Commentary on 2 Peter, Commentary on 2 Peter volume 1 · Chapter 1 · Verse 3
Ver. 3. According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertaine to life and godlineſſe, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and vertue.
THe Connexion ſhall bee forborne a little, and give way to the diſtribution. The whole Verſe may bee diſtinguiſhed into two generalls; the Fountaine; wherein obſerve the
Hope of the Petitioner; According as he hath.
Abilitie of the Giver; Divine power.
Libertie of the Action; Hath given.
Neceſſity of the Receivers; VntoUnto us.
Vniverſality of the Gift; All things that pertaine to life and godlineſſe.
Ceſterne; wherin obſerve the
Water of life; wherein conſider
Who; God.
What; Hath called.
Whom; VsUs.
Whether; To glory and vertue.
Pipe or Bucket to draw and derive all to us; Through the knowledge of him.
The whole being thus let fall into parts, let us proceed orderly to take up the firſt, and view it. This is the hope of the Petitioner; which with a remarkeable de pendance knits this Verſe with the former; and begetteth this doctrine from the Coherence. The experience of former merciemercy, workes a perſwaſion of future merciemercy. The Apoſtle deſired the multiplying of their grace and peace; and he grounds it on this hope, becauſe the LORD hath already given them much. He hath begun, therefore he truſts that he will finiſh. There is no ſtronger argument of Gods infallible readineſſe to grant our requeſts, than the experience of his former conceſſions. So David reaſons.1 Sam. 17.37. The Lord that delivered me from the Lion and the Beare, will deliver me out of the hand of this Philiſtine. This is argumentum a priori, the voice of a ſtrong faith, that perſwades the conſcience God will be gracious to him, becauſe he hath beene gracious. The Prophet thus often comforted his ſoule:lPſ…l. 4.1. Thou Oh God, haſt inlarged me, when I was in diſtreſſe, therefore have merciemercy upon me, and heare my prayer. So Pſalme 86.13. Thou haſt delivered my ſoule from the loweſt hell: therefore Verſe 16. O turne unto me, and have merciemercy upon me. Let the Iuſtitiaries deduce arguments from their owne preſent merits, my ſoule from Gods former mercies. Thou, O Lord, madeſt me good, reſtoredſt me when I was evill, therefore have merciemercy upon me miſerable ſinner, and give me thy ſalvation. Thus Paul grounded his aſſurance; becauſem2 Tim. 4.17. the LORD had ſtood with him, and delivered him out of the Lions mouth; therefore the Lord ſhall deliver me ſtill from every evill worke, and preſerve me unto his heavenly kingdome. Hence was his Novi, I know whom I have beleeved. The Prophets diſtreſſed ſoule cryed;nPſal. 77.7. Will the Lord caſt off for ever? is his merciemercy cleane gone for ever? hath God forgotten to be gratious? No, he recollects himſelfe, Ver. 10. with the memorie of precedent favours; I will remember the yeeres of the right hand of the moſt High; I will remember the workes of the Lord, and his wonders of old. Man uſeth to reaſon thus; I have beene good to ſuch a one, therefore hee need not exact upon me, and over-burden my kindneſſe. God thus; I have beene liberall, therefore I will be liberall; multa dedit, ſed plura daturus. To him ſhall be given; becauſe the good he hath, is but an earneſt of Gods greater bountie. He takes up mans ſoule as a poore beggar at his doore, ſtrips off her tattered ragges, gives her a ſute out of her owne wardrobe, adornes her with rich Iewels, and then as if all this were too little, loves her ſtill better and better; laſtly marries her to his owne ſonne, and ſo intereſts her to the inheritance of glory. You ſee the foundation of the Apoſtles prayer, the experience of Gods ſweet nature; who multiplies his graces. Let not this point part with us, till it hath taught us two things: to pray faithfully, and to live thankfully.
1 Let us pray in confidence that God will heare us, becauſe he hath heard us.oHebr. 4 16. Come we boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtaine merciemercy. Gods facilitie in his wonted grants, gives us ſtrong conſolation. A noble Princeſſe asked a Courtier, when he would leave begging: he anſwered, when ſhe left giving. God never ceaſeth to give, let us never ceaſe to begge. Who can goe with more courage to the King, than the man experienced of his goodneſſe? But if we be ſo confident, how comes it to paſſe, that we ſometimes faile of our ſutes, and returne denied. I anſwer, the defect is in our ſelves; God is the ſame in bountie, but we are not the ſame in dutie. Wee aske either Mala, or Malè; either bad things to a good purpoſe, or good things to a bad purpoſe.
Evill things, either evill in themſelves, or to the petitioners: in themſelves one calls Prayer Petitio decentium, a Requeſt of convenient things. What a good father will not give, let a good ſonne not aske;pMatth. 7.9. not a ſerpent inſtead of a fiſh, nor a ſtone for bread. We muſt not begge a ſerpent, leſt it ſhould hurt our ſelves, nor a ſtone, leſt we ſhould hurt others. Non petitur in nomine Salvatoris, quod petitur contra rationem ſalutis. Auguſt. That is not requeſted in the name of our Saviour, that is requeſted againſt the rule of ſalvation. The Diſciples asked many things, and had them: but when they askedqLuke 9.54. fire from heaven, they had it not. If it be not fit f…r God to giv…, it is not fit for us to ask. The Lord heares ever Q…u…d finem, though not ever Quoad formam: audit ad ſanitatem, if not ad voluntatem. If our will be not according to our weale, God denyeth the forme of our requeſts, and gives us the end: he withholdeth the worſe, and affordeth the better.r2 Cor. 12.8. Paul beſought the Lord thrice that the thorne in the fleſh might depart from him. God did not heare him in that particular, but heard him in the generall; my grace is ſufficient for thee: my ſtrength is made perfect in weakeneſſe. He was not quite delivered from the temptation in himſelfe, but he was fortified with the ſufficiencie of God. The man ſicke of the burning fever cryes to his Phyſitian for drinke; he pitties him, but does not ſatisfie him: he gives him proper phyſicke, but not drinke. So God, ſaith Auguſtine, Non tribuit quod volumus, ut tribuat quod malimus: he does not give us what we would have, but what we ſhould have. Perhaps he croſſeth us in our affection, but bleſſeth us in our ſalvation. The yonger brother ſhall not have all his portion, leſt hee runne to ryot: nor the gallant ever enjoy health, leſt he be too proud. Saepe Deus facit opus quod non eſt ſuum, ut faciat opus quod eſt ſuum. Thus a man is afflicted, that he may be humbled and many ſores are on the fleſh, that fewer ſins may be in the ſoule.
Or when we aske good things, but to an evill purpoſe. So the envious begges honour, that he may revenge himſelfe on his enemies. Young men aske health, that they may be ſtrong for licentiouſneſſe. Others require great places and offices, and to have ſomewhat to doe about the fire, that they may warme their owne fingers. As if a man ſhould be ambitious of the Pretorſhip in the Citie; that ſo with mulcts amercements, warrants, and bribes, he may maintaine his familie, and never goe to his coffers for money. Some deſire learning, that they may be factious: others riches, not to ſerve God, preſerve the ſtate, nor relieve the poore; but to grow fatt with idleneſſe, and domineere over their neighbours.ſIam. 4 2. Yee fight and warre, yet you have not, becauſe you aske not. Aske not! alas we begge continually, yet cannot ſpeed: the errour is not in the want of asking. Where is it then? ye aske and receive not, becauſe you aske amiſſe. Ver. 3. you faile in your manner of requeſting, therefore God doth not ſatisfie your deſires. You aske and miſſe, becauſe you aske amiſſe. No, we pray as earneſtly, and with as devout affection as others, yet ſpeed not. Look a little further into the Apoſtles words, and your owne hearts: yee aske, that you may conſume it upon your luſts. Heres the reaſon, you begge good things to be wanton with them; ſilver and gold to give unto Baal: corne and wine to ryot. Perhaps you may faintly pray againſt that ſinne, which you would bee loth to loſe. This is to pray in jeſt; as Auguſtine ſpeakes of his unconverted eſtate; that he deſired God to coole the fire of his concupiſcence; but orabat extingui, malebat expleri: his tongue beſought an extinction, his heart deſired a ſatisfaction; he had rather have it pleaſed, then expelled. He prayed indeed, but as if he were afraid leſt God ſhould heare him.
2 Seeing that God gives more where he hath given much, let us be thankefull: for how ſhould God bleſſe us with that we have not, if we doe not bleſſe him for that we have. Let me be a little bold to enlarge this point of praiſing God: there is a ſix-fold manner of praiſing him; mentall, monumentall, chordall, cordiall, vocall and actuall.
