Exposition Upon 1 Peter, Biblical exegesis · Chapter 1 · Verse 15
Verse 15. But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all maner of conversation. Verse 16. Because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy.
HEre's the other part of Sanctification,Holiness must be added to abstinence from evil. namely,Tit. 2. 12. The affirmative, which sheweth what we must do; this must necessarily be added to the former: so that its not enough that we fashion not our selves to our former lusts, but we must also be holy. Our Savior Christ cursed not the fig-tree because it bare bad fruit, to poison them that came by, but because it bare none; as that also for which the dresser of the vineyard pleaded:Luke 13. 7. Every tree that brings not forth good fruit, is hewn down; The bad servant bound hand and foot,Mat. 3. 10. not for rioting out his talent,Mat. 25. 30. but for not well employing it; so on the day of judgement shall it be said,Verse 41. Go ye cursed, &c. not for casting me into prison, but not visiting me therein, &c.
This is the more to be urged,This duty needful to be urged. because a great many as long as they be not hurtful, think themselves in a very good case as can be, though in the mean while they do no good: They do hurt to none; alas, this is but half, God forbidding an evil, commands a contrary good: what if one do not that which is forbidden, and yet leave the duty commanded? what obedience is this?
Let a number that think they have repented,Use. and a number of civil persons try themselves by this: You have left, or do keep no ill company, but do you care for and delight in good company? alas, a number have no savor nor minde to such: You do not prophane the Lords Day, but do you carefully sanctifie it publiquely and privately? You have banisht Cards and Dice out of your house, or never had any, but have you entertained Reading and Prayer in their stead? banisht the Devil, and entertained God in his room? you are peaceable, and not boistrous and spritish in your Family, but do you any good? So, its not sufficient that we drive none from God and his Word, and well doing, by mocking or any other discouragement, but provoke one another to goodness,Psal. 51. 13. the Husband the Wife, Parents their Children, Masters their Servants; and so on the contrary, Wives their Husbands, &c.
Its not sufficient to say, I hinder them not; this shews onelyonly, thou art not so bad as some, but proves not that thou art indeed good: So many in a Town think it enough if they do no hurt in it, but they will sleep in a whole skin: But they must not onelyonly haunt no Alehouses, or be disordered, but seek to suppress such as be; else if they gather not with Christ,Luke 11. 23. they scatter; if not with him, then against him:Iudg. 5. 23. for this Meroz; was cursed. How a number of rich men in Towns can shift this curse,Neh. 13. 17. I know not: O what evil is this that ye do? Too many are content to let goodness go by; they are no enemies to good Ministers or people, &c. but they will do nothing to procure the Gospel to a Town, or to hold it where it is, but if we have any truth in us, we will, though we meet with hard measure for our labor; Christ hath done more for us: So much have we profited in the hatred of evil, as we have gotten in the love and practice of the contrary good, and no otherwise.
If this would serve for men, to leave evil, many would be Christians, but this is but half; he that stands here will come but half way, almost onelyonly with Agrippa to heaven,Acts 16. 28. not altogether: Repentance hath two feet, he that stands not on both is a lame Christian. If there were a Preferment for a man at London, and he should go half way, and there stay, would he not lose it? might he not also be justly accounted a fool, a negligent and lazy person? Such are we, if through lack of one part of Repentance we deprive our selves of heaven.
But as he which hath called you is holy, &c.] Speak we first of the Exhortation unto holiness, ver. 15. then of the Reason enforcing the same, ver. 16.
Touching the Exhortation, its to Holiness, whose extent is in all maner of Conversation, which is set out by a Simile, viz. As God is holy; who is described by a main benefit bestowed on them, Their Calling: But as he that hath called you is holy, so be ye holy, &c.
The Exhortation then is to Holiness; we were made holy at the first, we are now filthy and unclean; we must have the image of sin put off,Christians must be holy. and a new image of God put on; we must be sanctified persons, set aside for the Lords use, as the Shew-bread, that none might meddle with, or put to any other use. We must be for the use of neither Flesh, World, Devil, but for Gods use onelyonly; we must have no more Body, Soul, Wit, Will, Reason, Hand, Eye, Finger or Foot, but for the Lords use.1 Thess. 4. 3. This is the will of God, even our Sanctification: Angels our fellow servants be holy, Heaven the place we look for is holy, no unclean person comes there;Ioh. 15. 3. and 17. 17. God hath also given us his holy Word, and holy Sacraments to encrease us in holiness; so holy Sabbaths, and his holy Spirit.
This the end of our Election,Eph. 1. 4.
This the end of our Redemption,Luke 1. 74, 75.
This the end of our Calling.1 Cor. 6. 20. Yea,1 Thess. 4. 7.
As without holiness no man shall see God:Iam. 1. 18. So,Heb. 12. 14.
The inheritance is prepared for them that are sanctified.Mat. 5. 8.
