1 Peter — Chapter 5

Ver. 1.

The elders which are among you, I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed.

The Church of Christ being one body, is interested in the condition and carriage of each particular Christian, as a part of it; but more eminently in those, that are more eminent, and organic parts of it. Therefore the Apostle, after many excellent directions given to all his Christian brethren to whom he writes, does most reasonably and fitly add this express exhortation to these, that had oversight and charge of the rest, The Elders that are among you, etc.

The words have (1.) A particular definition of the persons exhorted and exhorting. (2.) The tenor of the exhortation itself. The former in the 1st verse, the persons exhorted, The Elders among you. First,

Elders.] This here, as often, is a name not of age, but of office; yet named by that age that is, or ought to be most suitably qualified to such an office, and imports, that men, though not aged; yet if called to that office, should be noted with that wisdom and [illegible] of mind and carriage, which may give that authority, and command that respect, that is requisite for their calling; not novices, as St. Paul speaks, not as a light bladder being easily blown up, as young unstable minds are, but such as young Timothy was in humility and diligence, as the Apostle testifies of him (Philippians 2:20), and further exhorts him to be (1 Timothy 4:12): Let no man despise your youth: but be an example of believers in word, in conversation, in charity, in faith, in purity.

The name of elders indifferently signifies either their age, or their calling, and of ruling, sometimes civil rulers, sometimes pastors of the Church, as among the Jews both. Here it appears that pastors are meant, as the exhortation of feeding the flock evidences; which though it sometimes signify ruling, and here may comprise it, yet is chiefly by doctrine; and then the style given to Christ in the encouragement added, the chief Shepherd.

A due frame of spirit and carriage in the elders, particularly the apostles of the Church, is a thing of prime concern for the good of it. It is one of the heaviest threats, when the Lord declares that he will give a rebellious people such teachers and prophets as they deserved, and indeed desired: If there be a man to prophesy of wine and strong drink, such a one shall be a prophet, says he to that people. And on the other side among the sweetest promises of mercy, this is not the least, to be furnished with plenty of faithful teachers. Though profane men make no reckoning of it, yet were it in the hardest times, they that know the Lord will account of it as he does, a sweet alloy of all sufferings and hardship; though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not your teachers be removed into a corner, etc. Oh! how rich in promises, that Jeremiah 3:15: I will give you pastors according to my own heart.

Inf. This promise to be pressed and sought for by earnest prayer; were people much in this duty, pastors would find it, and so people themselves receive back their prayers with much gain into their own bosom, have the returned benefit of it: as the vapors that go up from below, fall down upon the earth again in sweet showers, and make it fruitful; thus went there many prayers up for pastors, their doctrine would drop as rain, and distill as dew; and the sweet influence of it would make fruitful the valleys, humble hearts receiving it. And at this time it is very needful that the Lord be much sought for the continuance and increase of his savor in this his Church, as they that have power would be more careful of those due means, that in schools of learning or otherwise are needful for the enablement of men for this service; so all generally both people and pastors, and such as are offering themselves to that service, would chiefly beg from the higher Academy, that teaching, abundance of that Spirit, to those employed in that work, that might make them able ministers of the New Testament.

Oh! it is an inestimable blessing to have the saving light of the Gospel shining clear in the faithful and powerful ministry of it: they thought so, that said of their worthy teacher, they had rather for them the sun should not shine, than he should not teach. [reconstructed: Satius solem non lucere quam Chrysostomum non docere.]

2. The person exhorting: I a co-presbyter, or fellow elder with you. The duty of mutual exhorting, lies on each Christian to another, little known among the greatest part: but truly pastors would be as in other duties, so in this eminent, and exemplary in their intercourses and conversation, saying often one to another: Oh! let us remember to what we are called; to how high and heavy a charge? To what holiness and diligence? How great the hazard of our miscarriage, and how great the reward of our fidelity is, whetting and sharpening one another by those weighty and holy considerations.

And as a witness of the suffering of Christ.] He did indeed give witness to Christ by suffering for him the hatred and persecutions of the world in the publishing of the Gospel, and so was a witness and martyr before the time that he was put to death: and this I exclude not, but that which is more particularly here intended is, his certain knowledge of the sufferings of Christ, in his own person, as an eye witness of them, and upon that knowledge a publisher of them (Luke 24:48). And thus these two suit with the two motives, bearing home the exhortation. The one couched in that, the flock of God (verse 2), his purchase with those his sufferings, of which I was an eye witness. And the other of a crown (verse 4): I may speak the more confidently of that, for I am one of those that have real interest in it, and firm belief of it, a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed.

And these indeed are the things that give weight to a man's words, make them powerful, and pressing. A witness of the suffering of Christ. The Apostles had a singular advantage in this that were [illegible], eye witnesses, and St. Paul that wanted that, had it supplied by a vision of Christ, in his conversion. But certainly a spiritual view of Christ crucified is generally (I will not say absolutely) necessary to make a minister of Christ, but certainly very requisite for the due witnessing of him, and opening up the excellency and virtue of his sufferings, so to preach the Gospel that there needs no other crucifix after so clear and lively a way as that; it may in some measure suit the Apostles' word (Galatians 3:1): Before whose eyes Jesus Christ has been evidently set forth, crucified among you.

Men commonly read, and hear, and may possibly preach of the sufferings of Christ as a common story, and that way it may a little move a man, and wring tears from his eyes; but faith has another kind of sight of them, and so works other kind of affections, and without that, the very eye sight of them, availed the Apostles nothing: for how many saw him suffer as they did, that reviled, or at least despised him. But by the eye of faith to see the only begotten Son of God, as stricken, and smitten of God, bearing our sorrows, and wounded for our transgression, Jesus Christ the righteous reckoned among the unrighteous and malefactors, to see him stripped naked, and scourged, and buffeted, and nailed and dying, and all for us; this is the thing that will bind upon us most strongly all the duties of Christianity, and of our callings, and best enables us, according to our callings, to bind them upon others. But our slender view of these things makes light sense, and that cold incitements to answerable duty; certainly, deep impression would cause lively expression.

Would we willingly stir up our own hearts, and one another to holy diligence in our station, study Christ as suffering, and dying, more thoroughly, that is the very life of the Gospel and of our souls, it is all we have to learn, and all we have to teach and press on you, I determined to know nothing among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified. To make Christ's Cross the sum of all my learning.

Of the glory that shall be revealed.] As a witness of those sufferings, so a partaker of the glory purchased by these sufferings, and therefore as one with insight and interested in what he speaks, the Apostle might fitly speak of that peculiar duty which these sufferings and glory do peculiarly persuade. This the only way of speaking of those things, not as a discourser or contemplative student, but a partaker, there is another force of a pastor's exhortation either to his people or his brethren, that brings his message written upon his own heart, speaks of the guilt of sin and sufferings of Christ for it, as particularly feeling his own guilt, and looking on these sufferings as taking it away, speaks of free grace, as one that either has drunken of the refreshing streams of it, or at least, is earnestly thirsting after it, of the love of Christ from a heart kindled with it, of the glory to come as one that looks to be sharer in it, and longs earnestly for it, that has all his joy and content laid up in the hopes of it.

And thus Christians one with another in their mutual exhortings and comfortings, all is cold and dead that [reconstructed: flows] not from some inward persuasion and experimental knowledge of divine things; that gives edge, and sweetness to Christian conference. To be speaking of Jesus Christ, not only as a King and as Redeemer, but their King, and their Redeemer, David's style, my King, and my God: and of his sufferings as theirs, applied by faith, and acquitting them in St. Paul's style, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Of the glory to come as their inheritance, they are partakers of it, their home, as strangers meeting together abroad, in some foreign country, delighting to speak of their own land, and their parentage, friends, and their rich patrimony there abiding them. And this ought to be the entertainment of Christians when they meet. Away with trifling vain discourses, cause all to give place to these refreshing remembrances of our home. Were our hearts much on that rich inheritance above, it would be impossible to refrain our tongues, and to pass on so silent of it, to find matter of empty pratings, and be pleased with them, and no relishing this; where go your hearts, they are out of their way, and abase themselves, that turn so much downwards, and are not more above the sun, eying still that blessed land, where our purchased inheritance lies.

Inference. Oh! seek after more clear knowledge of this glory, and of your interest in it, that your hearts may rejoice in the remembrance of it, that it be not to you as the description of a pleasant land, such as men read in history, and have no portion in, they like it well, and are pleased with it while they read, be it but some imagined country or commonwealth finely fancied. But know it to be real, no device, and seek to know yourselves partakers of it.

This confidence hangs not upon a singular revelation, but on the power of faith, and the light of the Spirit of God which clears to his children the things that he has freely given them, though some of them, at sometimes, it may be all or most of their time do want it, God so disposing it they scarce clearly see their right, till they be in possession; see not their heaven and home till after they be at it, or hard upon it; yet truly this we may, and ought to seek after in humility and submission, that we may have the pledge and earnest of our inheritance, not so much for the comfort within us, though that is allowed, as that it may wean our hearts from things below, may raise us to higher and closer communion with God, and enable us more for his service, and excite us more to his praises even here. What were a Christian without the hope of this glory, as one said, tolle Religionem & nullus eris. And having this hope, what are all things here to him? How poor and despicable the better and worse of this life, and this life itself, how glad is he that it will quickly end, and what were the length of it to him, but by the long continuance of his banishment, held long from home, and how sweet is the message that is sent for him to come home.

The glory to be revealed. It is hid for the present, wholly unknown to the children of this world, and even but little known to the children of God that are heirs of it — indeed they that know themselves partakers of it, yet know not much what it is, only this, that it is above all they know, or can imagine. They may see things that make a great show here, they may hear of more than they see, they may think or imagine more than either they hear, or see, or can conceive of; still they must think of this glory as beyond it. See I pompous shows, or read I, or hear of them; yet this I say of them, these are not as my inheritance — it is far beyond them. Indeed does my mind imagine things far beyond them, golden mountains and marble palaces, yet those fall short of my inheritance, for it is such as eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man to conceive. Oh! the brightness of that glory when it shall be revealed. How shall they be astonished that shall see it, and not partake of it? How shall they be filled with everlasting joy, that are heirs of it? Were the heart much upon the thoughts of that glory, what thing is there in this perishing world, that could either [reconstructed: lift] it up or cast it down?

Verses 2, 3. 2. Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind. 3. Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being examples to the flock.

Every step of the way of our salvation has on it the print of infinite majesty, wisdom, and goodness; and this among the rest, that men, sinful, weak men, are made subservient in that great work of bringing Christ and souls to meet, that by the foolishness of preaching (so appearing to carnal wisdom) the chosen of God are called, and come in to Jesus, and made wise to salvation, and that life, which is conveyed to them by the word of life in the hands of poor men, is by the same means preserved and advanced, and this is the standing work of the ministry, and this the thing here bound upon them that are employed in it, to feed the flock of God that is among them. Jesus Christ descended to purchase a Church, he ascended to provide and furnish it, to send down his Spirit, he ascended and gave gifts particularly for the work of the ministry, and the great use of them is this — to feed the flock of God, etc.

Not to say any more of this usual resemblance of a flock, importing the weakness, and tenderness of the Church, the continual need of inspection, and guidance, and defense, and the tender care of the chief Shepherd for these things, it enforces the present duty of subordinate pastors, their care and diligence in feeding of that flock. The due rule of discipline not excluded, the main is by doctrine, the wholesome and green pastures of saving truths revealed in the Gospel, accommodating of the way of teaching to their condition and capacity, and to be as much as may be particularly acquainted with it, and suit diligently and prudently their doctrine to it. To feed the sheep, those more advanced; to feed the lambs, the younger and weaker; to have special care of the infirm, to learn of their Master the great Shepherd, to bind up that which is broken, and strengthen that which is [reconstructed: sick], those that are broken in spirit, that are exercised with temptations, and gently to lead those that are with young, in whom the inward work of grace is as in the conception, and they heavy and weak with the weight of it, and the many difficulties, and doubtings that are frequent companions and symptoms of that work. Oh! what dexterity and skillfulness, what diligence, and above all what affection and bowels of compassion are needful for this task? Who is sufficient for these things? Who would not faint and give over in it, were not our Lord the chief Shepherd: all our sufficiency laid up in his rich fullness, and all our insufficiency covered in his gracious acceptance.

Instruction. This is the thing we have to eye, and study, to set him before us, and to apply ourselves in his strength to his work, not to seek to please, but to feed, not to delight the ears, but to feed the souls of his people, to see that the food be according to his appointment, not empty or subtle notions, not light affected expressions, but wholesome truths, solid food, spiritual things, spiritually conceived and uttered, with holy understanding and affection.

And to consider this, wherein lies a very pressing motive, it is the flock of God, not our own to use as we please, but committed to our custody by him, who loves highly and prizes his flock, and will require an account of us concerning it, his bought, his purchased flock, and at so dear a rate, as the Apostle Saint Paul uses this same consideration in the same argument (Acts 20:28): The flock of God that he has bought with his own blood. How reasonable is it that we bestow our strength and life on that flock, that our Lord laid down his life for, that we be most ready to draw out our spirits for them, for whom he let out his blood? Had I, says that holy man, some of that blood poured forth on the Cross, how carefully would I carry it, and ought I not to be as careful of those souls that it was shed for. Oh! that price that was paid for souls, that he that was no foolish merchant, but wisdom itself, gave for them — were that prize more in our eyes, and more in yours, nothing would so much take either you or us, as the matter of our souls; in this would our desires and endeavors meet, we to use, and you to improve the means of saving your precious souls.

Inference 2. This mainly concerns us indeed that have charge of many, especially finding the right cure of one soul within us so hard; but you are concerned in it each for one, at least remember this is the end of the ministry, that you may be brought to Christ, that you may be led to the sweet pastures and pleasant streams of the Gospel, that you may be spiritually fed, and may grow in that heavenly life, which is here begun in all these, in whom it shall hereafter be perfected.

