Commentary Upon Philemon, Exposition · Verse 3
3 Grace be with you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Ieſus Chriſt.
The order of the words, and the interpretation of the ſame.Hitherto wee hauehave ſpoken of the firſt part of the Praeface of this Epiſtle, touching the perſons writing and written vntounto: Now we come to the ſecond part; to wit, the prayers which he maketh, which are of two ſortes: a ſalutation, and a thankſgiuing: the ſalutation is a greeting, which the Apoſtle wiſheth to all the perſons before named, wherein we are to conſider two pointes; firſt, what bleſſings the Apoſtle deſireth to be giuen vntounto them. Secondlie, from whom he craueth them. The bleſſings which he prayeth for, are two; namely, Grace and Peace. By Grace, we muſt vnderſtand the free fauour, meer mercy, and good will of God towards vsus, whereby he hath eternally & vndeſeruedly loued vsus in Chriſt, who are a people by nature not beloued, but deſeruing to be diſgraced by him, and hated of him. The ſecond bleſſing that he beggeth for them, is peace, whereby is meant all kind of benefits, ſpirituall and temporall, which flow vntounto vsus from this Fountaine, and grow out of the root of grace; and therefore ordinarily in other Epiſtles, it is annexed vntounto it. Grace heere mnntioned, is not any gift in vsus, but it is Gods, and in God; it is his gratious fauour, free louelove, and good will, whereby he is well pleaſed with his elect, in, and for Chriſt. Peace, is not any guift in God, but in vsus, and is that holy vnity and bleſſed concord, which is in the Kingdome of God among Gods Children: this concord and agreement of Gods Children, is a fruit and effect of grace. Paraphr.So then, the meaning of the words is this; We wiſh vntounto you all the fauour of God in Chriſt, and that concord which is propper to Gods Church and Children, hauing peace with God, with his holy Angels, with his Church, with your owne hearts, with your enemies, and with al his Creatures.
Secondly, in this verſe is ſet downe the cauſe, the worker, and author from whom theſe bleſſings come; to wit, the Father, and Ieſus Chriſt. God the Father, the Fountaine of them; and Chriſt our Lord, as the Cunduit pipe, by whom they are carried and conueied vntounto vsus. Obiect.But it may be obiected, why is the holy Ghoſt left out? why is not he named? do not theſe guifts come from him as well as from the Father and the Son? Anſwer.I anſwer, It is a generall rule in all Arts, and true in Diuinity; That which is vnderſtood is not wanting. So then, the holy Ghoſt, the third perſon in Trinity is not omitted, though not expreſſed: for he muſt of neceſſity be vnderſtood, who proceedeth from them both; namely, from the Father and the Sonne. Chriſt ſaith in his mIohn 17.Prayer. This is eternall life, to know thee to be the onelyonly true God, and whom thou haſt ſent Ieſus Chriſt: yet the holy Ghoſt in this place, is not excluded from both the perſons, but included and comprehended together with them, for theſe three are one, nIohn 5.as the Apoſtle teacheth. Thus much touching the order and meaning of the words: Now let vsus proceede to the obſeruations out of the ſame, and then come to the Doctrines.
Obſeruations out of this ver.The obſeruations out of this verſe, containing the ſalutation, are not many, which we will point out. Firſt of all, we ſee the matter of his Prayer what it is; he asketh not the fauour of Men, but of God: he craueth not earthly and worldly peace, but ſpirituall and heauenly. True it is, the fauour and good will of Men, the outward peace and tranquilitie one with another, are worthy and excellent guiftes, but the free and fatherly fauour of God, together with peace with GOD the Father, beeing reconciled vntounto vsus in his deare Sonne, are much to be preferred in our deſires. Heereby wee hauehave that peace oPhil. 4, 7.of conſcience which paſſeth all vnderſtanding, which teacheth vsus to reſt in God as in a moſt louing Father, with all confidence and aſſurance.
Secondly, as wee learne cheefelie to aske ſpirituall bleſſings, ſo wee ſee what bleſsings among ſuch as are ſpirituall, are the principall and predominant; to wit, the fauour of God and peace of conſcience. He that is poſſeſſed of theſe two, hath an hid Mine of Treaſures, with which, all the Wealth and Riches of the World are not to bee compared vntounto. For theſe bleſſings are heauenly, are ſpirituall, are eternall: whereas the ſubſtance of this World is Temporall, is Tranſitorie, is corruptible. The Worlde it ſelfe muſt paſſe and vaniſh away, and all theſe earthly things muſt decay and periſh with it.
Thirdly, the Apoſtle in ſome of his Epiſtles, vſeth three wordes; p1 Tim. 1, 2. and 2 Tim 1, 2. & 2 Iohn 3.Grace, Mercy, and Peace: heere hee contenteth himſelfe with naming two, Grace and Peace, omitting and leauing out Mercy: wherein there is no contrariety or diuerſity, for as much as Mercy is included vnderunder Peace. For by Mercy is vnderſtood our Iuſtification, which conſiſteth partly in the forgiueneſſe of our ſinnes, and partly in the imputation of Chriſts righteouſneſſe, which do bring true peace with them.
Fourthly, we ſee from whom hee asketh all theſe; to wit, firſt from God the Father, to teach that he is the Authour of eueryevery good giuing and perfect guift. If then we ſtand in neede of them, we muſt goe to him, we muſt aske them of him, we can receiue them of none but of him, qIam. 1, 5, 17as the Apoſtle Iames teacheth.
Fiftly, we ſee that to God the Father he ioyneth Ieſus Chriſt: for all bleſſings are beſtowed vponupon vsus through Chriſt, the Mediator of the New Teſtament. God the Father is the Fountaine, Chriſt is the Pipe or Cunduit, by whom they are conueied vntounto vsus. He that hath not him, hath not the Father. Hee that is not in him, remaineth in death. Hence it is that the Euangeliſt ſaith; rIohn 3, 36.He that beleeueth in the Sonne, hath euerlaſting life, and hee that obeyeth not the Sonne, ſhall not ſee life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.
Sixtly, obſerue the Title giuen vntounto him, he is called the Lord of his Church: it is a Kingdome, whereof he is the Prince: it is a Citty, whereof he is the Gouernor: it is an houſe, whereof he is the Maiſter: it is a body, whereof he is the head. So then, all obedience is due to him, and all men (how great ſoeuer) muſt acknowledge his Lordſhip ouer them. Laſtly, in that he craueth grace and peace from Chriſt our Lord, as well as from God the Father, it confirmeth our Faith in a Fundamentall point of Chriſtian Religion, touching the Deity of Chriſt; nPhil. 2, 6.Who is GOD equall with, the Father; againſt the Arrians, and other Heretiques that deny his Eternity. For ſeeing hee giueth grace and peace as well as the Father, we conclude him to be true God Co-eternall, and Co-equall with the Father.
[Grace, &c.] This word in the Scripture hath two ſignifications, the ignorance whereof hath bred great errour, and be one the occaſion of ſtumbling in the Church of Rome. Firſt, it ſignifieth Gods good will and fauour: Secondlie, ſome guift of God freely beſtowed, which is grace of his grace: and ſo the oRom. 5, 15.Apoſtle doth diſtinguiſh the grace of God from the gift that is by grace. In this place, we muſt vnderſtand, not any particular gift of God infuſed into vsus, as faith, hope, louelove, and ſuch like; but the free fauour and louelove of God, whereby he accepteth of ſome in Chriſt for his owne Children: for wee ſee heere, it is diſcerned and diſtinguiſhed from peace, which is a guift of Grace, and therefore cannot ſignifie the ſame thing. This grace and good will of God, is the Fountaine of all Gods bleſſings, and the foundation of all mans happineſſe. All that we hauehave is of Grace, it is the beginning of all good thinges in vsus. Our pRom. 11, 5. 2 Tim. 1, 9. Rom, 3, 24. Ezek. 36, 27. Ephe. 2, 10. Rom. 6, 23.Election, Redemption, Vocation, Iuſtification, Sanctification, & Glorification is of grace onelyonly, we can aſcribe nothing to our ſelues. Now in this Diuine Salutation, and Apoſtolicall Benediction, mark that the Apoſtle beginneth with this grace. Doct. 1. The free fauor of God is of vsus chiefely to be deſired.From hence we learne, that the fauour of God is to be ſought for aboue all other thinges. The free grace and vndeſerued louelove of God, is the firſt, and higheſt, and onelyonly cauſe of all bleſſings, is aboue al things to be deſired and intreated at the hands of God. Conſider the example of Dauid. Pſal. 4. Many ſay, qPſal. 4, 6.who will ſhew vsus any good? But Lord lift thou vp the light of thy countenance vponupon me. As if he ſhould ſay, let worldly men ſeek what they will, and let them place their happineſſe in riches, pleaſures, and vanities, but my deſire is after thy louelove and fauour aboue all. Hence it is, that he calleth and accounteth God his portion, rPſal. 16, 5. & 18, 2.his lot, his inheritance, his rocke, his refuge, his ſhield, and Caſtle of defence; to ſhew, that all his ioy was in Gods fauour, all his comfort in Gods louelove, and that he preferred his grace before all thinges in the world beſides. This affection is alſo expreſſed in the 73. Pſalm. ſPſal. 73, 25, 26.Whom hauehave I in heauen but thee? And I hauehave deſired none in the earth with thee: my fleſh faileth, and mine hart alſo, but God is the ſtrength of mine heart, and my portion for euer. So the Apoſtle Paul accounteth all thinges as loſſe and dung in compariſon of the grace of God. Whereby we ſee, that all men ſhould principally, and in the firſt place, ſeeke, wiſh, and intreat for the feeling of Gods fauour in Chriſt, as the bleſſed Fountaine of all good things to come vponupon vsus.