1. This condemns such as are so far from holiness,Acts 20. 32. as they give themselves over to all maner of lewdness and prophaneness,Use 1. and mock at those that desire any better, Oh, you be of those holy ones, of the holy brotherhood: and what are you? of the prophane ones, as Esau? Take heed, you will speed as Esau did. If you be not holy, you shall never see God, but (as Belshazar saw the hand-writing) to your terror: Is it not too much you be prophane your selves, but would you that others also should be so too? Doth not God enjoyn holiness? speaks he not to all? Therefore except you will publish to the world that you are marching in the Devils Rabble, and have renounced your part in heaven, and vowed your own destruction, break off your fins by Repentance, and cease to be for the Devils use any longer: Confess and cry for pardon of that is past, enter a new Covenant, renounce thy old Master, with whom is ugly works, base scullery, woful wages.Rom. 6. 22.
2. This also condemns all civil persons that rest herein;Use 2. you must exceed this, else you cannot enter into the Kingdom of heaven. Its great pity, that many men of very fair carriage are no better for themselves, and they trust to their honest and just dealing with their Neighbors; but alas, it will deceive them for want of holiness. Alas, that you will see nothing into the first Table: How little do most regard the true Worship of God, and the Spiritual use of it? How seldom do they pray, or have any divine Meditation? How little regard they the Sabbath? How often swear? and such persons be the best Papists we know.
In all maner of conversation. Holy in all maner of conversation.] Not where, when, to whom, and what we list, but at all times, in all places, towards all persons, and in all things,Psal. 145. 17. as God is holy in all his ways and works.
1. This serveth to rebuke those that will yield in some things only:Use 1. what is it if a man be not covetous, if he be proud or unclean, &c. some will yield in great matters, but in small do as they list; as to swear by their Faith and Troth, especially in that which is true, talk vainly, play a game or two on the Lords day, put a little false Ware, deceive a little, &c. Some again will yield in all small matters, but in some great thing they will not;2 Pet. 1. 5. as to give all diligence to encrease in every grace,Col. 3. 17. and that no corrupt communication should come out of their mouthes:Eph. 4. 29. though thou hast spoke many good words, yet hadst thou better be silent, then have no more good to speak. There are some devout in the Church, but Spirits in their houses at home; In their own Town well ordered, but in strange places as the company is, riotous, wanton,1 King. 20. 23. deep in gaming, &c. as though God were God of the Mountains, and not of the Valleys, of one place, and not of another. Some must be vain at the Table, and Christ-tide, howsoever at other times. Some in adversity will be very humble, good words, golden promises, but in prosperity nothing so. Some in prosperity carry themselves well, in adversity not stick to run to a Witch: At the Communion, or a day or two after,Simil. will be demure, but not so long. Some use their Superiors well, their poor Tenants or Workfolks hardly: Alas, there is no part of our life, wherein God gives any licence to do evil; in our particular Callings let us shew the truth of our Christianity. Some servants will make a shew of Religion, and be desirous to hear, but are lazy and unthrifty in their Callings: Some men carry themselves very forwardly, that in their shops and dealings shew it not. Papists seem very devout in some things, yet you shall lightly ever know any that make Conscience of an Oath, or of the Lords day
2. Let us prove the truth of holiness in us,Use 2. by the generality of it; keep a constant tenour, an even hand, and let there be a proportion between every part of our life, not one part as it were devout, another prophane and wicked;Dan. 2. 32. like Nebuchadnezzars Image, one part gold, another silver, another brass, &c. These cannot hang together, but let it be in all things, and this will afford true comfort on our Death-beds,2 Pet. 1. 11. and give us a large entrance into the glorious Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ: True it is, we cannot come to any perfection here on earth, but shall be subject to offend; yet this were to be wished, that all our actions and behavior, and all our speeches and thoughts were such as become holiness; and its that we should endeavor unto, the beginning whereof is simplicity, and truth of heart, desiring without dissembling, or feigning to walk so as we may please God in all things.
Wonderful is the weakness of most part of Christians, who howsoever in many things they do well, yet many of their actions and speeches are not answerable: Well, let us notwithstanding endeavor it, and that every day more & more; and lets not be discouraged, though we cannot attain to all we would, but if we can gain ground this way, though it be but a little at once, yet our labor shall not be in vain: we must every day exceed our selves a little, and so not bearing with our selves in our corruptions, but unfeignedly striving against them, we may receive no small comfort; let us therefore not bear with our selves in the least evil,Rom. 7. 19, 24. but strive to reform our selves in every thing; in the mean time (with the Apostle) mourning because of the corruption.
But as he that hath called you is holy,] That is, God: This is the Simile, whereby the Exhortation to holiness is set forth, which hath in it also the force of a double reason to perswade thereunto: 1. From the person calling. 2. From the calling it self.
