Commentary on 2 Peter, Commentary on 2 Peter volume 1 · Chapter 1 · Verse 8

Commentary on 2 Peter · Commentary on 2 Peter volume 1 · Chapter 1 · Verse 8

p. 161VERSE 8.

For if theſe things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye ſhall neither be barren nor unfruitfull, in the knowledge of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt.

OVr Apoſtle hath led us from vertue to vertue, as one directs a traveller from rowne to towne, till he comes to the deſired Citie,nnPſal. 84.7.Ps 84:7 They goe on from ſtrength to ſtrength, till every one of them appeareth before God in Sion. H hath ſhewed us a golden chaine, the firſt linke whereof is Faith, and the laſt is Charitie. Now we ſay that we have them all: have you? then know that If they be in you, and abound, they ſhall keepe you from unfruitfulneſſe in your profeſſion. To prove Sanctimonium cordis, being Teſtimonium operis: let your outward life witneſſe your inward grace.

Me thinks, I find in this verſe three myſticall members of a Chriſtian: his Heart, his Hand, and his Head. 1. If theſe things be in you and abound; there is his Heart. 2. They make you that yee ſhall not be barren nor unfruitfull: there is his Hand. 3. In the knowledge of our Lord IESUS CHRIST: there is his Head. His Head conceives CHRIST, his Heart containes CHRIST, his Hand brings forth CHRIST. 1. His Head, like Mary, coneeives the knowledge of devotion; being illuminated by the Holy Ghoſt. 2. His Heart travells in birth of it, growing in grace, and growing in ſpirit, till he be delivered. 3. His Hand, that is his life; like a mid-wife, helpes him to bring forth that bleſſed iſſue. His Head is enlightned, his Heart is enlarged, his Hand is enlivened.

If theſe things be in you and abound. I will not Martyr the Text, but begin as the Apoſtle begins, with the Heart. Wherein I coneeive foure particulars; the ſeed, the ground, the ſowing, and the growing. 1. The ſeed, foreign, theſe things. 2. The ground, foreign, In you. 3. The ſowing, which makes them foreign, to Be in you. 4. The growing, foreign: ſo in you that they abound and thrive. Firſt, for the ſeed, and herein obſerve two things.

Firſt, we make choiſe of our ſeed, and allow it good; or elſe expect no good harveſt. He that ſowes cockle, lookes not for wheate: of tares caſt into the ground, we think it impoſſible to find barly.ooGal. 6.7.Gal 6:7 Whatſoever a man ſowes, that ſhall he alſo reape. Who can wonder to ſee him reape a curſe, that hath ſowen a curſe! Thus it often commeth to paſſe, that the matter of ſinne is read in the puniſhment; as the croppe is a remonſtrance of the ſeed. Doth Adam ſow the ſeed of ambition, aſpiring above a man? he is brought ſo low as to be beholding to the beaſts for apparell; there's the croppe. Caine would not offer Abel a reaſting place on earth, therefore the earth ſhall allow him none. Rehoboam would make his finger heavier than his fathers loynes: therefore his loynes ſhall be made lighter than his fathers finger. Samuel hewing Agag in peeces, ſhewed him the harveſt of his owne ſeed:pp1 Sam. 15.33.1 Sam 15:33 As thy ſword hath made woman chidleſſe, ſo ſhall thy mother be childleſſe among women. If Gehaſi will take Naamans iniquity he ſhall take Naamans leproſie, King. 22.38. The dogges licked up Ahabs bloud; why? Ahab had ſo ſerved Nabaoth, Hoſ. 4.12. You have gone a whoring from your God; therefore, Ver. 13. Your daughters ſhall commit whoredome, and your ſpouſes adulterie. qqIer. 5.19.Jer 5:19When they ſhall ſay, wherefore doth the Lord p. 161theſe things unto us? they ſhall be anſwered; as in their owne land they did worſhip deos non ſuos, ſtrange Gods: ſo they ſhall worſhip their owne God in terra non ſua, in a ſtrange land. Whoſoever ſowes evill ſeeds, either in Quali or in Quanto ſhall reape evill fruites.

Therefore the ſeed muſt be theſe things: let us ſow holineſſe of life, that wee may reape the life of holineſſe. It is Gods merciemercy that every ſinne is not Benoni, the death of the mother; that the ſeed of luſt does not burne up the ground: that earthineſſe does not like a grave bury the ſoule: drunkenneſſe like a deluge, drowne the ſpirits; and Epicuriſme like an infected aire, choake the vitall breath. It is a wonder that the very element of Gods fight not againſt him, whoſe ſinnes fight againſt the maker of elements. Paul tells us, 1 Cor. 15. that wee muſt all die, and all riſe againe: and compares us to ſeed ſowen in the ſpring that is reaped in the harveſt. If therefore thou wouldeſtf reape a glorious body, ſow a gracious body. Theſe things.

Secondly, we muſt have Theſe, All theſe; not one or two but all. It is not enough to have faith, and leave out vertue; not knowledge without temperance, nor pietie without charitie. If thy journey be eight miles, and thou give over at the ſecond or third; thou wilt fall ſhort of heaven. Many will be contented with ſome, but few will embrace all. Men deale with God, as for their Tythes, ſo for their lives,rrGal. 6.6.Gal 6:6 Let him that is taught communicate to his Teacher, in all his goods. foreign? In all? nay put out (In omnibus) this In all, and we will compound with you, Deut. 5.33. You ſhall walke in all the waies of the Lord. In all? nay put out this ſame (All) and we will conſent to you. There are few that ſay;ſſIoſh. 1.16.Josh 1:16 All that thou commandest us, we will doe. Vende omnia, Sell all thou haſt, and give to the poore; this the world thinkes moſt unreaſonable. He that hath not all ſaving graces in ſome meaſure, hath none in any meaſure. The Romiſts are ſo ſlaved to their ſuperiours, that they will doe all they are commanded by them. As a deſperate Roman ſaid of Catiline; whatſoever he bids me, I will doe. But ſaies another, how if he ſhould bid thee fire the Capitol? he anſwers, Catiline will not bid it; but if he ſhould, I will doe it. So they muſt doe all the Pope chargeth them: but how if he bids them fire the Senate, blow up the Parliament? they ſecretly reply, he will not command it; but if he ſhould we will doe it. They give not this obedience to God: he chargeth them not to touch his anointed ones; againſt this they have their exceptives. But againſt the Popes mandamus, there is no queſtion, no exception, and from it lies no appeale. How inſatiable mans deſires are of this world! give Alexander kingdome after kingdome, he will not reſt till he have all. If a covetous man had all the houſes; if a Citie given him, hee would rifle for the goods in them: if hee had all the Gold and Iewells, hee would alſo require the garments: if hee had the Citie, hee would alſo challenge the ſuburbes: yea, All could not ſatisfie him. But how little grace contents us; one or two, as Ioaſh ſtroke the earth but thrice. 2 King. 13.18. wee take inſatiably of earth, very moderately of heaven; as if we were afraid to have too much grace, and that it would but trouble us.

In you. Wee ſee the qualitie of the ſeed, now let us conſider the nature of the ground. Mans heart is the ground for Gods ſeed: holy ſeed requires holy ground. This ſeed is caſt in by the eare:Auguſt. for Niſi prius Deus fuerit in aure, non erit in ore, non in corde: unleſſe God firſt come in by the eare, he will not be in the mouth, nor in the heart. But if it ſtay in the eare, and goe no further, it will not fructifie, Math. 13. The eare is like a pipe, made to convey water, not to containe it. The heart is that home where it ſhould dwell: as Mary laid up CHRISTS ſayings in her heart. But as corde mobili nihil mobilius: ſo corde nobili nihil nobilius: an inconſtant heart is the baſeſt of things, a faithfull heart the nobleſt. Every heart is not fit ground for this ſeed: therefore (ſeeing I am falne upon the metaphore) be pleaſed to conſider how this ground is prepared: and to ſpeake in the phraſe of husbandrie; it muſt be fallowed, ſtirred, and laid up, before it be ſowed.

It muſt be fallowed: the word preached is the plough to breake it up. It is broken p. 162up by the Law, ſowed by the Goſpell: break it up by Moſes; ſow it by IESUS. There is by nature growne over every heart a thicke and hard cruſt: the menace of judgements muſt breake this rough and tough mould. To this purpoſe, there is an Information by doctrine, and a reformation by diſcipline. There are ſome tender hearted; as David was ſnibb'd with a word, Peter with a looke. Some are quickly corrected; ſoft hearted children that weepe at the leaſt chiding. Others are harder, like nettles; if you touch them gently, they will ſting you. Therefore if the golden ſcepter cannot winne them; the yron ſcepter muſt breake them. But as we plough upon the fallowes, ſo we muſt cautelouſly take heed of plowing where the harrow hath gone before, ſo faith the Prophet; Breake up the fallow ground; the unbroken heart: but ſpare the already broken ſpirit. In you, in your ſelves: ſome can plow furrowes on others backes: ſo doe perſecuters on the Church.ttPſal. 129 3.Ps 129:3 The plowers plowed upon my backe: they made long their furrowes. The ſlanderers harrow mens good names, Pſal. 50.20. They ſit and ſpeake againſt their brethren, and ſlander their owne mothers ſonnes. Vſurers harrow the eſtates of the poore; yea harrow and grind their very faces. Arrant and arrogant hypocrites harrow and furrow their neighbours ſimplicitie: but the Phariſie is no fit husband-man to plow up the Publican. But plow thy ſelfe, find ſome corner of thy heart to breake up ſtill. Satan is founderd, and cannot walke upon rugged ground. The fallowed or or broken heart hee cannot abide; but God reſpects it.uuPſal. 51.17.Ps 51:17 A broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not deſpiſe.

It muſt be ſtirred. Our backwardneſſe requires continuall provocations. To bee good is a thing hardly gotten, quickly forgotten. The art of bringing mens hearts to God, hath many paſſages, takes many courſes, tries many experiments: as indeed there are many ſorts of ſervants. A Land-lord had ſummoned his tenants to doe him ſome ſervice: yet being done, and they all preſent, the ſteward demands, which of them came for love, and which for mony. They that came gratis for love, were feaſted in the Parlar, they that came for reward had courſer fare in the Hall. One amongſt the reſt would chuſe neither of theſe places, but walkes by himſelfe. The ſteward asked him his motive of comming, whether, for love or mony; that his placce might be aſſigned accordingly. He replied; I come for neither love nor money, but for plaine feare, and therefore I chuſe a place by my ſelfe. Thus ſome approch to God for reward, as Saul loved him for his kingdome. Some for love, as Mary that brought CHRIST a precious unction becauſe ſhe loved. him. Others for feare, Ahab was humbled under feare of the vengeance. Now all our endeavour is to plant in mens hearts the love of God; that they might ſay with Peter; Lord thou knoweſt that I love thee. But this is effected, ſometimes by promiſe of reward, that they may be led by profit, Eſa. 1.19. If ye be willing and obedient, ye ſhall eate the good of the Land, Rom. 2.20. There is glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good. Sometimes by threatnings, that they may be wonne by feare, Rom. 2.9. Tribulation and anguiſh upon every ſoule that doth evill, Hebr. 12.29. Our God is a conſuming fire. Now though perfect love caſt out ſervile feare; as Saint Iohn ſpeaketh: yet filiall feare brings in perfect love, There is merciemercy with thee O Lord, that thou mayeſt be feared. It hath beene ſaid of baſe feare; Degeneres animos timor arguit; that it is an argument of a baſe and cowardly ſpirit. But of this feare it is true; Regeneres animos timor arguit; that it is the argument of a regenerate and gracious ſpirit. He never loved God, that feares him not. With ſome of theſe the heart muſt be continually ſtirred.