There is a mentall praiſe, when we beare in our minds the favours of God;tPſal. 77.11. I will remember the workes of the Lord. It was the wretchedneſſe of Iſrael to forget his wonders. They ſooneuPſal. 106.13. forgat his workes. What can he remember, that forgets the mercies of God!
Monumentall, when wee erect trophies, pillars, and monuments, to continue the memorie of Gods deliverances.xPſal. 102.18. This ſhall be written for the generation to come, and the people which ſhall be created, ſhall praiſe the Lord. Thus Abraham and Iacob reared diverſe pillars, which were dumbe catechiſmes to the poſterities unborne: anſwering the charge of God, and the practice of Iſrael;yPſal. 78.4. Our fathers have told us, we will not hide them from our children, ſhewing to the generations to come, the praiſes of the Lord.
Cordall, I call that praiſe which is framed to God upon Inſtruments. Pſalme laſt. Praiſe him with the ſound of the Trumpet, praiſe him with the Pſalterie and Harpe, praiſe him with ſtringed Inſtruments and Organs. For this cauſe, muſicall Inſtruments are retained in our Churches; that they may elevate our drooping affections, to bleſſe GOD: Let all our muſicke, like Davids harpe, reſound his praiſes.
Cordiall praiſe, is that which enlivens all the reſt, and comes out of a pure heart: not hypocritically for faſhion, but ſincerely for devotion. This is that forme of thankefulneſſe God requires: if a man lookes into a pure fountaine, he ſhall ſee there a reflection of his owne image: in the pure heart God beholds an image of himſelfe. If Caeſar requires his owne image in his coine, ſhall not God expect his Image in thy ſoule! He loves little, that can tell how much he loves. Let all thy powers of body and ſoule doe their beſt to bleſſe God; but let thy heart exceed all; and what they want in expreſſion, let that make up in affection.aPſal. 103.1. Bleſſe the Lord all that is within me; all that is within me, and all that is without me; but eſpecially that within me, bleſſe the Lord O my ſoule.
Vocall, let our lips praiſe him, and let not our tongues lie ſtill. Sing to the Lord a new ſong; ſhew forth his loving kindneſſe in the morning, and his faithfulneſſe every night. Gods glory will make a good man ſpeake, even when terror it ſelfe hath commanded ſilence. Luke 11.14. Our Saviour caſt out a dumbe devill and when the devill was caſt out, the dumbe ſpake, and the people wondred. Many are poſſeſſed with this dumbe devill: their mouthes open not to ſound forth Gods praiſes: to heare one of them ſpeake in CHRISTS cauſe, would make all the people wonder. I know that Satans children are talkative enough: there are gaping devils; like Demetrius, that thinke to carry it away, with Great is Diana of the Epheſians. For this cauſe I thinke, they were firſt called Rorers whom Chriſt may well conjure, as he did that devill. Marke 1.25. Hold thy peace, and come out. But Gregory anſwers; Hee that ſinnes horribly, and confeſſeth not heartily; though he roares much, yet holds his peace. To heare blaſphemers wound and teare the ſweet and ſacred name of CHRIST would make a dumbe man ſpeake. Herodotus writes of Craeſus his ſonne, being borne dumbe, yet ſeeing his father endangered in a battell; on a ſuddaine cryed out, O ſpare him, he's the King. So when Gods glory is in queſtion; what … dumbeneſſe, what a dumbeneſſe is it, not to ſay, O ſpare him, he's the Lord. The tongue that yeelds not this defence, is tyed by Satan, not looſed by God.
Actuall, is when our lives praiſe God.c1 Pet. 2.12. Let your converſation be honeſt, that they beholding your good workes, may glorifie God in the day of viſitation. So the maſter had taught the diſciple, as the diſciple taught us. Matth. 5.16. we, like blind Iſaac, cannot ſee your hearts therefore we ſay, Let me feele thee my ſonne. If your lives be rugged, like the hands of Eſau; we will not truſt your voyces for the voice of Iacob. Have you righteouſneſſe? ſeale it, and deliver it as your act and deed. Aug. Noli gloriari quia linguâ benedicis, ſi vitâ maledicis. Never ſay you praiſe God with your words, when you diſpraiſe him with your workes.dProv. 3.9. Honour the Lord with thy ſubstance, this is ſubſtantiall honour. GOD gave Samuel to Anna, Anna gave Samuel back againe to God. Returne part of thy riches to him, that gave all to thee. David loved Mephiboſheth for Ionathans ſake: is Ionathan gone? yet wee have many Mephiboſheths. The Lord diſpoſeth his part of thy ſubſtance to his miniſters to his poore members: hee encreaſeth thy part, for ſhame doe not thou diminiſh his.
His Divine power: we come to the next circumſtance; the Abilitie of the giver. Here is Power, yea Divine power; not onelyonly Great, but Good. For merciemercy and Majeſty muſt meet together in the donation of all things that pertaine to life and godlineſſe.
It is Power: God is Almightie.eIſal. 135.6. Whatſoever the LORD pleaſed, that did he in heaven, and in earth, and in the ſeas, and in all deepe place. But is there nothing that God cannot doe? yes, he cannot lie, he cannot die, he cannot denye himſelfe. He is for potent, not for impotent workes. Aug. Dicitur omnipotens faciendo quod vult, non patiendo quod non vult. H s Almightineſſe conſiſts in doing what he will, not in ſuffering what he will not. The doing of ſome things were an argument of weakeneſſe, not o… power. For herein is a remonſtrance of our might; not that we have ableneſſe to ſinne, but to withſtand ſinne. Therefore, Auguſtine wiſheth; Vt poteſtas non detur niſi contra vitium; that no man had any ſtrength, but againſt wickedneſſe. Let every man deſire ſuch power; Vt potens ſit in ſerpſo, & miro modo adverſus ſeipſum, pro ſeipſo: that he may be ſtrong in himſelfe, and (after a ſtrange manner) againſt himſelfe, for his owne good. For a dominion over ones ſelfe is greater than the grand Seigniory of Turky. To bee ſtrong to ſinne is no credite for man; as it is no diſcredit for GOD that hee cannot ſinne. Vae fortibus ad potandum. Eſa. 5. woe to them that are ſtrong to drinke. Doſt thou pride thy ſelfe in this ſtrength? thou ſhalt howle for that glory. This power is the greateſt infirmitie. There are thatfMica. 2.2. oppreſſe a man and his heritage, becauſe it is in the power of their hand. This Poteſtas in malum, ſtrength to ſinne, is to be ſtrong to goe to hell. Commonly to beaſts of the greateſt power, is given the leſt immanitie, and to thoſe of the greateſt immanitie the leaſt power. The oxe hath ſtrength but tameneſſe: the bee wildneſſe, but weakeneſſe. Either they have power to hurt, and not will: or will to hurt, and not power. This is happy for us, but it would be more happy in reſpect of our ſinnes, if God ſhould take away from us, aut facultatem, aut voluntatem, either our will or our abilitie to doe miſchiefe. They ſay, Lions doe not prey on yeelding things: that thou canſt doe harme, and wilt not, is the praiſe of thy Innocence: that thou wouldeſt doe harme, and canſt not, is the praiſe of Gods providence. Saul would kill David, and could not: David could kill Saul and would not. The two diſciples would command fire from heaven, but could not: CHRIST could command fire from heaven, but would not. Poſſe & nolle nobile.
It is Divine power, as for the mightineſſe, ſo for the mercifulneſſe: his goodneſſe doth ſweetly temper his greatneſſe. Not onelyonly a power; but a good, gracious, divine power. He abideth faithfull,g2 Tim. 2.13. He cannot denie himſelfe. If we deſire worldly wealth, he may deny us, for that is not himſelfe. If we deſire preferment, he may deny us, for that is not himſelfe. If we deſire revenge, he may deny us, for that is not himſelfe. But if we deſire Grace, goodneſſe, ſanctitie, merciemercy, he will not deny us, for that is himſelfe; and he cannot deny himſelfe.hPſal 84.11. No good thing will he withhold from them that walke uprightly. Againſt this divine power there is no reſiſtance: he is able to doe whatſoever he will, yea he is able to doe more than he will. Our God is in heaven,cPſal. 115.3. he hath done whatſoever he pleaſed. He can doe more than ever hee was or will be pleaſed to doe. His divine power could have made many worlds, his divine will hath decreed but one. The paſſengers in mockerie bad CHRISTdMatth. 27.40 come downe from the Croſſe: he was able to deſcend, and let the worke of redemption alone, but he would not loſe them to ſave himſelfe, but rather loſe himſelfe to ſave them. The Father was able to have given him more than twelve legions of Angels for his reſcue. Matth. 26.53. But hee would not, but rather delivered up his ſonne to his enemies, to ſave his friends. So Iohn Baptiſt to the bragging Iewes, that pretended the father-hood of Abraham; eMatth. 3.9.God is able of theſe ſtones to raiſe up children to Abraham. His power is without limits, as his will is without injuſtice. His power teacheth us to feare him; his Divine and gracious power to love him: both together make for our humilitie and comfort.