The person calling,God is holy. God: he is holy, therefore must we be so. Concerning Gods holiness, we need say little; Its his very essence, and uncreated in him, he hath been so for ever, and is so infinitely:Isa. 6. 3. The Angels cannot cease praising the same, Holy, holy, holy,Rev. 4. 8. &c.
He is the Fountain of holiness, and conveyeth the streams thereof into his Creatures,Lev. 20. 8. Men and Angels: He is holy by nature, whatsoever holiness is in Angels or Men, is not by nature, but by grace: He sanctifieth the place where he manifesteth himself, as the ground whereon Moses stood by the bush where God appeared;Exod. 3. 5. much more Heaven, where he most clearly sheweth himself to the Saints.
This should teach us,Use. as to acknowledge him so in his Word, and in all his Works, and that we should not dare admit a thought to the contrary, though we cannot see the reason of all things, so the use hereof is, That we should study after holiness, that so there may be some agreement between him and us, as we are bidden be merciful, and perfect,Mat. 5. 48. as he is, and our Savior faith, Learn of me; not that he requires an equality,Mat. 11. 29. which can never be here and hereafter: Here we cannot be perfectly holy as he is, in Heaven we shall be perfectly holy, but not infinitely as he is, because we are finite; but so that we labor to imitate him, that we may have his blessed Image renewed in us daily,Psal. 84. 7. and grow more and more like unto him, going from strength to strength, till we appear before the God of gods in Sion: Can the most holy God abide unholy persons?Lev. 12. 3. He hath pure eyes,Hab. 1. 13. and hateth sin,Psal. 94. 20. abhorreth iniquity, what agreement between light and darkness? God and Belial? Therefore the Lord so often called upon the Israelites, to keep themselves from all kindes of Pollution, and instructed them unto holiness in innumerable things, whereof some were very small: Therefore as we take Gods holy Name upon us, hear his holy Word, partake his holy Sacrament, and take his holy Name in our mouthes, let us also study after holiness, else never look to see Gods face: He can no more endure prophane persons, then we to take a Toad in our mouthes. This holiness stands not in coming to Church, mumbling over a few Prayers without understanding, coming to the Communion at Easter, &c. The Pharisees fasted oft, prayed long, gave Alms, had broad Phylacteries, yet were rejected by our Savior Christ; It stands in the purity of the heart, and the whole conversation. But how little doth this example of the Lord prevail to bring men to holiness? most follow after their own hearts lusts, and the corrupt example of men, we do as we see others do, and why, (say we) should we be wiser then our Forefathers, then all our neighbors? and thus being willing to follow such examples, we draw one another to all evil: But follow we not those in evil, but the blessed example of God himself, as in holiness, so in sanctifying his day. Thus of the person calling.
The calling it self.A twofold calling. A great benefit indeed: why, Is it so great a benefit to be called? Yea, as is here meant.
There is a twofold calling; 1. Outward: When God calls men by every days new benefits, by every new correction, by his Word, whereby yet they are never aw hit the better,Rom. 8. 30. nor converted, for many are called, Eph. 4. 1.but few chosen, 1 Thess. 5. 24.and this is common to Reprobates. 2. Inward and Effectual: when besides and with the outward means, God speaks inwardly by his Spirit to the Conscience:The parts of the inward calling. The parts hereof are,
1. The enlightning of the minde to understand the Principles of Religion, which though alone it be not sufficient, nor more then may be in a Reprobate, yet its the foundation of the rest, without which no effectual calling.
2. The opening of the heart to believe (as Lydia's was) when one believes every thing particularly to belong to them,Acts 16. 14. and so the promise of Salvation among the rest, till then her heart (as all ours) was fast lockt up,Col. 1. 13. not able to believe.
3. The change of the whole man:Eph. 2. 1, 2. This is essentially necessary to Salvation,Rom. 6. 17. for by nature we are slaves of sin;1 Cor. 6. 11. as long as we continue as we were born,The fruits of this inward calling. we are far from Salvation.
The fruits hereof are,
1. When a man goes about the works of the same, and labors to walk worthy of it in an holy life.
2. When a man highly esteemeth his calling, and the hope of glory he is called to, as Paul accounted all dung in respect of the excellency of Christ crucified; and the things he esteemed highly before his calling, afterward he made no reckoning of.
3. When he will suffer any thing for the same, rather then be drawn from the hope thereof.
Some are called sooner, some later, as in the Parable of the Laborers hired into the Vineyard.
Examine we our calling,Use. for much hangs upon this, Our Election past,Rom. 8. 30. and Glorification to come. Calling is the fruit and proper effect of Election;2 Pet. 1. 10. if the one,Marks of effectual calling. then certainly the other: Notes hereof are both Negative and Affirmative. Negative,
1. Not to hear the Word,Negative. and that diligently; so doth the Devil, he will not miss a Sermon, nay marks every point in a Sermon, to keep thee from the obedience thereof, or turn it one way or other to hurt.