It muſt be layed up, that is the husband-mans next courſe. Now the heart is laied up by faith: when a man beleeves, he is then fitted to receive any ſeed of goodneſſe. As the Eunuch ſaid;xxAct. 8.36.Acts 8:36 I beleeve, what hinders me to be baptiſed? So I beleeve, what hinders me to be loved, what hinders me to be bleſſed, what hinders mee to bee ſaved? Not; be it to thee according to thy faith. Humilitie, patience, charitie, are now ſowen with fortunate ſucceſſe: faith hath layed up the heart, Cor paratum, p. 164ſaies David: ſpeake Lord, for my eare is open; ſow Lord, for my heart is ready. Paratum ad proſpera; ad adverſa, ad diverſa, ad univerſa. If adverſitie comes, ſow any heart with patience: if thou take back the goods which thou once gaveſt me, ſow it with contentedneſſe: if proſperitie comes, ſow it with thankefulneſſe: if ſinne, ſow it with penitence: againſt Satans temptings, ſow it with pietie: againſt all malicious courſes, ſow it with charitie. As waxe to receive the impreſſion of a ſeale, ſo the heart is ſoftned and tempered to receive the Image of GOD. Bleſſed is the ground, which the Lord hath encloſed for his owne garden.

Be in you: this is the ſowing; GOD muſt firſt prepare the ground, and then ſow his ſeed in it. It is he that unlockes the heart, to entertaine theſe graces. There are ſixe keyes whereby things are opened or ſhut, that GOD hath intruſted into the hands of no other, Angell or Seraphin. The key of raine, Deut. 28.12. The Lord opens the heaven to give raine to the Land in his ſeaſon. The key of food, Pſal. 104.28. Thou openeſt thy hand, and they are filled with good. The key of the wombe, Pſal. 113.9. Hee maketh the barren woman to bee a joyfull mother of children. The key of the Grave, Revel. 1.18. I have the keys of hell and of death. The key of the mouth, Pſal. 51.15. O Lord open thou my lips. The key of the heart, Act. 16.14. The Lord opened the heart of Lydia. In all theſeyyRev. 3.7.Rev 3:7 he openeth, and no man ſhutteth: he ſhutteth, and no man openeth. Now when hee hath thus opened and prepared the heart, he ſowes in it this ſpirituall ſeed. Graces like good herbes, will not grow of themſelves: vices like weeds, need no ſowing. Man is no more borne with vertues in his ſoule than with apparell on his backe. It is not generation, but regeneration that ſowes this ſeed. The ſeed is good, the ſower is God, Gal. 5.22. Indeed there bee miniſteriall deputies; ſo Paul plants, and Apollo waters, but ſtill God gives the encreaſe. This takes away from our beſt workes all poſſibilitie of merit. A meritorious worke muſt be Ex proprio, and Ex indebito. Firſt, it muſt be our owne: but every good gift is from the Father of lights, Iam. 1. Omne bonum noſtrum, vel ipſe, vel ab ipſo. Secondly, it muſt be beyond our dutie and debt: but alas, having done our beſt, we are unprofitable ſervants. Heaven is indeed often called a Reward; not factive, but pactive; of covenant, not of merite: God gives it us, not becauſe we have earned it, but becauſe he hath promiſed it. Iuſtitia nec veſtra, nec vera: woe to us if we had no more comfort than we deſerve, Matth. 20. The laſt received, as the firſt, every man a peny. Not becauſe they wrought harder, that came in later: as Paul that came in after the reſt, yet abounded in labours above them all. But to ſhew that God reſpects not Quantum but ex quanto; the love, more than the worke. And that the reward is not of merite, but of merciemercy: for if it were of merite, he ſhould have begun at the firſt: if it be of merciemercy, he may begin where he will. Thus he gives all grace to us, that we may give all glory to him.

In you, not about you, not on you, but in you. Not behind you, as Libertines that caſt Gods lawes behind their backes. Pſal. 50.16.Ps 50:16They runne ſo faſt to the Samaria of riot, that they leave Ieruſalem behind them. As CHRIST ſaid to Peter, get thee behind me: ſo theſe to goodneſſe, keepe behind me, I love not to ſee thy face. Not before you, as worldlings that ſend religion afore them to threeſcore, but never overtake it. It keepes before them indeed, but the length of Gracious-ſtreete; and they like Salomons foole never come neerer it than the Stockes. Moſes ſaw Canaan before him, and deſired it: theſe ſee it, and deſire it not; they like the world better. Not about you; as profane perſons in holy places; inter ſanctos non ſanctè; live in the midſt of vertues without vertue. That proverbe is too often juſtified; neerer to Church, further from God. It ſeemes to be taken from the Iewes; who having the greateſt light, had the darkeſt life: the neerer they were to the Sanctuary, the further from ſanctitie. Such a man may ſay, Inopem me copia fecit: like fooliſh Indians, that have ſtore of Gold, and trucke it away for rattles. An emptie veſſell bung'd up cloſe, though you throw it into the midſt of the ſea, will receive no water. p. 165The Monaſtery is a place of devotion, the Monke is in the Monaſtery: yet perhaps the Monaſtery it ſelfe, as ſoone as devotion, may enter into the monke. A man may be in a holy place, yet if holineſſe be not in his heart, it is not where it ſhould be. Iſmael was an unbeleever in the houſe of Faith, the family of Abraham. Not on you, as hypocrites; that have a ſhew of ſanctity on them, but no ſubſtance of ſanctity in them. Outwardly lambes, there is innocence on them: inwardly Wolves, there's no innocence in them. Hypocrites cover their ſpotted hides with the Lions skinne of Iudah, Sanctimony; ſo they beguile their brethren. They are alwayes proudeſt, that have the leaſt cauſe. The utmoſt ambition of Iohn the Baptiſt, was but to untie Chriſts ſhooe: of that other Iohn, the beloved Diſciple, but to leane on his breſt: but Iudas the traytour will dippe with him in the diſh, yea kiſſe his ſacred lips. But there was never holineſſe without humbleneſſe. Dyers can ſet on their colours the faireſt gloſſes with Logwood, but they will not hold; when a ſhowre comes, the gloſſe is gone. The gloſſe of profeſſion without ſinceritie will off in a ſtorme; we muſt be dyed in graine to hold, and have theſe graces in us. The parts of oſtentation are like looſe corne, which the fowles pecke up. As Ierome ſaid of the Scripture, ſo I may ſay of godlineſſe: It is not In ſuperficie & verborum foliis, ſed in medulla cordis: not read in ſuperficiall leaves and letters, but in the marrow and ſubſtance of the heart. An Hypocrites profeſſion is in Folio, but his ſincerity is ſo abridged, that it is contained in Decimo-ſexto; nothing in the world to ſpeake of.

But In you; what indeed hath a Chriſtian to enjoy, but that which is in him? He may uſe the world, and that's without him; but he enjoyes the Lord, and he's within him, 1 Ioh. 4.16. Haſt thou Chriſt? then he is within thee:2 Cor. 13.5.2 Cor 13:5 Ieſus Chriſt is in you; or you are reprobates. Haſt thou the Spirit? He is within thee, 1 Cor. 3.16. Know yee not, that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? Haſt thou peace or joy? Rom. 14.17. they are within thee; little without. Have yee the Kingdome of Heaven? Chriſt ſayes, it is within you. The heaven that is on earth, is within us; though the heaven that is in heaven, be too great to enter into us. Therefore is it ſaid; Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord: for it is too immenſe to enter into thee. Yet ſo much as thou art capable of, ſhall be within thee. Many preſume there is much goodneſſe within them, but through their owne blindneſſe they are deceived. One writes of a widow, that being thicke-ſighted ſent for a Phyſitian to cure her: he promiſed her good ſight, ſhe him, good money. He comes and applies medicines, binding them over her eyes: and ſtill as hee departs, hee carries away with him ſome of her beſt goods. Thus hee continues her paine, till he had robbed her houſe of all her ſubſtance. At laſt the cure being done, he demands his covenanted pay: but ſhe looking about her houſe, replied that he had not cured her: For whereas before ſhee could ſee ſome goods of her owne, now ſhe could ſee none: before ſhe was thick-ſighted, now poore-blinde. It is ſo with us; while we were dim-ſighted, we imagined many goods of grace in us: but now being truely inlightned, wee confeſſe our ſelves poore: and hence fall on our knees to the Father of mercies, to ſupply us with his ſaving graces.

And abound:] this is the Growing; foreign. After the ground is prepared, and the ſeed injected, by the Spirit of Grace fructifying is expected: they muſt encreaſe, multiply and abound. Where two things are neceſſarily implied:

Firſt, theſe things muſt be in us, before they can abound, aaIohn 14.21.John 14:21He that hath my Commandements, and keepeth them, ſaith Chriſt, we muſt firſt have them, before wee can keepe them. Therefore auditors in hearing Sermons, ſhould bring intention. It is ordinary with many, to commend the Lecture to others eares, but few commend it to their owne hearts. It is morally true, what the Chriſtian tell-troth relates: A ſervant comming from Church, praiſeth the Sermon to his maſter; he askes him, what was the Text: nay quoth the ſervant, it was begun before I came in: what then was his concluſion? he anſwered, I came out before it was done. But what ſaid hee in the midſt? Indeed I was aſleep in the midſt. Many crowd to get into the Church, p. 166but make no roome for the Sermon to get into them. Open thy heart ſo well as thine eare: if this ſeed be not ſowen there, it will never abound with fruits to everlaſting life. You come not to a banket to looke on, but to eat: hither God calls, but then Eat O my friends, Cant. 5. they are ſullen gueſts that depart away hungry. Ezakiel was bidden to eate the roule, Chap. 3. You may taſte of the heavenly gift, Hebr. 6. and feele no ſweetneſſe; but eat it downe, and it will be pleaſant. Worldly things we ſeek to ſwallow downe: therefore Chriſt cals the riches of the Phariſies; foreign, things within them:bbIob 20.15.Job 20:15 hee hath ſwallowed downe riches. But in ſtead of nouriſhment they have taken a vomit. The adulterer layes luſt next to his heart; the covetous layes uſury, the malicious hatred next his heart.ccPſal. 5.9.Ps 5:9 Their inward part is very wickedneſſe. But for ſpirituall things ſome Out-houſe ſerves; as Chriſt himſelfe could be allowed no roome in the Inne; the ſtable is held ſufficient. But doe you afford better things better places; let them be in you. Not onelyonly in your bookes: (and yet if theſe things were in the worldlings bookes, hee would burne his ſtudy) nor onelyonly in your heads; for ſome have much ſcience, little conſcience. Not in your mouthes onelyonly, for many have Gravitatem in ſermonibus, pravitatem in moribus; an ill courſe of life, with a good diſcourſe of language. But in your hearts, a holy cloſet fit for ſuch heavenly Iewels. Be ſure firſt you have them, then next that you have encreaſed them.

Secondly, it is not enough to have them, but to have them in abundance. The heart is but a little peece of ground, yet hath roome enough in it for many ſeeds. God calls for this encreaſe, 2 Cor. 9.8. Rom. 15.13. Epheſ. 4.15. Vera virtus tempore non clauditur, ſemper juſtior eſſe contendit, Bern. true vertue is not temporall, but is ſtill ambitious of improving it ſelfe. The Spouſe of Chriſt muſt have many jewels, Cant. 1.10. A jewell at the eare, attention to the Word: a jewell at the foot, Humilitie: a jewell on the for-head, Modeſty: a jewell on the hand, Charity: a jewel on the head, Conſtancie: a jewell on the heart, Fidelity. He that hath a good number of theſe jewels, ſhall be admitted into the number of Gods jewels:ddMal. 3.17.Mal 3:17 They ſhall be mine in that day, when I make up my jewels. Take the whole armour of God, Epheſ. 6. one peece will not ſecure us; we know not which way the blow will come. If wee have onelyonly Breſt-plate, the blow may light on the head: if onelyonly the Helmet of ſalvation, it may light on the breſt. Therefore take the ſhield of faith, that covers and defends all. Mars was called Gradivus: every Chriſtian ſouldiour ſhould be gradivus; goe to heaven by degrees.