And as we ought in preaching, so you in hearing, to propound this end to yourselves, that you may be spiritually refreshed, and walk in the strength of that divine nourishment. Is this your purpose when you come here? Enquire of your own hearts, and see what you seek, and what you find in the public ordinances of God's house; certainly the most do not so much as think on the due intendment of them, aim at no end, and therefore can attain none, seek nothing but sit out their hour, asleep or awake, as it may be, or possibly some seek to be delighted for the time as the Lord tells the prophet, to hear as it were a pleasant song; if the gifts and strain of the speaker be anything pleasing, or be it to gain some new notions, to add somewhat to their stock of knowledge, either that they may be enabled for discourse, or simply that they may know; some it may be go a little further like to be stirred and moved for the time, and to have some touch of good affection kindled in them, but this for a while till their other thoughts and affairs get in, and smother and quench it; and are not careful to blow it up and improve it. How many when they have been a little affected with the word, go out and fall into other discourses and thoughts, and either take in their affairs secretly as it were under their cloak, and their hearts keep a conference with them, or if they forbear this, yet as soon as they go out plunge themselves over head and ears in the world and lose all that might have any way advantaged their spiritual condition. It may be one will say, it was a good sermon; is that to the purpose: but what think you it has for your praise or dispraise, instead of saying, Oh! how well was that spoken, you should say, Oh! how hard is repentance, how sweet a thing is faith, how excellent the love of Jesus Christ. That were your best and realest commending of the sermon, with true benefit to yourselves.

If some of you be careful of repenting, yet rest not on that, if you be able to speak of it afterwards upon occasion, there is somewhat beside and beyond this to evidence that you are indeed fed by the Word as the flock of God. As sheep, (you know) their pasture, which they fed on, nor no other creature's food, appears not in the same fashion upon them, not in grass, but in growth of flesh and fleece; thus the Word would appear feeding you, not by the bare discoursing of the word over again, but by the temper of your spirits and actions, that in them you really grow more spiritual, that humility, and self-denial, and charity, and holiness are increased in you by it. Otherwise, whatever literal knowledge you attain, it avails you nothing, though you heard many sermons every day, and attained further light by them, and carried a plausible profession of religion, yet unless by the Gospel you be transformed into the likeness of Christ, and grace be indeed growing in you, you are but as one says, of the cypress trees, fair and tall, but fruitless.

Are you not grieved and afraid, or may not many of you be so, that have lived many years under a fruitful ministry, and yet are as earthly and selfish, as unacquainted with God, and his ways, as at the first? Consider this, that as the neglect of souls will lie heavy on unholy or undiligent ministers, so a great many souls are ruining themselves under some measure of fit means, and so the slighting of those means will make their condition far heavier than that of many others. Remember our Savior's word, Matthew 11: Woe to you, Capernaum, etc.

The discharge of this high task we have here duly qualified, the Apostle expresses the upright way of it, both negatively and positively.

There be three evils the Apostle would remove from this work: constrainedness, covetousness, and ambition. Constrainedness, 〈in non-Latin alphabet〉, either driven to the work by necessity, indigence, and want of other means of subsistence, as it is with too many, making a trade of it to live by, and setting to it as to any other calling for that end, indeed making it the refuge and forlorn recourse of their insufficiency for other callings. And as not to undertake the work, driven to it by that hard weapon of necessity, so being engaged in it, not to discharge the duties of it merely upon necessity, because of fines binding to it, and for fear of censure; this is a violent forced motion, and cannot but be both very unpleasant and unprofitable, as to the proper end and profiting of this work. And as the principle of the [reconstructed: motion] in this service should not be a compelling necessity of any kind, but true willingness of heart, so this willingness should not arise from any other but pure affection to the work; not for filthy gain, but purely from the inward bent of the mind. As it should not be a compulsive or violent motion by necessity from without, so it should not be an artificial motion by weights hung on within, avarice, love of gain, the former were a wheel driven or drawn, going by force, the latter little better as a clock made go by art, by paces hung to it. But a natural motion, as that of the heavens in their course, a willing obedience to the Spirit of God within moving a man in every part of this holy work, that's 〈in non-Latin alphabet〉, his mind carried to it as the thing he delights in, loves to be exercised in it. There may be in a faithful pastor very great reluctances in engaging and adhering to the work, upon a sense of the excellency of it, and his unfitness, and the deep apprehension of those high interests, the glory of God, and the salvation of souls: and yet he enter into it and continues in it, with this readiness of mind too, that is with most single and earnest desires of doing all he can for God, and the flock of God, only grieved that there is in him so little suitableness of heart, so little holiness and acquaintance with God for enabling him to it, but might he find that, he were satisfied, and in attendance upon that goes on, and waits and is doing according to his little skill, and strength, and cannot leave it; is constrained indeed, but all the constraint is that of love to Jesus, and for his sake to the souls he has bought, and all the gain sought is to gain souls to Christ; which is far different from the constraint and that gain here discharged, indeed is indeed that very willingness and readiness of mind which is opposed to that other constraint; this without, this within, that other gain is base filthy gain, this noble and divine.

Inf. 1. Far be it from us, that necessity and constraint be the thing that moves us in so holy a work. The Lord whom we serve sees into the heart, and if he find not that primely moving, accounts all our diligence nothing. And let not base earth be within the cause of our willingness; but a mind touched with heaven. It is true the temptations of earth with us in matter [reconstructed: of gain] are not great; but yet the heart may cleave to them, as much as if they were much greater; and if it do cleave to them they shall ruin us: as well a poor stipend and glebe, if the affection be upon them, as a great Denary or [reconstructed: Bishopric]; if a man fall into it, he may drown in a small brook being under water, as well as in the great ocean. Oh! the little time that remains, let us join our desires and endeavours in this work, bend our strength to him, that we may have joy in that day of reckoning.

And indeed there is nothing moves us aright, nor shall we ever find comfort in this service, unless it be from a cheerful inward readiness of mind, and that from the love of Christ, thus said he to his Apostle, do you love me, then feed my sheep and feed my lambs, love to Christ begets love to his people's souls, that are so precious to him, and a care of feeding them; he devolves the working of love towards him upon his flock for their good, puts them in his room, to receive the benefit of our services, which cannot reach him in himself, he can receive no other profit from it. It is love, much love gives much unwearied care, and much skill in this charge. How sweet is it to him that loves, to bestow himself, to spend and be spent upon his service whom he loves. Jacob in the same kind of service endured all, and found it light by reason of love, the cold of the nights, and the heat of the days, seven years for his Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days, because he loved her.

Love is the great endowment of a shepherd of Christ's flock. He says not to Peter, are you wise or learned or eloquent, but do you love me, then feed my sheep.

The third evil is ambition, and that is either in the affecting of undue authority; or the overstraining, and tyrannical abuse of due authority; or to seek these dignities that suit not with this charge, which is not Dominium, but Ministerium. Therefore discharged (Luke 22). There is a ministerial authority to be used in discipline, and more sharpness with some than others, but still lowliness and moderation predominant, and not domineering with rigour; rather being examples to them in all holiness and especially in humility and meekness, wherein our Lord Jesus particularly propounds his own example.

But being examples.] Such a pattern as they may stamp and print their spirits and carriage by, and be followers of you as you are of Christ; and without this, there is little or no fruitful teaching. Well says one, either teach not, or teach by living, so the Apostle exhorts Timothy to be an example in word, but also in conversation, that is 〈in non-Latin alphabet〉, the best printed copy.

But this pares off, will some think, all encouragements of learning. No advantage, no respect, nor authority. Oh! no, it removes poor worthless encouragements out of the way, to make place for one great one that is sufficient, which all the other together are not, that is,

Verse 4. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, you shall receive a crown of glory that fades not away.

You shall lose nothing by all that restraint from base gain, and vain glory, and worldly power. No matter, let them go for a Crown, that weighs them all down, that shall abide for ever. Oh! how far excellent! A Crown of Glory, pure unmixt glory without any ingrediency of pride or sinful vanity, or any danger of it. And a Crown that fades not, of such a flower as withers not, not a temporary garland of fading flowers, such as all here are? Woe to the crown of pride (Isaiah 28:1). Though it is made of flowers growing in a fat valley, yet their glorious beauty is a fading flower, but this fresh, and in perfect lustre to all eternity. May they not well trample on base gain and vain applause, that have this Crown to look to: they that will be content with those, let them be doing, but they have their reward, and it is done and gone, when faithful followers are to receive theirs. Joys of royal pomp, marriages and feasts how soon do they vanish as a dream; that of [reconstructed: Ahasuerus], that lasted about half a year but then ended, and how many since that gone and forgot. But this day begins a triumph and a feast that shall never either be ended or be wearied of, still fresh new delights, all things here, the choicest pleasures, cloy, but satisfy not. Those above shall always satisfy and never cloy. When the chief Shepherd shall appear, and that shortly, this moment will shortly be out.

What is to be refused in the way to this Crown? All labour sweet for it. And what is there here to be desired to stay your hearts, that we should not most willingly let go, to rest from our labours and receive our Crown? Was ever any man sad that the day of his Coronation drew nigh? No envy, nor jealousies, all Kings, each his Crown, and each rejoicing in the glory of another, and all in his, who that day shall be all in all.

Verse 5. Likewise you younger, submit yourselves to the elder: indeed, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility; for God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble:

Sin has disordered all, nothing to be found but distemper and crookedness in the condition and ways of men towards God, and one towards another, till a new Spirit come in and rectify all: and very much of that redress lies in this particular grace of humility, here recommended by the Apostle.

That regulates the carriage of the younger towards the elder. (1.) Of all men, one to another. (2.) Towards God.

1. The younger to be subject to the elder. Which I take so of difference of years, that it has some aspect to the relation of those that are under the discipline and government of the Elders, who though not always so in years, however ought to suit that name in exemplary gravity and wisdom. It is no Seignory but a Ministry; yet there is a sacred authority in it rightly carried, that both duly challenges and effectually commands that respect and obedience which is fit for the right order and government of the House of God.

The Spirit of Christ in his Ministers is the thing that makes them truly Elders, and truly worthy of double honour, and without that, men may hunt respect and credit by other parts, and the more they follow it, the faster it flies from them; or if they catch any thing of it they only grip but a shadow.

Inference. Learn, you my Brethren, that obedience due to the discipline of God's House. This is all we plead for in this point. And know, if you refuse it, and despise the Ordinance of God, he will resent the indignity as done to him. And Oh! that all, that have that charge of his House upon them, would mind his interest wholly, and not rise in conceit of their power, but wholly employ and improve it for their Lord and Master, and look on no respect to themselves, as for themselves desirable, but only so far as is needful for the profitable discharge and advance of his work in their hands. What are differences and regards of men, how empty a vapour? And whatever it is, nothing lost by single and entire love of our Lord's glory, and total aiming at that. Them that honour him, he will honour, and those that despise him shall be despised.

But though this (likewise) implies, I conceive, somewhat in it relative to the former subject, yet certainly it is more extended in its full intendment, and directs, touching the difference of years, the [reconstructed: Subjection] that is, respect and reverence, due from younger to elder persons.

The presumption and unbridledness of youth requires the pressing and binding on of this rule. And it is of undeniable equity, even written in nature, due to aged persons, but doubtless those reap this due fruit in that season the most, that have ripened it most by the influence of their grave and holy carriage: it is indeed a Crown, but when? When found in the way of righteousness; there it shines, and has a kind of royalty over youth; otherwise a graceless old age is a most despicable and lamentable [reconstructed: sight]. What gains an unholy old man or woman, by their scores of years, but the more scores of guiltiness and misery? And their white hairs speak nothing but ripeness for wrath. Oh! to be as a tree [reconstructed: planted] in the House of the Lord bringing forth fruit in old age (Psalm 92:12-13); much experience in the ways of God, and much disdain of the world, and much desire of the love of God, heavenly temper of mind, and frame of life; this is the advantage of many years; but to have seen and felt the more misery, and heaped up the more sin, the greatest bundle of it against the day of wrath, a woeful treasure of it, sixty or seventy years a gathering, and with so much increase every day, no vacancy, no dead years, no, not a day wherein it was not growing.

A sad reflection to look back, what have I done for God? And find nothing, but such a world of sin committed against him, how much better he that gets home betimes in his youth, if once delivered from sin and death, at one with God, and some way serviceable to him, or desiring to be, and has a quick voyage, having lived much in a little time.

All of you be subject one to another.] This yet further dilates the duty, makes it universally mutual, one subject to another. This turns just about the vain contest of men, that arises from the natural mischief of self-love, every one would carry it and be best, and highest. The very company of Christ, and his exemplary lowliness, and the meanness of himself, and those his followers; all these did not bar out this frothy foolish question, who should be greatest, and so far disputed as into a heat about it, a strife among them. Now this rule is just opposite, each strive to be lowest, subject one to another.

This does not annul either civil or church government, nor those differences that are grounded upon the law of nature, or of civil society; for we see immediately before such differences allowed, and the particular duties of them recommended, but those only, that all due respect, according to their station, be given by each Christian to another, and though there cannot be such a subjection of masters or parents to their servants and children, as is due to them from these, yet a lowly meek carrying of their authority, a tender respect of their youth, receiving of an admonition from them duly qualified, is that which suits with the rule. And generally not delighting in the trampling on, or abusing of any, but rather seeking the credit and good esteem of all as our own. Taking notice of that good in them, wherein they are beyond us: for all has some advantage and none has all. And in a word, and it is that of Saint Paul, like this of our Apostle here, let this be all the strife, who shall put most respect each on another, according to the capacity, and station of each one, in giving honor, go each one before another. (Romans 12)

Now that such carriage may be sincere, no empty compliment or court holy water (as they speak) but a part of the solid holiness of a Christian; the Apostle requires the true principle of such deportment, the grace of humility: that a Christian put on that, not as the appearance of it, to act in as a stage garment, but the truth of it, as their constant habit, be clothed with humility. It must appear in your outward carriage; so the resemblance of clothing imports; but let it appear, as really it is, so the very name of it appears, it is not [in non-Latin alphabet] but [in non-Latin alphabet]. Not a show of humility, but heart lowness, humility of mind.

As it is the bent of humility, to hide other graces, so far as piety to God, and our brethren will permit, so it would willingly hide itself, loves not to appear, but as necessity urges: appear it must, and does somewhat more appear than many other graces do, though it seeks not to appear: it is seen as a modest man or woman's apparel, which they wear not for that end, that it may be seen, and do not gaudily flaunt and delight in dressing; though there is a decency as well as necessity, which they do, and may have respect to; yet that in so neat and unaffected way, that they are a good example even in that point. Thus humility in carriage and words is as the decorum of this clothing, but the main is the real usefulness of it.

