once again make a tender of Jesus Christ, and salvation in him to all that will let go their sins, to lay hold on him. Oh, do not destroy yourselves: you are in prison, he proclaims you liberty. Christ is still following us himself with treaties; Christ proclaims your liberty, and will you not accept of it; think though you are pleased with your present thralldom and prison, it reserves you (if you come not forth) to this other prison that shall not please you; these chains of spiritual darkness, in which you are, unless you be freed, will deliver you up to the chains of everlasting darkness, wherein these hopeless prisoners are kept to the judgment of the great day. But if you will receive Jesus Christ presently, upon that, life, and liberty, and blessedness is made yours. If the Son make you free, you shall be free indeed.

When once the long suffering of God waited in the days of Noah.] There are two main continuing wonders in the world, the bounty of God, and disloyalty of man: and the succession of times is no other, but new additions of these two. One grand example is here set before us, an ecumenical example, as large as the whole world: much patience, and yet invincible disobedience. Here two things in the instance. The Lord's general dealing with the world of the ungodly at that time. 2. His peculiar way with his own chosen; Noah and his family: he waited patiently for all the rest; but he effectually saved them.

Observation 1. The time designed thus, in the days of Noah. Many great and powerful persons in these days that overtopped Noah (no doubt) in outward respects, as in their stature, the proud giants, and they begot children, mighty men of old, men of renown, as the text has it: and yet as themselves perished in the flood, their names are drowned. They had their big thoughts certainly, that their houses, and their names should continue, as the psalmist speaks (Psalm 49). And yet they are sunk in perpetual oblivion. And Noah's name, who walked in humble obedience you see in these most precious records of God's own book, still looks fresh, and smells sweet, and has this honor, that the very age of the world is marked with this name, to be known by it, in the days of Noah. That which profane ambitious persons do idolatrously seek after, they are often remarkably disappointed of, would have their names memorable and famous, yet they rot, they are either buried with them, or remembered with disgrace, and rotting above ground as carcasses uninterred, and so are the more noisome, as little credit to them to be mentioned, as for Pilate that his name is in the Confession of Faith. But the name and remembrance of the righteous is still sweet and delightful: as the name of Abraham, the Father of the Faithful, and of Isaac, and Jacob; their names are embalmed indeed, that they cannot rot, embalmed with God's own name, [Eternal] that name wrapped about theirs, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Thus Noah here mentioned, as preferred of God, and so in the Second Epistle, as a preacher of righteousness, and (Hebrews 11) among these worthies whose honor is that they believed; this is only a name, a small thing, not be mentioned in comparison of their other privileges, and especially of that venerable life and glory which they are heirs to; and indeed it is a thing they regard very little, yet this we see, that even this advantage follows them, and flies from the vain ungodly that hunt and pursue it.

The Lord's dealing with the wicked in those times before he swept them away by the deluge, is in these two. 1. Long suffering, and withal clear warning; long suffering, (Exodus 34) long forbearing to be angry, as the Hebrew word is in his name; which supposes a great provocation, and the continuance of it, and yet patience continuing, and in this appears the goodness of God, considering how hateful sin is to him, and how powerful he is to punish it, were it, if it pleased him, in one moment to cut off all the ungodly, high and low, throughout the whole world; yet he bears, and forbears to punish. Oh! what a world of sin every day in nations, in cities and villages; indeed, in families that he does not strike with present judgment, and not only forbears to punish, but multiplies his common mercies on them, sun, and rain, and fruitful seasons.

Indeed, there is so much of this that it falls under a gross misconstruction, yet he bears that too, Because sentence against an evil work is not speedily executed; therefore the hearts of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. Because there is not so much as a word of it for the time (so the word is) this greatens, and fills the heart of man, and makes it big to do evil. And not only is the Lord's long suffering mistaken by the ungodly, but even by his own, that should understand him better, and know the true sense of his ways: yet sometimes they are misled in this point, beholding his forbearance of punishing the workers of iniquity, instead of magnifying his patience, they fall very near into questioning his justice and providence (Psalm 13; Jeremiah 12; Job 21), etc. Our narrow hasty spirits left to their own measures, take not in these larger views that would satisfy us in the ways of God, and forget the immense largeness of his wise designs, his deep reach from one age to another, indeed, from eternity to eternity; consider not how easily he can right himself in point of justice, when he will, that none can make escape from him, how loose soever their guard seem, and how great liberty soever appears in their present condition. 2. That as he can most easily, so he will most seasonably be known in executing judgment, and that his justice shall shine the brighter, by all that patience he has used, by the sun of prosperity. 3. We think not how little that time is to him, that seems long to us, to whom a thousand years, are as one day; a long time of the church's distress, and their enemies' triumph, in these seventy years of the Babylonian captivity, and yet in God's language a moment, a small moment. However in the closure the Lord always clears himself, he is indeed long suffering and patient, but the impenitent abusers of his patience, pay interest for all the time of their forbearance, in the weight of judgment when it comes upon them. But thus we see the Lord deals; thus he dealt with the world in the beginning, when all flesh had corrupted their way; yet, says he, their days shall be one hundred and twenty years.

Let us learn to curb and cool our brisk humors, towards even stubborn sinners; be grieved at their sin, its our duty, but think it not strange, nor fret at it, that they continue to abuse the long suffering of God, and yet that he continues ever abused by suffering them; zeal is good, but as it springs from love if it be right, so it is required by love, and carries the impressions of that love to God, and so a complacency in his way; liking it because it's his, and love to men, so as to be pleased with that waiting for them in possibility at least of their being reclaimed, knowing that however, if they return not, yet the Lord will not lose his own at their hands. Will you, said these two fiery disciples, that we call for fire, as Elias! Oh! but the Spirit of the Dove rested on him, that told them, they knew not what spirit they were of; you speak of Elias, and you think you are of his spirit in this motion: but you mistake yourselves, that comes from another spirit than you imagine, instead of such sudden justice without you, look inward, and see where that is; examine and correct within you.

When you are tempted to take ill that goodness and patience of God to sinners. Consider, 1. Can this be right, to differ from his mind in any thing; is it not our only wisdom, and ever safe rule to think as he thinks, and will as he wills? And, I pray you, does he not hate sin more than you do? Is not his interest in punishing it deeper than yours? And if you be zealous for his interest, as you pretend, then be so with him, and in his way, for starting from that, sure you are wrong. 2. Consider, did he not wait for you? What had become of you, if long suffering had not subserved his purpose, of further mercy of free pardon to you? And why will you not always allow that to which you are so much obliged? Would you have the bridge cut because you are so over? Sure you will not own so gross a thought. Therefore esteem your God still the more you see of his long suffering to sinners, and learn for him, and with him, to bear and wait.

But this was not a dumb forbearance, such as may serve for a surprise, but continual teaching, and warning joined with it, as before. We see they wanted not preaching of the choicest kind, he the Son of God by his Eternal Spirit, went and preached to them; it was his truth in Noah's mouth, and with that we have a continued real sermon, expressed in this verse, while the Ark was preparing; that spoke God's mind, and every knock (as the usual observation is) of the hammers and tools used in building preached to them, threatening aloud designed judgment, and exhorting to prevent it; and therefore that word is added, that the long-suffering of God waited or expected, expected a believing of his Word, and returning from their wickedness, but we see no such thing followed; they took their own course still, and therefore the Lord took his; they had polluted the earth with their wickedness, now the Lord would have the cleansing by repentance, that being denied, it must be another way by flood, and because they and their sins remained one, they would not part with them: therefore was one work made of both, they and their sins as inseparable must be cleansed away together.

Thus impenitency under much long-suffering makes judgment full and complete. I attest you, has not the Lord used much forbearance towards us? Has he not patiently spared us? And clearly warned us, and waited long for the fruit of all? Has anything been wanting? Have not temporal mercies been multiplied on us? Have not the spiritual riches of the Gospel been opened up to us?

