Commentary on 2 Peter, Commentary on 2 Peter volume 2 · Chapter 3 · Verse 18 (4 of 6)

Commentary on 2 Peter · Commentary on 2 Peter volume 2 · Chapter 3 · Verse 18 (4 of 6)

p. 15711. Knowledge hath a difference from the other virtues, though it bee a virtue it ſelfe. Some virtues are onelyonly converſant about good; and ſome onelyonly abſtaine or reſtraine from evill; Knowledge hath reſpect to both good and evill. Some vertues are onelyonly and properly fixed upon good; albeit collaterally, or by way of conſequence, they keepe us from evill. So the Object of Charity is goodneſſe; the Orbe wherein it moves, is goodneſſe. It loves God above all, who is the chiefeſt good: next the Saints, who in their degrees and meaſure are good. With the heart it loves good, with the hand it does good. Paul indeed gives it ſome negative attributes, and that rightly:mm1 Cor. 12.4.1 Cor 12:4 It vaunteth not it ſelfe, ſeeketh not her owne. But theſe are not the walke of charity: they p. 1572may be aſſaults and ambuſhes to trouble her in her walke, which ſhe ſpurnes out of her way as ſhe goes: but her way is good, and her walke is good, and her end is good. So the object of faith is good; the promiſe of God, which is ſure and good: the merites of Chriſt, which are precious and good: the Inheritance of Heaven, which is firme and good, It is true that ſhe is often put to it; to remove doubts, to cleare difficulties, and to diſpell ſorrowes: but her eye is not faſtned upon them. Her object is the Sunne of righteouſneſſe: theſe are but cloudes betwixt her and the Sunne. It is not the purpoſe and ſcope of her journey to meddle with theſe, but theſe will meddle with her. They are not her way, but enemies in her way. So are all ſinnes, and the father and mother of ſinnes, the devill and the world.nnPſal. 1.37.9.Ps 1:37Ps 1:9 She does not onelyonly braine thoſe Babyloniſh litle ones againſt the ſtones, and kill the young whelpes and curres of that curſed litter; but even confounds the Sire and the Damme. The Sire,oo1. Pet. 5, 9.1 Pet 5:9 Faith reſiſts the devill: The Damme,pp1. Ioh. 5.4.1 John 5:4 Faith overcomes the world. Still her object is good, yea God. No leſſe may be ſaid for hope; it lookes onelyonly for good: no man hopes for evill. The beginning of it is good, for it is rooted in comfort: the progreſſe good, for it goes on in cheerfulnes: and the end is good, for it is onelyonly bleſſedneſſe. Evill is the object of feare, good of hope. It may have ſome conflicts by the way: feare, and deſpaire, and preſumption are three ſhrewd adverſaries: but hope evercomes the evill,Rom. 8.24.Rom 8:24 and purſues the good, and ſaves the ſoule. No leſſe might be ſaid of meekneſſe, which is onelyonly pitched upon a quiet good, and Mercifullnes, which minds onelyonly a beneficent good: and of pureneſſe of heart, which conſiſts in an innocent good.

Againe, ſome vertues are principally excerciſed with evill, and all their ſtrength is employed in the victorie of that. Eſt virtus abſtinentia. What is Sobrietie, but an abſtinence from drunkenneſſe? What is chaſtitie, but an abſtinence from uncleannes, whether in thought or act? What is temperance, but an abſtinence from exceſſe? So St. Auguſtine defines it;qqLib. de mor. Eccl. Munus temperanti eſt in coercendis & ſedandis cupiditatibus. Wherein conſiſts the honour of patience, but in the quiet and unmoved ſuffering of evills?rrGreg. in Ezek. Hom. 7. Nunquam eſt patientiae virtus in proſperis. Where there is no evill, patience hath nothing to doe. And what is repentance, but a ſorrowing for evill? Wherein doth it properly conſiſt, but in griefe for ſinne? Theſe latter vertues are not properly poſitive; Nil ponunt in eſſe but privative: their excerciſe is not ſeene but in the conqueſt of evill. Uncleannes is evill; to avoid that is chaſtitie: Drunkenneſſe is evill; to ſhunne that is ſobrietie: Exceſſe in dyet, apparell, pleaſure, is evill: to preclude that is temperance. Contempt and injurie are evills; to beare them meekely is patience: All ſinnes are evill, to waſh them off with teares is repentance. Theſe vertues, like the ſtarres, ſhine brighteſt in the night. To abſtaine, not onelyonly from evill, but from ſome good, is a vertue: Eſt virtus placitis abſtinuiſſe bonis.

Knowledge is of a middle nature betweene both theſe; and yet participates whith them both. It is not wholly excerciſed with good nor wholly taken up with evill; but it knowes both good and evill. Before man fell from his Innocencie, he knew nothing but good: but as his ambition was to know evill with it, ſo to know evill was his puniſhment. In this he thought to have become like God, and he became indeed, like the Devill. It hath coſt the elect part of mankind many a ſigh, many a grone, and many a teare; this knowledge of evill: for the refuſed part, it coſts them their eternall ſoules. But here comes in the bleſſed remedie, brought by Ieſus Chriſt to his choſen, that they cannot but know both good and evill; yet the good they know, ſhall doe them good: but the evill they know, ſhall not bring evill upon them. For they know the evill, to avoid it; and the good, to embrace it, and ſo come to be ſaved by it.

2. There can be no full ſatisfaction, or conſolation of the mind in any knowledge, p. 1573but the Knowledge of IESVS CHRIST. The Ancient Poets had a ſtrange Fable of their Sphinx, which they fained to bee a Monſter of divers formes: with the face of a Virgin, the wings of a Bird, and the tallons of a Griphin. This thing did ſet upon all travellers that paſſed by, and propounded to them certaine Riddles, which hee received of the Muſes. Theſe, if the miſerable captives could not reſolve and interpret, hee would preſently teare them in pieces. The Countrey being a long time thus plagued with him, proffered their Kingdome of Thebes to that man that could expound his Riddles; for if one of them were anſwered, the Monſter had no more power, but forfeited his life. Oedipus, a man of lame feet, but of an ingenious head, accepted the condition, undertooke the challenger, and got the Kingdome. Hee reſolved the Riddle, ſlew the Monſter, and laid his body upon an Aſſe for triumph.

To make ſome profitable uſe of this fiction, conceive here, firſt, by Sphinx, mans naturall knowledge: this is a Monſter of diverſe ſhapes, being ſo metamorphoſed and transformed by ſinne. It hath the talons of a griphin; catching and tenacious hookes, that will take hold of any thing. It hath the wings of a bird: for knowledge flies from man to man by diſcourſe, a bird cuts the aire from place to place: The communication of ſcience, is as the kindling of one light at another. It hath the face of a virgin, ſo beautifull and amiable that every man is in love with it. Sphinx had his riddles from the Muſes: and the ſententious axiomes of a ſublime knowledge are wrought out with much ſtudie and contemplation. That Monſter devoured thoſe that could not unfold his riddles: ſo humane knowledge hath made a prey of fooles. It was more policie than power, whereby diverſe men got a Principalitie among the heathens: They that could get a dominion over mens mindes by their wits, might ſoone prevaile to acquire a ſoveraignty over their bodies. A twofold condition was propounded with Sphinx his aenigma's: to him that could not expound them, death: to him that could, a Kingdom. Secondly, the Oedipus that undertakes to cleare theſe Riddles, invented by the witte of man, is the Chriſtian.

Man hath his knowledge from Nature, the Chriſtian his from Grace: the one is from earth, the other from Heaven. Religion is the Science of Soules, whereof God is the Teacher. Oedipus had lame feete, but an intelligent head: The Chriſtian is ſlow in the purſuit of worldly things, but for ſpirituall things hee hath a cleare underſtanding. What can the Naturian aske him, which hee cannot anſwere? What is the moſt glorious thing of the world? Humilitie. What is the richeſt? Charitie. What is the wiſeſt? Seaſonable Silence. What is the ſubtileſt? Simplicitie. What is the ſtrongeſt? Patience. What is the freeſt? The Service of God. What is the beſt Builder? Faith: for that layes the Foundation in Heaven. What is that which can reduce things to nothing? Repentance; for that can take away ſinne; as if it had never beene. As Oedipus overcame Sphinx, put him to death, and laid his carcaſſe upon the backe of an Aſſe: So the knowledge of Christ vanquiſheth all naturall Wiſedome, reſolving all her ſubtle queſtions with Divine anſweres: then puts her to death, nailes her to the Croſſe of Chriſt, mortifies her by Repentance, laies her carcaſſe upon an Aſſe, ſhewes her the folly of her former condition, expoſeth her to her owne contempt: So ſhee willingly yeeldes her ſelfe captive to the conquering knowledge of Christ.

But all this while what was Sphinx his Riddle to Oedipus? What is that Creature, which immediately, after his birth, goes upon foure legges, next upon two, then upon three, and laſt of all upon foure legges againe? Hee anſwered, Man: which in his very infancie crawles upon all foure, p. 1574not long after ſtands upright upon two feet; growing old, hee leanes upon a upon a ſtaffe, and with it ſupports himſelfe, ſo that hee may ſeeme to have three feet: at laſt in his decrepite yeares, his ſtrength ſo failes him, that he fals groveling againe upon all foure, and lyes bed-rid. There might be another riddle propounded to us, and that a more myſticall one. What is that Creature, which was condemned ere it was borne? Which muſt bee twice borne, ere it can live? Which gets life by dying? Which lives by the life of another, not by it owne? Which cures all his owne diſeaſes, with his owne teares? Which is of meane and poore parentage, yet Heire to a Crowne? Which hath the body on earth, and the head in heaven? Which can ſee an object that is inviſible? Which though he be duſt and aſhes, is partaker of an Nature that cannot die, even God of Himſelfe? As the former was a Man, ſo this is a Chriſtian. Firſt, condemned ere He was borne; becauſe He wasſſPſal. 51.5.Ps 51:5 conceived in ſinne: Nor onelyonly ſo; but Hee ſinned in Adam, and for that was juſtly condemned in the beginning of the world, though hee dye not till toward the end of the world. Secondly, borne twice ere hee can live: forttIoh. 3.3.John 3:3 Except a man bee borne againe, hee cannot enter into the Kingdome of Heaven. If he be not regenerate, he does not live in grace, without which there is nothing but death: for otherwiſe he is dead in ſinnes and treſpaſſes. Thirdly, he gets life by dying: By mortification and dying unto ſinne, he gets vivification and living unto grace: yea, and by the death of his body, hee gets the life of glory. Fourthly, hee lives by anothers life, not by his owne.ttIoh. 3.3.John 3:3 Now live not I, but Chriſt liveth in me: and the life I live in the fleſh, I live by the faith of the Sonne of God. Fifthly, he cures all his diſeaſes, by his owne teares; ſinnes are our ſickeneſſes; and the medicine that heales us of them, is the teares of repentance. Sixthly, he is of poore parentage, yet Heire to a Crowne. We are the children of ſinfull Progenitors by nature, yet by Adoption in grace the Inheritors of a Kingdome.xxRom. 8.17.Rom 8:17 Being Ioint-heires with Chriſt, aaLuk. 12.32.Luke 12:32It is his Fathers will to give us the Kingdome. Seventhly, hee is a member of that body on earth, whoſe Head is in heaven: So we are members of the Church militant below, yet Chriſt is our Head triumphant above. Eightly, hee can ſee an object that is inviſible: ſo it is expreſſely teſtified ofbbHeb. 11.27.Heb 11:27 Moſes. Ninthly, he is made partaker of a Nature that cannot dye, though hee be duſt and aſhes. We are mortall in the condition of our bodies, yetcc2 Pet. 1.4.2 Pet 1:4 Partakers of the divine Nature by union with Chriſt. This is indeed a riddle to fleſh and bloud, a paradox to meere humane capacity: the beſt candle in the Philoſophers ſtudy could not give light enough to reſolve it. OnelyOnly the Chriſtian knowes it, and feeles it, and really verefies it. Such bleſſednes comes by the knowledge of Ieſus Chriſt.

