Commentary on 2 Peter — Thomas Adams

Commentary on 2 Peter · Thomas Adams

2 PET. 3.15.

And account that the long fuffering of the Lord is ſalvation; even as our beloved brother Paul alſo, according to the wiſedome given unto him, hath written unto you.

AMong the many diſputes and opinions, what became of Lazarus his ſoule, all the time of thoſe foure dayes that his body lay in the grave; Iſidore Peluſiota thinkes that it was in Heaven: And hee proves it by this reaſon, becauſe Ieſus wept at his raiſing. Why wept he? Life is good, and Lazarus was his friend: and to raiſe up his friend to life, was a good worke. Here was no cauſe of teares; why then wept Chriſt? What, did He weepe for company? Becauſe Mary wept, and Martha wept, and the people wept, therefore alſo Ieſus wept: was this the cauſe of thoſe teares? Did he weepe for company? Or was it for affection? As the Iewes interpreted his teares; See how he loved him. But we weepe for feare to loſe a friend; when ſickneſſe hath ſo farre prevailed upon him, that we give him for dead: and not for his reviving: at his recovery wee rather rejoyce. Or was it for the hardneſſe of the worke, as Martha conceived it:kIoh. 11.39. Lord, by this time he ſtinketh, for he hath beene dead foure daies. Not ſo certainly;ver. 37. even the blinde Iewes could confute that opinion: Could not hee that opened the eyes of the blinde, have kept this man from dying? They might conclude, Hee can raiſe him with a word, and to ſpeake a word is no ſuch hard worke: hee did not then weepe for the difficulty. Or was it in a myſtery? Shall we underſtand by Lazarus lying foure dayes in his Grave, a ſinner many yeeres buried in the cuſtome of ſinnes, and hardneſſe of heart? Indeed there is ſome difficulty in raiſing up of ſuch a dead ſoule: Ieſus himſelfe weepes: hee ſpends not onelyonly blood, but teares about it. Was it for any of theſe reaſons? For compaſſion, for affection, for difficulty, or for a myſtery, that Ieſus wept?

Yet another, and (ſome thinke) a better reaſon may be given for his weeping: it is this. Lazarus his ſoule had now left her mortall tabernacle, and was delivered out of priſon; from all the paines, and ſinnes, and aſſaults, and troubles which ſhe endured in the body: ſhe was taken up by Angells into reſt, peace and glory. Now at this raiſing up of Lazarus, ſhee muſt bee called downe againe to her old dwelling; and for this Ieſus wept. That a ſoule in triumph, ſhould bee brought backe to warfare: from that mount of infinite joyes, to deſcend into the valley of teares: from the place of peace, to returne to the region of trouble: from Abrahams boſome, to Adams pilgrimage: for Lazarus againe to be made mortall; neceſſitated againe, beſides all ſorrowes to death: this was a change that might well aske teares: for this revocation Ieſus wept. I deny not, but this was for the glory of God; and in effect no more than happened to Moſes after that glorious ſpeculation, to the three Apoſtles after Chriſts tranſfiguration, to Paul after his rapture, and to Iohn after his viſion. Yet for this Ieſus wept. Hinc illae lacrymae.

But quorſum haec? what have we to doe with Lazarus his ſoule? what matter is it where it was? Yes, if wee marke it, it is to ſome purpoſe: For all this while we have beene in heaven too: dureing the diſcourſe and meditation upon the former verſes, our tranſported ſoules, if any flame of holy grace have taken hold of them, upon the wings of contemplation have beene borne up into that place of glorious reſt: we have with ſpeculative mindes viewed thoſe new heavens, wherein dwelleth righteouſneſſe: wee have converſed with the peace, and ioy, and bleſſedneſſe of that upper world: our ſpirits have taſted the ſweetneſſe of thoſe unſpeakable pleaſures: we were in deſire, together with Lazarus in thoſe eternall manſions. Yet now alas, as if wee had all this time beene in an happy dreame, we waken in this verſe, and find our ſelves below, upon earth, in a wilderneſſe of ſinne, in a region of trouble: ſo farre from the felicity of that kingdome, and fruition of that freedome, that we have ſtill an apprentiſhip to ſerve: our ſoules muſt waite till our particular diſſolution, our bodies till the generall reſurrection. There is no remedie, but we muſt tarry till Chriſt come to judge this world, before we can compleatly come to the honour of that world.

Now leaſt this conſideration ſhould affect us with too deepe a melancholy, and put us beyond our patience; our Apoſtle comes in here with a ſeaſonable antidote; and bids us be of good cheare: for God doth not forget his promiſe by his long ſuffering, but his long ſuffering rather conduceth to the performance of his promiſe. All this forbearance ſalutis noſtrae rationem habet. Calvin.In this delay of his comming we muſt finde Gods cleare intendment of our ſalvation. It is not his ſlackneſſe, but his ſweetneſſe; his mercy rather than neglect, this his dilation. As a learned and skilfull Phyſician can make a wholeſome medicine of ranke poyſon; and ſo order a minerall, dangerous in it ſelfe, that that, which in nature, ſimply, would kill; by his compoſition ſhall bee of ſoveraigne virtue to recover health. So the deferring of hope, which is to ſome the breaking of the heart, our Apoſtle takes to another uſe, and makes a cordiall of it, to heale the heart when it is broken. The naturall man reaſons thus; while the graſſe is a growing, the beaſt ſtarves: that which is ſo long a comming, will ſcarce ever come: give mee the preſent, take you the future. But the gracious heart reſolues the contrary; Give me the futuritie of thoſe infinite comforts, take you theſe preſent, tranſient toyes. The bad ſervant ſayes,lLuk. 12.45. My Lord delayeth his comming, therefore I may bee unruly. But the good one ſayes;mHeb. 10.37. Yet a little while, and hee that ſhall come, will come, and will not tarry: Therefore I will watch for his comming, that when he does come he may not finde me ſleeping. If he comes, it is to receive mee: if hee ſtayes, it is to try mee: howſoever, his purpoſe is to ſave me.

Therefore Account that the long ſuffering of the Lord is ſalvation. There bee 2. generall points in the verſe. 1. Documentum, a comfortable trueth delivered: This long ſuffering is ſalvation. 2. And Teſtimonium, a witneſſe whereby it is confirmed; even as our beloved brother Paul hath written. Out of the former part, naturally ariſe three concluſions. 1. That God is not raſh, ſuddaine, and violent againſt us, but long ſuffering. 2. That this patience does not tend to our perdition; but to our good, our beſt good, even Salvation. 3. That without all miſconſtruction, we ought ſo to eſteeme it: Account that the Lords long ſuffering is Salvation. Concerning the Teſtimonie, hereafter, in due place.

1. That God is patient, veritas manifeſta et conceſſa; wee neede not racke our faith to beleeve it, for we are ſenſible of it: It is not matter of faith, ſo much as of feeling. Which of us here had not long agoe beene in hell, but that hee hath long ſuffered …s upon earth, with meanes to bring us to heaven? wee forfeit our lives, we forfeit our ſoules, every moment to his Iuſtice: how are wee reprived but by his Patience? We are rebells, why does hee not execute martiall law againſt us?nGen. 6.3. My ſpirit ſhall not alwayes ſtrive with man. Hee might cut us off ſooner: yet there is a faire time left us. The Poets fiction hath a grave morall: They faine Vulcan to be the Cutler of heaven, and armour-maker to their gods. Now Vulcan was lame, and therefore could not haſtily bring home their weapons. The true God is ſlow to wrath, and unwilling to puniſh, proroguing his Iudgements, and expecting our repentance: yet ſo as by delaying, hee brings to paſſe his owne purpoſes. There is no one Title more frequently attributed to God in the Scripture, than the Lord of Hoſtes: yet this Lord of hoſtes and armies is long ſuffering.

Two things, one would thinke, ſhould much trouble his patience; Idolatrie, and Blaſphemie: becauſe they both neerely trench upon his honour, whereof he is moſt tender. There is no ſenſe for the one, no pretence for the other. Was it not madnes in the Iſraelites, to worſhip the gods of the Canaanites, who (they knew by experience) could not defend their land from them? Would it not anger a man to ſee his child, paſſing by himſelfe, to aske bleſſing of his ſlave? Wee all live at Gods charges, and ſhall wee pay a blocke or ſtone our ſervice; What ſence is there in this? who would endure it? For a wife to play the whore before her husbands face, would not a little trouble his patience. Why doe we ſcratch and teare in pieces Gods dreadfull name, forborne? A water-man, that will undertake to ſweare with the devill himſelfe, and give hime oddes; that let but oathes and blaſphemies bee the wherry, will row with him for a wager, which ſhall be at hell firſt: yet even this man is long ſuffered. Though hee ſpends his life, and gets his living, within leſſe than two inches of death every day; yet this man ſinnes, and is ſpared. O the infinite long ſuffering of our gracious God, even in the midſt of theſe ſins that preſſe upon him, for vengeance, and inceſſantly ſollicite his Iuſtice! For every wicked oath is a kind of prayer for Iudgment: and they that know not how to pray as they ought, know yet familiarly how to ſweare as they ought not.

There is not the leaſt punctilio of honour, but your Gallant ſtands upon it; & with ſtreames of anothers, or of his own bloud, he wil waſh off that imaginary ſtaine. He cals you into the field, to doe him right, & to anſwer him like a Gentleman: But that right is manifeſt wrong; and you muſt anſwer him like a Gentleman, not like a Chriſtian. What is the ground of all this? His honour forſooth: he cannot put up ſuch an injury with his honour. But all this while hee forgets the honour of God, thus diſparaged by his bloudy combate. He cannot brooke a ſlight offence done him by his equall, without revenge: yet lookes that the Lord of Heaven and Earth ſhould digeſt his monſtrous wickedneſſe with patience.

How farre diſtant bee the thoughts of God and man? Every little that wee ſuffer from God or man, we thinke too much: all the wrongs that God or man ſuffer from us, we account but little. God ſuffers long, and much: Hee hath not dealt ſo with us. Even where He tels us thatoHeb. 10.36. verſe. 37. we have need of patience, becauſe we muſt ſuffer: He preſently qualifies it; Yet a little while, and hee that ſhall come, will not tarry: Gravitas miſeriae brevitate levatur. His mercifull Wiſedome hath ſo temper'd our ſorrowes,Sen. that Nemo valdè dolebit, & diù. If we ſuffer much, it ſhall not be long: if we ſuffer long, it ſhall not be much. Si longus, levis est: ſi gravis est, brevis est. Some miſery is like a Conſumption; gentle, but of long continuance: other like a Fever, violent, but ſoone over. If our ſorrow bee long, the lighter: if ſharper, the ſhorter. It is but the body that commonly ſuffers, and that cannot hold out long. Say it fals a pieces, there is but a pitcher broken. It is but the inſtrument of the ſoule: And why ſhould a good Muſitian thinke his skill loſt, by the hurt of his Lute? Or a valiant Souldier thinke his honour loſt by the breach of his ſword? Or a rich man thinke himſelfe undone by the rent of his garment? All our ſorrow is either tolerable, or ſhort. Upon which aſſurance, a man may well endure to have his hopes adjourned to a new day.

But the grievance wee put God to, is neither eaſie nor ſhort: Hee muſt ſuffer much, and Hee muſt ſuffer long too: much in burden, and long in continuance. And we are ſo farre from eaſing Him of it by repentance, that He is faine to eaſe Himſelfe of it in our juſt vengeance. For though He ſuffer long, in mercy: there is no reaſon that He ſhould ſuffer alwaies, in Iuſtice. All the while that David lay in his ſinnes without compunction, the burden of them lay upon God: ſo long He ſuffered. But when David cried Peccavi, and melted into repentance, he tooke the burden off from God, and laid it where it ſhould be, upon himſelfe: and ſo they were both eaſed. Wee commit ſinnes without feare, and perſiſt in them without remorſe: thus farre wee make Chriſt to ſuffer; thus long the whole lode lies upon Him.pAmos 2.13. I am preſſed under you, ſo He complaines, as a cart that is full of ſheaves. But when wee ſhall humble our ſelves by repentance, and breake our hearts with contrition; we doe then repetere gravamen, take off the weight from Chriſt, where it is: and lay it upon our owne hearts, where it ſhould be.qEpheſ. 4.30. Grieve not the holy Spirit of God. Till wee come to repentance, Hee is in grievance: ſo long He ſuffers for us, as we forbeare to ſuffer for our ſelves. But by our penitent humiliation, wee ſtoope our ſhoulders to our owne burden: under which when wee have lyen drooping, and weeping, and crying, and praying for a time; the Lord is mercifully pleaſed to take it off againe, from us; and to tranſferre it upon the Croſſe of his owne Sonne. This eaſeth us both, this diſchargeth us of all for ever. This is the firſt Concluſion; whereof wee may make a threefold uſe.

1. Here is matter of conſolation: we have to doe with the God of patience. The gods of the Heathen uſed to come in tempeſts: indeed they were no gods, but men; and none of the beſt men, neither: but ſubject to ſenſuall luſts and violent paſſions. But our God gives innumerable teſtimonies of his long animity, ſlowneſſe to wrath, and invincible patience. It is well that wee fall not into the hands of men: they would not give us ſo much as a breathing time, betwixt our fault and our death. When Saul ſaid to Doeg, r1 Sam. 22. verſe 18.Fall thou upon the Prieſts: hee ſlew that day foureſcore and five that wore a linnen Ephod. A tyrant doomes Innocents to death; and without any pawſe, execution followes. From God, out ſo Heaven, lightning and thunder comes together: ſometimes we have lightning without thunder, but thunder without lightning never. It is ſome mercy in cruell man, if the lightning of anger in his eyes, give warning of the thunderbolt in his hand: But too often he kils before he threatens, which is thunder without lightning. If we ſhould defile his bed, and diſhonour him in his wife, Would man endure it? If we ſhould ſtrike and miſ-uſe his children, Would man endure it? If we ſhould violate and robbe him of his goods, Would man endure it? If we ſhould ſticke the aſperſions of ſcandall upon his credite, Would man endure it? Wee doe all theſe wrongs to God, and yet He endures. We lodge that filthy Adultereſſe, Sinne or luſt in the marriage-bed of our hearts: we perſecute and kill his Children, thoſe holy Images of Himſelfe: we robbe Him of his goods, in purloyning his Tythes and Offering: we ſweare, and blaſpheme his honour all the day long: yet ſtill Hee endures it. O God, What ſhould become of us, but for thy wonderfull Patience? But here is the comfort that keepes us from the gulfe of deſpaire, in the deepe conſideration of our owne wickedneſſe; The Lord is long-ſuffering.

2. Here is matter of caution: The Lords long-ſuffering would not bee abuſed. Shall we perſiſt in evill, becauſe He continues to be good? My Father is full of lenity, therefore I may goe on in levity, and follow my wanton courſes: ſurely, He will forgive all at the laſt: What ingenuous ſonne will reaſon ſo? Bonus es bonis, & benè merentibus: gratioſus es peregrinis, & immerentibus: miſericors es malis, & malè merentibus. What then? Becauſe He ſuffers long, Shall I therefore put Him to it, and trie how long Hee will ſuffer? Becauſe Hee ſuffers much, Shall I therefore lay more weight upon Him? This is indeed the way of the world; beare one injury, and invite more: Put up this offence, and you ſhall have your belly full of them. But Gravatis addere gravamina; you muſt ſay in reaſon, This is no faire dealing in the world, And ſhall wee deale ſo with the Lord? They write of the Palme tree, that the more it is preſſed with weight, the higher and ſtronger it growes, and the more fruit it yeelds. But let us not have ſuch a conceit of God: that the more we onerate Him with our ſinnes, the more abundant fruits of his Mercy Hee will afford us. Never thinke ſo, for you ſhall not finde it ſo. Hee that beganne in kindeneſſe, and went on in patience, may end in fury. There is a long-ſuffering that does not tend to ſalvation: So ſinners are ſuffered like fiſhes, to ſwimme merrily downe the ſtreame of their owne ſenſuality, till they come to mare mortuum, the ſea of death.

3. Heere is matter of imitation; Gods Patience cals for ours: It is but reaſon, for us to ſuffer long, towards whom He is ſo long-ſuffering. Saint Paul deſcribing the Chriſtians Armour,Epheſ. 6. puts not in Patience for any peece of it: and yet tels us in another place, thatſHeb. 10.36. we have need of patience. Good reaſon; for it is not a peece, but the whole Panoplie it ſelfe. There is a plate for the brest, a helmet for the head, a ſword for the hand, a girdle for the loines, greaves for the feet, and a ſhield for the vitall parts: every peece armes a part, but Patience covers all. Which way ſoever the blow comes, patience receives it. Beſides, if the adverſaries weapon be ſo ſharpe, that it pierceth any peece of this armour; yet Patience is a coat of maile, a defence under theſe, that duls the edge of all aſſaults. Eaſe can be found no where, but in Patience. tIob 23.8.If we looke forward, it is not there: if backward, we cannot perceive it: on the left hand we behold it not, nor on the right can we ſee it. Trouble is on our right hand, and on our left hand trouble: trouble before us, trouble behinde us, and trouble round about us: but if Patience be within us, all is ſafe. If this be intra te, no matter who is contra te. Our trouble may bee exceſſive, both for the quantum, and for the quamdiù: this armour of Patience muſt be anſwerable to it.