The knowledge of GODS Power will humble the proudeſt heart: was hee able to make thee of nothing; to bring thee backe to worſe than nothing; how dareſt thou diſpleaſe him?fHebr. 10.31. It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the living GOD: yet there is no way to avoid it, but by falling into it; ſtrive not to runne from him by wickedneſſe, but to runne to him by repentance.g1 Pet. 5.6. Humble your ſelves under the mighty hand of God: it is a mighty hand, humble your ſelves under it, leſt you be humbled by it. His power is ſo mighty, that it bootes not a man to ſtrive with him, for he was never yet over-maſterd. The wrath of a King is like meſſengers of death, and man quakes at his anger that can but kill the body: yet how little doe wehMatth. 10.28 feare him that can deſtroy both body and ſoule in hell? Doe we provoke the Lord to anger? are we ſtronger than he? ſaith the Apoſtle, doe wee challenge him that can confound us? we are like to get little by ſuch bargaines.iIob 10.34. Let him take away his rod from me, and let not his feare terrifie me; Then would I ſpeake. As if Iob ſhould ſay, there is no medling with him ſo long as his ſword is by him. Firſt Lord take away thy weapons, and then let us talke together. It might be ſaid of Iove…, Si quoties peccent homines, ſua fulmina mittat Iupiter, exiguo tempore inermis erit: if for every ſinne of men he ſhould ſend downe a thunderbolt, either Vulcans one-eyed Cyclops would be ſoone weary, or his flocke of thunder ſoone emptie. Mars ultor gal…am quoque perdidit, & res non potuit ſervare ſuas; Mars his ſword might be wrung out of his hand, and himſelfe diſarm'd.kRom. 99. But who hath reſiſted the Lord? who hath entred the liſts with this divine power, and not meaſured his length on the ground? It is time for the poore child to quake, when he ſees his angry father come with the rodde. There is no ſtrugling with it; the beſt way is to yeeld our ſelves, and be ſilent;lPſal. 39.9. I was dumbe, and opened not my mouth, becauſe thou didſt it. God tells revolted Iſrael, mEſa. 30.15.that in quietneſſe they ſhould be ſaved; not by fight, nor by flight. Aaron was ſorry for his two periſhed ſons; but when Moſes told him that God would be glorified before all the people; Aaron held his peace. nLevit. 10.3.Peter was accuſed by the Apoſtles, for going in to the Gentiles: but when hee made his defence, and rehearſed the matter from the beginning, Acts 11.4. proving that hee was directed to that courſe by a viſion, Verſe 18. They held their peace, and glorified GOD.
The knowledge of this Divine and giving power may comfort the moſt dejected heart: it gives us many conſolations. 1. Concerning the ſalvation of others and our ſelves: how deſperate ſo ever we judge their eſtates, by reaſon of their continuall habit of ſinning, yet this divine power is able to convert them. No man can ſeeme to be further loſt than the Iewes, who are cut off from CHRIST through infidelitie, VponUpon whom the wrath of God is come to the uttermost, and a malice of 16 hundred yeares burning is not waſted in them: yet ſaith Paul, even they may be grafted into the Olive againe, if they abide not ſtill in unbeleefe: and his reaſon is;oRom. 11.23. Becauſe God is able to graffe them in againe. But alas, I have beene frozen many yeares in the dregs of worldly luſts, and I doe not find my heart yet thawed: I know this is a fearefull caſe for a man to lie ſo long under the tyrannie of the devill: yet deſpaire not, apply the meanes of thy deliverance, ſtrive to extricate and unwind thy ſoule from this maze of deſtruction, breake thy heart with compunction for thy iniquities: this divine power is able to implant thee to the true vine, and make thee a member of Ieſus CHRIST. Thou ſhalt feele thepEph. 1.19.20. working of his mightie power; which he wrought in CHRIST, when he raiſed him up from the dead, and ſet him at his owne right hand in heaven. What was the power which he wrought in CHRIST? When malice had ſpent it ſelfe upon him on the Croſſe, and inſulting death began to triumph over him in the grave; even then this mightie power raiſed him up. Wee are as dead in ſinne naturally, as any man in the grave corporally; can neither move hand nor foote: there was a power that raiſed him, there is a power that can revive us. All our care muſt be to find in our ſelves theqPhil. 3.10. Power of his reſurrection. 2. This comforts us in the midſt of all afflictions; we are weake in our ſelves, unable to ſtand under the lighteſt croſſe: but there is a Divine power that ſtrengthens us. Though it doth not nullifie our ſōrrowes, yet it doth fortifie our patience,rCol. 11.11. we are ſtrengthened with all might through his glorious power, unto all patience and long ſuffering with joy fulneſſe. 3. This comforts us in prayer: there is no ſpeeding prayer but that is made in faith, and it is no eaſy matter to pray in faith: now the foundation of our faith is this Divine power of CHRIST. Let us ſpeake confidently with the Leper Matth. 8. LORD, if thou wilt thou canſt make me cleane. After the wiſedome of heaven had abridged all our neceſſities into ſix petitions; he binds up our faith with a reaſon, and bids us waite confidently, for the bleſſings craved heartily; For (or becauſe) thine is the kingdome, the Power, and (to thee be) the glory for ever. 4. This comforts us againſt all oppoſitions, even thoſe Principalities that wraſtle againſt us; the aſſurance of this divine power. Non timeat Inimicum fortem, qui amicum habet fortiorem. Let not him feare a ſtrong enemy againſt him, that hath a ſtronger friend with him. If God bee on our ſide who can bee againſt us? Let their force and malice ſtrive which ſhall bee greater, we ſhall overcome them allſRevel. 12.11. by the bloud of the Lambe.
t1 Ioh. 4.4.Ye are of God, and have overcome them: whom? all the adverſaries of your faith and manners. How? Becauſe greater is he that is in you, that is Ieſus, Chriſt by his divine power: than he that is in the world, that is, the malignant ſpirit of temptation.uPſal. 23.4. Though I walke through the valley of the ſhadow of death; a place full of horror and amaſedneſſe; yet will I not feare: why ſo? becauſe thou O Lord art with me; thy rod and thy ſtaffe doe comfort me. Laſtly, let this hearten us to chearefull liberalitie; becauſe whatſoever wee lacke or loſe, there is a divine power able to requite, it. Thus Paul encourageth the Corinthians bountie; becauſex2 Cor. 9.8. God is able to make all grace abound toward them, that they having all ſufficiencie in all things, may abound to every good worke.
Hath given. I come from the Faculty of the Agent, to the Liberty of the Action: he Gives. He doth not ſet, nor let, nor ſell, nor lend, but Give. The covetous Land-lord ſets his tenements, the griping Vſurer lets his money, the waſting Prodigall ſells his eſtate, the charitable Neighbour lends his goods; but the moſt liberall God Gives. Thus doth God, Satan, and man, diſpoſe their things. Deus donat, Diabolus vendit, Homo retribuit, God gives, Satan ſels, and man reſtores. God and Satan have two ſeverall warehouſes: we come to the Devils warehouſe, looke on his wares, like them well, they have a faire gloſſe. The gloſſe of drunkenneſſe is good fellowſhip: the gloſſe of adultery is good affection: the gloſſe of covetouſneſſe is good husbandry: the gloſſe of murder is good courage: the gloſſe of ſedition is good reformation: the gloſſe of treaſon is good religion. To make good this gloſſe, his ſhop hath two falſe lights; mans law, and mans example. Firſt, humane lawes; ſo we ſhall never be able to prove ſinne to be ſinne, unleſſe we have an act of Parliament for it. Next, humane examples; and by that reaſon we ſhall never prove ſinne to bee ſinne, till all great men become good men, and that will not be this two dayes. Well, men thus liking the warts, they come to the price; that's everlaſting torment: deare, very deare! The Devill is no ſuch franke chapman, to ſell his commodities for nothing. No, did hee not offer Chriſt kingdomes upon free gift? Matth. 4.9. No, they had a price ſet on them; Si cadens adoraver is me; it muſt be a crouch of his knee, he muſt worſhip the Devill for it. He makes ſhew of Robin-Hoods peniworths, and may forbeare his debters untill death; but then layes an heavie execution on them, and condemnes them to an everlaſting priſon. Munera magna quidem praebet, ſed praebet in hamo; he puts forth large baites, but there be damnable hookes hid in them. A worldling is beſet with exigents, he complaines his wants, Satan promiſeth ready help: Iudas ſhall have money in his purſe, Gehezi new ſutes to his backe, Nero a crowne on his head: but thus he poſſeſſeth their wretched hearts, from whence he is hardly ever untenanted.