Reaſon 1.Let vsus conſider the cauſes and Reaſons of this point. Firſt, one drop of his free louelove, is better worth then all the World, and it ſhall yeelde vsus more ſweet and ſound comfort in the latter end. If we ſhould put the grace of God and the glory of the world, and peize them together in the ballances, the leaſt dramme and drop of the fauour of God toward vsus, would ouer-weigh, and ouer-ſway all the whole World, and all the thinges that are in the World, which worldly men make their chiefeſt Treaſure. This the Prophet Dauid found by experience, ſo ſoone as he had prayed for the louing countenance of GOD, hee addeth; tPſal. 4, 7.Thou haſt giuen me more ioy of heart, then they hauehave had, when their Wheate and their Wine did abound. This giueth a man more ſound comfort, then hee can finde elſe-where. Wee hauehave a common ſaying that runneth in eueryevery Mans mouth, GiueGive a man good lucke, and throw him into the Sea. But this is a Diuine truth, Let a man hauehave the free Grace and fauour of GOD, and then neyther Sea nor Land; neither Fire nor Water; neyther Sword nor Peſtilence; neyther force nor Famine; neyther any other thing ſhall be able to hurt him. We ſee this eExod. 14, 30.in Moſes and the Iſraelites, when they were come to the Red Sea, and Pharaoh with his Army followed at their backes, they were brought through the Sea as on dry Land, and were carried ſafely in the Wilderneſſe as on Eagles Winges by the prouidence and protection of God. The three Children fDan. 3, 27, & 6, 22.were caſt into the Furnance, Daniell was thrown into the Lyons denne: yet they were not conſumed with the Fire, neyther he deuoured by the Lyons. This made the Prophet ſay; gPſal. 23, 4.Though I ſhould walke through the Valley of the ſhaddow of death, I will feare none ill: for thou art with me, thy Rodde, and thy Staffe, they comfort me. All other comfort is no better then diſcomfort; all other ioy is no better then ſorrow and vexation of Spirit without this; according to the ſaying of the Wiſe-man: hEccle. 2, 2.I ſaid of laughter, Thou art mad; and of ioy, what is this that thou doſt?
Reaſon 2.Secondly, the grace and louelove of God, bleſſeth, ſanctifieth, and furthereth all other thinges vntounto vsus, honour, wealth: wiſedome, riches, ſtrength, fauour, friendſhip, and whatſoeuer befall the Sonnes of Men. The Prophet teſtifieth. Pſalme 45. Becauſe God had bleſſed him for euer, iPſal. 45, 2, 3.therefore it is ſaid vntounto him, proſper thou with thy glory, ride vppon the word of truth, and of meekeneſſe. On the other ſide, the want of the louelove and grace of God, curſeth all other things vntounto vsus; yea, defileth and poyſoneth them, and maketh them deadly, our honour it turneth into ſhame, our ſtrength into weakeneſſe, our wiſedome into fooliſhneſſe, our riches into ſnares, our beauty into vanity, our ſauour into hatred. We hauehave many examples in the word of God, and by daily experience offered vntounto vsus of this truth, the wiſedome of Achitophell, the honour of Haman, the valour of Ioab, the beauty of Abſolom, the knowledge of Iudas, all theſe were good and great bleſſings of God, but all are turned to be curſſes vntounto them, becauſe wanting the free grace of GOD, they wanted the ſanctified vſe of them. Seeing therefore, the louelove of God is of greater price, and more excellent value then all the world, and ſeeing his grace ſanctifieth and ſeaſoneth all other bleſſings, and the want thereof bringeth a curſſe vponupon them, wee conclude and gather from theſe reaſons, that the free fauour and mercy of God in Chriſt Ieſus, is firſt and aboue all other things, to be intreated and deſired for our ſelues and others.
Vſe 1.Now let vsus make vſe of this point. Firſt, let euerie one of vsus ſeeke to hauehave our hearts eſtabliſhed and ſetled in this free grace, to finde and feele in vsus his louelove ſhed in our hearts by his holy Spirit. Let this bee our firſt, our chiefe, our principall and ſpecial care, to obtaine the louelove and fauour of God, that wee may be beloued of him. This was the prayer of the Prophet, kPſal. 51, 12.Reſtore to me the ioy of thy ſaluation, and ſtabliſh me with thy free Spirit. So the Apoſtle teacheth; lHebr. 13, 9.It is a good thing that the heart bee ſtabliſhed with grace. We ſee how men are filled and carryed away with naturall preſumption, euen from their Cradle, perſwading themſelues to ſtand in a ſure eſtate, and thinking to eſcape the wrath of God: but of this free grace they hauehave no taſt, no deſire, no feeling of any want. They imagine themſelues to ſtand in no neede thereof, they preſume they are in the fauour of God; they dreame that he cannot chuſe but louelove them. If we want any earthlie bleſſing, the helpe of Friendes, the health of bodie, the Treaſure of this World, we can very quickly feele it, our ſenſes are ſharpe enough to diſcerne it: but though we want the grace of God and his fauour toward vsus, wee hauehave no more feeling then dead Men hath, wee neyther feele it, nor deſire it, nor once regard it.
We ſpend our ſtrength, waſt our life, and conſume our daies in ſeeking riches, honours, pleaſures, and preferments, but wee neuer looke ſo high as to the grace of God. We lye groueling like the Beaſtes vponupon the Earth, wee vſe eueryevery day; nay, eueryevery houre, nay, euerie minute, the bleſsings of God, fActs 17, 28.In whom we liue, and mooue, and hauehave our being: yet wee will not lift vp our eyes to the chiefe cauſe of all, the Grace of God. Let vsus therefore aboue all thinges, ſeeke earneſtly for the grace of God, wherein the Foundation of all our happineſſe is laid. He that liueth in his fauour, hath comfort in all ſorrowes and miſeries. He that dyeth out of his fauour, dyeth as a Beaſt; nay, worſe then a beaſt, and ſhall hauehave fellowſhip with the Deuill and his Angels, it had beene good if ſuch a one had neuer beene borne. For euen as the rich man in the Goſpell, deſired gLuke 16, 24one drop of Water to quench the fire, and to coole his tongue, and if he might hauehave gotten it, hee would hauehave preferred it before the gaining and obtaining of a thouſand Worlds: ſo when God ſhall ſet our ſinnes in order before vsus, and the Gulfe of his wrath ready to ſwallow vsus, we ſhall cry out for one drop of Grace, for one drop of Faith, for one drop of comfort, to refreſh our pining Soules, and to deliuer vsus from the ſhaddow of death.
Now is the time to deſire and ſeeke after grace, if we let ſlip the preſent occaſion offered vntounto vsus, we ſhall afterward cry out for it, and complaine of the want of it, and yet ſhall neuer attaine vntounto it. Thus was it with the rich Man, when he entreated Abraham to hauehave mercy on him, and to ſend Lazarus, that he might dip the tip of his Finger in Water to coole his tongue, beeing tormented in that Flame: Abraham anſwered; Sonne, remember that thou in thy life time receiuedſt thy pleaſures, and likewiſe Lazarus paines: now therefore hee is comforted, and thou art tormented. Thus was it with the fooliſh Virgins who ſlumbred and ſlept, and regarded not to procure and prouide Oyle hMat. 25, 10, 11.for their Lampes: for when the Bridegroome was come and had ſhut the Gate, they cryed in vaine, Lord, Lord, open vntounto vsus, who receiued their anſwere, Verily, I ſay vntounto you, I know you not. Thus it ſhall be with thoſe in the laſt day, which ſhall ſay; iMath. 7, 22.Lord, Lord, hauehave we not in thy Name propheſied? And by thy Name caſt out Deuils? And by thy Name done many great workes? For then hee will profeſſe vntounto them, he neuer knew them, depart from me ye workers of iniquity. So ſhall it be with thoſe that hauehave neglected the time, and paſſed ouer the opportunity, kLuke 14, 25 26.who begin to ſay, Lord, open vntounto vsus, we hauehave eaten and drunke in thy preſence, and thou haſt taught in our Streets: to whom he ſhall ſay, I know you not whence ye are. Let vsus all be wiſe, and beware by their examples, that we do not delay the time from day to day. Let vsus craue this guift of God, that we may hauehave it in time of neede, and in the houre of tentation. If now while we hauehave time, we ſhall deſire and labour to obtaine grace, wee ſhall not neede heereafter to ſtand in feare of Death, or to cry out through horror and deſpaire! O that I had one drop of Faith! O that I had one drop of Grace.