Long; foruEſay 28.19. from morning to morning, by day and by night, there will be a vexation. Sorrow commonly comes on horſebacke, but goes away on foote. It runs likex2 Sam. 18.32. Cuſhi to David with ill newes, ſo faſt that it is out of breath: but when it is come, it tarries with us, it does not run backe againe.aIob 16.14. Vulnere ſuper vulnus: it breaketh us with breach upon breach. bRom. 8.36.We are killed all the day long: not a-forenoone, nor an houre, but all the day long. Now Patience muſt not bee an inch ſhorter than affliction. If the bridge reach but halfe way over the brooke, wee ſhall have but an ill-favourd paſſage. WhencEay 28.20. the bed is ſhorter than a man can ſtretch himſelfe on it, and the covering narrower than he can wrappe himſelfe in it; hee ſhall lie but uneaſily. Patience is the bed of the ſoule; it muſt not be too ſhort: it is the covering of the ſoule; it ſhould not bee too narrow. Therefore Chriſt inſtructs us for the length of our Patience: dLuke 9.23.Hee that will come after me, let him take up his Croſſe daily, and follow me. Daily; for we muſt learne Patiendo pati. Few and evill have been my dayes: that Patriarch ſpake of never a good one. Let us praiſe Patience, as we doe a faire day, at night. That light is deſpiſed, which holdes not in till we goe to bed.eMatth. 24:13. He that endureth to the end, ſhall be ſaved.

Large; as great in quantitie, as afflictions are in number.fLuke 14.31. What King going to warre, conſidereth not whether he bee able with ten thouſand, to meet him that commeth againſt him with twenty thouſand? What is a little ſufferance, to a great deale of ſorrow? weegIohn 6.9. have five loaves and two fiſhes; but what are they among ſo many? Some men may be ſtored with two or three acts of patience; but what are they among ſo many troubles? If the plaiſter be too narrow for the ſore, it will not keepe it from feſtering. By patience let us poſſeſſe our ſoules: for impatience diſpoſſeſſeth a man of himſelfe. Yea, let us keepe this poſſeſſion given us by Chriſt. Though Satan finde many trickes in law to diſturbe us, and many aſſaults againſt law to diſplace us; yet let us keepe our poſſeſſion of patience, and all is ſafe. As a wiſe Phyſician makes a medicine of many ſharpe ingredients, in their owne nature dangerous: but then addes a corrective to them, whereby they become proper Phyſicke for the Patient. So when the Lord doth miniſter to us many ſorrowes, bitter ingredients, with the one hand: let us beſeech him to put in with the other hand as much Patience; that they may be at leaſt quantity for quantity. Then though we ſmart for the time, we ſhall bee the better after it; and the end will be our health and everlaſting comfort in Ieſus Chriſt.

His Long ſuffering is ſalvation: that is the ſecond concluſion. This ſeemes to be a ſtrange kinde of ſpeaking: Is ſalvation? If he had ſaid, it is a meanes of ſalvation, a helpe to ſalvation, a preparative for ſalvation, or any thing that conduceth toward ſalvation; it had beene ſomewhat intelligible. But that it is ſalvation, appeares a nifficult ſaying. What doe we finde in our pilgrimage but wearineſſe? what fruit doth all the vanity of this Earth yeeld, but bitterneſſe? what can bee looked for in this valley of teares, but ſorrowes? And doe you call theſe Salvation? But here In praedicato enuntiati is metonymia effecti: It is ſalvation: that is, it is for ſalvation the way to it, the means of it, and an argument for it. In two reſpects.

1. In regard of them that are already called and put into the army of Gods militant ſervants: that are of his traine-band; in the continuall exerciſe of their ſpirituall armes. Secondly, in regard of them whoſe names are in Gods Muſter-booke, but not yet called, and preſſed forth to the warres. In relation to both theſe, this long ſuffering conduceth to ſalvation. The former God ſuffers long to ſuffer much at the hands of his and their enemies. They muſt ſtrive, and fight, and bleed, and conquer, before they receive that victorious wreath of glory. Firſt,h2 Tim. 4.7.8. Paul fights a good fight; then he takes the crowne. For the other, ſome of them are not yet called, ſome of them are not yet borne, that have their names written in Heaven. Therefore Chriſt delayes his comming, that theſe might alſo have their day: and but for the filling up of the number of the Elect, the world ſhould not ſtand one moment? This then is the intent of his long-ſuffering; Salvation to us, ſalvation to them: to all ſalvation. If thoſe ſoules were charged to ſtay for the accompliſhment of their brethren, that were already ſacrificed, andiRev. 6 11. under the Altar: much more we that are yet to be ſacrificed upon the Altar. God ſuffers this for three reaſons.

1. Our affliction prepares us for ſalvation: as grapes muſt be preſſed, before they become wine: and Corne threſhed and ground, ere it make bread. This is indeed a meere paradoxe to the children of the world, who runne in a circle of ſinne and pleaſure; till Finis alterius mali, gradus futuri. But that ex vulnere ſalus, Sen.ex morbo ſanitas, ex dolore gaudium, ex infirmitate robur, ex morte vita; this is a harder riddle than Sampſons to theſe Philiſtines. Yet Non eſt idoneus ad praemium, Bern.qui nondum paratus eſt ad patibulum. It is true thatkHeb. 12.11. No chaſtening for the preſent is joyous, but grievous: yet it hath another relliſh beſides the bitterneſſe. The Manna in the wilderneſſe was ſo conditioned, ſo qualified, that it taſted to every man like that, which that man liked beſt. Even correction is our Manna, part of our daily bread: Let us deſire God to make it ſo taſte to us, not as we would, but as he would have it taſte: and to make our taſte agreeable to his will, not his will to our taſte. As his corrections taſte of humiliation, ſo they taſte of conſolation too: as they have a relliſh of danger, ſo of aſſurance too. God hath imprinted in all his Elements, whereof our bodies conſiſt, two manifeſt qualities. The fire is hot and dry, the water cold and moiſt: therefore as the fire dries, ſo it heates too: and as the water moiſts, ſo it cooles too. In like manner his afflictions, which be the Elements of our mortification, by which our ſoules are brought home to him, have two qualities and operations: as they ſcourge us, ſo they ſcourge us into the way to him: and when they have ſhewed us, that we are nothing in our ſelves, they alſo ſhew us that Chriſt is all things to us. And though they ſhould remove us out of the world, yet they aſſure us, that no extremity of ſickeneſſe, no tentation of Satan, no guiltineſſe of ſinne, no horrour of death, ſhall remove us from him: But that when we die, we ſhall die in him, and by that death be united unto him, that died for us. Thus are ^l we chastened of the Lord, that we might not be condemned with the world. Therefore doth he ſuffer us to bee afflicted, becauſe he will not ſuffer us to be damned. All ſhall prepare us for him, and helpe to gather us to him. Therefore we may well account his long-ſuffering ſalvation.

2. Our afflictions are an argument of our ſalvation: mHeb. 12.6.For whom the Lord loveth, he chaſteneth. Therefore hee ſuffers us to feele the more ſtripes, that wee might have the more aſſurances of his paternall love. Phyſicians, not ſeldome let us blood before we be ſicke: and we lop off our ſuperfluous branches, that the Vine may yeeld better fruit. Sinne is the ſtrength of death, and the death of ſtrength: by what meanes ſo ever the Lord makes that weaker, wee grow ſtronger. It was the ground of that long diſputation betweene Iob and his friends; whether that wofull calamity was a ſigne of Gods love, or of his hatred to him. God himſelfe was the moderator, and decided the queſtion; that all this tended to his ſalvation. nIudg. 6.If the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? It was Gideons expoſtulation with the Angell. Others perſecute, we ſuffer; which of us is likelieſt to be in Gods favour? Cyprian reſolves it in that inſtance of Iudas and Chriſt. Iudas betrayes, Chriſt dies: yet which of us had not rather bee like Chriſt, than like Iudas? Like Chriſt, who prayed for his enemies, ut per ſanguinem quem fuderunt, ſalvi fiant: than like Iudas, qui per pacis ſignum, rumpit pacis Sacramentum? This was Maries meſſage to Chriſt;oIoh. 11.3. Lord, he whom thou loveſt, is ſicke. Si amatur, quomodo infirmatur? As if none could be ſicke, whom God loves. Yes, even therefore are we ſicke, becauſe hee loves us. The Fever does not more burne up our blood, than our luſt: and together with ſwearing out the ſurfets of nature, at the pores of the body: we weepe out the ſinnefull corruption of our nature, at the pores of the conſcience. So that as the breaking of the Cloudes gives way to the clearer light of the Sun: the grace of our ſoule ſhines fairer forth at theſe breaches of our ſicke body. Much fruite breakes the tree, much rankeneſſe layes the corne. Mala ſunt graviora, quae ſuaviora: miſerum te reputo, quia non fuiſti miſer. God ſees that Men are moſt miſerable, in not being miſerable: therefore he lets thoſe that he cares not for, ſwimme in pleaſures: but they ſhall be ſure of woe upon Earth, to whom he meanes joy in Heaven. Therefore in our ſufferings; let us account his long-ſuffering, no leſſe than Salvation.

3. Afflictions are our paſſage to Salvation, our throughfare to the land of promiſe.pAct. 14.22. Through many tribulations we muſt enter into the kingdome of Heaven. If wee doe not finde ſuch rough paſſages, wee are out of our way. Shew me the man that hath found a fairer way than ſorrow. I am ſure that Chriſt did not; that knew the way moſt perfectly: This way he went; and this way hee directed us to follow him.qLuk 24.26. Ought not Chriſt to ſuffer theſe things, and to enter into his glory? He had firſt his Oportet pati, before he could he allowed his Sic intrare. Humiliari firſt; and there is an Oportet ſet upon the head of that: Intrare laſt, and there is a Sic that is the Vſher to it. The Patriarches went this way, the Prophets this way, the Apoſtles this way, the Martyrs this way; this way went all the Saints, and doe we looke for an eaſier way? A Chriſtians life can no more be ſine luctibus, than the Sea ſine fluctibus. You will ſay that Gods legacies by his firſt will, in the old Teſtament, were plenty and victory: Canaan was a land of wine and oile, milke and honey: and by thoſe galleries he brought them into his bed-chamber; by thoſe glories and joyes, to the joyes and glories of Heaven. Why hath hee changed his will? why left his old way? why doth hee now carry us by the ſevere path of diſcipline and mortification? by the melancholy way of mourning and lamentation? by the thorney way of miſery and tribulation? Is the joy and glory of Heaven, no more than a comparative joy, a comparative glory? Not ſuch in it ſelfe, but onelyonly ſuch in compariſon of the ſorineſſe and baſeneſſe of this world? No; for as God himſelfe, who is all, is made of no ſubſtances: ſo the joy and glory with him is made of no circumſtances: eſſentiall joy, eſſentiall glory, all there. But why does hee not beginne them here? What needs this rough way of calamity thither? Beloved, ſhall not he that made the kingdome, appoint the way? He thought it the beſt, and ſhall wee thinke we could have deviſed a better? Surely, he would never ſo long have ſuffered his enemies to tyrannize over his friends; but that he knowes it moſt conducing to his glory, and our good: for ſo we are charged to account it, that his long-ſuffering is ſalvation. Nor yet in all this preſent miſery does he leave us deſtitute of comfort: for even here we have the beginnings of Heaven, the peace of Conſcience, and joy in the holy Ghoſt. Thus as in the midſt of life we be in death: ſo in the middeſt of death we be in life; even in that life which ſhall never die, Ieſus Chriſt.

2. Thus is the Lords long-ſuffering ſalvation, to ſuch as are called: it is ſo alſo vocandis, to ſuch as are to be called: to theſe for their entrance into the Church militant, to the other for their paſſage into the Church triumphant. For God, by letting the world ſtand, allowes thē both a time, when to come in & a place, where to come in; and a light, how to come in. Al which would be taken away, with the taking away of the world. For this eauſe doth Chriſt forbeare his laſt comming, and delay this univerſall conflagration: that the number of his choſen might be made up: and the Book of grace be the counterpain, punctually anſwerable to the Book of life; not a name differing between them. Now a ſecond birth preſuppoſeth a firſt: Generation muſt neceſſarily precede regeneration: Borne once they muſt be, or borne twice they cannot be. The great clocke of Time is kept going for this; otherwiſe the motion of all his wheeles ſhould be ſtayed for ever; and the Angels oath ſhould come in force, that Time ſhall bee no more. God hath his determined number, knowne onelyonly to himſelfe, no part of the Earth debarred from them: The Earth ſhould burne, the Elements melt, the Heavens flame, the Devils and reprobates be laid up in Hell, the Elect Men and Angels bee imparadiſed in Heaven; all but for this; Gods number is not yet full. Till this bee done, Satan may range abroad, the wicked domineere, the righteous ſuffer; miſery and ſinne walke their round, the Heavens move, the Seas ebbe and flow, the World ſtand; and the Lord ſuffers all this. Well, let us yeeld to God the Election of his owne times; eſpecially ſeeing that all tends to ſalvation. Shall we wiſh the world at an end with our ſelves; and when we goe out, that no more might come in? So it is reported of an envious and uncharitable mans wiſh; That God would ſave his Parents, his Wife and Children, his Brothers and Siſters, and himſelfe; and no more: To whom another replied; It were a great deale better for the world, if the Devill might take his Parents, his Wife and Children, his Brothers and Siſters, and himſelfe, and no more. Farre be it from us to grudge others that mercy wee have found our ſelves, and which our gracious God is pleaſed to ſhew them in Ieſus Chriſt.

The Summe of this point is this: All the actions of God toward man, tend to his good, and that to his beſt good, even Salvation. In the Creation it was plaine: when the Maker, upon the review of his Workes, ſaw that every thing in particular, and all things in generall, were exceeding good. In the Redemption it was as plaine: He hath done all things well: a true confeſſion and applauſe! Here were all things good indeed, all things well: But for whom was this Bonum intended? Who ſhall have the benefit of this Benè? Who but man? It was fit indeed that the honour ſhould be Gods, but the profit is mans. In that Antheme of the Angels there be three notes, which are the compendium of Chriſtian Relion.rLuke 2.14. Glory to God on high, peace on earth, good will towards men. As one reverend Prelate quotes the ſaying of another:Bradward. by B. Andr. Let that bee the Religion, let that prevaile, as the beſt and moſt true of all other, that is Deo honorabilior, brings more honour to God; Paci amicabilior, beſt friend to peace; and Homini favorabilior, moſt favorable to man: as ſhewing God better affected to us, and making us better affected to God, better one to another. They blaſphemouſly wrong the goodneſſe of God, that thinke Hee had rather honour Himſelfe in our ruine, than in our ſalvation. What meane all thoſe proteſtations; Nolo mortem morientis; and Volo omnes ſalvos fieri? Bee they curſory ſpeeches? Sure, the God of trueth ſcornes to uſe complements. That is for ſuch diſſembling Politicians, as ſalute one another with God ſave you, at their meeting; and wiſh one another hanged, after their parting. But God wils good, ſpeakes good, does good to us: nothing but good comes from that infinite Fountaine of goodneſſe. Chriſt ſpent the daies of his humiliation, in doing us good: his Miracles did good to the bodies of men, his Oracles to their ſoules, his Sufferings both to their ſoules and bodies; all tended to our Salvation.

Looke upon his Miracles, (and every Miracle is a new Creation) and we ſhall finde, Hee would doe nothing, which breathed not towards man favour and bounty. Moſes wrought miracles, but they were ſcourges; plagues to the Egyptians: Elias wrought miracles, but it was to the hurt of the earth; by withholding raine from Heaven: and he brought downe Fire from Heaven, but it was to conſume men upon the earth. Eliſha called for Beares; but it was to puniſh unmannerly children. Peter ſtrucke Ananias, that ſacrilegious Hypocrite, with preſent death: and Saint Paul ſmote Elymas the Sorcerer, with blindeneſſe: but no ſuch thing was done by Ieſus. Thoſe ſervants of God were the Oxen, to tread out the corne, and trample downe the ſtraw: Chriſt was the Lambe of God, full of meekeneſſe. When Hee drew multitudes of fiſhes to their nettes, it was to give them a more liberall proviſion. When He turned Water into Wine, it was to glad their hearts. When Hee multiplied thoſe five Loaves, it was to victuall an hoaſt of people. If He rebuked the Windes, it was becauſe they threatned deſtruction to his ſervants by their fury. If Hee curſed the Figtree, it was for not doing the duty to which He had ordained it, in bearing fruits for man. Hee reſtored motion to the lame, ſight to the blinde, hearing to the deafe, ſpeach to the dumbe, to the ſicke health, to the dead life. Wee can finde no miracle of his ſpent upon revenge and judgement: all reliſh of ſweetneſſe and merciemercy.

His Oracles did no leſſe good to the ſoule: not a Sermon did Hee preach, wherein Hee did not brethe Heaven into their hearts.Iohn 4. Iohn 6. Luk. 24.32. From the occaſion of Iacobs Well, Hee drew forth a Sermon of the living Waters. By their naturall appetite to thoſe materiall Loaves, Hee perſwades them to a ſpirituall hunger after the Bread of life. Hee did let ſlip no opportunity of winning our ſoules.