In Gods warehouſe we finde wiſdome at the doore, crying for cuſtomers, Eſay 55. Come ye to the waters, come buy wine and milke without money; yea, verſ. 2. Bread and fatneſſe. Let us ſee the wares. Firſt is Water: water? alas a poore and plentifull commoditie: cheape enough; every chanell affords it. No, for firſt literally; water was of great uſe in Paleſtine, a drie Countrey. Poore Hagar with her little Boy, were almoſt loſt with thirſt: how did her heart leape, whenaGen. 21.19. God opened her eyes, that ſhe ſaw a Well of water? Iſaac's heard-men ſtrove with the heard-men of Cerar, about waters; therefore he called the name of the Well Eſek, that is Contention. Iſrael mumured for water, and were plagued for it. Water hath a manifold uſe; it ſerves for drinke, for medicine, for waſhing, for purging, for boyling, for quenching, for fructifying. Water was held by ſome the beginning of all other things; Aqua, quaſi A Qua omnia. It was eſteemed a principall preſerver of life, therefore called living, Gen. 26.19. Iſaac's ſervants found a Well of Living water: it is tranſlated, Springing; but the originall gives it, Living water. But it muſt bee here underſtood in a ſpirituall ſenſe; ſo the Water that GOD gives is Grace.bEſay 12.3. With joy ſhall yee draw Water out of the Wells of Salvation. cEſay 44.3.I will powre Water upon him that is thirſtie, (which hee expounds of Grace) I will powre my Spirit upon thy ſeed. dRev. 22.17.Whoſoever is a-thirſt, let him take the Water of life freely. Next is Wine; Is this ſo good? Vinum lac libidinis, Wine is the nouriſhment of luſt; the Maniches called it, Fel Principis tenebrarum, the gall of the Prince of darkneſſe. No, Wine is good, hath manifold benefits: it helpes the ſtomacke, nouriſheth the body, whets the wit, cheriſheth the heart, and cheares the whole man. CHRISTS firſt miracle in Galile mentioned, was turning water into Wine: and the laſt thing he uſed in the Sacrament was Wine. It is ſaid toeIudg. 9.13. cheere God and man, Thirdly, Bread; this is called the Strength of mans life. It was a great curſe God threatned to Iſrael; I will breake their ſtaffe of bread. Laſtly, Milke; the Tartarians were ſaid to live with milke: Canaan is praiſed to flow with milke; thereforef1 Pet. 2.2. Deſire the ſincere milke of the Word. Bread neceſſary for life, oyle for ornament, water for uſe, milke for nouriſhment, wine for delight. Theſe are good wares; the water of Regeneration, the wine of Compunction, the bread of Life, the oyle of Gladneſſe, the milke of the Goſpell: Who would deſire better purchaſe? Wee like them well, what's the price? Nothing: a very eaſie reckoning. The Lord Gives, and that better things for nothing, than Satan will ſell us for our ſoules. Thoſe thriftie men, that trie all ſhoppes for the cheapeſt penniworths, why refuſe they thoſe rich bleſſings which GOD gives for nothing, and pay ſuch a hard price for vanitie and vexation? Men might pay nothing for the beſt of things; they doe pay the beſt of things for nothing. In vaine doth fooliſh man exchange good for evill, when he may exchange evill for good.
You perceive how God Gives, Satan ſells; now ſee how man reſtores: for that bounteous hand which beſtowes much on us, requires ſome reſtitution of us. Man ſhould not ſell, as Satan: hee cannot give, as God: but he ought to reſtore, that is his part: this hee may doe, this hee muſt doe. To whom? to God for his owne ſake, to man for Gods ſake. To God, what is that? Thankes.gPſal. 116.12. Quid retribuam Domino? What ſhall I render to the Lord for all his benefits? I will magnifie, and bleſſe his Name. That is not Magnum facere, ſed magnum ſignificare: Not to make his Name great, but to declare it great.hPſal. 66.2. Sing forth the honour of his Name: make his praiſe glorious. How can man make his praiſe glorious? by ſinging forth the honour of his Name. This is a plaine reſtitution, yet goes under the name of a contribution. So willing is God to accept mans dutie, that he takes it as his bountie. The Giver is more bleſſed than the Receiver: in all other things wee are the receivers, and he is the Giver: onelyonly in thankfulneſſe wee are the Givers, and he is the receiver. Reſpiration and Expiration are in their viciſſitudes alike: wee can draw in aire no longer than wee ſend it out. If wee returne no grace, we receive no grace.
To man: and this in matters either of Equitie, or Charitie. Of Equitie:iLuke 19.8. If I have taken any thing from any man by falſe accuſation, I reſtore him foure fold.kNeh. 5.10. This neceſſitie Nehemiah impoſed on Iſrael: firſt by intreatie; I pray you let us leave off this Vſury. Next by command, Restore to them their lands and vineyards, and the moneyes of your exactions: then by an oath, hee tooke an Oath of them to performe this. Laſtly, by a Sacramentall curſe to the refuſers, ſhaking the lappe of his garment; So God ſhake out every man from his houſe, that performeth not this promiſe: even thus ſhall hee be ſhaken out and emptied: and all the Congregation ſaid, Amen. The very Barbarians abhorre the neglect of reſtitution: A great Ladie being a widow, called to her an Engliſh Merchant, trafficking in thoſe parts, with whom ſhee knew her husband had ſome commerce, and asked him if there were nothing owing to him from her deceaſed Lord: hee after her much importunitie acknowledged what, and ſhewed the particulars. Shee tendred him ſatisfaction, yea (and after his many modeſt refuſals, as being greatly benefited by the dead Barbarian) ſhee forced him to take of her hand the uttermoſt penny: ſaying thus; I would not have my husbands ſoule goe to ſeeke your ſoule in hell, to pay his debts. Here was a fire in a darke vault, great zeale in blinde ignorance: they ſaw by the candle-light of Nature. What Saint Augustine delivers for doctrinall Truth, Non remittitur peccatum niſi reſtituatur oblatum: Where is no reſtitution of things unjuſtly gotten, there ſinnes ſhall never bee forgiven. Of Charitie; for even this is but a reſtitution: Give mee, ſaith GOD, of that I have given thee: De meo quaero, non de tuo; I aske not for thine, but for mine owne: Give and reſtore; Petimúſque damúſque viciſsim; If wee doe not give almes according to our power, GOD will ſue us of an action of Detinie. Quare non dediſti? meo jure, tua diſpenſatione, Matth. 25. Why did you not give things that were mine by right, yours only by uſe and diſpenſation; whereof you were not proprietaries and Lords, but accountant Stewards? Cyprian. Improbi dant multa propter cruciantem Diabolum, nos reddemus nihil propter ſalvantem Dominum? Reprobates will part with many things for a tormenting devill, and ſhall we reſtore nothing for our ſaving God? moſt men thinke when they give, that God and man is beholding to them: not ſo; Non tribuunt de proprio, ſed retribuunt de alieno: They doe not give of their owne, but reſtore ſome of that GOD hath given them. For reſtoring they ſhall have recompence, for detaining vengeance.
I am fallen upon a point of Giving; therefore, me thinkes, I ſhould not be niggardly in it. God give me a tongue to declare it, and give us all hearts to practiſe it. Two things it readily teacheth us:
1 How to judge of all wee have; as the LORDS gifts, not our owne merits. Bona mea, Dona tua, Domine. It is a wretched thing, Vti datis, tanquam innatis: To uſe thoſe things that are added to us, as if they had beene bred in us.l1 Cor. 4.7. What haſt thou, that thou haſt not received? If thou didſt receive it, why doeſt thou glory, as if thou hadſt not received it? GOD, ſaith Bernard, is the Author of merit; Qui & voluntatem applicat operi, & opus explicat voluntati: For hee both applieth the will to the worke, and diſpoſeth the worke to the will. Thou doeſt good workes; ſo much as is good in them is not thine, but GODS. Man for theſe things, Magis Deo debitor eſt, quàm Deus homini; is rather a debter to GOD, than GOD to man. Thou canſt not ſo much as give GOD Gratias, Thankes; unleſſe GOD firſt give thee Gratiam, the grace of thankfulneſſe. Thou canſt not be patient under his hand, except his hand give thee patience. Why doe wee boaſt then? Seeing that Quae non fecimus ipſi, vix ca nostra voco: Wee cannot call thoſe deeds ours, which wee have not done our ſelves.m1 Cor. 15.10. I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the Grace of GOD which was with mee. Still if wee doe good, wee are beholding to GOD for it, not GOD to us.