Vſe 2.Secondly, ſeeing grace is in the firſt place, aboue and before all other bleſſings to be deſired and required at the handes of God, let vsus learne the highway, and enter into the beaten path that leadeth to this Grace, and when wee hauehave learned it, let vsus walke in it, in a conſtant and ſetled courſe. Now the ſteppes lThree ſteps leading vsus to finde Gods grace.that wee muſt make to trace it, and finde it out, are theſe. The firſt degree or ſteppe, is to diſlike our ſelues, and to bee in diſgrace with our ſelues. EueryEvery man naturally, is in louelove with himſelfe, and his owne ſhadow. But wee muſt caſt off this ſelfe-louelove, that cleaueth ſo faſt and hangeth on, and learne to know our ſelues, and to hate our ſelues.
No man can magnifie Gods mercy ſufficiently, vntill hee attaine to the knowledge of his owne miſery. Daniell, a man gratious and dearely beloued of GOD acknowledged this in his prayer, and as it were aſcendeth into the preſence of God by this ſteppe, mDan. 9, 7, 8.O Lord, righteouſneſſe belongeth vntounto thee, and vntounto vsus open ſhame, as appeareth this day, to our Kings, to our Princes, to our Fathers, and vntounto eueryevery Man of Iudah, becauſe we hauehave ſinned againſt thee. This was the courſe that the Prodigall Sonne tooke, and the way that he entred, gLuke 15, 21Father, I hauehave ſinned againſt Heauen and before thee, and am no more worthy to bee called thy Sonne. Thus did the poore Publican inſinuate himſelfe into the grace of God, and departed iuſtifyed in his ſight, he ſmote his breaſt, ſaying; hLuke 18, 13Lord, be mercifull to me a Sinner. To be proud, and puffed vp with our owne righteouſneſſe, and to truſt in our owne wiſedome, is the fore-runner of a fall.
The ſecond ſtep to obtaine grace, is, after we hauehave felt this want and miſery in our ſelues, wee muſt not reſt there, but earneſtly deſire, and inwardly hunger and thirſt after the louelove and fauour of God in Chriſt, aboue all earthly thinges. Firſt, we muſt feele our ſelues empty, before our Soules can hauehave this hunger. Our Sauiour deſcribing true bleſſedneſſe to his Diſciples, and ſhewing wherein it conſiſteth contrary to the iudgement of the World, hee ſaith; iMath. 5, 3, 6.Bleſſed are the poore in Spirit; that is, that know themſelues poore, that feele themſelues poore and voide of righteouſneſſe: and then he addeth, Bleſſed are they which hunger and thirst after righteouſneſſe, for they ſhall be filled. We muſt kIohn 6, 27. and 4, 14.hunger after the meat that neuer periſheth: wee muſt thirſt after that Well of Water which ſpringeth vp vntounto euerlaſting life. If wee neuer hunger after grace, we ſhall neuer hauehave grace. The whole deſire lMath. 9, 12.not the Phiſition, but they that are ſicke: They mIohn. 9, 41.which thinke they ſee, are made blind, and their ſinne remaineth.
Laſtly, it is required of vsus, to lay hould by the hand of a true Faith, vponupon the grace and mercy of God in Chriſt Ieſus, offered vntounto all of vsus in the promiſes of the Goſpell generally, and learne to apply them to our ſelues particularly. Chriſt calleth thoſe nMat. 11, 28.that are weary and heauy laden, promiſing to eaſe end refreſh them. In the laſt and great day of the Feaſt, Ieſus ſtood and cryed, ſaying; oIohn 7, 37.If any man thirſt, let him come vntounto me and drinke. He teacheth; pMark 16, 16That he that ſhall beleeue and be Baptized, ſhall be ſaued. Theſe are generall promiſes, theſe require particular application. Wee cannot receiue them into our hearts, and make them our owne, except we lay houlde of them by a ſpeciall Faith. This liuely Faith, bringeth Chriſt home to vsus, and openeth the doores of our Soules to entertaine him. If then we feele our owne miſerie, if we hunger after merciemercy, and if wee apply the promiſes of the Goſpell to vsus particularly, we ſhall be aſſured to finde the grace of God, and taſt plentifully and abundantly of his louelove. So many as truely deſire grace, muſt looke to attaine it by theſe meanes, and climb vp to the top of it by theſe ſteps and degrees, as by certaine ſtaires.
Vſe 3.Thirdlie, ſeeing grace is firſt of all to bee craued, it directeth vsus to obſerue and keepe a good order, in ſeeking and crauing thinges at the hands of God. We are taught firſt to ſeeke his grace and fauour, as the roote and Fountaine, and then peace, welfare, and other bleſſings. He that will receiue fruit from the tree, muſt come to the roote and body, before he can come to the braunches: ſo if we would hauehave peace, health, wealth, a good name, fauour, friendſhip, or other gifts of the Spirit, wee muſt begin at the roote; that is, intreat firſt for the grace of God, take hold of his free louelove, and aboue all thinges, beg his fatherlie fauour to compaſſe vsus, as with a garment, and to defend vsus as with a ſhielde. It is in vaine to aske any thing, it is in vaine to hope for, and to expect any bleſſing as a bleſſing, before this be asked and obtained. This order is to be obſerued, if wee would enioy and poſſeſſe Gods bleſsinges. When the grace of God commeth, and maketh vsus accepted, it commeth not alone, but commeth accompanied, and bringeth a traine of all other bleſsings with it.
Hee that will ſeeke a benefite from a Prince, muſt firſt ſeeke to bee gratious with the Prince and get his fauor: he muſt neuer look to be reſpected and regarded in his ſuit, that is out of the Princes fauour: ſo if wee would hauehave wealth, welfare, eaſe, honour, peace, proſperity, or any other guifts, we muſt before all things, labour to bee gratious with the great God of Heauen, and ſeeke to be accepted in his beloued. This ſerueth to reprooue the prepoſterous courſe of carnall Men, hHorac. epiſtol lib. 1. Epiſt. 1.who ſet the Cart before the Horſe, and place the Boby before the Soule, and aduance the Earth aboue the Heauen, and ſo ouerthrow the whole order of Nature, labouring firſt for wealth, and afterward for vertue; firſt, for Riches; afterward, for Religion: firſt, to bee great in the World; afterward to bee gratious with God. Theſe men ſeeke from day to day, and from yeare to yeare for earthly profites, and vaniſhing pleaſures: but neuer thinke on the root of all bleſſings, the grace of God. This corruption is reproued by Chriſt, who preſcribeth vntounto vsus a better way, when he ſaith; iMath. 6, 33.Seeke ye firſt the Kingdome of God and his righteouſneſſe, and all theſe things ſhall be miniſtred vntounto you. If the things of this world be the firſt in our thoughts, the cheefeſt in our deſires, the greateſt in our eſtimation, and the beſt in our imagination, we hauehave our reward, wee muſt looke for no other reward at the hands of God.
Vſe 4.Laſtly, when we hauehave found our hearts perſwaded, and our Soules poſſeſſed of this grace of God, let vsus delight in it, let vsus reſt vponupon it, let it bee made our ſtay and comfort in all times, and vponupon all occaſions. Let vsus remember to be more thankfull to God for it, and more ioyfull in it, kEſay 9, 3.then thoſe that reioyce in Harueſt, or ſuch as finde great ſpoiles and rich booties. If thou ſhouldſt finde Mines of Siluer and Gold, and Mountaines of Pearles and precious Stones, they could not giuegive ſuch comfort and contentment vntounto thy Soule, as this grace of God is able to doe, which is a Iewell of Iewels. Bleſſed is the man that findeth this Treaſure, and getteth it into his heart, for the lPro. 3, 14, 15Marchandize thereof, is better then the Marchandize of Siluer, and the gaine thereof is better then Gold: it is more precious then Pearles, and all thinges that thou canſt deſire, are not to bee compared vntounto it. For theſe treaſures of the earth, which worldly men hauehave in ſo great price and eſtimation, are bought at a deere rate of the owners, but the Lord offereth and giueth his grace frankly and freely vntounto vsus, which neede the ſame, as we read in the propheſie mEſay 55, 5, 1 Iames 1, 2.of Eſay, and in the Epiſtle of Iames.