2. Nor to hear joyfully.
3. Nor to reform many things, as Herod.
4. Nor to do some choyce duties, as Ananias and Sapphira. Affirmative; Affirmative.But
1. To seek above all to be at peace with God, and to have his Spirit to assure us of our everlasting Salvation, not to serve the time, nor any such thing, but above all to be assured of Gods favor.
2. That we hate unfeignedly all evil, but especially the special evils of the Time, and of our own Nature.
3. To affect heartily all good, but especially those good things that the World and Times least regard, and our selves be most untoward unto.
If by these notes we finde we be called, then have we cause to rejoyce, and to praise the Free-grace of God, who for no desert, but his meer mercy, hath vouchsafed to call us that were vile, as Abraham an Idolater, Paul a Persecuter, Zacheus a covetous person, the Goaler a desperate Ruffian; and hath now put a difference, and that for no goodness in us, rather then in others: And hath he done so to all our companions? No, they abide in ignorance, unbelief, impenitency: And now our work must be this, even to study after holiness more and more, being called out of the world, that we should no longer fashion our selves according to the same, having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness,Eph. 5. 11. but reproving them rather: As you would be loath to be put back with the world, and have as they shall, so be not as they, no not in the least things; and as our hope is in Heaven, so have we our conversation there, as being called of God to that high Priviledge: If you be not effectually called, and have had so long and so great means of calling, its a fearful sign that you hearken not,1 Sam. 2. 25. because the Lord will slay you. The earth that after much cost,Heb. 6. 8. yet yields nothing but bryars and thorns, is reproved, reprobate ground, near the curse, whose end will be to be burned.2 Cor. 4. 3. If the Gospel be hid,Acts 13. 48. its hid to them that perish. So many as were ordained to eternal life, believed; therefore if thou hast hitherto stopt thine ear against the Lords calling, take heed thou provoke him not further, but to day, whilest it is called to day, give ear and obey: Its more then thou couldst have looked for, that he should have all this patience, abuse it no longer, lest it turn into fury, and the Lord in his wrathful indignation flying away from thee, pronounce that he will never more speak to thee, and either snatch thee from the Word, and send thee to Hell, or the Word from thee; or if thou hear,Isa. 6. 9, 10. that he yet bid the Minister preach to harden thee, and let thee alone:Hos. 4 17. agreeable to that, He that is unjust, let him be unjust still, Rev. 22. 11.&c. which is most fearful, and curse thy heart, as Christ did the Figtree, never fruit grow on thee, never good motion come in thy heart, or if any do, let them dye presently & not live, and give thee over to be more strongly tempted by Satan; Devil, take him, and hurry him at thy pleasure, & lay down thine own corruption unbridledly, which is the fearfullest curse under heaven: O lets seek to escape it, and tremble, to prevent this fearful judgement, which lighteth on many that have long lived under preaching, and are hardlier won at last then before. Some of you haply having barren Trees in your Orchard, and having resolved to cut them down, have tryed one year more ere you cut them down: We may fear there be sundry of us in this place going upon our last year (who they be God knows) If now you listen not,Prov. 1. 24, &c. the Lord will hew you down, and cast you into the fire; and then will you call and cry to God, but in vain, he will not answer you then. When God shall cast such into their deserved place, how shall they then fret and vex themselves? What beasts were we that we did not yield to the Word of God, which so often called upon us? Others obeyed, and they are well: O that we had profited at such a time, when such good motions came in our mindes! O that we had yielded to them, and not cast them off as we did! but then all too late; they may fret, and gnaw their tongues for vexation, but to no purpose: Endeavor we therefore in time to prevent this. Thus of the Exhortation.
Now follows the Reason of the Exhortation laid down in the 16 Verse, Because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy; where's to be considered, 1. That he urgeth still the matter in hand, and cannot have done with it. 2. How he urgeth it, even by Scripture, It is written. 3. The Text it self, Be ye holy, for I am holy.
1. I say, he still urgeth the matter in hand, much pressing his Exhortation unto holiness, and is very earnest herein.
The Reasons may be these:Why the Apostle is so earnest in exhorting to holines. 1. Because the thing in hand is so excellent and necessary, then which nothing can be more: Holiness makes us like God and Angels, unlike Devils and our selves; without which there's no seeing of God. 2. Because we are altogether so untoward thereunto: Who seeth not what a work we have to bring any to turn from their sins, and to take an holy course? how few such, and with what a deal of pains? and when converted and brought to a love of holiness, and desire to please God, yet who findes not what a stir he hath to bring himself to any good Duty, Prayer, Meditation, Examination of his heart, &c. or when we are brought to do good things, yet to do them in a right maner, but the heart will be gone? especially in all things, and in our whole conversation; therefore no marvel though the Holy Ghost dwell long upon it.