For our bodies, no care can adde to their ſtature, Matth. 6. But we may adde to our ſpirituall ſtature, Epheſ. 4.13 growing up to the meaſure of the ſtature of the fulneſſe of Chriſt: for Gods family admits no dwarfes. The rich man growes eaſily richer, the good man eaſily better. Rivers at the firſt head may be covered with a buſhell, which after a few miles fill large channels. A drop of true grace workes it ſelfe toeeIoh. 7.38.John 7:38 Rivers of living water. So is it ſaid of our Saviour, Luke 13.32. The third day I ſhall be perfected: Perfection it ſelfe growes to perfection; and ſhall not we that are imperfect ſtrive toward it? In my Fathers houſe there are many manſions: not in the wilderneſſe,Ioh. 14.2.John 14:2 not in Horeb, not on the Mount, where Peter would build Tabernacles, nor in any part of this life; but in heaven: therefore ſtill labour to grow and abound, till you come thither. If a man caſt a ſtone into the water, circle begets circle; ſo one true grace will beget many. We reckon of a Phyſitian that hath abundance of medicines; a Lawyer that hath abundance of trickes, an Vſurer that hath abundance of moneyes, a Merchant that hath abundance of wares: we affect abundance in all periſhable things: O then let us abundantly love grace, that Chriſt may abundantly love us.

They make you, that yee ſhall neither be barren nor unfruitfull. I come from the Chriſtians Heart to his Hand; wherein wee perceive the efficacie of Grace: Shall make you. Not perſwade, nor intreat, nor move, nor allure, but make you fruitfull, by a lively and ſtrenuous operation. If Patience be in you, it will make you overcome p. 167injuries. If temperance, it will make you abhorre ryot. If Faith, it will make you beleeve above ſenſe. If Charitie make you beneficiall to the poore. Evill may ſhew the good they have not, but good men cannot hide the good they have. It is like fire within us, it will make us ſpeake Pſal. 39.3. So powerfull, that it can neither be ſuppreſſed nor expreſſed. This ſeed ſhall proferre fructum; one bleſſing is the father of another; therefore Chriſten every bleſſing Ioſeph, upon Rachels faith and argument;ffGen. 30.24.Gen 30:24 God will adde to me another ſonne.

Here is a kind of certaintie in this (foreign) conſtitution: as ſinne will make a man fruitfull in naughtineſſe, ſo pietie in holineſſe. As there is a relation betwixt this life and the next, by an unchangeable ordinance of God. Miſchiefe in this world, miſerie in the world to come: no repentance here, no ſalvation there: a devill on earth, no Saint in heaven. But holineſſe in the ſeed, ſhall have happineſſe in the harveſt: if the courſe bee gracious, the end ſhall be glorious.ggEph. 6.8.Eph 6:8 Whatſoever good thing any man doth, the ſame ſhall hee receive of the Lord. So there is a relation in this life betwixt the diſpoſition and the actions. If the heart be full of luſt, the tongue will be a trumpet of impudence, the eyes windowes of temptation, the geſtures ſo many remonſtrances of ready proſtitution: all the wheeles being like apt enginers, employed on the wills buſineſſe. If avarice ſit in the heart, like an Epicure to feaſt on gold; oppreſſion ſhall be the purveyer to provide it, Brokage the Cater to fetch it in, Vſurie the Cooke to dreſſe it, and deſtruction the ſtomach to digeſt it. What evill ſeed is within, will appeare without. And ſo if grace have Exiſtentiam, a being: it will have apparentiam, a manifeſtation. Hath David Hope? he will wnite for a kingdome in the extremitie of perſecution. Hath Abraham faith? he will not deny to God, his onelyonly ſon. Hath Iob patience? he will brooke all croſſes with an unmoved quietneſſe. Hath Daniel temperance? he will not bee enticed with the Kings dainties. Hath Ioſeph chaſtitie? he will never come neere his miſtreſſes chamber. Hath Paul fortitude? he dares fight with beaſts at Epheſus. Hath Stephen a faithfull reſolution? he will be content to die for CHRIST, and be rained to death with a ſhowre of ſtones. Needs muſt that vertue be fruitfull that is ſtirring, and needs muſt that be ſtirring that is living, and needs muſt that be living that is quickned by Ieſus Chriſt.

Neither barren nor unfruitfull: here is a double effect; expreſſed negatively, but implying an affirmative or poſitive conſequent; Pregnancie and fertilitie. foreign. For if thoſe privatives, barrenneſſe and unfruitfulneſſe bee taken away; there will neceſſarily follow a poſition of thoſe contrary habits. It may bee they both ſignifie one thing, I am ſure they intend both one ſenſe. Yet I will take leave to reſolve, them into a double metaphore; Pregnancie ot the wombe, fertilitie to the ground.

Not barren; the barren wombe hath ever beene held a curſe and a reproch. So Iohns mother inſinuates:hhLuk. 1.25.Luke 1:25 The Lord hath looked on me, to take away my reproch among men. When Rachel bore Ioſeph, ſhe ſaid, God hath taken away my reproch, Gen. 30.23. Whether carnall barrenneſſe be a curſe or not, I am ſure ſpirituall is no leſſe.iiHoſ. 9.14.Hos 9:14 Give them, O Lord: what wilt thou give? give them a miſcarrying wombe and dry breſts. When God gives ſalvation, he is ſaid to take away barrenneſſe. Sing O barren, thou that didſt not beare, Eſa. 54.1. Now only GOD can open both the wombes; of Rachels fleſh, and of Lydias heart, Gen. 30.22. Act. 16.14. If the Lord propagate Abrahams carnall ſeed, much more his ſpirituall;kkIoh. 1.13.John 1:13 who are borne, not of bloud, nor of the will of the fleſh, nor of the will of man, but of God. It is often obſervable in the ſcripture, that the children of women long barren proved moſt famous and excellent. Of Sara, Iſaac, from whoſe loines ſuch multitudes were deduced. Of Rachel, Ioſeph, that wonder of men and Angels. Of Anna Samuel, that great Prophet and Prieſt of the Lord. Of Elizabeth, Iohn. the Baptiſt; of whom the Lord himſelfe teſtifies;llMatth. 11.11.Matt 11:11 Among them that are borne of women, there hath not riſen a greater. So theſe Saints that have beene begotten of ſpirituall barrenneſſe, and converted p. 168from a ſinfull life wherein they were habituated; have proved moſt notable inſtruments of Gods glory. As Mary Magdalen that was diſpoſſeſt of ſeven divells, was ſo honoured as to preach the firſt Sermon of CHRISTS reſurrection, and to have her memorie propagated with the glorious Goſpell, Matth. 26.13. Zacheus, a Publican, an extorting Publican, a rich extortioner; yet how gracious was hee to CHRIST, yea how gracious was CHRIST to him! Luk. 19. Paul borne out of due time, 1 Cor. 15. yet outſtripped the reſt; and was in labours more abundant than they all, ver. 10. Thus ultimi have beene optimi, as the laſt grapes make the ſweetſt wine. When GOD opens the barren wombe, hee brings forth the excellenteſt children to CHRIST.mmMatth. 19.30Matt 19:30 Many that are firſt, ſhall be laſt, and the laſt ſhall be firſt. The laſt of all prove not the leaſt of all, yea often the beſt of all.

Now to take away barrenneſſe from the ſpirituall wombe, there is required this proceeding: by preparation, by conception, by pregnancie and by birth.

Firſt, the wombe muſt be prepared: for barrenneſſe is upon all ſoules by nature. Therefore let us deſire of God, as Rachel begged of Leah: nnGen. 30.14.Gen 30:14give me, I pray thee, of thy ſonnes mandrakes. Little Reuben had gathered ſweet flowers in the field: Rachel hath a mind to them: Epiphanius thinkes, to helpe her barrenneſſe. Pererius obſerves out of Avicen, that the ſeed of it doth purge Locum conceptionis. Some have taken thoſe mandrakes for Lilies, and ſome for Violets: but certainly they were amiable flowers, ſuch as they wont to ſtrew on the bridall beds. Beſeech we the Lord to ſtrow the beds of our hearts with ſuch mandrakes, Cant. 7.13. The mandrakes give a ſmell: thoſe holy ſeeds of grace will take away our barrenneſſe, and prepare our ſoules for a holy conception. Yea CHRIST muſt interceed for us, as Iſaac intreated for Rebecca, becauſe ſhee was barren: and the Lord will bee intreated of him, Gen. 25.21.

In the ſecond place followes conception, and this is by illumination and ſanctified knowledge. Ignorant Papiſts gloriouſly boaſt their famous progenie of good workes: but can a woman bring forth before ſhe hath conceived? Such a progenie were a prodigie. Therefore firſt,ooPſal. 86.11.Ps 86:11 Teach me thy way O Lord, and then I will walke in thy truth. And Pſal. 119.27. Firſt, make me to underſtand the way of thy precepts: ſo ſhall I talke of thy wondrous workes. If they were examined as Philip queſtioned the Eunuch, Act. 8. Vnderſtandeſt thou what thou readeſt? their negative anſwer would declare their ſoule not to be with child of grace. Thou maieſt have a ſwelling, as the Phariſie, (Luke 18. I am not as other men, &c.) imagine thy ſelfe pregnant, pro…ide thee a midwife, that's oſtentation, to deliver thee; and Goſſips, flatterers, to witneſſe for thee: but all is but a Timpanie: when death, that infallible midwife comes; thou art delivered of nothing but wind, vaineglory. CHRIST calls himſelfe the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He that by underſtanding conceives not the way cannot in heart beare the truth, ſhall not in ſucceſſe bring forth everlaſting life. You ſhall have a Phariſaicall Benefactor call together his GoſſipsppMatth. 6.2.Matt 6:2 with a trumpet in the Synagogue, as if he would ring them to Church with a Saints-bell; to behold what? his deliverie: of what? of almes. Almes? very well; let us have ſome more ſuch travails: nay, all is but ſome windy exhalation. Perhaps he hath got in ſome deſperate forfeiture, and now he will glaſe a Church window with it; and that's all. Spectatum admiſsi riſum teneatis?

Thirdly, after conception appeares pregnancie, Grace is borne in the heart by faith and is ſenſibly felt. If therefore thou haſt conceived it, thou ſhalt feele it move in thy ſoule: as Iohn ſprung in the wombe of his mother at the ſalutation of Mary, Luk. 1.41. The pregnant woman hath many qualmes; the ſoule in this plight feeles many pangs; and is in Rebecca's caſe, when theqqGen. 25.22.Gen 25:22 twinne-brothers ſtruggled together within her. If Eſau had beene there alone, there had beene no contention: but when ſhe hath alſo conceived a Iacob, that is Spirit; Eſau the fleſh will oppugne it. Nature can agree with it ſelfe, but not with grace.rrGal. 5.17.Gal 5:17 The fleſh luſteth againſt the ſpirit, and p. 169the ſpirit luſteth againſt the fleſh: and theſe are contrary the one to the other. No ſoule beares grace without ſorrow, and compunction of heart for her ſins.ſſIoh. 16.21John 16:21 A woman when ſhe is in travaile hath ſorrow. Mans firſt and ſecond birth begins in crying, Iohn 3.3. Except a man be borne againe, he cannot ſee the kingdome of God. Except a man be once borne, he never can ſee the light on earth: except he be twice borne, he never can ſee the light of heaven. There is Dolor in utroque partu, but here's the difference: after the ſorrow of the firſt birth, comes more ſorrow: after the ſorrow of the ſecond, comes eternall joy, Gal. 4.19. My little children, of whom I travaile in birth againe, till CHRIST be formed in you. Dolet Pater miniſterialis, &c. Thy ſpirituall father hath paine in begetting, thy ſpirituall mother in bearing, and doſt thou the child borne expect indolencie and immunitie from ſorrow? yea all plead conception, I aske you for your pangs: when ſtood your eyes full of teares, your hearts painting with grones, your prayers beating at heaven gates with importunities? Shew your maternos nixus: mothers have timores, ante partum, dolores, in partu, languores post partum; feares before their deliverie, ſorrowes in their deliverie, languiſhments after their deliverie. Mary Magdalens ſoule had no ſooner conceived grace but ſhe wept, and waſhed Chriſts feete with her teares.