And therefore a truly humble man desires not much to appear humble, indeed were it not for disedifying his brethren, he would rather disguise and hide, not only other things by humility, but even humility itself, [illegible] would be content upon mistake of some words or [illegible] gestures to pass for proud and vain, being humble within rather than to be big in his own eyes, under a semblance of outward lowliness. Indeed were it not that charity and piety do both forbid it, would not care to do some things on purpose that might seem arrogant, to carry humility unseen that does so naturally delight in covering of all graces, and is sorry that it cannot do so without being seen itself — as that garment that covers the rest must of necessity be seen itself. But seeing it must be so, it is with the least show that may be, as a dark veil cast about rich attire hides their show, and makes very little itself.

This therefore is the main, that the seat of humility be the heart, although it will be seen in the carriage, yet as little as it can, as few words as may be concerning itself; and these it does speak, that they be the real thoughts of the mind, and be not an affected voice of it differing from the inward sense, otherwise humble speech and carriage only put on without, and not fastened in the inside, is the most refined, and subtle, and indeed the most dangerous kind of pride. And this I would recommend as a safe way, ever let your thoughts concerning yourself be below what you utter; and what you see needful or fitting to say to your own abasement, be not only content (which most are not) to be taken at your word, and believed to be such by them that [illegible] you — but be desirous of it, and let that be the end of your speech, to persuade them and gain it of them, that they really take you for as worthless and mean as you do express yourself.

Inf. But how little are we acquainted with the real frame of Christianity; the most living without a rule, not laying it to their words and ways at all, nor yielding a seeming obedience to the Gospel; others take up a kind of profession, and think all consists in some religious performances, and do not study the inward reserve of their heart-evils, to have that temple purged; for so it should be, and stand in much need of a sweeping out of filthiness, and putting out of idols. Some there be that are much busied about the matter of their assurance, still upon that point, which is lawful indeed, and laudable to inquire after, yet not so, as to neglect things more needful. It were certainly better for many, when they find no issue that way, to turn somewhat of their diligence to the study of Christian graces and duties in their station, and to task themselves for a time, were it to the more special seeking of some one grace, and then of another, as meekness, and patience, and this particularly of humility. To be truly heart-humble; many men despise it in others, but some that will commend it in the general, or in some of those in whom they behold it; yet, seek not to put it on themselves, love to be more gay, and seem to be somebody, and not abase themselves, it is the way, say they, to be undone: This clothing is too poor a stuff and sad a color for them. Oh, my brethren, you know not the excellency of it, you look out at a distance and judge according to your light vain minds: But will you see it by the light of the Word, and then you shall perceive much hidden richness and comeliness in it — and not only upon those that approve it and call it comely, but put it on, and so it is most comely; and as all graces, so particularly this clothing of humility, though it make least show, yet [illegible] and you will [illegible] it both rich and comely; and though it hides other graces, yet when they do appear under it, as sometimes they will, a little glance of them, so makes them much more esteemed. Rebekah's beauty and her jewels were covered with a veil; but when they did appear the veil set them off, and commended them, though at a distance it hid them.

2. In all, so particularly in this grace, take heed of a disguise or counterfeit of it; Oh! sincerity in all, and particularly in this, only low in your own eyes, and willing to be so in the eyes of others; that is the very upright nature of this heart-humility.

1. Not deluded with false conceit of advantages you have not. 2. Not swelled with a vain conceit of those you really have. 3. Not affecting to be esteemed by others, either upon their imagining some good that is not in you, or discerning that which is. Is not the day at hand when men will be taken off their false heights they stand on, and set on their own feet, and when all the esteem of others shall vanish and pass like smoke, and you shall be just what God finds and accounts you, and neither more or less. Oh! the remembrance of that day of true estimate of all; this would make men hang less upon the unstable conceits and opinions of one another; knowing our judgment and day shall shortly end, a short day. Be it little or much you have, the lower and closer you carry it under this cloak, the safer shall it and you be, the more shall it increase, and you be the more like him in whom all the fullness dwells; in this he has most expressly set himself before us, as our pattern, and one says well. Sure man might now be constrained to be proud, for whom God himself became himself.

Now to work the heart to a humble posture. (1.) Look into yourself in earnest, and truly, whoever you be that has the highest conceit and the highest causes of it; that will do it, a real sight of yourself, it will lay your crest. Men look on any good, or fancy of it in themselves with both eyes, and skip over as unpleasant their real defects and deformities; every man is naturally his own flatterer, otherwise flatteries and false cryings up from others would take little impression, but that they meet with the same conceit within. But will any man see his ignorance, and lay what he knows not over against what he knows; the disorders in his heart and affections over against any right motion in them, his secret follies and sins against his outwardly blameless carriage; and this man shall not readily love and embrace himself, indeed it shall be impossible for him not to abase and abhor himself? (2.) Look on the good in others, and the evil in yourself, make that the parallel, and then you will walk humbly. Most men do [illegible] the contrary, and that foolish and unjust comparison puffs them up. (3.) You are not required to be ignorant of that good which really is indeed; but beware of imagining what is not; indeed, rather let something that is pass your view, and see it within, rather than beyond its true size, and then whatever it is, see it not as your own but God's, his free gift, and so the more you have, looking on it in that view, you will certainly be the more humble, as having the more engagement; the weight of them will press you down and low, still the lower, as you see it in Abraham, the clear visions and promises he had, made him fall down flat to the ground. (4.) Pray much for the spirit of humility, the Spirit of Christ, for that is it; otherwise all your vileness will not humble you when men hear of this or other graces, and how reasonable they are, they think presently to have it, and do not consider the natural enmity and rebellion of their own hearts, and the necessity of receiving those from Heaven, and therefore in the use of all other means, to be most dependent on that influence, and most in that means, which opens the heart most to that influence, and draws it down upon the heart; and that is Prayer.

Of all the evils of our corrupt nature there is none more connatural and universal than pride; the grand wickedness, self-exalting in our own and others' opinion. Though I will not contest what was the first step in that complicated first sin, yet certainly, this of pride was one, a main ingredient in it, that which the unbelief conceived going before, and the disobedience following after were both servants to; and ever since it sticks still deep in our nature. And St. Augustine says truly, that that first overcame man, is the last he overcomes. Some sins comparatively may die before us, but this has life in it sensibly as long as we; is as the heart of all, the first living, and the last dying, and has this advantage that whereas other sins are fomented by one another, this feeds even on virtues and graces, as a moth that breeds in them, and consumes them even in the finest of them, if it be not carefully looked to. This hydra, as one head of it is cut off, another rises up: it will secretly cleave to the best actions, and prey upon them: and therefore so much need that we continually watch, and fight, and pray against it, and be restless in the pursuit, daily seeking to gain further in real and deep humiliation; to be nothing, and desire to be nothing, not only bear, but to love our own abasement, and the things that procure and help it, to take pleasure in them so far as may be without sin, indeed, even of our sinful failings when they are discovered, to love the bringing low of ourselves by them, while we hate and grieve for the sin of them.

And above all to watch ourselves in our best things, that self get not in, or if it break in, or steal in at any time, that it be presently found out and cast out again; to have that established within us to do all for God, to intend him and his glory in all, and to be willing to advance his glory were it by our own disgrace; not to make raising or pleasing yourself the rule of exercising your parts and graces, when to use and bring them forth; but the good of your brethren, and in that the glory of your Lord: now this is indeed to be severed from self, and united to him, to have self-love turned into the love of God; and this is his own work, it is above all other hands, therefore the main combat against pride and conquest of it, and gaining of humility is certainly by prayer. God bestows himself most to them that are most abundant in prayer, and to whom he shows himself most, they are certainly the most humble.

Now to stir us up to diligence for this grace, take briefly a consideration or two.

1. Look on that above pointed at. The high example of lowliness set before us, Jesus Christ requiring our particular care to take this lesson from him: and is it not most reasonable? He the most fair, the most excellent and complete of all men, and yet the most humble; he more than a man, and yet willingly became in some sort less than a man, as it is expressed, a worm and no man; and when majesty itself emptied itself and descended so low, shall a worm swell and be high conceited.

Then consider, it was for us, all his humbling to expiate our pride, and therefore the more just that we follow a pattern which is both so great in itself, and so nearly concerning us. O humility! the virtue of Christ, that which he so peculiarly espoused, how do you confound the vanity of our pride?

2. Consider the safety of grace under this clothing, it is that which keeps it unexposed to a thousand hazards. Humility does grace no prejudice in covering it, but indeed shelters it from violence and wrong. Therefore they do justly call it conservatrix virtutum, the preserver of grace, and one says well, that he that carries other graces without humility, carries a precious powder in the wind without a cover.

3. Consider, the increase of grace by it, and that is here expressed; the perfect enmity against pride, and bounty toward humility, he resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble.

He resists.] He singles it out for his grand enemy, and sets himself in battle against it, so the word is, it breaks the ranks of men in which he has set them when they are not subject, [illegible], as the word is before; indeed, it not only breaks rank, but rises up in rebellion against him, and does what it can to dethrone him and usurp his place, therefore he orders his forces against it, and to be sure, if God be able to make his party good, pride shall not escape ruin, he will break it and bring it low; for he is set upon that purpose, and will not be diverted.

But he gives grace.] He pours out plentifully upon humble hearts; his sweet dews and showers slide off the mountains and fall on the low valley of humble hearts, and make them pleasant and fertile. The swelling heart puffed up with a fancy of fullness has no room for grace, is lifted up, is not hollowed and fitted to receive and contain the graces that descend from above; and again as the humble heart is most capable, as emptied and hollowed, can hold most, so it is most thankful, acknowledges all as received, but the proud cries all his own; the return of glory that is due from grace, comes most freely and plentifully from a humble heart, and he delights to enrich it with grace, and it delights to return him glory, the more he bestows on it, the more it desires to honor him with it, and the more it does so, the more readily he bestows still more upon it, and this is the sweet intercourse between God and the humble soul; this is the noble ambition of humility, in respect of which all the aspirings of pride are low and base: when all is reckoned, the lowliest mind is truly the highest; and these two agree so well, that the more lowly it is, it is thus the higher, and the higher thus, it is still the more lowly.

Oh! my brethren, want of this is a great cause of all our wants; why should our God bestow on us, what we would bestow on our idol-self, or if not to idolize yourself, yet to idolize the thing, the gift that grace bestowed; to fetch your believing, and comforts from that, which is to put it in his place that gave, and to make Baal of it, as may be read (Hosea 2:8). Now he will not furnish you thus to his own prejudice therein; seek to have your heart on a high design, seeking grace still not to rest in any gift, nor to grow vain and regardless of him upon it. If we had but this fixed with us; what gift or grace I seek, what comfort I seek, it shall no sooner be mine, but it shall all be yours again, and myself with it; I desire nothing from you but that it may come back to you, and draw me with it to you, this is all my end, and all my desire: the thing thus presented would not come back so often unanswered.

This is the only way to grow quickly rich, come still poor to him that has enough, ever to enrich you, and desire of his riches not for yourself, but for him, mind entirely his glory in all you have and seek to have; what you have use so, and what you want vow it so, let it be his in your purpose, even before it be yours in possession, as Hannah did in her suit (1 Samuel 1:11) for a son, and you shall obtain as she did, and then as she was, be you faithful in the performance: him whom I received (says she) by petition, I have returned to the Lord.

It is no question, the secret pride and selfness of our hearts that prejudges much of the bounty of his hand in the measure of our graces, and the sweet embraces of his love, which we should otherwise find. The more we let go of ourselves, still the more should we receive of himself. Oh foolish we, that refuse so blessed an exchange.

To this humility, as in these words it is taken in the notion of our inward thoughts touching ourselves, and carriage in relation to others, the Apostle joins the other humility in relation to God, being indeed the different actings, one and the same grace, and inseparably connected each with the other.

Verse 6. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.

This is pressed by a reason of equity and necessity, both in that word (the mighty hand of God) he is Sovereign Lord of all, and all things do obeisance to him. Therefore it is just that you his people professing loyalty and obedience to him be most submissive, and humble in your subjection to him in all things. Again, the necessity, his mighty hand: there is no striving; it is a vain thing to flinch and struggle, for he does what he will, and his hand is so mighty, that the greatest power of the creature is nothing to it; indeed, it is all derived from him, and therefore cannot do any whit against him; if you will not yield, you must yield, if you will not lead, you shall be pulled and drawn, therefore submission is your only course.

The third reason is of utility or certain advantage, as there is nothing gained, indeed, you are certainly ruined by reluctance, so this humble submission is the only way to gain your point. What would you have under any affliction, but be delivered, and raised up, thus alone you attain that, humble yourselves, and he shall raise you up in due time.

This is the end why he humbles you, lays weights upon you, that you may be depressed: now when it is gained, that you are willingly so, then the weights are taken off, and you are lifted up by his gracious hand. Otherwise it is not enough, that he has humbled you by his hand, unless you humble yourselves under his hand, many have had great and many pressures, [illegible] affliction after another, and been humbled, and yet not humble, as they commonly express the difference: humbled by force in regard of their outward condition, but not humbled in their inward temper; and therefore as soon as the weight is off as heaps of wool, they rise up again, and grow as big as they were.

[reconstructed: Inference.] If we would consider this in our particular trials, and aim at this deportment, it were our wisdom; are they not mad that under any stroke, quarrel or struggle against God: what gain your children thus at your hands, but more blows? Not only is this an unseemly and unhappy way openly to resist and strive, but even secretly to fret and grumble; for he hears the least whispering of the heart, and looks most how that behaves itself under his hand. Oh! humble acceptance of his chastisement, is our duty and our peace, that which gains most on the heart of our Father, and makes the rod soonest fall out of his hand.