Secondly, the Marchandize of theſe Pearles may be ſtolne from vsus, we cannot ſo ſafely and cloſely lay them vp, but time will conſume them, ruſt will rot them, and Theeues will ſteale them, nMath. 6, 19as our Sauiour teacheth in the Goſpell: But the grace of God ſhall neuer dye or decay, but is euer flouriſhing, and euerlaſting. Laſtly, the gain of Siluer & Gold, if we could poſſeſſe it in the greateſt meaſure, is but to maintaine the body, and to prouide for this preſent life for a ſeaſon: but the gaining of grace and the fauour of God, is an entituling of vsus to the Kingdome of heauen, and to eternall life, which he that hath this grace of God in his heart, ſhall poſſeſſe for euer. Indeed, few men do beleeue this, becauſe they make more reckoning of thinges earthly, then heauenly: but all men ſhall finde it to be true in the end. This treaſure the poore may hauehave as well as the rich. In all tentations this will ſtand by vsus, and raiſe vsus vp when we are caſt downe, and ſtrengthen vsus when we are weake. This grace (whereby wee are freely beloued) will goe with vsus abroad, will ſtay with vsus at home, will lye downe with vsus in bed, will ſit with vsus at Table, will direct vsus in proſperity, will ſticke to vsus in trouble, will comfort vsus in ſickneſſe, will ſolace vsus in death, and will accompany vsus to heauen. To deſire this, is the beſt couetouſneſſe, and that which onelyonly hath alowance and approbation from God, o1 Cor. 14, 1and therefore the Apoſtle chargeth vsus to couet ſpirituall thinges. All theſe thinges teach vsus to reſt and rely vponupon the grace of God, as vppon the onelyonly comfort of our Soules, and the very life of our liues, according to the practiſe of the Prophet. Pſal. 4. after he had deſired of God to lift vp his louing countenance vponupon him, he addeth; pPſal. 4, 8.I will lay mee downe and alſo ſleepe in peace, for thou, Lord, onelyonly makeſt me dwell in ſafety.
[And peace, &c.] Hitherto we hauehave ſpoken of the firſt bleſſing, which the Apoſtle craueth for them; to wit, the grace of God, which is the grace of graces: Now followeth the ſecond, which is peace, which is a notable fruit, growing vponupon the bleſſed tree of grace. This ſignifieth the quiet concord and vnity, which the faithfull are made partakers of, beeing once ingrafted into Chriſt, and brought into the boſome of the Church. They find peace and are at an agreement, which hath many branches, and ſtandeth of many parts, eueryevery one whereof is a moſt worthy bleſſing. Firſt, qRom. 5, 1.wee are at peace with God, when we are reconciled vntounto God in Chriſt, ſo that he hath no quarrell or controuerſie againſt vsus. Rom. 5. 1. Secondlie, wee are at peace with the elect Angels, rPſal. 91, 11.which pitch their Tents round about vsus, and are ſet to guard vsus, leaſt we daſh our foot againſt a Stone. Thirdly, we are at peace with our ſelues, when our conſciences enioy quietneſſe and tranquility, not accuſing or condemning, but excuſing and cleering vsus, being waſhed in the blood of Chriſt, ſPhil. 4, 7.This is that peace of God which paſſeth all vnderſtanding. Fourthly, wee are at peace with Gods Children, tEſay 11, 6.foretold by the Prophet, that the wilde Beaſts and tame ſhould dwell together, the cruell and the gentle ſhould couch together, and practiſed by the Church and beleeuers, uActes 4, 32.who are ſaide to be of one Soule, and of one heart.
Fiftly, we hauehave peace with our enemies, who are charged not to touch the Lords annointed, and to doe his Prophets no harme. This is ſo farre verified, as is expedient to ſet forth the glory of God, to procure the ſafety of the godly, and to repreſſe the rage of the Reprobate. Thus Ioſeph was at peace with Pharaoh, Obadiah with Ahab, and Daniell with Nabucadnezzer, Mordecai and the Iewes with Ahaſhueroſh: and thus is the ſaying of the Wiſe-man verified; xPro. 16, 7.When the waies of a Man pleaſe the Lord, he will make alſo his enemies at peace with him. Laſtly, we hauehave peace with the Beaſts of the fielde, the Foules of the Heauen, and all the Creatures of God, ſo that we ſhall find help and comfort from them, yHoſ. 2, 18.as we ſee in the Prophet, God maketh a Couenant with them for his people. Hoſ. 2. In that day I will make a Couenant for them, with the wilde Beaſts, and with the Foules of the Heauen, and with that which creepeth vponupon the earth: I will breake the Bow and the Sword, and the battell out of the Earth, and will make them to ſleepe ſafely. Loe heere how large and ample is this peace, and how many and woorthy preheminences there are thereof. This peace followeth grace, as a fruit of it, and therefore (we ſee) it is ioyned vntounto it both in this place, and in ſundry other Epiſtles. Doct. 2. Such as are in Gods fauour hauehave all his bleſsings following them.We learne hereby, that ſuch as are vnderunder the grace and couenant of God, liuing vnderunder his protection and obedience, hauehave aſſurance of all Gods mercies, ſpirituall and temporall, of this life, and of the life to come, all which doe belong vntounto them, and ſhall follow them, and ouertake them. I ſay, ſuch as are vnderunder the grace and fauour of God hauehave all his bleſſings following them, ſo farre as they may further their eternall happineſſe. Moſes ſheweth zDeu. 28, 3, 4Deut. 28. that when once they belong to God, and are vnderunder his grace, as vnderunder the ſhaddowe of his Wings, all his bleſſings ſhould follow them, and come vponupon them from Heauen and Earth, from houſe and fielde, from ſoule and body, that they ſhould be bleſſed in the fruit of their body, in the increaſe of their Cattle, and in the aboundance of all things. Aaron and his Sonnes did thus bleſſe the people, Num. 6. 6. The Lord lift vp his countenance vponupon thee, and giuegive thee peace. Where we ſee, he ſetteth peace after the ſhining of Gods gratious countenance vponupon them. This the Apoſtle teacheth in the Epiſtle to the Romanes, hauing proued at large that we are iuſtified without the workes of the Law, hee addeth; aRom. 5, 1.Being then iuſtified by Faith, we hauehave peace toward God, through our Lord Ieſus Chriſt. The Prophet Dauid, expreſſing that God is his Shepheard, to refreſh him with his grace, to feede him with his word, to rule him by his ſtaffe, and to deliuer him from danger, bPſal. 23, 1, 6, and 84, 11.concluded hereupon; I ſhall want nothing, doubtleſſe kindneſſe and mercy ſhall follow me all the daies of my life, and I ſhall remaine a long ſeaſon in the houſe of the Lord. The like we ſee in another place; The Lord God is the Sunne and Shield vntounto vsus: the Lord will giuegive grace and glorie, and no good thing will he with-hold from them that walke vprightly. The Apoſtle Paul ſetteth downe at large the bleſſings flowing from this louelove of God, cEphe. 1, 5, 6.Who hath predeſtinated vsus to be adopted through Ieſus Chriſt, in himſelfe, according to the good pleaſure of his will, to the praiſe of the glory of his grace, where-with hee hath made vsus freely accepted in his beloued, by whom we hauehave Redemption through his blood, euen the forgiueneſſe of ſinnes, according to his rich grace, whereby hee hath beene aboundant toward vsus in all wiſedome and vnderſtanding. Where he teacheth, that the free grace of God, whereby wee are accepted in his beloued, in whom hee is well pleaſed, and exceedingly contented, is the cauſe of all other mercies, and therefore ſuch as are in his fauour, ſhall finde the fruites thereof to their comfort, and hauehave all his bleſſings to ouertake them.
Reaſon 1.If any doubt yet remaine in vsus to trouble vsus, and hinder our faith from receiuing and beleeuing this Doctrine, as a pregnant and certaine truth, conſider with me a little farther the reaſons, to ground and eſtabliſh vsus herein. For firſt, when the wrath of God is once appeaſed, and the louelove of God opened vntounto vsus, we hauehave free and bold acceſſe vntounto him, and to the Throne of grace, as▪ to a moſt mercifull Father. The Apoſtle hauing declared, that we are at peace with God through Chriſt, he addeth immediatly; dRom. 5, 2.By whom alſo thorough Faith we hauehave this acceſſe into this grace wherein we ſtand, and reioyce vnderunder the hope of the glory of God. We may freely come into the preſence of God, we hauehave boldneſſe to aske any thing that we want, we hauehave aſſurance to be heard when we call vponupon him.
Reaſon 2.Secondly, it is the free louelove and fauour of God, that ſpared not his owne Sonne, but beſtowed him vponupon vsus, who is our life, our peace, our attonement. Now ſeeing it is his grace onelyonly that hath giuen vsus the bleſſing of all bleſsings, we ſhall with him, and by him, hauehave all other guiftes to compaſſe vsus about, and to come vponupon vsus, according as the Apoſtle teacheth. Rom. 8. If God be on our ſide, who ſhall be againſt vsus? Who ſpared not his owne Sonne, but gaue him for vsus all to death, eRom. 8, 32.how ſhall he not with him giuegive vsus all things alſo?
Reaſon 3.Thirdly, his louelove reconcileth all his Creatures, and openeth the way to his mercies toward them whom hee loueth. This is it which Moſes ſpeaketh to the Iſraelites: fDeut. 7, 8.Becauſe the Lord loued you, and becauſe he would keepe the oath which he had ſworne vntounto our Fathers, the Lord hath brought you out by a mighty hand, and deliuered you out of the houſe of bondage. And afterward he putteth them in minde, gDeut. 23, 5.That the Lord would not hearken vntounto Balaam, but the Lorde their God turned his curſſe to a bleſſing vntounto them, becauſe he loued them. Thus doth the Prophet tell the people of God; hPſal. 44, 3.That they inherited not the Land by their owne Sword, neyther did their owne Arme ſaue them, but his right hand, and his Arme, and the light of his countenance, becauſe he did fauour them.