Laſtly, comes the production or bringing forth, which is done by active obedience. Conception is Gratia infuſa, Pregnancie is Gratia diffuſa, bringing forth is Gratia effuſa. Doſt thou preſume in thy ſoule the conception and pregnaneie of grace, and yet leadeſt a profane, covetous, or diſſolute life? Thou ſai'ſt no; I have thy word to the contrary: but thy life ſaies yea, I have not thy worke to the contrary: whether thou ſay, No or yea, God and thy owne heart knowes the contrary. Shall we ſay with the Prophet; It is brought to the birth, and there is no power to bring foorth? No, though it be often ſo with the body, it is never ſo with the ſoule: if the heart have conceived, it will bring forth. The penitent malefactor on the Croſſe no ſooner had his barrenneſſe taken away, but preſently he brought forth fruit: hee condemneth himſelfe, reproveth the other, juſtifieth CHRIST, glorifieth God. Store of good children are not naturally borne on the ſuddaine: butttEſa. 66.9.Isa 66:9 ſhall I bring to the birth, and not cauſe to bring forth, ſaith the Lord? Saving grace hath more validitie than nature he that gives ſtrength to conceive, denies not ſtrength to bring forth: that ſoule ſhalluuPſal. 113.9.Ps 113:9 be a joyfull mother of many children. Yea God can give Partum ſine dolore, birth without paine, Eſa. 66.7. Before ſhee travailed, ſhee brought forth: before her paine came, ſhe was delivered of a man child. We read of Cornelius his good workes, we read not of his teares, Act. 10. Indeed this is a great wonder, Eſa. 66.8. Who hath heard ſuch a thing? who hath ſeene ſuch things? ſhall the earth be made to bring forth in one day, or ſhall a nation be borne at once? for as ſoone as Syon travelled, ſhee brought forth her children. Nor eare hath heard, nor eye hath ſeene the like: yet God is the worker of ſuch miracles. That a ſoule which hath long beene barren, ſhall in one day bee ſet a teeming, and produce gracious fruit to CHRIST.

But where not be our Births! Leah in her old age groweth barren, and ceaſeth to bring forth children to her husband CHRIST. Our Saviour delighteth himſelfe with his Rachel, the Church triumphant in heaven, now almoſt compleate. Leah the Church militant ceaſeth to beare, and will ſo continue; except ſhe give her ſonnes mandrakes for her husbands companie, Gen. 30. for ſake her worldly pleaſures wherewith ſhe is ſurfeted. I confeſſe, theſe are breeding daies: and as we ſay, that the meanes of begetting hath more encreaſed mankind, than the end: ſo there bee ſpirituall births enough, but they are baſtards: our ſonnes are our ſinnes. As one writes of the Popiſh Clergie; who refuſe a lawfull wife, to abuſe an unlawfull harlot: Deus in ira abſtulit filios Diabolus in nequitiâ dedit nepotes. God in his juſt anger tooke away their children, the devill in his wickedneſſe hath given them baſtards. So alſo are we barren ſoules to produce Natos, lawfull children, good workes: plentifull to produce Nothos, unlawfull fruites, wicked ſinnes. Legitimate workes are few, illegitimate many. The Romans had their Nothîa. Legacies and inheritances p. 170given to their baſtards: ſo we dedicate and bequeath all our deſires, and delights, and meanes, to our iniquities.xxIames 1.15.Jas 1:15 Then when luſt hath conceived, it bringeth forth ſinne: and ſinne, when it is finiſhed, bringeth forth death. Luſt when it hath conceived, [there is the Conception of ſinne] bringeth forth ſinne, [there is the Birth of it.] Sinne when it is finiſhed, [there is the Growth of it] bringeth forth death, [there is the End of it.] It hath a father, a mother, a mid-wife, a nurſe. The Devill by ſuggeſting, begets ſinne as the father: Luſt, by imagining, conceives ſinne as the mother: Conſent, by agreeing, brings it forth as the mid-wife: Cuſtome, by indulgence, brings it up as the nurſe. Here is now no barrenneſſe! The Devill was never more buſie to beget ſin: Concupiſcence never more pregnant to conceive it: Conſent never more readie to act it: Cuſtome never more ſtrong to continue it. Such a brood you have, Pſalm: 7.14. There is longing, conception, birth. Such another, Iob 15.35. They conceive miſchiefe, bring forth vanitie, and their belly prepareth deceit. Here is a quicke diſpatch; they are no ſooner delivered, but their belly prepares deceit; to it againe incontinently. Theſe are monſtrous births; it is pitie that they are not abortive, and never ſuffered to ſee the light. Such a mother may curſe the fruit of her owne wombe.

You ſee we are not barren: but better no light than that which burnes us: better no children than baſtards. Let us never give life to that, which gives death to us. Leah ſaid of Reuben, This ſonne ſhall comfort me: Wee may ſay of our iniquitie, This ſinne will afflict me. Many ſoules are pregnant, but they bring not forth a ſon of grace, but a daughter of the fleſh: it is a daughter, not a ſonne. The Iewes have often beene deluded in expectation of their Meſsias: among the reſt I have heard this ſtory reported for one. A Chriſtian was exceedingly in love with a Iewes daughter; who alſo ſo over-affected him, that though ſhee might not marry him, yet ſuffered her ſelfe to be begot with childe by him. This being perceived, according to their law ſhe muſt be put to death for it. Her betrothed lover deſiring to ſave her, addreſt himſelfe like a ſhining Angell, and taking the benefit of the Moone, called to them in a ſhrill voice, to ſpare her: affirming that ſhe was with childe of the Meſsias. This was eaſily credited, her fault acquitted, her life ſpared. Now when the time of her delivery approched, the expectant Iewes ſwarmed thither in multitudes. Delivered ſhe was, but to their mockery and ſhame, not of a ſonne, but of a daughter. At nine moneths end, that virgin-Ieweſſe was brought to bed of a Florentine daughter. After ſuch a manner many timpanous ſpirits in the world doe travaile; but when the childe is borne, it is not a Sonne of the Spirit, but a daughter of Concupiſcence. Parturiunt montes, excurrit ridiculus mus.

If this be the progenie, barrenneſſe is rather bleſſedneſſe: God make us all barren of ſinnes, but fruitfull of graces, pregnant of ſalvation: that we may conceive, beare, and bring forth Chriſt. Indeed he had but one carnall mother, but many ſpirituall.yyMatt. 12.50.Matt 12:50 He that doth my Fathers will, is my mother. Indeed this is a conception which the world never conceived; but it is true from the mouth of Truth it ſelfe. Doeſt thou beleeve and obey? thou art Chriſts mother. When a woman ſaid, Luk. 11.27. Bleſſed is the wombe that bare thee, and the paps which thou haſt ſucked: hee anſwered; Yea, thou ſayeſt true, ſhe is bleſſed indeed, and all generations ſhall call her bleſſed. But I will tell thee who are rather bleſſed; They that heare the Word of God and keepe it. Mary her ſelfe was Beatior percipiendo fidem, quàm concipiendo carnem Chriſti, Aug. She was more bleſſed in receiving the faith of Chriſt, than in conceiving the fleſh of Chriſt. Otherwiſe he might have beene her Sonne, and not her Saviour.

Not unfruitfull. Fruitfulneſſe is that inſeparable effect, which GOD expects from every tree planted in his Garden. Is Sion his ground? it muſt bee fruitfull, Eſay 5. Is the man of Iudah his plant? he muſt be fruitfull? Is the Church his Vineyard? He goes thither to gather fruits. The effect of ſanctified knowledge, is fruits, Phil. 1.11. Art thou the Spouſe of Chriſt? thou art fruitfull, Rom. 7.4. We are married to Chriſt, that we ſhould bring forth fruit unto God. Haſt thou the Spirit? it p. 171appeares in the fruits, Gal. 5.22. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, &c. Hath a man knowne Chriſt? it is ſeene in the fruits, Luke 6.44. For every tree is knowne by his owne fruit. Good workes are compared to fruits, for two ſpeciall reſemblances; Odour and Taſte.

For Odour, God is pleaſed with the ſmell of our graces.aaGen. 27.27.Gen 27:27 See, the ſmell of my Son is as the ſmell of a field, which the Lord hath bleſſed, Cant. 7.13. The Mandrakes give a pleaſant ſmell. Not that our good workes ſmell fragrantly of themſelves, but in the merits of Chriſt, Cant. 1.3. The virgin ſoules eſpouſed to Chriſt, get their husbands flowers: his perfumes make them ſweet.bbPſal. 45.8.Ps 45:8 All thy garments ſmell of Myrrhe, Aloes, and Caſsia. Thy Garments: our clothes hide but a rotten carcaſe, perhaps a rotten conſcience: Chriſts garments are truly ſweet. Thy garments: our beſt righteouſneſſe is lothſome rags, Eſay 64.6. All thine, thy juſtice, thy mercy, thy grace, thy ſatisfaction, thy obedience: All; there is not a hem of thy veſture, but if it be touched with the hand of faith, is healing and ſaving. They ſmell of Myrrhe, Aloes, and Caſsia: they are confortative, Pſal. 94.19. In the midſt of my ſorrowes thy comforts delight my ſoule. Purgative; Heb. 9.14. they cleanſe our conſciences. Sanative; 1 Pet. 2.24. By his ſtripes we are healed. In his merits our Mandrakes give a pleaſant ſmell. Now that this ſweet Odour may be in our workes, we muſt be ſure to take out the ſent of Adam, the ill ſavour of our native corruption. Our prayers areccPſal. 141.2.Ps 141:2 as Incenſe, and the lifting up of our hands, as an evening ſacrifice: Yet, Non ſpecioſa laus in ore peccatoris; Praiſe is not ſeemly in the mouth of a ſinner. It is like Sampſons honey out of the mouth of a dead beaſt. if you walke contrary to me,ddLevit. 26.31.Lev 26:31 I will not ſmell the ſavour of your ſweet Odours But if it be ſanctified, it is an odour of a ſweet ſmell, a ſacrifice well pleaſing to God, Phil. 4.18. If charitie toward ſome, be ſeparated from equity towards others; That ſacrifice of almes is mingled with bloud; as Pilate ſerved thoſe, whoſe bloud he mingled with the bloud of their ſacrifices, Luke 13. The forme of a worke is the life of it: and God may ſay, as the Poet did to the harſh repeater of his verſes; Quem recitas meus eſt, &c. The good matter is mine, the corrupt manner is thine.