And not only would we learn this, in our outward things, but in our spiritual condition, as the thing the Lord is much taken with in his children; there is a stubbornness, and fretting of heart concerning our souls, that arises from pride and untamedness of our nature; and yet some take a pleasure in it, touching the matter of comfort and assurance, if it be withheld, or which they take more liberty in, be it sanctification, and victory over sin; they seek, and yet find little or no success, but the Lord holding them at under in these; they then vex and walk more discontented, and nothing pleases them, as peevish children upon the refuse of somewhat they would have, take displeasure and make no account of the daily provision made for them, and all the other benefits they have by the care and love of their parents: this is a folly very unbeseeming the children that are the children of wisdom, and should walk as such: and till they learn more humble respect of their Father's will, they are still the further off from their purpose; were they once brought to submit the matter, and give him heartily his will, he would readily give them theirs, as far as were for their good, as you say to your children of any thing they are too stiff and earnest in, and keep a noise for, cry not for it, and you shall have it.

And this is the thing we observe not, that the Lord often by his delays is aiming at this, and were this done, we cannot think how graciously he would deal with us, his gracious design is to make much room for grace by much humbling, especially some spirits that need much trying, or that he means much enabling to, for a singular service, and thus the time is not lost as we think it, it furthers our end, while we think contrary; it is necessary spent time and pains that is given to the unballasting of a ship, casting out the earth and sand, when it is to be laden with spices: we must be emptied more, if we would have of that fullness and riches that we are longing for.

So long as we [reconstructed: fume] and chafe against his way, though it be in our best suits; we are not in a posture for a favorable answer: would we wring things out of his hand by fretfulness? That is not the way, no, but present humble submissive suits. Lord this is my desire, but you are wise and gracious, I refer the matter to your will for the thing, and for the measure, and time, and all; were we molded to this composure, then were mercy near, when he has gained this, broken our will, and tamed our stoutness, then he relents and pities, See Jeremiah 30:18.

This I would recommend in any estate, the humble folding under the Lord's hand, kissing the rod, and falling low before him: and this the way to be raised: but it may be one that thinks, he has tried this a while, and is still at the same point, has gained nothing, and therefore falls back to his old repinings: Let such a one know his humbling and compliance was not upright, it was a fit of false constrained submission, and therefore lasts not, it was but a tempting of him instead of submitting to him. Oh! will he have a submission: I will try it but with this reserve, that if after such a time I gain not what I seek, I shall think it is lost, and that I have reason to return to my discontent; though he says not thus, yet this is secretly under it. No, but would you have it right, it must be without condition, without reserve, no time, nor nothing prescribed; and then he will make his word good, He will raise you up, and that

In due time.] Not your fancied time, but his own wisely appointed time. You that think, now I am sinking if he help not, now it will be too late, yet he sees it otherwise, he can let you sink yet lower, and yet bring you up again; he does but stay till the most fit time, you cannot see it yet, but you shall see it, that his chosen time is absolutely best; he waits to be gracious; does he wait, and will not you? Oh! the firm belief of his wisdom, power, and goodness, what difficulty will it not surmount? So then be humble under his hand; submit, not only your goods, your health, your life, but your soul. Seek and wait for your pardon as a condemned rebel, with your rope about your neck; lay yourself low before him at his feet, stoop and crave leave to look up and speak, and say; Lord, once I am justly under the sentence of death; if I fall under it, you are righteous, and I do here acknowledge it; but there is deliverance in Christ, there I would have recourse: yet if I be beaten back, and held out, and faith withheld from me, and I perish as it were in view of salvation, see the rock, and yet cannot come at it but drown: what have I to say; in this likewise you are righteous, only if it seem good to you to save the vilest, most wretched of sinners, and show great mercy in pardoning so great debts; the higher will be the glory of that mercy: however here I am resolved to wait till either you graciously receive me, or absolutely reject me, if you do this I have not a word to say against it, because you are gracious, I hope; I hope yet you will have mercy on me. I dare say that this promise belongs to a soul, and it shall be raised up in due time.

And what though most or all our life should pass without much sensible taste even of spiritual comforts; a poor all it is: let us not over esteem this moment, and so think too much of our better or worse condition in it either in temporals, indeed, or in spirituals, such as are more arbitrary and accessory to the name of our spiritual life; providing we can humbly wait for free grace, and hang on the word of promise, we are safe; if the Lord will clearly shine on us, and refresh us; this is much to be desired and prized, but if he so think fit, what if we should be all our days held at a distance, and under a cloud of wrath, it is but a moment in his anger; then follows a lifetime in his favor, an endless lifetime; it is but sorrow for a night, and joy comes in the morning, that clearer morning of eternity, to which no evening succeeds.

Verse 7. Casting all your care upon him, for he cares for you.

Among other spiritual secrets, this is one, and a prime one, the combinement of lowliness and boldness, humble confidence: This the true temper of a child of God, towards his great and good Father; nor can any other have it, but they that are indeed his children, and have within them that Spirit of adoption, which he sends into their hearts.

And these two here the Apostle joins together. Humble under the hand of God, and yet cast your care on him, upon that same hand under which you ought to humble yourselves, must you also cast over your care, all your care, for he cares for you.

Consider, (1.) the nature of this confidence. (2.) The ground of it. The nature, casting all your care on him. The ground or warrant of it; for he cares for you.

Every man has some desires and purposes that are predominant with him, beside the daily exigences of his life, he is compassed with; and in both according to their importance or his esteem, and the difficulties occurring in them, he is naturally carried to be thoughtful and careful in them. Now the excess and distemper of this care is one of the great diseases and miseries of man's life. Moral men perceiving and resenting it, have been tampering at the cure, and prescribing after their fashion, but with little success; some present abatement and allay of the paroxysm or extremity their rules may reach; but they never go near the bottom, the cause of the evil, and therefore cannot work a thorough sound cure of it.

Something they have spoken, somewhat fitly, of the surpassing nature's rule, and size in the pursuit of superfluous needless things, but for the unavoidable care of things needful, they knew no redress but to their own industry and diligence; they can tell how little will serve him, that seeks no more than what will serve; but how to be provided of the little, or to be assured of it, and freed from troubling care they cannot tell.

Now truly it were a great point to be well schooled in the former, and that which is necessary for the due practice of this rule here given touching necessary cares, first to cut off cares unnecessary, to retrench all extravagant superfluous desires: for certainly a great part of the troubling cares of men are all about things that are such that have no necessity in them, but what our disordered desires make, nor truly any real good in them, but what our fancy puts upon them. Some are indeed forced to hard labour for their daily bread, but out of doubt a great part of the sweat and toil of the greatest part of men is about unnecessaries. Such an estate so much by the year, such a place, so much honor, and esteem, and rank in the world, these are the things that make some slaves to the humors of others, on whom they place their following and dependences for these ends, and those possibly to whom they are so enthralled, are themselves at as little liberty, but captivated to the humors of some others either above them, or that being below them may give accession and furtherance to their ends of enrichment, or advancement, or popularity. Men set on these things forge necessities to themselves, and make vain things as necessary as food and clothing, resolving that they will have them, or fall in the chase, willfully and unavoidably bent on them. They that will be rich, says the Apostle, that are resolved on it upon any terms, they meet with terms hard enough of it, they fall into [illegible] and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition, no recovering, but still plunged deeper and deeper, and — foolish lusts — reasonless, childish desires after one bargain, such another, and after one sin, another to make even, and somewhat then to keep that whole, and so on, no end; if upon purchase and land, still some house or neighbor-field, some Naboth's vineyard in their eyes, and all the rest is nothing without that, which discovers the madness of this humor, this dropsical thirst.

And this is first indeed to be looked to, that our desires and cares be brought to a due compass: and what would we have, do we think, contentment lies in so much, and no less — when that is attained, it shall appear as far off as before. When children are at the foot of a high hill, they think it reaches the heavens, and yet if they were there, they find themselves as [reconstructed: far] off as before, sensibly no nearer. Men think, Oh! had I this, I were well, and when it is reached, it is but an advanced stance to look higher and spy out for some other thing.

We are indeed children in this to think the good of our estate is in the greatness, and not in the fitness: he were a fool that would have his clothes so, and think the bigger and longer they were, they would please him the better. And certainly as in apparel, so in place and estate, and all outward things; their good lies not in their greatness, but in their fitness for us; our Savior tells us expressly, that man's life consists not in the abundance of the things he possesses (Luke 12:13). Think you great and rich persons live more content, believe it not, if they will deal freely, they can tell you the contrary, that there is nothing but a show in them; and that the great estates and places have great grief and cares attending them, as shadows are proportioned to their bodies.

And if they want real crosses, luxury frames troubles to itself, variety of dishes corrupting the stomach, and causing variety of diseases: and for need, fantastic vain discontents that will trouble men as much as greater, be it but this — hawk flies not well, or that dog runs not well, to men whose hearts are in those games.

So then, I say, this first to be regulated, all childish vain needless cares to be discharged, and as being unfit to cast on your God, quite cast out of your heart. And entertain no care at all, but such as you may put into God's hands, and make his on your behalf; such as he will take off your hand, and undertake for you.

All needful lawful care, and that only will he receive, so then rid yourself quit of all that you cannot take this course with, and then without scruple take confidently this course with all the rest: seek a well regulated sober spirit. In the things of this life content with food and clothing, not delicacies, but food; not ornament, but clothing: and resolve that what your Father carves to you, is best for you; the fittest measure, for he knows it, and loves you wisely. This course our Savior takes, Matthew 6: first to cut off superfluous care, then to turn over on your God the care of necessaries; he will look to that, you have him engaged, and he can and will give you beyond that, if he sees it fit.

Only this is required of you to refer the matter to his discretion wholly: now in your thus well regulated affairs and desires, there is a diligent care and study of your duty, this he lays on you; there is a care of support in the work, and the success of it, this you ought to lay on him, and so indeed all the care is turned off from you upon him; even that of duty, which from him lies on us: we offer our service, but for skill and strength to discharge it, that care we lay on him, and he allows us; and then for the event and success with that we trust him entirely. And this is the way to walk contentedly and cheerfully homewards, leaning and resting all the way on him who is both our guide and our strength, who has us and all our good in his gracious hand. Much zeal for him and desire of his glory, minding our duty in relation to that, is the thing he requires, and we bending our whole care to that, he undertakes the care of us and our condition: as that King said to his favourite, as persuading to [reconstructed: fidelity] and diligence in his state trust, do my affairs and I will do yours: such a word directly has [reconstructed: St. Chrysostom]. If you have a concern for the things that are God's, he will also be careful of you and yours.

The care of duty thus carried is sweet and light, does not cut and divide the mind, it is united and gathered in God, and rests there, and walks in his hand all the way; he bears the weight of all our works, and works them in us, and for us, and therein lies our peace that he ordains for us. If you would shake off the yoke of obedience, you are likewise to be shaken off yourself, but if in humble diligence in the ways of God, you walk on in his strength, there is nothing concerns you and your work, but he will take the charge and care of it, yourself, and all interest; are you troubled with fear, enemies, and snares? Untrouble yourself of that, for he is with you, he has promised to lead you in a straight and safe path, and to rebuke all your enemies, to subdue your iniquities for you, and to fight against those that fight against you; no weapon forged against you shall prosper; indeed, when you pass through the water and through the fire, he will be with you; does your own weakness discourage you? Has not he engaged for that too? So lay over that care; has he not spoken of strengthening the weak hands and feeble knees, and that the lame shall leap as a hart? And though there is nothing in yourself, but unrighteousness and weakness, yet there is in him for you righteousness and strength, righteousnesses: no scarcity: when you are ready to faint, a look to him will revive, a believing look draws in of his strength to your soul and renews it. And know the more tender and weak you are, the more tender is he over you, and the more strong will he be in you, he feeds his flock like a shepherd, and the weakest is he most careful of, they go in his arms and bosom, and it is easy for the feeblest to go so.

And for the issue and success of your way, let not that trouble you at all, that is the care he would have you wholly disburden yourself of, and lay it upon him; do not vex yourself with thinking how will this be and that; what if this fall out and the other? This is his part wholly, and if you meddle with it, you at once displease him, and disquiet yourself, this sin carries the punishment of it close tied to it: if you will be struggling with that which belongs not to you, and poising at that burden that is not yours, what wonder, indeed, I may say what pity, if you fall under it, are you not well served, is it not just, that if you will do for yourself, and bear yourself, what your Lord calls for to bear for you, you feel the weight of it to your cost.

But what is the way of this devolving of my burden? There is a faculty in it that every one has not, though they would do thus with it they cannot, it lies on them, and they are not able to cast it on God. The way is doubtless by praying and believing; those are the hands by which the soul can turn over to God what it self cannot bear, all cares, the whole bundle; most dexterously translated thus, Philippians 4:6. Be careful in nothing, a great word. Oh! but how shall it be? Why? thus says he, in all things make your requests known to God, and in a confident cheerful way, supplication mixed with thanksgiving, it will be the more lively and active to carry forth, and carry up your cares and discharge you of them, and lay them on God; whatever it is that presses you, go tell your Father, put over the matter into his hand, and so you shall be freed from [illegible], that dividing perplexing care, that the world is full of.

No more, but when you are either to do or suffer anything, when you are about any purpose or business, go tell God of it, acquaint him with it; indeed, burden him with it, and you have done for matter of caring: no more care but quiet sweet diligence in your duty and dependence on him for the carriage of your matters. And in this prayer, faith acts, it is a believing requesting; ask in faith not doubting, so you roll over all on him, that is the very proper working of faith, the carrying the soul and all its desires out of itself to God, so expressed, Psalm 37:5. Roll over on God, make one bundle of all, roll your cares and yourself with them as one burden, all on your God.

Now, faith to do this stays itself on the promise, it cannot move but on firm ground, and the promises are its ground: and for this end is this added, he cares for you.

This must be established in the heart. (1.) The firm belief of the Divine Providence, that all things are managed and ruled by it, and that in highest power and wisdom; no breaking of his purposes, nor resisting of his power (Psalm 33:7). (2.) The belief of his gracious Providence to his own, that he orders all for their true advantage, and makes all different lines and ways converge in their highest good, all to meet in that, how opposite soever in appearance. (3.) A particular confidence of his good-will towards you, and undertaking for you: now if this be the question; the promise resolves you, trust him, and he takes on the trust, and there is no other, cast on him your care, and he takes it on, he cares for you, his royal word is engaged not to give you the slip, if you do really lay it upon him (Psalm 55:22). Hand it over, heave it upon him, and he shall sustain you, shall bear both, if you trust him with both, both you and your burden.