His ſufferings crowned all the reſt: he did not only doe for us, but die for us. All his ſayings and doings conduced to our ſalvation: but his death was our ſalvation indeed. Mira fecit, but dira tulit. S.ſActs 1.1. Luke did offer to write of all that Ieſus did, and taught: but who did ever attempt to write of all that he ſuffered? In every thing, the goodnes of God to man, ſhines in the beames of ſalvation. If he comes to us it is with ſalvation. tLuke 19.9.This day is ſalvation come to this houſe. If hee defers his comming, it is for ſalvation; that we mightuPhil. 2.12: worke out our ſalvation with feare and trembling. If he honours us with peace, it is but to give us a taſt of ſalvation: If he ſcourge us with chaſtiſements, it is ſtill an argument of our ſalvation His ſmiles are the reflections of ſalvation: his very frownes are not without the looke of ſalvation. His ſpeedyer approches towards us, are to bring us to ſalvation: his long ſuffering, is to prepare us for ſalvation. The breath of his mouth, the workes of his hands, the deſires of his heart, they all determine in this; our ſalvation. Now asx2 King. 4.13. Eliſha ſaid to the Shunnamite; Behold thou hast beene, thus carefull for us, what is to be done for thee! So Lord, thou haſt done all this, for us men, and for our ſalvation: what ſhall wee returne thee for all? Surely wee can doe no more, nor will wee doe leſſe, then give thee all honour, and thankes,Pſal. 116.13. and praiſe for ever.

Account that his long ſuffering is ſalvation: this is the third concluſion: wee are ſo bound to account it. It is a Principall granted in Philoſophie, and not cantradicted in Divinitie, that there bee foure elements; Fire, Ayre, Water, Earth, and that they have their proper qualities; Hote, Moiſt, Cold, and Dry, and that of theſe foure, all mixt bodies are compoſed. Grant then theſe foure concurring to the conſtitution of mans body; yet ſo as mans body is a fift ſubſtance, diſtinct from them all. The heate of it does not make it fire: nor doth the cold make it water: there is moiſture in it, yet it is not aire: earth it is, but not without a commixion of the other elements. In the naturall minde of man, while it is excerciſed upon problematicall or diſputable queſtions, there bee foure tempers or ingredients, as his body conſiſts of foure humours: Ignorance, knowledge, doubt, and perſwaſion: and there is no minde of man in this world, without all theſe: though the meaſure bee different; and in ſome then other, one of them may be more predomanant. Ignorance is like the earth, dry and barren: Perſwaſion like the fire, lightſome active, and working: Doubt like the water, cold and running: Knowledge like the aire, clouded and uncertaine. Albeit the brighter the Sunne ſhines, the clearer the aire is; yet you never finde it without ſome cloudes. Now there is a fift thing, which indeed comes from another cauſe, and is infuſed from above: yet being in the minde, it is forced to partake of the other foure: this is Quinteſſentia, a fift being, the quinteſſence of them all: and wee call it Faith or Aſſurance. This hath in it ſo much of knowledge, as to underſtand the principale in part: and yet ſo much of Ignorance, as in part to be ſhallow, and to come ſhort of the full comprehenſion of it. It hath ſo much of perſwaſion, as to aſſent unto the trueth of it: and yet ſo much of doubt, as to make many ſcruples and queſtions about it. If we rightly examine it; ſo weake is the faith of many Chriſtians, even in this high point of their owne Salvation; that the happy building of, Lord I beleeve; cannot ſtand without that collumne to underproppe it, helpe thou my unbeliefe.

The fire of our knowledge deſcends from heaven: the earth of our ignorance ariſeth from beneath: our perſwaſion is the grace of God: our doubt is from fleſh and blood. Yet what man upon earth hath a faith ſo full of knowledge that it is free from all ignorance? Or ſo ſtrong a perſwaſion of his owne future happyneſſe, ſuch a certentie to be ſaved, that he never doubted of it? There is therefore a higher degree of faith required of us; even an aſſurance, that this long ſuffering of God is meant for our Salvation. And this cannot bee a floting opinion of of the braine, an airy ſpeculation, driven too and fro, like the cloudes with every wind; with every tempeſt of afflictions. Nor an epicence, equivocating, doubtfull apprehenſion, ebbing and flowing like the inconſtant water. But as the leſſe melancholy earth and hydropicall water there is in the body, the more ſprightly and active it is: ſo the leſſe doubt and ignorance in our faith, the more holy and heavenly. This then muſt be a firme perſwaſion of the heart; the ground whereof is the will of God, the builder whereof, is the Spirit of God, the pillars whereof are the word and grace of God, the light whereof is the knowledge of God, and the roofe whereof is the glory of God.

That the Divine patience is ſalvation, is here put upon our account: and if wee doe not ſo account it, wee ſhall be accountant for it. It is certainely ſo in it ſelfe, whether we account it ſo or not; even Salvation: but it is not Salvation to us unleſſe wee ſo account it. Our faith muſt come in, to make up the match: When Chriſt hath wrought all this for our ſalvation, he hath done his part: we muſt beleeve, that our ſalvation is thus accompliſhed, or elſe wee faile in our part. This account therefore is of no ſmall moment, how ſmall account ſoever wee make of it.

It ariſeth in full ſtrength, againſt foure ſorts of ſinners. 1. Contra deſperantes; aganſt thoſe that thinke Gods ſuffering them to lie long under the rod, is an argument of his disfavour: they doe not account it ſalvation. 2. Contra Properantes; againſt thoſe that are impatient of Gods delay, and will needes urge him to mend his pace: theſe doe not account his long ſuffering ſalvation. 3. Contra non operantes; againſt them that will not make uſe of this pawſe of judgement, and reprieve of the world, thereby to lay timely hold on repentance: without which they cannot account it their ſalvation. 4. Contra non imitantes; againſt thoſe that doe not proceed in Gods ſteps; rather by lenity to ſpare, than raſhly to execute: All theſe muſt bee called to account by this charge: Account that the long-ſuffering, &c.

1, There bee ſome that take every heavy croſſe, for a ſigne of Gods implacable anger: and make that an argument of rejection, which our Apoſtle makes an argument of ſalvation. There is an Indolencie to be without paine at all: and there is a condolencie, or grieving for the paines of others: and there is a dedolencie, to be in paine, and not to feele it: and there is a Superdolency, an overſenſibleneſſe, that takes every ſcratch for a wound, and every wound for death. God would not have men make themſelves more miſerable, than they need, than they ſhould; by looking upon their miſeries through a multiplying glaſſe. Whom the Lord loveth, Heb. 12.6.hee chaſteneth: that is orthodoxall truth: But that, whom he ſcourgeth, he hateth; what ſtrange Divinity is this? when did the Scripture ever ſpeake ſo? The Lord writes his minde to us in the characters of correction, that he meanes to doe us good: and wee make a falſe conſtruction of it, as if he meant us ruine. Is affliction ſuch a ſtrange language, that wee cannot read it? Or is it expreſſed in ſo hard a dialect, that wee muſt needs miſ-interpret it to Gods diſhonour, and our owne bane? Theſe are the men, that turne every probation into reprobation, every dejection into a rejection: and if they bee caſt downe, they cry out preſently that they are caſt away. Lift up thy ſelfe, thou timorous fainting heart, and do not ſuſpect every ſpot for a plague-token: do not die of a meere conceit. Heavineſſe may endure for a night: but as ſure as the morning ſun comes, the morning joy comes: Ioy comes in the morning. As the end of all motion is reſt: ſo the end of all thy troubles ſhall be peace: where the daies are perpetuall Sabbaths, and the diet undiſturbed feaſts. Thy pacified ſoule ſhall become Paradiſus ſine gladio, Templum Solomonis ſine malleo. Lord ſpeake muſicke to the wounded Conſcience, thunder to the ſeared: that thy Iuſtice may reclaime the one, thy mercy releeve the other, and thy favour comfort us all with peace and ſalvation.

2. There be ſome that are over-ſollicitous with God, to mend his pace; as if they would not give him leave to take his owne leiſure, for the execution of his holy purpoſes. I know, there is a ſober and modeſt importunacy of the ſaints; earneſt with God to make an end of the daies of ſinne, and to ſet his glory in the full luſtre. The deſire of the ſoule is never ſatisfied, till it come to the end it aimeth at: (which is a maine argument for the Reſurrection) now this cannot be untill Chriſts ſecond comming. The creatures have a groning deſire of thisaRom. 8.19. They waite for the manifeſtation of the Sonnes of God. The militant Saints pray for this; Thy Kingdome come. Saint Paul was not without his Cupio diſſolvi. The Bride, the Church on Earth cryes for this;bRev. 22.20. Even ſo come Lord Ieſus. Even that Church in Heaven prayes for this;cRev. 6.10. Vſquequo Domine? How long O Lord holy and true? Sanctified eyes that have but a glimpſe of thoſe new Heavens by faith, doe ſo ſcorne the contentments of this old world; that did the Spheres joyne with the Elements, the Sunne and ſtarres confederate with the Earth and waters, to make them happy; it would be held unacceptable vanitie. Yea, did Heaven it ſelfe profer them all its glorie and pleaſure, it would not ſatiſfie them without Chriſt. Immo, ne Chriſtus ipſe ſufficeret, niſi ſeipſum dederit. The beſt of this world is but vanitie; the worſt, vexation. Beautie a flower; to day flouriſhing and worne in the boſome: to morrow withering and ſwept out with the beeſome. Health is not Ague-proofe: and where is the ſtrength that can ſtand a fever? Wealth is a fugitive: either it will leave us, or we muſt leave it; and this comes all to one paſſe. Honour is beholden to vulgar ſpectacles; faine to borrow poore mens eyes to give it a luſtre: and loe, this is all the beſt of the World.

The worſt of it wee all know too ſenſibly: the wicked mans injury, is the good mans patrimony. There wasdMatth. 9.15. joy in the Bridegroomes preſence: but ſorrow followed immediately upon his abſence. It was the politicke malice of the world, that aimed by the death of the Generall, to disband the army. So long as Chriſt lived on earth; wee read of no perſecution againſt his Diſciples: but let Him bee once removed, and then there is havocke made of the Church: Stephen is ſtoned, Peter crucified, Paul beheaded: ſome ſtrangled, ſome burned, ſome broiled, ſome brained; all, but onelyonly Saint Iohn, murdered. The Spouſe lovingly invites her Beloved to her armes, to her bed: and he ſummons her to armes, to warfare.eBernard. in Cant. Serm. 47. Illâ monſtrante lectulum, ille vocat ad campum, ad exercitium. In her Garden grow both Lilies and Roſes; becauſe ſhe is bothfCypr. Ep. 9. Operibus candida, & cruore purpurea. Her lot is to doe good, and to ſuffer evill. Untouched fortunes, and untouched conſciences, ſeldome dwell together. And it is uſuall for them that know no ſorrowes, to know no God. It is oppoſition that gives the tryall, and cauſeth argent to ſeeme more bright in a ſable field, as the Sun is more pleaſing, when it breakes from a Cloud. No marvell if all theſe conſiderations make us importunate with God, to haſten his Kingome: thinking the time long, till the tyranny of ſorrow, and uſurpation of ſinne, give place to righteouſneſſe and peace.

Importunate we may be in this deſire; we may not be impatient. Hope deferred is the fainting of the ſoule: but againſt that fainting, God hath provided cordials for us. As He hath imprinted all the medicinall vertues, that are in all creatures; and made even the fleſh of Vipers to aſſiſt in cordials: ſo Hee can raiſe ſtrength out of weakneſſe, and make ſickneſſe it ſelfe a medicine to procure everlaſting health. As the children of vanity finde, that in the midst of laughter there is heavineſſe: ſo the ſonnes of patience finde, that in the midſt of heavineſſe there is comfort. Chriſt himſelfe had a ſadneſſe in his ſoule, even unto death: not without a reluctation, a deprecation of death, in the approches of it: yet Hee had his cordiall too; Not my will, but thine be done. When He cried out, My God, my God, Why hast thou forſaken me? His Father did then reach out his hand to Him: but not to deliver his ſad ſoule, but to receive his holy ſoule. Neither did Hee longer deſire to hold it of Him, but to recommend it to Him. Whether the good wee hope for, be deferred: or the evill we feare, be inflicted: ſtill patience is a cordiall: a ſilent and abſolute obedience to the Will of God, is a ſoveraigne cordiall: which if God preſerve to us, will certainely preſerve us to Him. And from this lower forme of a gentle Catechiſme, in the ſchoole of patience; we ſhall take a greater degree, in an higher place, and joyfully ſerve Him in his Kingdome of glory.

3. There bee ſome that grow the more wanton by Gods forbearance: and the more long-ſuffering Hee is toward them, the more bold they are to offend Him. They doe what they liſt, and the Lord lets them alone: therefore they thinke He is pleaſed with them, and with what they doe: and that which way ſoever they take, the end of their journey muſt needs be ſalvation. Such men may thinke it ſo; but they ſhall not finde it ſo: for betweene theſe two, Tolerantiam, & ſalutem: there is a breathing place, an Existimate. This is no light opinion, or fond imagination; that though they ſpend their daies in vanity, they ſhall end their daies in mercy. You have read of ſome, that Ducunt in bonis dies ſuos: ſo they goe on: and ſubitò ad Infernum, ſo they goe out. They preſume that they are in Gods favour, and that all his patience doth but further and accompliſh their ſalvation: yet they bring forth nothing but the fruites of perdition. With this conceit they paſſe their lives, and with this conceit they paſſe out of their lives. As if they reſolved to put their ſoules in a venture; and to come to Heaven their owne way, or not to come thither at all.gIoel. 2.12. Turne to the Lord with weeping and mourning, ſaith the Prophet Ioel: But theſe will change Ioel into Iael: in ſtead of teares, they bringhIudg. 4.19. milke; and for contrition, warme covering; and ſo lay them downe, and never riſe more. They will not ſhed a teare, nor loſe a meale, all the yeare long: but ſpend their dayes in a pleaſant dreame, not interrupted by ſorrow: and yet thinke that all this makes for their ſalvation. This is a fantaſticall conceit, our Apoſtle chargeth us here with an Exiſtimate, a well grounded perſwaſion, that the Lords long ſuffering is ſalvation.

Now this perſwaſiō cānot be in our hearts, unleſſe we apprehend the meanes of ſalvation; Faith and Repentance. For what man that continually ſteeres his courſe weſtward, can flatter himſelfe that he is travelling towards the eaſt:iRom. 2.4. The long ſuffering of God leades us to repentance. Except his patience worke repentance in us, it will not worke ſalvation for us. The meaning of his forbeareance, is to bring us to repētance: & repentance is the earneſt of ſalvation. If we do not take Gods time, to Gods intēt; & while he delayes his cōming, lay hold on converſion: we may count & reckon long enough, but we reckon without our Hoſte. For howſoever this propoſitiō is true in the Theſi, or foundation: yet it may prove otherwiſe in the Hypotheſi, or ſuppoſitiō: Gods long ſuffering is ſalvation; that is infallible truth but it will never be ſalvation to us, without our hearty & timely repentence. Repentance then is the grace we call upon you for, as you call upon God for ſalvation. Expecto, Domine, ſalutem tuam: I waite O Lord, for thy ſalvation: that is the prayer of my ſoule to God: Expecto, peccator, paenitentiam tuam; I waite, O ſinner, for thy converſion; that is the anſwere of God to my ſoule. How can wee be ſaved, without repentance? And how could we have ſpace to repent, but by Gods forbearance? Sinne is a wrong to the divine goodnes: and no wrong to that, muſt eſcape unrevenged. There be two times or places for the revenge upon ſinne: this mortall life upon earth, or that other immortall death in hell. In that infernall torture, it is Gods time for vengeance: then and there, hee will plague all offences with inſufferable paines. While we live in this world, this is our time of vengeance: here, and now, we ought to puniſh our ſelves with bitter ſorrowes; that wee may prevent the future. And this is truely the office of repentance, to afflict our hearts with griefe, for that wee have committed with folly. This is impoſed upon the ſinner;kAug: de ver. et falſ. Poenit. cap. Vt ſemper puniat ulciſcendo, quod commiſit peccando, All thoſe iniuries to his infinite Maieſtie, will God revenge upon us in hell; which hee hath not found us to revenge upon our ſelves on earth. He will be iuſt, whatſoever we are.

Aske thy conſcience, thou ſecure offender; what puniſhment thou haſt inflicted upon thy ſelfe for thy ſinnes? Intolerable have beene thy wicked actions, execrable thy oathes and blaſphemies, innumerable thy foule thoughts and deſires: Hic eſt culpa, ubi pana? Here is the guiltineſſe, but where is the penaltie? Let us thinke: have our cryes beene as lowd as our ſinnes? Have our teares beene as thicke ſowne, as our tares, as our weedes, our treſpaſſes? Have we taken pills of gall and wormwood, for our ſurfeits of exceſſe and wantōneſſe? What proportion hath our ſorrow held with our offences?lCypr. Serm de lapſ. Poenitentia crimine minor non ſit. There is no deepe valley, but neere to ſome great hill: From the mountaine of our ſinnes, let us deſcend into the valley of teares. There is a neceſſitie of ſorrow for ſinne, to them that expect pardon of ſinne. We have ſinned for very anger that we could ſinne no more: and ſhall we not weepe for very ſorrow, that we can weepe no more? Let us rejoyce that wee can ſorrow a little; for we have ſorrowed that we could not rejoyce enough. Our ſorrow was for the abſence of worldly ioy: let us bee glad for the preſence of penitent and godly ſorrow.