For Taſte, ſome fruits have a ſweet ſmell, but a bitter relliſh. The actions of the Phariſies ſmelt well, but when they came to bee taſted, they were Rue and Worme-wood. The Goſpell calls for relliſhable fruits; not ſuch as impietie produceth, Rom. 6.21. What fruit had you then in thoſe things, whereof you are not aſhamed? But verſ. 22. fruits unto holineſſe, the end whereof is everlaſting life. It is not enough to avoid barrenneſſe, but to manifeſt fruitfulneſſe, 1 Pet. 3.11. To eſchew evill, that is the firſt leſſon of Chriſtianitie, but not all: to doe good, is the perfection, 2 Tim. 2.19. Let every one that calls on the name of the Lord, depart from iniquitie: that is one ſtep, but not high enough: we muſt alſo doe the will of our Father. The forbearance of ſinne doth but bring Chriſt unto our doores; it is fruitfulneſſe in good, that ſettles him in our hearts.

In the knowledge of our LORD IESUS CHRIST. It is ſaving knowledge that takes away barrenneſſe, and makes us fruitfull in the workes of obedience.ee1 Cor. 9.7.1 Cor 9:7 Who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? Wee expect this of the earth that hath only nature: and ſhall not God expect it of us, who have ſenſe to governe nature, reaſon to governe ſenſe, grace to governe reaſon, IESUS CHRIST to governe all? The knowledge of our bleſſed Saviour is ſweet and publicke: now after this confeſſed ſweetneſſe, how bitter would that queſtion bee, if I ſhould diſpute whether this knowledge bee truely in us or not? Wee ſay, wee know him: butff1 Iohn 2.3.1 John 2:3 Hereby we know that we know him, if we keepe his Commandements. And now the queſtion growes bitterer and bitterer; from Worme-wood to Gall. Let us appeale from mens lippes to their lives: hee that obeyes him not, knowes him not, 1 Cor. 2.8. If the Princes of this world had knowne, they would not have crucified the LORD of Glory. If wee know him, wee will not againe crucifie our bleſſed Saviour; and take upon us their office, whom wee ſo condemne; Iudas his to betray him, Pilates to condemne him, the ſouldiers to crucifie him, Heb. 10.29. p. 172If he that deſpiſed Moſes Law, died without mercy; what puniſhment is he worthy of, that treads under foot the Sonne of God? Prophane Chriſtians are worſe than the Iewes: they threw CHRIST downe, but did not tread upon him: theſe tread under feete that ſacred bloud. When the Iew wounded him, out came bloud: when the Gentile wounded him, out came bloud and water: when the Chriſtian ſhall wound him, out will come bloud and fire. Paul calls Chriſt That Rocke: when Moſes ſmote the rocke, out came water: if we ſtrike it, out will come bloudie water: not to purge us, but to judge us; at that day when we ſhall ſee him whom wee have pierced. We attaine that now by the Spirit of the Goſpell, which we could not by the letter of the Law. The Apoſtle calls that a killing letter; ſo it was mortua, dead: and mortifera, deadly: for ſinne was by the Law, and death by ſinne. But if faith doe not give us Chriſt, we are ſtill under the Law; and if our obedience doe not teſtifie our faith, the Law was not more deadly than is the Goſpell to us: for it enhaunceth our condemnation, Matth. 21.44. Chriſt calls himſelfe That Stone: we may be built on it, we may be ſpilt by it, according to our uſage of it.

Circumſtances of a ſinne give aggravation to it; Non quòd diſsimilis res ſit, ſed perſona; The action is varied according to the perſon. We expect better things of well-promiſing profeſſours, than of impudent and proſtituted libertines. Shall an Officer that reformes the Tap-houſe, be himſelfe found in a Brothell-houſe? Were it not ſtrange that the Witch ſhould tell the Iuggler, he hath a bad conſcience? Or that the Hypocrite ſhould raile at the Player? Or the Vſurer challenge the theefe? Or the Lay-Parſon with his ſacrilegious Impropriation, blame the poore Vicar for looking narrowly to his poore remnants? It is all one as if he that hath taken away my houſe, ſhould finde fault with me for putting on my cloake. The diſſolute ſhall ſpeed better than the hypocrite; and lukewarmeneſſe is more offenſive to Gods ſtomacke than froſt-coldneſſe. The Thiſtle in the forreſt ſhall not fare ſo ill, as the barren Fig-tree in the vine-yard. Therefore,ggHoſ. 4.15.Hos 4:15 though Iſrael hath played the harlot, let not Iudah tranſgreſſe. The offering brought with unhallowed hands, is worſe than none at all. Sole & Sale nihil utilius; Nothing more uſefull than Ligh… and Salt. Yet for the Light, Matth. 6.23. If it be darkneſſe, how great is that darkeneſſe! And for Salt, Matth. 5.13. If it have loſt the ſavour, wherewith ſhall it be ſalted? Though men be never ſo profound in knowledge, if they be prophane in converſation, their Salt is loſt. Salt keepes other things from putrefaction, but if it be putrefied it ſelfe, what ſhould ſeaſon it? A ſweet ſinger delights us all: but Quis medebitur cantatori à ſerpente percuſſo? If a Serpent hath ſtung him, who ſhall recover his voyce? If the eye be out, what ſhall looke to the eye? The Manna kept, and not ſpent, rotted: good gifts ſmothered will come to nothing. Sampſon loſt his ſtrength in Dalila's lap, the ſtrength of grace is loſt in idleneſſe. If Ieruſalem forget her firſt love, preſently her right-hand forgets her cunning, Matth. 5.13. There are three things obſervable in the infatuated Salt. 1. The difficultie to be recovered, Wherewith ſhall it be ſalted? 2. The unprofitableneſſe; It is good for nothing. 3. The contempt and ſcorne, It is caſt out and trodden under foot of men. Neither is the unprofitable Miniſter only this unſavoury ſalt; though Chriſt directed that ſpeech to his Apoſtles. If they be tenebroſae lucernae, darke lanternes; if any fault be in thoſe lights, the whole Pariſh is full of ſnuffers: But alſo even every profeſſour of godlineſſe, that hath denied the power thereof, 2 Tim. 3.5.

Such an one like loſt ſalt, is good for nothing. For, Ad nihilum valet, quod non valet ad finem ſuum; That is good for nothing, that is, not good for the end and purpoſe why it was made. If a knife be not good to cut, we ſay it is good for nothing: yet it may be put to ſome other uſe. If a plough be not good to breake the ground, we ſay it is good for nothing; yet it may ſtoppe a gappe. If a hound be not good to hunt, wee ſay he is good for nothing; yet he may in the night give warning of a theefe. But if a Profeſſour bee not good for honeſtie, hee is indeed good for nothing. Corruptio optimi peſsima: The dead body of a man is more offenſive than the p. 173carcaſe of a beaſt. Putrified flowers ſtinke worſe than weeds. A ſurfet of bread (though it be the ſtaffe of life) is the moſt dangerous ſurfet.hhEzek. 15.3.Ezek 15:3 Sonne of man, what is the Vine? Shall the wood thereof be taken to doe any worke? or will men take a pinne of it to hang any veſſell on? The Vine fruitleſſe, is of all trees moſt uſeleſſe. Though it be compared to divers noble and worthy things: the Tribe of Iudah is called a Vine, Eſay 5. The good woman a Vine, Pſal. 128.3. Vxor tua ſicut vitis abundans; Thy wife ſhall be as a fruitfull Vine. The beſt man a Vine, Iohn 15.1. Ego ſum vitis: though it be the Vine that cheareth the heart of God and man, Iudg. 9.13. Yet if this Vine be fruitleſſe, it is good for nothing, not ſo much as to make a pinne to hang a hat on. Oakes and Cedars are good for building, Poplars for pales, very buſhes for hedging, doted wood for firing: but the fruitleſſe Vine is good for nothing.

It is obſervable that the refuſe of other things have their uſes. Sowre wine will make vineger; old rags paper; lees are for Dyers; ſoile and rubbiſh is good to fat the ground; pot-ſheards and broken tiles to mend high-wayes; yea, they offer to ſell combing of haires; Ladies and Gentle-women know, if they be good for any purpoſe. But the fruitleſſe Vine, the ſavourleſſe ſalt, the lightleſſe lampe, the graceleſſe Chriſtian, is good for nothing. Let all yeeld to him, if he be fruitfull; let him yeeld to all, if he be barren. The daughter of Sion would never have beene ſo notorious a harlot, had ſhe not beene firſt ſo rare a virgin. Iulian had beene leſſe damned, had he never beene a Chriſtian.

Conſider the fearefulneſſe of their judgement, Iohn 15.2. and 6. where you finde ſeven degrees of their fall: 1. They beare no fruit, this is their firſt ſtep to hell. 2. Bearing no fruit, They are cut away from the Vine: Inſition is bleſſed, but Abſciſſion moſt wretched.iiLuke 13 7.Luke 13:7 Cut it downe, why cumbreth it the ground? To be excommucated from IESUS CHRIST, is moſt accurſed. 3. Being cut from the Vine, They are caſt out of the Vineyard: The prayers of the Church are not heard for them, nor are they ſuffered tokkEſay 66.11.Isa 66:11 ſucke on the breſts of her conſolation. 4. Being caſt out of the vineyard, they wither: needs muſt that branch wither, that receives no life of ſap from him, that gives the ſap of life unto all. 5. Being withered, they are bound into fagots, like the Tares into bundles, Matth. 13.30. Not all knit into one, but many ſeverall fagots. An adulterer with his adultereſſe make one fagot. A drunkard with his pot-companion, another fagot. A Seminary with a traytour, another fagot. The Extortioner and his Broker, another fagot. The Whore-maſter and his Pandar, another fagot. All ſhall not be puniſhed in the ſame degree, albeit in the ſame torment. 6. Being thus fagotted and coupled together, They are cast into the fire; the moſt terrible of all tortures. 7. Laſtly, being caſt into the fire, they burne and frie in thoſe quenchleſſe flames, Marke 9.48. Where the worme dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. In compariſon whereof, our earthly fire is no more than if it were but painted. They are ever frying, never dying: in univerſall and eternall anguiſh. Vniverſall upon every part of bodie and ſoule. For the bodie, Matth. 22.13. They are bound hand and foote, and crowded into a priſon of outer darkeneſſe: like brickes in a firy furnace, not able to wrinch; having not ſo much as a chinke where any coole winde may enter in to refreſh them. Their ſeeing, affrighted with ugly Devils and darkeneſſe: their hearing, with hideous outcries: their ſmelling, with the odious ſtenches of the filthy bodies under torture: their taſte, with a raging thirſt: (begging one droppe of ungranted water, Luke 16.24.) and a ravening hunger, biting their tongues for anguiſh: their feeling, afflicted with inſufferable torments,llRev. 19.20.Rev 19:20 In a lake of fire burning with brimſtone. And now if the paine of the bodie bee but as it were the bodie of paine; the ſoule of torment is the torment of the ſoule. The phantaſie diſtracted with horride imaginations, like a melancholy mans frightfull dreames, Wiſd. 17.3. Being horribly aſtoniſhed with ſtrange apparitions; ſad viſions appearing to them with heavie countenances. The will is vexed, that it muſt have the will in nothing. The p. 174memorie with a fixed recordation of paſſed things; what it once enjoyed, what it now ſuffereth, and what it muſt ſuffer for ever. It can thinke of nothing to adminiſter comfort: that it was once happy more afflicts it. Now as the reprobates commit two evills, Ierem. 2.13. forſaking the fountaine of living waters, and fall to the broken ciſternes of their owne digging: as there is in ſinne an averſion from the Creator, and a converſion to the creature: ſo there is in puniſhment; for averſion, Paena damni, the puniſhment of loſſe, a privation of all bleſſed comforts; for converſion to the creature, Paena ſenſus, a puniſhment of ſenſe, a poſition of all poſſible plagues. This is manifeſt by the rejection, Matth. 25.41. Depart from me; from me your Redeemer, from me that made my ſelfe man for your ſakes, from mee that received ſuch wounds for your remedie, from me that invited you with pardon, but you would none. Therefore depart from Me, from my friendſhip, from my protection, from my preſence, from my Paradiſe, from my kingdome, from my ſight: and from all thoſe that goe with me, Quires of glorious Angels, communion of bleſſed Saints: this is the privation. Into everlaſting fire, theres the poſtion: a fearefull place! God grant we may never know more of it than by heareſay. I have beene content to urge the danger of unfruitfulneſſe, that you may prevent it: as Nineveh overthrew the meſſage of her overthrow by her repentance: her ſinnes were deſtroyed and her ſelfe ſtood. So may our proviſion of thoſe torments in thought, be the prevention of them in ſenſe! Saepe Deus minatur quod faciat, ut non faciat quod minatur. God, in his merciemercy, threatens before he puniſh; that hee may not puniſh as he threatens. What David ſaid of his enemies,mmPſal. 55.15.Ps 55:15 Let them goe downe quicke into hell; wee may in another ſenſe wiſh to our ſelves, our beſt friends. Deſcend we every day into hell by meditation, that at the laſt day we may not deſcend thither by condemnation. Let us often goe to hell while we live, that we may not come thither when we are dead. Recollect we our ſelves, and become fruitfull trees; that when GOD tranſplants us from this nurſery, hee may ſet us in his owne glorious garden. The fruits of the earth ſpring, bud, grow greene, grow ripe, and then wither: but the fruits of the ſpirit ſhall never decay. If they have filled GODS vineyard on earth, they ſhall flouriſh in his Eden of heaven for ever.