2 To follow GODS example, in being evermore giving good things. Beneficence is munus regale, a royall office. It is a poore degree of comfort wherein many bleſſe themſelves, to doe no ill: for Bonum in effectu, non in defectu: non virtus in non officiendo, ſed in proficiendo: Goodneſſe conſiſts in the effect, not in the defect: nor is vertue glorious in being innocent from harme, but in being beneficiall for good. I wonder what hope the oppreſſour hath to bee ſaved; ſeeing hee doth not imitate GOD in giving, but the Devill in extorting? There are that give ſomething to the poore, that they may take away more: Haec venatio, non donatio: This is not a charitable giving, but a ſubtill hunting. It is foenerare beneficium, to put a good turne to uſury. But give; this is GODS precept, and muſt bee thy precedent. Yea, though thou have little, give of that little. GOD eſteemes the little gift of a poore righteous man, above the great almes of a wicked rich man. And that for two reaſons; Quia de justo, quia de parvo. Firſt, becauſe it is of that, is juſtly gotten: ſo Zacheus; nLuke 19.8Halfe my goods I give to the poore; and reſtore to them I have wronged fourefold. Obſerve his words; Do ex meis, reddo ex alienis: I reſtore other mens goods, but I give mine owne. Secondly, becauſe hee gives of a little; as the poore Widow did her two Mites, even all her ſubſtance. When the Monkes complained of want, and that their revenewes fell too ſhort for their maintenance; the Abbot replied, that two companions came once together, to ſojourne in their Monaſtery; they were entertained: their names were Date, and Dabitur; Give, and It ſhall bee given you. Whileſt theſe two lived amongſt you, you all thrived: now you have thruſt out Date, Give; and Dabitur, (it ſhall be given) will not ſtay behind.
VntoUnto us. I come from the bountie of the Giver, to the need of the receivers:
To us, that were
Worth nothing.
Worthy of nothing.
To us, that had nothing; miſerable beggers. And indeed what ſhould be the object of mercy, but miſery? Preſent thy ſelfe, O poore ſoule! Miſerum ante miſericordem; a miſerable creature before a mercifull Creator. Say not with Laodicea, foreign, but foreign; not,oRevel. 3.17. I have need of nothing; but, I have nothing. God doth not onelyonly forgive us, becauſe non ſolvendo, wee havepMatt. 18.25. nothing to pay: but hee gives us, becauſe non habendo, wee have nothing to live on. There are three ſorts of poore and miſerable men: ſome ſing and are miſerable, ſome crie and are miſerable; ſome curſe and are miſerable. As the Italian ſayes; Thus goe a begging; the Germans ſinging, the Frenchmen weeping, the Spaniards curſing. Some are poore in the world, yet ſing care away. When Augustus heard that a Gentleman in Rome, concealing his broken eſtate, died ſo farre in debt; hee ſent to buy the pillow whereon hee ſlept. Hi non ſunt ſolliciti ut ſolvant, ſed ut debeant. They doe not take care how to come out of debt, but how to come into debt. Thus poore are many; yet they ſing in Tavernes, and dance in Theaters; though wretched beggers in heavenly graces. As it is in this world for temporall things, ſo for the world to come in ſpirituall things; Cantant pauperes, lugent divites: poore men ſing, and rich men crie. Who is ſo melancholy as the rich worldling? And who ſings ſo merry a note, as hee that cannot change a grote? So they that have ſtore of grace, mourne for want of it: and they that indeed want it, chant their abundance. Others are poore and crie: ſo did Eſau, becauſe hee could not recover theqHeb. 12.17. Bleſsing, though hee ſought it carefully with teares. Theſe mad dogges bite the ſtone, without regard to him that threw it. Sorrow like a needle, runnes thorow their hearts, but hath no threed of faith in it, to ſow them to IESUS CHRIST. Miſeriores, non meliores: they are worſe in the ſtate of this world, yet not better in the ſtate of Grace. If GOD touch a Pharaoh, hee will roare: you ſhall have him howle to his ending, not to his mending. The cloud of a corrupt heart, when it is ſqueaſed and cruſhed with adverſitie, will haply powre downe ſome droppes: but to ſhed repentant teares in the middeſt of proſperitie; this is like raine in Sun-ſhine. Hee that mournes for the cauſe of his puniſhment, ſhall mourne but a while: hee that mournes onelyonly for the puniſhment, and not for the cauſe, ſhall mourne for ever. Laſtly, others curſe and are miſerable, as Iobs wife counſelled him; Curſe GOD, and die. This is a deſperate povertie, when men defie him that ſhould make them rich. They anſwer GOD, as Daniel did Belſhazzar; rDan. 5.17.Keepe thy reward to thy ſelfe, and give thy gifts to another. They have a long feſtered ulcer; the Phyſitian offers to cure it: but they madly thruſt their nailes into it; no, it ſhall not bee healed. Such was our eſtate by nature: ſome were poore and inſenſible, others ſenſible, but diſconſolate; others ſenſible and deſperate. Wee were all poore beggers, and had nothing, therefore had neede of a Giver.
To us, that deſerved nothing: it is no wonder that GOD loved the Angels, for they obey him: that hee loved the irrationall and inſenſible creatures, for they doe not contradict him: but that hee ſhould bee good to us, Neque capientibus, nec cupientibus; neither receiving, nor conceiving, nor deſiring Grace: that had not onelyonly a rebellion of will, but a will of rebellion; this was the wonder. This was not Dilectio quoniam, a love to us, becauſe wee firſt loved him: but Dilectio etiamſi, a love to us, though we hated him. He loved us, becauſe he loved us: in our creation when we could not, in our redemption, when we would not love him.
All things that pertaine to life and godlineſſe. I come from the neceſſity of the receivers, to the Vniverſalitie of the Gift. All things that, &c. This is that extent and latitude of his donation; who gives foreign,ſAct. 7.25. to all life and breath, and all things. No ſilver in Benjamins ſacke, till Ioſeph put it in: no good in man till God infuſe it. Worldlings aſcribe things to the goodneſſe of their skill, or greatneſſe of their paines.tDan. 4.30. Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by the might of my power? uHabac. 1 16.They ſacrifice to their nets. But indeedxIam. 1.17. every good and perfect gift comes from above, even from the Father of lights. yPſal. 127.2.It is in vaine that you riſe up early, and goe to bed late: for ſo he giveth his beloved ſleepe. All that pertaine.
To life. Where wee may either by life underſtand our naturall life, together with all things that may preſerve it. He put a ſoule to our fleſh, gave birth to the childe, nouriſhment after birth; bread when wee were hungry, drinke when wee were thirſtie, &c.zIer. 9.23. To the wiſe-man his wiſdome, to the ſtrong man his might, to the wealthy man his riches: wiſdome, Bonum mentis, the good of the minde: ſtrength Bonum corporis, the good of the body: riches Bona fortunae, the goods of fortune. He gives all, let us give him praiſe for all.a1 Tim 6.17. He giveth all things richly to enjoy. This is a large field to ſurvey, let your meditations ſupply the defect of my ſpeech. Who cannot ſay,*Pſal. 22.9. Thou art hee that tooke mee out of the wombe; thou didſt make mee hope when I was upon my mothers breſts. And becauſe vita is not onelyonly Vivere, ſed valere; not to live, but to live in health; therefore Iob calls God, the Preſerver of men. Bleſſe him in all, for all, that gives all; hee gives us all things that pertaines to life, and reſerves onelyonly this Quit-rent. But by life, here I rather underſtand our ſpirituall life; whereby wee live to him, and in him, and whereby he lives in us.
To godlineſſe; whatſoever conduceth to grace and glory. By his grace wee come to godlineſſe, and by godlineſſe to life. Hee provides not onelyonly temporally for us, that we may live here; but eternally, that we may live for ever. The things hereto belonging are the graces and gifts of the Spirit: ſome thinke that theſe principall graces are but ſeven: becauſe ſaid, Revel. 4.5. There were ſeven lampes of fire burning before the Throne, which are the ſeven Spirits of God: prefigured by thebZach. 3.9. Stone with ſeven eyes: by the ſeven Lampes of one Candle-ſticke, Zach. 4.2. by the ſeven Hornes of one Lampe, Revel. 5.6. which are the ſeven Spirits of God. Some have numbred and deduced them from Eſay 11.2. The Spirit of wiſdome, of underſtanding, of counſell, of might, of knowledge, and of the feare of the Lord. But to make up the number, they put in The Spirit of Pietie; for it is not there expreſſed; there are but ſix according to our account: we may ſay of them, as of the ſeven Starres; Quas ſeptem dicunt, ſex tamen eſſe ſolent: Men ſay they are ſeven, but they are wont to be but ſix. But it is certaine, this ſeven-fold number is put for an infinite number; all graces that belongs to life and godlineſſe.cPſal. 84.11. No good thing will he withhold from them that walke uprightly. This is an immenſe fountaine; the Lord fill all the buckets of our hearts at this Spring: and give us capable ſoules, as he hath a liberall hand.