Of our Lord and Saviour Ieſus Chriſt.] Thus farre I have ſpoken generally, now particularly. The Object of our knowledge is the Sonne of God; who is here ſet forth by foure attributes. Firſt; Lord. Secondly, Saviour. Thirdly, Ieſus. Fourthly, Chriſt. The firſt a Name of Dominion and Greatneſſe: the next, of Compaſſion and Goodneſſe: the third, the Name of his Nature, Ieſus: the laſt, the Name of his Office, Chriſt. For the two latter, becauſe I have elſewhere treated of them, and they may ſeeme to bee compriſed under the two former: (For what is Ieſus, but a Saviour? And what is Chriſt, but Anointed? Now Hee was anointed to bee a Prieſt, a Prophet, and a King; to all which, Lord, is appliable. Aaron was no leſſe, though a Prieſt. My Lord Elias, ſayes Eliſha to him; yet Elias was but a Prophet. That it is aſcribed to the King, no queſtion; Our Lord the King. Every Lord is not a King; but every King is a Lord.) Therefore I reduce the foure into two; Lord and Saviour: and in both theſe relations wee muſt know Him, or not looke to be ſaved by Him. Not Lord onelyonly, without Saviour; there is no comfort in that: Not Saviour onelyonly without Lord; there is no manners in that. In the ſevering of them, we ſhall either forget his dignity, or our owne duety. There is a Pronoune that waits upon each of theſe Titles; an emphaticall p. 1575one, and by no meanes to be omitted; Our. It is this Noſter that does all the good, both in reſpect of Gods honour, and our owne happineſſe. We acknowledge Him Our Lord; this tends to Gods glory: We beleeve Him to be Our Sauiour; this tends to our owne felicity. A Lord ungodly ſinners confeſſe Him: A Saviour, the very Divels cannot deny Him. Yea, they goe farther; The Lord, and The Saviour; they both acknowledge Him: The Lord, the Lord of Lords; an abſolute and independant Lord; that hath a dominion over the Princes of the earth, and principalities of hell: Kings and Emperours are his ſubjects: at his frowne they all tremble: Others doe not more feare them, than they doe feare Him. With his breath He can diſſolve them to duſt: and with one word, Diſcedite, caſt them downe to torment. By Him they hold their Crownes, and muſt put them off when Hee cals for them. Crownes and heads too, are at his command.ddPſal. 110.1.Ps 110:1 The Lord ſaid unto my Lord. The Lord; ſo farre a Reprobate may goe in his confeſſion. So much honour hee will give unto Chriſt, as to call Him The Lord. But not, My Lord: this hee ſtickes at: for then his obedience and voluntary ſubjection muſt come in. The Lord let Him bee, but not My Lord at any hand. Many ſhall cry at the laſt day,eeMatth. 7.22.Matt 7:22 Lord, Lord; but there is no Noſter put to it. The Lord He muſt needs be, but their Lord they cannot ſay He hath been. So The Saviour goes eaſily downe with them:ffAct. 4.12.Acts 4:12 For there is no other Name under Heaven whereby wee muſt be ſaved, than Ieſus. This the Divels know to their vexation; that Hee hath, and doth, and will ſave millions, though they bee none of that number themſelves. Salvator, they muſt acknowledge: but Noſter, they deſpaire of. Indeed profane tranſgreſſors would faine, with the ſubſtantive Noune, joyne the poſſeſſive Pronoune; and with Salvator, couple Noſter: Their Saviour they call Him, and theirs they would have Him. But they ſeparate Dominus from Salvator, and ſo have right to neither. Both theſe Titles belong to the ſame Perſon: Dominus and Salvator is but one Christ. Thoſe that God hath joyned together, let no man put aſunder. Before I come to ſpeake of theſe Titles in ſpeciall, let me conſider two obſervable things in them. Firſt, the poſition or order. Secondly, the compoſition or juncture of them.

1. For order of placing them; Lord is ſet before Saviour; and with good reaſon. Let us not thinke him a Titular Lord, that hath ſome under him, and others above him: But one that commands in chiefe; Lord Paramount certainly. Now ſuch a Lord is a Prince; and a Prince gives lawes, and thoſe lawes muſt bee kept. Here let us pawſe a while, and conſider have wee kept the lawes of this Lord? We are his vaſſells; have we done what hee commanded vsus? No ſuch matter: nay, we have done the contrary: not onelyonly paſſing by obſervantiam legis, but running into contemptum regis; yea into crimen laeſae majestatis. We have left undone thoſe things which we ought to have done, and wee have done thoſe things which we ought not to have done. But what? Be the lawes of this Lord irrita Iura? Are they not obligatory? yes, as there be rewards promiſed to the obſervation, ſo there be puniſhments threatned to the tranſgreſſion of them.ggGal. 3.12. Gen. 2.17.Gal 3:12Gen 2:17 Doe this and live: Do it not, and periſh. Theſe lawes we have not kept; not a man of us: What then ſhould keepe us from periſhing? If the law-giver were flexible, and might be wonne to remitte offences, either by mans intreaty, or his owne partiality, there were ſome hope of eſcaping that diſmall ſentence, But this Lord is juſt, even Iuſtice it ſelfe; and in juſtice can bate nothing of the penalty, but will ſee it executed to the full rigour. In what caſe are we now? Die we muſt, who ſhould ſave us from it? Yes, yet there is comfort; for this Lord is alſo a Saviour. And well is it for us, that he is a Saviour: How deſperate were our eſtate otherwiſe? But Lord firſt, that we may know ovr ſinnes, and what we have deſerved by them: This is no ſlight puniſhment, not a cenſure to bee bought out with money, nor an impriſonment to be worne out in time: But death, and this not a ſhort one, where a man is not ſixe minutes a dying: but an everlaſting one, p. 1576where a ſinner lives a dying for ever: A death not of the body onelyonly by ſome painefull violence, but of body and ſoule too by fiery torments. This is our doome for the breach of the law of our Lord: it is time now to ſeeke about for a Saviour; and bleſſed be God, we have one whom we looke for.

Therefore is Lord placed firſt, that wee might ſee in what neede we ſtand of a Saviour: And it is a right method, that humiliation ſhould goe before comfort, and ſorrow prepare us for joy. Among all Chriſts converts, none loved him dearer than Mary, the more bitter her penance, the ſweeter her forgiveneſſe: and the greater her pardon, the ſtrongerhhLuk. 7.47.Luke 7:47 her affection. Thus the law of our Lord, prepares us for the Goſpell of our Saviour. The law is a glaſſe that ſhewes us our ſinne, and the Goſpell is a glaſſe that ſhewes us our remedy. There wee finde Chriſt a Lord, here wee finde him a Saviour: There pronouncing death againſt us, here ſuffering death for us: there preſenting himſelfe in his glorious Majeſty, here in his gracious mercy. There as a Lion condemning the world for ſinne, hereiiIoh. 1.29.John 1:29 The Lambe of God taking away the ſinnes of the world. kkPſal. 50.22.Ps 50:22Heare this ye that forget God, leſt I teare you in peeces, and there be none to deliver you: There a terrible Lord. ll1. Tim. 1.15.1 Tim 1:15This is a true ſaying, that Ieſus came into the world to ſave ſinners: there a mercifull Saviour.

Thus this Title, Lord, calls upon us for repentance; as we call upon this Saviour for forgivenes. Me thinkes I ſee Sorrow ſitting in the ſoule, deſtitute of all comforts; like a ſicke man, given over by his phyſicians: They have miniſtred diverſe medicines to him, and made many experiments upon him; and finding all to faile of wiſhed effect, they even leave him to nature, to live or die at her pleaſure. Such is the caſe of an humble and broken-hearted ſoule; that hath received the ſentence of death in herſelfe, and is condemned by the verdict of her owne conſcience: She lookes to her riches, and finds that thoſe bribes will not be taken: to her friends, and perceives them to be in as much danger as herſelfe: to her old companions, carnall delights, the common refuge of melancholy ſinners; and ſees them running from her affrighted, like rattes from a houſe on fire. Pleaſure, like Orpah, kiſſes indeed, but parts: onelyonly griefe like Ruth, weepes for her, and tarries with her. No joy will downe, till there be hope of a pardon. During all this humiliation, and mourning, and running downe of teares, Chriſt ſhewes himſelfe a ſevere Lord, exacting his debts to the full. But when ſhe is througly mortified, then he changeth his forme and preſents himſelfe a Saviour to her: bids her looke upon his Croſſe, and there find all her debts diſcharged, and her ſelfe acquited for ever. Woe to them that come to the ſight of their ſinnes without this Saviour: for that is as if a man ſhould waken out of a melancholy dreame in the darke: there is no ſparke of comfort.mmIoh. 16.22.John 16:22 But I will ſee you againe, and your heart ſhall rejoyce, and your joy no man can take from you. In the comming of Ieſus there is joy, unſpeakable joy; which neither the world can give, nor can the world take away.

2. For the union or conjunction of them; both are combined in one Perſon. In Lord, Greatnes: in Saviour, Goodnes: both make but one Chriſt. Will to ſave, quia Salvator: Power to ſave, quia Dominus; both are concentred in one Ieſus: There may be a Lord, which is no Saviour: but there can be no Saviour, which is not Lord. Power without will, is an unkind ablenes: will without power, is an unable kindnes. Both together in one man, is for the honour of him that hath them, and for the good of ſuch as need them. If Chriſt had not bene Lord, he could not: if not a Saviour, he would not have ſatisfied for our ſinnes. If not Lord, and ſuch a Lord as was Dominus dominantium, even the infinite God; he could not have payed a ranſome that muſt be of infinite value, or els not, paſſe currant for our redemption. If not a mercifull Saviour, he would never have ſubmitted himſelfe to ſuch a condition, as to take on him our nature; and in that nature to ſuffer ſuch torments as meere man could not have p. 1577endured. It was a wonder that he made us: more, that he made himſelfe for us: but moſt of all, that he unmade himſelfe, that he dyed to ſave us. He not onelyonly made man for himſelfe, but he made himſelfe man for man. The maker was Lord, the creature man: two natures are united in one Perſon: ſo the Sonne of God is Lord and Saviour. In the one nature, we contemplate his Dominion: in aſſuming the other, his Compaſſion: in both we find our Salvation.