1. This teacheth us Ministers in weighty points,Use 1. to dwell as it were upon them, and not sliding from them too quickly, to urge them again and again, questioning their hearts whether indeed they will do so and so, or not, &c.
2. People,Use 2. when they perceive their Ministers so to urge such and such a point,Lam. 3. 40. they must consider it the more seriously; so when we read any thing,2 Cor. 13. 5. wherein the holy Ghost is more earnest or repeats it often, as to search and examine our selves, we must take knowledge of the weight of the matter, and of our own dulness, dwelling the more thereon in our observation and attention; where the holy Ghost is earnest, we must not pass it slightly over.
2. He proves it by Scripture,Ministers must prove their Doctrine by Gods Word and so must we when we would prove any thing to the Conscience; for Gods Word is the Judge of all truth and falshhood, good and evil; its the Golden rule, the Ballance of the Sanctuary.Luk. 10. 25, 26. Philosophers prove things by Reason, in Gods School proof must be from the Scripture: We must not look what this man, or that man, or twenty men say, this stablisheth not the Conscience; but the Word of God, that bears meat in the mouth, that is of weight and authority, either to make to yield, or at least to leave without excuse: One Testimony of Scripture, is of more weight then the testimony of a thousand men, for that is the Word truth, and all men are subject to error, and thereto may people say indeed,Acts 12. 22. The voyce of God, and not of man.
A number of people in Cities and great Towns,Use 1. if Preachers alleage, Fathers, Councels, School-men, &c. O how they applaud them! but if any shall alleage Scripture, properly and plainly, Oh, he is a plain homespun Preacher, he may do well in a Countrey Town; but Christs sheep do otherwise, they reverence and adore above all the Word of God.
This condemns the Papists,Use 2. that deal most treacherously, and will not have the scriptures to be judge, but Fathers, Councels, the Church; And who is the Church but themselves? and the Head of Councels but the Pope? and so upon the point, the Pope is the Church, and so its like enough to go well on their sides: And in their Councels, who is any thing but the Pope and his Consistory? as he will have every thing, so it shal be, as in their last Councel of Trent, which they so magnifie as the most sacred Assembly that ever was, which indeed was nothing else but a conspiracy of Traitors, against the Crown and Dignity of Christ Jesus, and his Truth; there such were pickt as were fast to the Pope and the Religion of Rome, and such as were sworn to be true thereto; and when some few spake somewhat more boldly in some things, then was well liked of, they were quickly packt out, and this charge they had after they had sate a while, That they should interpret no Scripture, but such as might stand with the Doctrine of Rome; this was good stuff, that whereas they should have brought their Doctrine to the rule of Scripture, they must bring Scripture to their Doctrine, as if the Carpenter should cut his rule according to the piece, and not the piece according to his rule: And howsoever they sate there at Trent, disputing for a fashion, yet nothing was concluded, but such as the Pope and his Consistory at Rome devised, which being set to them, they were to publish; and thus the parties become Judges, and they that should stand at the Bar to be judged, sit on the Bench to judge their own cause, therefore it must needs go well on their side: They cannot away that the Scripture should be the Judge, because they then know how it would go with them and their Doctrine, but we must receive it, and try all Doctrine by it, and stand to the sentence thereof, as being the onelyonly Judge: So here the Apostle enjoyning holiness, takes this as a sufficient proof, It is written, though that was against their nature and disposition; though by following after it, they might be counted Puritans, Singular, Proud, Hypocrites, &c. yet they must not stand reasoning the case with flesh and blood, they must be holy, for so it was written.
If then we know any thing once proved by the Word of God,Obedience is to be yielded to those Doctrines which are proved by the Word. we must make no more ado; if the Word command a thing, we must yield and obey; if forbid a thing as vile, we must dare no more meddle therewith, then to eat poison.
For the Word of God is the Royal Law,Reason. that Rule of Righteousness that must command all the world, Prince and people must stoop hereunto;Amos 3. 8. This is the Law of his Kingdom, whereby all we his Subjects must be ruled: If the Lyon roar, the Beasts tremble; and if the Lord speak (who is our Soveraign) is it not meet that we should take knowledge hereof,Deut. 5. 27. and yield obedience thereto? this was ever Preface enough to the Prophets in their Sermons, Thus saith the Lord, The Word of the Lord, &c. and his Word not being left us in vain, to shake it off at our pleasures, the same may command obedience.