Nor muſt our griefe be Impatienter habitum, ſed deſiderio ſuſceptum. I know that the validity of repentance does not ſo much conſiſt in the length of time, as in the ſincerity of heart: And even in the approach of death, when the ſoule is now ceaſing to informe the body, and longing for her deliverance out of priſon; God then heares the groanes, and the very inarticulate ſighes of repentance. I know, that as there is no ſinne ſo great, but it may bee pardoned; ſo no time ſo late, but it may bee accepted. I know, that neither the greatneſſe of the crime, nor the ſhortneſſe of the time, can barre true converſion from forgiveneſſe. Repentance is a Superſedeas which diſchargeth ſinne; moving God to bee mercifull, the Angells to be joyfull, man to be acceptable, and onelyonly the Devill melancholy. But I know withall that it is not ſafe to put off that buſineſſe till late in the evening, which cannot bee diſpatched too early in the morning. I know that it is unthankefull to abuſe Gods long-ſuffering, and to take advantage by his gracious forbearance, to bee ungraciouſly impious. But as Pliny writes of a ſtone, called Theamides; which is of a contrary nature to the Loadſtone, Repellit enim ferrum; it drives backe iron. So whereas ſome hearts draw iron to them, even the hardeſt afflictions, magnetically, and make profitable uſe of them: Other hearts are a Theamides, repelling ſorrow, reſiſting the meanes of repentance, and fighting againſt their owne ſalvation.

Idle wantons make no other uſe of a faire day, than to wander abroad, and follow their pleaſures: the good husband takes that time to doe his worke, and thereby to better his eſtate. The Lords long-ſuffering is to carnall men but a faire day to play in, and to ramble after their laſcivious vanities: the Chriſtian knows it to be his time, wherein tomPhil. 2 12. worke out his owne ſalvation; and that not without feare and trembling. There is a time, and a time:nEccl. 3 4. A time to weepe, and a time to rejoyce: and this diſtinction of time argues a viciſſitude of occaſions. But that one and the ſame time, to one and the ſame man, ſhould bee both for mourning and rejoycing; is incompatible. Doubtleſſe, this is the time for teares: and they that ſpend it in jollity, quite miſtake the ſeaſon. Senſuall pleaſure hath no time allowed it: what it gets, is by uſurpation: And if it bee not tempered with the ſorrow of repentance, it will bee drowned in the ſorrow of vengeance. But as one ſpake wittily of wine, that it had two diſcommodities: If a man puts water into it, he marres the wine: if he puts no water into it, hee marres himſelfe. So we may ſay of Earthly pleaſure: If we mingle it with penitent ſorrow, wee ſpoile the pleaſure: if wee doe not thus mingle it, we ſpoile our ſelves.oPſal. 78.34. When he ſlew them, they ſought him. Cùm occideret, when hee ſlew them: it had beene a better report. Cum ſervaret, when he ſaved them. Good men cleave to God in a calme: the worſt ſinners will ſeeke him in a ſtorme. In this gracious Sun-ſhine of his long-ſuffering, while he forbeares and deferres the comming of his day; let us ſo repent, that we may be found blameleſſe in the day of his comming. This is the onelyonly bleſſed uſe of it.

4. There be ſome that like well enough of Gods long-ſuffering toward themſelves; but they have no mind to follow his example in the forbearing of others. Infinite are our offences againſt him, and yet we looke that hee ſhould ſpare us: few and triviall are the wrongs done to us, and yet they ſtirre us to impatience. Three things we do well commit to God; our injuries, our loſſes, and our griefes: for he is onelyonly able to cure our griefes, to reſtore our loſſes, and to redreſſe our injuries. Vengeance is Gods owne weapon; ſo appropriated to his hand, that no creature may meddle with it.pMat. 18.32. I forgave thee all the debt, ſuch was the mercy of Gods patience: Thou wouldſt not have compaſsion on thy fellowe: ſuch was the cruelty of mans impatience. Hee had much forgiven him, even tenne thouſand talents: yet he would not forgive a little; no not an hundred pence. A talent is eſteemed at above a hundred and ſeventeene pounds: the Romane Penny was under our ſhilling; ſo that the ſumme, according to our account which was owing to him by his neighbour, was not full three pounds: the debt which he ought to his Maſter, was farre above tenne hundred thouſand pounds: yet he had neither ſo much mercy as to quit ſcores, and cancell the debt; nor ſo much patience as to allow a day of payment: But preſently, from his Lords armes, he falls upon his fellowes throate.

There is nothing that makes a man ſo unlike to God, as a hard heart; without pittie, without patience.q1 King. 6.31. In the Tabernacle, the doores of the Sanctum Sanctorum, were of Olive tree; which is the Hieroglyphicke of mercy: But the gates of that fearefull Dungeon, which is Hell, are ſaid to be of braſſe and iron:rPſal. 107.16. Hee hath broken the gates of braſſe, and the barres of iron in ſunder: the ſignes of hard hearts and inſtruments of deſtruction. Which ſerves to ſhew, that the way to Hell, is by inhumanity; to Heaven, by pitty. Of all the paſſions in us, compaſſion is the beſt: and a man without this tenderneſſe, is but the Statue of a man; a meere ſtone in a humane figure. The very ſtones will ſeeme to weepe, when foule weather is a comming: and as if they had been once ſo full of ſorrow for Chriſts ſufferings, that their ſolid breaſts could no longer containe it, they brake in pieces. There be men harder than ſtones, that have hearts more impenetrable, obdurate, and unrelenting; and leſſe capable of remorſe. Nay, in ſtead of pittying the wounds of the miſerable, they make thoſe miſerable wounds.

It was held a ſhame to an Athenian, (it is worſe in a Chriſtian) never to have beene in the Philoſophers Academy, nor in the Temple of Mercy. If we cannot through diſability, relieve others with our goods; which is the mercy of contribution: yet what can hinder our comfortable words to them, which is the mercy of conſolation? or our teares and prayers for them, which is the mercy of interceſſion? Or our pity and ſenſible ſympathy of their griefs, which is the mercy of compaſſion? It was an act of Lycinius the tyrant, I know not whether more cruell or fooliſh; that when Chriſtians were put to their torture, hee forbad all the lookers on to ſhew the leaſt pity toward them: threatning the ſame paines to them that did ſhow it, which the Martyrs then ſuffered. His malice was greater than his power: for hee could not hinder thoſe from ſuffering with them, that dayly ſuffer in them.

But alas! Where now is mercy to forgive? nay, where is patience to forbeare? witneſſe our dayly homicides, duells, and quarrells, that we have no patience. Witneſſe that monſtrous number of thriving Lawyers, to juſtifie ſacriledge and oppreſſion, that wee have no mercy. The Lord may ſuffer us, as long as he pleaſe; yeare after yeare, to the end of our lives: one terme, one monethmonth, one houre, we thinke too much to beare with our brother. Patience is dead, but how wee know not. We have our weekely bills that informe us the particular diſeaſes, whereof men die: but of what diſeaſe died Patience? Sure it was ſome violent death, and wee may juſtly indict pride and malice for her murderers. Where ſhee lives, ſhee will keepe the hands from ſtriking, and the mouth from traducing, and the heart from envying: Shee makes the brow ſmooth, the eye modeſt, the foote ſlow, the ſpeach courteous. But where ſhe is dead, fury lightens in the eyes, frownes dwell in the forehead, ſcandall in the tongue, blood beſmeares the hand, wickedneſſe infects the whole man. Though ſhee be dead in the world, yet let us pray the God of patience to revive her in our hearts: that wee may poſſeſſe our ſoules in patience whiles wee live, and returne our ſoules in peace, when wee die, into the armes of IESVS CHRIST.

Account that the long-ſuffering of the Lord …s ſalvation.] As a man that ſees the …od…e of a Church, in a perſpective piece, think… at firſt that he may ſoone for…icall, without leaving any thing unobſerved: But when the graſſe is given …im, made for the purpoſe, throught which he is to looke upon it, … his eyes and minde are when up with a longer time of ſpeculation, and he finde … worke enough for a paire of houres, to note every part of that curious fabricke: Many …pillar, and … a poſture is preſented to him, worth his ſight, which at the firſt bl…ſh he would have paſſed over as not remarkeable. So at my firſt …ce into this ſhort argument, (little in ſhew, infinite in ſenſe) I promiſed my ſelfe …icke diſpa…ch, and though it but our dayes journey at the moſt: but the far… paſſed into this magnificent and beauteous …ucture, the buſier my thoughts grew, and the more worke I found: Many a columne of comfort, many a doore of hope, many a window of light is eſpied, and would not be left undiſcovered: that the weake might have inſtruction, the ſtronger ſatisfaction, all conſolation; and in all, God might have the glory of his wiſedome. Foure concluſions, like ſo many corollaries, I deſire not to leave unmentioned.

1. If God ſhould take us away in the midſt of our ſinnes, we cannot ta…e him of Injuſtice: but that his long-ſuffering affords us ſpace of repentance, is the great praiſe of his mercy.ſRev. 2.21. I gave her ſpace to repent of her fornication, but ſhe repented not. That ſhe had ſpace, this was Gods faire allowance: that ſhe repented not, this was be fowle miſcarriage. We all know that our daies are few: and we ſhould know that our ſins are many.tIob. 10.20. Ceaſe, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little. Ceaſe O Lord, from puniſhing, that I may take comfort: ſo prayes man: yea, O man, ceaſe from ſinning, for there is no other way to finde comfort, ſo anſwers God. The cloth that hath many ſtaines, muſt paſſe through many larders. Our godly ſorrowes are put in one ſcale, our ungodly ſins in another: the Lord will trie one day, which of them weighs heavieſt. Let us try them both firſt: & if we perceive the balance of our ſins to overpoiſe; Let us put in grones and ſighes, and prayers and teares into the other balance, to make it up. It is true that nothing but Chriſts blood can hold weight with ſin, in reſpect of ſatisfaction: yet our repentance muſt ſtrive to do it, in reſpect of deprecation. Repentance and good works have their ſeverall acts and offices in this buſineſſe. Repentance doth empty the ſcale of our ſinnes: and good workes helpe to fill up the ſcale of our righteouſneſſe.

Indeed, of the members from the Head, there can be no ſeparation: and the peace once made in Heaven, can never be broken: yet the more confirmation, the more comfort. In Chriſt, our ſalvation is ſure: but that it is at all times ſure in our particular feeling, what militant Saint dares affirme? VponUpon ſin will follow doubt, upon doubt terror, vponupon terror remorſe, upon remorſe deprecation, upon that pardon, & after pardon, peace: ſo after ſin admitted, the more time of forbearance, the better means of repentance: the better means, the ſtronger hope: the ſtronger hope, the ſweeter comfort: the ſweeter comfort to man, the nobler mercy of God. Therefore his long ſuffering well deſerves the name of ſalvation. It is truely ſaid, that time makes every thing aged, yet it ſelfe was never above a minute old. But if time, which makes us old in yeeres, ſhall make us alſo old in grace and good workes: for ſuch a time let us bleſſe the Lords long-ſuffering. Why is hee that opens his mouth in blaſphemy, ever ſuffered to open it againe in prayer. Or he that prof…es the Lords day, to breathe out that night? Or hee that ſleeps drunke, to … ſober? Or he that oppreſſeth the poore, to live one houre rich? Surely nothing can be ſaid but this: It is the goodneſſe of God, and that goodneſſe i… long-ſuffering, and that long-ſuffering is mercy, and that mercy is ſalvation.

The Lords long-ſuffering is miſ-interpreted, if it bring us not to ſalvation, and to ſalvation it cannot bring us without repentance. It is manifeſt, that he willeth … the death of a ſinner; for then he would not afford him ſuch liberty of converſion. All afflictions are his meſſengers, and hee gives all thoſe meſſengers their errands, with a gracious qualification, as David to his captaine concerning Abſolon: u2 Sam. 18.5.For my ſake deale gently with him. Yet we require this favor like the unthankfull earth, which for the Sunnes radiant beames and influence ſhed upon it; returnes him myſtes, and fogs, and filthy vapors, to diſhonor him. Gods end in this, in our i… pentance, is our end is ſalvation: let not him loſt his hope, and we ſhall not loſe ours. So will he take away our iniquity, which otherwiſe would take us from his mercy, and paſſe by our tranſgreſſions as a ſtranger, which otherwiſe would make us ſtrangers to him for ever. Yea, ſuch is his long-ſuffering, that hee doth not long retaine his anger, though we retaine the cauſe of his anger; but turnes to us with indulgence, before we turne to him by repentance: and hath compaſſion upon us, that have none upon our owne ſoules: and drownes our ſins in the bottome of the ſea, that would drowne us in the bottome of Hell.

The fruit of Gods long-ſuffering, is our ſalvation: the fruit is on the …re, but without the hand of faith we cannot gather it; & without gathring, it is none of ours. The benefit of a good thing is in the uſe: wiſedome is good, but not to us, if it be not exerciſed: cloth is good, but not to us, except it be worn: the light is comfortable, but not to him that wil live in darknes: Chriſt himſelfe, that …mū bo…ū, does us no good, except he be applied. So time is good, & repentance is good: yet neither of them good to us, unles we couple them together, & in time fall to repentance.xRom. ….4. Deſpiſeſt thou the riches of his goodnes, forbearance and long-ſuffering, not knowing that this goodneſſe leadeth thee to repentance? The unthankful and diſſolute ſinner is ſo far from rightly valuing, and juſtly requiting this favour, that he deſpiſeth it; and what doth he deſpiſe? goodnes; a nature of ſuch beauty and ſweetnes, that every man loves it. And in what degree ſtands this goodnes? It is not common, but extraordinary, not penurious, but bountifull: ſo far from poverty, that it is the riches of his goodnes. And what is this riches? Even Gods long-ſuffering and forbearance. So this afordment of time to repent in, is a favor: and not a mans favor, but the Lords: and not a cōmon grace, but one ſpecial fruit of his goodnes: and that not in a ſmall meaſure, but the riches of his goodneſſe: and ſhall any ſinner deſpiſe all this? But whither tends this goodneſſe? It leads us to repentance: therefore to neglect this time of repentance, is to deſpiſe his goodneſſe.

It is remarkable enough, that long-ſuffering leads us to repentance: why do not menaces humble us, with Ahab? or why do not judgements breake us, with Pharaoh? why doth not the plague empty our ſtreets of people, or war fill them with blood? why doth not God ſpeake to us in fire, and thunder, and earth-quakes, as he paſſed by Elias? why in that ſtil voice of mercy and forbearance? why does he not come to us in the rough way of vengeance? why rather lead us, than draw, or drive us to repentance? There is no cauſe to be found of it, but in his goodneſſe.aIoh. 10.14. His ſheep follow him: ducere maluit, quàm trahere Chriſtus. Yet would he not have his patience abuſed. Say that repentance could be as eaſily obtaind after ſin, as mercy may be obtaind after repentance: yet will any gracious ſon mock the kindnes of his indulgent father?b2 Tim. 1.15. This is a faithfull ſaying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Chriſt Ieſus came into the world to ſave ſinners. A ſweet & univerſal truth: but what kind of ſinners? the obſtinate & impenitent ſinners? No, he never came to ſave them: but but the relenting, repenting, broken hearted ſinners: theſe he wil as ſurely ſave, as he came to be a Savior. This is that faithful ſaying; this is worthy of all acceptation. That he can forgive more than we can offend, is another granted truth: but that he will forgive all that we ſhall wilfully commit, and perſevere in, is a fearefull queſtion. A malefactor is reprieved after judgement, ſuffered to goe abroad: vponupon his amendment and future good behaviour, the king hath a p… poſe to pardon him: hee falls to his former outrages, building on his Princes favour: on a ſuddaine hee is caught, and fairely executed. Man ſinnes, and GOD ſpares: this prorogation of judgement hee takes for a plenary pardon: hee multiplies his crimes, and buildes upon favour: the workes of iniquitie fill his hands, while the voyce of mercy fills his mouth: and ſo with mercy in his mouth, hee runnes to Hell. The oppreſſour encreaſeth his wealth by violence and rapine, yet flatters himſelfe that at the laſt pinch, hee can lay all his load on the backe of mercy, and goe lightly and nimbly to Heaven. The ſwearer makes his Soule Hellfire hote with oathes and blaſphemies, yet preſumes that one ſhort prayer for mercy ſhall coole him. The homicide killes, and makes mercy his Sanctuary: as if the crying blood of Abel could bee ſtilled or ſilenced with one Miſerere mei, or Pſalme of mercy. The adulterer makes a lazar of his conſcience, with the aſperſions of uncleanneſſe; and yet lookes to cleanſe and whiten it againe with one droppe of mercy. The Theefe ſteales, ane makes mercy his receiver: the Epicure ryots and makes mercy his Cator: the Worldling forrageth, and makes mercy his Purveyor. Profane ſinners perſiſt in wickedneſſe, and upon the leaſt twitch of Conſcience, runne to mercy, as to the hornes of the Altar. Mercy hath all the worke, as if Iuſtice had nothing to doe among the Sonnes of Men. But this is a falſe gloſſe upon the Text, a wrong comment and interpretation of the Lords long-ſuffering; Hee meant it for our ſalvation, and wee pervert it to our deſtruction: No marvell if before theſe men ſeeke for merciemercy, they ſtumble upon vengeance. For they that will ſinne that grace might abound, ſhall paſſe from the abundance of neglected grace, to the abundance of endleſſe woe. But while God ſuffers, let us repent, and then it is ſalvation.