Reaſon 4.Laſtly, they louelove God againe whom he loueth. His louelove worketh louelove, and conſtraineth them to expreſſe back againe that which they hauehave receiued. They that louelove him ſhall neuer be deſtitute, but feele the fruit thereof to their endleſſe comfort. The Prophet ſaith iPſal. 91, 14.to this purpoſe. Pſal. 91. Becauſe he hath loued me, therefore will I deliuer him: I will exalt him, becauſe hee hath knowne my Name. Lay now all theſe things together, and conſider, that ſeeing we hauehave free acceſſe to the Throne of grace, ſeeing wee hauehave Chriſt, the greateſt bleſsing of all giuen vntounto vsus, ſeeing all Creatures are reconciled vntounto vsus: and laſtly, we being loued, do louelove God againe, and poure out ſtreames iſſuing from his Fountaine, and all this proceedeth from his grace: wee conclude, that ſuch as are in Gods fauour hauehave his bleſsings following them.
Vſe 1.Now let vsus handle the vſes. Firſt, ſeeing the fauour of God is the Fountaine of all goodneſſe and graces in vsus, we learne, that no fauour is like to the fauour of God. The grace and louelove of Princes, bringeth many priuiledges and preferments with it: but can they aſſure vsus of eueryevery good thing? Or doe they remaine and continue with vsus for euer? Nay, they are moſt vnſtable, and vncertaine, their honour is turned into diſhonour, and all their glory is changed into ſhame and confuſion. Haman was the happieſt man in the kingdome in his owne eyes, and in the eyes of many others; one day hee was next vntounto the King, kEſter 5, 12. and 7, 9.& the next day he was moſt wretched; one day in fauor, the next day out of fauour; one day honored, the next day hanged. Nay, thus it fareth & falleth out oftentimes with the godly, as wee ſee in Dauid; who was greater in Sauls Court then he? Who was more praiſed and preferred? Was made the Sonne in Law of the King, and the Captaine of the Hoaſt: yet by and by hee was diſgraced, degraded, and depraued by flatterers and falſe informers, caſt out of the fauour of the King, and put in danger of his life. It is not ſo with God, it is not ſo with his fauour ſhewed toward the godly: whom hee loueth once, lIohn 13, 1.hee loueth euer: he dooth not change, he cannot lye, he will not repent. He is vnchangeable, there is no ſhaddow of change with him, his gifts are without repentance. There is great comfort in ſuch fauour, ſeeke therefore for his fauour, aboue the fauour of Princes: and make much of it when we hauehave found it. Great is the louelove of Parents toward their Children: but the louelove of God ſurmounteth them all, and that louelove which can be in them.
Vſe 2.Secondlie, ſeeing ſuch as are gratious with God, are laden with many bleſſings, we may ſee heereby the bleſſed eſtate of all that liue vnderunder the grace of God, all thinges doe ſerue them that ſerue the Lorde, and hauehave taſted how gratious the Lord our God is. He is counted happy in the World that hath the fauour of Princes. The Queen of Sheba pronounced m1 Kin 10, 8.the people and ſeruants of Salomon happy, which did ſtand euer before him to hear his wiſedom. When Eliſha demaunded of the Shunamite n2 Kin 4, 13.what hee ſhould doe for her, or whether there were any thing to be ſpoken for her to the King, or to the Captaine of the hoaſt: ſhe anſwered, I dwell among mine owne people. She liued in peace and quietneſſe, ſhe had no cauſe to make any complaint againſt any her Neighbours, ſhe was not driuen to make any ſuit to King or Captaine, ſhee troubled not others, and others troubled not her, and this ſhe accounted an happy life. But the happy eſtate and bleſſed condition of the faithfull, is a thouſand times greater: they are at peace with heauen and earth, with Men & Angels, with themſelues, and with all others, with life and death, nothing ſhall be able to hurt them.
True it is, they hauehave no promiſe to bee free from tentations and troubles, Famine may come, Perſecution, Peſtilence, nakedneſſe, pouertie, perill, and tribulation may come, and death ſhall come: but we hauehave a gratious and ſure promiſe, that they ſhall not hurt vsus, or deſtroy vsus, or hinder our ſaluation, they are all Enemies without Armour, as Souldiers without a Sword, as Serpents without a ſting, and as Aſpes without venome. This is it which the Prophet handleth at oPſal. 91, 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 10.large. Pſal. 91. Who ſo dwelleth in the ſecret of the most High, ſhall abide in the ſhaddow of the Almightie: ſurely, he will deliuer thee from the Snare of the Hunter, and from the noyſome Peſtilence: thou ſhalt not bee afraide of the feare of the night, nor of the Arrow that flyeth by day: nor of the Peſtilence that walketh in the darkneſſe, nor of the Plague that destroyeth at noone-day, A thouſand ſhall fall at thy ſide, and ten thouſand at thy right hand, but it ſhall not come neere thee: there ſhall none come vntounto thee, neyther ſhall any Plague come neere thy Tabernacle. He meaneth not in theſe wordes, that the godly ſhall bee free from troubles, ſickneſſes, & al calamities, but that God doth ſo care for them, and watch ouer them, that nothing ſhall be able to hurt and harme them, but he will giuegive them a ſanctified vſe of the Croſſe, and make all thinges turne to their good, and further their ſaluation. This is it which the Apoſtle Paul offereth to our conſiderations; p1 Cor. 3, 21, 22, 23.Let no man reioyce in men, for all things are yours: whether it be Paule, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death: whether they bee thinges preſent, or thinges to come, euen all are yours, and ye Chriſtes, and Chriſt, Gods. Great is the dignity and excellency of the godly, that all things are made to ſerue to their vſe, and are appointed in the ordinance of God to ſerue for their profite: according to that which he hath in another place, qRom. 8, 28We know that all thinges worke together for the beſt vntounto them that louelove God, euen to them that are called of his purpoſe. Where we ſee he teacheth, that not onelyonly thinges preſent are ours, but thinges to come: not onelyonly life is ours, but alſo death, which is a gaine and aduantage to the godly, and an entrance or doore that leadeth to euerlaſting life. What greater glory can befall vsus, or what greater happineſſe can we deſire, then to hauehave all things ours. Life is ours, death is ours, the world is ours, the Croſſe is ours, the Crown is ours, heauens is ours, the Angels are ours, Chriſt is ours, God is ours, all is ours, and what is there that is not ours? What a great honour is this? Or who is it that can doubt of theſe thinges? Or whom ſhould not theſe priuiledges mooue? The World is a place of our reſting: Life the time of our bettering: Death, is a change of our miſery, and an entrance into glorie: things preſent, are the beginning of our comfort: things to come, are the conſummation of our comfort: the Croſſe is our inſtruction: the Angels are our Watchmen: the heauen is our happineſſe: Chriſt is our Sauiour: God is our Father: all thinges are fauourers and furtherers of our ſaluation. It is a comfort of all comforts, that we are at peace with God, that he is our friend, and that hee hath no controuerſie againſt vsus. If God were againſt vsus, who ſhould bee able to ſtand for vsus, or dare take vponupon him the protection and defence of vsus? But beeing iuſtified by Faith, we are at peace with God. It is a great bleſſing to be at peace with men: but it is a greater bleſſing to be at peace with God. We are at peace with the bleſſed Angels, rHebr. 1, 14.Who are all miniſtring Spirits, ſent forth to Minister for their ſakes which ſhall be heires of ſaluation. They guard vsus from dangers, they carry vsus, as a Nurſe doth her Childe in her Armes, that we be not hurt by the Deuill, or his Angels, or his Inſtruments.