And each of you for your selves, consider how it is with you after so much long-suffering of God, that none of you can deny, he has used towards you, and so many gracious invitations with that patience, have they gained your hearts? Or do you still remain servants to sin? Still strangers to him, and formal worshipers? I beseech you think on it, what will be the issue of that course? Is it a light matter to you to die in your sins, and to have the wrath of God abiding on you, to have refused Christ so often; and that after you have been so often requested to receive salvation, after the Lord has followed you with entreaties, has called to you so often, why will you die? Yet wilfully to perish, and withal to have all these come in and accuse you, and make your burden heavier, would you willingly die in this estate? If not, then think that yet he is waiting, if at length you will return, this one day more of his waiting you have, and of his speaking to you: and some that were here with you the last day are taken away since. Oh, that we were wise and would consider our latter end, though there were neither sword or pestilence near you, you must die, and for anything you know, quickly: why wear you out the day of grace, and those precious seasons still; as uncertain of Christ, indeed, as negligent after him as you were long ago: as you love your souls be more serious in their business, this was their undoing; they were all for present things, they ate and drank, they married in a continued course without ceasing, and without minding their after-estate, they were drowned in these things, and that drowned them in a flood: Noah did eat and drink, but his main work was in that time the preparing of the Ark. The necessities of this life the children of God are tied to, and forced to bestow some time and pains on them; but the thing that takes up their hearts, that which the bent of their souls is set on, is their interest in Jesus Christ; and all your wise designs are but a pleasing madness, till this be chief with you. Others have had as much of God's patience, and as fair opportunity as you, whose souls and Christ have never met, and now know, that they never shall; they had their time of worldly projects and enjoyment, as you now have, and followed them, as if they had been immortally to abide with them; but they are past away as a shadow, and we are posting after them, and within a while shall lie down in the dust. Oh, how happy they whose hearts are not here trading with vanity and gathering vexation, but whose thoughts are on that blessed life above trouble; certainly they that pass for fools within the world are the only children of wisdom, that have renounced their lusts and their own wills, have yielded up themselves to Jesus, taken him for their King, and have their minds resting on him as their salvation (Luke 17:27).

While the Ark was a preparing.] Observation 1. The delay of the Lord's determined judgment on the ungodly, was indeed long-suffering towards them, but here was more in it to Noah, and his family, the providing for their preservation, and till that was completed for them, the rest were spared. Thus the very forbearance that the ungodly do enjoy, is usually involved with the interest of the godly, something of that readily goes into it, and so it is in a great part for their sakes, that the rest are both spared, and are furnished with common mercies. The saints are usually the scorn and contempt of others, yet are by that love the Lord carries towards them, the very arches, pillars of states, and kingdoms, and families where they are, indeed of the world; the frame whereby it is mainly continued in regard to them (Isaiah 6:13). But they that are ungrateful to the great Maker and Upholder of it, and regardless of him — what wonder they take no notice of the advantage they receive by the concern of his children in the world.

Here: 1. The work. 2. The end of it. In the work, preparing of the Ark, observe: 1. God's appointment. 2. Noah's obedience.

The power of God was not tied to this, yet his wisdom chose it, he that steered the course of this Ark safely all that time, could have preserved those he designed it for, without it; but thus it pleases the Lord usually to mix his most wonderful deliverances, with some selected means, exercising that way our obedience in their use, yet so as the singular power of his hand in them, on which faith rests, does clearly appear, doing by them what in a more natural way they could not possibly effect.

2. For the obedience of Noah, if we should insist on the difficulties both in this work, and in the way of their preservation by it, it would look the clearer and be found very remarkable; the length of the work, the great pains in providing materials; and consider we the opposition that likely he met with in it from the profane about him, the mightier of them at least, the hatred and continual scoffs of all sorts, it required principles of an invincible resolution to go through with it. What (would they say) means this old dottard to do, whether this monstrous voyage, and for that it spoke, as no doubt he told them their ruin and his safety, this would incense them so much the more; you look far before you, and what, shall we all perish and you alone escape? But through all the sovereign command, and gracious promise of his God carried him; regarding their scoffs and threats as little in making the ark, as he did afterwards the noise of the waters about it, when he was sitting safe within it. This his obedience, having indeed so boisterous winds to encounter, had need of a well fastened root, that it might stand and hold out against them all, and so it had. Saint Paul tells us that the root of it was, by faith being warned, he prepared an ark; and there's no living, and lasting obedience, but what springs from that root: he believed what the Lord spoke of his determined judgment on the ungodly world, and from the belief of that arose that holy fear, which is expressly mentioned, as exciting him to this work. And he believed the word of promise, that the Lord spoke concerning his preservation by the ark; and the belief of these two, carried him strongly on to the work, and through it, against all counter blasts and opposition, overcame his own doubtings and the wicked's mockings, still looking to him that was the master, and contriver of the work.

Till we attain such a fixed view of our God, and firm persuasions of his truth, and power, and goodness, it will never be right with us, there will be nothing but wavering and unsettledness in our spirits, and in our ways; every little discouragement from within or without, that meets us, will be like to turn us over; we shall not walk in an even course, but still reeling and staggering, till faith be set whole upon its own basis the proper foundation of it; not set between two, upon one strong prop and another that's rotten, that's the way to fall off; partly on God, and partly on creature helps and encouragements, or our own strength. Our only safe and happy way is, in humble obedience in his own strength to follow his appointments, without standing and questioning the matter, and to resign the conduct of all to his wisdom and love, to put the rudder of our life into his hand, to steer the course of it as seems him good, resting quietly on his word of promise for our safety. Lord, where you will and which way you will, be my guide, and it suffices.

This absolute following of God, and trusting him with all, is marked as the true character of faith in Abraham, going after God from his country not knowing, nor not asking, where he went, secure upon his guide: and so in that other greater point of offering his son, silenced all disputes about it, by that mighty conclusion of faith, accounting that he was able to raise him from the dead. Thus here Noah, by faith prepared the ark, did not argue and question, how shall this be done, and if it were, how shall I get all the kinds of beasts gathered together to put into it, and how shall it be ended when we are shut in? No, but believed firmly that it should be finished by him, and he saved by it, and he was not disappointed.

2. The end of this work was the saving of Noah, and his family from the general deluge, wherein all the rest perished.

Here it will be fit to consider the point of the preservation of the godly in ordinary and common [reconstructed: calamities], briefly in these positions.

1. It is certain that the children of God, as they are not exempted from the common universal calamities, and evils of this life that befall the rest of men, so not from any particular kind of them, as it is appointed for them with all others once to die: so we find them not privileged from any kind of disease, or other way of death, not from falling by sword, or by pestilence, or in the [reconstructed: frenzy] of a fever, or any kind of sudden death: indeed, when these or such like are on a land by way of public judgment, the godly are not altogether exempt from them, but may fall in them with others; as we find Moses dying in the wilderness with those he brought out of Egypt. Now though it was for a particular failing in the wilderness, yet it evinces, that there is in this nothing prejudging their privileges, nor contrary to the love of God towards them, and his covenant with them.

2. The promises made to the godly of preservation from common judgments have their truth, and are made good in many of them so preserved, though they do hold not absolutely and universally, for they are ever to be understood in subordination to their highest good. But when they are preserved they ought to take it as a gracious accomplishment even of these promises to them, which the wicked, many of which do likewise escape, have no right to, but are preserved for after judgment.

3. It is certain that the curse and sting is out of all those evils, incident to the godly with others in life and death, which makes the main difference though to the eye of the world invisible. And it may be observed that in these common judgments of sword or pestilence or other epidemic diseases a great part of those that are cut off are most of the wickedest, though the Lord may send of those arrows to some few of his own to call them home.