3. The goodneſſe of God may be abuſed; and then where the ſentence of mercy failes of the effect, the ſentence of judgement will take place. The divine patience leads us to repentance, ſaith Saint Paul: it is ſalvation, ſaith Saint Peter: yet ſome it leades to hardneſſe of heart, (as wee finde by experiene) and ſo to ſome it is damnation.. But where is the fault? Not in Gods patiene, but in mans perverſeneſſe. What debtor blames his creditor, for giving him day:cEzek. 16.42. eſpecially ſeeing that with God, acknowledgement ſtands for payment: and a ſorrow that we cannot fatisfie, is a current ſatisfaction. But there be ſome places of Scripture, that may ſeeme to croſſe this.cEzek. 16.42. My fury ſhall depart from thee; I will bee quiet and no more angry: Not to be angry, is the greateſt anger, Whom the Lord loveth, he ſcourgeth: Is it his love, to ſtrike? and to forbeare, is that his love too? Why not? To withhold confuſion, is his favour: and yet it is his favour alſo, not to withhold correction:dEſa. 48.9. For my Names ſake, I will deferre mine anger, that I cut thee not off. He will take away his deſtroying anger, for his Names ſake: but not his paternall anger, for his childs ſake. It is his merciemercy, that wee are not conſumed: and it is his merciemercy too, that we are chaſtiſed. His threatnings are his mercies, and his corrections are his mercies: otherwiſe, he would neither threaten, nor correct. Certainly he would not warne them that never will repent, if he meant not to pardon thoſe that do repent. And this is one argument to ſatiſfie our conſcience, that God intends his long ſuffering for our Salvation; if he ſpare us from ruine, but not from the rodde: If he ſcourge us though we bleed not; or till we bleed, though we faint not; or till we even faint, though we periſh not. If the Lord prunes his vine, he meanes not to root it up: if he miniſter phyſicke to our ſoules, he would not have us die in our ſinnes: all is for ſalvation.

4. This binds us to waite his leiſure, with patience and thankfulnes. Faith, love, and patience, are three of a Chriſtians rareſt Iewells. By faith we poſſeſſe Chriſt, and all his riches: by love we poſſeſſe others, and all their comforts: by patience we poſſeſſe our ſelves, and all quietnes. He that hath not faith, is without the Head: He that hath not love, is without the Body: and he that hath not patience, is without himſelfe. Faith and patience are the two miracles in a Chriſtian: I doe not meane that miraculous faith, which could remove mountaines: But as Auguſtine ſaith, Faith it ſelfe is a miracle: to beleeve things ſo far above reaſon and nature, is miraculous. Patience is a miracle too; if we compare the frailtie of the Fleſh, with the victorie of the Spirit. Caſsianus reports, that when a martyr was tormented by the Infidels, and asked by way of reproch; Tell us, what miracle thy Chriſt hath done; he anſwered; He hath done what you now behold, that I am not moved with your contumelies, but patient under all theſe tortures: this miracle he hath wrought. It was proverbially ſpoken, Magiſtratus indicat virum: and as truely, Patientia indicat Chriſtianum. Two vertues are neceſſary to a quiet life: Sapientia in verbis, Patientia in verberibus. eLuk. 21.19.Chriſt does not ſay, in patience poſſeſſe your hands, or your mouthes: for a naturall man may forbeare ill language, when he is affronted: or refraine from blowes, when he is provoked: and yet ſtill have revenge boiling in his heart. But all faculties of man are ſubject to the ſoule, and under her command: if we can poſſeſſe our ſoule in patience, ſhe will in patience poſſeſſe all the reſt.fPſal. 39 9. I was dumbe, and opened not my mouth, becauſe thou diddeſt it. For that I did, I was not dumbe; but opened my mouth in the confeſſion of my ſinne. But for that thou, O Lord, haſt done, I was dumbe; and durſt not open my mouth againſt thy puniſhment. Amove plagas tuas, Yea & plagas meas. Remove thy ſtrokes from me: they are thine, for thou didſt ſend them: and mine, for I ſuffer them: Thine, becauſe they come from thy Iuſtice; and Mine, becauſe they come from my demerites: Remit what I have done, and Remove what thou haſt done; Or if thou wilt farther excerciſe me with the Croſſe, ſtill further fortifie me with patience. Non cogor pati, plus quàm merui. I complaine of no wrong thou haſt done to me:Iſidor. of the wrong I have done to thee, I have great cauſe to complaine. Qui in panis murmurat, ferientis Iuſtitiam accuſat.

So ſoone as ever Chriſts Diſciples had received him into the ſhip,gIoh. 6.21. immediatly the ſhip was at the land whither they went. Why have not we ſo quick a diſpatch? Why are wee not paſt all the ſwelling billowes of afflictions, ſo ſoone as we have taken in Chriſt by our prayers? The purpoſe of God terminates every action: and that is immediately done, which is done when hee would have it done. If it be not done yet, I perceive that it was his purpoſe not to have it done ſo ſoone. Shall the deferment of it, either ſlacken my hope, or weaken my patience? No,hLam. 3.26. Ii is good that a man ſhould both hope, and quietly waite for the ſalvation of the Lord. The worſt men paſſe this life at moſt eaſe; their judgements are put off to the laſt day: and ſhall not wee endure the putting off of comfort for one day? And yet our gracious Father puts us not to that: for even the aſſurance of future mercy, is preſent mercy. To be certaine that wee ſhall have eaſe in the end, is eaſe before the end. Let us neither bee weary of Gods peace, nor of our owne patience. We ſhould not provoke him with a prayer, not with a wiſh, not with a hope, to more haſte than conſiſts with his purpoſe: nor looke that any other thing ſhould have entred into his purpoſe, than his glory. To heare his ſteppes comming toward us, is the ſame comfort as to ſee his face preſent with us; although not the ſame meaſure and degree of comfort. Heaven it ſelfe is but an extention of the ſame joy: and for God to proceed at his leiſure, in the way of mercy and comfort, is a manifeſtation of Heaven to us heare upon Earth. Quae nondum data ſunt, ſtulte, negata putas? Bleſſings are not denied, though they bee not preſently granted. Somewhile God is not fit to give: the time for his greater glory is not yet come. Another while wee are not fit to receive: the time of our capacity and preparedneſſe is not yet come. The Lord lookes to be waited on:iPſal. 27.14. Waite on the Lord, and he ſhall ſtrengthen thy heart: waite on him with patience; this quiets all.

The Cenſurers of the World, by way of Apologue, being mette together, conſulted about the redreſſe of diverſe enormities: One with the countenance of Heraclitus, was ever weeping for the diſorders: another with the face of Democritus, was ever laughing at the abſurdities: a third of a more pragmaticall and ſtirring ſpirit, was ever buſie where hee had no thankes; one that would thruſt himſelfe into other mens brawles and quarrels, and meddle with impertinent matters. They all ſtudied and plotted how to reforme the ataxic of things, and to bring the world into ſome peace and order. Princes were implored, Philoſophers conſulted, Phyſicians, Souldiers, the eminent in all profeſſions were convented: many ſtratagems were deviſed. Still the more they projected to quiet the worlds troubles, the more troubleſome they made it. One would have it this way, another that, the next differs from them both, a fourth oppoſeth them three, a fifth contradicts them all. So that here was nothing but croſſing one another; an image of that miſchiefe which they mett to remedie. Phyſicians with their Recipes, Commanders with the Precipes, Ieſuites with their Decipes; all the reſt with their Percipes, could doe noe no good. At laſt, a grand Father, in a religious habite, preſented them an Herbe of ſuch ſoveraigne vertue, that when every one had taſted of it, they were all calme and quiet preſently. The Herbes name he called Bulapatham, the Herbe Patience. Let this be our dyet continually, and wee ſhall finde a ſtrange alteration in our ſelves. No troubles abroad can breake our peace at home: for Peace is the daughter of Patience. So ſhall there be joy in Heaven, for the peace on Earth; and this peace on Earth, ſhall bring us to the joy of Heaven.

Even as our beloved brother Paul alſo, according to the wiſedome given unto him, hath written unto you. This is the Teſtimony. In the Creation of the World, God made but one Sunne: but Hee made many bodies that receive and give light. The Romans began with one King; then they came to two Conſuls, not without many Senatours. It is no diminution to the greatneſſe and dignity of a Monarch, to have divers Counſellers, and to derive part of his care upon others. That State is ſafeſt, where buſineſſes are carried by more counſels, than can be in one breſt. In our ſickneſſe, we admit more Phyſicians than one: the providence is the more, the danger is not the more by it. There is one Sunne, many Starres: one King, many Magiſtrates: one Trueth, many Witneſſes; one Word of God, many Preachers. Howſoever that ſacred Word is called the Testimony, becauſe it can ſufficiently beare witneſſe to it ſelfe: yet is God pleaſed to take in that ſame [Ex ore duorum] for the better ſtate and credite of a truth. And Chriſt himſelfe, that eternall Word, and Trueth it ſelfe, tooke in [Ex ore duodecim] the Witneſſe of the twelve; Matthias ſupplying the roome of Iudas. kAct. 1.8.Yee ſhall bee Witneſſes unto me. Iohn Baptist in the Wilderneſſe, ſeemed to bee a Witneſſe alone:lIoh. 1.8. He was ſent to beare witneſſe of that light. Hee then, and none but He. He was to witneſſe but to a few, there: and thoſe few had fewer temptations, fewer buſineſſes, fewer worldly allurements, to withdraw them from his witneſſe, there. But in places inhabited, the world hath many allegations, and pretences, to croſſe the Teſtimony of Trueth.mLuk. 14.18. Here, all thoſe excuſes meet: ſome have purchaſed lands, and they muſt ſtate them: ſome have bought commodities, and they muſt utter them: ſome have married wives, and they muſt ſtudy them. One Witneſſe was enough for the Wilderneſſe; but Chriſt ſends all his Apoſtles to Ieruſalem, and Samaria, to city and countrey: and all little enough. Here, Saint Peter cals in Saint Paul, for a co-witneſſe to his Doctrine: ſo to one verity, there is a double Teſtimony. As our, &c.

In the Teſtimony we have three notes of excellency. Firſt, Testanti… dignitas; the worth of the Witneſſe; As our brother Paul. Secondly, Testimo… …l…ritas, the clearneſſe of the thing witneſſed: Non dixit, ſed ſcripſis: not onelyonly ſaid, but written: for a more certaine manifeſtation. Thirdly, Vtriuſque authoritas, the authoritie of them both; according to the wiſedome given him: all is from above, by the Inſpiration of God. In the firſt note there are three circumſtances. Firſt, Quaedam circa citatum; Pauls trueth of honour; he is worthy to be cited: and the honour of his trueth; it is worthy to be received. Secondly, Quaedam circa citantem; Peters humility, in that he daignes to quote Paul: and his charity, in calling him Beloved Brother. Thirdly, Quaedam circa utrumque: firſt, the Apoſtles uniting their forces, to maintaine one anothers Doctrine. Next, the ſtrong aſſurance wee have of the Goſpell, whereof wee have more than a ſingle teſtimony.

1. Here is commended to us our Apoſtles humility. Hee does not (in pride of heart) ſay; Why not I as well as Paul? Why is not my word as credible as his? But without any ſelfe-reſpect, he appeales to Paul, he honours Paul, he fetcheth in Paul for the warrant of his writings.nGal. 2.11. Paul once chidde Peter, Peter commends Paul. It was well done of Paul, to reprove Peter to his face: and it is well done of Peter, to praiſe Paul in his abſence. Pauls cenſure of Peter behinde his backe, had been calumnie: and Peters commendation of Paul to his face, had been flattery: both being done in their due time and place, are proofes of their ſynceritie.

Pride is odious in all men, intolerable in Church-men. Paul was rapt up to the third heaven; yet cals himſelfe minimus Apostolorum. Peter was firſt called, firſt named, hee firſt preached after his Lords departure: yet hee ſubſcribes to Paul, 2 Pet. 1.….and (in the former Epiſtle) ranked himſelfe with the meaneſt Saint living. Paul was in danger to be puffed up with revelations: many have no ſuch revelations at all, and yet they are puffed up.

Some reaſons may bee given, why Peter thus exalted Paul. Firſt, to vindicate his authority: for ſome might haply not thinke him an Apoſtle, becauſe hee was none of the twelve; nor choſen with the reſt: but Peter acknowledgeth him for an Apoſtle. Secondly, to juſtifie his Doctrine: ſome of the faithfull, among them of the Circumciſion, did oppoſe him, and wrangle againſt his Teaching: Peter cleares him from all ſuſpition of errour. Thirdly, to quit himſelfe from all miſtruſt of envie: that it might appeare, notwithſtanding the jarre betweene them at Antioch, Greg. Hom. 18. in Ezek.yet there was no ill opinion, no grudge, no ſiniſter thought in the breſt of Peter, concerning Paul. Fourthly, to manifeſt the ſyncerity of his love: Paul had reſiſted Peter, and ſet that downe in writing; publiſhing it to the Church of the Galatians, and thereby to all Chriſtians: yet Peter praiſeth Paul, and puts that in writing too, that all the world might read it. This ſheweth him magis amicum ſacrae veritatis, quàm proprit honoris. A good man loves his owne credite well, but the trueth better: It is but weakneſſe, to erre: to perſiſt in errour, is the ignoble wilfulneſſe. Therefore, though Peter, ſaith Gregory, was Primus in Apostolatus culmine; yet hee was primus in humilitate, alſo. Paul taxed Peter of infirmitie, Peter commends Paul for wiſedome.

O for ſuch a ſpirit of meekneſſe in the Miniſters of the Goſpell! We are ſo farre from admiring others, that wee would have none admired but our ſelves. Pulchritudo quam videmus in aliis, facit nos deformes. Why doth one Divine diſparage the worth of another? Is it not pride? Why doe Repeaters play the Criticks, and turne the contractions of Sermons, into the detractions of perſons? Is it not pride? If meere ſhame, or awe of the aſſociates, or ſecret conſcience of a mans deſerts, compell them to ſay ſomething in his praiſe: yet it goes off with a But▪ but ſuch or ſuch a thing is amiſſe in him. One compared ſuch a Commender to an ill Farrier; that never ſhod an Horſe, but hee prick'd him: ſo all the good he ſpeakes of men, hee ſtill concludes with an exception: which is a bitter herbe that marres the pottage: like a boy, that when he hath written a faire copy, blurres wall with one daſh of his penne: or a Cow that hath afforded ſtore of mil…e to the veſſell: and then kickes it downe with her heeles. If there muſt be ſtrife among us, let it appeare in this; who ſhall be formoſt, not in taking honour from another, but in giving honour to another. If there muſt bee emulation, let it conſiſt in this; who ſhall winne moſt ſoules to Chriſt. The way for a man to be eſteemed the greateſt, is to eſteeme himſelfe the leaſt. Let not him that joynes the frame, deſpiſe him that he wed the timber: nor hee that drawes the knot, ſcorne him that digged the ground. If a man have more excellent gifts, let him uſe his owne, not contemne others: for both may be good, and they come from the ſame fountaine of goodnes. All men have not Peters abilitie, all men ought to have Peters humilitie. If we cannot come neare him in other graces, yet let us be equall to him in this; an humble mind. If we cannot be ſo high as he, yet let us be as lowly as he.

The Apoſtles themſelves, in the Infancie of their calling, were not without an itch of pride. While the Maſter was upon the point of dying, the ſervants comended which of them ſhould be greateſt. They ſtrive for their Fathers goods, before himſelfe was dead, and in his fight. And, by the Papiſts leave, Peter thought himſelfe moſt touched; as being more eſpecially ſingled out by his Lords ſcrutinie:nLuk. 22.31. Simon, Simon, Satan hath deſired to winnow thee. The proverbe ſayes; (and proverbes are the extracts of experience) When pride comes, ſhame comes: they both ſhoote out together, one will not tarry behind the other. There is no ecclypſe of the moone, but in the full: when our glory is in the full, it will be darkned with ſhame.oEſa. 10.12. By the ſtrength of my hand I have done it, and by my wiſdome, for I am prudent; brags the King of Aſſyria: but I will pull downe his high lookes, ſayes the King of heaven. So for Herode; when the people deified him,pAct. 12.23. Immediately the Angel of the Lord ſmote him. Pride even in good men; hath bene puniſhed. Hezekiah did but gratifie the Ambaſſadors with the ſight of his treaſures: and he had a ſhrewd nippe for in David does but number his people, and beſides the remorſe of his owne heart, thouſands of them dyed for it. They that will be aloft, are ſubject to moſt tempeſts: but the plants that roote loweſt, grow higheſt. Looke not upon tall Eliab, or Shammah but upon little David. All the ſons of Ieſſe were likely: but God would have the holy oile onelyonly powred upon David. Mat. 18.3.Humilitie is the way to glory. A man may be miſerable, and yet honourable: but when, by pride, he comes once to be in diſgrace with God, farewell honour. Adam was placed in Paradiſe; he did not intrude himſelfe: Humilitie will ſtay for honour, that ill authoritie place it there. Non ſum dignus, is ſtill found in the mouth of all the Saints. Not, every one that is exalted, ſhall be brought low; but qui ſe exaltavit, he that hath exalted himſelfe. So, nor every one that is humbled, ſhall be exalted, but qui ſe humiliavit, he that hath humbled himſelfe. Therefore in humilitate ſapientia, ſaith the Proverbe: If a man would be noble, let him be humble. Elatus animus; da…us Icarus; ſure of a fall.