Inference 1. The children of God have the only sweet life: the world thinks not so — looks on them as poor discontented lowering creatures, but they see not what an uncaring truly secure life they are called to, while others are toiling and wrestling each with his projects and burdens for himself, and at length crushed and sinking under them, for that is the end of all that do for themselves. The child of God goes free of the pressure of all that concerns him, laid over on his God, if he use his advantage, he is not racked with musings, Oh! what will become of this and that; but goes on in the strength of his God as he may, offers up poor, but sincere endeavors to God, and is sure of one thing, all shall be well, lays his affairs and himself on God, and so has no pressing care, no care, but the care of love, how to please, how to honor his Lord, and in this depends on him too both for skill and strength, and touching the success of things leaves that as none of his, to be burdened with; casts it on God, and he cares for it, they need not both care, his care alone is sufficient, hence peace, inconceivable peace (Philippians 4:6-7).

Inference 2. But truly the godly are much faulty to themselves, by the not improvement of this their privilege, they too often forget this their sweet way, and fret themselves to no purpose, wrestle with their burdens themselves, and do not entirely and freely roll them over on God, they are surcharged with them, and he calls for them, and yet they will not give them him; think to spare him, but indeed in this they disobey him, and dishonor, and so grieve him, and they find the grief return on them, and yet cannot learn to be wise.

Why do we thus with our God, and with our souls, grieve both at once? Let it never be, that for any outward thing you perplex yourself, and ravel your thoughts as in thickets with the cares of this life, Oh! how unsuitable to a child of God provided to a life so far more excellent. Has he provided you to a kingdom, and will he not bestow your charges in the way to it: think it not; he knows you have need of these things, seek not vain things nor great things in these, for that likely is not for you, but what is needful and convenient in his judgment, and refer to that.

Then for your spiritual estate lay over the care of that too, be not so much in thorny questionings, doubting and disputing each step. Oh! is this accepted and that, and so much deadness, etc. But apply more simply yourself to your duty, lamely, as it may be, halt on and believe that he is gracious and pities you, and lay the care of bringing you through upon him; lie not complaining and arguing, but up and be doing, and the Lord shall be with you. I am persuaded many a soul, that has some truth of grace, falls much behind in the progress by this accustomed way of endless questionings; men can scarce be brought to examine and suspect their own condition being carnally secure, and satisfied that all is well; but then when once awaken and set to this, they are ready to entangle in it, and neglect their way by poring on their condition, and will not set cheerfully to any thing, because they want assurances and height of joy, and this course they take is the way to want it still: walking humbly and sincerely, and offering at your duty, and waiting on the Lord is certainly the better way, and nearer that very purpose of yours; for he meets him that rejoices and works righteousness, that waits for him in his ways. One thing, the Christian would endeavor, firm belief for the Church, all the care of that on God, that he will beautify Zion, and perform all his word to her, then think, do I trust him for the whole Church, and the great affairs concerning it, and shall I doubt him for myself or anything concerns me? Do I [reconstructed: confide] on him for the steering and guidance of the whole ship, and shall I be peevishly doubting and distrusting about my pack in it?

Again, when to present and past, you call in after evils by advance, the dangers before, and your weakness; good indeed to entertain by these, holy fear and self distrust, but by that be driven in to trust on your undertaker, on him in whom your strength lies, and be as sure and confident in him as you are, and justly are distrustful of yourself.

Further learn to prescribe nothing, study entire resignation, for that is your great duty and your peace, that gives up all into the hand of your Lord, and can it be in a better hand. First, refer the carving of outward things to him, heartily and fully; then stay not there but go higher, if we have renounced the comforts of this world for God, let us add this, renounce even spiritual comforts for him too, put all in his will, if I be in light, blessed be you, and if in darkness even there, blessed be you too; as he says of these, Gold is mine, and Silver is mine, and this may satisfy a Christian in those too; desire no more of them than their Father sees fit to give them, knowing that he having all the mines and treasures of the world at his command, would not pinch and hold short his children if it were good for them to have more; thus even in the other the true riches. Is not the Spirit mine, and comforts mine, may he say, I have them, and enough of them, and ought not this to allay your afflicting care and quiet your repinings, and to establish your heart in referring it to his dispose, as touching your comforts and supplies, the whole golden mines of all spiritual comfort and good are his, the Spirit itself. Then will he not furnish what is fit for you, if you humbly attend on him, and lay the care of your providing upon his wisdom and love? This were the sure way to honor him, with what we have, and to obtain much of what we have not, certainly he deals best with those that do most absolutely refer all to him.

Verse 8, 9. 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the Devil, as a roaring Lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour. 9. Whom resist, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brothers that are in the world.

The children of God if they rightly take their Father's mind, are always unburdened of perplexing carefulness: but never exempted from diligent watchfulness. Thus we find here they are allowed, indeed, enjoined to cast all their care upon their wise and loving Father, and are secured by his care, he takes it well they lay all over on him, indeed, he takes it not well they forbear him and burden themselves. He has provided a sweet quiet life for them, could they improve and use it, a calm and firm condition in all the storms and troubles that are about them. However things go, to find content, and be careful for nothing.

Now upon this a carnal heart would imagine straight according to its sense and inclination, as it desires to have it, so would it dream, that it is, that then a man devolving his care on God, may give up all watch and ward, and need not apply himself to any kind of duty, but this is the ignorance and perverse mistake, the reasonless reasoning of the flesh; you see these are here joined not only as agreeable, but indeed inseparable. Cast all your care on him, for he cares for you: and withal be sober, be vigilant.

And this is the Scripture logic, it is he that works in you to will and to do: then would you possibly think I need not work at all, or if I do, it may be very easily and surely; no, therefore, says the Apostle, because he works in you to will and to do, work out your salvation, indeed, and do it with fear and trembling; work you in humble obedience to his command, and in dependence on him that works all in you (Philippians 2).

Thus here, cast your care on him, not that you may be the more free to take your own pleasure and slothful ease, but on the contrary that you may be the more active and apt to watch, being freed from the burden of vexing carefulness that would press and encumber you; you are the more nimble, as one eased of a load, to walk, and work, and watch as becomes a Christian, and for that purpose is that burden taken off from you, that you may be more able and disposed for every duty that is laid upon you.

Observe those two connected, and from there gather. First, there is no right believing without diligence and watchfulness joined with it, that slothful reliance of most souls on blind thoughts of mercy, shall undo them, their faith is a dead faith, and a deadly faith, they are perishing and will not consider it, do not duly cast their care on God for their souls, for indeed they have no such care. Secondly, the other thing is, that there is no right diligence without believing.

There is, as in other affairs, so even in spiritual things, an anxious perplexing care, which is a distemper and disturbance to the soul; seems to have a heat of zeal and affection in it: but is indeed not the natural right heat that is healthful, and enables for action, but a diseased feverish heat, that puts all out of frame, and unfits for duty, it seems to stir and further, but indeed it hinders, and does not hasten us, but so as to make us stumble, as if there were one behind a man driving and thrusting him forward, and not suffering him to set and order his steps in his course; this were the ready way instead of advancing him to weary him, and possibly give him a fall.

Such is the distrustful care that many have in their spiritual course, a hundred questions about the way of their performances, and their acceptance, and their estate, and the issue of their endeavors: indeed we should endeavor to do all by our rule, and to walk exactly, and examine our ways especially in holy things, to seek some insight and faculty in their performance suiting their nature and end, and his greatness and purity whom we worship. This would be minded diligently, and yet calmly and composedly; for diffident doubtings do retard and disorder all, but quiet steadiness of heart on God, dependence on him and his strength for performance, and his free love in Christ for acceptance, this makes the work go kindly and sweetly on, makes it pleasing to God and refreshing to your soul.

Inference. Certainly you are a vexation to yourself, and displease your Lord, when you are questioning whether you shall go on or not, finding in your service so much deadness and hardness, thinking therefore that it were as good to do nothing, that you do but dishonor him in all. Now you consider not, that in these very thoughts, you do more wrong and dishonor him, than in your worst services, call in question his lenity and goodness, take him for a rigorous exacter — indeed, you represent to yourself as a hard master, him that is the most gentle and gracious of all masters. Do not use him so: indeed you ought to take heed to your foot; see how your heart is affected in his worship, keep and watch it as you can; but doing so, or endeavoring to do so, however you find it, do not think he will use rigors with you; but the more you observe your own miscarriages towards him, the less he will. And to think otherwise, and fret, and repine, that your heart is not to his mind, nor indeed to your own, to go on in a malcontent impatience — this is certainly not this commanded watchfulness, but that forbidden carefulness.

Be sober.] This we have formerly spoken of; the Apostle having formerly exhorted it once and again in this Epistle. It were easy to entertain men's minds with new discourse, if our task were rather to please, than profit, for there be many things that with little labor might be brought forth as new and strange to ordinary hearers. But there be a few things that chiefly concern us to know and practice, and these are to [illegible] frequently represented and pressed. This Apostle and other divine writers drew from too full a spring to be short of matter, but they rather chose profitable iterations, than unprofitable variety, and so ought we.

This sobriety is not only temperance in meat and drink, but in all things that are of the flesh's concern; even that of diet is, though not all, yet a very considerable part of it. And that not only requires that one exceed not in the quantity or quality; but even requires a regulating of ourselves in the manner of using our repast: as we make not careful and studious provision, do not take up our thoughts on how to please our palate. So even in the use of sober, modest diet, we endeavor the mortifying of our flesh, not to eat and drink to please ourselves, or satisfy our natural desire, but for God — even to propose this in our sitting down to it, in obedience to him; to use these helps of life, and the life itself to be spent in his obedience, and endeavor of advancing his glory.

It is a most shameful idol, a dunghill-god indeed, to serve the belly, and to delight in feasting, or in our ordinary repast, laying the reins loose on our appetite to take its own career. And yet in this, the most commonly offend — even persons that are not notably intemperate, neither gluttonous nor drunken — and yet, I say, have not that holy, restrained, bridled way of using their repast with an eye upon a higher end.

But this sobriety in its ample sense binds not only that sense of lust, but all the rest in the use of their several delights, indeed, and in the whole man, all the affections of the soul in relation to this world, and the things of it, to be in it as weaned from it, and raised above it in the bent of our minds, to use it as if we used it not.

This we speak and hear of, but do not apply ourselves really to this rule; each has some trifle or earthly vanity, one or more, but especially some chosen one, that they cannot be taken off from, as children readily have some toy that they set more by than the rest. We have childish hearts cleaving to vanity — one, some preferment; another, some estate, lands, or houses, or money — and drunk in the pursuit of these, so that when our hearts should be fixed on divine exercises they cannot stand, but reel to and fro, or stumble down and fall asleep, roving after these thoughts of what we desire, staggering ever and anon, or else so plunged in them all the time, that we are as asleep in them.

Therefore these two are here, and ordinarily, joined: be sober and watchful. Glutting ourselves either with the delight or with the desires and cares of earth makes us sleepy; the fumes that arise from them surcharge us, and cast us into a deep sleep, a secure unmindfulness of God and of ourselves, the interest of our immortal souls.

The pleasures of sense are too gross for the divine soul — for so it is by original, but we abase it and make it flesh by those gross earthly things, and make it unfit to rise heavenwards. As insobriety and intemperance in diet injures the very natural spirits, making them dull, clogs their passage, and makes them move as a coach in a miry way — so does all inordinate use and love of inferior things make the soul of a low, heavy constitution, so that it cannot move freely in anything that is spiritual. Indeed, where there is some truth of grace, yet is it obstructed and dulled by taking in too much of the world, and feeding on it, which is no more proper for the finest of it — for the soul — than the coarse plowman's diet is for delicate, tender bodies of higher breeding; indeed the disproportion is far greater.

If then you would have free spirits for spiritual things, keep them at a spare diet in all things temporal; let not out your hearts to anything here below, learn to delight in God, and seek to taste of his transcendent sweetness that will perfectly disrelish all lower delights. So your sobriety in abstaining from them shall be still further recompensed with more enjoyment of God, and you shall not lose pleasure by denying the pleasures of earth, but change them for those that are unspeakably better and purer, in their stead. He shall communicate himself to you, the light of whose countenance feeds and satisfies the glorified spirits that are about his throne.

Be vigilant.] This watchfulness joined with it extends to all the estates and ways of a Christian, being surrounded with hazards and snares. He that despises his way shall die, says Solomon. The most do thus — walk at random, give attendance on public worship, and have some customary way of private prayer, but further do not eye how they walk, what is their carriage all the day long, what they speak, how they are in company, and how alone, which way their hearts go early and late, what it is that steals away most of their affection from God.

Oh! My beloved, knew we our continual danger, it would shake us out of this miserable dead security that possesses us, we think not on it, but there are snares laid for us all the way, in each path we walk in and each step of it, in our meat and drink, in our calling and labor, in our house at home, in our journeying abroad, indeed even in God's House and in our spiritual exercises; both there and in private, knew we, or at least considered we this, we would choose our steps more exactly, and look to our ways, to our words, our thoughts, which truly, whatever noise we make, we really do not; ponder the path of your feet, says Solomon, and before that, let your eyes look right on, and let your eyelids look straight before you (Proverbs 4:25-26). And further, put away a wayward mouth, and perverse lips put far from you. But first of all as the main reason and spring of all, keep your heart with all diligence, or above all keeping, for out of it are the issues of life.

Because your adversary the Devil.] An alarm to watchfulness is here given from the watchfulness of our grand adversary, there be other two usually ranked with him, as the leading enemies of our souls, the world and our own flesh, but here is he expressly named that commands in chief, and orders, and manages the war, uses the service of the other two against us, as prime officers under which most of the forces of particular temptations are ranked, some others there be that he immediately commands and leads on himself, a regiment of his own, some spiritual temptations.

And we have need to be put in mind of the hostility and practices of Satan against us, for if the most were [reconstructed: polled], they would be forced to confess that they very seldom think on their spiritual danger from this hand. As we keep loose guard against the allurements of the world and of our own corruption, we watch not against the devices of Satan, but go on by guess and suspect nothing, and so are readily a prey to all.