But now is there ſuch a receit, and muſt there not be an Account? Yes,dLuke 12.48. To whom much is given, of him ſhall bee much required. If there be Acceptio, there muſt follow Redditio: and that both in Quali, and in Quanto; in Portion, the ſame; or in proportion, ſomething anſwerable to it. If the thing given be foreign, much; the thing required is not foreign, little: and this ſhall be exacted in obedience, or extorted in vengeance.eMatt. 25.19. After a long time the Lord of the ſervants comes, and reckoneth with them, though it be long, yet at laſt to a reckoning. Whether the talent be hid in idleneſſe, or waſted in riot; it ſhall be ſpoken. Give account of thy ſtewardſhip, for thou muſt be no longer ſteward. GOD is not like Pharaoh and his Taske-maſters; that allow no ſtraw, yet exact the full tale of brickes. Hee is unjuſtly taxed, to reape where he hath not ſowen, and to gather where he hath not ſtrewed, Matth. 25.24. No, but if he hath planted a Vineyard, and dreſſed it with carefull coſt, hee lookes for Grapes. If GOD fill Ioſhua's heart with his Spirit, hee will fill his hands with buſineſſe. If Saint Paul hath abundant Grace, he muſt have abundant labours. Every gift is obligatory; and whatſoever benefits us, ipſo facto binds us. Now what ſhali we anſwere for the intereſt, that have miſpent the principall? Have wee received all, and ſhall wee account for nothing? yes, the bookes ſhall be opened, and there are ſet down all the particulars of our receits and expences. There is Item received Strength, and laid out oppreſſion. Item received riches, and laid out Covetouſneſſe. Item received Health, and laid out riot and drunkenneſſe. Item received garments, laid out Pride. Item received Speech, laid out ſwearing and lying. Item received Sight, laid out luſting. Or perhaps your layings out are more. Item ſo many ſcore pounds laid out in malice and ſuites at Law: ſo many hundreds in luſts and vanities: ſo many thouſands in building great houſes. Item to the poore in our will to be payed at our death. 40, ſhillings: to the Preacher for a funerall oration to commend us, halfe a Soveraigne. Will this Bill goe currant, when God comes to caſt it up? no, if theſe accounts be not mended in this life, we ſhall never have our Quietus eſt in the life to come. Let us then be good in our office, and make our reckonings even: that it may be ſaid to every one of us.fMatth. 25.23. Well done good and faithfull ſervant, enter thou into the joy of thy LORD. Thus he that gives us all things that belong to temporall life and godlineſſe on earth, will alſo give us all things that belong to eternall life and glory in heaven.
Through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glorie and vertue. Wee have conſidered the Fountaine, let us come now to the Conduit: the meanes or meritorious cauſe, through which all theſe precious gifts are beſtowed on us. This everflowing, and overflowing Conduit is CHRIST;gCol. 1.19. in whom dwells all fulneſſe. Now for us, Quantum vas fidei capacis afferimus, tantum gratiae inundantis haurimus. The more capacious a veſſell of faith wee bring, the greater meaſure of grace we ſhall receive. In this Conduit obſerve two generalls: the water of life, which is our effectuall calling to glorie and vertue: and the Pipe or Bucket to draw and derive it to us, the knowledge of Christ. In the former conſider foure circumſtances; the Mover, the motion, the moved and the terme: who, what, whom and whither.
1 Who hath called us, CHRIST: He only can call home ſinners. Luk 19.10. Mat. 9.13. I came to call ſinners to repentance; I, not Man, nor Angels. God onelyonly can make filios Abrahami, ex lapidibus Iordani: can of ſtones raiſe up children to Abraham. He that could turne ſtones into bread, can turne a ſtony heart into that mercy to give bread. He that could fetch water from a rocke, can drawe teares from our flinty hearts. Man may imprint a conceit, God onelyonly can worke a conſent. The Preacher may unfold the myſteries of the Goſpell, and effect a knowledge in the braine: but Cathedram habet in coelis qui corda docet; hee hath a pulpit in heaven, that preacheth to the conſcience. To reſigne our ſelves to the truth, here is the finger of God. You will ſay, it is eaſie to thinke; no, we cannot thinke a good thought of our ſelves. Thought is free; no, the thought is Gods bond-ſervant. It is eaſie to beleeve: no, forhPhil. 1.29. faith is the faire gift of God. Yet, it is eaſie to will: no, it is He that worketh in us, both to will and to doe, at his good pleaſure. Phil. 2.13. Mans will is a fugitive Oneſimus, God muſt call home that runnagate, ſubdue that rebell. Yet when we have begun, it is eaſie to continue: no, perficit, qui efficit: He that begunne a good worke in us, will performe it. Phil. 1.6. IESVS is the Founder and the Finiſher of our faith, Hebr. 12.2. But we can ſuffer for him at our pleaſure: no, datur pati: it is given to us to ſuffer for his ſake, Phil. 1.29.iIoh. 15.5. Without me ye can doe nothing; not parum, but nihil. But in him, and through him all things: I can doe all things through him that ſtrengthens me, Phil. 4.13. In our ſelves wee are weake Captives,kRom. 8.37. in him more than Conquerors. But if yee conſent and obey, you ſhall eate the good things of the land. Eſa. 1.19. Yet is it neither of the willer, nor of the runner, but of God that ſhewes merciemercy. Rom. 9.lPſal. 119.10. VVith my whole heart have I ſought thee: Did he bend his owne heart to it? No, but praies, O let me not wander from thy Commandements.mVerſe 32. I will runne the way of thy precepts, but when? when thou ſhalt enlarge my heart. My Sonne, keepe thy heart: yet it is thenPhil. 4.7. Peace of God that keeps the heart in CHRIST IESVS. Gods imperative inferres no potenciall, but an optative: Da quod jubes; Lord, give what thou biddeſt, and bid what thou wilt. Lex imperat, fides impetrat; the Law chargeth obedience, but faith obtaines forgiveneſſe. Turne us, good Lord; ſo ſhall we be turned. None comes to the Sonne, unleſſe the Father draw him: and if the Father hath once given us into his hands, no devils in hell ſhall ever be able to pluck us out.
2 What is the Action; Hath Called. There was a time when Chriſt came perſonally to call;oMatth. 20.1. Hee went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his Vineyard. He went out; liceat dicere, exiit à ſe, ut intret in te; imo ut te convertat in ſe. Pontan. He went out of himſelfe, that hee might come into thee, that hee might convert thee into himſelfe. He went out from his Majeſty that is inviſible, to his mercy that is manifeſted in his workes. Now he calleth at divers times, in divers places, and after divers manners.
At divers times; all houres of the day he is calling. Mat. 20. At the firſt houre, the third, the ſixth, the ninth, the eleventh. In all ages of the World; before the Law he called Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham: under the Law, Moſes, David, Eſay, &c. VnderUnder the Goſpell, Apoſtles, Martyrs, &c. and now us,p1 Cor. 10.11. upon whom the ends of the world are come: this is Hora noviſsima, 1 Iohn 2.18. The eleventh houre at the leaſt. He called ſome at the firſt houre; Samuel, Iohn Baptiſt, ſanctifying them from the wombe. Others in the third houre, their youth: as young Daniel and Saint Iohn the Evangeliſt. Diſcipulum minimum Ieſus amavit plurimum, Ieron. That little Diſciple CHRIST greatly loved. Other, in the ſixth houre; as Peter and Andrew: others in the eleventh, as Gamaleel, Ioſeph of Arimathea. Some not onelyonly at the laſt houre, but the laſt minute, as that one malefactor upon the Croſſe. One ſo, that no man ſhould deſpaire: but one ſo, that no man ſhould preſume. ThusqRom. 10.21. All the day long he ſtretcheth forth his hand to call us: woe unto us, if none of theſe houres can reclaime us; for then the night followes, wherin is no more calling to grace, but to judgement.