The full and clear distinction of the godly and wicked being reserved for their after estate in eternity, it needs not seem strange that in many things it appear not here: one thing above all others most grievous to the child of God may take away the wonder of other things they suffer in common, that is the remainders of sin in them while they are in the flesh — though there is a spirit in them above it, and contrary to it, which makes the difference: yet sometimes the too much likeness, especially in the prevailings of corruption, does confuse the matter, not only to others eyes but their own.

4. Though the great distinction and severing be reserved to that great and solemn day, that shall clear all; yet the Lord is pleased in part more remarkably at sometimes to difference his own from the ungodly, in the execution of temporal judgments, and to give these as preludes of that final and full judgment. And this of Noah was one of the most eminent in that kind, being the most general judgment that ever befell the world: or that shall till the last, and so the liveliest figure of it, it was by water, as the second shall be by fire, it was most congruous that it should resemble in this as the chief point, saving of righteous Noah and his family from it, prefiguring the eternal salvation of believers, as our Apostle teaches.

Wherein few, that is, eight persons were saved by water.] This great point of the fewness of those that are saved in the other greater salvation as in this, I shall not now prosecute; only,

1. If so few, then the inquiry into ourselves, whether we be of these few, would be more diligent, and followed more home than it is yet with the most of us: we are wary in our trifles, and only in this easily deceived, indeed our own deceivers in this great point. Is not this folly far beyond what you usually say of some, penny wise and pound fool, to be wise for a moment and fools for eternity?

2. You that are indeed seeking the way of life, be not discouraged by your fewness, it has always been so, you see here how few of the whole world, and is it not better to be of the few in the ark than of the multitude in the waters? Let them fret, as ordinarily they do, to see so few more diligent for heaven, as no doubt they did of Noah, and this is it that galls them, that any should have higher names and surer hopes this way; what? Are none but such as you going to heaven, think you us all damned? What can we say, but there is a flood of wrath wasting many so, and certainly all that are out of the ark shall perish in it.

3. This is that main truth that I would leave with you; look on Jesus Christ as the ark, of whom this was a figure, and believe it, out of him there is nothing but certain destruction, a deluge of wrath all the world over out of Christ. Oh! it is our life, our only safety to be in him: But these things are not believed. Men think they believe them, and do not. Were it believed that we are under the sentence of eternal death in our natural estate, and no escape but by removing out of ourselves to Christ, Oh! what thronging would there be to him, whereas, now he invites and calls, and how few are persuaded to come to him. Noah believes the Lord's word of judgment against the world, believed his promise made to him, and prepared an ark; is it not a high sign of unbelief that there being an ark of everlasting salvation ready prepared to our hand, we will not so much as come to it? Will you be persuaded certainly that the ark door stands open; his offers are free, do but come and try if he will turn you away; no, he will not, him that comes to me I will in no wise cast out. And as there is such acceptance and sure preservation in him, there is as sure perishing without him, trust on what you will, be you of a giant's stature as many were of them, to help you to climb up, as they would sure do when the flood came on, to the highest mountains and tallest trees, yet it shall overtake you, make your best of your worldly advantages, or good parts, or civil righteousness, all shall prove poor shifts from the flood of wrath, which rises above all those, and drowns them; only the ark of our salvation is safe, think how gladly they would have been within the ark, when they found death without it, and now it was too late, how would many that now despise Christ, wish to honor him one day. Men so long as they thought to be safe on the earth, would never betake them to the ark, would think it a prison, and could men find salvation any where else, they would never come to Christ for it: this is, because they know not. But yet be it necessity let that drive you in, and then being in him you shall find reason to love him for himself, besides the salvation you have in him.

2. You that have fled into him for refuge, wrong him not so far as to question your safety, what though the floods of your former guiltiness rise high, your ark shall still be above them, and the higher they rise the higher he shall rise, shall have the more glory in free justifying and saving you, though you find the remaining power of sin still within you, yet it shall not sink your ark; there was in this ark sin, yet they were saved from the flood; if you do believe, that puts you in Christ, and he will bring you safe through, without splitting or sinking.

3. As you are bound to account yourself safe in him, so to admire that love that set you there. Noah was a holy man; but from where was both his holiness and preservation while the world perished but because he found favor, or free grace, as the word is, in the eyes of the Lord. And no doubt he did much contemplate this, being secure within, when the cries of the rest, drowning, were about him; thus think you, seeing so few saved in this blessed ark, wherein I am, in comparison of the multitudes that perish in the deluge, from where is this, why I chosen and so many about me left? Why, but because it pleased him. But all is narrow here, we have no hearts nor no time for ample thoughts of this love, till we be beyond time, then shall we admire, and praise without ceasing, and without wearying.

Verse 21. 21. The like figure to which, even Baptism does also now save us (not the putting away the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

As the example the Apostle here makes use of, is great and remarkable, so its fit and suitable for the instruction of Christians, this he clears in the particular resemblance of it with the rule of Christianity; Baptism, the like figure, etc.

In them. 1. The end of Baptism. 2. The proper virtue or efficacy of it for that end. A resemblance in both these to Noah's preservation in the flood.

Save us.] This is the great common end of all the ordinances of God, that one high mark they all aim at. And the great and common mistake of them is, that they are not so understood and used; we come and sit a while, and if we can keep awake, give the Word the hearing, but how few of us receive it as the ingrafted Word that is able to save our souls; were it thus taken, what sweetness would be found in it, that most, as hear and read it, are strangers to. How precious would these lines be, if we looked on them thus, saw them meeting and concentrating in salvation as their end. Thus likewise the sacraments considered indeed as seals of this inheritance, annexed to the great charter of it, seals of salvation; this would powerfully beget a fit appetite for the Lord's Supper, when we are invited to it, and would beget a due esteem of baptism, would teach you more frequent and fruitful thoughts of your own, and more pious considerations of it when you require it for your children. A natural eye looks upon bread, and wine, and water, and the outward difference of their use there, that they are set apart and distinguished, as is evident by external circumstances, from their common use, but the main of the difference, where their excellency lies, it sees not, as the eye of faith above that espies salvation under them; and oh, what another thing are they to it, than to a formal user of them. We aspire to know the hidden rich things of God, that are wrapped up in his ordinances. We stick in the shell and surface of them, and seek no further, that makes them unbeautiful and unsavory to us, and that use of them turns into an empty custom. Be more earnest with him that has appointed them, and made this their end to save us, that he would clear up the eye of our souls, to see them thus under this relation, and see how they suit to this their end and tend to it, and seriously [reconstructed: seek] salvation in them from his own hand, and we shall find it.

Save us.] So that this salvation of Noah and his family from the deluge and all outward deliverances and salvations, but dark shadows of this, let them not be spoken of, these reprieves and prolongings of this present life to the deliverance of the soul from death, the second death; the stretching of a moment to the concern of eternity. How would any of you welcome a full and sure protection from common dangers, if such were to be had, that you should be assured of safety from sword and pestilence, that whatever others suffered about you, you and your family should be free; (and they that have escaped a near danger of this kind resting there, as if no more were to be feared, whereas this common favor may be showed to these that are far off from God;) and what though you be not only thus far safe, but, I say, if you were secured for afterwards, which none of you absolutely are, yet when you are put out of danger of sword and plague, still death remains, and sin and wrath may be remaining with it, and shall it not be all one to die under these in a time of public peace and welfare as if it were now. Yes, something more unhappy by the increase of the heap of sin, and wrath, guiltiness augmented by life prolonged, and more grievous to be pulled away from the world in the middle of peaceable enjoyment, and everlasting darkness to succeed to that short sunshine of your day of ease; happiness of a short date, and misery for ever. What availed it wicked Ham, to outlive the flood to inherit a curse after it, to be kept undrowned in the waters, to see himself and his posterity blasted with his father's curse. Think seriously, what will be the end of all your temporary safety and preservation if you share not in this salvation, and find not yourself sealed and marked for it, to flatter yourself with a dream of happiness, and walk in the light of a few sparkles, that will soon die out, and then lie down in sorrow, a sad bed that the most have to go to after they have wearied themselves all the day, all their life, being in a chase of vanity.