As Lord, he could not die for us; as man he might: As man, he could not ſatisfie for us; as God he might: He muſt be both, or no Saviour. In his death, his Lordſhip concealed it ſelfe: Many of his ſervants, the Martyrs, ſeemed to have more chearfulnes in their death, than their Lord had in his. They were knowen to be men, therfore had the ſtrength of God: Chriſt was God, therfore left like a man. They did more than men, becauſe they were filled with the power and Spirit of God: Chriſt declared himſelfe to be God, in doing the workes of omnipotent God: therfore he was alſo declared to be man, in the weakneſſes of men. Thoſe fluenta gratiae were alwayes at high tyde in him: yet he ſeemed both partly to his owne ſenſe, and to the ſenſes of the beholders, a forlorne creature. This cauſed him to cry, My God, why haſt thou forſaken me? Matth. 26.38.Matt 26:38Naturall affection in him cryed, My God: ſenſible, Why haſt thou forſaken me? Not that theſe two, Lord and Saviour, could then part: God and man could not bee ſundred. In the extremity of all his ſorrowes, his manhood did not loſe the union, but the viſion of his Godhead. His ſoule, by the union of the Deity, had a glorious ſtate: though by the union with his body, it was full of anguiſh. As there is no contrariety betweene the hate of one thing, and love of another: betweene the ignorance of one thing, and knowledge of another: ſo nor between the ſorrow of Chriſts ſoule for our ſinne, and the joy of that ſoule in the viſion of God. Our ſinnes upon Chriſt, were not in their proper element; therefore He felt them in their weight and heavineſſe: for Suo loco nullum elementum ponderat. But as the ſhadow of the earth obſcures the Moone, ſo did the worlds ſinne darken Chriſts ſoule.

When He was to act the Saviours part, Hee did not lay by the Lord quite: for the Manhood could never have borne thoſe unſpeakeable torments, but for the ſupportation of the Deity. But the Lord did hide Himſelfe from the Manhood, during the ſad time of that expiation: ſo that it might ſay with Mary, nnIohn 20.13.John 20:13They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they laid Him, nor what is become of Him. They were then, and are ſtill, united in one Perſon: diſtinguiſh them we may, divided they can never bee. Neither muſt wee fixe our mindes upon Lord onelyonly, without Saviour; which is the way to deſperation: Nor upon Saviour onelyonly, without Lord; which is the way to preſumption. Dejected ſinners thinke upon Lord onelyonly, and leave out Saviour: Profane ſinners thinke upon Saviour onelyonly, and forget their Lord. The one without the other, is but halfe a Ieſus: and wee muſt rely upon a whole one, that is both Lord and Saviour. ooEſay 43.25.Isa 43:25I am hee that for mine owne ſake will blotte out thy tranſgreſsions. Cum propter neminem, cum propter nihil, as thou art a juſt Lord; yet propter teipſum dimittis peccata, as thou art a mercifull Saviour. This Lord as He is God, ſatisfied Himſelfe in that capacity as Hee is man, for the ſinnes of all Beleevers. Therefore Lord, Noli ita attendere peccatum meum, ut propterea obliviſcaris nomen tuum. Doe not ſo remember thy ſelfe to be a Lord over me, as to forget to be a Saviour unto me: Nor let me ſo remember thee to be a Saviour unto me, as to forget that thou art Lord over me. But as thou art both theſe in one infinite Perſon; ſo bee thou both to my ſoule, in thy mighty power, and mercifull ſalvation. I come to the Particulars.

1. Hee is Lord, not onelyonly as God, Quatenus Chriſtus. ppMatth. 28.18.Matt 28:18All power is given unto Him in heaven and earth. Kings may talke of their large Territories, but what command have they in heaven? Chriſt is Lord of heaven too. In heaven and earth He is Lord, but hath He no power on the ſea? Is that priviledged or exempted p. 1578from his dominion? No,qqPſal. 135.6.Ps 135:6 he doeth what he pleaſeth in heaven, earth, in the ſeas and all deepe places. Princes are potent, but yet they cannot doe all they would: this Lord can. Heaven, earth, and ſea are his; but is Hell or the grave excluded? No,rrReu. 1.1.8.Rev 1:1Rev 1:8 he hath the keyes of hell and of death: even thither his Lordſhip reaches. ToſſPhil. 2.11.Phil 2:11 Him muſt all knees bow, and all tongues confeſſe that he is the Lord. All muſt confeſſe it, either from the depth of their heart, or from the heart of the deepe. Saints and Angels doe, in excelſis: devills and reprobates doe, in profundis: and ſhall mortall ſinners in the middle way deny it? No, acknowledged he will be, either on earth with comfort, or in hell with torments: Here chearfully, or there upon the racke: Either they ſhall joyfully ſing out, or painefully rore out this confeſſion. He is the lambe of God, the Saviour of the world, yet take heed ofttPſal. 2.12.Ps 2:12 angring him: for if his wrath be kindled, yea but a litle, how ſoone doe men periſh? But bleſſed are they that trust in him. If he be angred, there is no eſcaping his hands as he is a Lord; but by running into his armes as he is a Saviour. uuHeb. 12.29.Heb 12:29Our God is a conſuming fire: as he is a wall of fire about them that ſerve him, ſo a conſuming fire againſt thoſe that provoke him.xxPſal. 90.11.Ps 90:11 When he is angry, all our dayes are gone. With one word, let there be a world: nay with one thought of this Lord caſt toward it, (for his ſpeaking in the creation was but a thinking) he made all of nothing: and can be not reduce all to nothing, if he will? Is not the recalling of that word, the withdrawing of that thought, in the ſequeſtring of his providence, enough to annihilate them? Shall ants, and bees, or lyons conteſt with their maker? Shall any one rationall ant, (the wiſeſt philoſopher is no more) or any roring lyon, (the moſt ambitious and devouring Prince is no more) or any hive of bees, (the moſt politicke Counſells and Parliaments are no more, in reſpect of him) preſume to ſtand without him? What are armies on the land, if this Lord be not their Generall? What are navies on the ſea; if he bee not their Pilot?

When this Lord is angry, he ſhall but need Sibilare muſcam, to hiſſe or whiſper for the flie, for the waſpe or hornet. Nay he ſhall not need to whiſper for them abroad, or to call in forraine enemies: for we have locuſts enow at home; ſwarmes of conkers and caterpillars to devoure us. Nay, we will devoure one another, when he ſets us together by the aares. As this Lord is impartiall, ſo are his Iudgments: there is no reſpect of perſons with him, whether in his favour or his anger.aaPſal. 68.21.Ps 68:21 He will wound the hairy ſcalpe of him that goeth on in his wickedneſſe. Be it bald or hairy, it is no defenſe againſt the blowes of the Almighty. No head-piece, butbbEph. 6.17.Eph 6:17 the helmet of ſalvation, can ward his blowes. He can breake the covered, as well as the naked head; wound the armed, as eaſily as the bare breſt. The mitred, and the Turband, and the crowned head, that lifts up it ſelfe againſt Chriſt, lies as open to his Iudgments, as his that muſt not put on his hatte, as his that hath no a hatte to put on. We know by wofull and bleeding experience, that he can call up dampes and vapours from below, and powre downe putrid defluxions from above, and bid them meete and condenſe into a plague: And that ſuch a plague, as ſhall not onelyonly be uncurable, but unqueſtionable: both inexorable, and indiſputable: It ſhall not onelyonly not admit a remedie when it is come, but not give a reaſon how it did come. The cauſe could not be found out by the moſt learned phyſicians, the effect was felt by the labouring patients. O happy they that found him their Saviour; that though their bodies were cut off by burning fevers from the earth, yet their ſoules might eſcape the the burning flames of hell.

Lord therefore let us acknowledge him; for it will goe wrong with us, when we ſhall be driven to complaine,ccEſa. 26.13.Isa 26:13 Other Lords have had dominion over us. Tyrans are cruell Lords, and woe to the people under ſuch an authoritie: For there it is crime enough to be innocent, where the Tyran is pleaſed to interpret innocencie for a crime. Sinnes are worſe Lords within us, than thoſe tyrans without p. 1579us: Our goods, poſſeſſions, and lives are under the command of thoſe oppreſſors; but ſinne is an uſurper over our ſoules. Satan is a bloudy Lord: he is ſo farre from merciemercy in killing, that he would not give a man leave to pray for merciemercy ere he muſt die. Theſe be curſed dominions: from ſuch Lords this Lord of heaven and earth evermore deliver us.

2. Saviour; this comes well after Lord: there is ſmall comfort in that Title, till Saviour be put to it.ddEſa. 45.21. Hoſ. 13.4.Isa 45:21Hos 13:4 There is no Saviour but Hee: no Name but Ieſus carries any ſalvation in it. The Prophets foretold it, the Evangeliſts demonſtrate it, the Apoſtles preached it, the better part of the world received it, and all they beleeve it, that ſhall be ſaved. He came to ſave, and what did he refuſe to doe or ſuffer, that he might ſave?ee1. Cor. 9.22.1 Cor 9:22 Omnibus omnia factus, was more true of the Maſter, than of the ſervant: Pauper pauperibus, divitibus dives. Lazarus ſo poore that he begged crummes; Chriſt then in his povertie, ſent him to heaven by his Angels. Zaccheus rich, and gave the poore a large contribution: Chriſt was richer than hee, and gave himffLuk. 19.9.Luke 19:9 ſalvation. Eſurientibus eſuriens ſitientibus ſitiens. The Diſciples were hungry in the field, their Lord in the wildernes. The Samaritan woman thirſts, and Chriſt thirſts too: they both meete at Iacobs well. The Apoſtles feaſt, and he feaſts with them: Mary weepes for the loſſe of her brother, and Ieſus weepes too. Hee is the doore to them that would enter, the way to them that would walke, a light to them that would come out of darknes; bread to the hungry ſoule, and wine to the thirſty. All his actions ſhewed him to be a Saviour, his paſſion proved it. When he firſt ſhone forth into the world, like the Sunne at his firſt riſing, he drew all eyes afther him: His miraculous cures drew patients, his Divine oracles drew auditors: both together drew the admiring multitude after him by troupes. They followed him as a Saviour, through deſarts and mountaines, over land and ſeas. All his actions were ſo many characters, out of which the ſimpleſt capacitie might ſpell a Saviour. But at his death, he wrote a letter of love to us in his owne bloud: the Croſſe being the paper, the ſpeare his penne, his bloud the inke, and the contents,gg1. Tim. 1.15.1 Tim 1:15 Ieſus Chriſt came into the world to ſave ſinners. Hee came into the world to ſave ſinners, yea and he went out of the world to ſave ſinners. His comming in was but the purpoſe, his going out, and ſo going out was the performance. Hee meant it when he came in, but hee diſpatched it as he went out. All his life was a furtherance, but his death did the deed: that ſaved us. His reſurrection crowned the deed;hhRom. 4.25.Rom 4:25 He was raiſed againe for our juſtification. His aſcenſion crowned that; for theniiEph. 4.8.Eph 4:8 he led captivitie captive: His glory and Seſſion in Heaven crownes all: and ſo crownes him, thatkkReu. 4.10.Rev 4:10 all crownes are caſt downe before him. Thus his death was the crowne of his enterpriſe, his reſurrection the crowne of his death, his Aſcenſion the crowne of his reſurrection, his ſitting at the right hand of his Father, the crowne of his aſcenſion; and all theſe make up a crowne for us: Through all theſe Iournals we may read him a Ieſus, and that.