In divers places; ſome from their ſhips, other from their ſhops. Peter and Andrew fiſhing on the ſea, Matthew fiſhing on the land. It is a great matter to convert a mariner forth of his ſhip: but a greater wonder to convert a Publican forth of his ſhop. Some from the market, Matth. 20.3. ſome from the hedges, Luke 14.23. Paul in his furie. Acts 9.1. breathing out threatnings and ſlaughter: Henry 8. in his diſcontent: the Pope denies his juſt divorce, hereon he juſtly denies the Pope. Let none deſpaire; he can call Gallants at the Court, Ruffians at the Taverne, covetous merchants at their warehouſes; yea he can call uſurers at their bankes. But indeed theſe laſt he ſeldome does call; thoſe baptiſed Iewes ſeldome repent. You have ſeene drunkards, theeves, and adulterers weepe at a Sermon; you never ſaw an uſurer ſhed a teare.
After divers manners. Firſt, by the preaching of the word; and herein he uſeth two bells to ring us to Church: the Trebble of merciemercy, and the Tenor of judgment.rRevel. 4.5. Out of the Throne proceed lightnings, and thundrings, and voices. Lightnings that illuminate the darke aire of the world: thundrings, the menaces againſt corruption and vices; laſtly, the ſweet voices of comfort that preachethſEſa. 61.2. libertie to captives, and proclaimes the acceptable yeare of the Lord. One ſaid, our hearts are all of ſinne, but our eares are all of merciemercy: he that will pleaſe us with a ſong, muſt ſet it to the tune of the Goſpell: we can heare nothing but Pax vobis: and ſee nothing but Ecce Agnus: as if the Law were of no further uſe, like an old Almanacke out of date. But we know that Moſes and Christ met upon the mount, Matth. 17. not the Law alone, nor the Goſpell alone; but Moſes and Chriſt, the Law and the Goſpell are conjoyned. Next hee calls by his Iudgments: thus he heats our iron hearts in the fornace of afflictions: that nocumenta might bee documenta; mens ſufferings their inſtructions. Quòd levitèr nocet, ſalubritèr docet, that which makes the body ſmart, makes the ſoule wiſe. Doth God afflict us? he calls us to repentance; fortRom. 5.3. Tribulation workes patience. Whileſt we are thus exerciſed either De malis illatis; vel de bonis dilatis: with ſorrowes inflicted, or with hopes delaied; God calls us home to himſelfe. He often conveyes holineſſe through the wounds of afflictions: the perſecuted Church, Cant. 2.14. flies like a Dove to the clefts of the Rocke; neſtles her ſelfe in the wounds of Ieſus Chriſt. Trouble is a meſſenger, that ſpeakes thus to us; make your peace with God. Thou cmo plaineſt that thou art afflicted on every ſide, groaneſt under thy burden, after many changed ſides crieſt out of unremedied paine: alas, thou repenteſt not: trouble came on this meſſage, to teach thee repentance: give the meſſenger his errand, and he'l be gone. Laſtly, by mercies, thus we have him frequently calling; he ſowes merciemercy upon us with a liberall hand now the patience and long ſuffering of God lead us to repentance. Romans 2.4. God ſpares the ſinner, but let not the ſinner ſpare his ſinne. Wee have hard hearts, if the bloud of the Lambe cannot ſoften them: ſtony bowels, if ſo many mercies cannot melt us. What was Pharaohs greateſt plague? not the murraine on his beaſts, nor the haile on his fruits, nor the bloud in his waters, nor the blaines on his fleſh, nor the firſt borne ſlaine in his families; but Durum cor, a hard heart. They write of a northerne fountain, that turnes all things it receives into ſtones: and a cholericke ſtomacke converts all meates into choler: ſo a hard heart turnes even Gods ſofteſt mercies into hardneſſe.
Thus God calls; for Chriſt his ſake let us goe.uCant. 2.8. It is the voice of my Beloved; Let us runne to him.xIoh. 7.37. In the laſt and great day of the feaſt, Ieſus ſtood and Cryed, &c. ſtood up, ut conſpiratur, that he might bee ſeene: cryed ut audiretur; that hee might be heard. He is audible in his word, viſible in his Sacraments, in both hee calls. I ſtand at the dore and knocke. Revel. 3.20. Oſtium eſt & ad oſtium pulſat: he that is our dore of entrance, knockes at our dore for entrance. It is fit wee ſhould knocke at his dore, not he at ours. But if he does knocke, let not him ſtand without,aCant. 5.2. till his head bee filled with dew, and his lockes with the drops of the night. He is In via veriteas, in veritat via, in utraque vita: He is the way in the truth, and the truth in the way, and in both the life. He calls, yet complaines,bIoh. 5.40. Ye will not come unto me that you might have life. Goe we then to him; Reficieris ſi acceſſeris, Deficieris ſi receſſeris. Aug. Come to him and live, depart from him and periſh. Let not Chriſt call in vaine, nor his Miniſters ſay;cEſa. 49.4. We have laboured in vanitie, and ſpent our ſtrength for nought. Faith and repentance are two ſhort leſſons, yet Iſrael was fortie yeares before they could learne them. If God call upon us, and men will not anſwer: they ſhalldProv. 1.28. call upon him when he will not anſwer. God ſhall ſay to the reprobates. Be it to you according to your deſerts. To ſin is to depart from God; thereforeeMatth. 25 41. Depart from me: you loved curſing, therefore depart yee curſed: the fire of anger, of malice, of luſt hath burned in your hearts, therefore depart into fire: you would have ſinned everlaſtingly, therefore depart into everlaſting fire: you have harkened to the devills temptations, you muſt feele the devils torments; into fire prepared for the devill and his Angels. Abuſe not his calling, leſt hefHebr. 3.11. ſweare in his wrath that thou ſhalt never enter into his reſt. He ſend for us friendly, freely, frequently: let us make no excuſes, leſt he vowgLuke 14.24. that none of thoſe bidden gueſts ſhall taſte of his ſupper. Many cry, O Lord why haſt thou forſaken me? to whom he replies, ô man why haſt thou forſaken me! they ſay to the Almighty,hIob 21.14. depart from us, we will none of thy wayes: therefore God ſhall ſay to them,iMatth. 7.23. depart from me yee that work iniquity. They that forget God calling on them in health, ſhall be rejected calling on him in ſickeneſſe. The groaning reprobate ſhall ſay, Veni Domine ad ſolatium, come Lord to comfort: but God to him, veni improbe ad judicium, come ſinner to judgement. Then as Aeneas for his loſt wife Creuſa, Nec quicquam ingeminans iterúmque iterúmque vocabis; thou doubling thy cryes, ſhalt call for him that will not heare. But to the faithfull and obedient ſhall be a ſweet voicekMat. 25.34. Come for you deſired to come; yee bleſſed, you loved bleſſing, and it ſhall be unto you, you have ſerved, you ſhall raigne; Inherite the kingdome prepared for you.
Whom hath he called? VsUs, us miſerable ſinners; that were deafe, and could not heare him: Lame, and could not meet him: blind, and could not ſee him: dead, and could not anſwere him. VsUs, farre enough off, without God, without hope in the world. It was not ſufficient, that he payed himſelfe our debt in the bloud of his owne Sonne; and made a glorious Treaſurie of his ineſtimable merits; but he muſt alſo call us to the participation: otherwiſe Chriſt might have beene rich enough in merits, and God in mercies; and yet we ſtill beggers.
To what? To glory and vertue: ſome read By glory and vertue, other To glory and vertue, foreign, &c. The ſenſe is good and receivable either way; a word or two of them both.
If we take it, By glory and vertue, the ſumme is this, CHRISTS calling is ſo effectuall, when he joynes with the word of his grace, the grace of his word, that it ſhall worke without controle: it ſhall take virtuall and glorious effects. God had a purpoſe to call the Gentiles, there were barres againſt it.lMatth. 10.5. Goe not into the way of the Gentiles:mMatth. 15.26. it is not meete to take the childrens bread and caſt it to dogges. Yet when thoſe childrennActs. 13.46. put from them the Goſpell, and judged themſelves unworthy of everlaſting life, it came to the Gentiles: God did effect it by glory and vertue. God promiſed, Romans 11.26. that all Iſrael ſhall be ſaved: there were obſtacles enough againſt it: the bloud of Chriſt on their heads, they revile and curſe him in their ſynagogues, they are wanderers on the face of the earth; yet they ſhall be brought to the fold, by glory and vertue. So it was with us, God had purpoſed the Goſpell to England, ſealed up many ſoules there to eternall redemption. Were there no impediments? Yes, Queene Mary made a ſtop, put out the light, ſmote the Shephards, ſcattered the ſheepe, burnt the profeſſors, leagu'd with the Spaniard, yeelded all to the Pope: all is now bung'd up in ignorance, the devill is jocund, mens perdition as cock-ſure as he would wiſh it, ſaving only he muſt ſtay the time of their comming to hell. Yet ſhall there be no eluſion of Gods will; even then the Patroneſſe of ſuperſtition died; Queen Elizabeth of bleſſed memorie was advanced into the throne, all the clouds of error were diſperſed. God now lifts his Church out of her ſwoune, dilates his kingdome, to ſave our ſoules, our fathers before us, our children after us; which the merciemercy of God continue to us and ours, ſo long as the Sunne and Moone endure: all this by glory and vertue.