The next thing is, the power and virtue of this means, for its end. That it has a power is clear in that it is so expressly said, it does save us, which kind of power is as clear, in the way of it here expressed, not by a natural force of the element, though adapted and sacramentally used; it only can wash away the filth of the body, its physical efficacy, or power reaches no further: but it is in the hand of the Spirit of God as other sacraments, and as the Word itself is, to purify the conscience, and convey grace, and salvation to the soul by the reference it has to, and union with that which it represents. It saves by answer of a good conscience to God, and it affords that, by the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.

Thus then we have a true account of the power of this, and so of other sacraments, and a discovery of the error of two extremes. (1.) Of those that ascribe too much to them, as if they worked by a natural inherent virtue, and carried grace in them inseparably. 2. Of those that ascribe too little to them, making them only signs and badges of our profession, signs they are, but more than signs, merely representing, they are means exhibiting, and seals confirming grace to the faithful. But the working of faith, and the conveying of Christ into the soul to be received by faith, is not a thing put into them to do of themselves, but still in the supreme hand, that appointed them: and he indeed both causes the souls of his own to receive these his seals with faith, and makes them effectually to confirm that faith, which receives them so. They are then in a word neither empty signs to them that believe, nor effectual causes of grace to them that believe not.

The mistake on both sides arises from the inconsideration of the relative nature of these seals, and that kind of union that is between them, and the grace they represent, which is real, though not natural or physical, as they speak. So that, though they do not save all that partake of them, yet they do really and effectually save believers, for whose salvation they are means, as the other external ordinances of God do. Though they have not that power which is peculiar to the Author of them, yet a power they have, such as befits their nature, and by reason of which, they are truly said to sanctify, and justify, and so to save, as the Apostle here avers of Baptism.

Now that which is intended for our help, our carnal minds are ready to turn into a hindrance and disadvantage. The Lord representing invisible things to the eye, and confirming his promises even by visible seals: we are apt by the grossness of our unspiritual hearts, instead of stepping up by that which is earthly to the divine spiritual things represented, to stay on the outward element, and go no further: therefore the Apostle to lead us into the inside of this seal of Baptism, is very clear in designing the effect and fruit of it. Not (says he) putting away the filth of the flesh, and water, if you look no further can do no more. There is an invisible impurity upon our nature, chiefly on our invisible part, our soul; this washing means the taking away of that, and where it reaches its true effect it does so purify the conscience, and makes it good, truly so in the sight of God who is the Judge of it.

Consideration 1. It is a pitiful thing to see the ignorance of the most professing Christianity, and partaking of the outward seals of it, and yet knowing not what they mean, know not the spiritual dignity and virtue of them; blind in the mysteries of the kingdom, and not so much as sensible of that blindness. And being ignorant of the nature of these holy things, cannot have a due esteem of them, which arises out of the view of their inward worth and efficacy. A confused fancy of some good in them, and this rising to the other extreme to a superstitious confidence in the simple performance, and participation of them, as if that carried some inseparable virtue with it, which none could miss of, that are sprinkled with the waters of Baptism, and share in the elements of bread and wine in the Lord's Supper.

And what is the utmost plea of the most for their title to heaven, but in these relative and external things they are Christians; are baptized; hear the Word, and are admitted to the Lord's Table, not considering how many through all these have gone, and daily are going on in the ways of death, never coming near Jesus Christ, who is the Way, and Truth, and the Life, whom the Word and the seals of it hold forth to believers, and they are washed in his blood, and quickened with his life, and made like him, and coheirs of glory with him.

2. Even they that have some clearer notion of the nature and [reconstructed: virtue] of the seals of grace, yet are in a practical error that they look not with due diligence into themselves, enquiring after the efficiency of them in their hearts; do not study the life of Christ, to know more what it is, and then to search into themselves for the truth, and the growth of that life within them. Is it not an unbelieving thing for a Christian, (when he is about to appear before the Lord's Table, and so looks something more narrowly within) to find as little faith, as little divine affection, a heart as unmortified to the world, as cold towards Christ, as before his last address to the same table, after the intervening possibly of many months; in which time had he been careful often to reflect inwards on his heart, and look back upon that new sealing in his last participation, he might likely have been more suitable. And truly as there is much guiltiness cleaves to us in this, so readily much more in reference to this other sacrament that is here the Apostle's subject, Baptism, because but once administered, and that in infancy, very seldom and slightly considered by many, even real Christians. And so we are at a loss in that profit and comfort, that increase of both holiness and faith, that the frequent recollecting of it after a spiritual manner, would no doubt advance us to. And not only neglect to put ourselves upon the thoughts of it in private, but in the frequent opportunities of such thoughts in public; let it pass unregarded, are idle inconsiderate, and so truly guilty beholders, and the more frequent we have them, are the less touched with them; they become common and work not, and the slighting of them grows so common with us, as the thing. Indeed, when the engagement is more special and personal, when parents are to present their infants to this ordinance, and then might, and certainly ought to have a more particular and fixed eye upon it, and themselves as being sealed with it, to ask within after the fruit and power of it, and to stir up themselves anew to the actings of faith, and ambition after newness of life, and with earnest prayer for their children, to be suitors for themselves for further evidence of their interest in Christ: yet possibly many are not much in these things at such times; but are more busied to prepare their house for entertaining their friends, than to prepare their hearts for offering up their infant to God to be sealed, and withal to make a new offer of their own hearts to him, to have renewed on them the inward seal of the covenant of grace, the outward seal whereof they did receive, as it is now to be conferred upon their infant.

Did we often look upon the face of our souls, the seeing of the many spots we have defiled them with after our washing, it might work us to shame and grief, and would drive us by renewed application to wash often in that blood which that water figures, which alone can fetch out the stain of sin; and then it would set us upon renewed purposes of purity, to walk more carefully, to avoid the pollutions of the world we walk in, and to purge out the pollutions of the hearts that we carry about with us, that defile us more than all the world besides. It would work a holy disdain of sin, often to contemplate ourselves as washed in so precious a laver; shall I, would the Christian say, considering that I am now cleansed in the precious blood of my Lord Jesus, run again into that puddle where he so graciously took me out and made me clean? Let the swine wallow in it; he has made me of his sheepfold; he has made me of that excellent order for which all are consecrated, by that washing that partake of it, washed us in his blood, and made us kings and priests to God the Father. Am I of these? and shall I debase myself to the [reconstructed: base] pleasures of sin? No, I will think myself too good to serve any sinful lust, seeing he has looked on me, and taken me up and washed and dignified me, I am wholly his, all my study and business shall be to honor and magnify him.

The answer of a good conscience, etc.] The taking away of spiritual [reconstructed: defilement] as the true and saving effect of baptism, the Apostle here expresses by that which is the further result and effect of it. The answer of a good conscience to God. For it is the washing of that filthiness which makes both the conscience good, and in making it such, fits it to make answer to God. A good conscience in its full sense, is a pure conscience, and a peaceable conscience, and it cannot indeed be peaceably good, unless it be purely good. And although on the other side it may want the present enjoyment of peace, being [reconstructed: surprised], yet certainly in a purified conscience there is title and right to peace, it is radically there, even when it appears not. And in due time it shall appear, shall spring forth, bud and flourish.

The purified and good condition of the whole soul may well as here it does, go under the name of the good conscience, it being so prime a faculty of it, and as the glass of the whole soul, wherein the estate of it is represented. Therefore Hebrews 9, the efficacy of the blood of Christ is expressed thus, that it purges our consciences from dead works, which expression is the same thing in respect with that here, the answer of a good conscience to God.