The least enemy being despised and neglected, as men observe, proves often too great, the smallest appearances of evil, the least things that may prejudge our spiritual good, while we make no reckoning of them, may do us great mischief; our not considering them makes them become considerable, especially being under the command of a vigilant and skillful leader, that knows how to improve advantages. Therefore in things, that we many times account petty and not worthy our notice, as having any evil in them, we should learn to suspect the address of this adversary, who usually hides himself and couches under some covert, till he may appear irresistible, seize on us, and then indeed he roars.

And this seeking the destruction of souls is (you see) marked as all his work, the prey he hunts is souls, that they may be as miserable as himself. Therefore justly called our adversary, the enemy of holiness and of our souls, tempting to sin, and then accusing for sin, as his name here imports, appearing against us upon the advantages he has gained; studies our nature and fits his temptations, knows the prevalency of lust, or earthliness, or that great and most general evil of pride, so like himself, and that is his throne in the heart, sometimes he bows down, as it is said of the lion (Psalm 10). He waits his opportunity craftily, and then assaults fiercely, and the children of God find sometimes so much violence of his temptations, that they surprize them, and such horrid thoughts cast in, as poisoned arrows or fiery darts, as the Apostle speaks; and this his enmity, though it is against man generally, yet is most enraged against the children of God, goes about and spies where we are weakest, and among them most, against those that are most advanced in holiness and nearest to God.

They were once under his power, and now being escaped from him he pursues, as Pharaoh with all his forces, as a prey that was once in his den, and under his paw, and now is rescued, he rages and roars after it.

The resemblance has in it, his strength, his diligence, and his cruelty. His strength, a lion; his diligence, going about and seeking: his cruelty, roaring and seeking to devour.

Inference. Is it not most reasonable hence to press watchfulness, to keep continual watch to see what comes in and what goes out, to try what is under every offer of the world, every motion of our own natural hearts, whether there be not some treachery, some secret intelligence or no? Especially after a time of some special seasons of grace, and some special new supplies of grace received in such seasons, as after the Holy Sacrament, then will he set on most eagerly, when he knows of the richest booty; the pirates that let the ships pass as they go by empty, watch them well when they return richly laden: so does this great pirate. Did he not assault our Savior straight after his Baptism?

And that we may watch to be sober, the instruction is military, a soldier drunk is not fit to be on the watch; this most of us are with our several fancies and vanities, and so exposed to this adversary; indeed, when we have gained some advantage in a conflict, or when the enemy seems to retire and be gone, yet even then to be watchful, indeed then especially; how many presuming on false safeties that way, and sitting down to carouse, or lying down to sleep, have been reassaulted and cut off. Oh! beware when you think yourselves most safe, that very thought makes you least safe, keep always your spirits free of surcharges, and lavish profusion upon the world, applying your hearts to anything in it, sitting down to it. Oh! no. Gideon's army fit to follow God and be victorious in him, not lying down to drink, but taking of it only as for necessity in passing. Take our Savior's own word, Take heed lest at any time your hearts be surcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and the cares of this life: those will overcharge you, and make you drunk and cast you asleep.

Oh! mind your work and your warfare always more than your ease and pleasure, seek it not here, your rest is not here (Oh! poor short rest, if it were), but follow the Lord Jesus through conflicts and sufferings: a little while and you shall have certain victory, and after it everlasting triumph, rest and pleasure, and a feast that shall not end, where there is neither danger of surfeiting nor wearying, but pure and perpetual delight. In this persuasion you should be abstinent and watchful, and endure hardship as good soldiers of Jesus Christ, as the Apostle speaks, not entangling yourselves with the affairs of this life, and thus be ready for encounters, stand watching, and if assaulted, resist.

Whom resist steadfast in the faith.] To watchfulness courage would be joined; he that watches and yields seems rather to watch to receive than to resist the enemy.

And this resistance would be continued even against multiplied assaults, for you have to deal with an enemy that will not easily give over, but will try several ways, and will redouble his onsets, sometimes very thick to weary you out, sometimes after a little forbearance interposed to catch you unawares when he is not expected; but in all faint not, but be steadfast in your resistance.

This is easy said, but how may it be, how shall I be able so to do? Thus: steadfast in the faith. The most of men are under the power of one of these two evils, security or distrust; and out of the one we readily fall into the other. Therefore the Apostle frames his exhortations and the arguments of it in opposition to both these. First against security in the former verse: Be sober and watch, and presses that by the proper argument of great and continuing danger. Here against distrust: Whom resist steadfast in the faith. And adds an encouraging consideration of the common condition of the children of God in the world.

Steadfast, or solid, by faith. This is absolutely necessary for resistance; a man cannot fight upon a quagmire, no standing out without a standing, some firm ground to foot upon, and this faith alone furnishes, lifts the soul up to the firm advanced ground of the promises, and fastens it there, and there it is sure, even as Mount Zion, that cannot be removed. He says not steadfast by your own resolutions and purposes, but steadfast by faith; the power of God by faith becomes ours, for that is contained and engaged in the word of promise; faith lays hold there, and there finds almighty strength, and this is our victory, says the Apostle Saint John, whereby we overcome the world, even our faith, so it is our victory whereby we overcome the prince of this world.

Whom resist steadfast in the faith.] And universally all difficulties, and all enemies are overcome by faith; faith sets the stronger Lion of the Tribe of Judah against this roaring lion of the bottomless pit, that delivering Lion against this devouring lion.

When the soul is surrounded with enemies on all hands so that there is no way of escape, faith flies above them, carries up the soul and takes refuge in Christ, and there is safe; that is the power of faith, sets a soul in Christ, and there it looks down upon all temptations, as at the bottom of the rock breaking themselves into foam. When the floods of temptations rise and gather, so great and many that the soul is even ready to be swallowed up, then by faith it says, Lord Jesus you are my strength, I look to you for deliverance, now appear for my help; and thus it overcomes: guilt of sin, that is answered by his blood; power of sin conquered by his spirit; and afflictions that arise are nothing to these, his love and gracious presence makes them sweet and easy.

We mistake if we think to do anything, or be anything without him; and we mistake again, if we think anything too hard to be done or suffered with him: without me you can do nothing, says he, and I am able to do all things, or can all things (so the Apostle's word is), through Christ that strengthens me. All things — Oh! that is a big word, yet a true word, and thus made good through Christ empowering me; that frees it both from falsehood and vanity. A humble confidence, for it is not in himself, but in Christ, and this boasting is good: my soul shall make her boast in God, says David. Oh! they have only warrant to boast and to triumph even before the victory, that do it in that style, and may give a challenge to all the world, to all adverse powers of earth and hell — as the Apostle does in his own and every believer's name (Romans 8:38), see the victory recorded, and in this same way (Revelation 12:11), and they overcame him. But how? By the blood of the Lamb, and the word of their testimony; that blood, and the word of their testimony believing that word concerning that blood: these are the strength and victory of a Christian.

Inference. Although then you see yourself the most witless and weakest, and find yourself nothing but a prey to the powers of darkness, yet know that by believing, the wisdom and strength of Christ is yours; you are and ought to find yourself all weakness, but he is all strength, almightiness itself. Learn to apply his victory, and so it is yours; be strong — how? In him, and the power of his might. But you will say I am often foiled, indeed, I cannot find that I prevail at all against my enemies, but they still against me: yet rely on him, he can turn the chase in an instant, still cleave to him; when the whole powers of your soul are, as it were, scattered and routed, rally them by believing, draw but into the standard of Jesus Christ, and the day shall be yours: for victory follows that standard, and cannot be severed from it; indeed, though you find the smart of various strokes, yet think that often a wounded soldier has won the day; believe, and it shall be so with you.

And remember that your foils, through the wisdom and love of your God, may be ordered to advance the victory, to put courage and holy anger into you against your enemies, to humble you and drive you from your own imagined strength, to make use of his real strength; and be not hasty, think not at very first to conquer, many a hard conflict must you resolve for, and often be brought very low, almost to a desperate point, that to your sense it is past recovery — then it is his time to step in, even in the midst of their prevailing; let God but arise, and his enemies shall be scattered: thus the church has found it in her extremities, and thus likewise the believing soul.

Knowing that the same afflictions, etc.] There is one thing much troubles the patience, and weakens the faith of some Christians, that they are ready to think there is none, indeed, there was never any beloved of God in such a condition as theirs. Thus sometimes they swell even their outward trials in imagination, but oftener their inward, which are most heavy and pressing to themselves, and the parallel of them least discernible by them in others. Therefore the Apostle St. Paul breaks this conceit (1 Corinthians 10), and here is the same truth, The same afflictions, etc.

Inf. We had rather hear of ease, and cannot, after all that is said, bring our hearts to comply with this, that temptations and troubles are the saints' portion here, and that this is the royal way to the kingdom. Our King led in it, and all his followers go the same way, and besides the happy end of it, is it not sweet, even for this simply, because he went in it? Yet this is the truth, and, taken altogether, is a most comfortable truth, the whole brotherhood, all our brethren go in it, and our eldest brother went first.

Verse 10. But the God of all grace, who has called us into his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that you have suffered a while, make you perfect; establish, strengthen, settle you.

This divine doctrine and exhortations the Apostle closes with prayer, as we follow this rule in public after the Word preached: so St. Paul frequently, so Christ himself (John 17), after that sermon in the preceding chapters: it were well if both ministers and people would follow forth the same way more in private, each for themselves, and each for the other: and the want of this is mainly the thing that makes our preaching and hearing so barren and fruitless. The ministers of the gospel should indeed be as the angels of God, going between him and his people, not only bringing down useful instructions from God to them, but putting up earnest supplications to God for them. In the tenth chapter of St. Luke, the disciples are sent forth and appointed to preach: and in the eleventh we have them desiring to be taught to pray; Lord, teach us to pray, and without this there can be little answer or success in the other, little springing up of this seed, though ministers sow it plentifully in preaching, unless they secretly water it with their prayers and tears.

And people truly should keep some correspondence in this duty, and that if other engagement will not persuade, even for their own advantage, for it returns to them gainfully; if much of the Spirit be poured forth on ministers are they not the more able to unfold the spiritual mysteries of the gospel, and build up their people in the knowledge of them; Oh! that both of us were more abundant in this rich and sweet exercise.

But the God.] The prayer suits the Apostle St. Paul's word in his direction to the Philippians (Philippians 4:6) — it is supplication with thanksgiving, prayer with praise. In the prayer or petition, consider the matter, the style. The matter or thing requested in diverse brief words, which though they be much of the same sense, yet are not superfluously multiplied, for they both carry the great importance of the thing, and the earnest desire in suiting it: and though it be a little light and unsolid to frame a different sense to each of them, nor are any of the ways that such kind of interpreters have taken in it very satisfactory to any discerning judgment, yet I conceive they are not altogether without some profitable difference, as the first [perfect] carries more clear than the rest, their advance in victory over their remaining corruptions and infirmities, carrying them on towards perfection. Establish has more express reference to both the inward lightness and inconstancy that is natural to us, the counterblasts of persecutions, and temptations; and to outward oppositions, and imports the curing of the one, and support against the other. Strengthen the growth of their graces, especially gaining of further measures of those graces, wherein they are weakest and lowest. And settle, though it seems the same, and in substance is with the other word establish; yet it adds somewhat to it very considerable, for it signifies to found or fix upon a sure foundation; and so indeed may have an aspect to him who is the foundation and strength of believers, on whom they build by faith, Jesus Christ, in whom we have all, both victory over sin, and increase of grace, and establishment of spirit, power to persevere against all difficulties and assaults; he is that corner foundation stone laid in Zion, that they that build upon him, may not be ashamed, that rock that upholds the house founded on it in the midst of all winds and storms.

First, Obs. These have in them that which is so primarily to be sought after by every Christian, perseverance and progress in grace. These two here interwoven, for there be two words importing the one and two the other, and are interchangeably placed: this is often exhorted them as their duty, and accordingly ought they to apply themselves to it, and use their highest diligence in it, not to take the beginning of Christianity for the end of it, to think it enough they are entered into the way of it, and sit down upon the entry, but to walk on, to go from strength to strength, and even through the greatest difficulties and discouragements, to pass forward with unmoved stability and fixedness of mind. To be aiming at perfection, this we shall still fall exceedingly short of, but the more we study it, the nearer to it shall we come, the higher we aim, the higher shall we shoot, though we shoot not so high as we aim.

Inf. It is an excellent life, and it is the proper life of a Christian, to be daily outstripping himself, to be spiritually wiser, holier, more heavenly minded today than yesterday, and tomorrow (if it be added to his life) than today, every day loving the world less, and Christ more than the former, and gaining every day some further victory over his secret corruptions, his passions more subdued and mortified, his desires in all temporal things more cool and indifferent, and in spiritual things more ardent, that miserable lightness of spirit cured, and his heart more solidified and fixed upon God, aspiring to more near communion with him, particular graces made more lively and strong by often acting and stirring them up, faith more confirmed and stayed, love more inflamed, composed meekness making more deep humility. Oh! this were a worthy ambition indeed, you would have your estates growing, and your credit growing; how much rather should you seek to have your graces growing, and not be content with anything you have attained to.

2. Observation. But all our endeavors and diligence in this will be vain unless we look for our perfecting and establishing from the right hand, without which we do nothing, there the Apostle moves his desires for his brethren, and so teaches them the same address for themselves, the God of all Grace, etc.

This prayer is grounded (as all prayer of faith must be) on the promise and covenant of God. He is our Rock, and his work is perfect; he does not begin a building, and then leave it off, none of his designs break in the middle, or fall short of their end, he will perfect that good work, which he has begun, to the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1). And how often is he called the strength of those that trust on him (Psalm 18:30), their buckler, and his way perfect.

Hence is the stability of grace and perseverance of the saints, it is founded upon his unchangeableness, not that they are so, though truly sanctified, if they and their graces were left to their own manage. No, it is he, that not only gives that rich portion to those he adopts to be his children, but keeps it for them, and them in the possession of it, he maintains the lot of our inheritance. And to build that persuasion of perseverance upon his truth and power engaged in it, is no presumption, indeed, it is high dishonor to him to question.