To glory and vertue, according to the common reading. How hath God already called us to glory and vertue? In two reſpects: quoad inchoationem in preſent being, quoad perfectionem in hope. Firſt, for our preſent eſtate we muſt underſtand by Glory, the honour of being Chriſtians: by vertue, the good life that becometh Chriſtians: to both theſe we are called:
To glory; is there any glory in this world belonging to a Saint? any account of a man ſo mortified to temporall things are we not the refuſe, ando1 Cor. 1.13. off-ſcouring of all things? well, we have ſtill a great glory by our calling, albeit carnall eyes cannot ſee it; or will not take notice of it. For if there were ignominie in thraldome, then is there glory in freedome.pGal. 5.1. Stand faſt in the libertie, wherein IESUS CHRIST hath made you free. We are not borne free, but new borne free. It is great glory for us (naturally) ſlaves, to be made by CHRIST free-men: but greater glory to be made Kings, Revel. 1. So we that beleeve are truely noble, for brethren and ſiſters to CHRIST, and ſo of the bloud royall of God.qIohn 1.12. To as many as receive him, he gives right and priviledge to be the Sonnes of God. O happy Chriſtians! Let others boaſt their Generation, we our Regeneration. This is the beſt ornament of bloud, the nobleſt part of the Scutchion, the faireſt flower in the Gentlemans Ga…land. The youngeſt brother beares the armes of the eldeſt; ſo we of our elder brother CHRIST. Not my bloud, but my Chriſtianitie makes me noble, ſaid that noble martyr. Now this greatneſſe is got by our littleneſſe, the greateſt glory comes by humility. Si gloriam cupis, gloriam deſpice: ſic omnibus eris glorioſior, Chryſ. If thou deſireſt glory, deſpiſe it: ſo thou ſhalt be moſt glorious.rWiſed. 5.4. The world hath the godly in deriſion, and a proverbe of reproch: count their life to be madneſſe, and their end without honour:ſ1 Cor. 4.13. as the filth of the world, and the off-ſcouring of all things. But Nemo miſer alieno ſenſu, ſed ſuo: no man is miſerable becauſe another ſo thinks him, but becauſe he ſo feeles himſelfe. But the Lord hath called us to glory: and made us ſonnes to a King, Iohn 3.2. brothers to a King, Heb. 2.11. heires to a King, Rom. 8.17. yea even to the king of glory. He were a poore for, that would be aſhamed of the alliance which the King ſhould challenge of him: yea poore is even that king that is aſhamed of the Sonne of God, offering his brotherhood. Deſpicit mundus, reſpicit Dominus: men are aſhamed of thy kindred, the Lord Ieſus hath called thee to glory.
To vertue, as well as to glory.t1 Theſ. 4.7. For God hath not called us to uncleaneſſe, but to holineſſe. All things are yours; not to abuſe with riot, but to uſe with moderation, and to enjoy with comfort, 1 Cor. 3.22. Becauſe (by faith) yee are, and by obedience you are knowne to be Chriſts, and Chriſt is Gods. uTit. 2.12.The grace of God that brings ſalvation to us, teacheth us to live godly, righteouſly, and ſoberly: that is the vertue whereunto we are called; to deſpiſe the world, and pleaſe the Lord, Magnae virtutis eſt cum faelicitate Luctari: magnae faelicitatis eſt a faelicitate non vinci, Aug. Our vertue is to fight with vanitie; and our great happineſſe not to be overcome of happineſſe. Qui deficit ſibi, ut adhaereat virtuti, amittit quod ſuum eſt, accipit quod aeternum eſt, Aug. Hee that denies himſelfe and ſtickes to vertue; loſeth his owne which he could not keepe, and getteth that happineſſe which he cannot loſe. Now CHRIST that calls us to vertue, gives it.xLuke 8.46. Some body hath touched me, for I perceive that vertue is gone out of me. There is no vertue but it comes from him: the woman touched him, but it was not her finger, but her faith, that drew out that vertue. Nor was this vertue in his garments; for living they thronged him, dead they parted them, yet were never the better. So many now may tangere panem Domini, touch the bread of the LORD: yet not contingere panem Dominum, not touch that bread which is the Lord; becauſe their faiths and their fingers goe not together. Thou art called to this vertue, come and take it: throng upon CHRIST for it, let nothing keepe thy faith backe,yLuke 6.19. The whole multitude ſought to touch him: for there went vertue out of him, and healed them all. If the glory of vertue doe not firſt enter into thee, thou ſhalt never enter into the vertue and triumph of glory.
Thus hath GOD already called us to glory and vertue, in reſpect of an inchoative fruition: hereafter we ſhall come to a perfect and plenary poſſeſſion. The vertue there, is a pure white garment without ſpot: and the glory a golden crowne of eternity. Gods children have three ſuits of apparell; blacke, red, and white. Here we are either in blacke mourning, or in red perſecuted; there wee ſhall be onelyonly in white glorified.aRevel. 7.9. A great multitude ſtood before the Lambe, in white robes, and palmes in their hands. White, is Symbolum innocentiae, laetitiae, beatitudinis; is the ſymbole of Innocency, of Ioyfulneſſe, of bleſſedneſſe: of Innocency, becauſe it is neither ſpotted nor died: of Ioyfulneſſe, becauſe oppoſed to blacke, which is the garbe of ſorrow: of Bleſſedneſſe, becauſe the ſtate there is not ſubject to any change. It matters not what ragges we were below, ſo we may be clothed with that white above: we now mourne in blacke; but thoſe teares ſhall worke a miracle through CHRIST, and change all our garments into white. Have vertue, if thou wouldeſt have glory: be wee here conformed to CHRISTS Image, and then he ſhallbPhil. 3.21. change our vile body, that it may be faſhioned like his glorious body, by that mighty working whereby he ſubdues all things to himſelfe. For the Glory, it is unſpeakeable: eye hath not ſeene, nor eare heard, nor have entred into the heart of man, the things which GOD hath prepared for them that love him, 1 Cor. 2.9. Auguſt. Oculus non vidit, quia non eſt color: nec auris audivit, quia non eſt ſonus: nec illa, intravit in cor hominis, quia cor hominis intrabit in illam. The eye hath not ſeene it, becauſe it is not colour: nor the eare heard it, becauſe it is not ſound: nor hath it entred into the heart of man, becauſe the heart of man muſt enter into it. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord: for it is too great to enter into thee. If we durſt pray with Moſes, Exod. 33.18. LORD, ſhew us thy glory: hee would anſwer, there is no man ſhall ſee mee, and live. Therefore Lord one day give it us: yes he will, for he hath called us to it. Ibi vacabimus & videbimus, videbimus & amabimus, amabimus & laudabimus, eſſe quod erit ſine fine. There we ſhall reſt and ſee, ſee and love, love and bleſſe, that glory which is and ſhall bee for ever. Quis alius noſter finis, quam pervenire ad gloriam cujus nullus eſt finis? what elſe ſhould we propoſe for our end, than that glory which ſhall have no end?
Thus I have brought your meditations up into heaven, and now you ſay, Bonum est eſſe hîc; it is good being here, it is good leaving you there. Satis, enough and enough againe; Nunc dimittis in pace, it is high time to bleſſe you with a diſmiſſion, or diſmiſſe you with a bleſſing: we have opened the Fountaine, but you know the Cocke is behind, that muſt derive the water of life to your hearts; Through the knowledge of Ieſus Chriſt. I know this point is too ample for the ſmall remnant of the fugitive time, and therefore a while I ſuſpend it. And now you may ſay, the Sermon is done: and yet would to God you could ſay ſo truely, that it was done. But as a learned Divine obſerved out of Veri-dicus Christianus, the Chriſtian Tell-troth. When a great Lady asked her ſervants, whether the Sermon were done or not; they anſwered, it was done: ſhee pleaſantly replied; Dicta, non facta concio; it was ſpoken, it was not done. CHRIST hath called you to glory and vertue, to godlineſſe here and ſalvation hereafter: if now your hearts come home to him in obedience, then the Sermon is done indeed. But if you cleave to the world; and care more to bring wealth to your purſes, then CHRIST to your conſciences; the Sermon is ſpoken, it is not done. It is ſpoken and done by the Preacher. God grant I may ſay, It is anſwered and done by the hearers. O how beautifull were it to behold! your growth and ſtature in grace confeſſing, and recompencing, the ſpirituall food which you have received.