The answer [in non-Latin alphabet]] The asking or questioning of conscience, which comprises likewise its answer, for it intends the whole correspondence of the conscience with God, and with itself as towards God, or in the sight of God; and indeed God's questioning it, is by itself, it is his deputy in the soul, he makes it pose itself for him, and before him, concerning its own condition, and so the answer it gives itself in that posture, as he sitting and hearing it in his presence, is an answer made to him. This questioning and answering (if such a thing were at this time, as it was certainly soon after) yet means not the questions and answers used in the baptism of persons, who being of years professed their faith in answering the questions moved, it possibly alludes to that, and by way of resemblance, expresses the inward questioning and answering which is transacted within, between the soul and itself, and the soul and God, and so is allusively called [in non-Latin alphabet] a questioning and answering, but distinctively specified, [in non-Latin alphabet] that whereas the other was towards men, this is to God.

1. A good conscience is a waking speaking conscience, and the conscience that questions itself most, of all sorts the best; so that which is dumb or asleep, is not active and frequent in self-inquiries, is not a good conscience. The word is judicial, [in non-Latin alphabet] interrogation used in law for the trial and executing of processes; and this the great business of conscience, to sit, and examine, and judge within, to hold courts in the soul, and it is of continual necessity, that it be so: no vacancy of this judicature without great damage to the estate of the soul; indeed, not a day ought to pass without a session of conscience within; for there are daily disorders arise in the soul, which if they pass on will grow and gather more, and so breed more difficulty in their trial and redress. Yet men do readily turn from this work as hard and unpleasant, and make many a long vacancy in the year, and protract it from one day to another; in the morning they must go about their business, and at night they are weary and sleepy, and all the day long one affair steps in after another, and in case of that failing, some trifling company or other, and so their days pass on, the soul overgrows with impurities and disorders.

You know what confusions, and disorders, and evils will abound among a rude people, where there is no kind of court nor judicature held, thus is it with that unruly rabble, the lusts and passions of our souls, when there is no discipline nor judgment within, or where there is but a neglect and intermission of it for a short time. And the most of souls are in the posture of ruin, their vile affections, as a headstrong tumultuous multitude, that will not suffer a deputed judge to sit among them, cry down their consciences, and make a continual noise that the voice of it may not be heard, and so force it to desist and leave them to their own ways.

But you that take this course, know, you are providing the severest judgment for yourselves by disturbing of judgment, as when a people rise against an inferior judge, the prince or supreme magistrate that sent him hearing of it, does not fail to vindicate his honor and justice in their exemplary punishment.

Will you not answer to conscience, but when it begins to speak, turn to business, or company, that you may not hear it? Know, that it and you must answer to God, and when he shall make inquiry, it must report, and report as the truth is, knowing that there is no hiding the matter from him. Lord, there are to my knowledge a world of enormities within the circuit I had to judge, and I would have judged them, but was violented, and interrupted, and was not strong enough to resist the tumultuous power that rose against me. Now the matter comes into your own hand to judge it yourself; What shall the soul say in that day, when conscience shall make such an answer to God, and it shall come under the severity of his justice for all. Whereas if it had given way to the conscience to find out and judge and rectify matters, it could have answered concerning its procedure that way, God would accept this as the answer of a good conscience, and what he had done, he would not do over again; it is judged, then I acquit, for if we would judge ourselves, (says the Apostle) we should not be judged.

The questioning or inquiry of conscience, and so its report or answer to God, extends to all the affairs of the soul, all the affections and motions of it, and all the actions, and carriage of the whole man. The open wickedness of the most testifies against them, that though sprinkled with water in baptism, yet they are strangers to the power and gracious efficacy of it, not baptized with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: still their dross and filth remaining to them; and nothing else appearing in their ways, so that their consciences cannot so much as make a good answer for them to men, much less to God. What shall it answer for them being judged? but that they are swearers, and cursers, and drunkards, or unclean, or that they are slanderers, delighting to pass their hours in descanting on the actions and ways of others, and looking through the miscolored glass of their own malice, and pride, that they are neglecters of God, and holy things, lovers of themselves, and their own pleasures more than lovers of God, and have such as these impudence enough to call themselves Christians? And to pretend themselves to be such as are washed, in the blood of Christ? Yes they do this. But be ashamed and confounded in yourselves, you that remain in this condition; indeed although you are blameless in men's eyes, and possibly in your own eyes too, yet you may be filthy still in the sight of God. There is such a generation, a multitude of them that is pure in their own eyes, and yet are not washed from their filthiness. Moral evil persons that are most satisfied with their own estate, or such as have further a form of godliness, but their lusts not mortified by the power of it; secret pride, and earthliness of mind, and vain glory, and carnal wisdom still pleasingly entertained within; these are foul pollutions, filthy and hateful in the sight of God, so that where it is thus, that the heart is peaceably possessed with such guests, there the blood and Spirit of Christ are not yet come, neither can there be this answer of a good conscience to God.

This answer of a good conscience to God, as likewise its questioning, to enable itself for that answer, is touching two great points that are of chief concern to their soul, its justification and sanctification, for baptism is the seal of both, and purges the conscience in both respects, that water as the figure both of the blood and water, the justifying blood of Christ, and the pure water of the sanctifying Spirit of Christ; takes away the condemning guiltiness of sin by the one, and the polluting filthiness by the other.

Now the conscience of a real believer inquiring within, upon right discovery will make this answer to God, Lord, I have found that there is no standing before you, for the soul in itself is overwhelmed with a world of guiltiness, but I find a blood sprinkled upon it, that has, I am sure, virtue enough to purge it all away, and to present it pure to you, and I know that wherever you find that blood sprinkled, your anger is quenched and [reconstructed: appeased] presently upon the sight of it; That hand cannot smite where that blood is before your eye. And this the Lord does agree to, and authorizes the conscience, upon this account to return back an answer of safety and peace to the soul.

So for the other, Lord, I find a living work of holiness on this soul, though there is yet corruption there, yet it is as a continual grief and vexation, it's an implacable hatred, there is no peace between them, but continual enmity, and hostility, and if I cannot say much of the high degrees of grace, and faith in Christ, and love to him, and heavenliness of mind, yet I may say, there is a beginning of those; at least this I most confidently affirm, that there are real and earnest desires of the soul in these things.

It would know and conform to your will, and be delivered from itself, and its own will, and though it were to the highest displeasure of all the world, it would gladly walk in all well pleasing to you.

And he that sees the truth of these things, knowing it to be thus, owns it as his own work, and engages himself to advance it on, and bring it to perfection.

This is a taste of that intercourse the purified conscience has with God, as the saving fruit of baptism.

And all this it does, not of itself, but by virtue of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which refers both to the utmost effect, salvation; and the nearer effect as a means and pledge of that, the purging of the conscience.

By this, his death and the effusion of his blood in his sufferings, are not excluded; but are included in it: His resurrection being the evidence of all that work of expiation, both completed and accepted; full payment made by our surety, and so he set free, and his freedom the cause and the assurance of ours. Therefore the Apostle Saint Paul expresses it so, That he died for our sins, and rose for our righteousness, and our Apostle shows us the worth of our living hope in this same resurrection (1 Peter 1:3): Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy, has begotten us again to a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

Now that Baptism does apply and seal to the believer his interest in the death and resurrection of Christ, the Apostle St. Paul teaches to the full (Romans 8:3). The dipping into the waters, our dying with him; and the return from there, our rising with him.

The last thing is, the resemblance of Baptism in these things, with the saving of Noah in the flood, and it holds in that we spoke last of, for he seemed to have rather entered into a grave as dead than into a safeguard of life, in going into the Ark, yet there being buried, he rose again, as it were, in his coming forth to begin a new world. The waters of the flood drowned the ungodly, as a heap of filthiness washed them away, they and their sin together as one, being inseparable; and upon the same waters, the Ark floating preserved Noah. Thus the waters of Baptism are intended as a deluge to drown sin, and to save the believer, that by faith is separated both from the world and from his sin; so it sinks, and he is saved.