But when Nature is set to judge of Grace, it must speak according to itself, and therefore very unsuitably to that which it speaks of. Natural wits apprehend not the spiritual tenor of the Covenant of Grace, but model it to their own principles, and quite disguise it, and they think of nothing but their resolves and moral purposes, or if they take a notion of Grace confused, they imagine it put into their own hands to keep or lose it, and will not stoop to a continual dependence on the strength of another, rather choose that game of hazard, and it is certain loss and undoing to do for themselves.

But the humble believer is otherwise schooled, he has not so learned Christ, he sees himself [reconstructed: surrounded] with enemies without, and buckled to a treacherous heart within, that will betray him to them, and he dare no more trust himself to himself, than to his most professed enemies. Thus it ought to be, and the more the heart is brought to this humble seeking of that ability, and strengthening, and perfecting from God, the more shall it find both stability and peace from the assurance of that stability.

Inference. Certainly the more the Christian is acquainted with himself, the more will he go out of himself for his perfecting and establishing; finds that when he thinks to go forward, he is driven backward, and [reconstructed: sin] gets hold of him, oftentimes when he thought to have smitten it, and finds that miserable inconstancy of his heart in spiritual things, the vanishing of his purposes and breaking off of his thoughts, that they usually die before they be brought forth, that when he has thought I will pray more reverently, and set myself to behold God, when I speak to him, and watch more over my heart, that it fly not out and leave me, possibly the first time he sets to it, thinking to be [reconstructed: master] of his intention, he finds himself more scattered, and disordered, and dead, than at any time before; when he has conceived thoughts of humility and self-abasement, and thinks, now I am down and laid low within myself, to rise and look big no more, yet some vain fancy creeps in soon, and encourages him and raises him up to his old estate, so that in this plight had he not higher strength to look at, he would sit down and give over all, as a thing wholly hopeless ever to attain his journey's end.

But when he considers whose work that is within him, even these small beginnings of desires, he is encouraged by the greatness of the work not to despise and despair of the small appearance of the work in its beginning, the day of small things; and knows that it is not by any power nor might, but by his Spirit that it shall be accomplished, lays hold on that word, though your beginning be small, yet your latter end shall greatly increase.

Looks to Jesus, [Greek text] (Hebrews 12:2), looks often from all oppositions and difficulties, looks above them to Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith, Author and therefore Finisher; this that royal dignity interested in the maintenance and completing of what he has wrought, notwithstanding of all your imperfections, and the strength of sin, he can and will subdue it, notwithstanding your loose light condition, that were easily blown away with the least wind of temptation, yet he shall hold you in his right hand, and there you shall be firm as the Earth, that is so settled by his hand, that though it hangs on nothing, yet nothing can remove it: though you are weak, he is strong, and he that strengthens you, and renews your strength, when it seems to be gone and outspent, he makes it fresh and greater than ever before. The word (Isaiah 40): renew; change; they shall have for their own his strength, a weak believer, and his strong Savior, too hard for all that can rise against them: Hominem cum [reconstructed: quasi] metiri is here fit, no taking right measure of a Christian but that way.

And though you are indeed exposed to great storms and tempests, yet he builds you on himself, makes you by believing to found on him; and so though the winds blow and the rain fall, yet you stand being built on him your rock. And this indeed is our safety, the more we cleave to our rock and fasten on him; this is the only thing establishes us, and perfects and strengthens us; therefore well is that word added [Greek text], found you, or settle you on your foundation. This is the firmness of the Church against the Gates of Hell; he is a strong foundation for establishment, and a living foundation, having influence into the building for perfecting it, for it is a living house, and the foundation is a root sending life to the stones, that they grow up, as this Apostle speaks (1 Peter 2).

It is the unactiveness of faith on Jesus, that keeps us so imperfect, and wrestling still with our corruptions without any advance, we wrestle in our own strength too often, and are justly then necessarily foiled, it cannot be otherwise till we make him our strength, this we are still forgetting, and had need to be remembered, and to remember ourselves frequently of it, we would be at doing for ourselves, and insensibly fall into this folly after much smart for it, if we be not watchful against it. There is this wretched natural independency in us, that is so hard to beat out; all our projectings are but castles in the air, imaginary buildings without a foundation, till once laid on him. But never shall we find heart peace, sweet peace and progress in holiness, till we be driven from it, to make him all our strength, to do nothing, to attempt nothing, to hope nor expect nothing, but in him, and then shall we indeed find his fullness and all-sufficiency, and be more than conquerors through him, who has loved us.

But the God of all grace.] Our many wants and great weakness had need to have a very full hand, and a very strong hand to go to for our supplies and support, and such we have indeed, our Father is the God of all grace, a spring that cannot be drawn dry, no, nor so much as any whit diminished.

Of all grace.] The God of imputed grace, of infused and increased grace, of furnished and assisting grace. The work of salvation all grace from beginning to end, free grace in the plot of it laid in the counsel of God, and performed by his own hand all of it: his Son sent in the flesh, and his Spirit sent into the hearts of his chosen, to apply Christ. All grace in him, the living spring of it, and flows from him, all the various actings, and all the several degrees of grace; he the God of pardoning grace, that blots out the transgressions of his own children for his own name's sake, that takes up all quarrels, and makes one act of oblivion serve for all reckonings between him and them; and as the God of pardoning grace, so also the God of sanctifying grace, that refines and purifies all these he means to make up into vessels of glory, and has in his hand, all the fit means and ways of doing this, purges them by afflictions and outward trials, by the reproaches and hatreds of the world: little known of the profane world, how serviceable they are to the graces and comforts of a Christian, when they indignify and persecute him, indeed, little does a Christian himself sometimes, think how great his advantage is by those things, till he find it, and wonders at his Father's wisdom and love — but most powerfully are the children of God sanctified by the Spirit within them, without which indeed no other thing could any whit advantage them in this, that divine fire kindled within them is daily refining and sublimating them, that Spirit of Christ conquering sin, and by the mighty flame of his love consuming the earth and dross that is in them, making their affections more spiritual and disengaged from all creature delights: and thus as they receive the beginnings of grace freely, so all the advances and increases of it, life from their Lord still flowing and causing them grow, abating sin's power, strengthening a fainting faith, quickening a languishing love, teaching the soul the ways of wounding strong corruptions, and fortifying its weak graces: indeed, in wonderful ways advancing the good of his children by things not only harsh to them, as afflictions and temptations, but by that which is directly opposite in its nature, sin itself, raising them by their falls, and strengthening them by their very troubles, working them to humility and vigilance, and sending them to Christ for strength by the experience of their weaknesses and failings.

And as the God of pardoning grace, and sanctifying grace in the beginning and growth of it, so the God of supporting grace, that supervenient influence, without which the graces placed within us would lie dead, and fail us in the time of greatest need. This is the immediate assisting power that bears up the soul under the greatest services, and backs it in the hardest conflicts, fresh auxiliary strength, when we and all the grace we have within, dwelling in us is surcharged, then he steps in, and opposes his strength to a prevailing and confident enemy, that is at point of insulting and triumph; when temptations have made breach and enter with full force and violence, he lets in so much present help on a sudden, as makes them give back, and beats them out, when the enemy comes in as a flood, the Spirit of the Lord lifts up a standard against him; and no siege so close as to keep out this aid, for it comes from above.

And by this a Christian learns that his strength is in God; whereas if his received grace were always party enough, and able to make itself good against all incursions; though we know we have received it, yet being within us, we would possibly sometimes forget the receipt of it, and look on it more as ours, than his, more as being within us, than as flowing from him, but when all the forces we have, the standing garrison is by far overmatched, and yet we find the assailants beaten back, then we must acknowledge him, that sends such able relief, to be, as the Psalmist speaks, a present help in time of need.

All St. Paul's constant strength of grace inherent in him, could not fence him so well as to ward the piercing point of that sharp temptation, (whatever it was that he records;) and the redoubled buffetings that he felt came so thick upon him, he was driven to his knees by it, to cry for help to be sent down, without which he found he could not hold out, and he had an answer assuring him of help, a secret support that should maintain him, my grace is sufficient for you, though your own be not, that is, that which I have given you, yet mine is, that is, it is that which is in me, and which I will put forth for your assistance.

And this is the great advantage and comfort, that we have a Protector who is Almighty, and is always at hand, who can and will hear us whenever we are beset and strained. That Captain had reason, who being required to keep Milan for the King of France, went up to the highest turret and cried three times King of France, and refused the service, because the King heard him not, nor anybody answered for him, meaning the great distance, and so the difficulty of sending aid, when need should require: but we may be confident of our supplies in the suddenest surprises, our King can, and will hear us when we call, and will send relief in due season, we may be in apparent hazards, but we shall not be wholly vanquished, 'tis but crying to him in our greatest straits, and help appears. The host of enemies possibly we see first, and that so great that there is no likely escape, but then praying we spy the fiery chariots and horsemen, and may say, there are more with us than with them.

The Apostle St. Paul calls our God, the God of all consolation, as here he is styled the God of all grace, and this is our rejoicing, that in his hand is all good, our sanctification, consolation, assistance and assurance, grace and glory: and this title suits most fitly with the present request, that for our perfecting, and establishing, and strengthening in grace, we have recourse to the God of all grace, whose former gifts do not discharge us from seeking more, but indeed both encourages us, and engages him for the perfecting of it. It is his will that we have constant recourse to him for all we want; he is so rich, and withal so liberal, that he delights that we seek and draw much from him, and 'tis by believing and praying that we do draw from him; were these plied we would soon grow richer; but remember all this grace, that we would receive from the God of all grace, it must be from God in Christ, there it flows for us, there we are directed, it was the Father's good pleasure that in him should all fullness dwell, and that for us, that we might know where to go to.

Now for the further opening up of his riches, expressed in this title, the God of all grace, is added one great act of grace, which does indeed involve all the rest; for we have in it the beginning and end of the work linked together. The first effect of grace upon us, in effectual calling, and the last accomplishment of it in eternal glory. Who has called us to his eternal glory.

For that calling, I conceive, does not simply mean the design of the Gospel wherein the outward call lies, that it holds forth and sets before us that glory as the result of grace. But the calling is the real bringing of a Christian to Christ, and uniting him with him, and so giving him real and firm title to glory, such a call as powerfully works grace in the soul, and secures glory to the soul, gives it right to that inheritance, and fits it for it, and sometimes gives it even the evident and sweet assurance of it. This indeed all the heirs of glory have not ordinarily within them, and scarce any at all times equally clear, some travel on in a covert cloudy day, and get home by it, having so much light as to know their way, and yet do not at all clearly see the sunshine of clear assurance, others have it breaking forth at sometimes, and soon after under a cloud, and some more constantly. But as all meet in the end, so all agree in this in the beginning, that is, the reality of the thing, they are made unalterably sure heirs of it, in their effectual calling.

And by this the Apostle advances his request for their support, and establishment, and advancement in the way of grace: the way of our calling to so high and happy an estate, did we apply our thoughts more to it, it would work on us and persuade us to a more suitable temper of mind, and course of life, would give us more noble, sublime thoughts and ways above the world: and the stronger were our persuasion of it, the stronger would be in us such persuasions by it. And as thus it would prevail with us, so might we use it to prevail with God for all needful grace.

All you that hear the Gospel are generally called to this glory; thus it is told you where and how you may lay hold on it, you are told, that if you will let go your sins and embrace Jesus Christ, this glory shall be yours; it is his purchase, and the rights of it lie in him, and are not elsewhere, and right to him is the receiving him for a Savior, and withal for Lord and King, to become his subjects, and so be made kings; and this is our message to you, and you will not receive it, you give it a hearing, it may be, but do not indeed hearken to the motion, and this of necessity must be unbelief: were you indeed persuaded that in coming to Christ, you were presently not only set free from a sentence of death, that is still standing above your head while you are out of him; but withal entitled to a crown, made heirs of a kingdom, an eternal kingdom, I say if this were believed, were it possible to slight him as the most do, and turn back the bargain, and bestow their money elsewhere upon trifles of no value, children's commodities, rattles and painted toys? Such are your greatest projects, were it even for earthly kingdoms, in respect of Christ and this glory provided in him. What a wonder is it, that, where this happiness is daily proclaimed, and not only you are informed of it, but entreated to receive it, not only is it offered you, but pressed and urged on you, and you say you believe the matter; and yet the false glory and other vanities of this world, amuse and entangle you, that you close not with this rich offer of eternal glory?

But they who do, it is indeed by a call that goes deeper than the ear, a word spoken home to within, a touch of the Spirit of God upon the heart, which has a magnetic virtue to draw it, so that it cannot choose but follow, and yet freely and sweetly chooses to follow; does most gladly open to let in Jesus Christ and his sweet government upon his own terms, takes him and all the reproaches and troubles that can come with him, and well it may, seeing beyond a little passing trouble, abiding eternal glory.

The state a Christian is called to is not a poor and sad estate, as the world judges; it is no less than eternal glory. The world thinks it strange to see the believer abridge himself of the delights of sin, their pursuits and graspings of the common world after gains, or honors, or pleasures of sense, and they know not the infinite gain that he has made, that he has exchanged this dross for dead weight of pure gold. The world sees what the Christian leaves, but they see not what he comes to, what his new purchase is, in another place; they see what he suffers, but not what he expects, and shall attain as the end of these sufferings, which will shortly end. But he knowing well upon what conditions all these things run, he may well say, how small is that I forsake, how great that which I follow after.

It is glory, eternal glory, his eternal glory — glory, true real glory. All that here is so named is no more but a name, a shadow of glory, cannot endure the balance, is found too light: a great monarch and so many principalities and provinces put in one after another till no weight, and indeed, as a late political writer wittily observes of a certain monarch, the more kingdoms you cast in, the scale is still the lighter. Men are naturally desirous of glory and gape after it, but they are naturally ignorant of the true nature and place of it; they seek it where it is not, and as Solomon says of riches, set their hearts on that which is not, has no subsistence nor reality. But the glory above is true real glory, and bears weight, and so bears aright the name of glory, which in the Hebrew signifies weight, and the Apostle's expression seems to allude to that sense, speaking of this same glory to come, calls it a far more excellent weight of glory; it weighs down all labor and sufferings in the way, so far as they are not once worth the speaking of in respect of it. It is the hyperbole: other glory is overspoken, but this glory is too glorious to be duly spoken, exceeds and rises above all that can be spoken of it.