We are at peace with the Church; that is, with all ſuch as feare God, and beleeue in Chriſt. The Prophet Eſay ſpeaking of the Kingdome of Chriſt, and of the fruits of the Goſpell, foretelleth; That ſEſay 11, 6.the Wolfe ſhall dwell with the Lambe, and the Leopard with the Kidde, and the Calfe, and the Lyon, and a fat Beaſt together, and a little Child ſhall lead them, &c. Meaning thereby, that when a man is called into the State of grace, howſoeuer by Nature he hauehave the greedineſſe of a Wolfe, the wildneſſe of a Leopard, the fierceneſſe of a Lyon, the cruelty of a Beare, hee ſhall lay away his ſauage and brutiſh Nature, and become gentle, and liue peaceably with all men. We are at peace with our own ſelues, which is the peace of a good conſcience, when it being waſhed in the blood of Chriſt, ceaſeth to accuſe and terrifie, and beginneth to excuſe and comfort vsus; when neither Hell, nor Death, nor damnation, nor any daunger doth diſmay vsus, or bring vsus to deſpaire: but in the midſt of all, tCol. 3, 15.we hauehave the peace of God ruling in our hearts, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh. Coloſſ. 3. 15. If a man weare at peace with the Angels, with men, and with all the Creatures, if he had no Enemy to encounter him, but liued at peace with others: yet if he were at warre and Mortall enmity with himſelfe, if he felt the terrors of conſcience, and his owne heart condemning him, hee ſhould quickly finde what a great bleſſing it is to hauehave a cleere conſcience, which is a continuall Feaſt. This peace was in Dauid, when he ſaid, in the midſt of manifolde dangers, uPſal. 3, 5, 6.I laid me downe and ſlept, and roſe againe; for the Lord ſustained me: I will not be afraid of ten thouſand of the people that ſhould beſet me round about. This is of ſuch excellency, that it is called oPhil. 4, 7.The peace of God that paſſeth all vnderſtanding: it is in ſtead of a guard, to keepe our hearts and minds in Chriſt. Wee are at peace with our enemies, both becauſe ſo ſoone as we beleeue in Chriſt, wee ſeeke to hauehave peace with all men, ſo farre as is poſsible, pRom. 12, 18and as much as lieth in vsus, and becauſe God reſtraineth the mallice of the Enemies, and inclineth their hearts to embrace peace; Thus God brought Abraham and Iſaac into fauour with Abimelec King of Gerar, that he was ready and willing, no onelyonly to receiue peace when it was offered, but to craue peace when it was not deſired. Thus God brought Daniell into fauour with the chiefe of the Eunuchs and ſundry others, to finde the fruits of louelove at the handes of their enemies, becauſe he hath the harts of all men in his owne hand, to wind them and turne them at his owne pleaſure.
Laſtly, we are at peace with all Creatures in Heauen and Earth; aboue and beneath, which are made to ſerue for our benefite and ſaluation. The Prophet ſaith; qPſal. 91, 13.Thou ſhalt walk vponupon the Lyon and the Aspe, the young Lyon and the Dragon ſhalt thou tread vnderunder foot. And God promiſeth, To make a rHoſ. 2, 18.Couenant for them with the Beaſtes and Fowles, that they ſhall walk ſafely. All theſe priuiledges teach vsus (hauing ſuch a large peace with God and his Angels, with the Church and our owne ſelues, with our Enemies and all Creatures) that it is the moſt comfortable thing in the world, to be vnderunder the grace and Couenant of God, and that nothing is more to bee deſired, then to feele the fauour of God towards vsus: for hauing this, we poſſeſſe all things. If wee want him and his fauour, though we hauehave all the world, it will not nor cannot content vsus, but all things are curſſed to vsus, and we to them.
Vſe 3.Laſtly, ſeeing all that are accepted of God, are bleſſed with all good things, this teacheth vsus the wretched and fearefull condition of all ſuch, as by reaſon of ſinne are out of fauour with God, they ſhall finde no reſt, they ſhall hauehave no peace, heauen and earth ſhall conſpire againſt them, and deny them ſuccour and comfort in the day of Gods punniſhment and viſitation. It is ſaid of Iſmaell, that his hand ſhould be againſt eueryevery man, and eueryevery mans hand againſt him: ſo is it with all the vngodly, not reconciled to God, they ſhall find no ſound comfort in any Creature, but ſhall hauehave all the World againſt them. This is a great miſery and torment, lying heauy vponupon the wicked, and piercing their Soules as the flaſhings of Hell, according to the ſaying of the Prophet; sEſay 57, 19, 20, 21.I create the fruit of the lippes to be peace; peace vntounto them that are farre off, and to them that are nere, ſaith the Lord, for I will heale them: but the wicked are like the raging Sea that cannot rest, whoſe Waters caſt vp Mire and Dirt, There is no peace, ſaith my God, to the wicked. God ſetteth himſelfe againſt them, and all Creatures ſhall confound them and fight againſt them, vntil they are confounded and ouerthrowne. And as the Apoſtle ſpeaking of the bleſſed and happy eſtate of the godly, declareth, that all things are theirs: ſo on the other ſide we may truely ſay of the vngodly, that nothing is theirs; they hauehave Title and intereſt in no creature to receiue any comfort in them, or ſtay from them, or protection by them. God is become their Enemy, the Angels are armed to deſtroy them, their owne conſciences conuince and condemne them, the Heauen is ſhut againſt them, death is the gate of Hell vntounto them, affliction is a meanes of murmuring in them, the World is a Snare vntounto them, Chriſt is a Rocke of offence vntounto them, the Goſpell is the fauour of death vntounto them, the mercy of God is made a Packe-horſe for their ſinnes, all the ordinances of God are abuſed by them, and all the workes of Gods handes ſhall bee Inſtruments of their confuſion. If any thing may be accounted theirs, it is tDan. 12, 2. Math. 13, 42.deſtruction of their Soules, confuſion of their faces, contempt of their perſons, horrour of their conſciences, the company of the Deuils, the tormenting of their bodies, the feeling of Gods wrath, and the ſeparation from his preſence and glory; all theſe ſhall indeede be theirs, and wholly theirs, and onelyonly theirs, and alway theirs, when their ſecret ſinnes and wickedneſſe ſhall bee reueiled. Then they ſhall call to the Hils to couer them, and try to the Mountaines to keepe them from the ſight of God, from the ſeat of his iudgement, and from the fierceneſſe of his wrath and indignation. And as the Apoſtle teacheth, concerning the godly (as we ſhewed before) that all things worke for the beſt to them: ſo we may truely teach on the contrary, that to thoſe which louelove not the Lord, nor the Lord them, all thinges turne to their deſtruction, and further their condemnation; the Word, the Sacraments, and all other exerciſes of Religion, uDeut. 32, 15 and 2…, 4.as we ſee in the Iſraelites, and in Iudas, whom no inſtructions could conuert, no miracles could mooue, no meanes could profit or bring to repentance. If a man had any ſuit in ſome Princes Court to make, or a ſupplication to put vp, and there ſhould finde the Prince, the Peeres, the Nobles, the Commons, and all men ſet againſt him to croſſe him and contradict him, to reſiſt and gaine-ſay him, his caſe would be iudged of all men to bee moſt miſerable: but thus the caſe ſtandeth with all euill and vngodly men that ſtand in neede of God, and of good men, and of all Gods Creatures; yet ſhall hauehave no releefe or refreſhing from them: God will deny them, Chriſt wil not know them, the Spirit will not comfort them, the Angels will not guard them, the Prayers of the Church will not help them, the Goſpell ſhall not pardon them, the Sacraments ſhall not ſtrengthen them, the Beaſts ſhall not ſpare them, the Creatures ſhall not ſuſtaine them. And if they ſhall peraduenture finde any comfort or conſolation in them, yet what would that auaile them, when their owne conſcience within their owne breaſts, ſhould arraigne them as a Malefactor, conuince them as a witneſſe, condemne them as a Iudge, and torment them as an Executioner? This we ſee in the example of Caine, when hee had made a breach and wound in his conſcience, he could reſt no where, he could abide in no place, he ſtood in feare of eueryevery Creature, he cryed out; xGe. 4, 13, 14My puniſhment is greater then I can beare: Behold, thou hast cast me out of this day from the Earth, and from thy face ſhall I be hid, and ſhall be a Ʋagabond and a Runnagate in the Earth, and whoſoeuer findeth me ſhall ſlay me. In this State and condition doe all the Reprobate and vnregenerate ſtand, they ſhall finde no peace in any Creature in Heauen and Earth, and their owne conſcience as a thouſand witneſſes ſhall torture and torment them. And if any time they ſeeme to hauehave peace and to finde reſt, their peace is a falſe and deceitfull peace. They laugh ſometimes, but it is from the teeth outward, and in mirth the heart is heauy. They hauehave riches, but they are as Vſurpers and as Theeues hauehave them, who ſhall come to be arraigned and condemned for them. Their outward eſtate ſeemeth happy, but it is moſt ſlippery and vncertaine: when they ſay, peace, peace, then commeth ſudden deſtruction, as the paine vponupon a Woman in trauaile. But the righteous, howſoeuer they ſeeme many times miſerable in trouble, and deſtitute of all good thinges, do indeede want nothing which God ſeeth to be for his glory and their good, they hauehave that true peace which our Sauiour promiſeth to leaue with them, and to beſtow vponupon them: yIohn 14, 27.Peace I leaue with you: my peace I giuegive vntounto you, not as the world giueth, giuegive I vntounto you: let not your hart be troubled, nor feare. Marke then the difference betweene the godly and the vngodly: the condition of the godly is in ſhew miſerable, but indeede moſt bleſſed; z2 Cor. 6, 9.They are as vnknowne, and yet knowne: as dying, & behold they liue: as chaſtned, and yet not killed: as ſorrowing, and yet alway reioycing: as poore, and yet making many rich: as hauing nothing, and yet poſſeſſing all thinges. On the other ſide, the condition of the wicked is in ſhew bleſſed and happy, but indeede and in truth, moſt wretched, lamentable, and miſerable. Their laughter is madneſſe, their peace is vnquietneſſe, their ioy is ſorrow of heart, and the end thereof is heauineſſe. To this purpoſe the Wiſe-man ſaith; aPro. 14, 12, 15.There is away that ſeemeth right to a man, but the iſſues thereof are the waies of death. So then, howſoeuer the vngodly eate and drinke, ſing and daunce, ieſt and talke of vaine thinges, howſoeuer they labour to auoid greefe, and put away the euill day farre from them; howſoeuer they paſſe away the time merily, and liue as if they had made a Couenant with death, yet they cannot be in quiet and reſt, for they hauehave an Hang-man and Tormentor within them, from whoſe hands they cannot be deliuered; to wit, their conſcience which doth checke them and terrifie them, before the iudgement ſeat of God, although they ſtriue to make themſelues beleeue that there is neither God not Deuill; neither heauen nor hell; neither ſaluation nor damnation. Thvs much of the bleſſings craued in this ſaluation.