And there is further, one thing specified by the Apostle, wherein though it be a little hard, yet chiefly intends the parallel. The fewness of these that are saved by both, for though many are sprinkled with the elemental water of Baptism, yet few, so as to attain by it the answer of a good conscience towards God, and to live by participance of the resurrection and life of Christ.

You that see the world perishing in a deluge of wrath, and are now most thoughtful for this, how you shall escape it, fly into Christ, as your safety, and rest secure there; you shall find life in his death, and that life further ascertained to you in his rising again: so full and clear a title to life in these two, that you can challenge all adversaries upon this very ground as unconquerable, while you stand on it, and speak your challenge in the Apostle's style, It is God that justifies, who shall condemn? But how know you that he justifies? It is Christ that died, indeed, rather that is risen, who sits at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. It alludes to that place (Isaiah 50), where Christ speaks of himself, but in the name of all that adhere to him; he is near that justifies me, who is he that will contend with me: so that what Christ speaks there, the Apostle with good reason imparts to each believer as in him. If no more to be laid to Christ's charge, being now acquitted, as is clear by his rising again, then neither to yours, who are clothed with him, and one with him.

This the grand answer of a good conscience, and in point of justifying them before God, no answer but this: What have any to say to you, your debt is paid by him that undertook it, he is free? Answer all accusations with this, Christ is risen.

And then for the mortifying of sin, and strengthening of your graces, look daily on that death and resurrection; study them, set your eye upon them, till your heart take in the impression of them by much spiritual and affectionate looking on them, beholding the glory of your Lord Christ, then be transformed to it (2 Corinthians 3). It is not only a moral pattern or copy, but an effectual cause of your sanctification, having real influence into your soul; dead with him, and again alive with him. Oh happiness and dignity unspeakable, to have this life known and cleared to your souls! If it were, how would it make you live above the world, and all the vain hopes and fears of this wretched life, and the fears of death itself, indeed, it would make it most lovely to them, that is the most frightful visage to the world.

It is the Apostle's maxim, that the carnal mind is enmity against God, as it is universally true of every carnal mind, so of all the motions and thoughts of it, even where it seems to agree with God, yet it is still contrary, if it acknowledge and conform to his ordinances, yet even in so doing, it is in direct opposite terms to him, particularly in this, that which he esteems most in them, the carnal mind makes least account of. He chiefly eyes and values the inside, the natural man dwells and rests in the shell and surface of them. God according to his spiritual nature looks most on the more spiritual part of his worship and worshippers. The carnal mind is in this, just like itself altogether for the sensible external part, and cannot look beyond it. Therefore the Apostle here having taken occasion to speak of Baptism by terms of parallel, and resemblance with the flood, is express in correcting this mistake. It is not (says he) in putting away the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience.

Were it possible to persuade you, I would recommend one thing to you, learn to look on the ordinances of God suitably to their natures, spiritually, and enquire after the spiritual effect and working of them upon your consciences. We would willingly have all religion reduced to outwards; this is our natural choice, and would pay all in this coin, as cheaper and easier by far, and would compound for the spiritual part, rather to add and give more external performance and ceremony. Hence the natural complacency of Popery, which is all for this service of the flesh and body-services, and to those prescribed of God, all deal so liberally with him in that kind, as to add more, and frame new devices and rites; what you will in this kind, sprinklings, and washings, and anointings, and incense; but where does all this lead? Is it not a gross mistake of God to think him thus pleased, or is it not a direct affront, knowing that he is not pleased with these, but desires another thing; to thrust that upon him that he cares not for, and refuse him what he calls for, that single humble heart worship and walking with him, that purity of spirit and conscience that he only prizes, and no outward service, but for these as they tend to this end and do attain it? Give me, he says, nothing if you give not this. Oh! says the carnal mind, anything but this you shall have; as many washings and offerings as you will, thousands of rams, and ten thousand rivers of oil; yes, rather than fail, let the fruit of my body go for the sin of my soul. Thus we; will the outward use of word and sacraments do it, then all shall be well; baptised we are, and shall I hear much and communicate often, if I can reach it, shall I be exact in point of family worship, shall I pray in secret, all this I do, or at least I now promise. Yes, but when all that is done, there is yet one thing may be wanting, and if it be so, all that amounts to nothing; is your conscience purged and made good by all these, or are you seeking and aiming at this, by the use of all means, then certainly you shall find life in them? But does your heart still remain uncleansed from the old ways, not purified from the pollutions of the world? Do your beloved sins still lodge with you, and keep possession of your heart, then are you still a stranger to Christ, and an enemy to God, the word and seals of life are dead to you, and you still dead in the use of them all. Know you not, that many have made shipwreck upon the very rock of salvation; that many which were baptised as well as you, and as constant attendants on all the worship and ordinances of God as you, yet remained without Christ, and died in their sins, and are now past recovery. Oh! that you would be warned; there are still multitudes running headlong that same course tending to destruction through the midst of all the means of salvation; the saddest way of all to it, through word and sacraments, and all heavenly ordinances to be walking hellwards. Christians, and yet no Christians, baptised and yet unbaptised; as the Prophet takes in the profane multitude of God's own people with the nations (Jeremiah 9:26), Egypt, and Judah, and Edom; all these nations are uncircumcised, and the worst came last, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart. Thus, thus the most of us unbaptised in the heart, and as this is the way of personal destruction, so it is that, as the Prophet there declares, that brings upon the Church so many public judgments; and as the Apostle tells, that for the abuse of the Lord's Table, many were sick and many slept. Certainly our abuse of the holy things of God, and want of their proper spiritual fruits, are among the prime sins of this land, [illegible] which so many [illegible] have fallen in the fields by the sword, and in the streets by pestilence, and more likely yet to fall, if we thus continue to provoke the Lord to his face; for it is the most avowed direct affront to profane his holy things; and thus we do while we answer not their proper end, and are not inwardly sanctified by them, we have no other word, nor other sacraments to recommend to you, than these that you have used so long to no purpose; only we would call you from the dead forms, to seek the living power of them, that you perish not.

You think the renouncing of baptism a horrible word, and that we would speak only so of witches, yet it is a common guiltiness that cleaves to all, who renounce not the filthy lusts, and the self will of their own hearts: for baptism carries in it a renouncing of these, and so the cleaving to these is a renouncing of it. Oh! we all were sealed for God in baptism, who lives so? Few that have the impression of it on the conscience, and the expression of it in the walk and fruit of their life. We do not, as clean washed persons, abhor and fly all pollutions, all fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness.

We have been a long time hearers of the gospel, whereof baptism is the seal, and most of us, often at the Lord's Table. What has all this done upon us; ask within, are your hearts changed? Is there a new creation there? Where is that spiritual mindedness? Are your hearts dead to the world and [illegible] and alive to God, your consciences purged from dead works?

What mean you, is not this the end of all the ordinances, to make all clean, and to renew and make good the conscience, to bring the soul and your Lord into a happy amity and a good correspondence, that it may not only be in speaking terms, but often speak and converse with him, may have liberty of answering and demanding, as this word has both. That it may speak the language of faith and humble obedience to God, and he may speak the language of peace to it, and both, the language of the Lord each to other.

That conscience alone is good, that is much busied in this work, in demanding, and answering: that speaks much with itself, and with God; this is both the sign that it is good and the means to make it better. That soul will (doubtless) be very wary in its walk, that takes daily account of itself, and renders up that account to God; it will not live by guess, but readily examine each step before hand, because it is resolved to examine all after, will consider well what it should do, because it means to ask over again what it has done, and not only to answer itself, but to make a faithful report of all to God, to lay all before him, continually upon trial made, tell him what is in any measure well done, as his own work, and bless him for that: and tell him too all the slips and miscarriages of the day, as our own, complaining of ourselves in his presence, and still entreating free pardon, and more wisdom to walk more holily and exactly; and gaining even by our failings more humility and more watchfulness.