3. Our Saviour; which is the next point. Our, both Lord and Saviour, and both together. It was not ſo Stylo veteri: in the law it was Dominus Deus, llExod. 20.2.Exod 20:2the Lord our God: but Chriſt hath changed it, and made it Stylo novo, Dominus Salvator, The Lord our Saviour. Salvator ſtands in ſtead of Deus; to ſhew that in Chriſt Deus is become Salvator. It mends the terme, and it mends the matter much; that a juſt God is become a mercifull Saviour. We are bound to Chriſt, for making ſuch an alteration in God Style, to our unſpeakable comfort. Yet were all this nothing (ſomething indeed in it ſelfe, but nothing) to us, without this Noſter. This is that pronoune, which like a pipe derives the water of life out of that infinite fountaine, into our particular ciſternes; that appropriates both Lord and Saviour to us. That hand of faith, which with a holy violence ſeiſeth upon Chriſt, as he lies in the boſome of his Father, and chalengeth him for Our owne: He is My Saviour. Without this Noſter, Dominus and Salvator, and all were loſt p. 1578duplicate page p. 1579duplicate page p. 1580to us; and we no better than if they had never bene. There in no true and full comfort but in heaven, no comfort in heaven without God, no comfort in God without a Saviour, no comfort in a Saviour without Noſter: if he be not our Saviour, comfort is farre from us. This gives us a proprietie and intereſt in them all; and not onelyonly in them, but in all theirs. For if this Lord and Saviour be ours, he is our Brother: if ſo, then are we the ſonnes of his Father: and if that, his Fathers eſtate cannot be kept from us: Every one muſt have a childs part: and this part we ſhall have, yea and more than a part:mmLuk. 15.31.Luke 15:31 Sonne all that I have is thine. If he be ours, all that he hath is ours; and what can we wiſh more, than all that God hath, all that ever he is worth? The moſt vaſt deſire wlll be ſatisfied with this. If he be a Lord, and a Saviour too, then what the Saviour hath got, the Lord will keepe.nnIoh. 10.28.John 10:28 No man can plucke my ſheepe out of my hands. David redeemed a ſheepe out of the paw of the Lion; yet that ſheepe might be loſt againe: there was a time, when David might be abſent, when David muſt be a-ſleepe. But Chriſt is never abſent from us;ooMat. 28.20.Matt 28:20 (I am with you alway, to the worlds end) never a ſleepe;ppPſal. 121.4.Ps 121:4 (the keeper of Iſrael never ſlumbers. That roaring Lion may goe about, and ſeeke: but he can never find either time or place, when Chriſt is abſent from his: Vt nec ſuperare Chriſtum, ſic nec ſeparare a Chriſto, unquam poteſt. Which may well raiſe up our dejected ſpirits from the deepeſt conſternation, to a holy chearfulneſſe and peacefull alacritie; thatqqRom. 8.39.Rom 8:39 nothing can ſeparate us from the love of God in Ieſus Chriſt our Lord. As he is Ieſus, to ſave what was loſt: ſo he is Lord alſo, to keepe what is ſaved.

4. This makes to our everlaſting comfort: for as Lord and Saviour are united in one Perſon, ſo in no action they are divided. So that the Lord does nothing to his Church without the Saviour, nor the Saviour without the Lord. We are not put upon the law whereof the Lord is Iudge, without libertie to appeale unto the Chancerie, where the Saviour ſittes Iudge. We may fall into bitter afflictions, and into the ſorrow of all ſorrowes, the perturbation of conſcience; and thinke that this is the Lords doing onelyonly, as if the Saviour had no hand in it: but theſe two never part. Diverſe men may doe diverſe things, but one Perſon can doe no action without himſelfe. Chriſt is Lord of all that thou haſt or art; and the Proprietary may doe what hee will with his owne: Give, or let, or ſet, or ſell. So thy diſconſolate heart may ſuſpect, that hee hath ſold thee to ſinne, to ſadneſſe, to ſickneſſe, to error; which be the Midianite merchants that buy up our Ioſephs, our ſoules. But this Saviour will never ſo deveſt his dominion, or deface his Lordſhip, as not to reſerve a power and will in himſelfe to redeeme thee, if thou wouldſt be redeemed. Our Lord may lend us out, and that even to Satan for a while: who will put us to drudgerie enough, and preſſe us to his owne warres, to fight againſt our friends and allies: as he hires ſouldiers out of England unto the Romiſh partie, to fight againſt their owne countrey, and (which is worſe) ſometime againſt their owne conſcience. Thus Paul was lent out to the Scribes and Phariſees, to ſerve them in their perſecutions: wherein he purſued thoſe members of Chriſt to the death, for whom afterwards he willingly loſt his life: So our Lord may lend us out. He may let us out for a time, to thoſe that will uſe us as farmers doe their grounds; plough us, and harrow us, and get the heart out of us, by their injuries and oppreſſions; and reſerve himſelfe but a little rent, a little glory in our patience. Thus he did let out Iob, to all the loſſes and croſſes, to all the ſores and ſorrowes, that the devill could bring upon him: So our Lord may let us out. He may mortgage us to a long ſickneſſe, that will drinke up our bloud, and waſt our marrow; or to a ſhorter but ſharper extremitie. Either to a three yeares famine, or to a three moneths invaſive hoſtilitie, or to a three dayes peſtilence: thus he mortgaged David and Hezekiah, two Kings and Saints: So he may mortgage us out. Our Lord may leaſe us out for certaine yeares, almoſt all the time we have in this world; and reſerve himſelfe onelyonly a laſt yeare, a laſt p. 1581day, a laſt houre; ſuffer us to continue in unrepented ſinnes, till we come to our death-beds, and then reclaime us. Thus Hee did leaſe out that Theefe till hee came to the very Croſſe: and then Satans time in him was expired, and Chriſts reverſion came in: So our Lord may leaſe us out. But howſoever He may ſeeme to make over his preſent eſtate, Hee will not ſell reverſions: Though wee have long been ſinners, He will not ſell his future Title to us. Whenſoever wee ſhall grow due to Him, by a new and true repentance, Hee will challenge his owne, and re-aſſume us into his favour, and re-enter us into his revenue. Our Lord will not part with us, our Saviour will not loſe us, nor ſhall we loſe Him for ever.

This Hee hath done for us, but now is there nothing to bee done for Him? Doth He require no duty at our hands? Yes, if Hee be our Lord, we have cauſerrMal. 1.6.Mal 1:6 to feare Him: if our Saviour, we are bound toſſ1 Cor. 16.22.1 Cor 16:22 love Him. Yea, we muſt doe both, and in both reſpects;ttPſal. 116.1.Ps 116:1 Love Him as our Lord, and feare Him as our Saviour. So Peter profeſſed to love Him, and by that very Name;uuIohn 21.15.John 21:15 Lord thou knoweſt that I love thee. He is to be feared, even as a Saviour; xxPſal. 130.4.Ps 130:4With thee there is forgiveneſſe that thou mayeſt be feared. Though thy friend be never ſo kind and loving, and apt to remit offences; yet thou haſt no ingenuous nature in thee, if thou doeſt not feare to diſpleaſe Him. There is a love that caſteth out feare, and there is a feare that caſteth out love. Hearty love baniſheth all baſe feare, and ſervile feare will be without hearty love. Theſe duetyes I might more liberally commend to your practiſe, but I come to that which I take to bee more appoſite. Theſe two Titles more eſpecially exact two other offices from us; Service and Faith. If He be our Lord, we are bound to ſerve Him: if our Saviour, to beleeve in Him. Whom will a man ſerve ſooner than a gracious Lord and Maſter? Whom will he truſt ſooner, than a mighty Friend and Saviour? As He is our Lord then, He lookes for our obedience: as our Saviour, Hee deſerves our confidence. Hee is both our Saviour, Clementia, mercifull to ſave us: and our Lord, Diſciplina, juſt to rule us.

1. Obedience muſt bee given to this Lord; which He reſpects more than Sacrifice:aaGreg. mor. Lib. 35. Quia in victimis caro aliena,, per obedientiam voluntas propria mactatur. Bethanie is ſaid to ſignifie the houſe of obedience: there dwelt Mary, and Martha, and Lazarus; the brother and his two ſiſters. By Lazarus wee may underſtand humble devotion, by Martha charitable workes, and by Mary penitent teares: but all theſe muſt dwell in Bethanie, in obedience, or elſe Chriſt will not come unto them, nor ſhall they come unto Chriſt. Humility, diligence, and repentance muſt keepe in Bethanie, and not looke to bee accepted without obedience. There ChriſtbbIohn 11.5.John 11:5 loves them all: out of that place it is to be doubted that they ſhall not finde ſuch a gracious reſpect from Him. Right obedience doth not regard Quale ſit quod praecipitur; but contents it ſelfe with this; Quia praecipitur. ccPſal. 39.9.Ps 39:9David was dumbe, becauſe the Lord did it: ſo let there be no diſpute, becauſe the Lord bad it. No grumbling at hard precepts, when we know the Commander. Hee that would rather have the command ſuted to the pleaſure of his obedience, than conforme his obedience to the pleaſure of the Commander, ſhewes himſelfe more a Lord than a ſervant. So Solon being asked whether he had given the Athenians the beſt lawes; anſwered, yea, the beſt of them that they would admitte. When wee looke that the Lord ſhould obſerve our humours in his Injunctions, rather than we yeeld to his Will in our pliableneſſe, doe we call this obedience? No, but My heart is ready, ſaies David: he is the better ſervant,ddBern. de praecept. & diſpenſ. Qui paratum ſe exhibet ante mandatum, quàm qui obedire ſatagit poſt mandatum. The ſame Father ſets downe this for a rule: In difficult precepts, the obedience is more acceptable, than the neglect is damnable: but in light commands, the omiſſion is more damnable, than the performance could be acceptable. We have a ſaying; He is unfit to be a Maſter, that hath not firſt learned to ſerve. Some thinke they know the art of obedience without any direction, and will undertake to teach, rather p. 1582than to learne: Nec ſe egere putant magiſtro, nec idonei ſunt magiſterio. But Chriſt Himſelfe waseePhil 2.9.Phil 2:9 factus obediens, before He was advanced to the honour of exaltation.ffHeb. 5.8.Heb 5:8 Though He were a Sonne, He became a Servant.