[From God our Father, and from the Lord Ieſus Chriſt.] Now we come to conſider from whence theſe guifts come, and who is the Author of them, to wit; from God the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghoſt. So then, theſe graces heere intreated, are craued and wiſhed from the bleſſed Trinity, diſtinguiſhed into three perſons. Doctrine 3. All bleſsings are to be craued from God alone in chriſt Ieſus.Wee learne from hence, that all good things of what ſort ſoeuer, either for obtaining bleſſings, or auoiding iudgements, are to be intreated and requeſted from God. All thinges temporall and eternall, are to be asked and begged from that one God, which is reueiled vntounto vsus by the Scripture, in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoſt. When Iſaac purpoſed and prepared aGen. 27, 28.to bleſſe his Sonne Iacob, and to pronounce what bleſſings ſhould come vponupon him and his poſterity, hee ſaid; God giuegive thee of the Dew of Heauen, and of the fatneſſe of the Earth, and of the plenty of Wheat and Wine. God gaue this forme to Aaron and his Sonnes, of bleſſing the Children of Iſraell: bNum. 6, 24, 25.The Lord bleſſe thee and keepe thee, the Lord make his face ſhine vponupon thee, and be mercifull vntounto thee, the Lord lift vp his countenance vponupon thee, and giuegive thee peace. The Booke of the Pſalmes doth plentifully offer this truth vntounto vsus in the practiſe of Dauid, and other the deare Children of God, cPſal. 123, 3.HaueHave mercy vponupon vsus, ô Lord, hauehave mercy vponupon vsus, for we hauehave ſuffered to much contempt. This is the direction that the Apoſtle Iames giueth; dIames 5, 5.If any of you want wiſedome, let him aske of God, which giueth to all men liberally, and reprocheth no man, and it ſhall be giuen him. This is that which the Apoſtle both teacheth and craueth: The Grace of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, the louelove of God, and the Communion of the Holy Ghoſt be with you all. The like we ſee vſed by the Apoſtle Iohn. Reuel. 1. 4. All which teſtimonies ſerue directly to teach vsus, that what bleſſings ſoeuer we want, we muſt beg them of God, and of him onelyonly.
Reaſon 1.Let vsus ſee the Reaſons to confirme vsus in this truth. Firſt, God is the fountaine of all good thinges, and the Well-ſpring of all graces whatſoeuer. Hee is a moſt bountifull and liberall Giuer, none can helpe vsus but he alone. If hee ſhut his handes, who can open them? If hee ſtoppe his eares, who can heare? If hee turne awaie his eye from vsus, who can ſee our wantes? If hee cloſe vp his heart, who can ſhew merciemercy? Hence it is that the Apoſtle ſaith: eRom 11, 36.For of him, and through him, and for him; are all thinges: to him bee glory for euer, Amen. And Iames, in the firſt Chapter of his Epiſtle. Iam. 1. 17. fIames 1, 17.EueryEvery good giuing, and eueryevery perfect guift, is from aboue, and commeth downe from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableneſſe, neither ſhaddow of turning.
Reaſon 2.Secondly, the three perſons in Trinity, doe worke ioyntly together, euen from the firſt beginning of our creation, to the laſt finiſhing of our ſaluation. It is ſaid, all things were made by the Sonne, gIohn 1, 3.and that without him, nothing was made that was made; the Spirit alſo did ſuſtaine and vphold that confuſed Lumpe, which was the matter of the vniuerſall: ſo that they are ſaid and ſet downe to be Creators as well as the Father. In the worke of our ſaluation, the Father willeth it, and electeth vsus; the Sonne meriteth and deſerueth it, the Holy Ghoſt applyeth and appropriateth it. This is it which Chriſt himſelfe hIohn 5, 17. & 16, 13.ſaith. Ioh. 5. My Father worketh hitherto, and I worke. And Chap. 16. When he commeth, which is the Spirit of truth, he will lead you into all truth. So we might ſay the like, touching the guifts of Sanctification and Iuſtification, the Father forgiueth and waſheth away ſinne by the blood of Chriſt, through the ſprinkling of the Spirit: he mortifieth ſinne by the power of the death of Chriſt, through the working of the Holy Ghoſt: he raiſeth vntounto newneſſe of life, by the power of Chriſtes Reſurrection applyed by the Spirit: hee iuſtifieth vsus by the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, imputed and appropriated vntounto vsus by the Spirit. Seeing therefore that God is a moſt munificent and liberall giuer, rich vntounto all, and niggardly to none, and ſeeing theſe three perſons beeing one God, doe worke ioyntly together in all things touching the creation of the World, and the ſaluation of man, and the redemption of our Soules; it followeth, whenſoeuer we want any guifts needefull for Soule or body, for this life, or the life to come, we muſt aske the ſupply of them at the handes of God onelyonly, the Father, the Sonne, and holy Ghoſt.
Ʋſe 1.Now let vsus handle the Vſes breefely that ariſe from hence. Firſt, we ſee, that it is neceſſary for all that would pray aright, and would obtaine that which they deſire, to be well inſtructed in the Vnity of the Godhead, and the Trinity of the perſons, and to know the diſtinct properties of the perſons, without the vnderſtanding whereof, wee worſhip not the true God, but an Idoll. Our Sauiour in his conference with the Woman of Samaria, chargeth the iIohn 4, 12.Samaritans to worſhip they know not what: ſo doe many in our dayes, both Heretiques and ignorant perſons, they call vppon God confuſedlie, but they hauehave no particular knowledge of God at all. We muſt conceiue no otherwiſe of God in our minde, then he hath expreſſed in his word. The ſcripture teacheth to knowledge, to beleeue, to worſhip one God, and him onelyonly. If we conceiue or imagine, or receiue a multiplicity of Gods, wee turne the truth of God into a lie, and we erect vntounto our ſelues ſo many Idols. Againe, the ſame Scripture ſetteth before vsus three perſons in that Godhead; the Father, which is the firſt perſon in the Trinity of himſelfe; the Son, which is the ſecond perſon, begotten of the Father; the holy Ghoſt, which is the third perſon, proceeding from the Father and the Sonne. The Father is God, the Sonne is God, the holy Ghoſt is God, and yet theſe three perſons are not three Gods, but one onelyonly God. And heere we hauehave in this place a notable Teſtimony of the God-head of the Sonne, where the Apoſtle deſireth, and prayeth for grace and peace to be giuen to Philemon and his Wife, to Archippus and the Church, not onelyonly from God the Father, but from the Lord Ieſus Chriſt. This had bin monſtrous & horrible Idolatry and blaſphemy. Laſtly, if Chriſt had not bin in Nature, Maieſty, and glory equal with the Father, hee of whom, and from whom, we craue ſpirituall and eternall gifts, kIohn 1, 16.And of whoſe fulneſſe we receiue, and grace for grace, muſt be confeſſed and beleeued to be God: but ſuch is Chriſt Ieſus, and therefore let this be an article of our Faith written in our hearts, acknowledged with our mouth, and confeſſed in the Church for euer, that Chriſt is true God.