If you would have your consciences answer well, they must inquire and question much, both before hand, whether is this, I purpose and go about, agreeable to my Lord's will? Will it please him? Ask that more, and regard that more, than this that the most [reconstructed: follow], will it please or profit myself, fit that my own humor. And not only the bulk and substance of your way and actions, but the manner of them, how your heart is set; [reconstructed: so] think it not enough to go to church, or to pray, but take heed how you hear, consider how pure he is, and how piercing his eye whom you serve.

Then after again, think it not enough, I was praying, or hearing, or reading, it was a good work, what need I question it further. No, but be still reflecting and asking how it was done, how have I heard, how have I prayed? Was my heart humbled by the discoveries of sin, from the Word? Was it refreshed with the promises of grace, did it lie level under the Word to receive the stamp of it, was it in prayer set and kept in a holy bent towards God? Did it breathe forth real and earnest desires into his ear, or was it remiss and roving and dead in the service? So in my society with others, in such and such company, what was my time, and how did I follow it, did I seek to honor my Lord, and to edify my brethren by my carriage and speeches, or did the time run out in trifling vain discourse? When alone, what's the carriage and walk of my heart, where it has most liberty to move its own pace, is it delighted in converse with God? Are the thoughts of heavenly things frequent, and sweet to it, or does it run after the earth and the delights of it, spinning out itself in impertinent vain contrivances?

The neglect of such inquiries is that, which entertains and increases the impurity of the soul, so that men are afraid to look into themselves, and to look up to God. But oh! what a foolish course is this to shift off that which cannot be avoided; in the end answer must be made to that all-seeing Judge, with whom we have to do, and to whom we owe our accounts.

And truly it would be seriously considered what makes this good conscience, that makes an acceptable answer to God. That appears by the opposition, not the putting away the filth of the flesh, then it is the putting away of soul filthiness; so then it's the renewing and purifying of the conscience that makes it good, pure and peaceable. In the purifying it may be troubled, which is but the stirring in cleansing of it, which makes more quiet in the end, as medicine, or the lancing of a sore, and after it is in some measure cleansed, it may have fits of trouble, which yet still add further purity and further peace: so there is no hazard in that work; but all the misery is, a dead security of the conscience remaining filthy, and yet unstirred, or after some stirring or pricking, as a wound, not thoroughly cured, skinned over, which will but breed more vexation in the end, it will fester and grow more difficult to be cured, and if it be cured it must be by deeper cutting and more pain, than if at first it had endured a thorough search.

O my brethren! take heed of sleeping to death, carnal ease; resolve to take no rest, till you be in the element and place of soul rest, where solid rest indeed is, rest not till you be with Christ, though all the world should offer their best, turn them by with disdain, if they will not be turned by, throw them down, and go over them and upon them; you have no rest to give me, nor will I take any at your hands, nor from no creature; no rest for me till I be under his shadow, who endured so much trouble to purchase my rest, and having found him may sit down quiet and satisfied, and when the world makes boast of their highest contents, I will [reconstructed: answer] them all with this own Word, my beloved is mine, and I am his.

Towards God.] The conscience of [illegible] is never right at peace in itself, till it be rightly persuaded of peace with God, which while it remains filthy it cannot be: for he is holy, and iniquity cannot dwell with him; what communion between light and darkness; so then the conscience must be cleansed before it can look upon God with assurance and peace. This cleansing is sacramentally performed by Baptism, effectually by the Spirit of Christ, and the blood of Christ; and he lives to impart both. Therefore here is mentioned his resurrection from the dead, as that, by virtue of which we are assured of this purging and peace. Then can it in some measure with confidence answer, Lord, though polluted by former sins, and by sin still dwelling in me, yet you see that my desires are daily more like my Christ; I would have more love and zeal for you, more hatred of sin, that can answer with St. Peter, that was posed, do you love me? Lord I appeal to your own eye, who sees my heart, Lord you know that I love you, at least I desire to love you, and to desire you and that is love. Willingly would I do you more suitable service, and honor your name more, and do desire more grace for this, that you may have more glory, and entreat the light of your countenance for this end, that by seeing it my heart may be more weaned from the world, and knit to yourself, thus it answers touching its inward frame, and the work of holiness by the Spirit of holiness dwelling in it: But to answer justice touching the point of guilt, it flies to the blood, fetches all its answer from there, turns over the matter upon it, and answers for it; for it does speak, and speaks better things than the blood of Abel, speaks full payment of all that can be exacted from the sinner, and that's a sufficient answer.

The conscience is then in this point once made speechless, driven to a nonplus in itself, has from itself no answer to make, then turns about to Christ, and finds what to say. Lord there is indeed in me nothing but guiltiness, I have deserved death, but I have fled into the city of refuge, you have appointed, there I resolve to abide, to live and die there, if justice pursue me it shall send me there, I take sanctuary in Jesus, my arrest laid upon me will light upon him, and he has wherewithal to answer it.

He can straightway declare, he has paid all, and can make it good; has the acquittance to show, indeed, his own liberty is a real sign of it, he was in prison, and is let free, which tells all is satisfied. Therefore the answer here rises out of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

And in this very thing lies our peace, and way, and all our happiness; Oh! it's worth your time, and pains to try your interest in this, it is the only thing worthy your highest diligence. But the most are out of their wits, running like a number of distracted persons and still in a deal of business, but to what end they know not. You are unwilling to be deceived in those things that at their best and surest, do but deceive you when all is done: But content to be deceived in that your great concernment. You are your own deceivers in it; gladly gulled with shadows of faith, and repentance, false touches of sorrow, and false touches of joy: and are not careful to have your souls really unbottomed from themselves, and built upon Christ, to have him your treasure, your righteousness, your all, and to have him your answer to God your Father: But if you will yet be advised, let go all, to lay hold on him; lay your souls on him and leave him not, he is a tried foundation stone, and he that trusts on him shall not be confounded.

Verse 22. Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God, Angels, and Authorities, and Powers being made subject to him.

This is added on purpose to show us further what he is, how high and glorious a Savior we have.

Here four points or steps of the exaltation of Christ. 1. Resurrection from the dead. 2. Ascension into heaven. 3. Sitting at the right hand of God. 4. In that posture, his royal authority over the Angels. The particulars clear in themselves. Of the sitting at the right hand of God, you are not ignorant that it is a borrowed expression drawn from earth to heaven, to bring down some notion of heaven to us, to signify to us in our language, suitably to our customs, the supreme dignity of Jesus Christ, God and Man, the Mediator of the New Covenant, his matchless nearness to his Father, and the sovereignty given him over heaven and earth. And that of the subjection of Angels, is but a more particular specifying of that his dignity and power; as enthroned at the Father's right hand; they being the most elevated and glorious creatures; so his authority over all the world implied in that subjection of the highest and noblest part of it: His victory and triumph over the Angels of darkness is an evidence of his invincible power and greatness, and matter of comfort to his saints, but this here is his supremacy over the glorious elect angels.

That there is among them priority we find, that there is a comely order in their differences cannot be doubted: but to marshal their degrees and stations above, is a point, not only of vain fruitless curiosity, but of presumptuous intrusion, whether these are names of their different particular dignities, or only different names of their general excellence and power, as I think it cannot be certainly well determined, so it imports us not to determine; only this we know, and are particularly taught from this place, that whatever is their common dignity both in names and differences, they are all subject to our glorious Head, Christ.

What confirmation they have in their estate by him (though piously asserted by divines) is not so infallibly clear from the alleged Scriptures, which may bear another sense: But this is certain, that he is their king, and they acknowledge him so, and do incessantly admire and adore him; they rejoice in his glory, and in the glory and happiness of mankind through him, they yield him most cheerful obedience, and serve him readily in the good of his church, and each particular believer, as he deputes and employs them.