In the knowledge of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt. The object of our knowledge here is our bleſſed Saviour comfortably deſcribed to us in foure Attributes. 1. Our. 2. LORD. 3. IESUS. 4. CHRIST. Vt Dominus poteſt, ut Ieſus vult, ut Chriſtus facit, ut noſter debet. As he is LORD hee can, as hee is IESUS will, as hee is Chriſt hee doth, as hee is Our he ſhould, ſave us. Lord, ecce poteſtatem, conſider his mightineſſe. Ieſus, ecce ſuavitatem, conſider his ſweetneſſe. CHRIST, ecce voluntatem, conſider his willingneſſe. Our, ecce bonitatem, conſider his goodneſſe that gives us intereſt in himſelfe, and vouchſafes us to chalenge his merciemercy. Lord, ratione Dominionis, in regard of his Dominion,nnPſal. 99.1.Ps 99:1 The Lord raigneth let the people tremble: he ſitteth betweene the Cherubins, let the earth be moved. Ieſus, ratione ſalutis, in regard of his ſalvation;ooPſal. 68.20.Ps 68:20 He that is our God is the God of our ſalvation; who came into the world to ſave ſinners. Chriſt, ratione Promiſsionis, in regard of the promiſe. God did promiſe him, and the Iewes expected him under the name of Chriſt, Ioh. 7.26. Doe the rulers know indeed that this is the very Chriſt? ver. 41. This is the Chriſt. Our, ratione appropinquationis, in regard of his appropriating himſelfe unto us, not taking on him the nature of Angels, but the ſeed of Abraham, Hebr. 2.16. He tooke our fleſh, that we might take of his ſpirit; and thus gave us an intereſt in himſelfe. Our Advocate, 1 Ioh. 2. Wee have an Advocate with the Father, Ieſus Chriſt the righteous: Our LORD, Our IESUS, Our CHRIST. Againe Ieſus in facto, Noſter in pacto. Lord in his power, his workes declare him to be the Lord; who doth what he will in heaven, in earth, in the ſea, and in all deepe places, Pſal. 135.6. The ſame workes that the father doth, doth the ſonne alſo. Ieſus in being made; hee that is the LORD the Creator, was made Ieſus a creature, Gal. 4.4. made of a woman, Ioh. 1.14. The word was made fleſh. Verbum, quid potentius? Caro, p. 175quid impotentius? factum, quid mirabilus? The word, what more powerfull? Fleſh what more feeble? Made, what more wonderfull? Chriſt, in being ſacrificed and crucified for us: broken for our tranſgreſsions, 1 Cor. 11.24. Take, eate, this is my body which is broken for you. The Iſraelites did eate Agnum aſſum, a Lambe roſted: we Agnum paſſum, the Lambe of God crucified. He was broken for us: breaking is taken from an alteration of the good eſtate of the body. So it is ſaid, age breakes a man. Moſes was 120. yeares old when he died, yet was not his naturall force broken, Deut. 34.7. It was recorded as a matter of admiration, Pſal. 38.8. I am feeble and ſore broken: ſorrow breakes a man. Our Saviour though he was young, and of a moſt excellent conſtitution, yet was thus broken. Nec color nec decor in eo; no forme or comelineſſe in him; why becauſe he was Vir dolorum; a man of ſorrowes, Eſa. 53. But what is age, ſickneſſe, and ſorrow, to the hand of God? The Lord did breake him, Iob 13.25. Wilt thou breake a leafe driven to and fro? As a Lyon, **Eſa. 38.13.Isa 38:13ſo will hee breake all my bones, Pſal. 51.8. make me to heare of joy and gladneſſe; that the bones which thou haſt broken may rejoyce. Chriſt was broken in all parts of his fleſh, his head with thornes, his backe with ſcourges, his hands and feete with nailes, his ſide with a ſpeare: onelyonly (that the ſcripture might be fulfilled) not a bone of him was broken. Our in reſpect of the covenant, Novum faedus, Hebr. 8.10. Ero Deus veſter, I will be your God, and you ſhall be my people. Infinite merciemercy; theppLuk. 2.26.Luke 2:26 Lords Chriſt. is become our Ieſus.

The ſumme of the Inſtruction is to teach us how to know our Saviour; as Lord as Ieſus, as Chriſt, as Our LORD IESUS CHRIST. He is LORD, let us know his Majeſtie: Ieſus, let us know his merciemercy: Chriſt, know his Office: Ours, know our owne intereſt in him.

LORD, in this title conſider his power: know him Hominem verum, but not Hominem merum, Rom. 9.5. He is of Iſrael concerning the fleſh, but alſo over all, God bleſſed for ever, Amen. Col. 1.2. Grace from the Lord Ieſus; from him as God, as the Fountaine of Grace, 2 Pet. 1.1. Grace and Peace Through the Lord Ieſus; through him as mediator, as the Conduct-pipe to derive it to us. LORD, this title is given him to diſtinguiſh and declare his power: as in waightie Proclamations Kings ſet downe their names with their titles. So Exod. 34.6. The Lord, the Lord God, mercifull, gratious, &c. Whatſoever the father did to us, Chriſt did alſo, to prove him, LORD. Did the father create us? ſo doth the ſonne, Col. 1.16. By him were all things made; by him, that is there called the Image of the inviſible God, and firſt borne of every creature. Doth the father uphold the world by his providence? ſo doth the ſonne, Hebr. 1.3. He upholdeth all things by the word of his power. Doth the father regenerate us? ſo doth the ſonne, Col. 2.13. Doth the father raiſe the dead? ſo doth the ſonne, Ioh. 5.21. As the Father quickeneth them, ſo the Sonne quickneth whom he will. Therefore is the ſonne called Pater aeternitatis, Eſa. 9.6. The everlaſting Father. Deus tantus in filio, quantus in ſeipſo. God is as Almightie in his Sonne, as he is in himſelfe. This is a myſterie; Praeſumptio inquirere, pietas credere, aeterna vita cognoſcere. To ſearch too farre into it, is preſumption: to beleeve it, is godlineſſe: to know it, is everlaſting bleſſedneſſe.

IESUS, in this contemplate his mercy, Mat. 1.21. He hath not name for no cauſe: the Angel gives the For: Thou ſhalt call his name IESUS; For he ſhall ſave his people from their ſinnes. IESUS is his name, and ſalvation is with him.Matth. 1.21.Matt 1:21 He that truely knowes this IESUS, knowes him both God and man, one Perſon, our Saviour. The word IESUS hath but three terminations among the Latines; IESUS, IESU, IESUM. Take the three laſt letters, and they make SƲM, I Am, the incommunicable name of God. Therefore as the Apoſtle did in their Epiſtles, ſo let us in our hearts, evermore joyne IESUS with God the Father. 1. BecauſerrIoh. 5.23.John 5:23 he that honoureth not the Sonne, honoureth not the Father: he that diſhonours one Perſon of the Trinitie, diſhonours all. 2. Becauſe all good from God to us is by IESUS: for otherwiſe we may have riches, and honours, and worldly poſſeſſions; p. 176but not have them as mercies. No man comfortably knoweth God but by Ieſus: there is no fafe venturing on that infinite Iuſtice, without merciemercy at the right hand of it.

CHRIST, in this, meditate on his office, and the purpoſe of his comming, which was to redeeme us.ſſIoh 3.17.John 3:17 For God ſent not his Son to condemne the world, but that the world through him might bee ſaved, Ioh. 12.47. I came not to judge the world, but to ſave the world. For this end he was appointed and annointed, Luk. 4.18. The Lord hath annointed me to heale the broken hearted, &c. Now let not Gods purpoſe be fruſtrated: Deus miſit quem promiſit: doe thou entertaine him into a pure heart. When Martha told her ſiſter Mary ſecretly; The Lord is come; ttIoh 11.29.John 11:29ſhee as ſoone as ſhe heard it, aroſe quickly, and came unto him. The Meſsias, the Chriſt, the Redeemer is come; that bleſſed high Prieſt that offer'd up himſelfe an expiatory ſacrifice for us; now ariſe, let us goe and meete him.

Our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, in this obſerve his performance, and free donation of himſelfe to us. He is not only The Lord, and the Ieſus, and The Chriſt, but Ours. Whatſoever he did or ſuffered, was for us, Dan. 9.26. The Meſsiah ſhall be cut off; but not for himſelfe: not for devills, not for Angels, not for himſelfe: for whom then? for us men and for our ſalvation; the loſt ſheepe, the ſinners, the rebells, Eſa. 9.6. To us a ſonne is given, Luk. 2.11. To us a Saviour is borne. This Our, is a poſſeſſive: in knowing him a Lord, there is feare: in knowing him a Ieſus, there is comfort: in knowing him a Chriſt, there is hope: in knowing him Ours, there is aſſurance.

Our; God loves theſe appropriations of merciemercy, if they bee of the breed of Faith. So hee taught us to pray, Our Father: not by an epithite; Holy Father, Righteous Father, Omnipotent Father; but by a pronoune, Our Father. Yea hee admits every particular hand of faith, to take his owne handfull out of this ſheafe, and to turne Noſtrum in Meum, Our into Mine. Though he be the God of all, yet Paul ſaies; My God, Phil. 4.19. My God ſhall ſhall ſupply all your need. Though he be Lord of all, yet ſaith Thomas, My Lord, Ioh. 20.28. Though he be the Saviour of all his people, yet ſaith Mary, My Saviour, Luk. 1.47. My ſoule rejoyceth in GOD My Saviour. Though he be the Father of the ſpirits, of all fleſh; yet hee chargeth a faithfull ſoule, Ier. 3.19. Thou ſhalt call me, My Father. If God ſay unto thy ſoule, I am thy ſalvation; why maieſt not thou ſay to him, Thou art my God? The Romiſts challenge us of over-boldneſſe, and peremptory arrogance, to ſay My God, as if wee did ingroſſe Chriſt; but indeed, they ingroſſe him, that confine him to Rome. But why? becauſe the franticke Merchant ſtands on the Key, and cries, All the ſhippes are mine: may not therefore a ſober merchant ſtand there, and ſay, This ſhippe is mine? Is there no Ieſus to be had unleſſe wee fetch him from Rome? The Lord commands this voice of faith, Hoſ. 8.2. Iſrael ſhall crie unto me, My God, Pſal. 118.28. Thou art my God, and I will praiſe thee. Non eſt praeſumptio dicentis, ubi eſt authoritas jubentis. There is no preſumption in the ſpeaker, where there is authoritie of the commander.