1. This condemns the prophane and dissolute world,Use 1. do men go by any such rule, and try, ere they do any thing what God saith of it in his Word? O that were too much preciseness: But by what rules then? If it stand with my pleasure, with my profit, with my ease, with my credit, most do so; I shall be accounted a fool if I do not so: O cursed rules, What? shall Profit, Pleasure, Mammon, and our Lusts become now as it were our God? dare we cast the word of God behinde us? do we provoke the Lord to anger? are we stronger then he? Oh let him that thinketh, he standeth, 1 Cor. 10. 12.take heed lest he fall: Its written, we must be holy, therefore we must be so; why, then its written, we may not swear; therefore we must not swear; so, oppress, deceive, commit uncleanness, &c. because the contrary is prescribed in the Word: And yet how dare men live in those very sins against the Scriptures? Hath not the world smarted sufficiently yet, whereat to take warning? What threw Adam out of Paradise, drown'd the old World, brought such variety of Judgements upon the Jews from time to time, if not their disobedience? have there drunkards enough, swearers, prophaners of the Lords-day, Usurers, &c. been plagued, and sent to Hell already? This rebelling against the Word of God, hath made all the racket and havock in the world, and hath brought to confusion the Proudest and Mightiest: If we had not the Word, but were left to the light of nature, God might condemn us for our sins, how much more when by the Word he hath told us all his minde? Well, let us look to it, if the Word may not be a light to guide us, it will be a fire to consume us; If it be not strong enough to make us yield obedience, it will be strong enough to throw us headlong to confusion, as whereby we shall be judged at the latter day: If when God smites any one part of us with pain in extemity, we be weary of our selves, when yet we have many comforts, and many to pity us, and hope also of an end thereof, what shall their care be that are smitten and plagued in all parts of Body and Soul, there being no eye to pity them, nor hope of an end? which yet ensueth upon the disobedience to Gods Word; Then will they fret and vex themselves, O beast that I was, that took not warning at such and such a time, &c.
2. For as many as are willing the Word should guide them,Use 2. and be it with or (in appearance) against them, are willing to be ruled, let these be of good comfort: Its a good mark of Christs sheep, they hear his voyce and follow him,Iohn 8. 47. and he is of God that heareth and obeyeth his word.
Again,Gods Word the rule of all Truth. in that its said, It is written; we note, That the Word of God is the rule of all Truth and Doctrine.
This condemneth the Papists,Use which as if the written Word of God were insufficient and imperfect, and the Prophets and Apostles either would not, or could not, or might not leave a perfect direction for us,See Isa. 8. 20. divide the word into written, and unwritten; Thereupon imposing a great number of Traditions,Iohn 5. 39. & 20. 24. Degrees, and old received Opinions and Customs upon the people,1 Cor. 4. 6. as matters whereon to ground their Faith,2 Tim. 3. 16, 17. and binde their Conscience, as much as any of the written Word,Sadael de verbo Dei Scripto. and that upon peril of Damnation; which is a fearful Abomination.
They have indeed need of unwritten Traditions, to shore up a number of points of their Religion, or else they would fal to the ground for all the written Word of God, as having no authority from thence: But what a Religion is that, which must thus be maintained without the Testimony of the Scripture? we must learn to detest all such Traditions, else what a Flood-gate should we let open, to let in all Errors and uncertainties without end; Yea, were this granted, every dream of a Fryers brain, and any old Custom, would be imposed duplicate page duplicate page upon the people for a Law: Cursed be they that adde to the All-sufficient Word of God,Rev. 22. 18. God will adde to their plagues.
3. The Text it self, Its written; where? In Leviticus 11. 44. & 19. 2. The Word is the Rule, the written Word, the Canonical Scripture, that onelyonly.
There are other Books called Apochrypha, The use of the Apocrypha Books, with the respect which is to be given thereto.usually joyned with the Bible, which are not Gods Word, nor of equal authority of the same, but are the writings of men, of good men, and have also good use; some part for the helping out of the story of that dark time, from Malachi to John the Baptist, and other parts for instruction in good maners, and to a godly life, and are therefore to be read of us; yet were not they written by any Prophet, are not Originally in the Hebrew (as all the Old Testament is) but in the Greek; neither were received of the Jews,Rom. 3. 2. to whom were committed the Oracles of God, for which they were not blamed of our Savior Christ, as questionless, they should have been, if they had done amiss. Further, we finde no Testimony of our Savior Christ, Evangelist or Apostle, cited out of them: They have also their weaknesses and imperfections, and the best parts thereof savor of a man, and have not the majesty and weight of Gods Word; Therefore are they not sufficient whereon to ground any part of our Faith, or to say, This is true, fo…so its written in such a book: No, but to read them and try them, and where they consent with the Word, then say its true, not because its so there, but because the Scripture approves it; where they jar from Scripture, there are we to leave them: we must walk in a middle path wisely and soberly, as not to match them with the Word of God, so not to reject them, as some have done, for that they observed others magnifie them too much, hereby running into a contrary extremity. As nothing makes a handmaid so much despised,Simile. as when she is set in her Mistresses Chair, so long as she stands as an handmaid, all like her, and say, she becomes her place well; So when the Apocrypha is equalled with the Scripture, it is justly to be disliked, when made to serve it, of good use.