Our ſervice is required; for if there be none to ſerve Him, where is his Lordſhip? But Hee hath many: even Kings and Princes have thought it there greateſt honour, to be this Lord's ſervants: and valued this Title above their Crownes. Chriſtianus tertius, Rex Christianiſssmus, King of Denmarke, did alwayes uſe to confeſſe his ſinnes to one of Chriſts Miniſters on his bended knees: and without regard to matter of State or Soveraignty, deſired abſolution in all humility: at which the preciſer ſpirits of that reformed Church ſtormed: What, no difference betwixt a King and a Subject? Will he bring in Popery againe by his owne example? Hee unmoved replies, that hee ought this honour to God, and hee would duely pay it: that he muſt forget himſelfe to be a King, when he comes before the King of Kings: that hee preſented himſelfe, not as a princely Commander, but as a miſerable ſinner: and was abſolved, not of man, but of God. The feare of Popery muſt not ſupplant piety: wee plie our prayers, though wee doe it without beads: In ſtead of a ſuperſtitious bead, we let fall a teare. Wee relieve the poore with our goods, though we abhorre the opinion of merits. Wee come into the temple with reverence and devotion, though not with a ridiculous geſture and ſuperſtition. Wee have our publike, and perſonall faſts; wherein wee abſtaine from all ſuſtenance: not as they, who refraine from fleſh, and feed on junkers; wherewith their owne fleſh is more pamper'd: what is this, but (as it were) to coozen God almighty? We preſerve Chaſtity, though wee honour Matrimony. They are likely to bee more honeſt men, that have wives; than they that without wedlocke have their choice of Strumpets. Bleſſed be God, we are freed from the papall tyranny, but not from the excerciſe of vertue. They that live among us otherwiſe, Exuerunt quidem Antichriſti lora, ſed induerunt Satanae compedes: have ſhaken off the Popes cords and put on the Divels fetters. Our Saviour then hath not priviledged us from obedience to our Lord: nay, by this we know Him to be our Saviour. if as to our Lord, wee give Him all our ſervice.

2. Our Saviour requires faith; He was therefore ſent, that we ſhouldggIohn 3.16.John 3:16 beleeve in Him. As Alexander uſed to ſay of his two friends, Craterus and Hepheſtion; that Hepheſtion loved Alexander, and Craterus loved the King: yet they were both but one man: So obedience gives reſpect to our Lord, and faith gives reſpect to our Saviour; yet both looke to one and the ſame Chriſt. This is the tenure we hold Him by, Faith: and without this tenure, He is no Saviour of ours. His tenure of us is manifold, ours of Him but ſingle. We are his divers waies; by Creation, his Workemanſhip, becauſe Hee made us: by Redemption, his Purchaſe, becauſe He bought us: by Vocation, his Family, becauſe He hath admitted us: by Sanctification, his Inheritance, becauſe Hee poſſeſſeth us: by Glorification, we ſhall be of his Court, becauſe He will crowne us: every way his. He is but one way ours, onelyonly by Faith. This being then our Tenure, and (as Saint Paul cals it) ourhhHeb. 11.1.Heb 11:1 Evidence; it behooves us to looke well unto it. What doth our bleſſed Saviour require of us, for all his infinite favour to us? For all his bloud, and pangs, and torment, to redeeme us? For all his merits to enrich us? For all his graces, to adorne and honour us? For all his glory, wherewith He purpoſeth to crowne us? What doe He aske at our hands? No more but to beleeve on Him: It is a very eaſie requeſt: wee can doe little, if wee cannot put our truſt in Him, whom we have found ſo good unto us. It is a duety,iiChryſ. in Matth. 25.Matt 25 Quod nuda paupertas, deſpecta mediocritas, indocta ſimplicitas facile implere potest. Here is no wearying of the bones with labour, nor breaking of the braines with ſtudy, nor diſtraction of the minde with difficulty, nor emptying the purſe of money: no more but onelyonly beleeve. Thou needeſt not ſpend thy dayes in travell by land p. 1583or ſea; as men doe to the Weſt Indies for Gold, and to the Eaſt for Spices. Quod à te, & pro te repoſcitur, intra te eſt: with the heart a man beleeves. God hath laid up the meanes of thy ſalvation within thine owne boſome: Vt undè peccatum egreditur, indè & peccati medicina peteretur.

There be ſome that ſeeke it without them, in their good workes: theſe thinke, they can keepe the Lawes of the Lord, and never bee beholding to this Saviour. They would goe the old and naturall way to worke, Quid faciam? kkMatth. 19.16.Matt 19:16What ſhall I doe to inherite eternall life? They would walke, and worke, before they bee alive. They ſuppoſe, they ſhall not bee welcome, except they come with their coſt. They would accept of a pardon, if they might pay for it. But Chriſt ſcornes a mercinary beneficence: his gifts are free: He bids thee come and buy without money; or elſe He ſayes, Thou and thy money periſh. Did Chriſt indent with Zaccheus for reſtitution and almes? Or Paul bid the Iaylor firſt repent, and doe good workes, and then beleeve? I deny not that good workes are neceſſary; as being Fructus fidei, Effectus gratiae, & praecurſores gloriae; the followers of grace, and the forerunners of glory. But when the ſtrict Iuſtice of the Lord ſhall putte them in the ballance, they will be found too light: put in faith to them, and that makes them up full weight: for faiths ſake they are accepted, not for themſelves. It is reported that in times of blinde Popery, they uſed to paint Doomeſday on Church-wals, and God ſitting in Iudgement, and Saint Michael by Him, with a paire of ſcales in his hand, to weigh the ſoules as they came up. The ſoule, and her good deeds were put in one ballance: her ſinnes and evill deeds in the other; but the ſoule proved farre too light. Then was our Lady painted with a great paire of beads, caſting them into the light ballance, to make up the weight. That was a blaſphemous fiction: but indeed, if our good workes bee put in one ſcale, and our evill deeds in the other; this latter will much overpoiſe the former: but heere put in faith, and this makes it up: Not by it owne worth or weight, but becauſe it brings with it Chriſt, and all his righteouſneſſe: and puts in, not the mothers beads, but the Sonnes merits. This is that faith which makes Him our Saviour; and this that Ieſus which makes us all acceptable to God the Father, through the Sanctification of the holy Ghoſt our Comforter.

To whom be glory both now and for ever.] Chriſt is the Center: Grace from Him, Glory to Him. Bleſſings come from Him, like ſo many lines from the Center to the Circumference: Praiſes returne to Him, like ſo many lines from the Circumference to the Center. The former part of the Verſe was a Benediction from heaven to the earth: this latter, a benediction from earth to heaven. That was a gracious diſcent, this a glorious aſcent: Grace comes downe, Glory goes up. That was a contribution of benefits, this a retribution of thankes. In that appeared Chriſts bounty, in this mans duety. Creſcite in gratia; that is Gods good will to us; Tibi ſit Gloria; that is our good will to God. Hee hath given us all the happineſſe we have, and wee will give Him all the honour we can. They are unworthy of any favour, that doe not thanke their Benefactor. So our Apoſtle begins, and ends: hee begins with Grace from Him: Chap. 1.2.he concludes with Glory to Him. As He is Alpha, the Fountaine from which our Grace ſprings: ſo Omega, the ſea to which all Glory runnes. Primus, in the courſe of our bleſſedneſſe: and Noviſsimus, in the recourſe of our thankefulneſſe. Wee could never have been, much leſſe have been happy, but by Him: Hee can bee never the more glorious for us: yet Hee takes our gratitude in good part when wee give it, becauſe Hee ſees we would give more if we had it.

To him be glory: ſo S^t. Peter ſhuts up his Epiſtle: to him, and him onelyonly. Who can but wonder at the ſuperſtitious impietie, and audacious preſumption of the Romaniſts, in joyning another with him? So Bellarmine ſhuts up his controverſiall diſputes; and Tolet his commentary upon the Epiſtle to the Romanes, with Laus Deo omnipotenti, & glorioſiſsimae ejus Matri. So Pererius concludes, Laus Deo, & p. 1584Dei Genetrici, Mariae ſemper virgini: If we ſhould argue with them in cold bloud. Firſt, Did any of the Apoſtles thus conclude their Epiſtles! Doubtleſſe, they all honoured the virgin Mary; yet they durſt not give her the Divine glorie. Our Apoſtles doctrine is,dd1. Pet. 4.11.1 Pet 4:11 If any man ſpeake, let him ſpeake as the oracles of God. To joyne the Mother with the Sonne, in our prayers and praiſes, is not to ſpeake like the oracles of God. The Apoſtles did not ſpeake ſo, and yet they ſpake the oracles of God. They ſpake by the Spirit: but by what ſpirit doe they ſpeake, and according to what oracle of God, that divide his glory with another? Secondly, Though ſhe were the moſt excellent and moſt bleſſed creature on earth; yet ſhe is but a creature: and no creature muſt ſhare the glory of the creator. My glory, ſaith God, I will not give to another: and if to no other, then not to his owne mother. And if he will not give it, nor allow it; how dare we give it; without his allowance? When Chriſt was borne, the Angels ſung, Gloria in altiſsimis; to his Father above, not to his Mother below. Our bleſſed Saviour, as foreſeeing this ſuperſtition, and on purpoſe to prevent this inconvenience, thrice ſpake home againſt it.eeLuk. 2.49.Luke 2:49 How is it that you ſought me? roundly telling her, that ſhe hath forgot herſelfe in preſcribing him. To the woman that ſayd,ffLuk. 11.27.Luke 11:27 Bleſſed is the wombe that bare thee, he anſwered, Yea rather bleſſed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it. As if he would anticipate her conceit of that externall priviledge. She is ſtill a bleſſed creature, but not a Goddeſſe in being Mother of the Creator.ggMat. 12.50.Matt 12:50 He that doth my Fathers will, is my brother, and mother: There he ranketh her with other beleevers: His brother in the faith is as deare to him as his mother in the fleſh. Thirdly, Did the virgin Marie indict the matter they wrote? Did ſhe inſpire their minds, or direct their pennes? Why then, to her the glory? We never read that Chriſt did make her a partner in the Deitie: or proffer her, as Ahaſuerus did Heſter, orhhMar. 6.23.Mark 6:23 Herod his daughter in law, the halfe of his kingdome. The whole kingdome of glory is hers, and the whole glory of the kingdome: for that is Tantum ſingulis, quantum omnibus: But Chriſt hath another glory, proper to himſelfe, and not communicable to any creature: no Saint, nor Angel muſt be partner with him in this. Let this ſhew them, how they incurre the wrath of the Sonne, by the rivalitie of the mother: and therfore leave deifying the mother, and cleave onelyonly to the Sonne;

To him be glory.] In the words, which are generally a retribution of praiſe, there be fixe particulars; Quid, Cui, Vnde, Quomodo, Quando, and Quouſque.

1. Quid, what muſt be given; Glory: not a ſlight acknowledgement, but a franke and full payment: the beſt thing that man can give, and God can receive, Glory.

2. Cui, to whom this glory is due; To him, that is Chriſt: Not to the holyeſt or higheſt creature, but to the Lord and Saviour: and good reaſon. Firſt in regard of his bountie: he gives grace, and all good things; therfore deſerves thankes and glory. Next, in regard of his former humilitie: he that ſtooped ſo low for us, ſhould be highly advanced by us: ſo he deſerves glory.

3. Vnde, from whom muſt it come? This, though it be not expreſſed, is implyed: they that receive his grace, ſhould returne him glory. Wee have the one, therfore muſt not deny the other.

4. Quomodo, how muſt we give it? Firſt, by thankfulneſſe in our hearts; there hee ſees it: next by chanting it in our mouthes, that men may heare it: and laſtly by expreſſing it in our lives, that all may behold it.

5. Quando, when muſt it be rendred to him? Now, inſtantly, upon every occaſion offered. No action of his muſt paſſe us, without ſtirring up our hearts to give him the glory.