Eternal.] Oh! that adds much: the glory here, such as it is, yet were it lasting, men would presume upon some more reason so to desire and pursue it, if it stayed with them when they have caught it, and they stayed with it to enjoy it. But how soon do they part — they pass away, and the glory passes away both as smoke, as a vapor; our life and all the pomp and magnificence of those that have the greatest outward glory, and make the fairest show, it is but a show, a pageant, goes through the street, and is seen no more. But this has length of days with it, eternal glory. Oh! a thought of that swallows up all the grandeur of the world, and the noise of reckoning years and ages; had one man continued from the creation to the end of the world, and in the top of earthly dignity and glory admired by all, yet at the end everlasting oblivion being the close, how nothing were it to eternal glory. But alas, we cannot be brought to believe and deeply take the impression of eternity, and that is our undoing.

By Jesus Christ.] Your portion out of him is eternal shame and misery; but by him, even all glory, and this has likewise an evidence of the greatness of this glory; it can be no small estate that the blood of the Son of God was let out to purchase.

His.] That which he gives, and gives as his choice of all, to his chosen, his children. And if there is anything here that has delight or worth in it, which he gives in common even to his enemies; if such a world and variety of good things for them that hate him — oh! how excellent must those things be he has reserved for his friends, for those he loves, and causes to love him.

As it is his gift, it is indeed himself, the beholding and enjoying of himself. Now this we cannot conceive. Oh! that blessed day, when the soul shall be full of God, shall be satisfied and ravished with full vision — should we not admire that such a condition is provided for man, wretched sinful man? Lord, what is man, etc. And for me, as wretched as any that are left, and fallen short of this glory, a base worm taken out of the mire, and washed in the blood of Christ, and within a while set to shine in glory without sin? Oh! the wonder of this — how would it stir to praise, when we think of such a one there, who will bring us up in the way to this crown, how will this hope sweeten the short sufferings of this life, and death itself, which is otherwise the bitterest in itself, most of all sweetened by this, as being nearest it, and setting us to it. What though you are poor and diseased, and despised here? Oh! consider what is there, how worthy the affection, worthy the earnest gaze of an heir of this glory; what can he either desire or fear whose heart is thus deeply fixed? Who would refuse this other clause — to suffer a while, a little while, anything outward, inward, that he thinks fit — how soon shall all this be overpast, and then overpaid in the very entry, the beginning of this glory that shall never end.

Verse 11. To him be glory and dominion, for ever and ever, Amen.

They know little of their own wants and emptiness, that are not much in prayer, and they know little of the greatness and goodness of God, that are not much in praises. The humble Christian has a heart in some measure framed to both; he has within him the best schoolmaster that teaches him how to pray, and how to praise, and makes him delight in the exercise of them both.

The Apostle having added prayer to his doctrine, adds here you see praise to his prayer. To him be glory and dominion for ever.

The living praises of God spring from much holy affection, and that affection springs from a divine light in the understanding; so says the Psalmist, sing praises with understanding, or you that have understanding (Psalm 47).

It is a spiritual knowledge of God that sets the soul in tune for his praises, and therefore the most can bear no part in this song — they mistune it quite through, through their ignorance of God and unacquaintance with him. Praise is unseemly in the mouth of fools; they spoil and mistune it.

Observation 1. The thing ascribed. 2. The term or endurance of it. The former in two words: Glory and Power. Glory: the shining forth of his dignity, the knowledge and acknowledgment of it by his creatures, that his excellency may be confessed and praised, his name exalted, that service and homage may be done to him; which all adds nothing to him, for how can that be? But as it is the duty, it is the happiness of his creature to render it, such as he has fitted for that. All the creatures indeed declare and speak him glorious, the heavens sound it forth, and the earth and sea resounds and echoes it back, but his reasonable creature has he peculiarly framed both to take notice of glory in all the rest, and to return it from and for all the rest, in a more express and lively way.

And in this lower world, it is man alone that is made capable of observing the glory of God, and offering him praises. He expresses it well, that calls man the world's high priest — all the creatures bring their oblations of praise to him, to offer up for them and for himself, for whose use and comfort they are made. The light and motion of the heavens, and all the variety of creatures below them speak this to man: He that made us and you and made us for you, is great, and wise, and worthy to be praised, and you are better able to say this than we, therefore praise him on our behalf and your own. Oh! he is great and mighty, he is the Lord our maker.

Power is here not only ability, but authority and royal sovereignty — that, as he can do all things, he rules and governs all things, is King of all the world, Lord paramount. All hold their crowns of him, and the shields of the earth belong to God; he is greatly to be exalted, disposes of states and kingdoms at his pleasure, establishes or changes, turns and overturns, as seems him good, and has not only might, but right to do so. He is the Most High ruling in the kingdoms of the children of men, and giving them to whoever he will, and readily pours contempt upon princes when they contemn his power.

The term: for ever. Even in the short life of man, men that are raised very high in place and popular esteem may, and often do, outlive their own glory. But the glory of God lasts as long as himself, for he is unchangeable, his throne is for ever, and his wrath for ever, and his mercy for ever, and therefore glory for ever.

Inference 1. Is it not to be lamented that he is so little glorified and praised — that the earth being so full of his goodness, is so empty of his praise from them that enjoy and live upon it?

How far are the greatest part from making this their great work, to exalt God, and ascribe power and glory to his name. For all their ways are his dishonor — they seek to advance and raise themselves, to serve their own lusts and pleasures, and are altogether mindless of his glory. The Apostle's complaint holds good against us all: seeking our own things, and none the things of the Lord Jesus Christ. True, some there are, but as his meaning is so few, that they are, as it were, drowned and smothered in the crowd of self-seekers, so that they appear not. After all the judgments of God upon us, how does still luxury and excess, uncleanness and all kind of profaneness out-dare the very light of the Gospel and rule of holiness shining in it — scarce anything a matter of common shame and scorn, but the power of godliness, turning indeed our true glory into shame, and glorying in that which is indeed our shame. Holiness is not only our true glory, but that wherein the ever-glorious God does especially glory, and has made known himself so much by that name: the holy God. And that which is the express style of his glorious praises uttered by seraphim (Isaiah 6): Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory.

Instead of sanctifying and glorifying this holy name, how does the language of hell — oaths and curses — abound in our streets and houses, that blessed name, that angels are blessing and praising, abused by base worms? Again, notwithstanding all the mercies multiplied upon us in this land, where are our praises, our songs of deliverance, our ascribing glory and power to our God, who has prevented us with loving kindness and tender mercies, has removed the strokes of his hand, and made cities and villages populous again, that were left desolate without inhabitants.

Oh! why do we not stir up our hearts, and one another, to extol the name of our God, and say, give to the Lord glory and strength, give to the Lord the glory due to his name? Have we not seen the pride and glory of all flesh stained and abased? Were there ever affairs and times that more discovered the folly and weakness of men, and the wisdom and power of God? Oh! were our hearts set to magnify him — that word often repeated in that Psalm (Psalm 107): Oh! that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and his wonderful works to the children of men.

Inference 2. But what wonder that the Lord loses the reverence of his praises at the hands of the common ungodly world, when even his own people fall so far behind in it, as usually they do. The dead cannot praise him, but that they whom he has quickened by his Spirit should yet be so surprised with deadness and dullness, as to this exercise of exalting God — this is very strange. For help of this:

We should seek after a fit temper, labor to have our hearts brought to a due disposition for his praises. First, that they be spiritual — spiritual services require that, but this most, as being indeed the most spiritual of all: affection to the things of this earth draws down the soul, and makes it so low set, that it cannot rise to the height of a song of praise. And thus if we observed ourselves, we would find, that when we let our hearts fall and entangle themselves in any inferior desires and delights, as they are unfitted generally for holy things, so especially, for the praises of our holy God. Creature loves abase the soul and turn it to earth, and praise is altogether heavenly. Second, seek a heart purified from self-love, and possessed with the love of God: the heart that is ruled by its own interest, is scarce ever content, still subject to new disquiet; self is a vexing thing, for readily all things do not suit our humors and wills, and the least touch that is wrong to a selfish mind distempers it, and disrelishes all the good things about it: a childish condition it is, if crossed but in a toy, throw away all. Where do our frequent frettings and grumblings come from, and that we can drown a hundred high favors in one little displeasure, and still our finger is upon that string, more malcontent and repining for one little cross, than praises for all the mercies we have received? Is not this evidently the self-love that abounds in us? Whereas were the love of God predominant in us, we would love his doings and disposals and bless his name in all: whatever were his will would in that view be amiable and sweet to us, however in itself harsh and unpleasant. Thus would we say in all, this is the will and the hand of my Father, who does all wisely and well, blessed be his name.

The soul thus framed would praise in the deep of troubles, not only in outward afflictions, but in the saddest inward condition, would be still extolling God, and saying however he deals with me, he is worthy to be loved and praised, he is great and holy, he is good and gracious, and whatever be his way and thoughts toward me, I wish him glory. If he will be pleased to give me light and refreshment blessed be he, and if he will have me to be darkness, again blessed be he, glory to his name. Indeed, what though he should utterly reject me, is he not for that to be accounted infinitely merciful in the saving of others — must he cease to be praiseworthy for my sake? If he condemn, yet he is to be praised being merciful to so many others, indeed even in so dealing with me is he to be praised, for in that he is just.

Thus would pure love reason for him, and render praise to him, but our ordinary way is most untoward and unbecoming his creature, the best of them, much more such worms as we are, that things must rather be to our mind than his, and we must either have all our will or else for our part he shall have none of his praises.

Third, that which on these two will follow, a fixed heart — if it be refined from creature-love and self-love, spiritualness and love of God will fix it, and then shall it be fit to praise, but an unstable, uncomposed heart can never be, no more than an instrument can be harmonious and fit to play on, that has loose pins, that are still slipping and letting down the strings, pins that never fasten. And thus are the most — cannot fix to divine thoughts, to consider God, to behold and admire his excellency, and goodness, and his free love. Oh, that happy word of David worthy to be twice repeated, when shall we say it — O God my heart is fixed, well might he add, I will sing and give praise. Oh, that we would pray much that he would fix them, and then he having fixed them, we would praise him much.

If any due disposition be once attained for praises, then must the heart so disposed be set to study the matter of praises.

And that, first, the infinite excellency of God in himself, which though we know little of, yet this we know and should consider it, that it is far beyond what all the creatures and all his works are able to testify of him, that he transcends all we can speak, or hear, or know of him. Second, look on him in his works, behold not the vast heavens above, nor the firm earth beneath us, nor all the variety of his works in both, without holy wonder stirred in us, and that stirring us to sing praises. Oh, his greatness, and might, and wisdom, shining in these — Lord, how manifold are your works, in wisdom have you made them all. But above all that work, that marvel of his works, the sending of his Son forth of his bosom — and that is the mystery the apostles do so magnify in their writings, and that so much in this epistle, and that the chief incentive to this close in praise, ascribing glory to him. This praise looks particularly back to the title in the prayer, the God of all grace, who has called us to his eternal glory by Jesus Christ, so many other mercies, but chiefly for that choice of mercies, to his glory. Who has called us to his glory — then look through the work of saving his chosen, so redeemed by the blood of his Son, his maintaining his own work in them against all the enemies and oppositions about it, the advancing it in the midst of them, and even by them, and bringing them safe to glory, that perfecting and establishment as in the foregoing words. It is that, that so affects the apostle in the very entry of this epistle, that there he must break forth into praise (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. He begins there in praise, and here ends in it, and so encloses all within that divine circle. And as we would consider these things in general, so his particular dealing with us, his good providence in spirituals and temporals, would we search — oh, what a surcharge of innumerable mercies would each of us find. And were we better acquainted with the Holy Scriptures, had more our delight in them, they would acquaint us better with all these things, and give us light to see them, and warm our hearts, and excite them to his praises, who is the God of all our mercies.

The heart somewhat disposed to praise, and then studying the matter of it, would be applied actually to render praise. (1.) To aim at God in all, which is continued praise, to eye his glory in everything, and chiefly to desire that, that his name may be exalted; this is the excellent way indeed; whereas most are either wholly for their self ends, or often squinting out to them. That soul is most noble that singly and fixedly aims at exalting God, and seeks this stamp on all it speaks, and does, and desires, all to the greater glory of my God. (2.) To abound in the express and solemn return of praise this way. To him be glory, not a customary dead saying of it over, as is usual with us, but the heart offering it up. What is so pure and high as this exercise, the praises of the ever glorious Deity? What is Heaven but these? And were it not best, as we can, to begin it here, and long to be there, where it shall never end? To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Verses 12, 13, 14. 12. By Silvanus a faithful brother to you (as I suppose) I have written briefly, exhorting and testifying, that this is the true grace of God in which you stand. 13. The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, salutes you, and so does Marcus my son. 14. Greet one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

This is a kind of postscript, and has its testimony of the bearer and the Apostolic form of saluting. Withal he expresses the measure of his writing, that it was brief, and the end of it, that it was to testify, etc. And this is indeed the end of our preaching, and we ought each to seek it by the word and by mutual exhortations, and sometimes a few words may have much to this purpose, to have our hearty establishment in the faith, and not only to believe, but remember that we have the best of it, that there is truth in our hopes, and they shall not deceive us; they are no fancy as the world thinks, indeed when all things else shall vanish, their truth shall most appear in their full accomplishment.

The entertainment and increase of Christian love, of esteem of one another, and affection one to another is no matter of empty compliment, but is the very stamp and badge of Jesus Christ, upon his followers; therefore most carefully to be preserved entire, and unhappy they that by any means do willingly break it. Oh! let us beware of it, and follow peace, even when it seems to fly from us.

This peace, that is the portion of those in Christ, is indeed within them, and with God, but through him it is likewise one with another, and in that notion to be desired and wished jointly with the other.

They that are in Christ are the only children and heirs of true peace; others may dream of it, and have a false peace for a time, and wicked men may wish it to themselves and one another, but it is a most vain hope and nothing, but to wish it to them that are in Christ has good ground, all solid peace founded in him, and flows from him. Now the peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ. Amen.

FINIS.