It is written,] But he tells not where, because they were so well acquainted with the Scripture, as they could straightway say, Oh, we know where it is, Its written in such a Book, such a Section.
This sheweth how cunning we should be in the Scriptures,Christians must be ready in the Scriptures. and every part thereof, reading them diligently, as by our selves, so with our Families; and great cause: We have a corrupt heart within us, therefore had need have the Word dwelling in us to subdue it;Iohn 5. 29. We have plenty of duties,Col. 3. 16. therefore had need of plenty of knowledge in the Word; we shall have plenty of strong and subtile temptations from the Devil and World,Iosh. 1. 8. and therefore had need to be ready herein to resist them:Psal. 1. 3. & 119. 97, 98, 99, 101. Herein must we meditate day and night, that we may observe, and do and prosper, that we may be as fruitful trees, that we may become wise in all our ways, yea, wiser then our Enemies, then our Ancients: This is unto Gods Children a storehouse of all good things; its Food to nourish us, Armor to defend us, a Light to guide us, an Apothecaries shop containing all things for meat and medecine for the food and health of our Soul, Purgations to purge out our sins, Cordials to comfort us, Preservatives against every poisonful temptation of Satan: Herein is our Fathers Will, wherein are our Legacies, in every leaf and line some good.
1. This condemns the Church of Rome, Use 1.that make it a deadly sin for the people to read any part of Scripture; one of them saith, He thought it was the device of the devil that the common people should read the Sriptures, which might make all loath their Religion; for is it any thing else, but as thieves which blow out the candle that they may not be seen.
2. This condemns those amongst our selves,Use 2. that say, It was never merry world since every Plowman and Weaver could talk of the Scripture, and that the world was far more quiet before; these be no… led by the Spirit that Moses was,Numb. 11. 29. who wisht, That all the Lords people could prophesie, and the Apostle Paul, who often speaks of the encrease of knowledge.
3. This condemns the woful carelesness of most people,Use 3. that regard not to read the Scriptures, and therefore are exceedingly ignorant therein, so that if a Minister quote a place, he had need name both Chapter and Verse; nay, if it be amongst the books of the Old Testament, yea, some Epistles of the New, they cannot tell whereabouts to finde them, but are often fain to turn to the Table of the Book. Rich men are so mad of the world, that they can finde no leisure, Mammon is so mighty with them, as God and his Word have no time with them: And might they not finde that in one leaf of the Bible, whereof if they could make use, it would profit them more then the whole world? Some are all for the world, out of one business into another; others can finde leisure to play at Tables, Cards, Bowls, &c. or to stand in shops two or three hours, spending the time in idle discourses, and unprofitable frothy talk, if not in hurtful slandering and backbiting their neighbors, and reproaching the servants of God, who yet can finde no time for the Word: Others are very cunning in their Statute Books, but not so in the Scriptures: As for the poor, because they be poor and not Book-learned, they think it concerns not them, or that God looks for any such thing at their hands; and therefore are as ignorant as if they lived in Turky, altogether without fruit (as the fig-tree whereunto our Savior came) foolish, and carryed away with every temptation, and all for that they meditate not in Gods statutes: They live ignorantly and loosly, and dye blockishly and miserably; yea, and they perish worthily, for that being offered a guide, to take them as it were by the hand, and lead them through this wilderness, this narrow unbeaten path, from all by-ways, and bring them to Heaven, yet will not entertain the same.Simil. If the King should send a Letter to any of his Subjects, and they would not vouchsafe to open it, or look therein to read it, What a contempt were this? The Scripture yet is the Lords Letter, sent to us to inform us of his will: O what shall the condemnation of this Land be, that having the light, love darkness better? and God having given us his Word, (which he gives not to all) we make so light account thereof, we will not bestow the searching of it: Nay, every toy proves sufficient to keep us from it, O woful unthankfulness! How did our Forefathers make account of the Word, Job, David, they in Queen Maries time, whereof some read it by stealth in Hay-gofes, &c.
O how precious was it to them!See the Book of Martyrs. Cra threw away his Money, but kept his New Testament when he suffered Ship-wrack: Many poor Christians and dear servants of God in Spain, and elsewhere, do now read the Word of God, and other good Books with peril of their lives: O how shall they rise up against us, which may with peace and much liberty, and sundry encouragements, read and be conversant in the Scriptures, yet regard it not? God sends his Letter to us, we will not vouchsafe to open it: What will we regard, if we regard not the Scriptures? I tell you, God hath no greater blessing to bestow on Mortal man: This little Book is the glory of the world, without which all the world is but a dung-hill, and if this were taken away, it were better for us not to be, then to be, for we should do nothing but grope in darkness, and be devoured of our lusts till Hell snatch us away; lets learn therefore at last to be wiser, and that whilest we may: Casting away our toys and vanities, learn we to be better acquainted with the Word, then at any time heretofore; all that be strangers to it, be strangers to true comfort: Yea, resolve we that no day shall pass us, without reading some part of Scripture for our instruction, else how shall we do our duties each to other? how use prosperity and adversity? how to learn either to live or dye? Here (as good housholders) we may provide store both for our selves and others.