6. Quouſque, how long muſt this endure? For ever: This Incenſe muſt alwaies burne; to the end of the world, and world without end. In diem aternitatis. For ever.

p. 1585Firſt, what is this glory? Some reſolve it thus:iiAug. de definit. Gloria eſt frequens de aliquo 1fama cum laude: Other ſay it is Claro cum laudae laetitia. It is due onelyonly to vertue; and when it is caſt away upon unworthyneſſe, it is but like ſunne-ſhine upon a dunghill. It is another life to man: Secundam vitam dat gloria. The honour of good men overlives them, as bad men over live their honour.kkEccle. 15.9.Sir 15:9 Praiſe is unſeemely in the mouth of fooles; and as ill doth it become the backe of fooles. There be ſome that overvalve commendable acts; Qui de magnis majora loquuntur: a fault of exceſſe. Others under-rate them, and ſpeake of mountaines as of hillockes: a fault of diſparagement. It is a good rule, Parce laudare, vituperare parcius. There may be a commendation as much guilty of malice, as another is of flatterie. We ſay of the vulgar or popular mouth, that it is a doore without either locke or key: ſoone opened, but not ſo eaſily ſhut. Quicunque vult, intrat in ſtabulum, & ſolvit aſinum. Their tongue is a continuall pumpe, to fetch up the depth of their heart. I deny not, but all vertue is to be praiſed, and yet it is dangerous for a man to over-heare his owne praiſe. He that could have bene well contented without it, may yet be tranſported with it.llAug. ad Dioſcor. Facile eſt laude carere, dum negatur: difficile non delectari, cum offertur. If goodnes deſerves praiſe whereſoever it is, in any creature; then much more in Chriſt, who had it above meaſure, who is goodnes it ſelfe. If we ſo honour a beame, how much more the Sunne? If we ſo eſteeme of water in the ciſterne, in what account doe we hold the fountaine? There may be error, or danger, in praiſing of men: there can be neither in giving glory to God.

1. A man may be proud of praiſes; like the ſailes of a ſhippe, when they are puffed up with the winds. Many had bene better men, if they had never heard of their owne goodnes. Therfore the figtree would not be advanced above the trees, leſt it ſhould loſe the ſweetnes. But Chriſt can never be proud of his glory: all our praiſes come more ſhort of his merites, than earth can be from heaven in diſtance. To give him due honour, quomodo ſufficit loquens lingua, Greg. Mor.cum non ſufficiat obſtupeſcens conſcientia?

2. Men may be praiſed without juſt cauſe: the report of worthy acts breeds an admiration in common breſts, and admiration breakes foorth into praiſes. Many a gallant Commander hath bene famous for brave atchievements, by the report of his friends at home, that did ſervice little enough abroad. We have knowen ſome reputed very rich, that (every creditor being payed) have not bene worth a groat. The pure hypocrite is praiſed for an honeſt man: but they that once throughly try him, will never againe truſt him. But in Chriſt there is cauſe enough to be praiſed: He is fairer than all the ſonnes of men, than all the ſons of God. He is never the better for our honour; we are the better for his. Securitas laudis in laude Dei eſt: Vbi laudator ſecurus eſt? Vbi non timet, Auguſt.ne de laudato crubeſcat. Our praiſes may ſhew bad men good, or make good men bad. They that are wicked ſinners, may paſſe for honeſt Saints, through our commendation: And through our commendation, they that have good parts in them, may be puffed up with pride. We may magnifie men that are deſertleſſe; or extol others till they become deſertleſſe: And ſo by the one occaſion their ſhame, and by the other our owne ſinne. There is no feare of either, in giving glory to Chriſt.

3. We may praiſe men in flatterie: ſo the applauding of the hoſpitable houſholder, is the paraſites grace before dinner. Some have their common places of adulation; which they ſtudy over in ſtead of their prayers. Some obſerve the inclination and humour of their Patron, and flatter him in that moſt, wherein he thinkes himſelfe beſt. The arch-flatterer of a man is his owne ſelfe: him they follow as cloſe, as the ſhadow does the body. This is the way to catch rich fooles, not much unlike that odde deviſe of catching dotterells: Others will flatter a man in that, wherein he is moſt conſcious of his owne defect: As to perſuade a prodigall to the opinion of his thriftyneſſe: which is as if they ſhould tell p. 1586a creeple, that he goes very ſtraite. They intitle him to that he knowes he hath not, ſpretâ conſcientiâ. Yet there bee others that praiſe men to their ruine: ſo unſeaſonably doe they honour them, that they irritate contradiction, and procure ſcorne: for ſuch is the nature of envie, to fret and ſtorme at anothers glory. He that praiſeth his friend aloud, it ſhall bee to him no beeter than a curſe; ſaies the Proverbe. Thus you ſee, that in the praiſes of men there may be flatterie, or malice: which is laudanti peccatum, laudato praejudicium. None of theſe are incident to Chriſt: hee cannot bee flattered: No praiſes are hyperbole's, where infinite goodneſſe is the ſubject. For all the glorie wee give him, hee cannot thinke the better of himſelfe, he may thinke the better of us. Nor can our praiſes doe him any prejudice, for he feares no rivalls.mmAug. in quadam Epist. Alij laudant, & falſi ſunt: alij laudantur, & ficti ſunt: alij credant, & vani ſunt. None of theſe weakeneſſes can occurre to God: therefore let us praiſe him, and ſpare not. Our mouth may run over with the praiſes of men, of Chriſts it can never be full enough.

4. Man may be praiſed for that which is not his: as if wee ſhould honour the groome for a lord, becauſe he rides upon his Lords horſe. Nothing is commendable in any man, but that which is given him, and ſo given that it cannot be taken away. Our noble blood which we had from our progenitors, may bee attainted in our ſelves. Our riches are called the goods of Fortune; and it is a ſtrange fortune, if they tarry with us. Beautie is a ſpoile for ſickneſſe, ſtrength for old age, life it ſelfe for death. Thou haſt faire lands; yet the earth thou treadeſt upon, ſhall tread upon thee.nn1 King. 19 17.1 Kgs 19:17 Him that eſcapeth the ſword of Hazael, ſhall Iehu ſlay; and him that eſcapeth the ſword of Iehu, ſhall Eliſha ſlay: but him that eſcapeth them all, ſhall death ſlay. Quid ſtultius quàm in homine aliena laudare? wee have nothing which wee can call our owne, but our ſinnes: and who will commend us for that, wherein we juſtly condemne our ſelves? But wee need not feare to praiſe Chriſt; for he hath nothing but that which is properly his owne.ooRom. 11.36.Rom 11:36 Who hath given him ought? For of him, and through him, are all things: to him bee glory. That very glory we give him, was his owne before: he hath it, we doe but acknowledge it. The heart that wiſheth it, is his: the lips that ſpeake it, are his: the ſoule and body that expreſſe it, are his:pp1 Cor. 6.19, 20.1 Cor 6:191 Cor 6:20 Ye are not your owne: but glorifie God in your body and ſpirit, for they are Gods. Wee doe but bring him Cluſters of his owne Vine. Indeed, time was when hee received ſomething from us, which never was his owne; but moſt certaine, hee was little beholden to us for it.qqEſai. 53.4.Isa 53:4 Hee tooke our griefes, and bore our ſorrowes: Hee tooke them, but wee know they were not worth the taking. He accepted our burden, but the bearing of it coſt him his life. Thus he did both take the ſinnes, rrIoh. 1.29.John 1:29and take away the ſinnes of the world. When we transferre them upon his Croſſe, he ownes them ſtill: and to acquit us, interpoſeth himſelfe to that infinite Iuſtice: As if hee ſaid unto his Father, Theſe ſinnes are not theirs now, but mine. Thus he hath ſomething of ours, which was not his owne, for he had no ſinne of his owne: if he had had, what ſhould he have done with ours? But there is no good thing, which is not his owne: and wee give him but his owne, when we give him glory. Glory therefore bee to him: to Him, as our Lord, the Higheſt: to Him, as our Saviour, the ſweeteſt. Glory is only fit for Him, and he onelyonly is fit for glory. If wee place this Divine glory any where elſe, we place it amiſſe: in Peere or Prince, wee are wrong: in Saint or Angell, we are not right: It does not like the ubi, and will not tarry. Glory and honour know him for their owne Center; and will never bee quiet, till they come to the Throne of Chriſt.

This makes to their juſt condemnation, that deſpiſe Chriſt; that in ſtead of Glory, returne him contempt.ſſ1 Sam. 2.30.1 Sam 2:30 Them that honour me, I will honour: and they that deſpiſe me, ſhall be lightly esteemed. But be there any ſuch deſpiſe-Chriſts? Too many; not onelyonly the whole world of Pagans, but even ſome that beare the Name of Chriſtians. Wherein ſtands this contempt, that we may avoid it?

p. 15871. In not regarding the knowledge of Chriſt, nor beleeving his Word. If I tell you, yet ye will not beleeve me. Is it not ſo ſtill? Our hearers ſeeme attentive all the Sermon, till the Preacher lights on a point that trenches upon their commoditie: then I have obſerved them to hang downe their heads in diſcontent, to pull their hattes in their eyes, to turne over the leaves of their unminded Bibles, or to talke with their pew-fellowes: As if the Preachers tongue on a ſudden was become a Meduſa's head, to turne them all into ſtones. Then they whiſper, or perhaps, jeere: is not this to deſpiſe Chriſt?ttLuk. 10.16.Luke 10:16 Hee that deſpiſeth you, deſpiſeth mee: and he that deſpiſeth me, deſpiſeth him that ſent me. Is there any glory to him, without honour to his Word? Does any man amongſt you, thinke the Company honours him, when they will not beleeve him? Out upon that ſame golden devill, that Diana of the Epheſians; for it deſtroies many ſoules! So we cannot preach againſt ſacriledge, this Cities Copy-hold; but as if the Booke of God had no ſuch Text in it, you ſcorne the Preacher.uuMal. 3 8.Mal 3:8 You have robbed me in tithes and offerings, ſaith God by his Prophet Malachi. A Text then it hath in evidence, and guilty men are in their owne Conſcience: but here is the reſolution of it; Though Chriſt tell you ſo, yet you will not beleeve him. And there is a ſly ſchiſmaticke, a corrupt collapſed lawyer, to counſell you, like that unjuſt ſteward to his lords debters;xxLuk. 16.6.Luke 16:6 for an hundred to write downe fifty. But you will finde in that dreadfull day, when you ſtand naked and trembling before the great Tribunall; that this was to coozen Chriſt of his proprietie, not to give him glory. This is one contempt.

2. Another is, to forget his benefits. The thought of his bleſſings is out of our minde, as ſoone as the taſte is out of our mouth. The firſt thing that the devill ſtole from Eve was her memory.aaGen. 2 16.Gen 2:16 Of every tree of the garden thou maiest freely eate: this freedome ſhe forgat. But of the tree of Knowledge thou ſhalt not eate: this prohibition ſhe would not remember.bbPſal. 103.2.Ps 103:2 Bleſſe the Lord, O my ſoule, and forget not all his benefits. Can wee move, and forget him in whom wee move? The lepers were no ſooner clenſed, but gone: onelyonlyccLuk. 17.18.Luke 17:18 one of the ten returned with his mite of glory: the reſt turned their backes, and away, without bidding Chriſt farewell. Such men, when they are hungry, may thinke themſelves beholden to God for victuals: but once full, they forget to give him thankes. This is contempt, for glory.