Which is the thing here intended, having in it these two: (1) His dignity above them, and 2. His authority over them. (1.) Dignity, that even that nature, which he stooped below them to take on, he has carried up and raised it above them, the very earth, the flesh of man exalted in his person above all those heavenly spirits, who are of so excellent and pure a being in their nature, and from the beginning of the world clothed with so transcendent glory; that a parcel of clay is made so bright, and set so high to outshine these bright flaming spirits, these stars of the morning, that flesh being united to the fountain of light, the blessed deity in the person of the Son.

In coming to fetch and put on this garment he made himself lower than the angels; but carrying it with him at his return to his eternal throne, and sitting down with it there, it is high above them, as the Apostle teaches excellently and amply (Hebrews 1:2). To which of them, said he, sit on my right hand.

This they look upon with perpetual wonder, but not with envy nor repining; no, among all their eyes, no such eye to be found; indeed, they rejoice in the infinite wisdom of God in this design, and his infinite love to poor lost mankind; it is wonderful indeed to see him filling the room of their fallen brethren, with new guests from earth; indeed, such as are born heirs of hell; not only thus sinful man raised to a participation of glory with them who are spotless, sinless spirits, but their flesh in their Redeemer dignified with a glory so far beyond them. This is that mystery they are intent in looking and prying into, and cannot, nor never shall see the bottom of it, for it has none.

2. Jesus Christ is not only exalted above the angels in absolute dignity, but in relative authority over them; he is made captain over those heavenly bands, they are all under his command, for all services wherein it pleases him to employ them; and the great employment he has, is the attending on his church, and particular elect ones; are they not all ministering spirits sent forth, etc. They are the servants of Christ, and in him, and at his appointment the servants of every believer, and are many ways serviceable and useful for their good, which truly we do not duly consider. There is no danger of overvaluing them, and inclining to worship them upon this consideration; indeed, if we take it right, it will rather take off from that. The angel judged his argument strong enough to St. John against that, that he was but his fellow servant: but this is more, that they are servants to us, although not therefore inferior, it being an honorary service, yet certainly inferior to our head, and so to his mystical body, taken in that relation as a part of him.

Observation 1. The height of this our Savior's glory will appear the more, if we reflect on the descent by which he ascended to it; oh, how low did we bring down so high a majesty into the pit wherein we had fallen by climbing to be higher than he had set us; it was high by reason we fell so low, and yet he against whom it was committed came down to help us up again, and to take hold of us, took us on; so the word is (Hebrews 2): he took not hold of the angels; let them go, has left them to die forever. But he took hold of the seed of Abraham, and took on him indeed their flesh dwelling among us, and in a mean part; emptied himself and became of no repute, and further after he descended into the earth, and into our flesh, in it he became obedient to death upon the cross, and descended into the grave. And by these steps was walking towards that glory wherein now he is (Philippians 1): he abased himself, therefore says the Apostle, God has highly exalted him. So he himself (Luke 24): ought not Christ first to suffer these things, and so enter into his glory. Now this indeed it is pertinent to consider, and the Apostle is here upon point of suffering, that is his theme, and therefore he is so particular in the ascending of Christ to his glory; who of those that would come there will refuse to follow him in the way where he led [in non-Latin alphabet] the leader of our faith (Hebrews 12), and who of those that follow him, will not love and delight to follow him through any way, the lowest and darkest; it is excellent and safe, and then it ends you see where.

2. Think not strange of the Lord's method with his church, bringing her to so low and desperate a posture many times; can she be in a more seemingly desperate condition than was her head, not only in ignominious sufferings, but dead and laid in the grave, and the stone rolled to it and sealed, and made all sure, and yet arose and ascended, and now sits in glory, and shall sit till all his enemies become his footstool; do not fear for him, that they shall overtop, indeed, or be able to reach him, who is exalted higher than the heavens. Be not afraid neither for his church, which is his body, and if his head be safe and live, cannot but partake of safety and life with him; though she were to sight dead and laid in the grave, yet shall she rise there and be more glorious than before, and still the lower brought in distress, shall rise the higher in the day of deliverance.

Thus in his dealing with a soul, observe the Lord's method; think it not strange, that he brings a soul low, very low, which he means to comfort and exalt very high in grace and glory; leads it by hell-gates to heaven, that it be at that point, my God, my God why have you forsaken me; was not the head put to use that word, and so to speak it, as the head speaks for the body, seasoning it for his members, and sweetening that bitter cup by his own drinking of it. Oh, what a hard condition may a soul be brought to, and put to think, can he love me, and intend mercy for me? that leaves me to this: and yet in all, the Lord preparing it thus for comfort and blessedness.

3. Turn your thoughts more frequently to this excellent subject, the glorious high estate of our great high Priest. The angels admire this mystery, and we slight it; they rejoice in it, and we whom it certainly more nearly concerns, are not moved with it, do not draw that comfort and that instruction from it which it would plentifully afford, if it were drawn. It comforts us against all troubles and fears — is he not on high who has undertaken for us? Does anything befall us but it is past first in Heaven, and shall anything pass there to our prejudice or damage — he sits there and is upon the counsel of all, who has loved us, and given himself for us: indeed, who, as he descended from there for us, did likewise ascend there again for us, has made our inheritance, he purchased, there sure to us, taking possession for us, and in our name, since he is there, not only as the Son of God, but as our Surety, and as our Head, and so the believer may think himself even already possessed of this right, in as much as his Christ is there. The saints are glorified already in their head, where he reigns. Where he reigns, there I believe myself to reign, says Augustine. And consider in all your straights and troubles outward and inward, they are not hid from him, he knows them and feels them, a compassionate high Priest, has a gracious sense of your frailties, and griefs, and fears, and temptation; and will not suffer you to be surcharged, is still presenting your estate to the Father, and using that interest and power he has in his affection for your good. And what would you more? Are you one whose heart desires to rest upon him and cleave to him? You are knit so to him, that his resurrection and glory secures you yours; his life and yours are not two, but one life, as that of the Head and members, and if he could not be overcome of death, you cannot neither. Oh! that sweet word, Because I live, you shall live also.

Let your thoughts and carriage be molded in this contemplation rightly, ever to look on your exalted head, consider his glory: see not only your nature raised in him above the angels: but your person interested by faith in that his glory; and then think yourself too good to serve any base lust, look down on sin and the world with a holy disdain, being united to him who is so exalted and so glorious. And let not your mind creep here, engage not your heart to anything that time and this earth can afford; Oh! why are we so little there where there is such a spring of delightful and high thoughts for us. If you be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above where he sits: what mean you, are you such as will let go your interest in this once crucified and now glorified Jesus? If not, why are you not more like it? Why does it not possess your hearts more? Ought it not to be thus? Should not our hearts be where our treasure, where our blessed Head is? Oh! how unreasonable, how unfriendly is it, how much may we be ashamed to have room for earnest thoughts, or desires, or delights, about anything beside him?

Were this, by these that have right in it, much wrought upon the heart, would there be found in them any engagement to the poor things that are passing away? Would death be a terrible word? Indeed, would it not be one of the sweetest, most rejoicing thoughts to solace and ease the heart, under all pressures to look forward to that day of liberty? This infectious disease may keep possession all the winter and grow hot with the year again: do not flatter yourselves and think it's past, you have yet remembering strokes to keep it in your eye. But however, shall we abide still here, or is there anything duly weighed, why we should desire it? Well if you would be untied beforehand, and so feel it less, this is the only way, look up to him, who draws up all hearts that do indeed behold him; then, I say, your heart shall be removed beforehand, and the rest is easy and sweet when that's done all is gained. And consider how he desires the completing of our union? Shall it be his begging and earnest desire, and shall it not be ours too, that where he is there we may be also, with patient submission, yet striving by desires and suits, looking out for our release from this body of sin and death.