For the words themselves, Be ye holy, for I am holy: They are taken (as ye heard) out of Leviticus; Them the Lord used to his people, whom he had chosen from all others, on whom he bestowed many outward mercies, and betrusted them with his Word, who thought they should see round about them the Gentiles abounding with idolatry, and all maner of sin, yet they must not follow them therein: But as I have set you out from all other, for my self (saith the Lord) so set your selves apart to my use, and service, and be ye holy to me, as ye observe me to be.
Hence learn, That
Where God bestows on a Land,The more the Lord bestows on any, the more he expects from them. or Corner, or Town, more mercies then on others, he looks they should not be as other places (that have not had the same favors, but have been left to themselves) but abounding in holiness, holy as he himself is holy.
Here I might speak of this Land,Use. what God hath done for it, and what he expects at our hands, even that we should be better then any other Nation; and then, how we are so far from being more holy then others, that if any Nation have any sin, we get it from them, and appropriate it to our selves: What should I speak of the common sins of the times? The last Assizes, and every one shews what state we are in, what horrible incests, the daughter being with childe by her own father, and the Wife burning the childe; another ravishing his own daughter, being thereof accused by his own childe and wife; What cruel murthers? besides the common mother sins, ignorance, extream worldliness, and that overspreading canker and leprosie of this Land, the contempt of good persons: If any be more forward, careful, zealous then the common sort, he is hated, mocked, discouraged all that may be: Not the simplest fellow in a Town, though he cannot understand one petition of the Lords Prayer, but will mock at those that be any thing toward in Religion, or forward to hear the Word, refrain from disorder, and keep the Lords Day, &c. this sin abounds most fearfully in this Land: In other Religions, which are indeed false and irreligious, look who is most zealous and forward, he is most reverenced and regarded; onelyonly in the true Religion, if any be but careful to bring into use and practise, that which he hears & knows, and dare not do as others, but rather reprove them, he makes himself as a wondering stock, and is hooted as an howl, & one that shal sure be hoysed up in charges, hu…cht at, complained of and vexed: This sin (not repented of nor left) wil be the moth & confusion of this Land, as we may justly fear. God is every year upon us with one new punishment or other, but they prevail nothing, we are as bad stil or worse: what therefore may we not look for? How sped the Israelites at last? we may fear, lest God make us as famous for judgement, as we have been for mercies; we may fear, that it shall be said of all that pass by, How is this famous nation become thus desolate? and answered, Because they despised the Lord, his Gospel and servants, after many mercies bestowed upon them, to have brought them in love therewith.
Be ye holy, &c.] Some urge this exhortation and the like to establish Free-will,The Popish Doctrine of free-will, hath no ground from this place but without cause: They shew not what we can, but what we should do, and what God will require of the wicked, or else condemn them, and what he will enable his servants unto, as give their endeavor thereto; to the wicked they are commandments of conviction, which God may justly require of them, because he made them able to do the same; to his servants they are not so, but with the exhortation he conveys such grace, as whereby they are enabled to do the same.
Lastly,Nor is it against the marryed estate. this place is abused by sundry, to cry down the married estate, & to magnifie single life, but there is no holiness in the one, more then in the other;Tertull. for neither if we marry not have we the more (as the Apostle speaketh about eating) or marry have we the less,Hieron. the Kingdom of God not consisting in these things:Rom. 14. 17. The benefit of the one more then the other,1 Cor. 7. 32. consists onelyonly in this, That a single life hath freedom from many troubles and cares, and so more liberty to every good duty,Ibid. 34▪ but this gift is given but to few; therefore rather then they should live discontentedly, he perswades them to marry: Let them therefore that live single, take heed they put no holiness therein, or think that thereby they please God the more, but rather let them use it well, and profit thereby, in being so much the more zealous and forward in every good work, publike and private, else that their single life will one day be a witness against them; but especially take heed of a filthy sole life, for many wanting the gift of continency, yet to avoid troubles, cares, and charges of marriage, and that they may live easily, proudly, and gather riches, will live singly, though impurely; Such shall one day know, that they had better been married, then here to burn with lust, and hereafter in hell for ever: Marriage is no opposite to holiness, but an help thereto, ordained by God in mans innocency for holy ends,Heb. 13. 4. Honorable amongst all men, and the bed undefiled: Hereunto if a man enter holily, and in the fear of God, beginning with prayer, then chusing for the fear of God with consent of Parents, and care to know his duty, and praying for Grace to bear the crosses of marriage, he cannot but finde it holy. Thus of the Reason.