3. In perceiving Chriſt diſhonoured, without once being moved. As the chiefe Prieſts anſwered Iudas; ddMat. 27.4.Matt 27:4What is that to us? So wee heare Blaſphemers teare Chriſt, and more than betray, even ſhed his innocent bloud, digging into his ſide with oathes; yet we ſay, What is that to us? We might as well ſay, what is Chriſt to us? What is heaven to us? Or what is ſalvation to us? Indeed, to us the one cannot bee, without the other. Wee ſhall never have part of his glory in heauen, if we doe not take his glories part upon earth.eeIudg. 5.23.Judg 5:23 Curſe yee Meroz, becauſe they helped not the Lord in the day of battell. They did not maintaine his honour here below, they are curſed and excluded from his honour there above.ffAct. 18.15.Acts 18:15 So Gallio; If it be a question of words, and names, and of your law, looke yee to it: for I will be no Iudge of ſuch matters. If the buſines concerne words, that concernes Chriſt, what does it concerne us? Wee will not meddle with it. It is good ſleeping in a whole skinne: yet hee that hath an ulcer, thinkes it better ſleeping in a broken.ggPſa. 139.21.Ps 139:21 Doe not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? Shall I heare my Saviour abuſed, and hold my peace? No Lord, if we doe not now ſtand for thee, we ſhall never be able at the laſt day to ſtand before thee. This is another contempt.

4. Not to be affected with the injuries of his Church.hhPſal. 68.1.Ps 68:1 O Lord, let them that hate thee, flee before thee: let thine enemies be ſcattered. Why, be there any profeſt enemies to God? Yes,iiPſal. 2.2.Ps 2:2 The kings of the earth ſet themſelves against the Lord. If they bee enemies to his Church, they are ſo to him. Quod vobis mihi; holds with Chriſt, whether in good or evill done to his members. He that wilfully p. 1588wounds my finger, is my foe. If the miſeries of our brethren doe not move us, we have not all one Head, nor be members of the ſame Body.kkIudg. 21.3.Judg 21:3 Why is this come to paſſe, that there ſhould be to day one Tribe lacking in Iſrael? We have been cut off by whole Tribes, and the bloud of Chriſts members hath runne about the ſtreets, and fallen like deaw upon the fields: if our hearts were not ſet a bleeding for it, Chriſt takes it as a contempt done to Himſelfe.

5. In vilipending his ſervants. Is it not a contempt done to Princes, the miſuſing of their Ambaſſadors?llExod. 16.8.Exod 16:8 Who are we? Your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord. In which expoſtulation, Moſes both condemnes them of injuſtice; for it was not he, but the Lord that afflicted them: and of preſumption, in murmuring againſt Him that was able to confound them. In the one, he would have them ſee their wrong: in the other, their danger. As the act came not from Him, but from God: ſo he puts it off to God; from himſelfe: Why murmur yee against the Lord? The oppoſition which is made to the Inſtruments of God, redounds ever to his Perſon. Hee holds Himſelfe ſmitten through the ſides of his Miniſters. So hath God incorporated theſe reſpects, that our ſubtlety cannot divide them. O how hath this Nation loſt her glory, in denying of honour to the Miniſters of Chriſt? It ſtinkes even to them, that are the ſtench of the Chriſtian world: of whom God might ſay with holy Iob, thatmmIob 30.1.Job 30:1 He ſcorned to ſet them with the Dogges of his flocke. Downe goes the Goſpell, that the Law may riſe: the pride of that numerous generation is built upon the ruines of the Church. Firſt, thoſe ſacrilegious ſinners make us poore, and then wonder that we are not rich. I hope they have ſo much Latine, as to underſtand that Neceſsitas cogit ad turpia: Learning would have maintenance, or elſe it is in danger to be miſchievous. Where witte and poverty meet, they ſeldome make up an honeſt man. This was the ground of that ſcandalous Bill, put up againſt Miniſters: by conſequence they force us to a ſcandalous life, and then for a ſcandalous life they cenſure us. They throw us into the Lions denne, and have not ſo much mercy, like Darius to Daniel, as to ſay,nnDan. 6.16.Dan 6:16 God helpe us. This is to turne Chriſts Glory into contempt. There is no Citie that more prides it ſelfe in bounty to Miniſters, than this: you hold your ſelves the beſt Benefactors: but no man of underſtanding will beleeve you: eſpecially that obſerves how you have robbed the Churches neſt, and ſtollen away her birds by ſacriledge, and then ſtucke downe a feather of your Benevolence.

6. Not to flie unto God in our diſtreſſe: this Hee takes for a great indignity. Indeed, what can bee worſe, than to forſake God for Baal, God for Belial, Chriſt for the world?ooIer. 2.13.Jer 2:13 They forſake the living Fountaine, for broken cisternes. Carnall men will make any ſhift, rather than trouble God: in their ſorrowes they never looke ſo high as Chriſt: ſome lower reſpects take up their thoughts. They complaine that the wind hath ſpoiled their fruits, the raine hath drowned their fields, a Surfet hath made them ſicke, the Oppreſſor hath undone them. This is all they regard; to blame fortune, or curſe their enemies, or perhaps to taxe themſelves of overſight: as if there could be any evill in the city, and God had not done it. ppExod. 16 3.Exod 16:3The Iſraelites want breadin the wilderneſſe, and repine, Would to God we had dyed by the hand of the Lord in Egypt. And if they muſt die by famine, whoſe hand was this? Was it not God, that reſtrained his Creatures from them? We can ſee God in his immediate Iudgements, but not in thoſe whoſe ſecond cauſes are ſenſible: yet he holds himſelfe equally intereſſed in all. It is but one hand, though divers inſtruments, wherewith wee are ſmitten. The water may not loſe the name, though it come by chanels and pipes from the ſpring. It is the want of Faith, that inviſible meanes, keepes us from ſeeing Him that is inviſible. Iob does not cry out on the Sabeans, Chaldeans, on the winde or fire, that they had undone him: he lookes higher, and ſees another hand above theirs:qqIob 1.21.Job 1:21 The Lord hath taken away: bleſſed be the Name of the Lord. Affliction is a Meſſenger ſent on purpoſe, to remember us of p. 1589our Maker: then to forget Him, is a manifeſt contempt. Now every contempt in examined according to the degree of the Perſon againſt whom it is done. To Parents, unnaturall: to Princes, rebellious: to God, moſt hainous: this is the higheſt degree of contempt that can bee. In all theſe reſpects wee ſinne: the world is full of the contempt of God and his Chriſt: where then is his Glory? If wee will not be ſo kinde to Him; as to honour his Name with Glory: yet let us not bee ſo unkinde to Him, as to ſoile it with ignominy. The Lord hath contempt too, in ſtore for ſuch:rrPſal. 2.4.Ps 2:4 He that ſits in heaven, will laugh them to ſcorne; ſſProv. 1.26.Prov 1:26and mocke at their calamity. Were they no leſſe than Princes, that deſpiſe Him; Hee will powre contempt upon Princes, 1 Sam. 2.30. Hee firſt offers honour: to inflict ſhame, He is driven to it. It is,ttMat. 25.34.41.Matt 25:34Matt 25:41 Come yee Bleſſed of my Father: but Goe yee Curſed, not by my Father, but by your owne ſinnes. O, let us give Him all Glory upon earth, that He may give us his Glory in Heaven.

Next, Cui, to Him. Chriſt is the beſt good to us, therefore Hee requires the 2beſt good from us. God could give no better thing to us than Chriſt, nor can we returne a better gift to Chriſt than Glory. It is the reflection of his owne beauty; the glaſſe wherein He ſees his owne face. Though from us it be dimme, dull, and imperfect, like the ſmall pieces of a broken looking-glaſſe: yet it is all the repreſentation of his divine Excellencie, which our love and thankefulneſſe can finde out: the higheſt honour, that either Chriſt can receive, or man can give, is Glory. This is no ſlight or common acknowledgement: not a Glory Inter, among the ſonnes of men; but Super, above all, men and Angels.uuPhil. 2.9.Phil 2:9 God hath given him a Name above all names: ſo Hee exalted him; good reaſon, ſo ſhould we. He expects it; let not us fruſtrate his expectation. Not that he hungers for it: his beames are not the leſſe bright, becauſe we doe not commend their ſhining. No interpoſition of our neglect, can put that glorious Sunne into an ecclypſe. Our praiſing of him is but holding of a candle to the Sunne, in reſpect of any addition of light.xxAuguſt. in Ioh. Bonum laudare, non laudato, ſed laudantibus prodeſt. Not Hee, but we are the better by it. It were a ſilly Conceit to imagine of God, that he is Auidior gloriae: for what good can it doe him? But this is all we have to give him, and we muſt give him this or nothing.aaPſal. 116.13.Ps 116:13 What can we render him for all his benefites, but praiſes to his Name? David could find nothing els: if he could, he would not have grudged it. Chriſt hath deſerved this glory at our hands in many deare reſpects.

1. He gives us all our temporall bleſſings: what good thing have we, which came not from him? Children, thoſe deare pieces of ourſelves, thoſe living and ſurviving relicts of our bodies and names when we are dead:bbPſal. 127.3.Ps 127:3 they are the heritage of the Lord, and the fruit of the wombe is his reward. Honour: that advancing of our heads above the vulgar, is his gift:cc2. Sam. 12.8.2 Sam 12:8 I gave thee thy Maſters houſe and crowne. Thou ſitteſt in a high place; who lifted thee up thither? Who promoted thee to this honour? Promotion comes not from the eaſt, nor from the weſt, but from the Lord. Riches are alſo his gift: Nature reaches out her hand, and gives us corne, and wine, and oile, and milke; but Chriſt doth fill the hand of nature, and then doth open the hand of nature, that ſhe may raine downe her ſhowers upon us. Induſtrie reaches out her hand to us, and gives us the fruite of our labours; an eſtate raiſed by our endevours, to our ſelves and our poſteritie after us: but Chriſts hand doth guide the hand of induſtrie, as a maſter directs a child to write. Hee governes our hand when it ſowes, and when it waters, and ſtill all the encreaſe is from him. Friends reach out their hands to preferre us; but the hand of Chriſt ſupports their hands, that ſupport us.ddGen. 39.11.Gen 39:11 God gave Ioſeph favour in the eyes of his keeper: andeeGen. 43.14.Gen 43:14 Iacob prayed for his ſonnes, that they might find favour in the eyes of Ioſeph. As we cannot ſee God heere, but in a glaſſe: ſo we cannot receive from him but by reflection, and by inſtruments. Even caſuall things come from him: and that which we call Fortune here, hath another name above. Friends uſe to give one p. 1590another tokens of love, for the renewing of their memories in abſence; as a ring with a poeſy in it; When this you ſee, remember mee: All the bleſſings of Chriſt are ſo many tokens of his love to us: we cannot open our eyes, but we muſt ſee thoſe tokens: nay we cannot ſhut our eyes, but even the ſleepe and reſt that followes, is a token of his favour:ffPſal. 127.1.Ps 127:1 So he giveth his beloved ſleepe. Have we ſo many tokens, that we forget them all? Or rather, Chriſt in them all? When the charitable man gave his poore God-ſon a Lambe for a Cade, he was thankfull to him, and would duely aske him bleſſing: but when his ſtocke began to encreaſe, and he had gotten a numerous flocke of ſheepe, hee grew ſo rich and proud, that hee ſcorned to aske his God-father bleſſing any more. He that could remember his Benefactor in one favour, in many ſlighted him. As wee wiſh there was one Statute more, to enforce the keeping of all the reſt: ſo would to God, Chriſt would conferre upon us one grace more, which might move us to give him glory for all the other. If we can ſo paſſe over theſe common tokens of his favour, yet there is a Ring by which we muſt needs remember him; a wedding ring, and that with a poeſie in it;gg1. Cor. 11.25.1 Cor 11:25 Doe this in remembrance of me. Let us never ſee this ring, without remembring the charge that goes with it: It is the ſeale-ring of our marriage: for ſhame let us not forget our husband.