To thinke to gaine honour by pride, is meere folly: the wiſe man knowes that by humilitie he cannot miſſe it. In giving honour, goe one before another: but this is not the worlds opinion: we would all goe before one another, but it ſhall be in taking, not in giving honour. Peter ſate in his Apoſtolicall chaire, but with an humble ſpirit: when one of his ſuppoſed Succeſſors is advanced to this chaire, O how ſcornefully does he looke upon his inferiour Miniſters. We all taxe the Pope for this: but it is no harme to wiſh, that no Prelate among us, howſoever orthodoxe in faith, were in reſpect of maners thus Popiſh. No ſinne begins ſooner on us, no ſinne later leaves us, than pride. It is like the heart; primum vivens, vlti…m non rians in us. But it is better to be humbled under a fowle ſinne, than to be proud of any grace. And S^t. Auguſtine is peremptory; A…de… dicere, that it hath bene profitable for proud men, to fall into ſome groſſe offenſe: for they have not loſt ſo much by their fall, as they have got by being downe. Honour is the fruite of birth, of wiſedome, of valour, of riches, of place and authoritie, or of the royall favour: But it is never the fruite of grace, nor the bleſſing of God, without humilitie. We have not the Signe of a Starre in our forhcaſts, but the Signe of the Croſſe: ſtill humilitie is our way to glory. This way went all the Saints of God; this way went even the God of Saints:rPhil. 2.…. He humbled himſelfe. Therfore God hath exalted him.

2. The next Starre that ſhines in this Orbe of goodneſſe, is our Apoſtles charity: which hath two rayes, illuſtrated in two termes; Brother, and Beloved. One of theſe were enough; the other might ſeeme ſuperfluous. Brother, is faire: for that naturally includes love: Beloved, is more; for that is able to adopt a brother, yea a ſonne. But there may bee a Beloved, who is not a brother: yea worſe, there may be a brother, who is not beloved. Nature too often runnes retrograde; and there is more reſpect of a ſtranger, than of a brother. In that firſt paire of brothers, there was hatred on one ſide, even unto blood and death. Iſmael derides Iſaac, though he were his brother. Eſau vowes the death of Iacob, though his twinne-brother. Abimelech climbes to the throne by the blood of ſeventy men; and yet they were all his brethren. It is no more wonder, to ſee brothers at variance for a legacy or portion, than to ſee beggers wrangle for an almes, or dogges fight for a bone. Deficit charitas: Brother and Beloved, are not convertible termes: they may bee ſeparated; and too often they are found a-ſunder. Among thoſe tenne brethren, there was but one Reuben, that ſpake in the behalfe of poore Ioſeph; Let us not kill him, for hee is our brother. There was once a whole Church called Philadelphia, or Brotherly love: but wee know not what is become of it.

But how was Paul, Peters brother? Surely not by blood. They were brothers by nature, as they were men: brothers by nation, as they were countrey men: brothers by adoption and grace, as they were Chriſtians: brothers by office, as they were Apoſtles: and by all theſe reſpects, they were brothers in love and affection, as being Saints. Love is the comfort of naturall men: the comfort and bond of Chriſtian men: the comfort, bond, and ornament too, of Miniſters. Love hath laid more obligations upon us, than upon others: and requires a ſtricter account of us.

Firſt, we teach Love: it is the abridgement of the Law; the Tenor of the Goſpell, and ſo the ſumme and maine ſcope of all our Sermons. Faith is the Center, and Love the Circle: all our doctrines and concluſions, are but lines drawne from the Center to the circumference. Therefore he that preaches all Faith, and no Charity, comes into the Pulpit without his compaſſe: hee ſtickes in the Centre, without minding the Circle: or layes a foundation, and never reares any building. Now, ſhall we commend Love to others, and not embrace it our ſelves? Bilhah and Zilpah brought forth children to Iacob, and they were free: yet the mothers ſtill remained bond-women. Shall we infranchiſe you in the liberties of Love, and ſuffer our owne hearts to bee bound with the ſhackles of uncharitableneſſe? No certainly, we that preach Love, and profeſſe Love, and pray for Love, will never ſhut our doores againſt Love. Wee doe not perſwade you to other cheare, than we wiſh our ſelves. You ſhall never ſay, that we commended a way to you, which wee refuſed to walke. Howſoever wee come bebehind you in riches, in honors and proſperity; we will make bold to goe before you in Charity.

Next, wee practiſe Love: wee are ſet up as lights; and Love is one of thoſe Lampes, alwayes burning in our breſts. We are not like mercenarie ſouldiers, that put themſelves into unwarrantable warres: ſuch men forget charity, and fight onelyonly for money. The exerciſe of our love is rather to make peace, though we have ſmall thankes for our labour. Wee reprehend your ſinnes: is not this Love? We would ſave your ſoules; and is not this Love? you may object, that all this is but our duty: and God will not take that for a free-will offering, which ſhould bee our dayly ſacrifice. Grant that it is Debitum charitatis: yet you cannot deny but that it is alſo Opus Charitatis: and Love is no wayes better diſcerned than ex operibus, by the workes and fruites of charity.

Laſtly, we have great reaſon to love one another; Miniſter to affect Miniſter: for few love us beſides. The externall coldneſſe of the Aire abroad, teacheth nature to fortifie her heat within: the world hates us; wee had neede to love one another. But doe all ſo? I would they did: it is pitie they doe not. For a miſerly Worldling, or a lewd Companion, to ſpeake ill of their Paſtor, is no great matter: their diſpraiſe is his honour, their praiſe his diſhonour. As when a man was commended for dauncing well, another replyed; The better, the worſe. So when deboiſh'd perſons ſpeake ill of their Miniſter; The worſe, the better. But if Peter ſhould traduce Paul, and one Divine inveigh againſt another; I am ſure, this is not divinely ſpoken. A little ſpice of ſelfe-love embitters the whole cup of charity. This is that proud affectation, which makes a Cenſere of a Recenſere: when a man toucheth his brothers reputation with dirty hands; and defiles it in ſport. But that man paies too deare for a jeſt, who ſelles his honeſtie for it. Preachers are called Angels; and ſhould like the Cherubins, looke graciouſly one upon another: they are Oxen, that ſhould draw Chriſts yoke quietly, laboriouſly, and lovingly together. They are like Men of warre, with letters of marque from the King of Heaven, to let flie upon his enemies. But if they ſhoot one againſt another, with the Artillery of their tongues; or like Veſſels at ſea, fall foule one upon another; howſoever they may keepe their faith, I am ſure they have loſt their charitie. The preciſe Lecturer covertly diſgraceth the honeſt Paſtor; and ſteales the hearts of the Pariſh from him. They that call themſelves the holy brotherhood; how doe they ſcorne and cenſure thoſe that are conformable to order and diſcipline: forgetting that we are their Brethren in function, though not in faction; and labour in the ſame worke, though perhaps not with the ſame tooles. But Sermons that tickle the peoples eares, with invectives againſt learning; wherein tautology and ruſticity of ſpeech is called The evidence of the Spirit; theſe bring them in throngs and tumults to ſuch Churches. I will not cenſure them, but pray for them; The God of wiſedome and peace abate of their pride, peeviſhneſſe, and ignorance, and ſend them more charity.

To conclude; Peter loves Paul, Paul loves Peter; every good Paſtor loves his Brother; they all Love you; why ſhould not you Love us all? Love us? So you doe: who doubts of that? Yes Beloved, give us leave to doubt it, till we find it, or at leaſt ſome likely hood of it. Two things would make you Love us: Firſt, if we would preach as you would have us: next, if we would refuſe our right, for a Benevolence. Eſpecially this latter ſtickes in your ſtomachs: Men would Give ſomething, but they will Pay nothing to the Church. If we remit of our owne, you are beholden to us: but it wee had nothing of our owne, and ſtood at your courteſie, then we muſt be beholden to you. Tythes have been alwayes due. 1. A promiſſo; qMal. 3.10.Bring your tythes into my ſtore houſe, and prove me if I will not give you a bleſsing: a bleſſing is entailed to it. 2. A periculo; rMal. 3.9.Ye are curſed, becauſe ye have robbed me of them: there is a curſe threatned for it. 3. A contrario: ſMatth. 10.42.He that giveth a cup of cold water to a Diſciple, ſhall not loſe his reward: therfore it followes, that if he take away, though but a cup of cold water, from a Diſciple, he ſhall loſe the reward. 4. A beneficio: by your maintaining your Paſtors body, he is enabled the better to feed your ſoules. When the Lampe is not fed with oile, there will be a darke houſe. 5. Ab exemplo: all good men ever did it. Abraham payd tythes to Melchiſedech: and Ioſeph excepted the land of the Prieſts, even in Idolatrous Egipt. 6. Ab aequo: he that workes with us by the day, we ſay, is worthy of his wages: we do not call it a Benevolence. O but we muſt not be too ſtrict in requiring our owne; for then you cannot Love us. And yet to call for your owne, of your debters, you thinke no breach either of Iuſtice of charitie. If you would have us De jure cedere, Learne you alſo Ius reddere. Sometimes, and in ſome caſes, a Miniſter muſt not wilfully loſe his right. 1. In reſpect of other Paſtors that live about him; to whom the example of his Indulgence may doe much prejudice. 2. In regard of his Succeſſors: for by making a cuſtome, he may endammage thoſe that come after him. This is one impediment of your Loves: ſtill you thinke we have too much. I know, that other colourable exceptions be taken againſt us; and you have Bills and clamors againſt ſcandalous Miniſters: But if the trueth were knowne; it is not our Lives, but our Livings, that is your eye-ſore. Let thoſe criticall, and hypocriticall cenſurers pretend what they pleaſe: They that had rather be rich, than good; care not how evill we were, ſo we be poore. And poore enough, God wote, they have made us: even to a proverbe, as Iob was. Scarce one of a hundred is called by any other title or attribute, but a poore Miniſter. Is thouſands but ſufficient for a Tradeſman and an almes enough for a Prieſt? If they could Impropriate all the reſt of the Churches revenues; as they have done well toward it already: then would they chuſe Prieſts according to their owne hearts; and give them exhibitions out of their owne purſes: Then would they pull downe the Churches of State, and build themſelves Chappels of eaſe. Such a one we have heard of; that in king Henry the eights dayes had gotten much by the fall of the Abbeys; and in Queene Maries dayes built himſelfe a pretty chappell: which was not unfitly likened to a man, that having firſt raviſhed the mother, would afterward pay for the nurſing of the child.

For that other requiſite; of adapting our Sermons to their humours; there is ſuch a curſe ſet upon it, that we durſt not climbe up into the Pulpit, for feare leaſt thunder ſhould ſtrike us downe, if we ſhould ſo abuſe the Lords meſſage. Yet theſe are the two common invitations of your Love: if we would preach to your liking, and live at your finding, all would be well. But you are miſtaken; for then would nothing be well: Neither we could be well ſatisfied, nor you well edified, nor God well pleaſed. But ſeeing it can be no better, God be praiſed that it is no worſe. And though we cannot have your pleaſures, nor your riches, nor your honours; yet let us have your loves. As Peter was to Paul, and Paul to Peter: ſo you are our Beloved, let us be your Beloved; that we may all be the Beloved of God in Ieſus Chriſt.

As our beloved brother Paul alſo, &c. As a man that hath ſeene a goodly ſtatue, the monument of ſome famous Warriour and Deliverer of his Countrey; though hee hath long gazed on it, and is wonderfully taken with it: yet being told of another comparable to it, or rather tranſcending it, doth not ſuffer his eyes and thoughts ſo to dwell on the former, but he will remove to take a view of the other. This Epiſtle is one ſacred Statue or Monument of Saint Peter; wherein we have beheld many rare figures and ſweet lineaments, making up the repreſentation of ſo divine a ſoule. If wee be not ſtockes, inſenſate and dead to all apprehenſion of goodneſſe, wee cannot but bee enamoured of ſo gracious a Saint, Chriſts ſpeciall ſervant, the living inſtrument of building up his Church, the Doctor of the Iewes, the firſt Preacher to the Gentiles, the Inſtructor and Comforter of all our hearts; a fundamentall Pillar of the Church on Earth, and now a triumphant Soule in Heaven. Yet leſt our mindes ſhould bee fixed upon him onelyonly, he modeſtly takes us off from himſelfe, and ſends us to his fellow-Peere, his beloved brother Paul: there hee would have our contemplations reſt another while. To him he referres us, him he commends to us, and his Epiſtles, thoſe bleſſed Trophees of his immortall honour. Now being told of ſome valiant Champion, renowned for his atchievements and conqueſts, whoſe fame is ſpred over all the world, we are inflamed with a deſire to ſee him. His death debarres us of that: ſee him we cannot; yet we deſire to ſee ſome picture or reſemblance of him; by which ſhadow wee may gueſſe at the ſubſtance. Paul is that great Conqueror, whom we would behold; that Champion of the trueth, that Demoliſher of the ſtrong holds of ſinne, and kingdome of Satan: we cannot ſee him upon earth, for he is in Heaven. Yet he hath left a teſtimonie behinde him, enough to ennoble his memorie, and to ſatisfie our capacity; his heavenly Doctrine: upon that let us meditate, in that let us bee converſant: there wee we ſhall read him: and if wee follow the direction of that, in Heaven we ſhall ſee him. Thus Peter ſends us to Paul, and both of them ſend us to their and our Lord Ieſus Christ.

1. Great was the honour of Paul, or elſe Peter would not have referred us to him. They were both princely Doctors of the faith, and had the whole earth under their paſtorall Iuriſdiction. It ſhall exalt the glory of either, and not ecclypſe it, by being compared. Firſt, Peter was firſt called, and Paul confeſſeth himſelfe ant1. Cor. 15.8. Abortive: yet Peter was called A Chriſto mortuli, and Paul A Chriſto immortali. Peter was called with a calme voice, Paul with a thunder-clappe. The one from the boate of his vocation, the other ſtricken from his horſe in the carce…e of his perſecution. Peter taken from his nettes, Paul from his bloudy let…ers. Peter was called before Paul, yet Paul overtooke Peter: Verſ. 20.he was in labours more abundant than they all: therefore more than Peter. Secondly, Peter received his Inſtructions from the mouth of Chriſt, and Paul his Inſpirations from the Spirit of Chriſt. The ſame holy Ghoſt came upon Paul and Peter: and though upon Peter in a viſible forme; yet upon Paul by an inviſible power, in no leſſe meaſure. Thirdly, Chriſt changed the Name of Peter: and did not the ſame Chriſt change the Name of Paul? Peter was but added to Simon, but Saul was wholly turned into Paul. Fourthly, They both wrought miracles alike; Peter with his Shadow, Paul with his Handkerchiefe. If Peter cured a creeple, Paul raiſed the dead: yea both; Peter raiſed Dorcas, and Paul Eutichus. Fifthly, Peter wrote two Epiſtles, Paul fourteene; he had a larger pariſh than Peter, as being Doctor of the Gentiles. Sixthly, Peter ſaw Chriſt in that glorious transfiguration; but Paul ſaw him in his glorious habitation: Peter on mount Tabor, Paul in Paradiſe or the third Heaven: Peter, in the company of Moſes and Elias; Paul ſaw him waited on with thouſands of Angels. Is Peter than the higheſt of the Apoſtles? Yet during his mortall life, he never was advanced ſo high as Paul. But I ſtand upon thornes, while I ſtand upon compariſons.

Nor do I intend any way to derogate from Saint Peter, but ſomewhat to abate the pride of his uſurping Succeſſor. Peter was in admiration of Paul: now all the world muſt worſhip the Idol which bragges to ſitte in his Chaire. That Paul was at Rome, it is manifeſt: but what proofe have we in the Scripture, that Peter was ever there? If he were, yet what Canon of his appears upon record, that the Pope ſhould be advanced to a Prince? was the Founder of that Hierarchie ever ſo brave? Nay, was there ſuch regalitie apparent in the Founders Lord and Maſter? Did Chriſt weare a Crowne of thornes, that the Biſhop of Rome ſhould weare a Crowne of pearles? Aske the Pope, and the Cardinals his ſonnes, (and too commonly they are indeed his ſonnes) whether they ever read of ſuch pompe and magnificence in the Apoſtles? It is the opulencie, and glorious Soveraigntie of that See, which makes men ſo ambitious of it; not the Sanctitie. Our Engliſh Cardinall, when he was choſen Pope, thought now he ſhould ſurely have ſome ſtrange revelation from heaven; ſome extraordinary wiſedome inſpired, and grace infuſed into him. But good honeſt ſoule, he was deceived: he found no ſuch matter: But briberle, corruption, flatterie, were his continuall ſollicitions: for the Hierarchie, and for the world, he had a world of buſineſſe: whereupon he concluded, Siccine finut Pontifices? Are Popes made thus? and ſo quitte the place. What would he ſay of it now? if Peter ever ſate in that Seate, ſure he did not ſo leave it, as how we find it. Peter and Paul were both bleſſed Apoſtles, painfull Preachers, patient Martyrs, gracious Saints on earth, and now ſhine glorious Starres in heaven.