But now that we may aſſure him Ours, let us aſſure our ſelves his. Marce, ut ameris, ama. The beſt demonſtration of our poſſeſſion of him, is to find his poſſeſſion of us.uuCan. 2.16. My beloved is mine, and I am his: wouldeſt thou know the certaintie of this marriage, and uniting of thy ſoule to Chriſt? when there is doubt made concerning a marriage, we ſearch the Regiſter, and take out a certificate or teſtimonie under the Curates hand; and that ſatisfies the Court. So here goe to the Regiſter, thy Heart: there it is recorded, if it be at all, under the hand of the Holy Ghoſt: for, Rom. 8.16. The Spirit witneſſeth with our ſpirit, that we are the ſonnes of God: exhibite this in the Court of thy conſcience, and all the doubtes are cleared. Are thy affections knitte to Chriſt? art thou where thou loveſt, rather than where thou liveſt? is the deſire of thy ſoule with God? this is a bleſſed fruition!xxCant. 1.13.Song 1:13 A bundle of myrrhe is my well beloved unto me, hee ſhall lie all night betwixt my breſts: let him lodge in thy p. 177heart for ever. When thou art thus raviſhed with him, hee will be alſo raviſhed with thee, Cant. 4.9. Thou haſt raviſhed my heart, my ſiſter: thou haſt raviſhed my heart.

The Inſtruction is cleared to our faith, how we ought to know our Saviour; as Lord, as Ieſus, as Chriſt, as Ours. Now for our affections, let us make ſome uſe of it, and ſo conclude with application. For uſe, the true knowledge of Chriſt according to theſe foure termes, meetes with foure temptations. 1. Lord, meetes with our pride. Si ſis ſub Domino, quare abuteris miniſterio? If thou be under a ſupreme Lord, why doſt thou inſult and dominere as if thou wert no ſervant. 2. Ieſus, meets with our deſpaire. Nil deſperandum Chriſto duce, & auſpice Ieſu. Who can deſpaire that knowes he hath this Ieſus for a Saviour. 3. CHRIST, meetes with our diſregard and neglect of his heſts: if hee bee the Holy one of GOD, let us reverence him. 4. Our, meetes with our covetouſneſſe and worldly affections: let us not flie from that which is ours, and flie after that which is none of ours.

LORD. Art thou provoked to pride and preſumption? humble thy ſelfe, there is a Lord above thee. When the Apoſtles ſtrove about matter of ſuperioritie, Chriſt rebuked them, Luk. 22.31. And the Lord ſaid to Simon, &c. He is not (there as in other places) called Ieſus, but Dominus, The Lord. But why was his ſpeech direed to Simon? becauſe he was moſt likely to be too confident, having moſt audacitie, and being the chiefe ſpeaker. The greateſt gifts moſt endanger a man to pride. A father loves all his children well, but is moſt tender to the ſickeſt childe: perhaps Peter was moſt ſicke of this diſeaſe; I am ſure his uſurping ſucceſſors are incurable. Humble thy haughtie mind, there is a Lord above thee: and ſuch a Lord, as reſiſteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble, 1 Pet. 5.6. Pharaoh cries, Quis eſt Dominus, who is the Lord? who? even he that drowned Pharaoh in the red ſea. The ſlave durſt not boaſt himſelfe, if he were ſure that his Lord heard him. When a great Prelate durſt write, Ego & Rex meus; I and my King: the King ſubſcribed in act; Ego & ſervus meus, I and my ſlave: and quickly tooke downe the maine maſt of his ambition. To queſtion the Titles of Kings, hath ever beene held treaſon: why then dare any preſumptuous ſpirit oppoſe the word of this LORD? No, Dic verbum Domino, Matthew 8.8. Say the word, O Lord, and my ſervant ſhall be healed.

Ieſus. Art thou tempted to deſpaire? Ieſus is a name, in quo nemini deſperandum, in which a faithfull ſoule vanquiſheth deſperation. Deſpaire is a ſinne that never knew Ieſus. The drowning man would never ſinke, if he knew and felt an infallible ſtay in his hand. Deſperation is like that beaſt, Dan. 7.7. that had no name given it. There were three ſpecified, a Lion, a Beare, a Leopard: but the fourth hath no denomination. To thoſe foure terrible beaſts are likened foure hainous ſins: Preſumption to the Lion, Perſecution, to the Beare, Oppreſſion, to the Leopard: and to the nameleſſe fourth, deſperation. The Lion, preſumption hath beene conquered, in Mary Magdalen. The Beare, perſecution ſubdued, in Paul. The Leopard, oppreſſion tamed, in Zaccheus. But deſperation without diſtinguiſhing the kind; is dreadfull and terrible, and exceedingly ſtrong: it had great yron teeth, it devoured and brake in peeces, and it had tenne hornes. It hath hornes enow to puſh at God with blaſphemie, at man with injurie, at the owne ſoule with diſtruſt of merciemercy. Other ſinnes are fearefull enough and have the rage of Lions and Beares and Leopards, to make mans ſoule miſerable. But the finall ruine never to be recovered while there ſtands a ſeate of juſtice in heaven, is deſperation. Well, yet before any man fall into this gulfe, let him looke up and know IESUS, Ioh. 1.19. Behold that Lambe of God, that takes away the ſins of the world. Behold the Lamb of GOD, yee that are Lions to your own ſoules! hath his death put ſenſe into rockes and ſtones, and can it not perſwade you? Is the bloud of Ieſus ſhed for you, and will you in an impatient fury throw your owne bloud into the aire with Iulian, or ſpill it on the ground with Saul, or ſacrifice it on a tree with Iudas? Shall he open heaven, and will yee ſhut it! He pull you p. 178out of the fire, and you runne into it againe? He drunke to you in a cup of Paſſion, and you ſhould pledge him in a cup of ſalvation; ſinging with that melodious Prophet, Pſal. 116.13. I will take the cup of ſalvation, and bleſſe the Name of the Lord. Will you then take a cup of death and deſpaire, blaſpheme his name, evacuate his merits, tread his blood under your feete, and dye paſt hope? God forbid it; and the prayers of your lips, the teares of your eyes, the grones of your hearts, and the hope of your ſoules heartily forbid it. No man can deſpaire, that truly knowes our good Lord Ieſus.

CHRIST. Is not the great benefit of redemption yet throughly apprehended of thy ſoule? art thou tempted to diſtruſt or diſregard a worke of ſuch infinite price? Behold him, he is The Chriſt, the expectation of the Iewes, the conſolation of the Gentiles, the ſalvation of all.aaLuk. 2.32.Luke 2:32 A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Iſrael. The creation by Gods hand, was magnum opus, a great worke; but the Redemption by CHRISTS death a greater worke. In the Creation hee made man like himſelfe: in the Redemption he made himſelfe like man. Granat. Illic participes nos fecit bonorum ſuorum: hîc particeps eſt factus malorum noſtrorum. There he made us partakers of his good, here he makes himſelf partaker of our evill. There he only Spake the word: here Dixit magna, fecit mira, pertulit dira: paſſus eſt dura verba, duriora verbera: hee did not onelyonly ſpeake words, but ſuffered wounds: hee wrought wonders, he endured thunders; what heaven, earth, and hell, could inflict upon him. There man was made in the Image of God, here God is made in the Image of man. The creation was a worke of his finger, Pſal. 8.3. When I conſider the heavens, the worke of thy fingers. Redemption a worke of his arme, Pſal. 98.1. His holy arme hath gotten him the victory: yea it was a worke of his heart; even that bled to death to accompliſh it. Now if it be true what the ſchoole ſpeakes: Bonum Gratiae unius majus eſt quàm bonum naturae totius univerſi, Aquin. If the ſaving of one ſoule be greater than the making of the whole world; and the goodneſſe of Grace doth ſo far tranſcend the goodneſſe of nature. Then be thankefull to God for his Creation, but much more bleſſe him for his CHRIST. Si totum me debeo pro me facto, quid jam addam pro me refecto? Bern. If I owe my whole ſelfe for my creation, what have I left to pay for my Redeemer? I will ſerve thee O Lord, becauſe thou haſt given me my ſelfe: but much more honour thee becauſe thou haſt given me thy Sonne Chriſt.

Our. Are we led aſide with worldly affections, and a having covetouſneſſe? know, nothing is Ours but IESUS CHRIST.bb1 Cor. 2.2.1 Cor 2:2 I determined not to know any thing among you, but Ieſus Chriſt, and him crucified. This was that bleſſed Apoſtles reſolution. Love him above all: nil contra eum, nil ſupra eum, nil ſicut eum, nil praeter eum, niſi quod propter eum. Affect nothing againſt him, nothing above him, nothing like him, nothing beſides him, but what onelyonly for him. Behold, ſaith Peter, we have left all and followed thee, Matth. 19.27. they loſt nothing by it, Ʋer. 28. When I ſit on my throne, ye ſhall ſit on thrones with me. If CHRIST, be ours, all is ours, 1 Cor. 3.22. All things are yours; whether Apoſtles, or the world, or life, or death, or things preſent, or things to come. All are yours, and ye are Chriſts, and Chriſt is Gods. In this heavenly conveyance, there is. 1. The Tenure, of great Latitude; All things. 2. The Tenants, of great happineſſe, Ours. 3. The Heire, of great excellencie, CHRIST. 4. The Land-lord, of great majeſtie, God. It is ſaid of the wicked, Ion. 2.8. that they forſake their owne merciemercy. Their owne, as proper to them, more certaine than the skinne to their fleſh, if they would have kept it: but as Chriſt ſaid to the Iewes, Noluiſtis, you would not. Qui relinquit ſuum, ut arripiat alienum: retinebit nec alienum, nec ſuum. He that forſakes his owne to ſnatch away anothers, ſhall neither keepe anothers nor his owne. See what you doe yee covetous: you leave your owne CHRIST, for the world that is not yours; the ſubſtance for the ſhadow: and you ſhall loſe both ſhadow and ſubſtance. Ours: this is the encouragement of faith and obedience: why doe wee ſo labour to bee his, but becauſe p. 179wee are ſure hee is ours? every man loves his owne; let us never forſake our owne Ieſus.

You ſee now the uſe of this fourefold knowledge of our Saviour. Quoſdam ſua confidentia fert ad praeſumptionem; agnoſcant Dominum. Quoſdam ſua diffidentia fert ad deſperationem; agnoſcant Ieſum. Quoſdam ſua temeritas fert ad dedignationem; agnoſcant Chriſtum. Quoſdam ſua cupiditas fert ad tergiverſationem; agnoſcant Noſtrum. Some mens pride lifts them up to preſumption; let them acknowledge him a Lord. Some mens diſtruſt caſts them downe to deſperation; let them acknowledge him a IESUS. Some mens careleſneſſe lulls them in ſecuritie; let them acknowledge him a CHRIST. Some mens covetouſneſſe drives them to apoſtacie; let them acknowledge him ours. Conſider him Lord, and be not proud: conſider him IESUS, and be not deſperate: conſider him CHRIST, and be not diſſolute: conſider him ours, and be not runegates. Thou haſt made thy ſelfe ours, make us all Thine, O deare Saviour of the world.

Now for application, to bring all yet neerer home to our conſciences? Hee is LORD, give him obedience. Hee is IESUS, and requires our Hope. Hee is CHRIST, and requires our Faith. Hee is Ours, and requires our Charitie.