2. He gives us all grace, therefore he merites all glory. Grace in the former part of the verſe, that is his donation? Glory in the latter part, that is our retribution. What can Chriſt give us here better than grace? And what can we render him better than glory? The former doth require the latter, but the latter cannot requite the former. All our praiſes, could we ſing them in the voice of Angels, could not make amends for his leaſt bountie to us. Yea this very aſcription of glory, is but the effect of grace: we could not ſo much as praiſe him for our bleſſings unles he did bleſſe us with thankfull hearts.hhMat. 5.16.Matt 5:16 Let your light ſhine: yet the candle cannot ſhine, except it be lighted. Our hearts muſt firſt take fire at his grace, before our workes can ſhine to his glory. The one is inſeparable from the other: if Chriſt have not glory by us, the grace of Chriſt is not in us. In the ſame meaſure are we gracious, that wee deſire to make him glorious. If wee doe but honour him as the world doth we have no more grace than the world hath. But then have we the grace of Saints, when wee deſire and endevour to magnifie him as doe the Saints. It is his goodneſſe to ſanctifie us, and it is our office to glorifie him. As the ſappe in the roote maintaines the tree, and the tree brings forth and ſuſtaines the fruite, and the fruite acknowledges the ſappe in the roote. It is the honour of his grace to us, that gives us the grace to honour him.

3. He gives us glory, therefore it is fitte that wee ſhould give glory to him. I doe not meane onelyonly the honour of this world, which is alſo his gift.iiAct. 12.21.Acts 12:21 As Herod had not onelyonly the glory of a kingdome, but alſo of great wiſedome. A king they knew him before, now they take him for a Philoſopher, or ſome excellent Orator. Sitting on his Throne, they onelyonly ſaw vultum regis: but when he had ended his ſpeech, they thought they heard vocem Dei. Neither had Pharaoh ſo advanced Ioſeph, nor Ahaſuerus ſo honoured Mordecai, if they had not bene deſtined to this by the purpoſe of God. Whoſoever be the inſtrument, it is Chriſt that giveth the advancement. But this is a glory which he communicates even to reprobates: there is a higher glory reſerved for the Saints. It is ſome glory to be a man: his very dominion over the creatures is called ankkPſal. 8.6.Ps 8:6 honour, More glory to be a king: and yet more ſtill, to be a Chriſtian, and ſuch a Chriſtian as is a Saint. A man hath command over the irrationall creatures:llIam. 3.7.Jas 3:7 the whole nature of them is tamed by him. mmRom. 13.1.Rom 13:1A king hath command over men, all thoſe rationall creatures that be his ſubjects. A Saint hath command over his owne luſts and paſſions; a higher ſoveraignetie than all the reſt. Men may have the ſervice of the creatures, kings the ſervice of men, Saints have the attendance of Angels. p. 1591nnPſal 91.11.Ps 91:11Angelis mandavit; ooPſal. 149.9.Ps 149:9Such honour have all his Saints. All this glorie doth Chriſt give us in this world: good reaſon therefore that wee ſhould returne glory to him. One good turne askes another: glory requires glory: wee cannot in equitie doe leſſe.

But Chriſt hath another manner of glory in ſtore for us:ppLuk. 12.32.Luke 12:32 It is his pleaſure to give us a Kingdome. qqIoh. 17.22.John 17:22And the glory which thou gavest me, I have given them. Wee have a great glory here, but it is ab intus: rrPſa. 43.13.Ps 43:13The kings daughter is all glorious within. There above, it ſhall be alſo externall and viſible: for theyſſDan. 12.3.Dan 12:3 ſhall ſhine as the ſtarres. Our very bodies ſhall be made glorious: they are tt1 Cor. 15.43.1 Cor 15:43ſowne in corruption, but raiſed in glory: uuPhil. 3.21.Phil 3:21faſhioned like Christs owne glorious body. Hee that will give all this glory to us, may well looke for glory from us. Alas, what is the glory we give him, in compariſon of that he gives us? The glory hee gives us is reall: that we give him, is but votall: He gives us as great glory as we can wiſh: wee can but wiſh him the glory which hee hath. Hee gives us as much glory as wee are capable of: wee cannot bee ſo bountifull to him, for hee is infinite. Our wiſh cannot make him glorious, his will makes us ſo. His is operative, ours but optative. Ours is Cum affectu, in deſire: his cum effectu, in performance. The glory wee give him, is ex merito; he hath deſerved it: wee cannot deſerve the glory he gives us, but it is onelyonly ex beneplacito, of his owne free favour. He needs not give it unto us, we are bound to returne it unto him. His is voluntary, ours neceſſary: wee can challenge no glorie from him, hee may challenge all glory from us. If he gives us none, we cannot blame him of unkindneſſe: if we give him not all, we are guilty of unthankfulneſſe. There is obligation enough in his bountie to us, to binde us to give all glorie to him.aaPſal. 33.1.Ps 33:1 It becommeth well the just to be thankfull: it becomes receivers to praiſe their benefactors. Our humilitie and dependance upon God ſhewes it ſelfe in this gratefull acknowledgement, that to Chriſt we are beholden for all things.bbPſal. 147.1.Ps 147:1 It is good to ſing praiſes unto the Lord: it is pleaſant, and praiſe is comely. It is pleaſant to God, and it is good to us: both for procurement of the good we want, and for the continuance of the good we have.

Wee almoſt deifie the Artiſt, that hath made ſome curious and admirable piece: and if any man hath delivered his countrey from great dangers, his name is honoured in our Chronicles. Chriſt hath made the world, that magnificent ſtructure: and made man (as it were) the Worlds lord and maſter; and does he not deſerve glorie? Can wee conſider the heavens, and not ſay,ccPſal. 8.9.Ps 8:9 O Lord, how excellent is thy Name in all the earth? Chriſt hath delivered us from all our enemies, ſinne, death, hell, the devill; and made usddRom. 8.37.Rom 8:37 more than Conquerours over them, that were no leſſe than tyrants over us; and does hee not deſerve glorie? Paul could not ſpeake of this merciemercy without theeeGal 1.5. Eph. 3.21.Gal 1:5Eph 3:21 ſubjunction of glorie. When wee conſider how little good, and how much evill wee deſerve at his hands: When wee conſider how little evill, and how much good wee receive at his hands; can wee doe leſſe than give him glorie? Chriſts benefits are good ſeed, but they fall upon barren ground, if they doe not proſper to his glory.ffHoſ. 2.9.Hos 2:9 I gave them corne, wine, and oile, multiplied their ſilver and gold: but they prepared it for Baal: There was God and Iſrael; God the Founder, and Iſrael the confounder: as ſhe gives his glory to Baal, ſo will he give away her plentie to famine. Such is our caſe: Chriſt raines downe Manna; wee gather it, and eate it, and ſcarce ever thinke from whence we had it. We can eaſily remember to wiſh for what we want, but we forget to give thankes for what we have. But one of thoſe ten lepers clenſed,ggLuk. 17.17.Luke 17:17 returned with thankes: it is ten to one, if any give glory to God. Lucke, or wit, or friend; one thing or other ſtill lies in our way, and takes up Chriſts glorie ere it can come at him. Iob was ſo poore, that he had not a Lambe left to offer in ſacrifice: yet even then was he rich, becauſe God had taken them all away in one entire oblation, one holocauſt or burnt ſacrifice: For the fire p. 1592that burnt up his ſheepe, is ſaid to come from Heaven, and it is called thehhIob 1.16.Job 1:16 fire of God. Yet after all was gone, and Iob had nothing left to offer him, hee offered up himſelfe, he did glorifie God; Bleſſed be his Name. It is not ſo with us; we are not ſo poore: Nondum ad ſterquilinium redacti ſumus, we are not brought to the dunghill: Nondum verſa est in cineres Troia, our ſtate does not lie in duſt and aſhes: we have wherewithall to glorifie Chriſt. OnelyOnly there bee three letters wanting in our Alphabet, which ſpell the beſt part of us, COR: theſe hath the world torne out, or obliterated: If we could put them into their place againe, all would be right: the glorie of Chriſt ſhould ſhine forth moſt brightly, and in all things ſhould he be honoured.iiRom. 11.36.Rom 11:36 For of him are all things, and for all things to him be glorie.

4. Chriſt is moſt lovely, and therefore deſerves glory. Omne pulchrum glorioſum. He iskkPſal. 45.2.Ps 45:2 fairer than the ſonnes of men: Not as carnall hearts eſteeme of beautie, by their ſenſe and fancie: So the covetous may thinke him lovely, becauſe he is rich and bountifull: they wiſh not the riches of his grace, but to be graced with his riches; as if he were Mammon, the god of gold.llMat. 5.6.Matt 5:6 If hee did proffer riches, when he proffers righteouſneſſe, they would bring good ſtomackes, hunger and thirſt enough. So the Epicure may thinke him lovely, becauſe he alwaies keepes pleaſant cheare in his houſe:Sen. Sectator Epularum, non de bene vivente, ſed de bene paſcente, laudabilem profert ſententiam. If the wine he ſpeaks of were the juyce of the grape, he could not want cuſtomers. It is the brutiſh errour of men, to thinke the incomprehenſible God like that thing, which beſt pleaſeth their ſenſuall appetite. So it is thought, that if the irrationall creatures could draw a picture of the Divine Nature, they would make their owne ſhape the copy. The Lacedemonians, becauſe they were of a warlike diſpoſition, and given to martiall affaires, preſented all the ſtatues of their gods armed, like Commanders and Souldiers. The Egyptians did worſe; for they painted the Angels blacke, and the devils white: but it was in favour of their owne complexion, becauſe themſelves were blacke. So wealthy worldlings may praiſe Chriſt for his riches, and ſecular kings admire him for his Soveraigntie, and voluptuous men magnifie him for his pleaſures.Sen. But thoſe be groſſe and muddy conceptions: a good man would not be ſo commended. Sit tibi tam triste, laudari a turpibus, quàm ſi lauderis ob turpia. I dare not altogether conſent with the Philoſopher in that: for men may be good, and yet praiſed of the evill. Bonum est laudari, ſed praestantius eſſe laudabilem. But the children of faith ſee Chriſts beautie with other eies: they behold him as the Lord and Giver of life, as the Fountaine of all Grace, as the Perfection of all Happineſſe, as a mercifull King that ſmiles upon humble ſuters, as a Lambe that ſhed his owne bloud to redeeme us, as a glorious Sunne of favour and pitie, that dries up all the teares of Repentance, as the God of Peace and Comfort, that protects us on earth, and will for ever crowne us in heaven. This is another motive to inflame our hearts, with a deſire to exalt his glory, and to praiſe his Name, becauſe he is lovely.