2. Thus for the trueth of Pauls honour, which was much: now for the honour of his Trueth, which is more. For Peter does not not onelyonly commend Pauls Perſon, but in a higher degree his Doctrine. This is the Charter we hold by; the word of God, the Goſpell of Chriſt, inſpired by the holy Ghoſt, and recorded by Paul and Peter: for they both wrote from one and the ſame Spirit. No faithfull meſſenger of God can either come but by his miſſion, or ſpeake but by his direction. For the former; Paul would have gone toaAct. 16.6.7. Aſia, but he could not: to Bithynia, but the Spirit ſuffered him not: Why? God had intended good to Philippi. Verſ. 9.There ſtood a man of Macedonia by Paul in the night: that man of Macedonia was either an Angel, that ſpake to him in the language of Macedonia: or a man in the habite of Macedonia: this man diverts Paul from his owne purpoſe, to Gods purpoſe.bRom. 10.15. How ſhall they preach, except they be ſent? Now as they cannot come without Gods ſending, ſo nor ſpeake but by his inſpiring.c1. Cor. 11.23. I have received of the Lord that which I delivered unto you. To this word of our gracious God, delivered by his ſervant Paul, doth Peter referre us. Though it be conveyed to us by ſeverall pipes, it is ſtill the ſame water of life. In the writings of Paul and Peter, there is no contradiction: ſuch is the ſweet harmony of the ſacred Scriptures, and conſent of Gods publicke Notaries. Phyſicians may differ in their opinions and preſcripts: Lawyers may vary in their counſells and Iudgements, according to the proportion of their capacities or fees: Hiſtorians differ not onelyonly in circumſtances, but in ſubſtantiall matters. But in Gods Booke, written by ſo many penmen, in ſo many places, at ſo many times, we find no contrarietie: What Moſes teacheth, that doe the Prophets: what they teach, that did Chriſt: what Chriſt taught, that did his Apoſtles: what they all taught; we have received, and you have beleeved, that thereby we might all be ſaved. Da Domine, ut ſicut verbum est caro factum, ſic cor meum fiat carneum. O with what delight and reverence ought we to read the Epiſtles of S^t. Paul, which are ſo highly commended to us by S. Peter? His Epiſtles are Goſpell.dRom. 2.16. God ſhall judge the ſecrets of men by Ieſus Chriſt, according to my Goſpell. In the Acts of the Apoſtles, there are reckned two and twenty Sermons of theirs; beſides thoſe that are not mentioned, for in every place they preached: And yet that Booke is not called the Preaching, but the Practiſe; not The words, but The Acts of the Apoſtles. All Pauls Epiſtles are (in effect) Sermons; the arguments and Text whereof is the Goſpell: The Scope of all is to bring us to Ieſus Christ: yet they are called his Epiſtles, not his Goſpell. With the ſame faith we receive both: with the ſame love we embrace both: to them all we yeeld obedience, for them all we render thankes, and in them all we looke for Salvation, through the ſubſtance of them all, Ieſus Chriſt.

According to the wiſedome given unto him. This is Authoritie: wherein we have two things to obſerve.

1. It is Sapientia, Wiſedome: not Scientia, a common knowledge. There is a wiſedome, which is Munus natura, the gift of nature:eLuk. 16.8. The children of this world are wiſe in their generation. And there is a wiſedome, which is Mun… Gratia, the gift of Grace:fIam 3.17. The wiſedome that is from above, is pure and peaceable. And that which is the Fountaine of all Wiſedome: gProv. 8.22.The Lord poſſeſſed me in the beginning of his way. Albeit there was a groſſe miſtake in the Tranſlation; whether by reaſon of the Scribes ignorance, or neare affinitie of the words; in the Septuagint it is foreign. He created: whereas the originall ſignifies, foreign. He poſſeſſed. Chriſt is Wiſedome it ſelfe: becauſe he was for his nature, in reſpect of the Father; and for his office in reſpect of us, foreign, The word. hCol. 2.3.In him are bid all the treaſures of wiſedome and knowledge. But in an inferior place; ſubordinately under Chriſt, and derivatively from Chriſt, the diſpenſation of the Goſpell is called Wiſedome. Both in reſpect of the Inſtruments: ſo Gods publike Notaries, the Canonicall writers of the Scriptures, were all the children of wiſedome, andi2. Pet. 1.21. Spake as they were moved by the holy Ghoſt. And in regard of the effect; which is tok2. Tim. 3.15. make us wiſe unto ſalvation. This Wiſedome is onelyonly happy: for it made Paul wiſe to know good, Wiſe to teach good, Wiſe to doe good, and Wiſe to be thankfull for the good he had received.

2. It is Data, given: It came not into the world with him: he had it not by traduction, or by Inheritance from his parents: ſo it was not Innata. Not was it Acquiſita, wrought out by his owne Induſtrie; not the fruite of time and ſtudie. But Given, he had it Aliunde, from ſomewhere: not from man, ſure: Fleſh and bloud could never teach it him; though Plato and Ariſtotle, thoſe great Clerkes of Nature, had bene his Schoolmaſters. Nay, grant that Gaemaleel was his Tutor, a famous Doctor of the Law: yet his Wiſedome was not ſo much above a Samaritans, as it came ſhort of Pauls a Chriſtians. Empta it was not: bought no man thinkes it. Let hislAct. 8.20. Money periſh with him, that thinkes the gift of God may be purchaſed with money. Data then it muſt be; and Deſaper, too: no library on earth could furniſh him with ſuch knowledge. It is a breath from heaven, a beame of that Sunne of righteouſneſſe, a ſtreame of that Chriſtall river of life, a fruite of that eternall tree, a bright irradiation of the holy Ghoſt. Given; Paul is beholden to God for it. If we can but gleane after his full ſheaves; if we have any heavenly Wiſedome: Let us not reflect upon our ſelves, or looke like the ſwannes into our owne boſomes. It growes not there: we muſt have it from ſome better garden.mIam. 1.17. Every good gift is from above. Wiſedome, as promotion, comes neither from eaſt nor weſt: it is not on our right hand, nor on our left: it is not within us, nor about us, but above us. What good thing can a man have,nIoh. 3.27. except it be given him from heaven? From the puddle of our owne hearts, ariſeth nothing but muddy cogitations.oLuk. 24.38. Why doe thoughts ariſe in your hearts? If they ariſe there, if that be their originall, they are not good. Right Wiſedome is a thing deſcendent: an influence, no vapour: an inſpiration, not an exhalation: it comes from above, from below it riſes not. For uſe of it.

1. Let us be thankfull to God for Pauls wiſedome: for if we be true Chriſtians, we are both the wiſer and the better by it. Some Antichriſtian ſpirit it was ſure, that blaſphemouſly affirmed; It had bene better for the Church, if S^t. Paul had never written. It ſeemes, that Pauls doctrine of Iuſtification by faith onelyonly, hath much croſſed their opinion of Iuſtification by workes: and this vexed him. But if we doe not bleſſe God for Inſtruments of our Salvation, for whom will we praiſe him? The people glorified God, that he had given ſuch giftes unto men: we are none of his people, if for theſe gifts we doe not glorifie him.

Which of the Fathers was not in love with the wiſedome of Paul? aHilar. de Trin. 5.Quis fidelior dictorum Propheticorum Interpres? Quis caeleſtium myſteriorum ſacramenta magis pandeus? bPra am. in Ep. ad Rom.Chryſoſtome ſtickes not to preferre him before all the reſt in learning, and to call himcHom. 25. in Ioh. Totius ſapientiae magistrum: and confeſſeth that he could not take off his eyes from reading Paul. dConfeſſ. lib. 7. cap. 21.Auguſtine acknowledgeth, that he read Paul more than all the reſt of the Apoſtles: andeIn Pſal. 147. Nihil nobis iſto viro notius, nihil fuavius, nihil in Scripturis familiarius eſt. fIn Pſal. 119. Octon. 22.Ambroſe compares him with Benjamin; whoſe Meaſſe was five times as much as any of the others. hEp. 50. Nazian. cont. Eunom. con. 33.Hierome ſayes that as often as he read Paul he thought he heard not ſo many words, as wonders; yea thunders: Tonitrua & fulmina. Though for the time of his calling,gGen. 43.34. he was the Fiſhermens ſcholar: yet for the improvement of his Preaching, he might be the Fiſhermens Maſter. And in regard of his rapture to heaven, and revelations there, learning his Divinitie among the Angels, he was not unworthy to teach even the Apoſtles. Some others, as Dionyſius, have called him Secundum Solem, another Sunne; and Sapientiſsimum Intellectualium. Sed reprimam me: ſome of the Romiſts may hap to grudge at this commendation of Paul; as ſuſpecting thereby an undervaluing of Peter. But both their honours may well ſtand together: eſpecially ſeeing we honor them for Chriſts ſake, and honor Chriſt in them. Let them be honored as ſtars, he as the Sun. When wee have caſt up the particulars of all the Wiſedome in them, of all the wiſedome we get by them, we are farre from giving the glory to them. But this is the Sum: Non nobis Domine, quia non à ubbis: though the high Wiſedome, even the Wiſedome of God; yet it comes from on high; from the God of Wiſedome: all is his. Non omini noſtro; ſed Nomine tuo: not to our wit, nor to our lucke; nor to our induſtrie, but to thine own Name, Lord give the glory.

2. Let us ſeeke for Pauls wiſedome out of Pauls writings: we may be made wiſe by it,Ier. 8.9. unwiſe we muſt needs continue without. They have rejected the Word of the Lord, and what wiſedome is in them? They that are not converſant with the booke and language of wiſedome, in the ſtudy and exerciſe of wiſedome, in the houſe and company of wiſedome; ſhall never attaine to ſo much wiſedome as to ſee their owne folly.Aguſt. Non poſſunt ſtulti beatius vivere, quàm ſi ſerviant ſapientibus. But alas, too many come to Church, that Schoole of wiſedome, as Pythagoras ſaid, they came to the Olympian games. Some came to winne the prizes, ſome to ſell their commodities, for it became the Mart of all Greece: ſome to meete their friends, and to be merry, for there were companions of all ſorts: others onelyonly to looke on. Men make of a Sermon, as it is ſaid of a Medow: Bos quarit herbam, avis vermem, canis leporem: The Oxe lookes for graſſe, the Bird for a worme, the Dogge for a Hare: Some would have controverſies, and they ſearch for wormes: ſome liſten for quicke conceits, and theſe come to picke up ſallads, or catch butterflies: ſome ſeeke for matter of exception; and theſe come to finde a knot in a bulruſh: all theſe in the ſchoole of wiſedome, and yet never the wiſer. OnelyOnly they that have no other end, but with an honeſt heart to receive the food of life, are made wiſe unto ſalvation.

Hath written unto you. This is claritas teſtimonii, the evidence of his teſtimony, which affords us three conſiderations.

1. Written: but what? and where? Firſt, what? Our Apoſtles argument here, is the divine Patience; the Lords gratious forbearance of ſinners, and deſire of their converſion. Secondly, where doth Paul touch upon that ſtring, and make an uniſon with Peter? Wee are referred to two places, principally: though we finde it Sparſim all over his Epiſtles. The former. Rom. 2.4. Where wee have a copious amplification of Gods longanimity:Rom. 2.4. and ſo Paul and Peter agree for the matter: Paul ſayes, This longſuffering leads to repentance; Peter, that it brings to ſalvation: and ſo they agree in the end. This is luce clarius: cleare as day. The other. Heb. 10.35. and from thence to the end of that Epiſtle. Where multifariam, he doth both perſwade us to patience, upon the expectation of Gods promiſes and commend his patience, in ſo long ſparing of ſinners. There is great probability, that Peter here alludes to that epiſtle; becauſe it was written to the ſame perſons, the Hebrewes, or converted Iewes. Which is one pregnant argument, that Paul was the Author of that Epiſtle to the Hebrewes. To them writes Peter here, to them wrote Paul there: therefore doth Peter cite Pauls teſtimony as a thing familiar and well knowne to that afflicted company.

2. Hath written. It was Gods good pleaſure, that his Word ſhould be written. Hee ſhewed the way himſelfe; and wrote his owne law, with his owne finger. He taught man the way to write, as by other direction, ſo by his owne example. There be ſome Atheiſticall naturians, that would diſparage Moſes, and therein diſcredit the divine Truth, by affirming that Triſmegiſtus wrote before him; and that Moſes learned of Hermes. And other Antiquaries derive it from an age before them both: Saying, that the Reed was uſed for a penne; and the canes that grew on the bankes of Nilus, miniſtred matter for paper. But certainly, the faculty of writing came from a better invention, and was taught by a higher maſter. When man was fallen, and naked, God cloth'd him: he made him a leather garment: there God deſcended to one ocupation: when the time of mans redemption was come, then God as it were to build a houſe for man, became reputed a Carpenters ſon: there he deſcended to another occupation. When he meant to overflow the world with a deluge, that he might preſerve ſome from periſhing, he deviſed an Arke for man: he gave him the module of a ſhip, a means of tranſportation: which in all likelyhood, man would never have thought on: there God deſcended to a third occupation, to be mans ſhipwright. Conſidering the fickleneſſe of mans memory, how irretentive it is; he thought good to ſet downe his will in writing: and ſo God deſcended to another arte and profeſſion, teaching man to expreſſe his owne minde in characters. Naturally man would have been his owne Taylor, and his owne Carpenter: Neceſſity would have taught him ſome wayes, to cloth and houſe himſelfe. Invention would have done ſomething in the other kindes too, though God had given him no ſuch patterne. But the neareneſſe and perfection of the way, was of Gods teaching. All theſe ſciences as he ordained for our uſe, ſo for his owne glory: in a ſpeciall manner writing: That what the eare hath loſt in defect of hearing, or the minde in the want of remembring, may be reſtored to the ſoule by reading.Rom. 15.4. All that is written is for our learning: It could not be Scripture, if it were not written: and for our ſakes it is written. So many wayes hath God contrived to ſave us, let us take all occaſions to glorifie him.

3. Hath written unto you. What was the matter of his writing? The long-ſuffering of a mercifull God toward ſinfull men. This was the argument of both thoſe divine pennes: for the teſtification of this, Paul is cited by Peter. Sure, it muſt be a point of great importance, which both of them ſo labour to prove. An important matter indeed, and exceedingly beneficiall to us, even ſo much as our ſalvation comes too, if wee make the right uſe of it: which conſiſts in the obſervation of thoſe foure rules formerly taught us. Firſt, that we take the advantage of repentance by it. Secondly, that we acknowledge Gods unſpeakable goodneſſe in it. Thirdly, that we expreſſe a hearty thankefulneſſe for it. Fourthly, and laſtly, that we apply our ſelves to the imitation of it: with which I conclude.

It is juſt that Gods patience ſhould call for ours, eſpecially conſidering the infinite diſproportion betweene us. It is one of thoſe graces, that is not ſeene but in diſtreſſe: as the Starres that are hidden all day, and onelyonly ſhine in the night. Beneficence, the fruite of a charitable heart, is not exerciſed but in want. If no man was in miſery, there were no object for our eleemoſynary charity. Repentance, the humble ſorrow of a relenting heart, is not diſcerned till after ſinne. If we never had ſinned, nor offended our gratious God, there were no uſe of repentance. So Patience, the compoſedneſſe of a reſolute heart, could not appeare but in croſſes and perturbations. If there was no evill to ſuffer, there were no neede of patience. But the tree of faith, the more it is ſhaken with the violent ſtormes of trouble, the faſter it becomes rooted by patience. O that this leſſon would enter home into our hearts, before wee goe home to our houſes: Then ſhould we live in peace, and die in peace, and receive the reward of patience.

Wee have conſidered theſe two famous and bleſſed Apoſtles, ſeverally and aſunder: In Peter, his Love and Humility: In Paul, his Faithfulneſſe and Excellency. Now, let us put theſe two Beloved Brothers together; and their conjunction will afford us two profitable Obſervations.

1. Their Fidelity, or mutuall readineſſe to uphold one anothers reputation. It may eaſily bee gathered out of the Epiſtle to the Galatians, Gal. 3.1. &c.that certaine factions ſpirits, wandred abroad, diſturbing the peace of the Churches, and labouring to weaken the credit of Paul: under this pretence, that his Doctrine was not agreeable with the reſt of the Apoſtles. Therefore doth Peter make an honourable mention of Paul: both to juſtifie his Doctrine, and to teſtifie his conſent with the reſt: that all ſuſpition, and occaſion of calumnie might be utterly precluded, and the mouth of all wickedneſſe ſtopped. Thus did they maintaine each others Doctrine, againſt Sectaries; each others reputation, againſt Slanderers. O bleſſed amity, which became the breſts of ſuch a paire of noble Saints! Many doe ſibi canere, and ſibi plaudere: they thinke themſelves dedignified, if any honour be done to others: All Chronicles muſt be filled with their praiſes; all tongues become the Trumpets of their worth. They, And who but they? There was another minde in theſe holy Teachers: Peter honours Paul, and Paul Peter: either is humble in himſelfe, and both ſtrive to give all glory to Ieſus Chriſt.