Vſe 2.Secondly, all good things are to be craued of God, whether it be the ſupplying of his graces, or the remoouing of our troubles, we are taught to goe immediatly to God by Chriſt whenſoeuer he bleſſeth vsus, and to returne vntounto himſelfe the praiſe of his owne worke. This duty being required, it ſerueth to meete with many corruptions that are too common in the world. It conuinceth ſuch Heathniſh minded men as are of dead harts, and hauehave no ſpark of the life of Gods Spirite in them, that receiue and ſwallow vp daily diuers bleſſinges, yet neuer looke to GOD that bleſſeth them, but wee are like vntounto the Swine that goe groueling to the ground, like the Horſe and Mule that hauehave no vnderſtanding at all, and ſo vſe all the profites and pleaſures of this life, without any acknowledgement and conſideration from whence they come, and of whom they hauehave receiued them: lEzek. 32, 6.or like vntounto the Iſraelites when they had forſaken God. They ſate downe to eate and drinke, and roſe vp to play: or as cGen. 25, 34.Eſau, He did eate and drinke, he roſe vp and went his way, he filled his paunch, and ſuch was his prophaneneſſe, that hee was touched with nothing. Theſe men doe daily deuour infinite mercies of God, and yet neuer call vponupon him. In him they liue and mooue, and hauehave their being, yet neuer acknowledge him, from whom they receiue life, and breath, and being. This is an euident argument of a prophane Spirit, dPſal. 14 4and made the marke of an Atheiſt, not to pray to God. Moreouer, it reprooueth ſuch as hauing great benefites beſtowed vponupon them, doe not magnifie the Authour and giuer of them, but ſome praiſe themſelues, and aſcribe them to their owne power, and ſo ſacrifice to their owne yarne, as eDan. 4, 27.Nebucadnezzao did. Dan. 4. 27. Is not this great Babell that I hauehave built, for the Houſe of the Kingdome, by the might of my power, and for the honour of my Maieſty? This way do the greateſt ſort of men offend, if they hauehave any thing, they impute it to themſelues, and thanke their owne handes, and aſcribe it to their owne labours, to their early riſing, to their late going to bed, but neuer remember the Name of God, nor conſider that whatſoeuer wee hauehave for Soule and Body, and all thinges belonging vntounto them are from God, whether of neceſſitie, plentie, or pleaſure. Let vsus learne to confeſſe, and ſay with the fPſal. 23, 5.Prophet. Pſalme 23. Thou doſt prepare a Table before mee in the ſight of my aduerſaries, thou doſt annoint mine head with Oyle, and my Cup runneth ouer. Some likewiſe bleſſe their Idols and the workes of mens hands, which is deteſtable Idolatry, as gDan. 5, 4.Belſhazzar did, who when he brought forth the golden Veſſels that were taken out of the Temple of the Lords houſe at Hieruſalem, he praiſed his Goddes of Siluer and Gold, to whom hee aſcribed the praiſe of the victory, and contemned the true God who liueth for euer. Others, call vponupon Saints and Angels, inſtead of flying vntounto God; as they do that embrace the Religion of the Church of Rome, who for eueryevery purpoſe and vſe hauehave a ſeuerall Saint; as likewiſe the Heathen had that knew not God. For touching the Idolatry of the Gentiles and of the Papiſts, touching ſuperſtition of the one and the other, blood cannot be more like to blood, Milke to Milke, or an Egge to an Egge, then one of them is to another, as may appeare hMuſcul. comment. in Pſal. 16, 1.by the conference and compariſon of them both. For firſt, there was no Nation, no Prouince, no Citty, no Houſe, which had not ſome peculiar protecting God to ſtand for them againſt Enemies, and to defend them from euill; as Babylon had Belus; Aegipt had Iſis and Oſyris; Athens had Minerua; Epheſus, Diana, &c. Thus is it among the falſe Catholikes, and falſe Chriſtians; Spain hath Iames; France hath Saint Denis; Germany hath Saint George; Venice hath Saint Marke; Coloine hath the three Kinges; Rome hath Peter and Paule; the Hungarians hauehave Ludouick; Milen hath Ambroſe; and ſo other people, other Patrones: Secondly, among the Gentiles, the Elements had their ſeueral Gods to rule ouer them, and to beare all the ſway in them, as the Heauen and Fire, had Iupiter; the Ayre, Iuno; the Sea, Neptune; and Hell had Pluto: not much vnlike is it among the Papiſts, where Agatha ruleth ouer the Fire: Nicholas ouer the Sea: Valeſianus Theodulus ouer the tempeſts, &c. Thirdly, the Gentiles had a certaine God aſſigned to their Cattle; as Apollo and Pan the Sheepheards God, and likewiſe to the fruites of the Earth: as Apollo ripened their fruit: Bacchus encreaſed their Wine: Ceres ſent them ſtore of Corne: ſo is it among the Romanists: Wendelinus taketh care of their Sheepe, Eulogius of their Horſe, Pelagius of their Oxen: Anthony of their Pigges and Swine: Iodocus ouer their Fruits of trees: Vrbanus ouer their Vines: and (to ſhew themſelues no wiſer then a Gooſe) they gaue the charge of their Geeſe to Gallus. Fourthly, the Religion of the Gentiles aſſigned ſeuerall Gods for ſeuerall diſeaſes, and thoſe they called vponupon to heale them and help them, they called vponupon Apollo for the plague; vponupon Hercules for the falling ſickneſſe: vponupon Iuno for Women in trauaile: ſo the ſuperſtition of the Papiſts, hath aſſigned and deputed diuers He-Saints and She-Saints to the ſame purpoſe: fChemnil. exam part. 3. de innocat. ſanct.they pray to Sebaſtian againſt the Plague: to Petronella againſt the Ague: to Saint Iohn againſt Poyſon: to Apollonia againſt the Tooth-ach: to Anaſtaſius againſt the Head-ach: to Mark againſt ſuddaine death: to Liberius againſt the Stone: to Margaret for Women in trauaile: to Ʋincent, for the recouering and reſtoring of thinges loſt: Saint Felicitas gaue Male Children: Anna, Riches: and Barbara prouided that none ſhould dye and depart before that they had receiued the Sacrament.
Fiftly, the Heathen had peculiar Gods that were the Patrons of learning and learned men, and gaue knowledge in Handy-crafts, as ſuch as were ſtudious Apollo, Minerua, and the nine Muſes: Smiths, had Vulcane: Phyſitians, Aeculapius: Souldiers, Mars: Hunters, Diana: Marriners, Castor and Pollux: Harlots, had Venus, Flora, Lupa, and the like: If we come and compare theſe with the Church of Rome, we ſhall ſee the like practiſe, for among them the God of the learned, is Gregory: of the Painters, Luke: of the Phyſitians, Coſmas and Damianus: the God of Souldiers, is Saint George: of Smiths, Eulogius: of Shooe-makers, Criſpin: of Tailors, Gutman: of Hunters, Euſtachius: of Harlots, Magdalena and Aſra. Laſtly, the ſuperſtition of the Papiſtes in worſhipping Idols, is the ſame with the Idolatry of the Gentiles: for the Heathen did build Churches and Chappels, erected Altars, ordained Prieſtes, ſet vp Images, appointed Feaſts and formes of praiers, offered guifts, burned Incenſe, and fell downe before their falſe Gods, which are the true workes of mens hands. They ſware by their names, when they entred into their Temples, they ſprinkled themſelues with holy Water, and they carried about with them their Images to worſhip. Let any man compare gVirell. principi. Christ. relig. lib. 2.the Romane Religion, and the manners of worſhip retained and practiſed in that Church, and then let him openly declare, whether (the names onelyonly of the Idols being changed) the ſame Idolatry be not ſtill maintained and continued; and whether the old Idolaters, which were the Gentiles; and the new Idolaters, which are the Papiſts, do any whit differ? But to leaue them either to the mercy of God, to open their eyes, or to iudgement, to make them that ſee not, more blinde, let vsus acknowledge God onelyonly to be our Patrone and Protector, who ruleth ouer Sea and Land, who taketh care of vsus and ours; whom we hPſal. 50, 15.Are commaunded to call vponupon in the day of trouble, with promiſe to heare vsus. Chriſt Ieſus teacheth vsus a forme of prayer, and willeth vsus to ſay: Our Father: and therefore let vsus goe to the root, not to the braunches; to the Fountaine, not to the ſtreames: to the Creator, not to the Creatures.
Vſe 3.Laſtly, ſeeing all guiftes come from God by Chriſt, we are put in minde to vſe them all to his glorie, of whom we hauehave receiued them. If GOD hauehave giuen vsus wit, wiſedome, knowledge, authority, credit, riches, ſtrength, honour, and ſuch like, wee muſt remember wherefore they hauehave beene beſtowed vponupon vsus, and muſt be referred to their right end; not thereby to magnifie our ſelues, and to ſet vppe our owne Names, but to glorifie the Giuer of them, and to praiſe his great Name. If this bee not the marke we ayme at, and if eueryevery bleſſing doe not make vsus gaine ſome glory to God, who hath thus magnified vsus, and lifted vp our heads aboue our Bretheren, it had beene better for vsus we had neuer receiued theſe bleſſinges, but had beene as wandering Cloudes without Raine, as corrupt Trees without Fruite, and as emptie Veſſels without Water. Hence it is, that the Apoſtle remembring, that through Gods bleſſing we are made partakers of food, i1 Cor. 10, 31he addeth; Whether therefore yee eate or drinke, or whatſoeuer ye doe; doe all to the glorie of GOD. It is a notable comfort vntounto vsus, to vſe his bleſſinges aright, that they that vſed their Talents well, were honoured of the Maiſter, and had more giuen vntounto them.
It is a fearefull ſinne to abuſe them, and to turne them to the diſhonour of God, to the hurt of his Church, and to his owne deſtruction. This is a common ſore and ſickneſſe in our daies. Whatſoeuer we hauehave receiued, we hauehave receiued in not for our ſelues alone, but for the good of others, and the glory of God: ſo that weare not to bee lifted vp in the pride of our owne hearts, nor diſdaine or contemne our Bretheren, but conſider that there is nothing which we hauehave not receiued, and therefore we muſt not boaſt as if we had not receiued it.