Lord: this challengeth our obedient ſervice, Hunc audite, Matth. 17.5. Heare him, Act. 3.22. He is that great Prophet of the Lord, whom we are bound to heare in all things. Sweare not: who commanded it? The Lord, Matth. 5.34. Bee not angry unjuſtly: who forbad it? The Lord, Ver 22. Be mercifull who impoſed it? The Lord, Luk. 6. Who obeyes this Lord? now this Lord forgive us.ccMal. 1.6.Mal 1:6 If I be a Lord, where is my feare? He may aske indeed, where is it? and who can anſwere him with a demonſtration? The Lion Roares, but who trembles? Qui non timebunt in verbis, dolebunt in verberibus. Hee that will notddEſa. 66.2.Isa 66:2 tremble at his words, ſhall feele his wounds. But if hee bee our LORD to governe us, hee will not bee our IESUS to ſave us.

IESUS: this requires our Hope: for in whom is our hope but in Ieſus. When we are exerciſed with worldly troubles, with great moleſtation, we labour to extricate our ſelves, and faintly ſay, wee hope in Ieſus: but concerning heaven, wee all hope well enough for that. Yet when death comes with his offer to helpe us thither, where is our hope? alas amazement hath mated it. We are like little children, that all the day complaine, and yet when the medicine is brought them at night, they are not ſicke. Or like thoſe that runne all the weeke up and downe the houſe, crying out of the paine of their teeth: and at laſt ſeeing the Barbar come to pull them out, preſently feele no more torment. Or as tender bodies in a pricking pleuriſie, call and cannot ſtay for a Surgion: and yet when they ſee him whetting his Launcer to helpe them, plucke in their armes, and hide them in the bed. The true reaſon hereof is want of hope: but he that knowes his Ieſus, is comforted in hope.ee1 Cor. 15.19.1 Cor 15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Chriſt, we are of all men moſt miſerable. For this life and for ever, repoſe we our hope in Him.

CHRIST: this terme exacteth our faith: knoweſt thou Chriſt? thou wilt truſt him.ffPſal. 9.10.Ps 9:10 They that know thy Name, will put their truſt in thee. Knowledge of Chriſt, and faith in Chriſt, are inſeparable. I know whom I have beleeved, 2 Tim. 1.12. My faith is not built upon ignorance, I know him well. Indeed though ſalvation belong to all men, yet all men doe not belong to ſalvation. None pertaine to it, but ſuch as take benefit by it: and none take benefit by it, (no more than they did by the braſen ſerpent) but they that fixe the eye of their faith upon it. Hee is Chriſt, the Lords annointed, ſent for that end, to ſave us: how great an injuſtice is this, not to truſt to our ſalvation on him, that was from all eternitie appointed for that purpoſe.

Ours: therefore let us give him our love: the knowledge of a proprietie chalengeth an earneſt affection. The good ſonne loves his owne parent, the brother p. 180loves the ſonne of his mother: the chaſt wife loves her owne husband. Chriſt is our Father, our Brother, our Husband: ours, let us love him. Whom have I in heaven but thee, and on earth, none beſides thee? Let me loſe all, ſo I may reſerve thee. A Philoſopher could thus comfort himſelfe when the Tyrant threatned him: I will take away thy houſe; yet thou canſt not take away my peace. I will break up thy Schoole; yet I ſhall keepe whole my peaee. I will confiſcate all thy goods: yet there is no premunire againſt my peace. I will baniſh thee thy Countrey: yet I ſhall carry my peace with me: for the wiſe mans home is whereſoever he is wiſe. So let the world ta…e from us our riches, yet we have Chriſt: let it take from us our friends, yet we have Chriſt: let it take from us our libertie, yet we have Chriſt: let it take from us our wives and children, deare comforts; yet we have Chriſt: let it take from us our life, yet we have Chriſt; that is, to us both in life and death an advantage. When David ſaid to Mephiboſheth; Thou and Ziba divide the Land: he anſwered; Yea, let him take all, ſeeing my Lord the King is come home in peace, 2 Sam. 19.30. Thus let the world take all, ſo we may enjoy Ieſus Chriſt.

Concluſion.The ſumme and heart of the Text concernes the fruitfulneſſe of our knowledge of Ieſus Chriſt. What Nation ever had the knowledge of him more abundantly propagated? I may ſay to you, as Chriſt ſaid to his Apoſtles: Bleſſed are your eyes, for they ſee: Bleſſed are your eares, for they heare: but I cannot ſay, Bleſſed are your feet, for they walke; bleſſed are your hands, for they worke: bleſſed are your hearts, for they embrace. Our eyes and eares doe their office, all the fault is in our hearts: now the Lord open our hearts. We have knowledge, and it coſts us nothing: beſtow but the gathering of your Manna, and it is yours. Aarons bells give you muſike by day; as your City-waits by night: muſike in the ſtreets, whereof they partake, that pay nothing for it.ggHebr. 8.11.Heb 8:11 A man needs not ſay to his brother, Know the Lord: for all ſhall know me, from the leaſt to the greateſt. Our knowledge is univerſall, or at leaſt ſhould be univerſall, for God hath not ſcanted the meanes, Act. 2.17. God hath powred out his Spirit upon all fleſh: our ſonnes and our daughters prophecie, our young men ſee viſions, and our old men dreame dreames. They ſee viſions, and tell you the viſions they ſee. Your wiſe-men deſire not, like deepe ſtreames, to run ſilent to themſelves; but in a ſweet murmure ſing you the ſongs of Sion. We have knowledge, and need not travell for it:hhAmos 8.12.Amos 8:12 you wander not from ſea to ſea, nor runne from North to Eaſt, to ſeeke the Word of God. To runne to Rome for accompliſhment of knowledge, is to goe into an infected houſe, to fetch out a rich ſute: or to put the finger into a firy crucible to take out the gold. What travell our young Gallants for? to heare newes: Tully ſaid he could better heare the newes of Rome at Antium, than at Rome. Paris cannot tell more newes of France, nor Madrid of Spaine, than your Exchange in London, of both. I am ſure that England ſtands as neere to heaven as Italy: and the good tidings of Sion is here ſafer and ſooner, and ſounder learned. It is then for knowledge: they that croſſe the ſeas to fill their braines with knowledge, travell Northward for heat, and ſeeke the candle that they carry in their hand.

The Cimerians that live in perpetuall darkneſſe, though they deny a Sunne, are not condemned of impietie, but of ignorance. But Anaxagoras, that ſaw the Sunne, and denied it, is condemned not of ignorance, but of impietie. How great is our condemnation, if we know the light, and yet chooſe darkneſſe? Ioh. 3.19. Former times were like Leah, bleare-eyed, but fruitfull: ours like Rachel, faire, but barren. Wee give ſo generall acclamation to the Goſpell, and the ſalvation by it, that we forget to obſerve the Law. As upon ſome ſolemne Feſtivall, the bells in all ſteeples are rung, but then the Clockes are tyed up: there is a great untun'd confuſion and clangour, but no man knowes how the time paſſeth away. So in this univerſall allowance of Libertie by the Goſpell, (which indeed rejoyceth our hearts, had wee the grace of ſober uſage) the Clockes that tell us how our time paſſeth, Truth and Conſcience, which ſhew the bounded uſe, and decent forme of things, are tyed up and p. 181cannot be heard. Nay, there is rather a generall acclamation to licentiouſneſſe, than true liberty, Act. 19.34. All with one voice for two houres together cried out, Great is Diana of the Epheſians. They cry ſó lowd for their Diana's gaine, that Paul the Preacher cannot be heard; he muſt be put to ſilence. Moſes and Ioſhua heard a noiſe;iiExod. 32.18.Exod 32:18 It is not the voice of them that ſhout for maſtery, nor of them that cry for being overcome: but I heare the noiſe of them that ſing. You would thinke it the Praiſing of God, no it was the bleſſing of an Idol, Cant. 2.12. The flowers appeare on the earth, the time of the ſinging of birds is come, and the voice of the Turtle is heard in our Land. Peace and Proſperitie are our Flowers, and we ſing like birds; but Non audita eſt vox Turturis, the voice of the Turtle is not heard among us. All are merry, but who mournes for the abominations of Iſrael? All this while the Lord is angry, and would deſtroy us,kkPſal. 106.23.Ps 106:23 as he once threatned Iſrael; had not Moſes then, did not IESUS now, ſtand in the Breach for us.

Alas! where is our fruitfulneſſe? we ſo confidently hope for our ſalvation by faith, that there is little honeſtie or true dealing amongſt men. We have either left Faith naked, as Idolatry ſtripped the Iſraelites, Exod. 32.25. or cut off halfe her garments, as Hanun ſerved Davids Ambaſſadours, 2 Sam. 10. left her a rag of perfunctory ſervice at Church, but cut off obedience as ſuperfluous. Or if we have left her any covering, it is ſuch as Iohn Baptiſt wore, a coat of Camels haire, ſome refuſe and cheape out-ſide; and a Leatherne-girdle, a ſtring of hypocriſie to hold it together: her food is Locuſts, meere ſpeculation; and Wilde-honey, only table-talke. Some onelyonly care, Quid faciunt, non quid credunt; What they doe, not what they beleeve; they are Natures Moraliſts. Others care only, Quid credunt, non quid faciunt; What they beleeve, not what they doe; and theſe are moſt frequent. We all plead our ſelves, by faith to be Chriſts ſheepe, but where is our wooll? In a good ſheepe we require not onelyonly fleſh to feed on, but alſo wooll to keepe warme. In a Chriſtian we require, not onelyonly faith for himſelfe to live on; but alſo good workes, a fleece of charitie to warme others. You ſhall have a Country-man profeſſe conſcience, but he dares not wiſh Iobs wiſh, Iob 31.38. If my land cry againſt me, or the furrowes thereof complaine: let thiſtles grow in ſtead of Wheat, and cockle in ſtead of Barley. You ſhall have a Courtier profeſſe integritie: but if he ſhould ſay with Iob, verſ. 26. If I beheld the Sunne when it ſhined, or the Moone walking in brightneſſe: or if my mouth hath kiſſed my hand; this were to deny the God that is above: ſinne enough to decourt him. You ſhall have a Citizen profeſſe charitie, but dares he ſay with Iob? verſ. 19. If I have ſeene the poore without covering, and have not clothed him: if I have lift up my hand againſt the fatherleſſe: Then let mine arme fall from my ſhoulder, and bee broken from the channel-bone. If all ſhould make ſuch wiſhes, and have them granted, I feare the whole City would be an Hoſpitall. It is no great wonder to ſee allPſal. 107.34.Ps 107:34 Fruitfull Land turned into barrenneſſe: but it is a miracle of mercy to ſee Dry ground turned into water-ſprings: to ſee our barren lives made fruitfull of good workes. He only that can turne ſtones into bread, can turne our ſtony hearts into that mercy to give bread, Pſal 148. Praiſe the Lord mountaines and all hils, fruitful trees and Cedars. I make no queſtion but fruitfull trees will praiſe him; but Cedars and mountaines? Yes, if ſtout Cedars bee bowed to obedience, and proud mountaines to humility; they ſhall praiſe him. Yea, verſ. 7. Dragons and all deepes: The very Dragons of our oppreſſions being turned to mercies, ſhall praiſe him. The Dragons and Eſtriches, the beaſts of the field ſhall honour me, Eſay 43.20. The deepes, even the deepes of our ſtratagems being turned to ſimplicity and innocencie, ſhall honour the Lord.1 Tim. 6.14.1 Tim 6:14 Saul did not more ſpeake againſt Chriſt, than Paul ſpeakes for Chriſt. Thus we that were drie ſtickes by nature, fit for nothing but the fire, may be made fruitfull trees by grace, to keepe his commandement without ſpot unrebukeable, untill the appearing of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt. Which he worke in us, who is the bleſſed, and only Potentate, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords: who onelyonly hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto: To whom be honour and power everlaſting. Amen.