3. Their Unanimity, and combining of all their forces, to beat downe the bulwarkes of ſinne, and to eſtabliſh the Kingdome of the Goſpell. For our better aſſurance, wee have more than a ſingle teſtimonie of the ſaving Trueth. Peter is not alone; Paul goes along with him, in the verifying of the ſame Doctrine. For the recovery of our bodily health, we admit as much helpe as wee can. Divers Phyſicians bee not divers Indications, and Symptomes of death; and ſo many Aſſiſtants and Proctors of life. Our imagination is not ſo much fed with the apprehenſion of danger, as our underſtanding is with comfort, in the multitude of ſuccours. Wee may beleeve one witneſſe: but ex ore duorum, wee take ſtronger ground of confidence. Such was the wiſedome of Moſes, that hee was able alone to judge Iſrael: yet he refuſeth not the counſell of his father in Law, to divide the burden of the Government with others, and to admit them for Aſſiſtants in the Iudicature.aExod. 18.21. Why ſittest thou alone? Yea, God himſelfe joyned Aſſociates withbNumb. 11.16. Moſes, in that waighty buſineſſe. Peter had endowments ſufficient to preach the Goſpell: yet the Lord gave him Paul and more Aſſiſtants. Two Conſiderations here, then we muſt not omit.

1. That God allowes us many helpes to ſalvation. There is abundant power of ſalvation in any one Evangeliſt; yet our indulgent God thought good to afford us foure. Chriſt himſelfe is thec1 Pet. 2.25. chiefe Biſhop of our ſoules, the chiefedLuke 4.18. Preacher of the Goſpell: yet hath He ordained others under Him; botheEpheſ. 4.11. Biſhops and Preachers. The way of God (and Hee loves to walke in his owne waies) was ever to multiply our helpes. He that ſaid Faciamus hominem; ſaid alſo, Faciamus homini, an Helper fit for him. The Power of a ſingle Angell is wonderfull; whether in deſtroying, which the army off2 King. 19.35. Senacharib felt: or in preſerving and comforting, as Chriſt wasgLuke 22.43. ſtrengthened: and to ſtrengthen Chriſt in that agonie, was no eaſie worke. Yet for the better manifeſtation of Gods plentifull goodneſſe, and the reliefe of our diffident weakneſſe; He employed many Angels, in many of his remarkable Workes. Chriſts Birth was celebrated with a Quire of Angels, with anhLuke 2.13. Armie of Angels. His Reſurrection, or ſecond Birth, was ſolemnized withiIohn 20.12. Angels. They were plurall, Angels accompanied with Angels. In Iacobs viſion, they which aſcended and deſcended that Ladder, as it were maintainining a trade or commerce betweene Heaven and Earth, werekGen. 28.13. many Angels. They which haſtenedlGen. 19.25. Lot out of Sodome, were in the plurall, Angels.mMat. 13.39, 41. They that are appointed to bee the Harveſt-men, and to ſeparate the Tares from the good Corne, after they are both growne up together in one field, are Angels. They that have the charge to keepe us in all our waies, while wee live, are many Angels:nPſal. 91.11. Angelis mandavit. oLuke 16.22.They that have the Commiſſion to carry up our ſoules to Heaven, when we die, are many Angels. They who attend at the ſeverall gates of the newpRev. 21.12. Ieruſalem, to admit us into that bleſſed City, are many Angels. At the ſecond Comming of Chriſt, in the laſt day, when Heaven and Earth ſhall be all one,qMatth. 25.31. He ſhall appeare in his glory, and all the holy Angels with Him. In all their adminiſtrations to Gods Servants, from the firſt to the laſt, there are Angels, in the plurall number; many Angels. The Apoſtles, and their Succeſſors, the Miniſters of the Goſpell, are honoured with the name of Angels: and thoſe come not ſingle. Wee have not Paul alone, not Peter alone: butrHeb. 12.1. are compaſſed about with a cloud of witneſſes. Witneſſe with witneſſe, witneſſe upon witneſſe: which way ſoever wee turne, wee are compaſſed with a cloud of witneſſes. This whole cloud guides us to the celeſtiall Canaan: being Witneſſes of the Goſpell, they bring to us the joyfull newes of ſalvation.

But, Why then didſ2 Sam. 18.25. David expect good newes from a ſingle Meſſenger? When the Watchman told him of a man running alone, hee concluded out of that circumſtance, that if he came alone, he brought good newes. It was contrary to Iob: that ſame Ego ſolus, brought him bad newes: Wofull tydings were in every Meſſengers mouth, that came to him with Ego ſolus aufugi; tIob 1.16.I onelyonly am eſcaped alone to tell thee. Why then ſhould David take it for a preſage of happineſſe? Indeed our Tranſlation reads it in a word of indifferencie; onelyonly newes; If hee bee alone, there is tydings in his mouth: without any ſpecification of good or bad. But all others interpret it Bonum nuntium. And why David ſhould perſwade himſelfe of good newes, becauſe the Meſſenger came alone, is to mee a wonder. Neither yet was the Meſſenger in all reſpects alone; for another came after him, that did ſet out before him. There is ſmall comfort in ſolitude; and it was no leſſe than a complaint of Paul to Timothy; u2 Tim. 4.11.OnelyOnly Luke is with me: Luke, and no body but Luke. Though Luke were able, and forward, and conſtant, in aſſiſting Paul about that great worke wherein hee laboured; yet is Saint Paul affected with this, that there was none but Luke to aſſiſt. Chriſt did not ſend his Meſſengers ſingle: Lambes among Wolves: Hee does not ſay one Lambe among many Wolves: that was his owne peculiar lot: Hee was the onelyonly Lambe that came alone.

2. It is obſervable, that moſt commonly Hee diſpoſed them to his worke, by paires and couples: as Peter here doth joyne himſelfe with Paul. xActs 3.1.Peter and Iohn went up together into the Temple, at the houre of prayer. Peter and Iohn; a paire: ſo they went to praying.aActs 13.2. Separate mee Paul and Barnabas for the worke whereunto I have called them: Paul and Barnabas; another paire: ſo they went to preaching. When thoſe two parted;bActs 15.39. Barnabas tooke Marke, and ſailed into Cyprus: and Paul choſe Silas, and went another way: ſtill by paires. Afterward,cActs 18.5. Silas and Timotheus were coupled, and came together from Macedonia. So Paul inſcribed divers of his Epiſtles, his former to the Corinthians, with Paul and Sosthenes: his other, with Paul and Timothy. So to the Philippians, and Coloſsians; Paul and Timothy. His firſt to the Theſsalonians, with Paul and Silvanus, and Timotheus; three: That to the Galatians, with many: Paul, and all the brethren which are with me. As Peter here deſires the teſtimony and conſent of Paul: ſo Paul will have the partnerſhip of Peter, or ſome other Apoſtle. The Miniſtery is Chriſts Yoke, of all and in a yoke, numbers, two draw beſt together.dLuke 10.1. The Lord appointed other ſeventy, and ſent them two and two before his face. Twelve Apoſtles he ſent firſt, then ſeventy Diſciples.eExod. 15.27. At Elim, in their journey to Canaan, there were twelve wels, and threeſcore and ten Palme trees. The twelve Apoſtles were as twelve fountaines; out of whoſe ſacred Doctrines, ſinners might draw the water of life. The ſeventy Diſciples, like thoſe ſeventy Palme trees; under whole coole ſhades, as Travellers might refreſh their ſcorched and weary limbes; ſo their worſe than Sun-burnt, even ſin-burnt ſoules might finde comfort. And asfNumb. 11.1. God tooke of the Spirit that was upon Moſes, and put it upon thoſe ſeventy Elders: ſo he tooke of the Spirit of his Sonne, and put it on thoſe ſeventy ſervants, toward the adminiſtration of his ſpirituall Kingdome. The twelve were called Apoſtles; the ſeventy Diſciples; there was a plaine diſtinction betweene them: Anſwerable to the former, the Church hath her Prelates and Biſhops: to the other, her inferior Prieſts, and ſubordinate Miniſters. But my obſervation is, that they were ſent two and two. Binarius numerus valde fauſtus, So ſent, for divers reaſons.

1. Ad Facilitatem; for the better facility. Two will more eaſily diſpatch a worke, than one. Two Oxen ſooner plow the ground: two Sowers ſooner caſt in the ſeed.g1 King. 19.14. Elias himſelfe fainted under this apprehenſion: I am left alone, and they ſeeke my life. hLuke 10.40.And Martha complaines of her burden: Lord, doſt thou not care that my ſister hath left me to ſerve alone? To beare the waight alone, to take all the care alone, which ſhould be ſhared betweene two, is hard.

2. Ad Vtilitatem, for the more commodiouſnes. If one erre, the other may direct and reclaime him. In the deliberation about any act, two Iudgments are better than one. If one fall, the other may helpe him, up: but vae ſoli, iEccl. 4.10.woe to him that is alone when he falleth. One may be cold alone, but two lying together have heate. If the devotion of the one waxe cold, the othes zeale may warme it. Beſides, as two together may doe the greater worke, ſo they ſhall have the better reward. There is a more liberall promiſe to two, than to one:kMat. 18.20. Where two or three of you be gathered together, I will be with you. I deny not, but ſolitarynes, and abandoning of ſocietie ſometimes diſpoſeth us beſt for God; who accompanies us moſt, when we are alone. Therfore Moſes was commanded to come neare to the Lord alone. Yea, and when we are alone, God comes neare unto us: as he did to Elias in the cave: and tolGen. 32.24. Iacob, when he was left alone: yet he wraſtled with him, and lamed him. But for our benefite, and comfort, we embrace a good aſſociate.

3. Ad Humilitatem; for the better meanes of humbling them. The honour that is divided among two, is leſſe than if it were wholly given to one; and ſo leſſe indangers either of them to pride. In a worke of great conſequence, it argues the candor and modeſty of a man, to deſire a co-adjutor. If the danger bee great, he juſtifies his proceedings: for hee diſguiſeth nothing, that calls in witneſſes. If the danger bt not great, yet it cleares him from ambition: in that he is ready to divide the thankes and honour of the worke with others, which by his atchievement he could have had alone. This keepes us within the bounds of humility: that how well ſoever the Vine proſpers under our hands, yet Peter cannot ſay, I have wrought in the Vineyard alone; but that Paul was with mee.

4. Ad Charitatem; for the advancement of their charitie. Love divided among many, is minor ſingulis: but when they are but two, how can they chuſe but love one another? Therefore the moſt perfect friendſhip is held to be betweene two. Such was betweene Damon and Pythias, among the Gentiles: betweene David and Ionathan, among the Iſraelites.

5. Ad Societatem, for the better ſocietie. Company beguiles both way and worke. Binarius numerus ſocialis; and therein tends to perfection. Two are better than one. God, who ſaw that all he had made was exceeding good; came not ſo neare ſeeing a defect in any of his workes, as by ſeeing man ſolitary. This he acknowledged; It is not good for man to be alone: therefore he made him a companion, a helper, and ſuch a one as ſhould helpe him to more companie than her owne; even a generation of aſſociates, by their encreaſe. How many a difficult worke, how many a tedious journey, is overcomne and digeſted by good ſocietie: But Longam incomitata videtur Ire viam. Whiles Peter lookes to Paul, and Paul hath reſpect to Peter, in their travels, they are the better encouraged to the Lords worke.

6. Ad Validitatem; for the better ſtrength of defenſe. When theeves ſee a paſſenger alone, they boldly ſet upon him: but if there be two to two, they will be afraid to venture. Say theſe Apoſtles were but two, and their enemies three; the Fleſh, the World, and the Devill: yet were they three hundred, let but theſe two hold together, and they ſhall be conquerors. So the Proverbe hath it; Brother that holdeth with brother, is like a fortified citie. Vis unita fortior. What bulwarkes of error could ſtand againſt their aſſaults? Ne Hercules contra duos: Againſt theſe two, hell it ſelfe could not prevaile.

7. Ad Securitatem; for their better ſecuritie, tranquillitie, and compoſednes. Howſoever it was ordained for a bleſſing, and for a dignitie to Iſrael; mNumb. 23.9.The people ſhall dwell alone, and ſhall not be reckoned among the nations: not among the curſed nations: not among them, but above them.nDeut. 33.28. Iſrael ſhall dwell in ſafetie alone: free from the infeſtation of enemies. Yet for particular perſons, there is great comfort in ſocietie. Our griefes are leſſened, our joyes enlarged, our cares lightened, by a friendly aſſociate. It was a plague upon a plague to the leper, that he was condemned to live alone. It cannot but be the aggravation of any ſicknes, when a man is compelled to be ſicke alone; without any viſitant, either to eaſe, or pitie him. In his deepeſt extremitie, Iob had ſome called Comforters, though they were miſerable ones: and miſerable comforters are better than none at all. It was for that Almighty man,oPſal. 63.3. to tread the wine preſſe alone; and to have none of the people with him. Death takes a cruell advantage upon him that muſt die alone: without a comforter, nay without a condoler. It was a ſad entrance into Ieremies Lamentations; pLam. 1.1.How doth the citie ſit ſolitary, that was full of people! But in all heates of anguiſh, good aſſiſtance and ſocietie breathes ſome coole aire of comfort. When Paul muſt anſwere before Nero, he complaines thatq2 Tim. 4.16. no man ſtood with him, but all men forſooke him: O then one Peter, one Comforter had bene exceeding welcome to him.

8. Laſtly and chiefly, ad credibilitatem: (for you may take all this for a digreſſion: yet pardon it, you have loſt nothing by it) the maine ſcope that led me into this meditation, is for their better credibility, and to worke a beleefe in mens hearts of that truth, which they have both delivered. Paul and Peter, thoſe two are conjoyned, that their teſtimony might be the more fairely received. Ex ore duorum, ſtat omne verum. For this cauſe Chriſt ſent his Apoſtles and Diſciples before him, by two and by two: that the one might witneſſe for the other, and all beare witneſſe to Chriſt, Solus teſtis, ſeldome allowed.aIohn 5.31. If I beare witneſſe of my ſelfe, my witneſſe is not true. And yet that mighty Prince might well write, Teſte meipſo: and ſo he does:bIohn 8.14. Though I beare record of my ſelfe, yet my record is true. Ipſe de me, and yet verum. But commonly more witneſſes are uſed than one.c1 Iohn. 5.7. There are three that beare record; the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghoſt; and theſe three are one: ſo we have three witneſſes in Heaven. dver. 8,And there are three more; the Spirit, and the Water, and the blood: ſo we have three witneſſes in Earth: and theſe agree in one: there is no diſcord among them. At the leaſt Two; eRev. 11.3.I will give power to my two witneſſes.

Chriſt called his Apoſtles by paires:fMat. 4.18. Simon and Andrew: Two, and thoſe were Brethren. Going a little farther, Hegver. 21. calls Iames, and Iohn; Two more, and thoſe alſo brethren. So he ſent them out by paires:hMark. 6.7. Hee called to him the twelve, and ſent them forth by two and two. To theiLuk. 24.13. two Diſciples going to Emmaus, hee ſhewed himſelfe on the day of his reſurrection. In this number Iohn the Baptiſt ſent his Diſciples to Chriſt:kMat. 11.2. two together. God brought his people ou… of Egypt by two leaders;lPſal. 77.20. By the hand of Moſes and Aaron: So he brings our ſoules out of ſpirituall bondage, by Peter and Paul, by Iames and Iohn; by two and two. As themNumb. 13.23. two ſpies brought the cluſter of grapes betweene them from Canaan: ſo he did appoint two Diſciples to bring us the wine of ſalvation, for the cheering of our hearts. The Arke of God was borne betweene two: Two were called to build the Tabernacle; Bezaliel and Aholiab: So the meſſengers of the Goſpell were ſent by two's, to beare Chriſt into the world, and to build up his Church. There were two Cherubins at each end of the Mercy-ſeate; as at either end of Chriſts grave, two Angels.n1 King. 7.15. Hiram made two pillars, and two chapiters for thoſe pillars in the Temple. The Church hathoRev. 12.14. two wings, to flie from perſecution. Her ſervants are clothed duplicibus; each hathpProv. 31.21. two garments. The principall members of our body are double, for the better mutuall ſupply. We have two eyes; that if one miſcarry, the other may guide us: Two eares, two hands, two feete; that the one may releeve the weakeneſſe of the other. There were two Tables of the Law: Two Teſtaments: and the Lord ſent the Miniſters of them both, by two's, paires and couples. Ecce duo gladii; two ſwords; and they are enough to kill thoſe two enemies; Sinne and Satan.

There are but two principall relations in the world; and all men muſt fall under one of the combinations: Husband and Wife, Father and Sonne, King and Subject, Maſter and Servant: ſome of theſe we muſt all be. By paires are Chriſts meſſengers ſent, to teach all theſe paires their duties. Therefore two; to explane two covenants, the Law and the Goſpell: To keepe enmity betweene the two ſeeds; of the Woman and the Serpent: to maintaine warre betweene thoſe two foes, the fleſh and the ſpirit: To execute two offices, of preaching and baptiſing: To preach two doctrines, of faith and good workes: To ſet upon men thoſe two Seales, in the adminiſtration of the two Sacraments: To exerciſe two juriſdictions, of binding and looſing: To unite two, Iewes and Gentiles: To overcome two, Sin and Satan: To reconcile two, God and Man: To ſave two, Body and Soule. Let us be ready for theſe Ambaſſadors, with two preparations, of our eares and hearts: meet them with two gratulations, of joy and reverence: welcome them with two entertainments, of faith and repentance and returne them with two ſatiſfactions, of our thankfulneſſe and obedience. So ſhall we depart this life with two comforts, peace and a good conſcience; and reſt in Heaven with thoſe two noble ſocieties of Ssints and Angels: when thoſe two parts of the Church, the militant and triumphant, ſhal mak but one Pariſh; where Ieſus Chriſt ſhal be all in all; Amen.

Commentary on 2 Peter, Commentary on 2 Peter volume 2 · Chapter 3 · Verse 15